Herefordshire Council teams have recently completed a programme of resurfacing and drainage works on the C1239 - Garway in Herefordshire. (Castlefield Farm)

We were totally blown away with this lovely gift from one of our local independent clients today.

Angelina from Nail Trend in Hereford Butter Market was so pleased with her recent advertising campaign with us that she spend several hours hand painting this very nice bottle of red wine with so much detail which she kindly gave to us earlier. Angelina told us that she got the inspiration from our #PositiveHereford campaign.

Thank you so so much, this really meant a lot and is really appreciated. How lovely is that!

New parking charges in Herefordshire (where applicable) mentioned below in the attached PDF, will take effect on TBC. If a car park is not mentioned, then the charges will remain the same as at present.

A brief table showing the new prices is illustrated below 👇

NEW CHARGES:

Any queries in relation to the above may be directed to the Parking Office (tel: 01432 260974)

Email : civilparkingenforcement@herefordshire.gov.uk

Many people disagree with increased parking charges by saying it will discourage them from visiting the city however, there are those who argue that people will moan for the sake of moaning and increases are inevitable, yet the people who complain are often the same people who are more than happy to pay £3.50+ for a Latte or some other coffees!

In reality this money is used to pay for essential services across the county of Herefordshire. 

What are the possible options as a scenario ? 

Cllr Liz Harvey (Group Leader for It's Our County (Herefordshire) and Cabinet member - finance and corporate services) explained recently,

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The money generated by car parking charges pays a large proportion of the council's road maintenance costs and subsidises public transport across the county.

It amounts to ~ £6m.

If parking was free council tax would need to go up by a further 9%.

She said, "It's doable, if everyone is happy with that"

She also added;

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The parking charges are changing shortly to standardise on charges for different sorts of car parks (long stay commuter, stop and shop, city centre convenience). Charging is stopping at 2000 rather than 2200 and other changes to help people find the right type of parking to match their needs.

Theres also going to be more info on signage about how to save money with season ticket discounts and on how the income from car parking is used to support public transport and road repairs.

Changes coming to the RingGo phone App means that soon people will be able to pay on exit and thereby only pay for the time they use.

Appendix 3 for Car Parking Charges.pdf

Herefordshire Council has received a planning application for the proposed change of use from A1/A3 retail to Tanning and Beauty Salon  at the former Greggs bakery on Belmont Road in Hereford.

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proposed change of use from A1/A3 retail to Tanning and Beauty Salon (sui generis use) Change existing illuminated signage to reflect new ownership main sign above the entrance Gloden main sign - approx 2. 33m wide x 58cm high - 1500 lumens internal illumination tanning & beauty strapline in main sign - approx 1.50m wide x 10cm high - 1500 lumens - internal illumination projecting sign x 2 projecting sign - 80cm square approx. - 5000 lumens - face illuminated.

Planning Application P211131/F

West Mercia Police is encouraging members of the public to hand-in unwanted knives as part of a national knife surrender.

Monday, 26 April, saw the launch of Operation Sceptre, led by the Home Office, to help tackle knife crime.

Levels of knife crime in the towns and cities covered by West Mercia Police are relatively low in comparison to other parts of the country, however, its vital work to help keep these levels low.

In order to help, police are encouraging members of the public to hand-in unwanted knives to prevent them from getting into the wrong hands and being used in crime.

Throughout the week officers will be working to raise awareness of the dangers of carrying a knife and speaking to children and young people where possible.

Surrender bins will be in place at key locations such as train stations and local schools to highlight the steps police are taking to prevent people from carrying a knife in public.

Warrants will be carried out at addresses where there is information to suggest someone in the home may be involved in knife crime, or crime associated with knives such as county lines drug dealing.

Community sweeps will take place bringing whole communities together to clear areas of discarded sharp objects that could potentially be used as a weapon.

West Mercia Police’s knife crime lead and head of local policing, Chief Superintendent Paul Moxley, said: “Fortunately, we do not experience the same levels of knife crime in our towns and cities as has been seen in other parts of the country, however that does not mean we are complacent. We know it does happen and it is important we take the appropriate steps to prevent young people from carrying a knife and prevent crimes involving knives.

“We have recently invested in ten additional police officers to specifically take on an early intervention and intervention role with children and young people across of three counties. Early intervention is vital and for the past two years our successful ‘Steer Clear’ programme has helped young people involved in, or on the periphery of being involved in, knife crime find an alternative route and we are developing this as a programme to roll out across the force area.

“One knife incident is one too many and the more we can do to stop knives getting into the wrong hands and being used in crime the better.”

During Operation Sceptre which will run until Monday 3 May, unwanted knives can be disposed of anonymously in secure knife bins at Hereford, Worcester, Redditch, Kidderminster, Malinsgate and Monkmoor Police Stations. Each policing area will also have a Knife Arch which will be in place at key locations such as train stations and local schools to highlight the steps police are taking to prevent people from carrying a knife in public.

Anyone who is concerned a young person is involved in or on the periphery of becoming involved in knife crime and carrying a knife can report this anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

More information for young people about the stark consequences of knife crime can be found at www.fearless.org where concerns can also be reported anonymously.

At Hereford Voice our slogan has always been 'Having Your Say' and through our network we are going to give you the opportunity to ask your questions to some of our Councillors.

Cabinet Member - Infrastructure and Transport Councillor John Harrington has agreed to be put under the spotlight to answer your questions in the first of our 'exclusive' Q & A sessions.

Rules: Abuse will Not be tolerated and offensive comments will be deleted and may also result in that person being banned.

Please ask sensible questions on any subject that Cllr Harrington maybe able to address and answer in his capacity at Herefordshire Council.

• Hereford Link Roads (Bypass)
• Turning Off Traffic Lights or making them Part-Time (Hereford Voice Campaigns)
• River Crossings
• Closure of the Old Bridge
• Pot Holes 
• Maylord Orchards Shopping Centre
• Electric Buses
• Roundabouts

Please ask your questions below 👇 and Councillor Harrington will answer as many as he can in a video which we will publish over the weekend.

Herefordshire Council teams have recently completed a programme of resurfacing and drainage works on the A438 at Falcon Lane, Near Ledbury (SCRIM) in Herefordshire.

Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service crews from Leominster Fire Station turned out to this RTC just outside of Leominster last night.

📷 HWFRS

Casualty had self extricated and was attended to by West Midlands Ambulance Service.

Vehicle made safe by crews.

Have you checked your bank notes recently?

Police are warning of a spate of fake £20 notes that have been found in circulation.

Identifiable due to the barcodes & poor ink quality.

When selling items check the cash being tendered & report any fake notes, even if it is only an attempt.

Hereford City Council have replaced the notice boards at Beaumont Gardens (near The Courtyard) after they were unfortunately vandalised.

They are looking much better now!

Colleagues pay heartwarming tribute to Herefordshire paramedic Jeremy Daw who tragically died yesterday while on duty and responding to an emergency call.

It is understood that Mr Daw had just half a dozen shifts left before he was due to retire.

Paying tribute to his colleague in a video online, the West Midlands Ambulance Service emergency operations delivery director, Nathan Hudson, said "the incident was an accident and no one was being sought in connection with it"

He added;

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“Jeremy Daw, Jack, was a loving husband, father, and for us within the ambulance service he was not just a colleague, he was a dear friend as well,” Hudson said. “Jeremy was a paramedic. He extended his retirement to ensure he could come back and fight the Covid response the NHS has put forward.”

He added: “Nobody else was involved in the incident overall; it was an accident at this present moment in time.”

“He was one of life’s good guys and he will be sorely missed in and around Hereford,” he said. “Everybody knew him and he was just a genuinely nice person. If you speak to the staff at Hereford, what they remember is that he used to go out and clean the vehicles every morning, he would wipe the windscreens down.

“He used to do that as a matter of course. He took great pride in his work.”

A planning application has been submitted to Herefordshire Council for the proposed change of use from retail costume shop (Class A1/E) to a fish and chip shop (Class A5/Sui Generis) and installation of bespoke extraction system.

The premises in Bridge Street Hereford were previously occupied by Fancy Pants costumes and party shop.

Planning application P210802/F

West Mercia Police are appealing for witnesses following a fatal collision in Hereford on Friday (23 April) afternoon.

Officers were called at 4.05pm to reports that a black and chrome Kawasaki motorbike and a green Fendt tractor collided on the B348 at the Thruxton junction towards Arkstone Court, Clehonger.

Sadly, the man in his 50s travelling on the motorbike, was pronounced deceased at the scene. His next of kin have been informed.

Ambulance and air ambulance also attended the scene. Road closures were in place while emergency services were in attendance.

PC Lee Palmer from West Mercia Police said: "Our thoughts remain with the man's family at this difficult time."

He continued: "While investigations are ongoing, we are appealing for any witnesses who may have been in the area at the time of the incident and may have dash-cam footage to please come forward.”

Any witnesses are asked to contact West Mercia Police on 101 quoting reference 427i of 23 April 2021.

Alternatively, information can be given anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or via their website.

Verging on Wild is a group of volunteers working to improve biodiversity on our roadside verges.

We are working with Herefordshire Council, Balfour Beatty Living Places, Herefordshire Wildlife Trust and several other wildlife organisations. We want to see a change in verge management across the county and we want to protect the best verges by listing them as Roadside Verge Nature Reserves (RVNRs) and managing them for biodiversity.

Protection for our rich and varied verges       

Road verge flora is deteriorating in many parts of the UK – 87 of the verge species are facing possible extinction – including favourites like harebell, field scabious and ragged robin. The decline is caused by the way we cut and manage verge habitat and the increasing fertility of roadside soils. Cutting begins in the spring and is repeated in the summer so that few plants have a chance to set seed before the mowers arrive. Summer flowering plants, many of which typify our beautiful hay meadows, are disappearing from our verges.

The result of this mowing regime and the practice of leaving the cut vegetation to rot down in situ, has caused a decline in roadside species and an increase in weed species such as nettles, cow parsley and hogweed. This is bad news for wildflower numbers and diversity. It is also bad for populations of bees, beetles and butterflies that rely on these plants for food, and for the birds that eat these invertebrates.

What a gorgeous welcome to Bishops Frome!

There are nearly 300,000 miles of rural roadside verges in the UK, so if this decline can be reversed, the contribution to nature will be huge. Rural verges are equal to half our remaining grasslands and meadows, so if we can change verge management to benefit wildlife, it will make a significant difference. A rural county like Herefordshire can make a great contribution to this with good verge management.

Reversing the decline – “Cut Less, Cut Later”

Plantlife, the UK’s wild plant conservation body, is behind a national project proposing a new wildlife friendly approach to managing verges. They produce clear verge management guidelines for landowners, local councils and authorities, the gist of which is “cut less, cut late".

In Herefordshire in 2018, three friends decided to take action to improve our local verges and  “Verging on Wild” (VOW) was formed. VOW is now affiliated to Herefordshire Wildlife Trust and working to encourage Herefordshire Council, Parish councils and their contractors to follow the best practice guidelines. Herefordshire Council and Balfour Beatty Living Places are now considering changes to the verge management in Herefordshire.

Herefordshire’s listed verges

Verging on Wild is also working to reinstate good management for a list of special verges which are the best wild flower verges in the county. These are called Roadside Verge Nature Reserves (RVNRs). VOW is organising groups of volunteers to do signage, monitoring and management on the listed sites. Many enthusiasts have already proposed their own local sites which have now been surveyed and added to the list for their protection.

It is wonderful to see these verges in flower and alive with bees and butterflies, so if you would like to be a verge guardian and help look after a listed verge near you, please contact Verging on Wild.

suzanne@lowerhazelfarm.co.uk, annecrane59@gmail.com, sally@sallywebster.net

Further Information

See “The good verge guide” and “Managing grassland road verges” here  

Sign Plantlife’s petition here 

Watch a brilliant presentation on verges from Phil Sterling of Butterfly Conservation here

Source | Herefordshire Wildlife Trust

Is there going to be a Community hub at The Oval? Time is passing by and most probably will be forgotten.

New community hub

Decision    - Approved with Conditions

Applicant name    Keepmoat Homes/Herefordshire Housing

Applicant address    Keepmoat Homes/Herefordshire Housing Regeneration House (Old House) Gorsey Lane Birmingham West Midlands B46 1JU

Decision date    Wednesday 18 September 2013

131390/O
The second associated application is for the construction of a community hub. This application
is in outline form, and the application site is located to the north of the site to the west of the
retail units. The proposal is for an 800 m2 building with the remaining area being used for
landscaping and car parking. The proposed building would be three storey and would
accommodate a reception area, restaurant/café, offices and public facilities.

The store was formally occupied by ROMAN

In private message sent to Hereford Voice this evening, there were some very complimentary and kind words expressed about

Gemma Davies - Cllr and Herefordshire Council for being so helpful and supportive.

A post on their Facebook page reads..

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"Very exciting news!!!

After a pretty awful and disastrous year for The Children’s Bookshelf, we are so excited to announce that, thanks to a very lovely local councillor and the Hereford Council who have both stepped in at the last minute to give us a life line...

The Children’s Bookshelf now has a new home, a new name (well a slight name tweak) and a new logo.

We can’t thank the Herefordshire Council enough for giving us a chance to move forward and recover as a business.

Now the hard work starts getting the new shop up and running. We can’t wait to see you all and get back to doing what we love!"

 

More positive news for Hereford!!

Good luck with the new store guys

A West Midlands Ambulance Service technician has tragically died whilst on duty in Herefordshire this morning.

The ambulance crew were on route to a 999 call when an object struck the ambulance’s windscreen at 8am. It happened at the junction of Moreton Road and the A49.

Multiple resources attended the scene, which included two emergency ambulance crews, paramedic officers, the Midlands Air Ambulance from Strensham and two Mercia Accident Rescue Service doctors.A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokeswoman said:

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“Sadly, despite everyone’s best efforts, nothing could be done to save our colleague, who was the front passenger, and he was confirmed dead at the scene.

“His crewmate, the driver, was also injured in the incident. He has received treatment at hospital and has subsequently been discharged.”

West Midlands Ambulance Service Chief Executive, Anthony Marsh, said:

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“This is truly awful news, and my thoughts and prayers go out to the family, friends, and colleagues of those involved at this very difficult time. I am enormously proud of all the staff and the university students as part of their clinical placement that worked so hard and professionally to try to save our colleague. I am sorry that despite their best efforts, he could not be saved.”

West Mercia Police are asking anyone who may have seen the incident or have dash-cam footage to contact them on 101 quoting incident 00101i of 24 April.

Our fabulous local independent retailers have all reopened in the last few weeks including all those lovely shops and boutiques in The Independent Quarter and Hereford Butter Market

We have a new a nail salon, mobile phone shop and the new tasty Yorkshire wrap! A new pizza restaurant, as well as some fabulous coffee bars, take-aways, bistros, wine bars and pubs and the all new outside seating!

New eateries offering Korean BBQ at your table and Amazing Asia all coming soon to the Hereford Old Market Shopping Centre and we have some fabulous hotels too and let's not forget Saxtys Bar & Club which is reopening in May!!

June brings Knife Angel Hereford to the Hereford Cathedral

We also have some wonderful new planters with seats and trees in the city centre which will look superb once they fully blossom.

We love our city and county and we like to shout about it and promote everything POSITIVE. It's all too easy to moan but we are privileged to live in such a beautiful part of the World. We will continue to promote local business and encourage people to visit Hereford and Herefordshire.

Keep looking out for our continuous opening headlines

POSITIVE NEWS | POSITIVE HEREFORD

The lockdown has been a very challenging time for people and businesses alike but there is light at the end of the tunnel..

Join us in our campaign and 'BE POSITIVE' about this fabulous city of ours. 'Positive Hereford'

Follow our hashtag #positivehereford