THE new council cabinet member for regeneration and planning believes the Vale of Glamorgan can be a focal hub for industry and business in Wales over the next five years.

Cllr Jonathan Bird, who was appointed to the cabinet after the recent local elections, says that upcoming projects could make the Vale “a big asset to Cardiff.”

“The next four or five years should be very interesting and I’m glad to be a part of it,” said the councillor. “With the M4 undergoing improvements, that should open up opportunities for the Vale that make us a big asset to Cardiff. I don’t want to see the Vale become a dormitory for Cardiff, I’d like to see more industry and business brought into the Vale.”

Cllr Bird also highlighted the recently agreed ‘City Deal’ - which will see an additional £1.2 billion in investment for the areas around Cardiff - as reason for optimism, however he did sound a note of caution.

“I’m really excited for the future. The City Deal will offer big benefits, although there’s not a huge heap of money. A billion pounds sounds a lot, but most of that is already committed.”

A member of the Vale council for 10 years, cllr Bird says the challenges posed by limited resources have remained a feature during his time in local government, but that he hoped the next five years could start to see major projects start to pay dividends.

“Pretty much for all of my 10 years we’ve had financial constraints,” he said.

“Obviously you’ve got to be realistic. It’s very much a balancing act between doing what you can for the right money and looking for savings in places where you think there’s waste. It is a challenge, but one I thoroughly enjoy.

“As a businessman myself, I understand the difficulty in trading in these difficult times. We as a council need to do all we can to encourage new business to the area.

“I’m delighted to see Aston Martin coming, but that’s just one – we need to bring another 10 in. It’s a case of watch this space. A lot is going to be happening over the next five years.”

Barry Island has been at the forefront of regeneration work in the recent past, something Cllr Bird believes can be better exploited.

“The Vale is renowned for tourism and I can see us building on that. We’ve got a lovely countryside and a good few beaches along the coast,” he said.