Herefordshire Council has a Full Council meeting this Friday 6th March and has a motion that the executive investigates the introduction of area-wide 20mph speed limits across Herefordshire’s towns and major villages.

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Motion – 20 mph speed limits

(Proposed by Councillor Felicity Norman, Seconded by Councillor Ange Tyler)

Herefordshire Council recognises the benefits associated with a 20 miles per hour speed limit in residential areas rather than a default of 30 mph which exists in most parts of the town and County.

There are fewer fatalities and injuries, greater survivability in traffic collisions, improved air quality, reduced fuel use and greater willingness of the population to walk or cycle – which has associated health benefits.

Many councils have or are in the process of implementing area-wide 20mph speed limits on residential and urban roads without traffic calming.

Many bodies with a remit for public health support a reduction in speed limits to 20mph on residential streets.

Area-wide 20mph limits rarely need traffic calming measures. They are an affordable way to improve health equality by creating child, disability, elderly and dementia friendly streetscapes that help reduce inactivity, obesity and isolation.

This Council requests that the executive undertakes an investigation concerning the introduction of area-wide 20mph speed limits across Herefordshire’s towns and major villages.

The Met Office have just confirmed it's the wettest February on record!

Latest rainfall data (up to 9am 29th Feb) reveals that FebruaLatest rainfall data (up to 9am 29th Feb) reveals that February 2020 is now the wetttest February on record

A UK average of 202.1mm has fallen, beating February 1990 where 193.4mm fell.

Okay so we have shopped around and taken extracts from various money saving advice websites and below we have listed IDENTICAL cold and flu medicines which cost a third of the price.

Most of us probably know that big-brand medicines often contain the same active ingredients as cheaper brands. But what if big-brand medicines were completely identical to the supermarket versions?

Paying for the name and nice box!

You can save up to 70% or more on IDENTICAL drugs by buying them in a different packet. In some cases 'own-brand' products of leading pharmacies Boots and Lloyds cost MORE than identical branded medicines bought elsewhere. Shoppers can also save up to 68% on drugs with the same 'active ingredient', by switching from a branded medicine to a generic equivalent.

To find identical meds you need to find the 'PL number' – a unique licence number given exclusively to a particular drug made by a particular manufacturer (eg, PL 12063/0104 is a cold and flu remedy). The medicine is sometimes put in different packaging, but if the PL numbers match, it's the SAME drug.

Examples (price may vary slightly from original source article) below:

Identical cold and flu capsules pastilles from Wilko (left) and Benylin

Wilko Max Strength Cold and Flu capsules (16 pack) £1

Benylin Cold and Flu Max Strength (16 pack) £3.09 at Lloyds

Identical max strength sinus relief medicine from Wilko (left) and Sudafed

Wilko Max Strength Sinus Relief (16 capsules) £1

Sudafed Congestion and Headache Relief (16 capsules) £3.60 at Sainsbury’s.

Even if there's not an identical medicine that's cheaper, it's often possible to save by swapping branded products for a generic – unbranded or own-brand – equivalent.

We will add a few more overtime, but there is money to be saved here! 

An emergency closure has been put in place for resurfacing works to start along Hinton Road, Hereford, following the recent flooding.  
It will be a daily closure, between 9am - 5pm, starting today until (and including) Saturday, 29 February 2020.

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Two Marches towns are set to benefit from the new Town Deals announced by Local Government Secretary Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP.

Telford and Hereford are among 100 places being invited to develop proposals for a new generation of multi-million-pound Town Deals.

The towns eligible for support from the £3.6 billion Towns Fund include places with proud industrial and economic heritage but have not always benefitted from economic growth in the same way as more prosperous areas.

Communities, businesses and local leaders will now join forces to draw up ambitious plans to transform their town’s economic growth prospects with a focus on improved transport, broadband connectivity, skills and culture.

A total of 45 places across the Northern Powerhouse and 30 places in the Midlands Engine are among the 100 pioneers of new Town Deals as part of the government’s commitment to level up all regions by boosting productivity, skills and living standards.

Local Government Secretary, Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP, said: “Ensuring that prosperity and opportunities are available to everyone in this country, not just those in London or our biggest cities, is at the heart of the mission of this government.

“We want to level-up our great towns, raising living standards and ensuring they can thrive with transformative investment in transport, technology, skills and culture.

“I will now work with local people from the 100 communities announced today to agree proposals to invest up to £25 million in each place. I hope these deals will provide the investment and the impetus for long-term renewal ensuring each town can look to the future with a new optimism.”

The Marches LEP, the private sector-led partnership which includes Herefordshire Council and Telford & Wrekin Council, today welcomed the announcement.

Graham Wynn OBE, Chairman of the Marches LEP , said: “ We are delighted to see both Telford and Hereford in the list of 100 places which will be supported by this £3.6 billion fund.

“The deals aim to improve connectivity, provide vital social and cultural infrastructure and boost growth, directly benefiting people living and working in these two towns.”

The government will soon publish a prospectus to guide towns through the process and set eligibility criteria for funding.

Once approved, new Town Deals will improve connectivity, provide vital social and cultural infrastructure and boost growth – with communities having a say on how the money is spent. Decisions on funding any proposals will be made in due course.

The Town Deals Fund builds directly on the government’s commitment to decentralising funding and decisions away from Whitehall and investing in the growth of local economies and devolving powers through ambitious City and Growth Deals, providing more than £9 billion of funding to Local Enterprise Partnerships and introducing 8 metro mayors in England.

I wonder how this money will be spent here?

Towns Fund Prospectus

Organ donation law in England is changing.

What is changing?

From 20 May 2020, organ donation in England will move to an 'opt out' system. You may also hear it referred to as 'Max and Keira's Law'.

This means that all adults in England will be considered to have agreed to be an organ donor when they die unless they have recorded a decision not to donate or are in one of the excluded groups.

You still have a choice if you want to be an organ donor or not when you die. Get the facts about organ donation to help you decide. 

Why is the law changing?

The law is being changed to help save and improve more lives. Every day across the UK, someone dies waiting for a transplant

What do I have to do?

NHS are asking everyone to:

Record your organ donation decision on the NHS Organ Donor Register

Tell your family and friends what you have decided

If you would like to speak to somebody about your choices, please call the dedicated line: 0300 303 2094

When is the law changing?

The opt out system in England will come into effect from 20 May 2020. The law around organ donation in England will remain ‘opt in’ until this time.

Who will the changes affect?

These changes will affect all adults in England unless they have recorded a decision not to donate or are in one of the following excluded groups:

Those under the age of 18

People who lack the mental capacity to understand the new arrangements and take the necessary action

Visitors to England, and those not living here voluntarily

People who have lived in England for less than 12 months before their death.

Download the factsheet

The factsheet explains how the law around organ donation in England is changing, what you need to do, and the choices you can make.

organ-donation-law-in-england-factsheet.pdf

Get the 'easy read' document

english-organ-donation-law-is-changing-easy-read.pdf

We can only says this once in every four years so, Happy Leap Day!

Sandy's Food Bar - Wickes Hereford wrote on their Facebook page that unfortunately they will close for the last time this Saturday.

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It is with much sadness that I have to announce that
Sandy's food bar at Wickes will be closing its doors for the last time on Saturday 29th February at 3.30pm
I would like to thank all our customer's past and present that have supported us over the last 6 and half years it's been a blast.
We will be keeping the Facebook page going as we still have a mobile van so just message for details.
Thank you 

Communities across Herefordshire have begun the clean up after Storm Dennis brought widespread flooding to the county. 

Unfortunately rogue traders see this time of vulnerability as the perfect time to target those affected by the floods. Herefordshire Council Trading Standards Service are warning owners of flooded properties to beware of rogue traders and cowboy builders exploiting the devastation and misery caused by the recent record flooding.

David Hough, Herefordshire Council’s Trading Standards Service Manager, says:

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“We are worried that some of the more unscrupulous traders may try and take advantage of the victims of the recent flooding. This is an upsetting time for all those who have suffered damage to their homes, and we don't want anyone to be taken advantage of whilst in this vulnerable state.

“If your insurance company ask you to find traders yourself then make sure you do not deal with any cold callers, on the phone or at the door. In addition be very careful when choosing traders from online recommendations- rogue traders will often have numerous fake positive reviews.

“Use a builder who belongs to a reputable trade association and check they accept staged payments and the keeping back of a significant part of the cost until the repair job has been satisfactorily completed.”

 

Anyone concerned about the activity of a trader, cold caller or doorstep seller is urged to contact the Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline on 0808 223 1133. Citizens Advice will give advice on what to do next and report the matter to Herefordshire Council’s Trading Standards team for investigation.

Residents and businesses are also reminded that applications for the community flood recovery grant can only be made directly to Herefordshire Council. For more information visit www.herefordshire.gov.uk/floods

Dunelm Hereford have been in touch with us this morning and would like to help their customers who have recently been impacted by the floods within their area and are kindly offering '15% OFF' as a good will gesture. 

Anyone that has been affected regardless of where you live can claim their discount at any of the branches listed below.

All you need is proof of address/photo to present at the till.
(does not apply to Dunelm.com excludes Gift Cards and Pausa- Max spend £1000)

Effective in Hereford | Worcester | Pontypridd | Carmarthen from 22/02/20 - 18/04/20 - #HerefordVoice

The River Wye reached record breaking levels of 6.111 metres!! The previous record was set back in 1998 at 5.66 metres. As a result the Old Bridge has been closed to traffic and the Victoria bridge is virtually submerged underwater. The flood defence wall along Hinton Road is also threatening to collapse under the sever pressure.

The construction of new student accommodation at Station Approach, Hereford, will be moving to the next phase in the coming week.

The next phase of the exciting project will involve the delivery of 127 modular ‘pods’, which link together to form the building. These bedrooms and study spaces have been built off site using an innovative construction method and will be assembled as they arrive. 

These ‘pods’ will be transported as large loads, some with escort vehicles, and delivered to the site over four weeks, starting on 10 February 2020 until w/c 9 March 2020. There will be six deliveries each week day (seven on the final day) between 9.30am and 3.30pm.

The large vehicles will be travelling to the City along the A49 – the majority from the M50 at Ross travelling north, with around 27 of the largest loads travelling along the A49 from Shrewsbury. The traffic lights on Station Approach by the railway station will be controlled so that the modules can manoeuvre safely.Cllr John Harrington, Cabinet Member for Infrastructure and Transport, said:

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“We’re delighted to see the Station Approach project progressing. Developing Higher Education in the county is a vital step to delivering jobs and opportunities, attracting new investment and helping local businesses to flourish.

“A number of large vehicles travel through Herefordshire and the city each day without issue, and transport has been planned to minimise disruption. Moving such large items is a big undertaking, and while this is a fantastic development for Hereford and the wider county, it would be worth allowing a few extra minutes for your journey. We’re sorry for any inconvenience.”

 

Work on the 178 bed purpose-built facility, being developed by energy and regeneration specialist ENGIE and Cityheart Partnerships should be complete in time for higher education students to move in for the academic year starting September 2020.

Source

I was contacted this afternoon  Welsh Water to advised there is a boost water main in the Newton Farm and Belmont area, we will either lose our water supply or the pressure will be reduced.

New 'No Comment' Section. We will use our 'No Comment' logo for when something is truly ridiculous or there are no words required from us and if we are really stuck for words to describe a topic. 

*** Please still continue to leave your views and comments ***

Our first topic will follow shortly..

In a quarter of a century, Amazon has propelled Jeff Bezos from online bookseller to tech titan. He's the richest man on the planet, and the company he founded is one of the most powerful. Panorama investigates Amazon's rise to corporate superpower and asks whether there is a dark side to our love affair with the company. Former high-level insiders describe Amazon's huge, obsessive data-gathering operation, which enables the company to use what it knows about us to shape not only the future of retail but the workplace and technology too. On both sides of the Atlantic, politicians and regulators are beginning to question Amazon's power and to explore ways to rein it in. But some of Amazon's most senior executives say the company is a force for good, inventing new ways to serve customers and maintain their trust.  

Panorama documentary: Amazon: What They Know About Us

iPlayer download. Duration 59 mins First shown 8:30pm 17 Feb 2020 Available for 11 months

Or watch this

Shoshana Zuboff on surveillance capitalism | VPRO Documentary

The average person, including myself, were always in awe how certain people were blessed in making a lot of money, paraded as successful entrepreneurs and held in high esteem by worldwide leaders. So much money that I thought they must have a unique selling point/product or were part of a gangster/protection racket. I thought that if you worked hard, maybe long hours, your efforts would be rewarded and the money would flow in. Usually this wealth was produced in manufacturing and distribution - getting your product to the marketplace. But surprisingly today that wealth is generated with little effort, 24 hours day, by using data collected from us and resold to third parties - other businesses and governments. You may not realise the full consequences of using your smart phone, but watch these two documentaries to understand what really is going on. Already on its way to becoming your worldwide identity card and a means to strip every item of wealth and privilege you possess.

The river Wye at the Old Bridge is expected to rise to 5.8 mtrs tomorrow which would make it the highest level in living memory
surpassing the 5.66 mtrs it rose to in 1998.
Only the flooding in the 1700's with an unoffical level of 6.1 is higher.

Public advised not to put themselves at unnecessary risk.

Rescue teams along Hinton Road, photograph courtesy of Herefordshire Council

Herefordshire continues to experience significant and widespread flooding from rising river levels and deep surface flooding. There is currently a severe flood warning, meaning danger to life, for the River Wye at Blackmarston. Residents have been evacuated from the Hinton and Putson areas of Hereford city and we expect river levels to remain high over the next couple of days. We are closely monitoring the situation. 

There is potential risk of further and significant flooding over the next few days in Greyfriars and Hampton Bishop in Herefordshire. The River Wye at Ross-on-Wye is expected to peak tomorrow (Tuesday 18 February) with risk of further flooding at Ross and at Symonds Yat. Residents in these areas are advised to activate any property flood protection products they may have, such as flood barriers and air brick covers and have a bag ready with vital items like medicines and insurance documents.

All partners are working together to keep people safe and plans have been put in place for the coming days. Emergency response partners including Herefordshire Council, West Mercia Police, Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service, Environment Agency and health partners are working to support residents and protect the most vulnerable. We are concentrating our efforts to ensure vulnerable residents are evacuated where needed and rest centres are being set up for any residents that need to be evacuated at:

Holmer Leisure Centre, Holmer Road, Hereford

thePoint4, Venns Lane, Hereford

Leominster Leisure Centre, Coningsby Road, Leominster

Larruperz Centre, Grammar School Close, Ross-on-Wye

Further rest centres will be made available as required.

The multi-agency lead, Superintendent Sue Thomas said:

“The safety of residents is our priority. The river levels are unprecedented and we are doing everything we can to keep people safe- but we need the public to help the emergency services. Please do not put yourself at unnecessary risk - avoid any unnecessary travel and do not enter flood water. Also, please check on your neighbours, especially if they are elderly or vulnerable.”

Leader of Herefordshire Council, Councillor David Hitchiner said:

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“We are grateful to our local community for stepping up at this time of need, offering help and support to residents and our emergency response teams, including council officers- who have been working day and night. Herefordshire has never seen flooding like it and together with partners, we are doing all we can to ensure residents are safe. Thanks also to the local community groups who are opening their doors to residents who need localised shelter and support. Please keep checking the Herefordshire Council website for the latest information.”

Please do not travel unless absolutely necessary. Many roads are closed and impassable so please respect any road closures and diversions as they are in place to keep you safe. Please do not venture close to swollen rivers or floodwater and follow official flood advice.

Herefordshire Council is co-ordinating all official information such as road closures, live updates and messages from partner agencies. Follow @HfdsCouncil on Facebook and Twitter or www.herefordshire.gov.uk

Please do not enter flood water or put yourself at unnecessary risk. If your home has been flooded and there is no threat to life, dial 01432 260000. If you are in danger, always call 999.