THIS week sees the second and final part of our 2017 review of the year in Penarth news.

JULY

July began with the news that plans for 30 flats at Northcliffe had been resubmitted.

The plans had been rejected by Vale planners in January but Celtic Developments submitted a revised application.

Opponents spoke of their concerns that it would have an "overwhelming" effect it could have on the area.

Hundreds of people packed the seafront in Penarth to watch the famous Downhill Derby.

It took place outside of Carnival Day for the first time this year saw more entries than ever in its seven year history.

Riders were judged on speed and the design of their karts as they navigated the various chicanes in a bid to be named king of the hill.

Tragedy struck in July as we heard that Dinas Powys grandmother Ann Goddard, 70, died in a car crash.

She was involved in a crash involving four cars and a lorry near Redditch.

She was described as being a "wonderful and much-loved mother of three, grandma of seven, wife, sister-in-law and cherished friend."

Police launched an investigation in reports that ducks had been shot with crossbow bolts at a popular beauty spot.

At least two ducks were seen to have crossbow bolts at Cosmeston Lakes Country Park.

Cllr Jonathan Bird slammed the attacks as "cruel and senseless."

AUGUST

A Penarth police officer was cleared of all charges after being accused of rape.

Mark Glover was found not guilty after going on trial charged with the sexual assault of a mum and raping her daughter.

He was acquitted by the jury after a seven day trial at Cardiff Crown Court.

Calls for action were made to stop fly-tipping at a car park.

Andrew RT Davies AM echoed residents' concerns over the incidents at the Fort Road car park in Lavernock which also included anti-social behaviour.

Mr Davies said it was unacceptable that local people should have to put up with such behaviour.

A newlywed climbed eight Welsh mountains in her wedding dress to raise money for charity.

Janine Osborne-Bowring and her husband Matt from Dinas Powys scaled peaks in the Brecon Beacons, the Black Mountains and Snowdonia in aid of Vasculitis UK.

They chose to climb eight peaks because Mrs Osborne-Bowring spent eight weeks waiting for a diagnosis of Vasculitis.

A-level and GCSE students celebrated another impressive set of results this year.

More than a third of Stanwell School A-level grades were A* or A and more than two thirds of St Cyres students got university places.

St Cyres GCSE students celebrated achieving the greatest number of A* and A grades in the school's history and Stanwell students achieving five or more A* and A grades increased.

SEPTEMBER

Tributes were paid to a "truly loved" father and grandfather who died after a road accident in Penarth.

Michael Day, 68, of Windsor Road was involved in a collision with an articulated lorry whilst out walking near the Baron's Court pub on the Cogan Spur junction.

Mr Day's family said they were "truly heartbroken" by the news.

Plans to convert a derelict Penarth church into flats and a community space were to go on display.

A consultation for the St Paul's Church plans by Newydd Housing Association would give residents the chance to see the plans for the 15 flats and 300 sq metre community space.

The building has been empty since Penarth Amateur Boxing Club were forced to leave in 2011 due to healthy and safety concerns.

The revamped Shop Penarth scheme was officially relaunched at the Gwyrddio Penarth Greening Food Festival at The Kymin.

The scheme was given new life by GPG in partnership with local businesses and support from the Penarth Times and Penarth Town Council.

Tricia Griffiths from GPG said she was thrilled with the way the new scheme had been received.

A group of horse riders campaigning for more awareness of horse safety on the roads handed in a petition to the Welsh Assembly.

Members of the Pass, Wide and Slow campaign which is organised by a number of Vale of Glamorgan riders locally started the petition after one of their daughters was thrown from her horse after a driver sped past them.

They want an annual awareness campaign to let drivers know how to safely pass horses on the road.

OCTOBER

A Penarth couple described their terrifying experience as they were locked in a theatre during a shooting in Las Vegas which killed more than 50 people.

Roy and Emma Holloway were visiting the American city for Mr Holloway's 50th birthday celebrations and to renew their wedding vows.

Roy Holloway said: "It was a very scary moment."

A Penarth mum pleaded with the Vale council to find her children an alternative school saying they have to walk nearly seven miles a day.

Lauren Collard moved to Penarth from Barry in September and thought the family had finally found a place they could call home.

She has no car and only two of her children were able to attend one school meaning she would either have to send her children to two different schools or move them to one much further away.

Renowned Sully author Eileen Younghusband had her own character created in a new Doctor Who book.

Eileen, who died in September 2016, is set to live on as a character in The Flaming Soldier.

Eileen wrote a number of books about her experiences serving in the filter room during the Second World War.

A dad of a Penarth school pupil raised serious concerns about the potential danger to children from drivers going the wrong way down a one way street.

Ioan Jones raised the issue of the incidents near Ysgol Pen y Garth on Sully Road relating to the Norris Close one-way system.

Police and the council said they were aware of the issue and said there was a very real risk of injury or even death.

NOVEMBER

A Penarth business celebrated being named Wales' independent jewellery store of the year.

Anne Morgan Jewellery of Glebe Street was successful in the Welsh Independent Retail Awards.

Anne Morgan said the team was "over the moon" to have won the award.

Fears were expressed over the threat to ancient woodland in Dinas Powys posed by one of the options being considered to reduce the flood risk.

Natural Resources Wales' plan to build a grass covered dam which would require the destruction of some ancient woodland at the Cwm George and Casehill Wood site.

Jerry Langford from the Woodland Trust Wales said that ancient woodland is "irreplaceable" and cannot be recreated.

Remembrance Sunday saw people across Vale pause to remember those who have fallen in conflict.

Commemorations were held in Penarth, Dinas Powys and Lavernock and elsewhere.

A parade made its way through Penarth and there were moments of silence and church services to pay tribute to the war dead.

An inquest into the death of Albert Primary School headteacher Huw Jones found that he took his own life.

Coroner Phillip Spinney concluded a verdict of suicide at Cardiff Coroner's Court.

Mr Jones was found dead in the churchyard of St Lawrence Church on Fort Road in Lavernock on February 1.

Youngsters at Penarth's Nightingale nursery were restrained in chairs as punishment for bad behaviour, a report from the Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales (CSSIW) claimed.

But the owner of the private pre-school and nursery denied the claims.

Selina Thomas said that large sections of the report are inaccurate and said that none of the allegations were witnessed by the assessor.

DECEMBER

Health secretary and Penarth AM Vaughan Gething announced that a proposed new health centre in Cogan would be part of a £68 million scheme.

He said that the potential new health hub which could centralise services from Station Road and Redlands surgery, would bring modern health and community services under one roof.

Discussions are ongoing between the Vale council and the health board as to the details of the proposal.

A community group is applying for village green status to protect a sports field from further development.

Saving Sully is making the application after it objected to plans for 200 houses on the Sully Sports Field site which were rejected in November 2016.

A hearing is due to be held in the new year when the group will put forward its own witnesses to prove the site has been used by the public for at least 20 years.

Thieves stole dozens of Scout Post Christmas cards and threw them across Penarth's Headland Park.

Police say they broke into a car in Clive Place and started tearing through the cards presumably looking for money.

Sergeant Julie-Madoc Smart urged residents to take extra care in the wake of the incident.

A Sully post office owner denied rumours that his store was closing but said that without public support it could be in danger.

In an interview with Penarth SMTV's Anna Brees earlier this month, Nick Bennett said that the business would become unsustainable, unless members of the community utilised it more.

He added that this applied to all of the store's facilities, which as well as a post office includes a shop and pharmacy.