General Election 2024: What voters want in the Vale of Glamorgan constituency

  • ITV Wales Reporter Gwennan Campbell travels across the Vale of Glamorgan to meet candidates and voters

The cost of living, young people feeling ignored and sea water quality are some of the key issues facing voters in the Vale of Glamorgan.

The constituency to the west of Cardiff has seen relatively little change in last year's constituency review. It's kept its name, but had its boundary slightly reduced, with its easternmost corner becoming part of Cardiff South.

The people of this coastal constituency have seen their fair share of change when it comes to who represents them in Westminster. It's an area which tends to reflect the mood of the UK in every general election for the past four decades.

Rishi Sunak kicked off the Conservative General Election campaign in Barry. Credit: Sharp End

ITV1’s Sharp End met candidates and voters, who will be voting for the first time within the new electoral boundaries.

So important is opinion in the Vale of Glamorgan that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak visited Barry on Day one of the election campaign. And a week later, Labour leader Keir Starmer followed suit. But the votes of young people here on Barry Island are not so easily won. 

"We don't really know who to vote for," said one young voter. "There's not really a party for us."

Her friend added: "I feel like young people are often pushed aside, especially Welsh young people."

Another first-time voter said MPs need greater awareness to help out younger people and make sure that communities "can keep going".

The number of people seeking help from food banks has increased in the constituency. Credit: Sharp End

Use of food banks has been rising in the constituency, due to the cost of living crisis. That's according to the Chairperson at Castleland Community Centre, Neil Moore.

A weekly Foodshare project is run out of the community centre, which is situated in the heart of Barry. Users of the service arrive at the centre and wait in a ticketed system before choosing items they'd like.

"We kind of run it like a shop," Mr Moore said, "so people come in and they pick the items off the shelves so they're only taking what they actually are going to use."

He added: "There obviously is a huge demand because of our numbers.

"They've been steadily getting higher. The number of users that we get every week has increased, especially in the last couple of years."

One service user said: "It's expensive to live at the moment. Gas and electric need to go back down and cost of living need to go back down."

Her message to politicians? "Think about other people before themselves - because they couldn't live like we do."

In the opposite side of this constituency is Ogmore-by-Sea, home to one of the most popular beaches in South Wales. But in this election locals say that tourism and water pollution should be some of the main priorities for the next MP.

Anthony Evans has been selling ice cream from his van for 13 years and says business is dying off. "There's not enough people coming down," he said, "mainly it's the water pollution putting people off."He added: "Easter time I was down 86%. I would like hospitality to improve, drop some of the rates on things and for (the next government) to try and get people back down to the beach."

Ice cream seller Anthony Evans says sea pollution is putting off visitors - and having a knock-on effect on his business. Credit: Sharp End

Beach-goer Amanda Monington says there's been a "lack of investment in human beings in all its form and infrastructure."

She added: "The centralisation of everything, which I know has been going on for a long time, but it just takes away from all the little places all over the country, it doesn't matter where you are.

"Water pollution is a terrible concern here. This is a beautiful place that people should be able to come bring their children, bring their grandmas and paddle to their heart's content without getting sick."

Voters in Cowbridge are concerned about honesty and trust in politicians. Credit: Sharp End

The market town of Cowbridge is traditionally a Conservative stronghold and voters there say they want an MP they can trust, though many are still undecided.

One shopper said the Conservative betting scandal "makes you think you can't trust people in that party."

"But if Labour did something as stupid as well, then maybe that would turn it round the other way."

The Vale of Glamorgan's constituency boundary has been slightly reduced, with its easternmost corner becoming part of Cardiff South. Credit: Sharp End

Another voter wants an "MP that works for his community and is not a yes man and just does what his boss says."

While a third said that "honesty and integrity" are missing from politicians, adding: "At the moment, they seem to only be out for themselves. What's in it for me? What's what's going to make my life better and my family's life better?"

Politically, the Vale of Glamorgan has been a two horse race between red and blue with the Conservatives coming out on top for the last 14 years. Labour will be hoping that the tides are turning and the Vale of Glamorgan will be theirs once again after July 4th. 

  • You can see more in-depth coverage of the General Election - plus all the latest political discussion - on Sharp End on ITV1. Catch up with the latest episodes here.