SEPTEMBER marks the Assembly’s return from its summer recess, and the month seems to have flown by.

While I am of course looking forward to what the next few months have in store, it also acts as a reminder that soon, the clocks will be going back, the nights will be drawing in and winter will be here before we know it.

I therefore thought it would be good to reflect on what a summer it’s been, both for Barry and Wales as a whole.

The Welsh National Football team and our Olympians did Wales proud, as we shone on the international stage. In last month’s column, I paid tribute to Dinas Powys sailor Hannah Mills, and I think we can all agree that her outstanding achievement of a gold medal is worthy of a second mention.

We were then treated to the Paralympics, and our 26 Welsh athletes ended up with seven medals – including four golds. That capped off an excellent summer of sport, but we are already looking ahead to the future and it was a pleasure to be at the Cardiff City Stadium as we kicked off our World Cup qualifying campaign with a comfortable win against Moldova.

Here in Barry, we saw progress too. A new ferris wheel arrived at Barry Island Pleasure Park, which joined the log flume that opened earlier in the year.

While there is still far more to do in terms of regenerating the Island, it is pleasing to see things move forward and it is vital we use this as a springboard to make further improvements.

On a less positive note, we also received the news that the Crown Post Office is to close in the New Year, and this is deeply concerning. Along with Alun Cairns MP and other local campaigners, I objected to the proposals when they were first announced, since the branch provides many vital services for local businesses and local people.

It was particularly disappointing because there had been attempts to find an alternative site nearby, but the Post Office would only consider locations outside of the town centre. It has been confirmed that modifications will be made at the King Square Post Office, but I am yet to be convinced that this will be sufficient to cope with the demand.

Over the past 18 months or so, we have seen post offices close at Highlight Park and Colcot Road, and so this latest development continues a worrying trend. While I welcome the idea of a new out of town post office opening, this should be in addition to rather than as a replacement for the service on Holton Road.

Looking forward, I will continue to fight to protect local services in Barry, be that post offices or other provisions people rely on. It is a privilege to represent the area and it is vital we all work together to realise its full potential.