Latest news with #ValeCouncil
Wales Online
09-07-2025
- Business
- Wales Online
Business owners worried about jobs after free parking scrapped at Welsh seaside towns
Business owners worried about jobs after free parking scrapped at Welsh seaside towns Vale Council said it would look again at plans to get rid of free parking in Barry Island and Penarth seafront, but recently decided to press ahead with the scheme Louis Ross of Barrybados Gift Shop in Barry Island claims he and other traders weren't listened to by Vale of Glamorgan Council (Image: WalesOnline/Rob Browne ) A Barry Island business owner claimed traders have not been listened to after Vale of Glamorgan Council decided to go ahead with controversial car parking charge plans. The local authority's cabinet members decided at a meeting on Thursday, July 3, to get rid of free parking at a number of on-street car parking spots in Barry Island and Penarth seafront three months after agreeing to look again at their proposals. Vale Council argues the charges will increase the turnover of visitors at both towns and generate income to maintain facilities there. However business owners like Louis Ross of Barrybados Gift Shop in Barry Island are worried that it will drive customers away – particularly regular customers who they rely on during the quieter winter months. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here . Louis said: "As a trading community we have tried several times over six months to engage with the council about this issue but the council have not been interested. "We wanted to tell them first hand about the long winters and having a destination with zero free parking during the winter is severely damaging to our winter trade. "We all open later and close earlier. Some days we don't open at all. Article continues below "Now if locals have to start paying to come here they will just come less and find other places to go that offer free parking. "This will impact trade, which will result in hours being cut." The following on-street locations will be affected by new parking charges: Barry Island Paget Road – 54 spaces Breaksea Drive – 56 spaces Friars Road – 8 spaces (excludes disabled parking) Station Approach Road – 49 spaces Penarth seafront The Esplanade – 42 spaces Cliff Hill – 58 spaces Cliff Parade – 26 Spaces Beach Road (Part) – 13 spaces Bridgeman Road (Part) – 12 spaces Vale of Glamorgan Council was also met with opposition from traders in Penarth when it announced its car parking charge plans earlier this year. Petitions were set up for both towns with one in Barry Island gaining 3,337 signatures and the Penarth petition gaining 2,997 signatures. Parking is currently free for two hours at a number of on-street locations around Barry Island (Image: WalesOnline/Rob Browne ) However not all business owners have been opposed to the council's plans. One business owner we spoke with in Penarth said he agreed with the council's proposal, complaining that some people take advantage of the two hours free parking on the seafront and that customers are left struggling to find a space. Following a scrutiny committee meeting in March the council agreed to review its car parking charge plans. However the only obvious change that's been made to the original proposal is the times that people will be charged. Vale of Glamorgan Council is proposing to charge for parking at these locations seven days a week between the hours of 10am and 6pm. There will be a maximum stay period of four hours. Parking will be charged as follows: Up to two hours - £2.50 Up to three hours - £4 Up to four hours - £6 The initial proposals for parking on-street were to charge for seven days a week from 8am to 6pm at a similar hourly fee scale. Louis added: "We are concerned about peoples' jobs during winter. It's a shame the council doesn't share the same level of concern as we do. Penarth seafront will also be affected by the on-street car parking charges (Image: WalesOnline/Rob Browne ) "They have gone against the recommendations of traders, residents, the scrutiny committee, and their own Labour councillors by implementing on-street parking charges all year round without any winter concession. "Our winter trade is going to be damaged and they are willing to trial it for two years to see if it works or not. "A lot can happen in two years and if we see even the smallest of drops in trade during the winter we will have to cut hours of our staff. "We've tried to tell the council this but they will not engage with us on any level. We want to work with the council to find the right solution for all, we still do, but there's no willingness on their part to even engage at the slightest." Louis Ross said winter trade in Barry Island will be damaged by the council's parking plans (Image: WalesOnline/Rob Browne ) A consultation process is currently under way before the new car parking charges come into force. Vale of Glamorgan Council cabinet member for neighbourhood and building services, Cllr Mark Wilson, said the later start time for charging is aimed at helping traders who need to unload stock in the mornings. He said at last week's cabinet meeting: "These are very popular resorts. We want to encourage people to visit those resorts. "We don't want them to go... around in circles finding a space. Vale of Glamorgan Council said it's car parking plans will help increase the turnover of visitors in Barry Island and Penarth (Image: WalesOnline/Rob Browne ) "I would also like to emphasise here that there are legal implications. We also looked at the equality act and we also looked at road traffic [access]. "One of the things I would like to emphasise is that the money generated here will be reinvested into improving the actual roads around that area and that's very important." Vale of Glamorgan Council's original car parking plans also included a proposal to close Court Road multi-storey car park in Barry. The council said the facility is costing them £80,000 a year to operate but some local councillors argue it is still needed. Plaid Cymru councillor for the Buttrills ward in Barry, Cllr Ian Johnson, said: "The time at which users enter the car park and the length of time they are there shows that the main users are the local school, which has no alternative car park, and staff working on Holton Road. 'They [the council] keep saying that they want to make Barry a better place so why do they have nothing to offer the centre of town? Article continues below 'This is quite literally levelling down rather than levelling up.' Vale of Glamorgan Council will review car parking charges at on-street sites in Barry Island and Penarth 24 months after their implementation.
BBC News
27-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
South Oxfordshire and Vale councils' new HQ set for approval
Long-standing plans for two councils' new headquarters are set to be approved next week after facing various Oxfordshire District Council (SODC) wants to build the new four-storey complex opposite Didcot Parkway train station after its last permanent base, in Crowmarsh Gifford, was destroyed by fire in and Vale of White Horse District Council, which share staff, would use the building, having been based in Milton Park and Abbey House in Abingdon for the last councillors look set to approve the project at a meeting on Wednesday. The application was first submitted in August 2023 with the aim of being decided by May 2024. But a number of amendments were made to the plans, which were submitted last November, in April and this planning officers have said the HQ, which would accommodate 305 staff, should be authority received 45 objections from members of the public and three supporting comments. SODC and Vale Council want to merge with West Berkshire Council to form Ridgeway Council as part of for local government government will have the final say on how councils are organised in Oxfordshire. You can follow BBC Oxfordshire on Facebook, X, or Instagram.
Wales Online
27-06-2025
- Business
- Wales Online
Cosmeston Lake plan for new cafe, visitor centre and leisure events
Cosmeston Lake plan for new cafe, visitor centre and leisure events The Placemaking Plan for Penarth mentions the possibility of using Cosmeston Country Park for leisure events and activities in the future The Placemaking Plan for Penarth mentions the possibility of using Cosmeston Country Park for leisure events and activities in the future (Image: Mark Lewis ) A plan for future development in a Welsh seaside town proposes to explore opportunities to use its popular country park for leisure events and activities. Vale of Glamorgan Council recently approved a Placemaking Plan for Penarth and other major towns in the county which are aimed at supporting bids and attracting private investment for future projects. The plan for Penarth, published on the council's website, shows an ambition to develop a cafe and visitor centre at Cosmeston Lakes Country Park and explore the opportunity for outdoor leisure events and activities there. Controversial plans to pilot an inflatable water park at Cosmeston Lake were given the go-ahead earlier this year despite opposition and a petition against it gaining 6,897 signatures. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here . The Placemaking Plan for Penarth, produced after a public consultation, states: "Developing the café and visitor centre at Cosmeston Lakes Country Park along with exploring opportunities for outdoor leisure events and activities could generate additional revenue, which could then be reinvested into the ongoing maintenance of Cosmeston Lakes Country Park, ensuring its long-term financial sustainability. "The existing Cosmeston Lakes café can be developed to create a facility that will support a sustainable future for an attraction of the park's significance both locally and regionally." Using the revenue from leisure activities at Cosmeston Lake to maintain the park has already been used by council officials as an argument in favour of letting them go ahead. The aqua park at the eastern side of Cosmeston Lake will open in July. Article continues below At the end of September the council will carry out an evaluation of the pilot and decide if it will go out to tender for someone to operate an attraction on site for the following season. The plan for Penarth also states that following engagement with the community a number of other areas in the town were put forward for potential future work. These proposals included: A new public space for events Active travel improvements A history trail Improvements to the railway station Establishing a long-term use for The Kymin A permanent solution for outside hospitality spaces on The Esplanade Having an improved cultural offering at the pier Placemaking plans have also been developed for Llantwit Major and Cowbridge. A plan for Barry is still under development and will come to cabinet members for approval at a later date. Vale Council's cabinet member for neighbourhood and building services, Cllr Mark Wilson, said: "The first think I would like to emphasise is this is very much a live document. It is not something set in stone. Article continues below "It will change, it will evolve, over a period of time." He went on to add: "This document belongs to the towns of Llantwit, Cowbridge, and Penarth respectively. "It is not a council document in that sense, although obviously the council was helping to spearhead it... and to act as a catalyst for it. Clearly I think this is where it is going. There will be further consultation on this as we move forward in these three towns."
Wales Online
06-05-2025
- Wales Online
Rare habitat in Wales threatened by jet skiers, dog walkers and sewage
Rare habitat in Wales threatened by jet skiers, dog walkers and sewage A community nature group is calling on Vale of Glamorgan Council to turn an old harbour into a local nature reserve in order to protect the numerous species there A community group is calling for the old harbour in Barry to be turned into a local nature reserve A community group has called for better protection of nature at Barry's old harbour amid concerns jet skiers and "irresponsible dog walkers" are affecting wildlife there. Barry Action for Nature and hundreds of residents have called on Vale of Glamorgan Council to turn the site, which is just to the east of the Harbour Road car park on Barry Island, into a local nature reserve. The local authority has two main local nature reserves. These are Cosmeston Lakes Country Park and Porthkerry Country Park. Vale Council said it was currently looking into the possibility of making the old harbour in Barry and several other locations a local nature reserve. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here . Chairman of Barry Action for Nature, Rob Curtis, said: "Saltwater marsh is one of the rarest habitats in the UK. "The Old Harbour's saltwater marsh supports wintering red listed species such as Curlew and Whimbrel. "It also supports other waders and seabirds such as Shelduck, Grey Heron, Little Egret, Knot and Redshank. Article continues below "We call on the Vale of Glamorgan Council to declare this area a Local Nature Reserve which can contribute to the Welsh Government's aim of protecting 30% of Wales for nature by 2030. "We are concerned that jet ski users and some irresponsible dog walkers are disturbing resting and feeding birds. "We are also concerned at the sewage pollution currently being discharged into this harbour. Please help us protect our local wildlife." Vale of Glamorgan Council is the owner of the old harbour in Barry. It was the original anchorage and harbour at Barry before Barry Docks opened in 1889. A Vale of Glamorgan Council spokesperson said: "The Council and Vale Nature Partnership are looking into the possibility of making this and several other areas of the Vale designated Local Nature Reserves (LNRs). 'It is believed 20 or so species of rare bird are found there, along with butterflies and moths, while it is also one of few places in the Vale where seagrass could be reintroduced, a plant that is excellent at capturing carbon. 'To gain the designation as an LNR, the old harbour would need to have sufficient wildlife value so work will be carried out to see if it reaches that threshold. 'Any sewage discharge into the area is a matter for Dwr Cynru/Welsh Water and Natural Resources Wales and we will work with them to investigate this.' Article continues below
