Disappointing news in Monmouth after a Welsh Labour Government planning inspector overruled Monmouthshire County Council and gave the go ahead for a controversial adult gaming arcade in the town centre. This was despite the opposition of so many residents, local headteachers, the Chamber of Commerce, a 400-name petition and some 300 objection letters. The whole purpose of devolving planning powers was that it would, supposedly, ensure decisions are made closer to the people, communities and businesses they affect. A gaming arcade on the high street, which school children will walk past, is not reflective of what our community wants and is completely inappropriate. There are understandable concerns about safeguarding and the social impact of such an establishment. Instead, we should be attracting visitors to Monmouth for our many brilliant cafes or independent shops.
Welsh lamb has been exported to the US for the first time in decades, giving a well-deserved boost to the rural economy. On Tuesday, I attend a special reception at 10 Downing Street with Prime Minister Liz Truss and sheep farmers to celebrate this milestone. It is fantastic to see world-class Welsh lamb back on American menus, with the first shipment arriving from Carmarthenshire. Worth roughly £37m in the first five years of trade, it will drive growth in our lamb export market. As a result of Brexit, we are now able to do trade deals and capitalise on Britain’s new freedoms outside of the EU. With growing global recognition of the strong Welsh brand, I look forward to seeing even greater exports in the years ahead.
Nominations are open for the 16th annual Countryside Alliance Awards. Dubbed the ‘Rural Oscars’, these awards are the chance for the countryside to make its voice heard on a national stage. They honour people who go the extra mile to ensure that rural Britain’s food and farming industry, small businesses, traditional skills, heritage and forward-thinking enterprises can flourish. Categories up for grabs include Local Food/Drink, Village Shop/Post Office, Butcher, Rural Enterprise and Pub. There are many community heroes and businesses worthy of national recognition, so please get involved and nominate. Let’s see if we can bring a British title home and tell a positive story about Monmouthshire. Nominations can be submitted online at www.countryside-alliance.org/caawards until 13 November, following which regional judging will take place. Winners will be crowned during a grand final to be held at the House of Lords in May 2023.
*Published in the Monmouthshire Beacon on 12 October 2022 and Abergavenny Chronicle on 13 October 2022*