I always though that the junction at the top of King Street where it meets Bridge Street was bad and totally the wrong priority since they changed it several years ago, hence all of the accidents and the local traders campaigning to get this changed. It was better when the give way junction was at the top of Bridge Street, it made more sense in my opinion.

Today I drove through town and could not believe how NARROW they have made this! Is it me or is this WORSE THAN EVER?

Nice to see Bill is on this. This council ducks and dives to push it's agenda through and forced an affected individual, Mrs Srodzinski through the High Court, to protect her interest - well done to her.

It is almost four years ago that the popular local fishmonger Dave Benjamin died suddenly.  He was widely admired throughout Hereford as a doughty city and county councillor (he represented St Nicholas Ward); he was a vocal Chairman of the Butter Market Traders Association; and at his memorial service at Hereford Cathedral it was 'standing room only'.  Something even the Blessed Diana didn't achieve.

So the Butter Market traders clubbed together and commissioned a modest commemorative plaque, which was duly affixed to the market building's back wall, at the closest possible point to Dave's fish stall - which mercifully (thanks to the stolid Jason) is managing to surive against all that Messrs Morrison and Waitrose are throwing at it.  But try to find the Benjamin plaque today. 

In its wisdom, Herefordshire Council has approved the installation of an ugly Tardis-like cash dispenser, alongside the back door to the Butter Market, placed just 8" away from the modest Benjamin Memorial!

I have heard today that some elderly residents have got confused as to who has to pay and who does not in regard to bedroom tax, if you are over 65 like myself you do not pay. Or If you live in a property that now doesn't meet your needs and you wish to move into something smaller. Please contact me and I will help you!!!

I've many friends who are employed in the public service sector. They know how I see things. I value all the wonderful things that the public servants provide me and my family but, after the tenure of New Labour and the massive national public service job creation excercise they implemented, the ethos of public service somehow or other became lost on the hirearchy that now dominate the corridors of power.

These people are not like you and I. They are very different. They see a wonderful institution like our Council as a vehicle to create for themselves, power, influence, contacts, personal wealth and the opportunity to 'climb'. Climb the ladder of success and create for themselves a huge pension pot that we will never, ever be able to realise and enjoy.

They are now our ruling elite and we are their host body. We're little more than worker ants destined to work, pay and be directed by those who, before the emergence of the liar Blair, were our servants who's role it was to put in place things that made our lives easier and enable us to work in the private sector and help create the wealth.

In many ways this was the covenant between us and them. They provided our much cherished front line services and we paid happy in the knowledge that our roads were maintained, our grass was cut the rubbish was collected and removed and the vulnerable amongst us were cared for and treated with dignity and respect.

That covenant between us and them has been broken and we didn't do the breaking. They've become an arrogant, fat and bloated clique of people who've attached themselves to us and they treat our funds as though its their money. Whenever people become to powerful, no matter the circumstances and no matter what their role in life, the outcome is often much the same. A loss of any sense of right and wrong and a deluded notion of self entitlement that sees them doing whatever they like and not giving the consequences of their behaviour any self critical examination.

We collectively passed the tipping point the night Mr Jarvis demanded five hundred thousand pounds to keep Stanhope happy and senior Council Officers began rewarding oneanother Gagging Payments, or as they like to describe them, Compromise Agreements, as they move from County to County feeding off another host who willingly sit back accepting of the mantra, 'I am passionate about public service and I will not eat, sleep or drink until I've fulfilled my unquenchable desire to deliver a positive outcome to the service users of this fair County'.

Believe me, these people are incompetent bungling idiots who've no grasp on reality and despite the fact that we are near to fiscal ruin, still it has no impact upon them and the gimmicks and the rubbish they serve up to us on a daily basis.

Now, more than ever before, we are now reliant upon those who work within the public sector to find a way of reporting wrongdoing and become a whistleblower. It's no easy step to take. It's not easy at all. In fact, for those who work within the public sector, where often they are surrounded by bullying, a constant fear of redundancy and a design within to do as your told and don't rock the boat, its nigh on impossible to make up ones mind, take that first step, and report any wrongdoing.

I have sources within the Council and I also know that many, many staff read these pages because they've become horrified by the culture that the senior Management have created. They don't visit pages like this to simply report back to their masters. They read these things because it brings them comfort and reassurance that they are right to feel that things are wrong within the Council.

I'd say to any employee who is unfortunate enough to be working for one of these idiots, to take heart, take a step forward and report your concerns to someone you can trust and do all you can to erode the power that these people have created for themselves. Remember, if you don't think it's right it doesn't feel right and it doesn't look right then invariably its not right. It's wrong and becoming a Whisteblower about wrongdoing is a brave and honourable step to take.

Me? I admire any of our public servants who conclude, 'this is all very wrong' and they then decide to do the right thing, which is, to become a Whistleblower.

I'd urge any Council employee who is in turmoil because of what's happening around them and above them to do something. Anything that will bring back the days when we knew that those at the top of the public service tree had walked in our shoes and they were able to know what was right and what was wrong.

Don't be afraid of these people. There's nothing to be afraid of. Don't let them frighten you. Take a leap of faith. Take luck and good fortune by the hand and report your concerns and in doing so you might just inspire others around you to conclude 'I ain't staying silent any longer'. Don't be bullied into remaining silent.

My warmest regards to you.

Future Development Of Belmont Rural

What's this all about then?

Nice to see our money being spent on fancy glossy flyers advertising the BRPC's AGM...

There's a book out right now, titled, ' Living in the Past'. It's a wonderful read that celebrates the discovery of the medieval village of Studmarsh or, as it was known before the Doomsday document, 'Ye Ole Stud'y'.

This book, produced by a much celebrated academic, outlines how a number of local people, many with mental health issues, came together, dug and successfully found the place.

It's a remarkable find when you consider that this old village predates the Roman occupation, The Norman Conquest, the Black Death, the emergence of Wassailing in High Town and the English Civil War.

There is if course another book that is based upon this search for Studmarsh. It's hugely unpopular and once correctly described by Richard & Judy as the work of an idiot who'd successfully produced a bucket of sh.ite!

Of course. I wrote it. Im the author. It's titled, 'Digging for Studmarsh in the Wrong Place' and its a piece of work that describes a thirty year dig without finding a single thing of archaelogical significance. Have I regrets about it?

Indeed I have. With hindsight I should have given it the title Digging for Studmarsh. Had I done that then folk in the library may have picked it up, taken it away and read it. Understandably, the whole 'Wrong Place' bit tends to put people off and mutter,'the fool didn't find it because he was looking in the wrong place. Lets wait for another book to come out that says, 'Digging for Studmarsh In the Right Place' and we found it. I know which bloody book I'd have chosen!

Of course, hindsight being what hindsight is, I should have paid more attention to the many historical documents relating to Studmarsh that clearly indicated that the remains of the village were definitely to be found in close proximity to Bromyard. My mistake was I convinced myself that all these dead writers had colluded with oneanother and were deliberately pointing folk like me in the wrong direction. And whatsmore, if ever it was to be successfully located , you'd be better off digging and burrowing anywhere else other than Bromyard. That's where I went wrong. I chose to completely ignore Bromyard and hamlets in close proximity to the Town and I began to dig in an isolated area just outside Kington.

When did I realise that perhaps I was digging in the wrong place? It's a toss up really. Either pretty much straight away on day one of the dig or eleven years later when I'd burrowed from Kington and found myself emerging beneath the Corn Square in Leominster.

Anyway, my book is available at most Car Boot Sales.

The HA have said that Herefordshire Council are on their own with regard to a western bypass according to this article in the HT

The fire brigade were attending a fire at the flats on Belmont Rd this afternoon, apparently nobody was hurt which is good news. Anyone know what happened?

Someone sent me this photo

Or is it a library?  Or perhaps an arts centre?  No, its the proposed new fire station for the site of the former Working Boys Home on Bath Street.

Tomorrow's Hereford Times should provide an image of this hybrid monster, which Cllrs Bramer and Johnson are determined to inflict on the city, in place of the handsome group of Victorian buildings known as the Working Boys Home: one of the largest surviving testaments to one of Hereford's most distinguished citizens, Rev John Venn.

Such is the paucity of 21st century design thinking, that this production line architectural extrusion (by Cushman & Wakefield) could quite easily masquerade as one of half-a-dozen building types.

He behoves us all to watch vigilantly for notice of Hereford & Worcester Fire Authority's formal planning application in July and send in our comments.

Will the gas hole cause as much chaos tomorrow as it did today? Edgar Street ... Northbound ... A49

What are we supposed to do about excess waste?

My recycling bin is overflowing and I'm having to use carry bags full of rubbish around the house - but those bags won't fit into the green bin and I'm guessing they won't take it if it's placed on to or next to it.

Any ideas what we're supposed to do?

Traffic is at a stand still south of Hereford again! What's with the half mile of cones all along Victoria St, for a little hole that they have dug in Edgar St? No wonder the traffic is backed up for miles south of the river!

They could of placed the cones on the lights at Edgar St which still gives enough warning for the little hole. This country is mad about traffic cones and warnings, for miles before any road works beware of this and beware of that, in the rest of Europe you have a few cones explaining that road works are up ahead, what's with the endless empty lanes of just cone after cone!

Announced 12th May 2014 - Herefordshire Council

 

Western Power Distribution works – Hafod Road

 

Hafod Road will be closed from the 16th May 2014 for approximately 23 days. Access to Brockington council offices will be maintained and public meetings will go ahead as usual.

 

The work is being undertaken by JSM Group on behalf of Western Power Distribution. The works are part of a major infrastructure scheme to reinforce the electricity supply to Hereford city centre.

 

JSM Group has scanned Hafod Road to investigate alternative methods of delivering the work but the only option is to lay the power cable in the centre of the carriageway. Hence, the requirement of a full closure to facilitate safe working practices.

 

During the works, access to Hafod Road and Brockington will be restricted depending on the location of the works; a diversion route will be in place and access to Brockington will be maintained with one or other entrance being restricted at any given time.

 

The diversion route will be subject to change but will be signed.  The current diversion route is Ledbury Road, Quarry Road and Hafod Road, access via Vine Road will be an alternative route.

 

We expect delays throughout the duration of the work. Plan your journey, check traffic congestion http://herefordshire.roadworks.org/ and please consider walking or cycling if you are visiting Brockington.

 

Please check https://www.herefordshire.gov.uk/transport-and-highways/maintenance/roads-closures-and-diversions/ for diversion routes as these will change as works progress.

This council is trying very hard to get people to abandon their cars. Not that I would want to cycle up Hafod Road

There is lots going on in Herefordshire and the surrounding area  during May. Goherefordshire has collated  many events going on during May for your convenience all in one place. Which include tour guides of Herefordshire, local pub gigg guide, films, theatre and much more.

Please click on the link whats on in Herefordshire to find out more.

I noticed today, that the telephone box at the back of the Butter Market looked like it was being removed and a new cashpoint machine (free withdraws) was being installed. I am surprised that a cashpoint is only just being installed now in this area, long overdue.

We had a meeting on the evening of December 6th 2014 in the Hereford Town Hall Chambers with MP Jesse Norman together with Paul Hillman and Andrew Butterfield of the Highways Agency, to discuss the possibility of a 'traffic lights out' trial along a short corridor on the A49/A465 in Hereford.

The highways agency indicated that they were prepared to look into funding a micro simulation and MP Jesse Norman offered to assist with finding funding if required.

Jesse Norman also suggested that it would be a good idea if we contacted all of the local councillors in an attempt to get their support for a trial, we agreed and also thought it would be courteous and help our cause to have the local councillors support.

Cllr Jim Kenyon kindly arranged for our group (Hereford Reunited) to give a brief presentation to the Hereford City Planning Committee on January 15th which was also held at the Hereford Town Hall. Details of this meeting can be found in the Hereford Traffic 'Lights Out' Meeting Topic. In general, our presentation was received well by the majority of the committee even though the chairman on the day Cllr Bob Preece explained that the committee had no powers to implement a trial and could only make a recommendation to the HA at best.

The Lord Mayor Cllr Phil Edwards also offered a letter of support from the Mayors Office.

Following this meeting and several weeks later John Harrington (Hereford Reunited) wrote an excellent letter to all the Cabinet which was published in the Lights Out Campaign Letter Topic, asking if we could present our case to them, a copy is attached below. Several weeks passed with no replies from any councillor!

I then sent a bulk email to all of the HV members on April 14th. Cllr Mark Hubbard and Cllr Jon Norris to be fair responded immediately and copied in all of the local councillors, now we have started to receive their replies and decided to publish each and every one of them as arrive on HV for you all to read and comment on, they are as follows:

Cllrs Lights Out Letter.pdf