I am a Vale of Glamorgan and Barry Town Councillor representing my home ward of Gibbonsdown which takes in part of the Colcot area within Barry. In November 2016 I contested a bi-election for the Gibbonsdown Ward for both authorities and was elected, this was a steep learning curve, but had great support from my colleagues and having lived in the ward since 1999, I was very well versed with its make-up.

I was born and raised in Cardiff and have had a variety of employment in various locations.  Whist living in London worked for ‘American Petro’ selling vintage clothing collected from American thrift shops, with premises in Kensington Market and Kings Road, Chelsea.  After visiting my family in Singapore and Australia, I returned to London, trained in carpentry and joinery, on achieving a City and Guilds qualification worked for London Borough of Southwark maintaining their housing stock, was a member of UCATT.  I returned to Wales and raised my children in Barry, they all attended St. Helens RC Primary and St. Richard Gwyn RC High School.  During this time, I undertook training and education classes and became active in my community, was Vice Chair of the Local Residents’ Board and the tenant engagement group, as a council tenant myself felt this was especially important involvement. I volunteered with Communities First and enjoyed working with teenagers in extracurricular woodworking classes.  Before elected as a councillor I had three jobs, the latter I am still working for, was a breakfast club assistant at St. Helens school, mid-day supervisor at Gladstone School and ‘Just Fancy’ a costume hire family business that deals with local theatre groups, schools and individual parties, have worked there for 13 years and feel that meeting people in this shop environment from all walks of life and varying views and opinions  helps me with my role as a councillor.

Since elected I have worked on several campaigns, one being a campaign to retain the Master Mariner the only public house in the area which was under threat of closure and land sale, I believed the report produced was flawed and took this up, the then Conservative Cabinet listened and pulled it at the last minute, alongside fellow councillor Margaret Wilkinson, Jane Hutt MS and the community we fought and managed to save the establishment as a hub for the community.  I also lobbied for the local bus company ‘Easyway’ to re-route, with a stop at the local vaccination centre, this route to continue and pick up passengers who hadn’t had a service before which is much appreciated by residents. I have been successful in talks with the relevant council department about the condition of tunnels/underpasses which due to their disrepair and water leakage had led to the production of green slime which made these areas dangerous and work is to be undertaken shortly to remedy this situation.

I regularly walk the ward and report instances of potholes, fly-tipping, litter for their repair and removal.  Prior to the pandemic restrictions, I regularly organised litter-picking with residents, their children and with two local schools on board, with volunteers able to get time credits (time banking).  I also attend Colcot Residents Board meetings, a Trustee of Gibbonsdown Children’s Centre, governor on both Oakfield and Colcot Primary schools and a Community Ambassador with Bouygues the contractors building the new Pencoedtre High School.

As a Vale councillor I sit on Homes and Safe Communities and Health and Social Care Scrutiny committees and committees of Planning, Licensing and Public Protection, Community Liaison and SACRE (Standing advisory committee on Religious Education) and as a person of mixed race I stand on Ethnic Diversity Network for Council Employers.  As a Barry Town Councillor I am a member of the Halls and Cemeteries and Fairtrade Committees.

I work extremely well with my experienced fellow ward councillor Margaret Wilkinson and indeed with all my colleagues and party members especially on the campaign trail and keep in touch with our residents via our Facebook page ‘Gibbonsdown and Colcot Ward Cllrs’.

If I am fortunate to be re-elected, I will continue to work for my community, promoting Labour values and demonstrate that their Labour Councillors listen.