No Confidence in Hereford Council

[bobby47]

My forthcoming comments are not intended to hurt the feelings of those Councillors on this site who I am sure are hard working and do their best for their constituents. My view is aimed at the collective who I believe lurch from one badly thought out scheme to another.

I hope that most readers will accept that we, Our home Hereford, is not flourishing and our recession is compounded by the fact that in the past poor decisions were made that has left us with little or no infrastructure.

For my part, I really do resent much of the secrecy that surrounds the decision making of our Council. I feel that the Council are delivering their form of democracy which does not involve our participation.

Despite the Hereford Times repeatedly airing stories regarding the Council doing things secretly, they take absolutely no notice of public objection and simply just carry on.

The reported waste of our funds by the Council is in my view staggering. They recently commissioned at great expense new signs that are intended to announce to the visitor, HERE WE CAN instead of the old signs that simply said, WELCOME TO HEREFORD.

The result was, amongst the cynics which include me, Here we Can what? Have no job. Have no shops. Have no infrastructure. This was a crazy badly thought out gimmick and frankly we have so many problems its pointless for the Council to keep slipping us the public a gimmick. We simply can't afford anymore of this crazy blue sky thinking.

I want the Council to wake up to the new reality. We have no more money to waste and we cannot afford to allow this Council to continue leading us all toward the abyss.

Once again, my views are not intended to offend the Councillors who are members of this forum.

My very warmest regards.

[megilleland]

I agree with you. Herefordshire Council do not take on board the desires and wishes of the local community. Their statutory consultations on local issues are difficult to participate in, badly advertised and any suggestions from the public, unless they fit into the cabinet's secret agenda are plainly ignored or glossed over. The majority of councillors on this council, like the public, are only aware of issues, when matters are raised by concerned citizens, usually to late to take on board or incorporate into any schemes.

 

The main problem with this council is that it's officers and it's councillors only follow trends, usually years behind other UK cities, and fail to lead with some inspiring and imaginative projects to give Hereford a unique character/identity to lift the public's spirits and fill them with pride.

 

One only has to go abroad to see how other cities have pulled themselves up and offer their citizens a higher standard of infrastructure and quality of life.

[Colin James]

I totally agree and I see exactly where you are coming from with regards to the Hereford Times, stories are printed and yet nothing is done about it. Shops are closing and the city centre is becoming empty! High business rates do not help either and the council do nothing to encourage new business's. I refer to my article published in a recent edition of the Hereford Times with regard to not being able to purchase hot food in town after 1.30am!! http://belmontvoice....ty-after-130am/ how pathetic is that?Some takeaway's and restaurants rely on this business. Then we have the never ending traffic situation coming into the city for which I have now created a petition to trn off the traffic lights at the Asda junction, ou can register and sign the petition here http://councillors.h...istDisplay.aspx so far we only have 13 signatures come on folks sign it and lets get this traffic moving! please also share this link with others. This is another reason people avoid coming to Hereford.

Then we have the look and the approach to the city especially coming in on the A465, overgrown tree's that prevent you actually seeing any sign posts, and WEEDS! It's embarrassing and not very welcoming, just take a look at Ledbury you are welcomed with a roundabout full in bloom and well kept, here you are welcomed with happy birthday sheets off someones bed that are left for weeks and uncut grass and overgrown bushes.

[bobby47]

I know it must be very difficult for serving Councillors to comment upon our fears for Hereford. Perhaps some of them feel as we do. Im sure that they must but somehow or other whatever the dynamics are within the Council, particularly those who have their hands on the levers of power, this has to change and its the Councillors who are sympathetic to our views who can bring about this change.

Without some intervention and a change in the way business is conducted, our rapid fall into ruin will only accelerate.

We have some serious problems to address and many of those problems are to expensive for us to resolve right now. But there are a thousand and one little things that the Council could do now which wouldn't cost a great deal. Like extending the hours to enable visitors into the City to get some food. Keeping our City clean and tidy, giving some attention to the way we present our home to ourselves and outsiders. A lick of paint here and there can do wonders.

The Council only need to grasp the new reality, stop wasting money on pointless gimmicks, stop paying huge consultancy fees, shine some light on their decision making and listen to what we have to say.

This Council are charged with leading our communities and to do that they should inspire and tap in to people's hopes for a better future and get the best out of what we still have.

If the Council do these things then gradually the cynics will cool, they'll tone down there criticism, people will quickly see that we are doing the right things, there is a sensible course plotted and then our confidence will grow. And when that happens we will recover.

[Frank Smith]

I know it must be very difficult for serving Councillors to comment upon our fears for Hereford. Perhaps some of them feel as we do. Im sure that they must but somehow or other whatever the dynamics are within the Council, particularly those who have their hands on the levers of power, this has to change and its the Councillors who are sympathetic to our views who can bring about this change.

Without some intervention and a change in the way business is conducted, our rapid fall into ruin will only accelerate.

We have some serious problems to address and many of those problems are to expensive for us to resolve right now. But there are a thousand and one little things that the Council could do now which wouldn't cost a great deal. Like extending the hours to enable visitors into the City to get some food. Keeping our City clean and tidy, giving some attention to the way we present our home to ourselves and outsiders. A lick of paint here and there can do wonders.

The Council only need to grasp the new reality, stop wasting money on pointless gimmicks, stop paying huge consultancy fees, shine some light on their decision making and listen to what we have to say.

This Council are charged with leading our communities and to do that they should inspire and tap in to people's hopes for a better future and get the best out of what we still have.

If the Council do these things then gradually the cynics will cool, they'll tone down there criticism, people will quickly see that we are doing the right things, there is a sensible course plotted and then our confidence will grow. And when that happens we will recover.

 

I totally agree with bobby47's comments, spot on!

[Bill Thomas]

I often see articles with some real vaild issues being raised and letters written to the Hereford Times but nothing seems to get done about it, do the coucillors actually read these letters and articles? HT should run a section on follow ups and any action taken or leave featured articles/letters in place every week until something is done. Name & Shame that's what I say!!

[bobby47]

Hello Bill, I promise you that each and everyone of these Council leaders read the Postings and Letters published by the Hereford Times. For a start, many of them have huge egos and they quite understandably like reading about themselves but, unless its a safe issue and presents them no controversy, they remain silent. They don't want to express anything that shines a light on what they really think.

In short, many of our Councillors are good and well meaning people who unfortunately are dominated by much stronger characters and its this dynamic which has weakened the Council and created our rather odd form of democracy that makes you feel like 'they don't take any notice of us'.

As for your suggestion that they are named and shamed. Yep! But I'd go further, I'd gather them up, drive them to Haugh Woods, make them eat insects and roll them in nettles and completely ignore their screams, 'I'm a Councillor. For Gods Sake. Get me Out of Here.'

[Bill Thomas]

'I'm a Councillor. For Gods Sake. Get me Out of Here.' ha ha classic! :Laughing_32:

[bobby47]

Two Independent Councillors, Mr Hubbard and Mr McCaull have very recently emerged and thrown their weight behind the increasing public opinion that is calling on this Council leadership to change.

The punishment for Mr Hubbard is to attend some Council course which will explain to him how important it is to keep a secret and not disclose it to us. I salute Mr Hubbard.

As for Mr McCaull, I've yet to hear what his fate is for writing to the Hereford Times and expressing his view that our Council leadership is poor. I salute him.

I look forward to other Councillors stepping forward and saying what they think. Of course that step requires a bit of courage and a strong sense of integrity.

My warmest regards.