I’M sure all readers like myself were deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Maqsood Anwar, who collapsed during a cricket match in Barry last Saturday.

I would like to send my deepest condolences to Maqsood’s family, his friends and to Sully Centurions CC.

I also would like to direct people to the club’s Facebook page, through which you can access a Go Fund Me page. The page is aiming to raise money to fund two defibrillators at Burnham Avenue and at Barry Athletic CC.

In my view it is time that we move quickly to ensure all sports grounds in Wales have defibrillators, and a number of colleagues in the Welsh Parliament have called for this. I’m proud to say I’ve contributed to several defibrillators in the Rhoose ward, but people should not have to rely on donations to have access to this crucial life saving equipment.

It is also important that defibrillators are visible and signed appropriately. I would encourage readers to go to the Calon Hearts website and have a look at their defib map, where you can see the defibrillators near to you, marked by little red hearts. I hope that soon that map will have a lot more little red hearts.

I was incredibly frustrated when last week the Vale council planning committee voted 9 to 8 - on the chairman’s casting vote – to turn Model Farm in Rhoose into a business park. The Jenkins family have been working Model Farm since 1935, and over a thousand public objections were made to the planning application.

People I speak to across the Vale are feeling increasingly under pressure from over development, which doesn’t just lead to the tangible side of the strain on infrastructure such as roads, but also the changing of the character of the Vale.

I think that in future the planning committee should pay mind to that before allowing more of our landscape to be tarmacked, or one day we may turn around and find that our landscape and our rich agricultural community is deeply and irreparably damaged.

I spoke at the planning meeting and put forward a number of planning reasons why the application should be rejected.

Permission was only granted because Labour and Independent councillors voted in favour, and it's frustrating they did not listen to these arguments.

I recently met with residents of East Aberthaw to discuss road safety in the area, and particularly speeding. Speeding is an issue across the Vale, especially in summer months when people who perhaps aren’t as familiar with the roads come to this lovely part of the world for a drive.

Residents of East Aberthaw were also keen to put forward suggestions for keeping people safe, such a pedestrian crossing and improvements to community play areas so children can play safely.

As of April 2023, 20mph will be mandatory in residential areas, and I’ve requested that the council maintain adequate signage and keep the roads in good order. It’s vital that we give road safety the prioritisation it requires, and I commend council officers for their support in this.