Looks like the Marches LEP is going all out to get EU Investment - maybe because there is no money in the kitty here in Herefordshire. I thought Herefordshire Council was our local authority. I didn't realise decisions and policies would be made by an unelected quango operating out of Westminster and the EU. How do our councillors feel that this could be the beginning of the end for our local authority? I am surprised they are consulting local communities when there are only a few weeks in which to comment.

I notice in the news and press that the fine and penalty points for using a mobile phone whilst driving, is due to increase next year.

I'm sure most people will agree that this is a good thing, even though there seems to be little enforcement of the law by our boys and girls in blue.

The point to this post?  Ah yes, that...

I was waiting to cross Yazor Road in Hereford today (Thursday 29th September 2016) at approximately 12:50, one of the cars passing me was a rather distinctively decorated driving instructors car, complete with personalised registration (nice touch.)  

As she, oops sorry, as the car passed me by, I noticed the driver, with one hand on the wheel, the other down by their side was doing a marvellous "nodding dog" impression, something down on her, or his (her) lap was taking up quite a good percentage of attention away from the road, that's for sure.

What chance do we have to expect people to resist the urge to use their mobiles whilst driving when a driving instructor is quite prepared to openly do just that?!

Still, it was probably important, wasn't it?

Proposed plans have been submitted to convert the former Johnson's Dry Cleaners, first, second and third floors from retail space to residential apartments.

We need to look at the bigger picture, the city centre will face no end of objections for future planning applications from RESIDENTS when businesses what to put up illuminated signs and extend business hours to accommodate functions in restaurants and bars etc, this happened recently when Yates applied to extend their opening hours (they won the court case in the end) and they received objections from the flats next door.

We should keep the city centre as a city centre and protect the businesses now and in the future, either that or a clause should be put in place for all new planning applications to cover new builds/conversions to prevent such objections, in other words, if you rent/buy a property in the city centre don't complain when the local business wants to put up an illuminated sign or extend their opening hours etc

Planning application here

Our local NHS Trust have achieved this remarkable achievement by following the ideology of Common Purpose, placing their complete faith in LinkedIn and its vast number of under achievers who swim amongst their members deluding themselves and us into ever believing that 'it's a business' and should be run in that way when it was, is and always will be a bloody service.

Back to the question though. How did they manage it. Well, a start would be in giving the land the old Hospitals once sat upon away at a very commercially and highly interesting price. Next to buggar all is extremely interesting.

Then you get the interested sharks from the private sector to agree to build you a new one, which, considering the future opportunities that'll emerge, they happily agree to do, just as long as they get some sugar at the very end of the feeding frenzy upon our public funds. The bloody rent!

You then get some Wiley, cunning and very clever sharp suits from the private sector who've been feasting for years off the highly rewarding PFI stupidity, pop them in a room and introduce them to the public sector suits who just happen to be bloody incompetent, know nothing about how to avoid getting ripped off and eaten alive, set a rate of rent which is hugely damaging to the future well being of the Hospital and, end up wth a building that's far to small than the one the County really needed, very costly to run with an accompanying annual costs that'd destroy any public service organisation that doesn't manufacture and sell anything and can never ever service the debt that the highly paid, let's pay the best to get the best, incompetent public service suits agreed upon because they were out of their depth, largely due to the fact they'd all reached their own level of personal incompetence many years ago whilst combing the greasy pole of Public Sector Money Games.

Once that's been done, you gather in all the past failures, the dross and dregs of the public sector, allow them to build their Empire Of Dirt, stock it so full of management the whole thing evolves into a bureaucratic beast of burden that begins to eat itself alive resulting in administrative chaos that's not helped because the very same idiots who gave the Hospital away to PFI are the very same ones who negotiated yet another highly expensive and badly procured project that nobody ever wanted or needed but it sounded like a good idea at the time.

Then, you begin outsourcing everything to the private sector, enabling the savings of imaginary millions, the creation of thousands of imaginary jobs and the opportunity to never be held to accountability because it wasn't ever going to be your fault and just to confuse anyone who dares ever look beneath the big lie, you create loads of bloody Partnerships who are there to share in the glorious failure of it all chanting, 'lessons have been learnt' guaranteeing to everyone that they'll dig deeper and deeper before ever admitting that they buggered it all up.

Next, create Arms Length companies that can secrete the dreadful failures and never be opened to public scrutiny. Then, once you start that, create some Partnerships. They're all pointless of course but it all looks so grand from their corporate perspective and adds greatly to the ever increasing cycle of confusion, chaos and the stumbling from one self created disaster to the other that's just around their corner.

Then, once the private sector have created their Health Care Support company that's staffed with hundreds of Nurses and Doctors who left the local Health Trust because the money was better and the stress less, you get to lose lots more money quite quickly on staffing costs. Costs that are so high you've absolutely no chance of ever breaking even in this lopsided game of The Public Sector Cash Trough.

Course, there's the hundreds of other contracts that were also negotiated between the Idiot and the private sector. Want a new phone. Pay me. New Light Bulb. Pay me. No matter what it is or how simply the job can be done. Pay me! You pay me over and over again until our contract with one another expires.

In short, every single component part of our local NHS Trust is tainted by a commercial contract negotiated by an incompetent bungling idiot who's either left the gravy train or, through sheer luck,has managed to cling on despite the part they played in losing us all one hundred thousand pounds every day of our seven day week.

That's pretty much how to lose that sort of money. You simply make one single crucial strategic appointment and allow that one single idiot to indulge themselves and allow their imagination to run riot.

Hi

Just to let you know there is a table top sale taking place at Belmont Community Centre on Sunday 4th December 2016 from 1.30 pm.

Sellers should reserve tables in advance with a full payment of £5 and arrive at 1 pm.

Come along and maybe grab yourself a bargain.

I hear rumours that Toby Carvery are coming to Hereford? Possibly at the bunch of carrots... anyone?

Am I correct in thinking that Brockington used to be the HQ for Tate & Lyle or British Sugar Corporation or something to do with sugar production?  At one time not so long ago a lot of sugar beet was grown in this county. Having lived in Hafod Road once upon a time I remember walking past this building and looking at it in awe.

I think it is a magnificent building and hope beyond hope that it is listed.  

So who is going to spy on the government and will they be selling our web history to anyone including the FBI?

Accident involving yeomans bus by Newmarket roundabout has blocked up the roads this afternoon. My mother in law was on the bus and is pretty shaken up.the salvation army lady that sits outside butter market was thrown out of her seat and has been taken to hospital.

Taken from BBC Hereford & Worcester

What do you think?

BBC Hereford & Worcester can reveal a 15 year plan to spend hundreds of millions of pounds changing the face of Herefordshire.

The proposals contained in a leaked document, include creating a new riverside area in Hereford and multi story car parks on the city's outskirts. Proposals also see plans to build a hotel at the racecourse and to approach businesses to build accommodation for thousands of students.

 

I have posted this because this "Charity " SUPPORT THE HEROES set up their stall outside Laula Ashley Maylord / Commercial Road Hereford selling Draw tickets for £2.50 each . It is a UK Draw so you can imagine how many tickets are sold .The person manning the Stand takes 33% commission , paid in cash . The Draw is every two months and the first prize is a TV !

The last time they submitted their accounts to the Charity Commission they reported MONEY IN £548,440 MONEY TO WORTHY CAUSES £15.153 , the experts say that is 3% .

Going on from that there is a local connection to these Charity Organisers - you will recall that William ALDRIDGE was the youngest Soldier killed in Afgan. The same week 7 other members of our Armed Forces were also killed in Afgan. A short time later the mothers of these young lads and ladies got together and formed AFGAN HEROES , for the first two years they were really positive and raised over £2million . Then a man called Tony Chadwick got involved with his Company, Prize Promotions Ltd. of Blackpool selling Draw tickets , it then went all downhill and he declared himself bankrupt.

He then set up another Company with a friend called SUPPORT THE HEROES - using a Company called Targeted Managements. Now the Charity Commission are looking into that Company

To my simple mind I think that the Charity Commission are toothless tigers - the Military Charity I am involved with have been complaining about Support the Heroes for at least two years to no avail.

The Charity Commission are also looking into a new Charity " Our Local Heroes Foundation " who's fundraising is managed by Target Management and Tony Chadwick has a finger in the pie !

Our beautiful city of Hereford looking very festive this evening. Hope you like my little editing...

The below was taken from the Council FB

A quick little scoop..

Yates Hereford will close for refurbishment on October 17th and re-open November 11th 2016.

This is a complete refurbishment every back to the shell and rebuild.

I could end up looking similar to the newly refurbished Yates Reading  see photographs here

Remember where you heard it first folks..

We are holding a Children's Christmas Party at Belmont Community Centre on Saturday 17th December from

2 pm to 4 pm.  The cost is £3 a ticket including food and drink.

Booking is essential so please either pop into the Centre or call us on 01432 263415 to reserve your tickets.

Fun, games and an extra special visitor.

See attached poster, we look forward to seeing you

Childrens Christmas Party 17 Dec 16.docx

Article in the Daily Wail today suggesting that M&S could be on a hit list of closures. To quote the paper: 

Doesn't give much confidence. I suppose when the Council and Balfour Beatty start digging up High Town in front of the store and close more roads into the city - it will be the final nail in their coffin.

Autumn colours at Hereford Cathedral taken early this morning