Does anyone know why the church bells have been ringing for several days?

Herefordshire Council delivers draft balanced budget

Herefordshire Council has today published its draft statement of accounts for public inspection. The statements confirm that the council spent within its budget for 2017/18 and has set aside reserves for future years.

The detailed performance for the year will be reported to Cabinet in June. The statements of accounts provide an understanding of the financial position of the council and demonstrate that the financial position is sound and secure.

The council’s 2017/18 net revenue budget of £145m was matched with equivalent net spend, after transfers to and from specific reserves. Council reserves are proportionately comparable to similar councils and providing resilience as we face the challenges ahead.

Capital investment for 2017/18 totalled £49.2 and included investment in the highways network (£13.7m), Hereford City Transport Package (£6.1m), Colwall Primary School (£4.1m) and Hereford Enterprise Zone (£1.8m). No new long-term borrowing was required to be undertaken.

Every day the council helps to protect around 2,500 vulnerable adults and 1,000 children and young people (including 300 children in our care).

Recent achievements include:

Working with external partners to produce a business case which secured £23m of government funding to establish a new university in Hereford, of which the Council is the accountable body, and
 
During the year the council realised the majority of the sale of its smallholding estate and the Council has approved that these funds (in excess of £40m) will be reinvested in regeneration projects throughout the County.

The external auditors, Grant Thornton, will commence their audit work to supply their opinion on whether the draft financial statements present a true and fair view of the financial position of the council, its expenditure and income and whether they have been prepared properly in accordance with accounting practice. This work is schedule to conclude in July.

The public are invited to view the accounts from 1 June 2018 to 12 July 2018 inclusive, where you may question the auditor about the accounts, or make an objection to the accounts. A guide to your rights can be found at https://www.nao.org.uk/code-audit-practice/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2015/03/Council-accounts-a-guide-to-your-rights.pdf

Can't wait till Welsh Water close the Ross Road adjacent to the Hinton Community Centre to clear a blocked sewer. 

Entrance to to Tescos Bewell St car park is blocked this afternoon due to a van getting stuck on entrance ramp

Stopped in Goodrich Grove, Newton Farm tonight at 10:00pm by couple in car looking for a lost Beagle dog from the Redhill area. The woman's name was Marley.

AS A staunch Republican, I couldn't face the wall-to-wall TV coverage all day last Saturday and had to take refuge in a local ale house, whose bar TV was thankfully broadcasting an Indian league cricket game.

But I got suckered into watching BBC1's 90-minute highlights in the evening - and I have to say I was hugely impressed.

I was impressed by the amazing logistical achievement of the services (police, army, security, Royal Household, Windsor Chapel authorities) in pulling off what appeared to be an absolutely faultless event, though of course the weather helped greatly (remember the rain-sodden Thames Cavalcade?). I was impressed by the quality of the TV coverage, though less so by the banality of the Beeb's two announcers. And I was knocked sideways by Meghan's Givenchy wedding gown, reputed to have cost £387,000. Her 125-year-old diamond tiara (on loan for the day from Queenie) is obviously priceless.

I loved the fire-and-brimstone sermon (we haven't had people preaching like that for over a century); the gospel singers were an absolute delight; and the young cellist who 'held the fort' while the Register was being signed, remained as cool as a cucumber - though I wish that the couple could have invited either Julian Lloyd Webber or Yo-Yo Ma. I was immensely thankful that little Elton was only seated in the congregation, and not on the organ: 'Candle In The Wind' would most definitely not have been an appropriate anthem for the bridal couple to leave by! Air-Miles-Andy looked bored rigid and overweight; I was wholly underwhelmed by Camilla's hat; and Mrs Beckham looked as if she was auditioning for a part in the remake of Edgar Allan Poe's 'The Raven'. The couple's wise decision to exclude overseas dignitaries relieved the watching world from the embarrassment of any grandstanding by The Donald.

Meghan's mum looked most dignified throughout, though it is a pity she was alone and that a last-minute reorganisation of the seating couldn't have had either Opral or Serena sat next to her. But most of all I was hugely impressed by her daughter's remarkable composure throughout that gruelling two-hour session, reputed to have been watched on TV by a global audience of more than two billion people.

With the recent heavy rain I am not surprised that there is flooding due to many blocked drains around the city. Here are some examples seen in the last 48 hours:

4 blocked drains with weeds growing out of them on Belmont Road going out between Challenge Church and the Oval turn. Constant flooding at the junction of Belmont Road and Goodrich Grove. Flooding at St Nicholas Street and Victoria Street on the cross roads. Also noted extensive flooding outside Glenda Powell's house on Charlton Avenue right across the road.

It looks as if Balfour Beatty aren't prepared to pour money down the drain to clear them.

The Guardian
Mark Brown Arts correspondent
Fri 25 May 2018 11.53 BST

UK's council planners overworked, underpaid and abused, experts say

Kevin McCloud and Hay festival panel speak up for beleaguered town planners
 

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(extract)

Council planners are the most understaffed, underpaid, overworked, abused and depressed workers in Britain, which is a cause for concern because they are responsible for creating and determining the quality of environments we live in, according to a panel of experts at the Hay festival.

“The average chief planning officer earns the same salary as a Tesco bakery manager and has done for the past 15 years,” Kevin McCloud, the presenter of Channel 4’s Grand Designs, told an audience at the literary festival in Wales.

“The difference is that Tesco has a full complement of bakery managers, whereas across the country our planning departments roughly operate at 50% of what they should be doing, especially after the cuts ... they were a soft target.”

The session, titled Small is Beautiful ... Or is it Anymore, was one of a cluster of events that were part of the Hay on Earth Forum exploring food supply and energy production.

McCloud also said the UK would be a lot better off if there were a return to council house building on the scale of the 1950s, and that people should spend less time on their phones.

“What we should all be doing is putting down our laptops, getting off the social media; we should stop tweeting and we should all go and hug our neighbours,” he said.

Could have a point as witness the state of the city and its architecture and environment.

APPEAL PLEASE SHARE | 14 year old Molly is missing from her home in South Wye.

She was wearing a bright pink cardigan and flowery trousers and carrying a sage green bag.

Molly was last seen at 8:45pm last night (24 May) with a young white man aged 14-17, with mid brown hair and glasses. He is reported to be around 5'4" and of average build.

Molly is vulnerable and both Police and parents are concerned for her wellbeing.

If you have seen Molly, the young man she was with or know where she is please call West Mercia Police on 101 quoting ref 98 of 25/5/2018.

Holmer Road Petrol Filling Station In Hereford. (Texaco)

A planning application has been submitted for the proposed demolition of the existing retail store/kiosk and car wash facility.

The erection of a replacement retail store/kiosk. The removal and replacement of existing petrol pumps and canopy, replacement of fuel tanks, re-configuration of car parking layout and installation of plant within an enclosure.

Planning Application P181599/F

From Herefordshire CC  23/3/18

On-street Pay & Display parking times to be extended to support local business

Herefordshire Council is proposing changes to Hereford City on-street Pay & Display, following feedback on the recently implemented scheme. The changes will allow visitors to stay longer and encourage use of nearby businesses.    

The changes proposed include:

To extend the maximum stay to 2 hours across the whole charging zone, with an extended tariff structure (up to 30 mins - 50p, up to 1 hour - £1 and up to 2 hours - £3);

To extend Pay & Display parking to include St Ethelbert Street and selected parking places in Castle Street, with a standardised operating period of 8am to 6pm, Monday to Saturday, with a continued exemption for permit holders;

Councillor Barry Durkin, Herefordshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport and Regulatory Services, said:

“Our proposed changes to on-street Pay & Display in Hereford City centre show that we have, and will continue to, listen to feedback from local business and shoppers. The proposals meet the council’s transportation aims to reduce traffic congestion caused by short car journeys and to encourage extended visits within the city centre. But we also want to ensure that any changes to on-street parking continue to support the economic vitality of Hereford and its city centre, and protect parking provision for residential permit holders.”

Mike Truelove, Operations & Marketing Manager at Hereford BID, said:

“The Hereford Business Improvement District welcomes the council’s willingness to listen and respond to the concerns of businesses, many of whom are struggling in the testing economic climate we are in. It is therefore critical that the right parking structure is created, that not only meets environmental objectives, but is also viable to our traders and appealing to shoppers – many of whom are being fought for by other towns and cities, not to mention the competition that comes from online shopping. We urge all businesses to actively feed into this consultation and have their say.”

The legal process requires public notices to be published setting out the proposed changes. The notices will explain how members of the public can submit representations for, or against, the proposals. Subject to considering any representations received, it is anticipated that the changes would be introduced in June this year.

The public notices will appear in the press after Easter, will be displayed in affected areas and are available to view online at www.herefordshire.gov.uk/tro

The temporary voucher scheme for free parking, introduced in partnership with the Hereford Business Improvement District (BID) team, will remain in place until June. Retailers who would like to receive vouchers for customers should contact Hereford BID on 01432 376830.

Published: Friday, 23rd March 2018

A 20 yr old man was shot at several times by a young boy who demanded he handed over his cigarettes during a robbery
on the Great Western Way footpath.

The boy is described as around 12-years-old wearing a blue top and tracksuit bottoms. The girl is described as around 14-years-old."Enquiries are ongoing but officers are keen to speak to anyone who witnessed the incident or who saw anyone acting suspiciously in the area at the time.Anyone with information is asked to call West Mercia Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 quoting incident number 41S of 6 May.

Possible delays in Belmont Road due to a two vehicle crash just before bridge.
 

As the site continues to grow, I am seeking more and more help from our members. I have today added ragwert to our team he will assist in posting news items and moderating alongside @DILLIGAF. Please welcome ragwert to the team, I am sure he will become a valued member of our growing team.  

Robust Pothole Plan Rolled Out Across Herefordshire

£1.25m additional funding will help to tackle the issue

Balfour Beatty Living Places has scaled up their approach to combat the county’s potholes through the delivery of a proactive pothole repair plan.

Herefordshire Council’s public realm contractor recorded over five times the number of potholes in March 2018 compared with the previous year, mainly due to the combination of water on the network and extremely cold temperatures caused by the prolonged winter weather.

The challenge of tackling the increased number of potholes across the UK has been acknowledged by government, and Herefordshire Council recently secured £1.25m of additional funding to help tackle the issue. This is in addition to the £5m successful funding bid to the Department for Transport’s Local Highways Maintenance Challenge Fund, which will see the second phase of road improvement work on the A4103 and A438 begin in August 2018.

Balfour Beatty Living Places’ pothole repair teams have been working hard to overcome the high number of road defects and, since January 2018, have repaired over 13,700 defects, compared to around 3,000 this time last year.

The pothole repair plan sees more operational pothole gangs out on the network, and the use of a ‘jetpatcher’ machine enables higher volumes of potholes to be repaired quickly and effectively.

Andy Williams, Balfour Beatty Living Places Contract Director, said:

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“Following the extreme weather fronts experienced at the beginning of the year, we are pleased to be working with Herefordshire Council to strengthen our approach to tackling potholes across the county. We are creating more teams to prioritise the repair of ‘high risk defects’ which are deemed the most dangerous, and will use the ‘jetpatcher’ machine on our smaller roads. We are committed to maintaining Herefordshire’s road network in the best possible condition to ensure the county continues to be a pleasant place to live, work and play.”

Councillor Barry Durkin, Herefordshire Council Cabinet Member for Transport and Regulatory Services, said:

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“Herefordshire has seen a higher than expected increase in potholes due to a combination of severe weather and the underlying condition of our ageing network which has not had sufficient national investment.

“To address these challenges, we have had a number of successful bids to government such as the Local Highways Maintenance Challenge Fund. We will continue to bid for national funding to secure better quality services which will improve the quality of life of the county’s roads, maintain their condition and help prevent deterioration over time.”

 

The second phase of work to upgrade Hereford City Centre will begin on Monday 14 May 2018 with the refurbishment of Commercial Street.

Balfour Beatty Living Places on behalf of Herefordshire Council will carry out refurbishment works on the Commercial Street area of High Town with neighbouring traders kept informed of progress throughout the works. 

The work is the second phase of a refurbishment project that will be consistent with the look of Widemarsh Street and High Street. 

Councillor Barry Durkin, cabinet member for highways and transport said:

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“The project will upgrade Commercial Street and tie in with longer term plans to improve Commercial Road and Blueschool Street, which will enhance the city as an attractive and easily accessible destination for visitors and shoppers. 

In future years we will see the whole High Town area upgraded, creating a consistent aesthetic with Widemarsh Street and Old Market.”

 

The work will be phased to ensure minimal disruption to businesses and shoppers. All access to frontages will be maintained. Work will continue through 2018 with a break for the busy Christmas shopping period. The Commercial Street phase of the scheme will be completed in early 2019.

Not sure if this is allowed. Being totally new to this situation and know nobody to ask,  am looking for care home for elderly mother with dementia. Have looked at all official websites etc.. Does anyone on here have any personal experieince with care homes in Hereford?