PONTYPOOL RFC and Pontypool Park are two jewels in the crown of our area.

The inconsiderate minority who litter, vandalise or act antisocially in the park should be ashamed of the impact they have on the majority of people, young and old, who just want to enjoy the park.

I’ve got huge resect for the club owners, Peter and Ben Jeffries, for what they’ve done at Pontypool RFC.

In half a decade, they’ve helped the club from troubled waters to two Championships, with an amazing record of one league defeat in two years.

I know there have been difficulties surrounding their ground in the park, so I brought a report to council this week because I wanted to make it clear that I as Leader, and my fellow councillors, want the club to continue to thrive under their stewardship.

After all, while processes have to be followed and things may frustrate us at times, we should both be on the same team in promoting our town.

In that spirit, I hope council and club can continue talking, so that we can work together – for the best interests of club, park and town.

On the subject of antisocial behaviour, it has been appalling to learn that some of the fires we’ve seen on our mountains recently were started deliberately.

So much thanks has to go to the brave firefighters, but I can’t think what possesses the people who start these fires, endangering lives, nature and property.

I was pleased to learn that a University of York study has found Torfaen to be one of the top ten councils in the UK for helping people with Discretionary Housing Payments.

These payments help people struggling to stay in their homes and therefore prevent homelessness, debt and suffering – as well as saving public services money in the longer term.

Thank you to all the members and officers who have played their part in that success.

Further afield this week, it was a pleasure to attend the Royal Welsh Show.

Despite my love of growing strawberries, I can’t claim to be a farmer.

But what I like about the Show is the hard work, dedication and pursuit of excellence from all those presenting there.

Those are principles – of doing everything to the best of your ability – that can translate well beyond the Show, so it was good to see so many people from Gwent and beyond in Builth Wells this week.