Leader of Herefordshire Council strives for continuity across the Cabinet portfolios 

Councillor Jonathan Lester, Leader of Herefordshire Council, has announced changes to Cabinet and support members today.

The Leader will continue to direct the council’s corporate policy and strategy and have overall budget responsibility. Councillor Roger Phillips will support the Leader’s national relationships, such as with the Local Government Association and County Council Network. Councillor Tony Johnson will support the Leader’s regional relationships, such as with the Midlands Engine.

Councillor Nigel Shaw will step up to Deputy Leader and represent the Leader of the Council in his absence. This will be in addition to his role as Cabinet Member for Finance, Housing and Corporate Services with a breadth of responsibility from leading the revenue and capital budget setting process, to wide-ranging corporate issues such as legal and democratic services, human resources and health and safety.

The Cabinet Member for Young People and Children’s Wellbeing will be Councillor Elissa Swinglehurst, who will focus on her responsibility for children and young people’s wellbeing, safeguarding, education and attainment.

Councillor David Harlow will continue as Cabinet Member for Economy and Communications with a focus on economic development and regeneration, and will now be supported by Councillor Jon Johnson.

Councillor Jonathan Lester, Leader of Herefordshire Council, said:

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“Cabinet changes have been kept to a minimum to reflect the good work achieved by Members in the lead up to my election as Leader of the Council. I would like to welcome Councillor Swinglehurst to Cabinet, filling my previous role as Cabinet Member for Young People and Children’s Wellbeing. She is committed to keeping children and young people safe and giving them the best start in life and I look forward to seeing her leadership across the range of council children’s services.”

The full list of Cabinet Members and their support members as of 13 March 2018:

Councillor Jonathan Lester Leader of the Council / Corporate strategy and budget

National external liaison support: Councillor Roger Phillips

Regional external liaison support: Councillor Tony Johnson

Councillor Nigel Shaw

Deputy Leader / Finance, housing and corporate services
 

Councillor Harry Bramer 

Contracts and assets
 

Councillor David Harlow 

Economy and communications
 

Economy and communications support member: Councillor Jon Johnson

Councillor Paul Rone 

Health and wellbeing

Councillor Philip Price 

Infrastructure

Councillor Barry Durkin
Transport and regulatory services

Councillor Elissa Swinglehurst

Young people and children’s wellbeing

Young people and children’s wellbeing support member: Councillor Jenny Hyde

Some residents will see changes to their waste collection day from 18 March

There will be changes to the waste collection day or week for many Herefordshire residents from Monday 18 March.

Collection times across the county could be affected, so everyone’s bins should be put outside by 6.30am on collection day, or the evening before.

Herefordshire Council will write directly to residents who will see a change to their collection day, the majority of which are around the Ross and Ledbury areas.

Herefordshire Council has been working with FCC Environment to make collection routes more efficient, and to prevent missed collections. Very few changes to collection routes have been made since 2014 but many new properties have been built across the county since then so changes are needed. Collection areas have been grouped together to ensure that all the waste in that area is collected on one day, rather than over several days.

In the long term, this will mean that we reduce vehicle emissions and save fuel. The time saving also means there will be more flexibility to cope with seasonal changes in the amount of waste and recycling being collected, and create more capacity to allow for future housing developments.

Residents can check their bin collection days, download a collection calendar and find answers to further questions online at www.herefordshire.gov.uk/bincollection

Mrs Ubique has just phoned our Doctor to make an appointment which is not classed as urgent but needs to be seen fairly quickly . Some members will know that a couple of months ago she had surgery at the County.

The first available appointment they can offer her is the 26th July !

We are now driving upto the Drop in Centre at Asda - if she has to wait a couple of hours it's better that over 2 weeks.

The Secretary of State for Transport has confirmed the compulsory purchase and side road orders for the southern link road in Hereford.

The southern link road, which will be constructed from the A49 to the A465 and linking to the B4349 Clehonger Road, will provide easier access to the Hereford Enterprise Zone, and looks to reduce congestion on current routes and increase capacity at key junctions, bringing significant improvement especially to the Belmont and Lower Bullingham areas.

The construction of the new road will commence later this year when the necessary statutory process are completed and will be complemented by improved walking and cycling routes so that residents can make healthier choices about how they travel.

The confirmation of the orders has been received following the outcome of a public inquiry held in late October / early November 2018.

Copies of the confirmed orders and associated plans will be available to view from Thursday 21 March 2019 at Blueschool House in Hereford, HR1 2LX.  There is the opportunity to appeal the validity of the orders or the decision-making process (not the decision). Any appeal must be submitted by 16 May 2019.

It's coming up to 18 months since scaffolding appeared at the front of town hall, surely on such a significant building in Hereford this should have been sorted by now.

This and the scaffolding in high town my walk into town was pretty depressing & made worse by Talk Talk canvassers preying on every single person in their sight including me.

Does anyone know where this will be situated? I've heard conflicting things. One friend has said it's going in the former Lakeland shop on commercial street and another has said it's going in the former poundworld shop at the Brooks retail park. More entry level employment opportunities can only be good for Hereford 

Jobs advertised here

Two new businesses will be opening soon in the building formerly occupied by Chadds.

Coco Nail Bar is due to open this Friday and a new Barber Shop will also open soon just next door in Commercial Street.

Hereford's largest independent department store Chadds closed in June 2008 after trading in Hereford for almost 80 years.

Many Voice regulars will remember Dave Benjamin, Hereford Butter Market’s long-time fishmonger and tireless Its Our County councillor. It is hard to believe that he died eight years ago at the age of 56. I attended his funeral, held in Hereford Cathedral, and was impressed by his chutzpah in requesting John Lennon’s Imagine to be played for the coffin’s departure. 

The council’s cabinet (plus supporting ‘suits’) were there in force that day, doubtless celebrating the demise of one of the leading members of IOC’s Awkward Brigade. And of course they had the last laugh. When a modest brass memorial plaque (sponsored by marker stallholders) was fixed to a back wall of the Butter Market, Hereford Council approved the location of a cash dispenser directly in front of it.

Memories of The Admirable Fishmonger came coursing back to me recently when I drove past the semi-derelict hulk of Victoria House on Whitecross Road. I realised that it was almost a decade ago that Dave (backed by his St Nicholas Ward supporters) campaigned vociferously for this former residence of the Victoria Eye Hospital’s Chief Surgeon to be rescued and refurbished for the benefit of the local community. From then until now, it has lain abandoned and neglected and is now perilously close to the point of extinction. Yet Herefordshire Council just sits and watches. Doubtless Victoria House will soon be demolished, to make way for yet more student accommodation for the new university.

Travelling around Hereford by bicycle will soon become easier, thanks to the introduction of a bike share scheme in the city

Herefordshire Council has partnered with scheme operator Beryl, for a two year contract to provide bike share across Hereford.

The scheme will be launched in Summer 2019, with bikes distributed at key destinations across the city.

The bikes will be available for hire via the Beryl App, which lets users find a bike and then easily unlock it, simply using their smartphone. The App will be available for download on the Apple app store for iPhone, and the Google Play Store for Android users.

Users will be informed of the location of ‘Beryl Bays’, the preferred parking locations to leave the bikes. However, the scheme is designed with flexibility in mind and will allow users to park the bikes elsewhere for an extra charge, provided they are safely within the scheme area.

There is no initial or ongoing cost to the council and Beryl will be responsible for supplying the bikes as well as management and maintenance of the service.

Beryl is a partner to the London bike share scheme and has experience operating two corporate dockless bike share schemes in London and recently announced a scheme in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole. Beryl is accredited with CoMoUK, which is the agreed standard of best practice for the industry.

Marc Willimont, Acting Assistant Director for Regulatory Environment and Waste Herefordshire Council, said:

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“The bike share scheme is a welcome addition to the other active travel options offered through our Choose How you Move project. Bike share will give more people the opportunity to make short journeys in and across the city by bike, helping to reduce congestion and support increased activity levels.”

Philip Ellis, chief operating officer at Beryl, added:

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“We are looking forward to bringing out expertise in bike share to Hereford and opening up cycling to more people. We believe in the power of bringing private and public sector together to collaborate on common goals such as getting more people to choose active transport.”

Hereford's main Post Office in High Town will be operating from inside WHSmith from next month from April 11th.

The existing Post Office on St Peter's Street, will close.

Plans have already been submitted for new signage here

Council Friday 8 March 2019 10.00 am

Agenda item no. 6 - Questions from members of the council

Question Number: MQ 1

Questioner
Councillor PJ Edwards, Newton Farm

Question
In the absence of an accurate response to my question put to Council meeting 12th October 2018 regards the BBLP contract and selling of Grounds Equipment, please may all Members be informed of vehicles and machines which Herefordshire Council own in relation to the BBLP contract?

Question to
Cabinet member transport and regulatory services

Response:
The query that you raised in relation to the Leader’s report to Council in October did not receive an inaccurate response. Your query, as recorded in the minutes, was whether Balfour Beatty Living Places (BBLP) would be able to deliver their responsibilities to maintain the council’s open spaces and verges given that it was understood that they had sold the equipment they owned required for these tasks and would therefore be reliant on third party contractors. The response confirmed that BBLP remained contracted to deliver this work, which is
the case. A further query requested confirmation of the amount of money raised from the sale of equipment; this information was provided on 29 October 2018 (for ease of reference the amount was £21,548.40).

As you will appreciate there is a significant amount of machinery and vehicles the council owns in relation to the BBLP contract; rather than produce a lengthy list here I would ask any member wishing to inspect the relevant asset register to email Laura.Lloyd@herefordshire.gov.uk who will be able to assist.

Be interesting to see who is cutting what grass - BBLP, Council. Hereford Housing and/or private contractors. We get all of these in Muir Close during the year.
 

Letter in Hereford Times - 10th March 2019

ON a recent visit to the County Hospital I was surprised find half of the main car park covered with portable medical units. After waiting a while for a space to park my car, I managed to arrive for my appointment on time. I guess that part of this problem is due to the demolition of the old huts to make room for the new building.

But is the hospital going to be able to cope in the future with the population increasing due to the building of hundreds of new homes, which many could be people retiring, and wishing to settle in our beautiful county? Who can blame them? And they in many instances in become involved. with local activities.

In order to earmark land should the hospital need it, the land that comes to mind is the bus station. Move the bus station to next to the rail station. The new Group Surgery could occupy part of what has been the bus station.

The proposed new university could be built at Rotherwas with a rail link to the main line which is close by and students would be able to travel to Barry Court Station.

This may even help people travelling on the A49 who wish to get to the Aylestone side of the city park and ride, and. arrive at Barrs Court and then complete their journey on foot or by bus.

This is just a thought, our leaders will do their best for our city we hope.

Ed Thompson

A Hereford woman has won £125,000 on TV's 'Who Wants to be a Millionaire'

Katy Chambers, a human resources officer, won £125,000 this week on the show hosted by Jeremy Clarkson.

A little while back I decide to email a number of MP’s about my concerning regarding their behaviour towards Brexit...so today I revived my first & only response  so far from Yvette Cooper which I have to admit my surprise at.

she was asking in the email if I would take part in a survey regarding Brexit with a link to said survey....below is a copy of my email to Yvette & her response to said email also with the link for anyone wanting to take part in her survey 

In the Hereford Times today:
 

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Campaign hopes to tackle litter by making it socially unacceptable

MORE than £1m of taxpayers' money is spent on collecting litter and emptying bins but a group of like-minded campaigners want to change this.

The first Herefordshire Litter Forum was held this week and brought together more than 40 pro-active litter picking groups, businesses and organisations

The Stop the Drop Litter Pledge campaign was launched which aims to get at least 100 pledges from individuals, community groups, businesses and schools to organise litter picks around their premises and to promote measures to stop litter being dropped in the first place.

Cllr Barry Durkin, Herefordshire's Council's cabinet member for transport and regulatory services, said at the forum: "It is not a one-off. I want this to be a collaboration and a movement forward and spread it into the community.

"We spend £1m of council taxpayers' money picking up litter and emptying bins which could be spent elsewhere."

Cllr Elissa Swinglehurst has pushed for the council to write to central government to propose a tax on fast food (take away) outlets, confectionary and crisp manufacturers, alcohol and soft drink companies and tobacco companies since these are the main items which are littered. She said the money can then be used to clean and tidy the streets and countryside.

Jane Denny, from Herefordshire Council's Stop the Drop campaign, said the council is aiming to address the problem of littering by educating the public.

She said: "We need to generate a culture where it is not acceptable to drop litter."

She has spoken to 59 assemblies across the county and reached 10,000 young people.

Wendy Harvey regularly carries out litter picks in Grafton Lane. She said: "I have always been amazed at the amount of litter. I can't understand how people do it so regularly when it just makes such a blight everywhere for everybody else."

She said communities are getting fed up of seeing so much litter and groups across the county need to join forces so they do not feel alone in fighting the problem.

Ms Harvey said they need to make dropping litter as socially unacceptable as drink drinking and not picking up dog mess.

Emma Jones from the Hereford Community Clean Up Group spoke about their work around the city. The group regularly goes out and carries out litter picks: they are all volunteers.

Linzy Outrim, from Balfour Beatty Living Places, said Cusop Parish Council agreed to have their litter bins removed which actually reduced the amount of litter as she said people took their litter home with them.

Dave Hough, from the council's community protection team, explained how littering is a criminal offence and there are four enforcement officers. People who drop litter can be fined £80. Officers need to observe the litter being dropped or have credible eye witness accounts. Since April 2017, 37 fixed penalty notices have been issued for littering.

You can plan your own litter pick. To borrow a litter pack call 01432 261800. Go to herefordshire.gov.uk/stopthedrop to find out litter picks in your area and to sign up to the pledge or call 01432 383449.

I hope they have moved those bins in Cusop to a more deserving area.

The sale of Herefordshire Council’s former county office in Bath Street, Hereford has officially completed today (Monday 9 April), with Herefordshire Housing taking ownership of the city centre site.

The site will be re-developed by Herefordshire Housing to create 75 new apartments, including 28 affordable units, within walking distance of Hereford’s historic city centre.

The council office closed in September 2014, when staff moved to alternative buildings in order to reduce the number of council properties across the county.  The property was formally placed on the open market with Gloucester based Bruton Knowles in February 2016, with a sale initially agreed with Herefordshire Housing in September 2016.  The not for profit housing provider has spent the last 18 months developing its proposal and obtaining planning permission, which was granted in February 2018.

PARKING 

| In order to allow building work to commence, the car park located on the Bath Street site will close to the public from Friday 27 April.  To find your nearest alternative car park, please visit the council car parks webpage: http://socsi.in/CB54K

Where are all these people coming from?

Commenting, Lord Green of Deddington, Chairman of Migration Watch UK, said:

The net inflow from the EU is still roughly the size of the British Army despite cries of alarm from industry over Brexit. Meanwhile, non-EU net migration at 248,000 is astonishing. It is the highest for 14 years and the result of the Government's failure to take effective action to reduce it over recent years.

Meanwhile

More British citizens leave the country than arrive

72,000 arrive against 124,000 leave. 

Table 1: Latest Migration Statistics, Year Ending March 2018

                              All Citizenships    British    Non-British    EU             Non-EU
Immigration          614,000                72,000    542,000         226,000     316,000
Emigration            344,000              124,000    219,000         138,000       81,000
Net Migration       271,000              -52,000    323,000          87,000      235,000

10 Key Points on Mass immigration and Population Growth

1.The current scale of migration to the UK, 330,000 a year, of which roughly half is from the EU, is completely unsustainable.

2. As a result of this mass immigration our population is projected to rise by half a million every year – the equivalent of a city the size of Liverpool – for as long as immigration is permitted on the present scale.

3. England is already twice as crowded as Germany and 3.5 times as crowded as France.

4. The additional population growth makes congestion worse and adds to the pressures on public services. This comes at a time when public spending is being reduced.

5. One in four children born in England and Wales is to a foreign born mother. The rise in the number of births has put pressure on NHS maternity services.

6. It has also led to a shortage of school places. 60% of local authorities will have a shortage of primary school places by 2018.

7. The UK has a serious housing crisis. Mass immigration is the main reason for the additional demand. If it continues at current levels, we will need to build 135,000 new homes a year just to house new migrants and their families. This is 370 per day or one home every four minutes.

8. Population growth on this scale renders integration of newcomers virtually impossible.

9. Three quarters of the public want to see immigration reduced and half of them want it cut by a lot.

10. To stop the rapid rise in the UK’s population size, net migration would have to be reduced to well below 100,000 a year. It is currently at over 300,000.

The former job Centre building in Bath St will be the first building to be converted for University use for 100 students at a cost of 3.4 million and will be ready for September 2019.

Architects’ drawings, visualisation and a model of the first academic building will be revealed at a public drop-in session at 6a, St Peter’s Street, Hereford on Friday July 27 between 10.30am and 3.30pm. Members of the NMiTE team and representatives of the architects, Architype, will be on hand to answer questions and discuss the plans before a formal planning application is submitted to Herefordshire Council next month.

This is the result of the above visualisation