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Hereford Locality Weekly Briefing W/E 20 March 2015


Colin James

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HEREFORD LOCALITY WEEKLY BRIEFING – WEEK ENDING 20th MARCH 2015

 

Dear Councillors and Parish Clerks,

 

During the last week we are pleased to report that the reactive team in the locality completed the following works:

 

  • 96 square metres of carriageway patching (potholes and other surface deterioration)
  • 31 square metres of footway patching
  • 13 gully’s cleared
  • 1 gully replaced
  • 10 fly tips removed
  • 735 metres of ditching work
  • 560 metres of public right of way (PROW) vegetation clearance
  • 85 loose footway blocks/slabs re-bedded.

 

Please see below a summary of our key activities within the Hereford Locality over the last week.

 

Update from Shane (City South – Belmont, St Martins & Hinton, and Tupsley Wards; Rural – Backbury and Hollington Wards)

 

The above mentioned reactive works included –

 

Backbury Ward

·         Carriageway patching on C1292 opposite Sufton Rise

·         Carriageway patching on B4399 from Dinedor Mill Bridge to B4224 opposite Heathfield House.

 

Belmont Ward

  • Carriageway patching in Northolme Road
  • Fly-tips removed from Newton Brook.

 

St Martins & Hinton Ward

  • Pothole repair in Walnut Tree Avenue

 

Tupsley Ward

  • Pothole repair in Litchfield Avenue
  • Carriageway patching in Eign Road
  • Gully replaced in Ledbury Road
  • Speed restriction signs repositioned and cleaned in Hampton Park Road.

 

Some of the issues I have addressed this week  â€“

 

·         Inspected trees in Carwardine Green and arranged for crown reduction on one tree

·         Attended a fuel spill in Belmont and arranged for granules to be sprinkled in a number of area

·         Inspected and raised jobs for gully cleansing in Hampton Street and Harold Street

·         Raised a job for a pothole repair in Quarry Road

·         Carried out an inspection on PROW FWD4 (Fownhope) and raised an order for repairs to defective steps down to a stream crossing

·         Carried out an inspection on PROW FWD10 (Fownhope) and raised an order for repairs to the crossing boards on a bridge

·         Met with landowners at Crow Hill, Upton Bishop, to reach agreement on remedial works required on newly laid fencing

·         Carried out PROW inspections on LD14 (Little Dewchurch) and AC13 (Aconbury)

·         Raised a works order for the reinstatement of zig-zag lines outside Marlbrook School

·         Inspected and raised an order for footway repairs at Croft Close

·         Raised an order in respect of 6 potholes in Kilvert Road

·         Carried out 16 NRSWA (street works) inspections – one failed inspection

·         Carried out statutory inspections of A and B roads with Mike.

 

Update from Mike (City North – Aylestone, Central, St Nicholas, and Three Elms Wards; Rural – Credenhill and Hagley Wards)

 

This week I have – 

 

·         Commenced the Aylestone annual safety inspection (56 roads)

·         Raised a number of ad – hoc c/way pothole order for Bath Street, Britten Close, C1189, Three Elms Road, College Road

·         Raised an order for repairs to steps on PROW path BT10

·         Completed the monthly A roads safety driven inspection with Shane

·         Competed the monthly B roads safety driven inspection with Shane

·         Carried out 4 x NRSWA street works inspections

·         Raised gully cleaning orders for College Road

·         Raised a road sweeping request for Kings Acre Road

·         Commenced the monthly Hereford City Centre walked safety inspection

 

Update from Phil (Rural – Burghill, Holmer & Lyde, and Sutton Walls Wards)

 

Hereford rural works –

 

This week I have been carrying out statutory inspections and NRSWA enquiries within the Weobley locality.  With the exception of a meeting on 18.3.15 for a drive around Marden with  our Asset team I have been working exclusively in Weobley.

 

Herefordshire Council website is the one-stop-shop for up to date information

Maps for pot holes are available on the Councils website –

https://www.herefordshire.gov.uk/transport-and-highways/maintenance/potholes

 

We hope the above is of interest.

 

Kind regards

Shane, Mike & Phil.

 

Shane Hancock | Senior Locality Steward (Hereford – City South)

Balfour Beatty Living Places | Unit 3, Thorn Business Park | Rotherwas | Hereford | HR2 6JT

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Fly tips have NOT been removed from the Newton Brook, they have only removed the grey wheelie bin, yet less than 6ft away is a whole load of empty bottles and cans...again, HALF A JOB so AGAIN someone will need to return, just like the weeds at the Oval, why can't they just do the job properly and be done with? Frustrating would be a very polite description of how this makes me feel.  :Thumbs-Down:  :Thumbs-Down:  :Thumbs-Down:

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Hopefully the Cllrs that cover this area will kick @sses , we the Council,Tax payers of this fine County are paying BB the going rate for less than half a job.

 

All we get from HC is Press Releases stating how good BB are. - the latest Press Release stating the BB have purchased new superdouper lawnmower which will cut more grass than last year at no extra cost to the Council . Do they really think we are stupid ?

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Yes, the purchasing of grass cutting equipment update is confusing me!

 

Balfour Beatty state that they have now purchased mowers.

 

Apparently last year, they were hired?

 

Why would a company tender for a contract, and promise to deliver certain works, if they do not even have the equipment to do the job in the first place?

 

Surely knowing you would have to hire equipment is not really a cost efficient way of getting the job done?

 

On a different note, well done Colin for keeping an eye on the brook. Those photos put a slightly different perspective on the optimistic "fly tips removed." report!

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Herefordshire Council contractor Balfour Beatty Living Places (BBLP) is getting ready for Spring by taking delivery of a fleet of new mowers and promises to deliver twice the number of grass cuts than last year but at the same cost.

 

Andy Williams, BBLP Contract Director, said: “We know how important grass cutting is to the residents of Herefordshire and we’ve worked hard over the winter to plan more for less.â€

 

He added: “We’ve had the time to purchase more effective and efficient kit, plan better routes and ensure we are working with our sub-contractors to achieve best value.â€

 

Last year BBLP found itself in a grass cutting storm just months after securing a 10-year public realm contract for the county.

 

The Council had substantially reduced the 2014 grass cutting budget to contribute towards unprecedented savings needed to balance the books. Later in the season the Council topped up the budget and the higher figure has been allocated for this coming year.

 

Cllr Paul Rone, Herefordshire Council’s cabinet member for transport and roads, said: “I am delighted that BBLP has taken on board public concern and has reconfigured its service in order to increase the amount of grass cutting in the coming season.

 

“But, although the amount of grass cutting will be increased compared to last year, we won’t be returning to the 2013 levels because of Council spending constraints.â€

 

This year there were be six or seven amenity cuts, two verge cuts and additional safety-splay cuts, if required.

 

In the autumn, BBLP carried out extensive public consultation on its 2015 Annual Plan and has taken on board residents’ concerns about grass cutting.

 

Cllr Rone added: “We are still encouraging people to get involved in keeping their own verges and public areas tidy. The Council website provides advice on safety and grant funding for community groups.â€

 

In addition, the new lengthsman scheme will cover some grass cutting such as parish roadside verges.

 

A grass cutting schedule will be published on the Council’s website when the grass cutting season starts next month. www.herefordshire.gov.uk

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