Plans have been submitted to convert the upper floors of Steamer Trading cookshop in Commercial Street into

10 no. flats.
The shop on ground floor will remain.

https://www.herefordshire.gov.uk/info/200142/planning_services/planning_application_search/details?id=182521&search-term=registered in the last 7 days&
search-service=recent&search-source=items&search-item=registered in the last 7 days

A planning application has been received to erect a commemorative statue of Lance Corporal Allan Leonard Lewis VC 
in Garrick Lane on the Old Market site next to Wildwood restaurant.

Herefordshire Council’s Cabinet is due to consider reports and recommendations regarding the Hereford Transport Package.

This will include considering a preferred route for the bypass at a meeting on Friday 27 July 2018 at 10am.

In advance of this, the council’s General Scrutiny Committee has called in the decision for pre-decision scrutiny; and will consider the issue on Wednesday 18 July 2018 at 10am.

Both these meetings will be held in public at the Shire Hall in Hereford, and anyone is able to attend to observe the proceedings. Members of the public will be able to ask questions in advance of these meetings and the audio of the meetings will also be broadcast live. Details of how to submit a question and how to attend or listen to the meetings online are available on the council’s website

These meetings follow Cabinet approval of a short list of route options for the bypass in January this year which was the subject of public consultation in February and March. The reports detailing the results of the public consultation and the technical work undertaken to assess the options will be included within the agenda papers for the meetings. The agenda papers for the first of these meetings, General Scrutiny Committee, will be published on the council’s website on the evening of Tuesday 10 July 2018.

The council is ensuring that potentially affected residents and landowners are made aware of these meetings and how to access the agenda papers and reports.

Plans for a new multi story car park on the Country bus station site in Commercial Road look to have been scrapped.

https://councillors.herefordshire.gov.uk/mgIssueHistoryHome.aspx?IId=50026347&Opt=0

Ladies and Gentlemen,  ( Copied from SSAFA Herefordshire circulation to its members)

The annual event in memory of Violette Szabo GC will be held in Womelow this coming Sunday, 24 June. Many of you will be aware of the bravery in World War 2 of this remarkable young lady. She volunteered to join the SOE to work behind enemy lines, was parachuted into France in 1944 but was captured later that year. She was exceuted in Ravensbrusk concentration camp in February 1945, aged just 23. She was awareded a posthumous GC for her bravery.

She had family connections to Wormelow, and a small museum has been set up there in her memory. Every year near her birthday there is an event in the village, attended by civic dignitaries and members of the public, to commemorate her life and work. 

This year the event will meet at The Park, Wormelow (opposite the garage next to the Tump Inn) at 13.30. Their will be a small parade of RBL banners etc which will move off to the Musem nearby at 13.40. 

All are welcome to attend this event, which clearly has strong military and local connections. 

Herefordshire Councils planning committee has approved the Southern Link Road (SLR) planning application today, Monday 6 June 2016.

I ain't no 'toker'. Wouldn't know where to buy it, how much to pay for it or what form of Cannabis to use but, since I've become older, wiser and more tolerant to change and different lifestyles, I've come to the conclusion that making Cannabis a controlled drug, in this day and age is a pointless exercise and all we are doing is criminalizing a group of good people who simply like to have a puff of Marry Joanne and howl with laughter at the moon.

Times have changed and legislation should be for the people, by the people and for the benefit of the people and I no longer see any sense in a young man or woman getting a criminal record for using a natural herb and being hamstrung for the rest of their lives because of a criminal conviction or a Caution for what is essentially a peaceful activity.

In these times of stretched and strained resources, little public funding and a vast amount of Cannabis readily available to millions of young people, what's the point spending huge sums of money to recover a few ounces of Cannabis each week and be fully cognizant that three or four kilos of Cannabis have got through the net and are out there in Hereford undetected by the Police and other investigative agencies.

The whole Cannabis thing is a nonsense and its time for our society to accept that Cannabis is as much a part of our society as tobacco and alcohol but much, much less dangerous and problematic.

Course, there are dangers and problem areas. Any fool can see them. But, accepting that since the Misuse of Drugs Act was introduced in 1971, nothing as come close to ridding our culture of Cannabis and indeed many other natural drugs so i say lets grasp the stinging nettle, use some common sense and make Cannabis legal.

I'm not sure which day this happened but there was a police presence outside the Co-Op this morning with a CSO stood outside most of the day so I'm assuming it was related to the following story. 

Three students from the blind College were confronted and one was allegedly attacked after trying to cross the road in Kingsway.
Constant parking of vehicles outside the Co-Op on 'no parking at any time' yellow lines on both sides of the road is becoming a major safety issue as it is a direct route to and from town for many students.

On this occasion one of the students white stick hit a parked car outside the Co-Op which led to the occupant of the car getting out and verbally abusing the students and allegedly physically attacking one.
More on this story when I get it.
 

Capital investment recommendations to be considered by Full Council in July

Herefordshire Council’s Cabinet today (Thursday 28 June) recommended £12.827m for investment in local developments over the coming year. This is in addition to the £92.4m already identified in January for 2018/19. The recommendation will be considered by Full Council on 13 July 2018.

The funds have been identified following a review of the capital programme - the money the council expects to spend on key projects over the coming year/s. Of the additional £12.8m considered today for 2018/19, £6.7m is from increased grants and external funding.

Most notably, recommendation was given for the following additional investment:

£931,455 for pothole repair following the harsh winter weather (giving a total allocation of £1.253m in 2018/19)

£3.5m (£2m of which is a short-term loan) to support the development of a Cyber Security Centre by University of Wolverhampton to be based at Hereford Enterprise Zone, providing accommodation space for up to 20 cyber businesses, specialist research, training and educational facilities for businesses and organisations. The centre, which is due to be completed in 2020, would help the growth of a wide network of cyber-based businesses and institutions attracting national and international business investment.

£1.116m additional funding for Hereford Enterprise Zone ‘Shell Store’ refurbishment (£294k of which is from external contributions), to create a centre for research, start-up and scale-up engineering and technology businesses and, through the NMiTE University, provide space for students to interface with businesses.

In addition, £1.5m was recommended to support the conversion of Hillside rehabilitation centre to provide a nursing home facility for older people with complex mental health needs (such as dementia) in response to rising demand for this type of care. Work to look at the feasibility of converting Hillside for this purpose is in the very early stages, and so the funds identified are only indicative at this time.

Councillor Nigel Shaw, Cabinet Member for Finance and Corporate Services, said:

Quote

“Prior to any spending these investments will be required to provide a business case reviewed either by the whole Cabinet or Cabinet member as appropriate. This additional investment further demonstrates our commitment to the development of the county’s infrastructure, facilities and creating opportunities for jobs and growth, which will in turn contribute to an improved quality of life for Herefordshire’s residents.”

Cabinet agreed a number of measures to ensure the future sustainability of museum, library and archive services

Herefordshire Council has expressed its commitment to museums, libraries and archives as the cabinet committee today agreed a number of measures that includes developing a business case for investment in Hereford library and bringing new facilities for users, and funds to promote the Black and White House to boost visitor numbers and tourism along with measures to make the archive more available.

The recommendations also included starting a procurement process to see if there is a partner organisation who would run the services on behalf of the council including generating income and bringing in new people to use the centres. The councillors stressed this should only happen if there was a benefit and would not reduce quality of services, with a final decision only made when proposals have been fully evaluated.

Councillors at the meeting fully recognised the contribution of parish councils, volunteers and community groups in supporting the council with changes it has made including 6 out of 11 libraries now operating as community run libraries. There was also mention of the significant investment the council has made in these services in the last three years - something unusual amongst authorities facing financial challenges. These include a new library in Ledbury, new archive and record centre, refurbishment of the libraries and investment in the Black and White House museum.

Councillor Harry Bramer, Cabinet Member for contracts and assets said:

Quote

“We know these services are important to people and for a number of years we have been involved in a planned programme of change which has meant we have kept them open and operational in a challenging financial environment.

“We are now looking to take the next step to see if there are ways we can continue to make the most of the services and sites to have them used even more”.

Voice followers of a certain age will know that this one is in the BBC Archives as one of the best bloops of all time (it was actually a tongue-tied bystander, attempting to describe the mayhem after a motorway pile-up). He probably was searching for 'chaos and havoc' but his brain unscrambled the syllables.

Anyway, the train services yesterday between Bromsgrove and Hereford were choss and haverick, due to the warm weather, with unventilated relief coaches managing to convert the 1 hour train journey into a 5-hour nightmare. Failing Grayling has a lot to answer for.

The end of an era for Oswin & Co jewellers in Broad Street Hereford.

Oswins the jewellers has been in Broad Street for 130 years, one of the oldest established traders left in the city. Founded by William Henry Oswin in 1888, its ornate varnished shop front is certainly one of the last surviving examples of the many high-class retailers which existed in and around High Town, such as Greenlands and the furriers Augustus C Edwards. 

The beautiful iconic black gloss store which is a Hereford institute is closing down, but fear not! They are relocating to the former Jones bootmakers shop in Widemarsh Street and is due to open in July nevertheless, this will leave a void in Broad Street for sure.

What will become of this stunning building and Broad Street? 

The Green Dragon is in need of massive investment and is currently up for sale, the Sony shop is still empty, so is this street which is in the heart of Hereford part just going to be offices, banks and estate agents...

I have received the following information this afternoon in regard to Belmont Pools.

To The service delivery client team.

 

Please can you arrange for Belfour Beatty Living Places to erect appropriate warning signs around Belmont Pools. Please DO NOT allow dogs or children to enter the water  or swim, due to potentially toxic blue/green algae ( cyanobacteria) . As the pools are already part of their pos management area I believe this should be part of existing budget.

 

James Bisset

Parks and coutrside

Herefordshire Council.

 

I have already notified people living round the pools of this information, also a group of dog walkers, from Belmont and Newton Farm also the Angling Club has been advised this afternoon. This algae has only been found when I asked the environmental health to go to the pools, the algae has only just appeared on the pools surface, and the Parks and countryside officer has informed me today. Glenda

Someone has told me Asda are going to start charging for parking there. Surely this will make Belmont Avenue chaos even worse? When will they put double yellow lines in front of the new building. There is a near miss on that corner daily. Imagine turning right out of Belmont Court with cars parked outside the new building.. they don't follow the Highway Code regarding parking opposite T-junctions. A head-on waiting to happen at school-run times. The parents have no consideration, just want to get out as quickly as possible. Vehicles coming from Belmont Road have right of way, but are consistently made to run on the left pavement as the parents won't/can't give way.

Hotel Chocolat is due to open on High Town Hereford.

The store will be located in the former Vodafone shop in between WH Smith and Marks and Spencer's.

Quote

Company Overview

Angus Thirlwell and Peter Harris founded what was to become Hotel Chocolat in 1993, with a simple goal - to make a better type of chocolate available to UK consumers bored by the mediocrity of that available in supermarkets and on the high street. Originally a web and catalogue business, in 2004 the first of many Hotel Chocolat stores appeared on the UK high street. There are currently over 80 stores in the UK, 2 in Denmark and concessions in John Lewis stores nationwide as well as David Jones in Australia.

Authentic, wholesome ingredients are foundations of the company’s success - a position that is strengthened by its privately owned cocoa plantation, The Rabot Estate in St Lucia, where Hotel Chocolat grows its own fine flavour cocoa.

Duck Pond Day - Sunday 24th June 10-4pm.POSTPONED

We need volunteers! 

We will continue to paint the remainder of the metal fence, put up two new signs and generally clean up the surrounding area to include weeding and clearing over grown bushes etc.

Please bring garden tools and garden bags etc like last time.

We will try and arrange refreshments again, I am sure that Castle House Hereford will help out, they have always been excellent.

When I was drafting my submission to HC about the proposed Super Surgery, I took the trouble to consult one or two experts in the medical care field. I showed one of them the artist's impression of what is proposed for Station Approach. The response was: "This is simply hideous! Don't these people realise that an essential criterion of any sort of medical building - be it a giant hospital, a rural hospice or even a small dental surgey - is that it should be perceived as friendly and welcoming."

I am attaching an image of a building that, to my mind, is far more friendly. What's more, its roofline adds interest and is not a million miles away from that of the Royal Mail Sorting Office on the other side of the Link Road.

THE Lord Lieutenant of Herefordshire will unveil an arts project inspired by Trafalgar Square’s Fourth Plinth this Friday.

Hereford City Council has been co-ordinating the delivery of the project which will showcase the work of students and local artists.

The new community project which partners with Hereford Skate Park and the Hereford College of Arts hopes to promote art and culture and showcase the talent of local residents.

Lord Lieutenant for Herefordshire The Dowager Countess of Darnley will officially unveil the first sculpture, the Rotherwas Angel, at 4pm on June 22.

Brian Stephens, skate park trustee and founder, said:

Quote

 

“The skatepark is now regarded as one of the best in the UK and as well as attracting local users people visit the skatepark from all across the country.

“Among the skateboarding community there is a rich vein of extremely creative people, and the culture is well know for its art work, films and videos.

“The trustees wanted to give skateboarders an additional opportunity to exhibit three dimensional art work and this is now realised with the two plinths.

“In Trafalgar Square there is what is known as the ‘fourth plinth’ which displays a new sculpture on a regular basis. “The plinths at Hereford Skatepark are Hereford City’s own version of this.”

 

The plinths will catch the eye of people as they enter and exit the City on the A49. Information about the artists and the sculpture will be found in the gallery in the Boom Box on the skate Park.

The first sculpture created by students from the Art College is based on a brief relating to the Home Front.

Hereford College of Arts course leader Darren Williams said the project is an exceptional opportunity for the students involved to challenge themselves.

He said:

Quote

“It has been rewarding to see the development of these students over the last few months and how they have grown in confidence when dealing with all the other stakeholders, such as the city council and skatepark itself.

“The work itself has been a response to a brief relating to the ‘Home Front’, in which they chose to recognise the efforts of the munitions factory workers at Rotherwas during the 20th Century.”

A lot of work has also be done behind the scenes by Councillor Paul Stevens (Widemarsh).