CLLR Val Hartrey should understand the Dinas Powys by-pass petition and campaign is about people not politics.

Facts: March 13, 2013, Cllr Andy Robertson proposed the community council to start a by-pass petition. Plaid Cymru voted it down with their 12-4 majority.

He did one alone and handed it to the Welsh National Assembly.

In June 2015 Vale Council’s Local Development Plan committee admitted to me the St Cyres site for 300 houses encroached on the 50-year reserved line of the by-pass. They excluded the by-pass from their LDP.

Our four Vale councillors didn’t tell residents. Cllr Franks commented how parts of Mid and North Wales needed a by-pass.

Plaid were in charge of the transport ministry when in coalition with Labour 2007–2011 and Cllr Franks was an AM.

Andrew RT Davies AM, Conservative head in Wales, got economy and infrastructure secretary Ken Skates AM to admit the Dinas Powys transport problem is ‘unique’. The Stage 1 study resulted.

The Conservatives sponsored a packed public meeting at the Parish Hall last November. Minister Skates AM, Vale Cabinet Cllr Peter King and Jane Hutt AM were invited. Only Andrew RT Davies AM attended. Support for the by-pass was virtually unanimous.

A by-pass steering group was formed, including technical experts without political affiliation.

We registered the petition and started circulating it. After a non-political group meeting we found Plaid Cymru rushing into the press with a self-glorifying by-pass story.

Instead of doing their own thing they persisted in politicising and criticising.

The steering group has worked on, informing the public and building the petition without once mentioning our sponsors, the Conservatives, who were picking up the bills.

This week we’re delivering a petition of more than 3,200 names to the National Assembly, together with a detailed technical report.

Actions speak louder than words.

Rod Harrod

Chair

Dinas Powys By-Pass Steering Group