megilleland

Thanks for commenting Chris. I feel we are in a mess because no one is checking the budget as it's spent. Simply it is money in and money out. All this creative accounting has got us and councillors bamboozled with the financiers laughing all the way to the bank. If we as ratepayers couldn't pay our council tax we would be summoned in two seconds. Yet the council just adds to its debt - up from £150 million to £218.2 million - borrowing to increase by £50.8 million over 2014/15 (what in one year!)

Yes it is quite simple as far as the private sector is concerned. Public assets, already owned by the ratepayers, are being given away and turned into profits for the benefits of their shareholders. Money realised from the market value of building land should be returned to the ratepayers in improved, safeguarded projects that benefit the locality. Oh I forgot the Tories tell us that under the Localism Act we can bid for these assets which we already own. That's how simple it is.

5 Abstentions. From Wikipedia: "An abstention may be used to indicate the voting individual's ambivalence about the measure, or mild disapproval that does not rise to the level of active opposition. Abstention can also be used when someone has a certain position about an issue, but since the popular sentiment supports the opposite, it might not be politically expedient to vote according to his or her conscience. A person may also abstain when they do not feel adequately informed about the issue at hand, or has not participated in relevant discussion. In parliamentary procedure, a member may be required to abstain in the case of a real or perceived conflict of interest". Assuming 27 Tories voted for the Budget two of their party didn't. I imagine because of ill health mentioned by Glenda.

Maybe The Community Right to Challenge which enables communities to bid to take over local services they think they can run differently and better is the solution. The Ramblers obviously have a good track record.

From Herefordshire Council website 06 February 2014 Changes to the way affordable housing is allocated The way affordable housing is allocated through Home Point, the agency that manages the county’s housing register, is set to change from June 2014. Under the Localism Act 2011 local councils are able to develop their own approach to determine who qualifies for affordable housing. There is a shortage of affordable housing across Herefordshire, so Herefordshire Council is changing the criteria to better reflect the needs and circumstances of local people. For example, applicants must now demonstrate they have a local connection to Herefordshire. In addition, people will only be able to register for affordable housing if they have a recognised housing need and financial limits will be much tighter so that only those who are unable to resource their own housing needs will be able to register. People who are currently registered with Home Point will receive a letter shortly and be given six weeks to complete the new application form and, where requested, provide supporting evidence. The applicant will then be reassessed on their updated application and if eligible, re-banded under the new system, ready for when the changes take place. They will need to reply within this timescale to retain their ‘waiting time’, after which it will be lost. If they don’t reply, they will be removed from the register completely. For some, when reassessed, it may mean that their current housing circumstances will not meet the criteria needed to re-register and they will be offered advice on alternative housing options, such as the private rented sector or home ownership. All applicants will be able to bid for properties under the current allocations policy until approximately the middle of May 2014. Details of the new Allocations Policy can be found on either of the websites below: https://www.herefordshire.gov.uk/housing/advice/housing-register/ or http://www.home-point.info

Council approves budget today (7th February 2014) As a result of it being passed, council tax will now rise by 1.9% to £1,251.32 a year for a Band D household for 2014/15. As I have pointed out on HT Westminster Band D council Tax £680.74. Westminster Council Tax for 2013/14 Band A £453.83 Band B £529.47 Band C £605.10 Band D £680.74 Band E £832.01 Band F £983.29 Band G £1,134.57 Band H £1,361.48 Herefordshire Council Tax for 2013/14 Band A £1,014.50 Band B £1,183.56 Band C £1,352.66 Band D £1,521.74 Not sure why this figure is different to HT report as I have got this figure from the HC website? Band E £1,859.91 Band F £2,198.08 Band G £2,536.23 Band H £3,043.48 Also have you got some money to spare for the incinerator - they only need £40 million over the next three years. The plan’s strategy estimates council borrowing to increase by £50.8 million over 2014/15, pushing the overall debt up to £218.2 million. It looks as if the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership is being lined up to bail the county out when it goes bankrupt. Following this earlier story in HT: In this report it is noted that the council is tied at 29 - 29 with I imagine the tories being able to use their chairman's casting vote. However in the budget report today above a total of 27 councillors voted in favour of the budget, with 19 against and five abstentions making a total of 51. What happened to the other 7 councillors?

Taken from the Agenda of the Health & Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee Friday 14 February 2014 10.00 am Why is it when I see the word disposal I feel that the Council is giving the land away for nothing. Is this based on previous land deals the council has entered into?

Financial figures from September 2013 contracts register. Telent Traffic signal Maintenance from 01/01/2010 to 31/03/2011 £32,000 Estimated whole contract value SCOOT traffic management system from 01/01/2010 to 31/03/2012 £22,000 Estimated whole contract value Both contracts appear to have expired over a year ago, maybe that's why the lights aren't working!

Stopped and spoke to a workman in the Farmers Club, Widemarsh Street today. He tells me the ground floor will be a furniture store and the upstairs a cafe. Also went into Argos to pick up some items and was told that they wanted to move to the OLM, but have been refused as OLM want only fashion shops there. Note that Coco's gift shop in Maylords has closed and is relocating to Church Street.

Two more closures. Received two letters today stating that opticians Chave & Jackson, 6/7 Broad Street and Rayner 20 Eign Gate are both closing and customers' records transferred to Vision Express Opticians at 7/8 High Street opposite Boots. No reasons given.

Maybe there is a penalty clause in the contract if they overun, but I doubt it as the weather is very much against them. Considering what has been constructed to date it is a pretty well run operation. Imagine if the council were doing it!

Debate about On Street Parking Charges on BBC Hereford & Worcester Radio now (Wednesday 5th February 2014) or hear it later on iPlayer Radio if you missed it.

Design a High Street Part of the consumer programme on Radio 4 - You and Yours (Monday 3rd February 2014) An interesting 9 minute piece on designing a high street from scratch with similarities to Hereford City's situation at the moment. The emphasis appears to be on making the High Street Area more of a community centre with leisure and cultural experiences. Wasn't the original plan for the ESG to include a new library and museum? It was a pity the Record Office was moved out to Rotherwas.

If you are talking about the land where the Vortex Youth Club stood then I am afraid the council have given it away to Herefordshire Housing. They weren't thinking about the established residents - that's the way they work.

If you are talking about the land where the Vortex Youth Club stood then I am afraid the council have given it away to Herefordshire Housing. They weren't thinking about the established residents - that's the way they work.

Herefordshire Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA) 2011 A list of sites for consideration in Hereford city with map. Two sites listed here are off Aylestone Hill. I think this is the site Bovis are interested in. Settlement: Hereford Site Ref: HLAA/283/001 Site Address: Land adjacent to Walney House Farm, Aylestone Hill page 189 of 286 also considered Settlement: Hereford Site Ref: O/Her/029 Site Address: Land opposite The Swan, Aylestone Hill page 247 of 286 The council appears to have dismissed both sites as unsuitable. So are the developers ploughing on regardless, due to the relaxation of planning rules approved by the government? 150 houses will produce a lot of water run off.

Here is a notice which appeared in the Hereford Times this Thursday dated 30th January 2014. The only previous reference to this site are two comments made in response to The Core Strategy. Anyone know where the site referred to here is? Question 38. Is there anything else you would like to say about the Core Strategy? Comment 396 We object to the Council neglecting to include a housing site at Aylestone Hill in your list of sites favoured for development but we have dealt with that in much more detail elsewhere, via Barton Willmore. Response: The core strategy does not allocate sites Action Required: no changes required Organisation: Collins Design and Build Ltd Comment 411 "Our client’s land is located to the east of Aylestone Hill and adjoins the north eastern urban boundary to Hereford. In broad terms the site is located approximately 1km to the north of the town centre. A plan of the site is attached at Appendix 1.The site extends to approximately 6.5 ha. It comprises two agricultural grazing fields divided by a well kept, sporadic hedgerow. The eastern, southern and northern boundaries are formed by mature hedgerows interspersed with trees. To the west of the site are a mixture of semi detached and detached, two and single storey residential properties on Aylestone Hill. From the rear of these properties the site slopes gradually towards the valley floor and the River Lugg. An overhead power line, mounted on 8m high timber posts, crosses the middle of the site from east to west, although this does not preclude development. There are no other notable features on the site." Response: The core strategy does not allocate sites Action Required: no changes required Organisation: Barton Wilmore

Potholes being discussed on BBC H&W Radio now (Tuesday 28th January) asking for listeners comments.

Hello Glenda at the back of the properties along Charles Witts Avenue.

Another issue raised 2 years ago. No one knows who is responsible for which parts of the estate. All the housing associations and agencies just pass the buck.

Imagine seeing this from Greyfriars Bridge. I took these photos of the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao over ten years ago. It's certainly put this city on the world map.

The problem is ongoing. No one in authority can see the rubbish and wants to do anything about it. That's why I pick it up every Sunday morning. Remember the rubbish down the embackment on Great Western Way reported back in 2010 - it's still there.

If I didn't pick it up I would drown in it!

It would be helpful if people started by picking up the litter outside their house and in their street.

Nobody appears to have given a date for the Belmont Ward, Hereford City Council election on this website. The date is Thursday 13th February 2014. The polling station is at Belmont Community Centre, next to the Library. Polling hours are from 7am to 10pm. Don't forget to vote. The statement of persons nominated can be seen here: https://www.herefordshire.gov.uk/media/7615203/spn_hereford_belmont.pdf