Moving closer to summer holidays, it has been wonderful to meet so many young people as they finish exams and can enjoy the weather.

Our aim is for every student to have a bright future through education or work-based learning.

But for so many families this year this is a time of acute worry, with the cost of childcare and the need to feed, care for and stimulate children through the holiday period.

Thanks to Welsh Government funding we offer a range of fun summer activities, playschemes and the Monmouthshire Games, as well as low or no cost activities at our leisure centres, museums and all MonLife sites, along with the many opportunities run by community groups, churches and sports clubs.

The Youth Service run trips and events to ensure that teenagers have places to go and things to do. Monmouthshire is such a beautiful place with easy access to the countryside, river walks and the coast path.

Free of all charge, your local public library has a summer reading challenge which can keep everyone supplied with stories.

You may not know about Benthyg Cymru, a Welsh organisation with facilities near you. It runs ‘Libraries of Things’ and lend equipment and tools, such as camping gear, at low cost. This helps many to cut the cost of a good family break.

But I know some families are not even beginning to make ends meet. If things are getting on top of you, please reach out to your local authority. We are here to help.

The gap between local rents and what people on low incomes can claim has continued to widen, and as a result we are seeing more local people becoming homeless, including families with children.

We are working hard to build more affordable homes and are also leasing and buying homes for rent and bringing empty homes back into use.

If you can help us keep families out of Bed and Breakfast hotels let us know: tell us about empty homes or talk to us about a leasing deal if you have a property to rent.

The truth is that with rising interest rates and rising prices, so many families are feeling the pinch and thinking twice about holidays, worrying about every pound they spend.

This in turn affects local businesses.

So, I urge everyone to support Monmouthshire by spending locally where you can, choosing local markets and suppliers. This can save you cost and also puts money into local pockets to help us get through really tough times.