Petition: Reverse Decision To Reduce Grass Cutting

[Biomech]

I see they've "cut" the grass on the Hereford end of the Holme Lacy road. By cut I mean they have cut the verge, which is almost vertical, and left the top and the rest.

 

And, as predicted in a previous post, the long grass has killed the bottom grass and the whole thing is a yellow mess.

[Glenda Powell]

As an update of the grass cutting at Tupsley yesterday the CE of Herefordshire Housing told me today that the cut done yesterday was a one off gesture of good will, and it isn't something that we could / would do again. Although their staff gave up their weekend they were paid a limited payment!

[Biomech]

Surely it's in the interests of HH to maintain and look after their own product?

 

That's like a furniture shop never hoovering or dusting.

[magicroundabout]

Biomech I agree.

The cut grass has rotted into clumps and killed the "bottom grass" near me.  All that's thriving now are dandelions and weeds.

All the money and work put into all the grass areas in the past has been wasted by this stupidity.

The dog mess falls into the long grass and becomes a health hazard as people stop picking it up when they can't find it.

 

Went to a local playground with neglected grass and watched the children trying to run through the jungle.  They couldn't kick a ball on it either it was so long. 

 

Why is this happening months after BB take over?

I've read money from Amey? ran out and can't be afforded anymore but I simply don't understand, probably like most others.

The contract is with BB and presumably signed off quid pro quo with (hopefully) some professionalism.

 

There must be more to this running down of services than meets the eye as it is utter stupidity and no-one could be that stupid, especially if you are in "the job".

[twowheelsgood]

Surely it's in the interests of HH to maintain and look after their own product?

 

That's like a furniture shop never hoovering or dusting.

 

It's not their product at Tupsley - it's the council's (ie ours). They did it as a one off goodwill gesture.

[Biomech]

It's not their product at Tupsley - it's the council's (ie ours). They did it as a one off goodwill gesture.

 

 

 

Ah I see, so they own the buildings but not the grounds? In that case, more shame on the council and great PR on the part of HH.

And no, they shouldn't do it again because this stinks of classic association, if people keep doing the job for the council, the council will think they don't need to bother.

 

Ref BB, I've said it before and I'll say it again, if someone is not providing the service they are paid to do, action needs to be taken

[twowheelsgood]

Ah I see, so they own the buildings but not the grounds? In that case, more shame on the council and great PR on the part of HH.

And no, they shouldn't do it again because this stinks of classic association, if people keep doing the job for the council, the council will think they don't need to bother.

 

Ref BB, I've said it before and I'll say it again, if someone is not providing the service they are paid to do, action needs to be taken

 

Blimey, this is a struggle - HH don't own the buildings or the land! The Quarry park is owned by the council. The houses around it are private. The grass was cut by HH as a goodwill gesture. That’s it!

 

As to your last para - Leader Johnson has said publicly that this is the council's doing and not to blame BB. However, as I understand it, we the rate payers have paid for it, so councillors who represent us need to be asking questions of the leadership.

[Roger]

So the Council gave Amey's old contract to Balfour Beatty after a tendering process. Paperwork will reflect what the bid was and what was paid and what was being bought. A certain level of grass cutting would have been factored in to the bid and it probably wasn't 3 cuts for essential areas and none for the rest.

 

I don't think it's at all clear about these goalposts getting moved. With all this grass not getting cut is it the case that The Council are paying a reduced amount of money because they've asked Balfour to stop cutting the grass?

 

And these bins. With £500,000 being saved by cutting the collections 50% then who's pocket is that going into? Presumably Balfour Beatty tendered for weekly collections of black bins.

 

The Council just hide behind excuses about confidentiality over this bid process so will anyone ever get to the bottom of all this stuff? 

[dippyhippy]

As I understand it, the council have prioritised road repairs over more or less anything else that BB were/are doing.

 

In order for MORE money to be spent in this area, LESS (much less !) will be spent in other areas. i.e. cutting the grass.

 

Kind of like robbing from one bit of the budget, to fund another!

[Biomech]

Blimey, this is a struggle - HH don't own the buildings or the land! The Quarry park is owned by the council. The houses around it are private. The grass was cut by HH as a goodwill gesture. That’s it!

 

 

 

Wait what? So why did HH get involved at all? If they can cut some random peoples grass they can come and cut mine!!

[twowheelsgood]

And these bins. With £500,000 being saved by cutting the collections 50% then who's pocket is that going into? Presumably Balfour Beatty tendered for weekly collections of black bins.

 

 

Bins are nothing to do with Balfour Beatty - that service was flogged off to Focsa some years ago. Focsa Services UK Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of FCC Fomento de Construcciones y Contratas, S.A., a global, market leading Spanish company. So, a good share of our council tax goes to shareholders in Europe. Here You Can keep it global. 

[twowheelsgood]

Wait what? So why did HH get involved at all? If they can cut some random peoples grass they can come and cut mine!!

 

Dear Lord, we're getting there! For the last time, they did it as a 'goodwill gesture', having been leant on by Jim Kenyon to help.

[twowheelsgood]

As I understand it, the council have prioritised road repairs over more or less anything else that BB were/are doing.

 

In order for MORE money to be spent in this area, LESS (much less !) will be spent in other areas. i.e. cutting the grass.

 

Kind of like robbing from one bit of the budget, to fund another!

 

Another slice of madness not widely discussed or known is that BB are concentrating on resurfacing C class and unclassified roads throughout the county - this was a harebrained scheme developed by the former Cllr Hamilton before he had a tantrum and resigned. The remotest of lanes that might only see a few vehicles a day are now being completely resurfaced, yet the plan, confirmed to me personally by Hamilton in a letter, is to effectively abandon B and A class roads for the time being, with only makeshift repairs, which is what we are seeing. Some of these roads, such as at Hampton Bishop are benefitting from government flood money, but they wouldn't have been done otherwise. Hard to fathom the level of idiocy that pushes through a scheme like this. Similar to one that abandons mowing the grass I guess.

[Roger]

Wait what? So why did HH get involved at all? If they can cut some random peoples grass they can come and cut mine!!

 

Jim Kenyon seems to have got this philanthropic freebie arranged for The Quarry ... Hereford Housing & Jim Kenyon are the two common factors so I'm sure that if there's some hidden agenda it will emerge ... 

[dippyhippy]

Hi Two Wheels!

It's got to the stage where I am just not surprised anymore......if a plan makes no sense whatsoever, then obviously this is the plan that we will be following!

Beyond ridiculous.

[dippyhippy]

Hi Roger!

 

I honestly think Jim has done a good job organising this!

 

I know we've already paid for this, I know it goes against the grain......but the place is a mess!

 

I so wish some of the other big businesses would, just for the next year or two, take responsibility for areas close to them!

 

Sun Valley could do Yazor Road, Grandstand Road.

Bulmers, could Whitecross Road,

Wyevale, could take on Kings Acre,

B and Q, a few of the roundabouts!

 

As much as this is our community, it's also theirs, and not a great advert for them the way it's looking at the moment!

And yes, I know businesses also pay out.......but if the council won't...we have to do something! ( Next year of course we can do something else... with our votes at the ballot box!)

 

I KNOW it shouldn't be like this, but it is.

We have to do something, or we'll all disappear!!

[Biomech]

The trouble is dippy that this will set a precedent and the council will be ecstatic at the fact that they can charge us for a service and not bother to do because someone else will get fed up and do it for them.

 

They need to be held accountable, whether that means paying such local businesses to maintain the work or coming and doing it themselves. 

If every maintains their council areas of grass, the council are getting off scott free.

 

Jim Kenyon should send them a ******* invoice.

[flamboyant]

Weather is ideal for grass at the moment couple of days sun and then a few days rain! I'm cutting mine twice a week so no time to cut anyone else's.

 

Can someone let me know if they catch our leader Councillor Johnson cutting the grass verges, no doubt he will be looking for the CEO of Herefordshire Council? I haven't seen or heard anything from him for months, is he still around and does he have a petrol mower? I'm waiting for the inevitable photo shoot of our Council Leaders on a ride on mower? Any bets on who it might be?

[dippyhippy]

Twelve months ago Flam, my money would have been on Our Graham Powell. He was always the first to be wheeled out for a photo opportunity, usually in his lovely rain coat, ideal attire for these current weather conditions!

 

Now, my money would be on Harry. He definitely needs the PR more than most. Even more than Pat Morgan quite an achievement in itself!

 

I wouldn't bet on the CEO........nobody would have a clue who it was!

[dippyhippy]

Afternoon Biomech!!

 

I agree! We shouldn't have to. Local businesses shouldn't have to. The council should have tightened their belts a long time ago, and stopped being so frivolous with our money.

 

Unfortunately, this is where we are right now. Perhaps it's just me, but I can't bear to see our once beautiful city fall into such a state of decline, which is why I welcome any initiative to get Hereford looking back to its best.

 

Its far from ideal, but in the short term.....what other options are there??

 

I am hoping that we the public will hold them accountable when placing a cross on the ballot paper next May!

[dippyhippy]

Actually.....when I wrote "what other options are there?"

 

One option should be to renegotiate the contract with Balfour Beatty.............

[megilleland]

. . . no doubt he will be looking for the CEO of Herefordshire Council? I haven't seen or heard anything from him for months, is he still around . . . .

 

He could be here.

 

House of Commons:

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE

 

Local government chief officers' remuneration

 

The Committee is investigating the remuneration (that is salaries, pensions and exit packages) paid to chief officers in local government and how it is determined. 

 

The second oral evidence session of the Committee’s inquiry will further explore pay for local government sector senior staff. They will probe whether pay package levels are set effectively and if there is adequate transparency and accountability in the way in which councils determine remuneration.

 

Meeting on Monday 17 March at 4.20pm. Ended at 6.50pm

 

Meeting starts Wednesday 4 June 2014 at 4.15pm

 

 

[dippyhippy]

Very interesting Megilleland!

 

As many of us already know, there is absolutely NO transparency here, when it comes to pay offs and gagging clauses.

 

Its simply a case of trotting off to the next trough!

[Biomech]

Unfortunately, this is where we are right now. Perhaps it's just me, but I can't bear to see our once beautiful city fall into such a state of decline, which is why I welcome any initiative to get Hereford looking back to its best.

 

 

 

I absolutely agree, but this is exactly where they want us. A perfect political play.

[dippyhippy]

A sort of check mate.

 

We are, I feel, backed into a corner with this!

 

We have to do something.....and they know it!

 

Good to see Coln's petition has now had more than 2,200 signatures.......let's hope this same people still feel as strongly next year, it's one thing to sign an online petition from the comfort of your sofa, quite another to drag your backside off it and go and vote!

[Cambo]

I was on Facebook earlier & smartieno had sent bramer a emails asking about the grass cutting & wot the council tax was spent on etc. bramer sent him a response I'm sure smartieno won't mind if I post it for him? & see wot you folks think of wot he has to say?

 

from Councilllor Bramer:

 

Than you Mr S

 

I doubt if your views are for changing but I attach a recent letter that was sent to the Hereford Times for your perusal

 

WHAT DO WE GET FOR OUR COUNCIL TAX?

 

The question was posed by the author of the opinion column (Hereford Times 22.05/14) and deserves an answer.

Before becoming a Councillor I would have asked the same question.

The following is not a comprehensive list but will give readers at least some idea of what pays for what.

 

Firstly, a reminder that our priorities from public consultation are;

Care for the vulnerable and children

Economic growth for prosperity and jobs.

 

Annual running costs (approx.) are

Adult care and wellbeing £70m

Childrens services £43m

Transport subsidies £5m

Rubbish collection and disposal £14m

Road maintenance £10m

 

Total cost of these six items £142m

Income from Council Tax is just £81m

 

Readers will note that Council Tax contributes barely 72% of the cost of Adult and Child care costs.

 

So we would have to raise Council Tax by around 40% if it alone was to meet the total cost of care!

 

Just one child in full time care costs approx. £200k pa. A ‘band D’ house pays £1,250 pa Council Tax so we need 160 band D houses paying CT to cover the cost of one such child.

 

I have not even mentioned items such as street cleaning, street lighting, flood defences, staff wages, libraries, property maintenance, loan repayments, inflation etc etc. but hopefully readers are getting the picture.

 

We get income from Council Tax, business rates, charges (car parking, funerals etc) and significantly – Government Grants. It is the last item which is being and will continue to be drastically cut. The difference between falling income and rising costs over 6 years to 2017 is approx. £65m. per year.

 

That is why we have had to make cuts. That is why we now cut the grass 3 times instead of 7. (it saves £670k) That is why the whole Council approved the budget last year. Annual costs have been reduced by £35m so far.

 

Another £30m has to be found over the next 2/3 years.

 

Readers (and the Hereford Times) quite rightly ask “what do we get for our Council Tax� Hopefully these figures help to provide an answer.

The year just finished was the most difficult in the history of this Council and we did it within budget.

Readers know they cannot spend more than their income and neither can the Council. But in the same year we have attracted £90m of private investment in the new retail centre, seen huge development in the Enterprise Zone, laid plans for new roads and houses and begun discussions for a new university.

Readers will remember that when we offered Cabinet places and responsibility to other political groups, those groups refused them, preferring not to be associated with difficult decisions but to criticise from the sidelines.

 

So the next time a responsibility shirker tells you how much better they could do the job, two good questions might be – “why didn’t you take the chance when offered� and “what, exactly, would you have done differently�

 

This Conservative administration demonstrates a commitment to protect the vulnerable, responsible financial management of your taxes, a willingness and ability to deal with difficulties and a vision for the future.

 

Thanks

 

Councillor H Bramer

[dippyhippy]

Good Grief!

 

I do believe he's attempting to take the moral high ground with that dig at IOC and the In dependants!

[Roger]

The year just finished was the most difficult in the history of this Council and we did it within budget.

 

 

budget is all under control ... (allegedly) but the grass is possibly not! 

[Biomech]

Total cost of these six items £142m

Income from Council Tax is just £81m
.....................So we would have to raise Council Tax by around 40% if it alone was to meet the total cost of care!

 

 

Bullshit. Now include all of the money issued by central government. Is this prick putting intentional spin on things or did someone give the job to a complete ******* moron

 

 

[flamboyant]

Is Bramers list the same as the one we received with our Council Tax bill

 

https://www.herefordshire.gov.uk/media/7756412/council_tax_leaflet_2014-15.pdf