Safeguarding support for Herefordshire's vulnerable children and young people has continued throughout the pandemic

The Children’s Commissioner for England, Anne Longfield, recently released a report “Teenagers Falling Through The Gaps” highlighting concerns for children and young people who were already vulnerable and falling through gaps in the UK’s school and social care system, before the pandemic. The report rightly focuses on how vulnerable children and young people can now be more vulnerable due to the impact of the lockdown and COVID19. 

I acknowledge the content of the report and I feel it is important to highlight the work of the council and our partners to safeguard Herefordshire’s children and young people. 

The wellbeing of children and young people is our core priority.  Working closely with our partners and children and young people themselves, we have created a Children and Young People’s Plan which lays out a multi-agency approach to the safety of the children and young people living in the county.  Our multi agency safeguarding measures enable support to be in place to keep vulnerable children and young people in education, guide them towards employment and protect them from the risks of domestic abuse, poor mental health, substance misuse, crime and exploitation.

During the recent lockdown these multi-agency safeguarding measures have continued to operate and have responded to any safeguarding concerns received regarding any child or young person in Herefordshire.  The council’s social work teams, family support and early help services have quickly adopted new ways of working to ensure that support has continued across the county for children and families that needed our services.  In April the council introduced a new ‘Edge of Care’ service to work with children and young people and their families to either prevent the child entering into care or to enable them to leave care services and live back within their family network.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the partners involved in the care of Herefordshire children and young people and to the staff who have embraced their new ways of working during this pandemic to ensure that support services have continued.  I would also like to thank the children, young people and their families themselves, who have shown immense strength during these difficult times and have adapted to the changes in their lives under extraordinary circumstances.

I recognise that the effects of COVID-19 and the lockdown are significant and serious. This includes reduced opportunities for employment. It is something that as cabinet we are focusing on as part of our work, particularly with regard to young people and those who are vulnerable.

At this present time we are not sure how the future will look, but along with our partners Herefordshire Council, through the Safeguarding Children and Young People in Herefordshire Partnership will continue to work to ensure that we stay connected to the vulnerable children and families in our local communities and they can be assured that the wellbeing support will be there for them when they need it.  

Our complete and utmost respect shout out goes to 📣TJ Baldwin Burghill. 

TJ Baldwin has resurfaced the BMX track in Hereford totally FREE of charge! Yes FREE! We cannot think of many that would give up 2 weeks or their time for such a project.

The track originally cost £80,000 when first installed, so a massive THANK YOU to Tony and Kev who deserve our absolute appreciation for this fantastic work that they have taken time out to complete. 👏👏👏

Thanks also to 👉 Councillor Sue Boulter who fought for most of the funding, we understand £3,200 came from the Hereford City Council and the rest was topped up from the local group that she runs, so thank you! Councillors rarely receive recognition so credit where credit is due.

This year has been a challenging year for many people so it is fabulous to be able to share such good positive news, please SHARE this news with your friends too. 👏

The Guardian - Sun 26 Jul 2020

Coronavirus outbreak at Shropshire caravan park confirmed

Twenty-one new cases of Covid-19 have been identified at the site in Craven Arms

The council fears the number of cases at the site, which is in the town of Craven Arms, will continue to rise before infection control measures start to take effect.

All residents at the site who have come into contact with one of the people who have tested positive have been asked to self-isolate with their households for 14 days.

The 21 people who tested positive for coronavirus were asked to self-isolate for at least seven days from the time they started showing symptoms or from when they received their positive test result.

A testing centre has now been set up on a nearby business park, and everyone living on the site has been offered a test.

The centre will be open for the next two weeks between 10.30am and 3.30pm and those living nearby can book a test online via NHS Test and Trace or by ringing 119.

A playground close to the caravan park has also been closed to help reduce social contact and the risk of transmission.

Visitors are welcome with a brand new exhibition, The Two Thomases.

Monday – Saturday, 10 am – 3 pm

• The Cathedral kindly ask that if you are displaying any symptoms of Covid-19 that you refrain from visiting the Cathedral
• To access the Mappa Mundi & Chained Library, visitors will be asked to arrive at the main entrance of the Cathedral and follow the one-way system through the building into the Chapter House Garden. 
• There will be a hand sanitising station at the entrance to the exhibition that they ask all visitors to use before entering 
• Staff will be taking a name and contact number or email from one person in each party to support with NHS Test and Trace
• Limiting numbers of visitors into the exhibition to support with social distancing. On arrival at the Mappa Mundi & Chained Library, you may be asked to wait at the door as other visitors move through the exhibition. 
• To support with the one-way system and to prevent crowding, they have opened the cloister doors at the end of the exhibition so that visitors will exit to the West End of the Cathedral. 
• Currently, visitors do not need to book tickets in advance of their visit. Instead these can be purchased on the day from the member of staff at the Exhibition entrance. Card, cash or smartphone payments, but cards are preferable if possible. 
• The one-way route through the Mappa Mundi & Chained Library is easy to follow, but one of their volunteers may ask you to wait outside the Mappa Mundi chamber for other visitors to move on to ensure everyone’s visit is comfortable. 
• Volunteers will be welcoming visitors to the exhibition and helping to control visitor numbers. You are kindly asked that visitors respect social distancing guidelines throughout their visit. 
• Unfortunately they are unable to distribute any leaflets or interpretation literature within the exhibition at this time. Information can be found online here and a range of books and souvenirs are available to purchase from the Cathedral Shop. 
• The touchscreens may be unavailable for use to avoid any health risks 
• If you are looking to plan a larger group visit with individuals from outside of your household or bubble, you are kindly asked that you contact the Cathedral Office (office@herefordcathedral.org) in advance so that they can support your visit.

Full details can be found on the Cathedral website 

The new timber walkway construction on the embankment of Belmont Pools (to improve the safety of pedestrians/cyclists across the causeway) has now been completed and looks fabulous! 

We originally broke this story back in April on our Facebook Page here but forgot to add it to our forums, so here are the photographs we took at the time.

Does anyone have any history on the Belmont Pools? There are more than two, if you walk through the woods there were always a few other smaller pools although there only appears to be one small one now, so 3 in total. 

 Do we know who owns them or who owns the land etc?...

We have received any enquiry from a local Herefordian who is interested in the history so any information or old photographs would be appreciated.

West Mercia Police’s approach is in in line with the approach outline by NPCC Chair, Martin Hewitt. being in line with the statement from the NPCC Chair…Chief Superintendent Sue Thomas said:

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“As you will be well aware new legislation around face coverings is now place.  As our public engagement approach has proven successful within our communities thus far we will continue to explain and encourage first and foremost and issue fines only as a last resort.

“As I’m sure the public will understand we will not be responding to general reports we receive of people not wearing face coverings. However, we will of course be there if people refuse to leave a premises or where there are concerns around public order and our local policing teams will be engaging with local businesses over the coming days.

“You will be able to report breaches to us online and we will use this information to help us identify if there are key problem locations so that we can support those business.”

 

West Mercia Police are appealing for any information and any witnesses to come forward following a fatal road traffic collision in Hereford.

Between 11.30pm and 3am, the car which had two occupants inside, was travelling between Mordiford and Dormington and appears to have left the road at Clay Hill Pit in Hereford. The car has finally settled in a roadside orchard.

Tragically, a 23 year old man and a 17 year old girl inside the car were killed.

Chief Inspector Edd Williams said: “Our thoughts are very much with the family and friends of both victims at this extremely difficult time.

“An investigation is underway to establish the circumstances of the collision. If you have any information please call us on 101 and quote incident number 184 of 24 July 2020.

What do you think? Will you be wearing one?

LAW: Face coverings must be worn in shops, supermarkets, indoor shopping centres and transport hubs - such as train stations and airports - in England from today.

A face covering is defined as a fabric covering, scarf or bandana that covers the 'nose and mouth'.

It is also compulsory to wear a face covering when buying food and drink from 'takeaways' cafes and shops.

More details in 👉 this article  

With a large proportion of employees successfully working from home since March 2020 due to Covid-19, Herefordshire Council has agreed revised plans that support staff to work from locations across the county and reduce the number of offices in Hereford. 

As part of the Council’s ‘Better Ways of Working’ initiative to enable staff to work flexibly from locations across the county, in February 2020 Cabinet approved plans to reduce council office accommodation in Hereford by reconfiguring working space at Plough Lane with staff supported to work from alternative locations including market town multi-agency offices.

Since then there have been major changes in working practises to ensure staff and public safety during the Covid-19 pandemic. The council has had to revisit how it does everything, and the majority of council staff are now working from home. In light of the effectiveness of these new arrangements and the positive response of staff, Cabinet yesterday (Thursday 23 July) agreed revised plans that establish working from home as the default for the majority of council employees. Office space will be prioritised for services where essential for their work and meeting space will be available for collaborative working.

Staff will relocate from Elgar House and Nelson House in Hereford with the offices at Plough Lane reconfigured to support this. As part of the decision a major refurbishment of the Ryefield Centre in Ross on Wye which will provide more office space in the market town, while in Leominster there will be increased capacity at the multi-agency office with the Old Priory no longer needed for offices. There are also other office sites in Hereford that will be freed-up for alternative use.

The changes will be implemented within the £850k budget originally agreed by Cabinet in February, with the expenditure to be off-set by savings on building costs over the next few years. As well as saving accommodation costs in the longer-term, the plans also look to decrease the employee carbon footprint from reduced travel.

The decision papers can be found on the Herefordshire Council website.Councillor Gemma Davies, Cabinet Member for Commissioning, Procurement and Assets, said:

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“’Better Ways of Working’ recognises that the way we all work is changing, and Covid-19 has meant that we have had to look again at how we do everything. The plans put in place to support agile working has meant council staff have quickly and effectively adapted to different ways of working over the past few months, and have clearly demonstrated that with the right support working flexibly from a number of locations can be achieved successfully. We cannot thank them enough for this.

“Like all councils across the country, we need to carefully consider how we can provide high-quality services to our residents while managing our limited budgets. If we can maximise the potential of home working and use of multi-agency offices in the market towns this will provide more opportunities for truly county-wide working while making savings on accommodation in the longer term.

“We will also reduce the number of people travelling into Hereford for work, which helps to decrease congestion and responds to the climate emergency.”

 

Wearing a face covering will be mandatory in shops and other public spaces across England from Friday to stop the spread of coronavirus.

People will also have to wear a mask, scarf or bandana that covers the nose and mouth in shopping centres and indoor transport hubs, like bus and train stations.

When it comes to buying food, the law will depend on where you're eating it.

Face coverings will not be mandatory in pubs and restaurants.

Announcing the latest guidance, the Department of Health and Social care said:

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"There is evidence to suggest that, when used correctly, face coverings may reduce the likelihood of someone with the infection passing it on to others, particularly if they are asymptomatic."

Coffee shops and takeaways

People will need to wear a face covering in coffee shops in England under new regulations due to come into effect on 24 July.

The Department of Health and Social Care confirmed face coverings will be needed in shops such as Pret a Manger if people intend to take their food and coffee away.

However, if they sit down to eat or drink, they will be able to remove their face covering in that area. Takeaway outlets will also fall under the same criteria.

Those who fail to follow the new law could be fined up to £100 - brought down to £50 if paid within fortnight.

Children under 11 and those with disabilities are exempt, and people can remove face coverings for valid reasons like being asked to do so in a bank or to prove their identity if buying age-restricted products.

Who is exempt from wearing a face mask?

The same exemptions as for public transport will apply under the updated guidelines, with children under 11 and people with breathing problems not required to wear a covering.

Anyone who cannot put on, wear or remove a face covering because of a physical or mental illness or impairment or disability is also exempt.

Under the new rules, the below groups are not required to wear a mask:

A child under the age of 11

An employee of the transport operator, when they are acting in the course of their employment

A constable or police community support officer acting in the course of their duty

An emergency response member of staff, such as a paramedic or fire officer acting in the course of their duty

An official such as a border force officer, acting in the course of their duty

If you are onboard public transport but remain in your own vehicle, such as a car ferry

Other exemptions listed include those with a disability or a physical or mental illness, and anyone travelling with a deaf person who relies on lip-reading to communicate. 

Customers in shops will also be allowed to remove them if they are required to present identification for purchasing alcohol and other age-restricted products.

Following a month of free parking in council car parks to support local businesses (charges resume Saturday 25 July), a county-wide review of parking charges has been launched.

The review will look at the parking charges and concessions structure with a view to encouraging people to visit our towns and city centre while making the best use of the available spaces and reducing congestion.

Local stakeholders will be asked for their input as part of the review, which is expected to be completed later this year.

Cllr John Harrington, Cabinet member for infrastructure and transport explains:

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“It will always be necessary to have some parking charges – to control the availability of spaces and congestion in the very high demand areas and to encourage people to walk or cycle into town where they can.

“The council has not made major changes to its parking charges since February 2016. Exactly what the revised charging structure looks like will depend what stakeholders tell us and may include concessions such as no evening charging, cheaper rates for car parks that are a little further away, and so on. It would be good to find the balance that allows for a quick drop-in or pick-up but generally encourages people to park a little further out and walk in, to spend much more time in our shops and hospitality outlets.

“It is critical we get the views of retailers and our hospitality sector to achieve a balance that works for everyone.”  

 

Beryl bikes cycle hire will be FREE for the first 30 minutes of all journeys ending in a Beryl Bay during the summer holidays.

The FREE scheme starts from next week until the end of August.

It's been a year since the bikes were introduced to Hereford and there are now 200 of the green bikes in the city.

#HerefordVoice #HerefordNews #Hereford

New leisure facility to include soft play, mini gold, arcade, laser tag and bowling to open in Eign Gate Hereford after plans were passed.

We originally reported on this planning application back in April 2019 on our Facebook page HERE and planning was finally granted with conditions in June this year.

Work has began today to turn the former Pound Stretcher shop into a complete indoor leisure facility.

The idea is to create a leisure facility with soft play, minigolf, an arcade, laser tag, bowling, a function area and an ancillary café, plus bar on the first floor. Although aimed at people of all age ranges, the focus would be on children, teenagers, young adults and families.

The owners of The Shack Revolution confirm that they will be taking over The Booth Hall and have some new and exciting plans in mind.

The hall which dates back as far as 1380 was damaged by fire in 2010 and Elevate Properties have been busy restoring it as a restaurant and hotel. 

James Manning from The Shack Revolution said:

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“We’ve got some exciting plans lined up for the iconic Booth Hall, we are keeping them under wraps for the time being but rest assured the Booth will be back!”

Manbro Developments and the Shack Revolution owners James and Rich Manning have acquired the Booth Hall from Elevate Property Group for an undisclosed figure.

History:

The hall is thought to have been built between 1380 and 1400 and is said to be mentioned in a deed of 1392. In 1392 the building was acquired by the City by licence from the King because they had no place in which the Sessions of the Justices of Assize or of the Peace or the Pleas of the City might be held. It seems to have been used by the Mercers Company for their Guild Room from C16 until at least 1756. The basement was used as a freemen's prison. The building finally became an inn at the end of 18th or beginning of 19th century, and the Great Room was lost sight of in later alterations until the collapse of a chimney in 1919 revealed the presence of the carved roof.

The Wasp Guys

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We can nearly always offer a same day service or you can book us for a specific day that suits you. Please note we operate 7 days a week throughout the Summer, from 7am to 9pm. Our trained technician will invariably be with you for about 15 minutes. 

Generally all signs of wasp activity around the treated area will be gone within an hour. It's very rare we fail with our 1st treatment. If there were to be any activity after 48hrs, we would return and re-treat the wasps nest free of charge. 100% Guaranteed.

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‘Click and Collect’ service for books and green garden waste bags will be available from today at Hereford, Leominster, Ledbury and Ross-on-Wye libraries

As part of phased reopening plans, Hereford, Leominster, Ledbury and Ross-on-Wye libraries have launched a 'Click and Collect' service for pre-ordered books and green garden waste bags.

Although the library buildings will remain closed for the time being, the entrance foyers to the libraries will be available as Click and Collect pick-up points for the pre-ordered books and bags and for customers to return library items.

The Click and Collect points will be open:

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday 2pm – 4pm

Thursday, Friday and Saturday 11am – 1pm

To use the Click and Collect service for books, customers will need to complete an online form and the library staff will put together a selection of books.  Customers will be contacted when their order is ready to collect. For assistance or further information please contact libraries@herefordshire.gov.uk or telephone 01432 261556.

Green sacks for garden waste that have been pre-ordered online may also be collected from the Click and Collect libraries. Customers must order and pay for the sacks online and allow at least two working days before their visit as there will be no financial transactions at the sites at this phase of the re-opening process. Details of how to order and collect sacks from the library sites, along with information on any other outlets selling sacks can be found at www.herefordshire.gov.uk/gardenwaste

The council is following national guidance for libraries by taking a phased approach to reopening to ensure the safety of customers and staff. Risk assessments have been completed and safety measures put in place, including the quarantine of all returned items for 72 hours before being returned to stock in line with Public Health England guidelines.

The online library services remain as popular as ever and includes resources like Ancestry family history, which library members can now use free from home. The BorrowBox eBook and eAudiobook app has thousands of free titles available, including the latest bestsellers and children’s books, and the brand new PressReader service provides access to a wide range of popular newspapers and magazines.

Councillor Gemma Davies, Cabinet Member for Commissioning, Procurement and Assets, said:

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“Our library Click and Collect service is the first step in reopening our cultural services in a ‘COVID-19 secure’ way. Cultural services continue to play an essential part of our health, wellbeing and prevention of social isolation. With this in mind, we are working hard to get all of our library, museum and archive services open to the public as soon as it is safe to do so. All the safety measures we put in place now will be reviewed as we continue to open the rest of our cultural services in the near future.  Thank you to everyone for your continued support to this critical sector.”

To find out more about library services, and how to join if you are not already a member, please see the library section of the Herefordshire Council website at www.herefordshire.gov.uk/libraries

Winter flood recovery work continues in Herefordshire the Environment Agency are having to raise our river gauge at Ross by 1.5m in light of the huge levels seen over the Winter.

New gauge will be up and running by September and available via the Environment Agency website HERE

Thank you to Dave Throup for the information and images.