The first few days of June were dominated by the Queen's Platinum Jubilee events including the Jubilee-themed Coffee and Drop-in morning which have been reported elsewhere. There has been good feedback from all the events.

On the morning of Tuesday, June 14, the mayor and mayoress attended a short Service of Remembrance and Thanksgiving to commemorate the 40th Anniversary of the Falklands Campaign [April 2 – June 14, 1982]. The service was conducted by Revd Ian M. Thomas, Chaplain, Royal British Legion Cowbridge Branch. The mayor laid a wreath on behalf of the Town Council.

Interviews have taken place for the part-time roles of deputy town clerk and town hall officer. The standard of candidates was very high which was good to see and both positions have now been filled. The deputy town clerk, Gill Williams, started on June 13 and the town hall officer, Suzanna Browning, starts on July 4.

On Tuesday, June 21, the mayor and mayoress attended the Dementia Friendly Cowbridge Open Day held in the Town Hall. This was a very well-attended event with many organisations represented that support those living with dementia and their carers in a variety of different ways.

The Town Council meeting on June 21 was something of a special meeting for two reasons: seven new councillors were co-opted at the meeting bringing the council up to its full complement of 15 members. The new councillors are Terry Williams (a previous mayor), Sarah-Jane Marshall, Rowena Harbour, Margaret Fletcher, Peter Carter, Lianne Brown and Dave Breen. The mayor welcomed them all and thanked them for putting their names forward.

The meeting was attended by one of the new Vale councillors, Robert Fisher. The intention is that the Vale councillors will have a slot at all future Town Council meetings in which they will make a report and answer questions from the town councillors. 

In welcoming councillor Fisher, the mayor said that establishing good communication between the Town Council and the Vale councillors is important and will enable much more to be achieved for Cowbridge, Llanblethian and Aberthin.

In his report, councillor Fisher mentioned the situation at Y Bont Faen Primary School which led to the use of the town hall as temporary classrooms, concerns about the speed of traffic through Cowbridge, the boardwalk at the rear of Cowbridge Comprehensive School for which repairs are now underway and the problems with green bag collection.

In his community police report, PCSO Steve Davies, focused on the antisocial behaviour incidents in Cowbridge recently and the work being done with Cowbridge Comprehensive School and the parents of the young people responsible.

Councillors reviewed a number of planning applications. Most did not give rise to any concern but councillors did agree to write to the Vale of Glamorgan Council Planning, Highways and Licensing departments about issues relating to developments on the Pant Wilkin estate. 

In addition to planning applications, there is a licensing application for Fredwell Café out for consultation. Some local residents have written to express their opposition to this licensing application. Also, councillors noted that there appear to be currently four planning enforcement cases relating to Pant Wilkin Stables under investigation.

One of the principal concerns relates to access via Llanquian Road. This has been a problem for a long time and is still not fully resolved.

The Town Council do not believe that any new planning applications and licensing applications should be approved until such time as the enforcement cases have been resolved and the inappropriate use of Llanquian Road has been properly dealt with, by, for example, making access for residents only by use of a barrier of some kind and changing the addresses and postcode of the stables and the other businesses so as not to direct drivers via Llanquian Road.

A number of long-serving councillors have recently stepped down from the council. The council agreed that it would be good to present Long Service Certificates to those who have served on the council for 25 years or more.

The intention is to present them at the next Mayor's Coffee and Drop-in Morning on Saturday, July 2, 2022, in the main hall of the Town Hall. Everyone is welcome.

Coffee, tea and cake will be served and there will be a raffle in aid of the two mayor's charities, Barnardo's and Atal y Fro.

Please come along.