Not so long ago I couldn't have cared less about local elections and the purpose of Councillors. I used to think that I'd vote at the General Election, which I allways did, and the rest of it was a load of rubbish which I wasn't interested in.

Now? Ive changed my mind. National Politics have become very distant to me, I get the impression they are moreorless the same, and, with the exception of UKIP, they have nothing new and original to say.

Nowadays, since I've been blogging and I've learned a great deal about how local power is used, I've come to the conclusion that local politics is much more important than the politicians and mandarins that flounce around Westminster and Whitehall and I've decided that whatever 'we' want or need, they ain't going to deliver it to us and therefore, we've gotta get hold of power and pull the levers ourselves.

That means, we've all gotta start taking more interest in our local politics and take more care about who we elect and who we want to pull the levers of local power.

The next time we hold our local Council elections, when some shiney bloody happy clappy person comes trotting up your path and says, 'vote for me because I live around the corner and I look lovely in a suit' ask them questions and make them earn your vote.

They've had it easy for to long (not you Glenda) and its about time we, the little people started using our collective strength and began to hold some of these elected Councillors to account.

I've been to some of these Council meetings and I've seen at first hand how dull and unimaginative many of these Councillors are. They are not clever'er than us, they've not got more wisdom than us and believe me, some of them struggle to say anything other then Yay or bloody Nay. In short, many of them are thick and some are completely unsuitable to be anywhere near power and the levers of power that they can pull in the name of local democracy.

My idea of a Councillor is of course someone like Councillor Powell. A grafter who earns the right to be called Councillor. It's not someone who takes the money, sticks their bloody hand in the air and votes away another twenty million bloody quid on something that we don't want or don't need.

I say we've gotta start looking in different places to find our leaders. The ones who've walked in our shoes and are able to stick their hand up in the air and say, 'No. Get stuffed. We don't need things we can't afford and things that we don't bloody need'.

My conclusion is, the safest bet is an Independent and someone who ain't driven by political dogma and are not slaves to a political party that dresses themselves up as good, kind and understanding but they are really out for themselves and the glory that comes with being called Councillor.

We've gotta change things. We've all gotta start thinking more about local politics and we've all gotta start taking more care about who we elect as a leader.

 

The Earl of Wessex during his visit to The Oval Hereford today.



Prince Edward, has visited several locations in Hereford today. The royal visited the Hereford Academy, the Oval in Newton Farm, Hinton Community Centre and the Kindle Centre.
He met residents from South Wye for a community lunch and was treated to dance and choir displays from students and a local dance group, among other things throughout the day.

Picture curtesy of the Hereford TImes

HRH the Earl of Wessex will be visiting South Wye tomorrow morning Friday 12th July 2013.

He will be visiting the Hereford Academy, Oval Information Centre, where he will be meeting ward councillors for Belmont, Hinton Centre and Kindle where he will be having lunch with South Wye pensioners before going on to Rotherwas before returning to London. he will arrive at the Oval at midday.

Welsh Water is to hold an open evening in Hereford to explain its plans to invest £2 billion in the region.
The event will be at the Kindle Centre at 6pm on Monday, July 15.
The firm will also be displaying information stands in High Town between 10am and 6pm from Monday and Wednesday of that week.

Congratulations to Councillor Phil Edwards on becoming Hereford's 632nd Lord Mayor.

I am confused as we are told that we cannot put plastic lids in the recycle bins but its plastic? and also not allowed to put polythene bags either yet I noticed that a lot of people still use the polythene bags when their bins are full and the bin men take these and throw them onto the recycle refuse truck?

Carpet Fitting Service - Dave James Tel 07765504746 or 01432 851397

New Carpets Supplied - Old Carpets Re-Fitted - Free Quotes!

During the latter part of 2012, Colin James invited Hereford Times Posters to register with Belmont Voice. For one reason or another, I became the only blogger from the Times to register and take part in your wonderful social platform.

Three things struck me when I first visited these pages. Firstly, you all are part of a truly wonderful tool that allows you to discuss and resolve the issues that directly affect your neighbourhood. Secondly, Megilleland was here who I know is a prolific blogger and thirdly and finally, how lucky you all were to have Councillors regularly contributing to your discussions.

In this day and age, it's no easy task to get elected Councillors to emerge from their burrows and say something that might come back to bite them, yet, Belmont Voice was fortunate to have two Councillors, namely Bridges and Powell who contributed toward the issues affecting their constituents.

In the case of Councillor Glenda Powell, I was astonished at how much she contributed toward her community and this social forum and its fair to say that I have always been impressed by her dedication, her hard working ethic and her willingness to address any problem and give it her best shot.

You might be thinking, ' sounds like this fool Bobby47 is a close friend of Councillor Powell's. Well, truly and truthfully, I've never met this Councillor, I've no idea whether or not she and I would share the same political values and I've no idea whether she and I could become friends.

However, what I do know is that for the past twelve months, bloggers on the Hereford Times have been objecting to our current ruling elite and we desperately wanted to find Councillors who spoke their mind, were not afraid to emerge from their burrows and could evidence that they worked hard for their constituents.

During my visits to these pages I have genuinely been impressed with the industry and hard working ethic of Councillor Powell and her willingness to grasp a stinging nettle and do something. Not talk about it. Not hold a meeting. Not waffle and flower things up that are meaningless and of no help, but to actually, get on and do the job.

It seems to me that Councillor Glenda Powell displays all the attributes of a public servant who gives her very best and she deserves a little help and recognition for her hard work.

Why am I mentioning all this? Well, through rumour, the grapevine and some inside knowledge, I have learned that some Councillors have orchestrated a complaint against Councillor Powell. Apparently, because of an issue relating to an old thread of news on BV sanctions are being sought to reprimand Councillor Powell because she took hold of a complaint by a constituent, she ran with it, did something which was to the annoyance of her fellow Council colleagues and failed to follow protocols.

Some might say this has been done because Councillor numbers are to be reduced and by getting rid of Councillor Powell it's one less Councillor to cull and safeguards the survival of others.

Me? I think all of this has been done in haste. I think those who have wielded the knife may feel that their actions were somewhat hasty and unwise.

Whatever the reasons, I would like those involved to end this farce and concentrate on the issues that are important to us all. Holding this bloody Council to account for all the money they have wasted on gimmicks and pointless schemes that have brought about our fiscal ruin.

In an effort to support Councillor Powell , I respectfully request that all the Belmont Voice Posters who have reason to be grateful to her contribution to this forum and her constituency, you simply note this message and state that you appreciate her hard work.

My very warmest regards to you all.

Well to be fair, credit where credit is due, I was walking along the Great Western Way earlier today and was pleasantly surprised to see this.

Remember this lot?


Well this is how it looks today, beautiful in comparison.

HEREFORDSHIRE Council will not renew its contract with highway and parks partner Amey, it was announced this morning.

The local authority said a 12 month tendering process will now begin ahead of the Amey contract ending next summer.

The new company would be involved in various projects, possibly including the much-talked-about city bypass.

Geoff Hughes, the Council’s director for places and communities, said the authority wants to provide the best value for money, adding there is nothing stopping Amey from applying for the new contract.

 

More here;

http://www.herefordt...abs/?ref=twtrec

Meeting dates for the forthcoming year are agreed at the Annual Parish Council meeting which is held in May each year.

For 2013-4, the following dates have been agreed:

​I have added all of these dates to our Community Calendar, which you can download or subscribe to here

2013
27th June - Belmont
8th August - Northolme
19th September - Belmont
31st October - Northolme
12th December - Belmont

2014
23rd January - Northolme
6th March - Belmont
17th April - Northolme
29th May - Belmont

Community Cyber Cafe at Hereford Academy

 

I called in at the Hereford Academy and noticed a useful facility of benefit to those of us over 18 years of age and may want to get computer literate.

 

The Cyber Cafe is open to the public five days a week at various times when you can use computers free of charge to read and send emails, shop on-line, search for a job, write letters, practice your IT skills, tax your car or do just about anything on-line. You can also follow a course through the Cyber Cafe even if you are a beginner.

 

Opening times do vary but include at least two or more evenings per week. There is no need to book, but we recommend you call the Cyber Cafe on 01432 373575 or e-mail community@theherefordacademy.org.uk to check availability.

 

Opening hours from 3rd June 2013

Monday: 9.30am to 1pm & 3.30pm to 5.30pm

Tuesday: 9.30am to 5.00pm

Wednesday: 9.30 to 12 noon (tutor available) & 12 noon to 5pm

Thursday: 3pm to 5pm & 5pm to 7pm (tutor available)

Friday: 9.30am to 1pm

Please find attached the minutes from the parish council meeting held on 4th April 2013

 

 

Minutes 04:04:13.pdf

Please find attached the minutes from the parish council meeting held on 21st February 2013

 

 

Minutes 21:02:13.pdf

Please find attached the minutes from the parish council meeting held on 17th January 2013

 

 

Minutes 17:01:13.pdf

- a nice little video produced by a chap called David Bishop from Ewyas Harold about a couple's visit to Hereford and encountering its traffic. I heard this today on BBC H&W Radio.

Community Update from Superintendent Ivan Powell, West Mercia Police concerning stabbing incident at Broxash Drive 16th May 2013

 

As the policing commander for Herefordshire I think it is important that I communicate clearly with local residents following the events of this afternoon, the 16th May 2013.

 

At approximately 1525 on Thursday 16th May 2013 we received a telephone call from the ambulance service telling us they were responding to a report of two men who had been stabbed. We have established that this occurred in a private address in Broxash Drive, Hereford.

 

A significant number of police resources were deployed to the location. These resources included firearms officers, plain clothes and uniform response officers and dog units.

 

At around 15:40 only 15 minutes after the call, two men were located at a private address in

Golden Post Hereford where one was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. After a short stand, off another man was arrested at the same location.

 

This was a fast moving investigation that required the deployment a significant number of police resources. I would like to re-iterate some key messages:

 

• We have two men in custody, and there is no longer any threat to the community.

 

• Those arrested are believed to be known to the injured men.

 

• We have significant policing resources committed to investigative interviewing, forensic investigation, crime scene searches and house to house enquiries.

 

I would like to thank the local communities in Hereford for their understanding and support during this police operation.

 

Whilst the identity of the injured men is known to some members of the community, police will only be confirming these identities in due course. Whilst both men were seriously assaulted, their respective conditions are not believed to be life threatening. We are providing support to them and their families at this time.

 

It is important for me to acknowledge that these were very serious incidents, but please be reassured there is no longer a threat to the community of Herefordshire.

 

Members of the public who believe that they have information that may be relevant to the police investigation are to contact West Mercia Police on 101 and ask for officers at Hereford, or please approach any of my staff who will be patrolling your areas whilst they conduct house to house enquiries over the next few days.