megilleland

These people are morons. We have just had a spate of graffiti around Muir Close and Sherborne Close with red paint sprayed about. Just waiting for the authorities to spring into action and wipe it out . . . but no doubt will be waiting for ever.

Less than a week to go and little interest from the electorate on this site. Newton Farm needs a good clean up and to make it somewhere to be proud to live. If you ignore the people and the council show a lack of interest in the area no wonder it will become more blighted.

Why pay more 9% community charge when you don't have a car?

Newton Farm Ward * Community Centre built - as part of the original Oval Development * Neighbourhood Watch and foot patrols reinstated * Street Cleaning - ie weeds removed from kerbs * Tree Pruning - restore some light to affected properties What about the other wards - any suggestions - only two weeks to go till voting 6th May. Elected councillors will forget once voted in so a reminder/checklist may help them.

What is the view and position of the local election candidates regarding this issue. The Hub appeared to be a softener for getting the Oval Development approved and built. Strange that in order to improve the area The Vortex and Church were demolished to allow this to happen.

Contacted BBLP again. Said they would send someone out to look at the trees and get back to me - so far nothing. Maybe our prospective local election candidates can do something.

Unfortunately these large store companies have realised that their business is making just as much money on the internet. By closing the stores the staff are made redundant and they will not be paying rent and business rates - economic fact. The worst example is Amazon. The town centres have to change to get people in.

The cutting back of trees in Muir Close goes back years when most requests were deemed not worth doing. There has been some lopping of certain trees which has resulted in the subsequent thickening up of greenery and the consequence of sunshine being blocked from several households. Is it too much to ask that the Council and BBLP can sort this problem out especially when people spend a lot of their free time in their gardens. Also my partner is confined to a wheelchair and can only sit in the back garden to enjoy the warmer weather and she misses the sunshine - remember vitamin D3 is good for you. Over the years the matter of tree pruning has been passed back and forward between the Council and Housing Associations depending on whose land the trees stand on. I believe there is only one tree maintenance contractor to cover the whole of Herefordshire - a small saving on BBLP's maintenance budget considering they receive millions of pounds each month from council tax payers. It would be nice if someone could let some light into our lives in these miserable enforced lockdowns, of which I am sure more will follow. At present there is tree cutting debris left on Council land since July 2020 and no one has moved it yet. Maybe they are waiting for me to take it to the tip when I get my 4 hours off a week from caring duties. Here are some trees cut back in 2016 - looks a bit harsh.

Had a flyer put through the door today from the Independents. Alan Jones is taking the right track by adopting a community approach. I've had a gut's full of our present lot who don't give a fig about the electorate and bow down to BBLP passing millions for a job half done. I have matters raised from July last year still outstanding concerning the state of trees and waste and they are not really interested. They soon removed a waste bin from the street because it was an inconvenience to them - nice and easy. In view of the lock down and more to come what has happened to the community centre, part of the plan when the Oval was redeveloped. Over the years the Vortex went, then the church and no neighbourhood watch. We have a police station, but we never see a policeman on the beat or bicycle. Without the local volunteers keeping our streets clean Newton Farm would be further neglected. Let's hope Alan Jones's manifesto raises the spirits.

Plenty seen in Westminster and the odd few in local authorities (lol)

Here's a tip. Take it to the recycling centre. Oh I forgot you need a licence for that, but it must be cheaper than the fine.

Living in million pound properties and this is what they pay. Bet they don't even notice. Council tax rates for Borough of Westminster 2020/21 Band A £520.19 Band B £606.89 Band C £693.58 Band D £780.28 Band E £953.67 Band F £1,127.07 Band G £1,300.47 Band H £1,560.56 Council tax rates for Hereford City 2020/21 BAND A £1,293.09 BAND B £1,508.59 BAND C £1,724.12 BAND D £1,939.63 BAND E £2,389.00 BAND F £2,801.68 BAND G £3,232.72 BAND H £3,879.25 Just the first in many price increases - water bills, gas and electricity bills and so on.

The Institute for government is delighted to welcome the Rt Hon Jesse Norman MP, Financial Secretary to the Treasury. Following the publication of the National Infrastructure Strategy, this event will explore the government’s plans to “transform” the UK’s infrastructure networks to drive the country’s post-pandemic recovery, make progress to reaching the net zero emissions target in 2050 and contribute to ‘levelling up’ the country. Jesse Norman will be in conversation with Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government. Jesse Norman has been the Financial Secretary to the Treasury since May 2019. Before that he was Minister of State at the Department for Transport from November 2018 to May 2019 and Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Transport from June 2017 to November 2018. He has been the MP for Hereford and South Herefordshire since 2010 and is the author of books on Adam Smith and Edmund Burke. What about Hereford? Will it still be here in 2050? Tuesday 16 March 2021, 11:00 - 12:00 Maybe worth a watch.

A Herefordshire GP Protests “No Jab, No Job” – 5th March 2021 A GP, Dr Clare Jones, has written to her MP Jesse Norman to protest against being compelled to be vaccinated or face disciplinary action from the General Medical Council, as Lockdown Sceptics reported yesterday. She copied us in and we thought we’d share it with you. Stop Press: Care UK, one of the UK’s largest care home firms, has introduced a ‘no jab, no job’ policy, saying new staff must have received a Covid vaccination before they start work, the Guardian reports. Barchester, meanwhile, which operates more than 220 private care homes, has said it is insisting that current staff are vaccinated, warning that if they “refuse … on non-medical grounds [they] will, by reason of their own decision, make themselves unavailable for work”. https://lockdownsceptics.org/2021/02/26/latest-news-297/ ______________________________________________________________________ Declined the jab for the fourth time this Wednesday much to the chagrin of all around me. The Doctor is already getting a pasting on BBC Hereford & Worcester local radio. The early morning presenter Eliot Webb loves to be a cantankerous and argumentative man no matter what subject he discusses.

BBLP came along and took away the waste bin which is regularly used and full, because it is an environmental health hazard. It appears that the bin has had cat waste deposited in it and the operative has refused to empty it. This cat waste as mentioned above is regularly deposited behind garages by persons unknown who carry this waste presumably from their house and drop it on the footpath by the garages. The bin is emptied every week, and now it is removed, will mean that the litter will now be cast over the road and in the garage entrances. Britain is beginning to look like a third world country. Herefordshire Council has this statement on its contracts register: "The Public Realm Contract has a minimum term of 120 months (10 years) and a maximum term of 240 months (20 years) if all available extension options are taken. The value of the contract is estimated at between £200,000,000 and £1,000,000,000. The lower estimate is based on £20,000,000 per annum over the first 10 years of the contract period for the core services. On this basis the Contracting Authority’s spend over the maximum term of the contract is broadly but realistically estimated to be £400,000,000. An additional allowance of £100,000,000 has been included for the commissioning of any Non-Core services and any increase in spend for reasons which cannot be accurately predicted at this time. Plus a further allowance of £500,000,000 has been included to cover any usage by Contracting Authorities. " It shouldn't be difficult to find a few quid to buy some brushes and shovels. A team of pensioners could do a better job in their communities on a retainer.

Useful information here: E-scooter use in Dorset: Police will act on illegal use THE use of specific rental e-scooters became legal in Bournemouth and Poole through a Government-approved trial last month - but people might not be aware of all the laws. Only the e-scooters available for hire from Beryl are permitted on public roads, with privately-owned e-scooters still not permitted. Beryl has launched the scheme with a fleet of 50 e-scooters and there is potential for this to be increased subject to demand once lockdown eases. The hire offering could also spread into Christchurch, the company has said. Here is a breakdown of the trial, who can use the e-scooters and what police have said about them. About the Bournemouth and Poole trial BCP Council and Beryl’s partnership led to the trial being launched on January 25, 2021 and it is due to run until November of this year. It has been fast tracked as a direct response to the Covid-19 pandemic to allow residents another form of socially-distanced travel for essential journeys. Beryl’s e-scooters operate alongside the firm’s bike-share scheme, allowing riders to hire and drop off from Beryl Bays that have been implemented in consultation with BCP Council and other local stakeholders. Similar Department for Transport trials are taking place elsewhere in the UK, including cities such as Liverpool, Milton Keynes, Nottingham and Bristol. Who can use them and where? During the trial period, e-scooter riders must be over 16 years old and they are required to provide a valid UK driving licence to participate. A hire agreement with Beryl provides the user with vehicle insurance. At launch, the Beryl e-scooter service is permitted for use across Bournemouth and Poole. An electric scooter is classified as a motor vehicle and therefore the rider is subject to the same requirements as they would be if driving a car. They can be ridden on all existing public roads in Bournemouth and Poole as well as on the expanding network of signed cycle lanes and cycle/shared-use facilities. They cannot be used on pedestrian pavements. What about private e-scooters? Only the e-scooters hired under the Beryl scheme can be used on public roads and cycle lanes in Bournemouth and Poole. It is still illegal for privately owned e-scooters to be ridden on public land. It is illegal to use privately owned e-scooters on pavements, cycle lanes, beach promenades, bridleways or any other publicly accessible land such as a park or car park. People are only legally permitted to ride non-trial scheme e-scooters on private property. What have police said? Dorset Police said it has been working with BCP Council and provider Beryl to ensure the launch of the trial e-scooter scheme is safe for both scooter users and the public. Police Sergeant Rhys Griffiths said: “All details have been released about how and where Beryl scooters can be used. “We would like to remind the public that all rules still apply for non-scheme e-scooters. “It is illegal to ride them on any public land, they are classified as ‘powered transporters’.” On enforcement action against private e-scooters, a Dorset Police spokesman said: “If officers have occasion to see and stop someone riding a non-scheme scooter on public land then it’s likely the rider will be issued with a warning: they will be told categorically that they are not to use their e-scooter again unless on private property. “Should they be stopped for a second time, after advice has been given, the e-scooter will be seized under police powers and, under the law, cannot be returned.” Can people be prosecuted for drink and drug driving on an e-scooter? Government guidance says that people should not ride an e-scooter while drunk or otherwise intoxicated, warning that they may be prosecuted under drink or drug driving laws as careless and dangerous driving offences also apply to users of e-scooters. Earlier this year a woman was convicted of drink driving while on an e-scooter on the Isle of Wight. What about the current lockdown? A Dorset Police spokesman said: “To keep people safe and reduce the risk of spread of COVID 19, we encourage people to only make journeys where absolutely necessary. “The guidance from Government is clear: stay local to your communities and only travel from your home for short distances if you have a reasonable excuse, such as to travel to work or for education, for essential shopping.”

Company claims dog poo litter in Hereford has risen massively By James Thomas, Hereford Times - 18th February 2021 A waste company has claimed dog poo litter is up 200 per cent since the coronavirus lockdown started WALKING the dog has become one of the few opportunities to get outside for some fresh air during lockdown, but it has come at a stinking, germ-ridden cost, according to a cleaning company. Divert.co.uk, a dog poo litter removal company, claimed dog poo litter in Hereford has been "up 200 per cent since lockdown", which it says is a "clear indicator that not all dog owners are cleaning up" after their pets. The company provides dog poo litter removal for councils and private landowners and says it has been alarmed by the rise. Mark Hall, from Divert.co.uk, said: “It is disgusting to see that some dog owners are failing to pick up after their pets, when it’s an offence and the waste can lead to serious illnesses." With lockdown three in full-swing, current England guidelines allow for people to walk their dog alone, with their household or support bubble, or with one person from another household. Mr Hall said: “Walking your dog is important for both pet and owner for exercise, especially while we are all house-bound during the lockdown. “Unfortunately, thanks to the thoughtless behaviour by a few individuals, dog owners are once again getting a bad reputation due to a massive increase in dog mess on the streets.” Divert.co.uk said it believes that due to fewer people being out and about, irresponsible dog owners believe they are less likely to get caught, so are more like to leave the poo and run. But it added not all dog owners will leave poo on the pavement, as waste campaigners Keep Britain Tidy has found that nine out of 10 dog owners do regularly clean up after their dog. The 10 per cent who do not clean up after their dog could be fined up to £100, and that could go up to £1,000 if the issue goes to court. “There really is no excuse for this behaviour, especially as the waste can be put into any public bin,” Hall said. “It’s lockdown laziness, especially those guys who bag the mess, then don’t bin the bag. Get a grip." An interactive map from Herefordshire Council shows there are currently dozens of reported dog poos in Hereford which have been reported. Mess can be reported by using the map on the council's website, with the page warning: "Dog poo is a health hazard, all dog owners have a legal duty to clean up after their dog. "Failure to do so could result in a dog control order with an £80 fixed penalty notice, or a maximum fine of £1,000. "In addition to reporting the area is in need of cleaning, if you wish to report an individual, or would like the enforcement team to visit the area and investigate please answer the question below." Elsewhere in the county, a parish council near Bromyard has urged local dog owners to be responsible and clean up after their pet. Stoke Lacy Parish Council clerk Alma Westwood said at a meeting on October 14 the council was asked to investigate the possible installation of dog waste bins. But it had since been told by Herefordshire Council that it does not supply or empty such bins. The parish council was told that it was the responsibility of all dog owners to clean up after their dog and take the waste home with them for disposal there. "Accordingly the parish council will not be providing dog waste bins anywhere in the parish," she said in a letter on its website. "The parish council is not, and cannot be, responsible for emptying bins and disposing of people’s dog waste. "If you have a dog you are required by law to clean up after it and dispose of the waste in a responsible manner. "Anyone found not doing so is liable to be prosecuted and fined. "Please do not use the litter bin by the bus stop. This bin is for general litter only. "Please be a responsible dog owner and dispose of its waste appropriately. Thank you for your co-operation."

Elections postponed The following will be run on 6 May 2021 unless otherwise specified by UK government in further legislation: National elections Police and Crime Commissioners Election Local Government by-elections Brampton Bryan Parish Election Brockhampton with Much Fawley Parish Election Bromyard West Parish Ward Election (two seats) Dilwyn Parish Election Eaton Bishop Parish Election Hereford, Bobblestock Parish Ward Election Hereford, Newton Farm Parish Ward Election Newton Farm Ward Election Ross-on-Wye East Parish Ward Election Walford Parish Election (six seats) Neighbourhood Planning Referendums Allensmore neighbourhood planning referendum Ashperton neighbourhood planning referendum Brampton Abbots and Foy Group neighbourhood planning referendum Bredenbury and District neighbourhood planning referendum Clehonger neighbourhood planning referendum Colwall neighbourhood planning referendum Garway neighbourhood planning referendum Linton, Gorsley and Bromsash neighbourhood planning referendum Madley neighbourhood planning referendum Much Birch neighbourhood planning referendum Ross-on-Wye neighbourhood planning referendum Stretton Grandison Group neighbourhood planning referendum Titley Group neighbourhood planning referendum

Just to say thank you to the two ladies from Brampton Road doing a litter pick and seen in Muir Close. More public spirited people like this tidying up the estate will make a visible change to the existing environment. More information on organising a litter pick, but just start outside your own home and spread outwards.

Below are people views and articles drawing our attention to the state of our environment both urban and countryside. Of course it is always someone else's job to clear up, but it would be encouraging to see others doing their bit within their community starting outside their home. Any suggestions to improve matters? But don't people drop litter all year round?

From Herefordshire Council website: Is there a doo poo bin in your area? Muir Close borders the large open space close to Argyll Rise and I cannot see any sited in this area - maybe I am wrong. Now the waste bin in Muir Close has been removed and judging by the amount of dog poo in this area. Somebody needs to get this problem sorted out.

Maybe we should learn from other countries that we are not using our bikes to their full potential! https://says.com/my/fun/overloaded-vehicles-in-china

Welsh council admits it should not have approved vast poultry farm (extracts from Guardian article)) Permission for 110,000-chicken farm in ‘poultry capital of Wales’ withdrawn after legal challenge brought by local pressure group Powys has become a focal point for opposition to the boom in intensive poultry units (IPUs) after freedom of information requests revealed the authority has approved more than 150 in the past five years. The Campaign for the Protection of Rural Wales (CPRW) led calls for a moratorium on intensive poultry farms after discovering Powys had received five times as many IPU applications than the rest of Wales since 2017. It is estimated there are around 8.5 million head of poultry in Powys – equivalent to 64 birds for every person – the majority on 100 large-scale farms raising more than 40,000 chickens each. Environmental campaigners say the explosion in IPUs in the county is linked to the deterioration of rivers in Wales. Last summer saw algal blooms turn the River Wye – which flows from mid Wales through Powys to the Severn estuary – into “pea soup”, a phenomenon damaging to biodiversity which campaigners blame on phosphates from livestock manure running into waterways. Welsh environment watchdog Natural Resources Wales (NRW) admitted in December that 60% of the Wye failed to meet phosphate targets – but said the high percentage was due to tighter restrictions. __________________________________________________ Also: In The Guardian: ‘It's like pea soup’: poultry farms turn Wye into wildlife death trap As if there are not enough problems with the flooding.

Pet waste article in The Guardian today Regarding the Guardian article I don't think I have seen a dog poo bin so a lot of it must be going into litter bins. Can't the dog owners put their pet waste in their black bins or is not allowed? Is Herefordshire Council going to take away all the waste bins as they did in Muir Close because of one person constantly dumping their cat litter on the footpath behind the garages.