Congratulations to Councillor Phil Edwards on becoming Hereford's 632nd Lord Mayor.

I am confused as we are told that we cannot put plastic lids in the recycle bins but its plastic? and also not allowed to put polythene bags either yet I noticed that a lot of people still use the polythene bags when their bins are full and the bin men take these and throw them onto the recycle refuse truck?

Carpet Fitting Service - Dave James Tel 07765504746 or 01432 851397

New Carpets Supplied - Old Carpets Re-Fitted - Free Quotes!

During the latter part of 2012, Colin James invited Hereford Times Posters to register with Belmont Voice. For one reason or another, I became the only blogger from the Times to register and take part in your wonderful social platform.

Three things struck me when I first visited these pages. Firstly, you all are part of a truly wonderful tool that allows you to discuss and resolve the issues that directly affect your neighbourhood. Secondly, Megilleland was here who I know is a prolific blogger and thirdly and finally, how lucky you all were to have Councillors regularly contributing to your discussions.

In this day and age, it's no easy task to get elected Councillors to emerge from their burrows and say something that might come back to bite them, yet, Belmont Voice was fortunate to have two Councillors, namely Bridges and Powell who contributed toward the issues affecting their constituents.

In the case of Councillor Glenda Powell, I was astonished at how much she contributed toward her community and this social forum and its fair to say that I have always been impressed by her dedication, her hard working ethic and her willingness to address any problem and give it her best shot.

You might be thinking, ' sounds like this fool Bobby47 is a close friend of Councillor Powell's. Well, truly and truthfully, I've never met this Councillor, I've no idea whether or not she and I would share the same political values and I've no idea whether she and I could become friends.

However, what I do know is that for the past twelve months, bloggers on the Hereford Times have been objecting to our current ruling elite and we desperately wanted to find Councillors who spoke their mind, were not afraid to emerge from their burrows and could evidence that they worked hard for their constituents.

During my visits to these pages I have genuinely been impressed with the industry and hard working ethic of Councillor Powell and her willingness to grasp a stinging nettle and do something. Not talk about it. Not hold a meeting. Not waffle and flower things up that are meaningless and of no help, but to actually, get on and do the job.

It seems to me that Councillor Glenda Powell displays all the attributes of a public servant who gives her very best and she deserves a little help and recognition for her hard work.

Why am I mentioning all this? Well, through rumour, the grapevine and some inside knowledge, I have learned that some Councillors have orchestrated a complaint against Councillor Powell. Apparently, because of an issue relating to an old thread of news on BV sanctions are being sought to reprimand Councillor Powell because she took hold of a complaint by a constituent, she ran with it, did something which was to the annoyance of her fellow Council colleagues and failed to follow protocols.

Some might say this has been done because Councillor numbers are to be reduced and by getting rid of Councillor Powell it's one less Councillor to cull and safeguards the survival of others.

Me? I think all of this has been done in haste. I think those who have wielded the knife may feel that their actions were somewhat hasty and unwise.

Whatever the reasons, I would like those involved to end this farce and concentrate on the issues that are important to us all. Holding this bloody Council to account for all the money they have wasted on gimmicks and pointless schemes that have brought about our fiscal ruin.

In an effort to support Councillor Powell , I respectfully request that all the Belmont Voice Posters who have reason to be grateful to her contribution to this forum and her constituency, you simply note this message and state that you appreciate her hard work.

My very warmest regards to you all.

Well to be fair, credit where credit is due, I was walking along the Great Western Way earlier today and was pleasantly surprised to see this.

Remember this lot?


Well this is how it looks today, beautiful in comparison.

HEREFORDSHIRE Council will not renew its contract with highway and parks partner Amey, it was announced this morning.

The local authority said a 12 month tendering process will now begin ahead of the Amey contract ending next summer.

The new company would be involved in various projects, possibly including the much-talked-about city bypass.

Geoff Hughes, the Council’s director for places and communities, said the authority wants to provide the best value for money, adding there is nothing stopping Amey from applying for the new contract.

More here;

http://www.herefordt...abs/?ref=twtrec

Meeting dates for the forthcoming year are agreed at the Annual Parish Council meeting which is held in May each year.

For 2013-4, the following dates have been agreed:

​I have added all of these dates to our Community Calendar, which you can download or subscribe to here

2013
27th June - Belmont
8th August - Northolme
19th September - Belmont
31st October - Northolme
12th December - Belmont

2014
23rd January - Northolme
6th March - Belmont
17th April - Northolme
29th May - Belmont

Community Cyber Cafe at Hereford Academy

I called in at the Hereford Academy and noticed a useful facility of benefit to those of us over 18 years of age and may want to get computer literate.

The Cyber Cafe is open to the public five days a week at various times when you can use computers free of charge to read and send emails, shop on-line, search for a job, write letters, practice your IT skills, tax your car or do just about anything on-line. You can also follow a course through the Cyber Cafe even if you are a beginner.

Opening times do vary but include at least two or more evenings per week. There is no need to book, but we recommend you call the Cyber Cafe on 01432 373575 or e-mail community@theherefordacademy.org.uk to check availability.

Opening hours from 3rd June 2013

Monday: 9.30am to 1pm & 3.30pm to 5.30pm

Tuesday: 9.30am to 5.00pm

Wednesday: 9.30 to 12 noon (tutor available) & 12 noon to 5pm

Thursday: 3pm to 5pm & 5pm to 7pm (tutor available)

Friday: 9.30am to 1pm

Please find attached the minutes from the parish council meeting held on 4th April 2013

Minutes 04:04:13.pdf

Please find attached the minutes from the parish council meeting held on 21st February 2013

Minutes 21:02:13.pdf

Please find attached the minutes from the parish council meeting held on 17th January 2013

Minutes 17:01:13.pdf

Community Update from Superintendent Ivan Powell, West Mercia Police concerning stabbing incident at Broxash Drive 16th May 2013

As the policing commander for Herefordshire I think it is important that I communicate clearly with local residents following the events of this afternoon, the 16th May 2013.

At approximately 1525 on Thursday 16th May 2013 we received a telephone call from the ambulance service telling us they were responding to a report of two men who had been stabbed. We have established that this occurred in a private address in Broxash Drive, Hereford.

A significant number of police resources were deployed to the location. These resources included firearms officers, plain clothes and uniform response officers and dog units.

At around 15:40 only 15 minutes after the call, two men were located at a private address in

Golden Post Hereford where one was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. After a short stand, off another man was arrested at the same location.

This was a fast moving investigation that required the deployment a significant number of police resources. I would like to re-iterate some key messages:

• We have two men in custody, and there is no longer any threat to the community.

• Those arrested are believed to be known to the injured men.

• We have significant policing resources committed to investigative interviewing, forensic investigation, crime scene searches and house to house enquiries.

I would like to thank the local communities in Hereford for their understanding and support during this police operation.

Whilst the identity of the injured men is known to some members of the community, police will only be confirming these identities in due course. Whilst both men were seriously assaulted, their respective conditions are not believed to be life threatening. We are providing support to them and their families at this time.

It is important for me to acknowledge that these were very serious incidents, but please be reassured there is no longer a threat to the community of Herefordshire.

Members of the public who believe that they have information that may be relevant to the police investigation are to contact West Mercia Police on 101 and ask for officers at Hereford, or please approach any of my staff who will be patrolling your areas whilst they conduct house to house enquiries over the next few days.

There is a load of timber which has been dumped behind the electric sub station which I reported to the council a few weeks ago, but nothing has been done so far. On Monday I asked some Amey operatives who were emptying the waste bins in the street if they would move it, but they said it would be Herefordshire Housing's responsibility. Herefordshire Housing estate manager obviously doesn't do a regular walkabout otherwise he would have seen this. This is the rubbish the kids are throwing around every day.

It did not take long for our Hereford Bull to get dolled up

I have received the following update from West Mercia Police Superintendent Ivan Powell, They have given me permission to put it onto both mine and South Wye Voice to reassure members of the public.

Community update - Operation Dante - from Superintendent Ivan Powell.

As the policing commander for Herefordshire I remain committed to keeping you all informed following the events on the afternoon of the 2nd April 2013. In this update I have retained some of the original information to ensure continuity of understanding of how events unfolded, and how our investigations are progressing.

 

Operation dante is the operational name allocated by us to the investigation of the two stabbings.

The way in which events unfolded is as follows:

 

At approximately 3.42pm on Tuesday 2nd April 2013 we received a telephone call from the ambulance service telling us they were responding to a report of a man who had been stabbed in Marshall Close, Hereford.

 

At approximately 3.51pm a telephone call from a member of the public requested emergency services attend Hunderton Road, Hereford to assist with another man who had also been stabbed.

 

A significant number of police resources were deployed to both locations. these resources included firearms officers, plain clothes and uniformed response officers, dog units and regional helicopter.

 

At around 4.12pm only 30 minutes after the first call, two people were arrested at the Oval on suspicion of attempted murder. At 4.50pm two further people were arrested inthe Almeley area, and at 5.05pm a final person was arrested in the Almeley area. In totality within two hours of the time of the first incident reported, all five people suspected to have been involved were arrested.

 

This was an extremely fast moving investigation that required the deployment of a significant number of police resources. I would like to re-iterate some keys messages:

. These two incidents were linked and contained very swiftly.

. Five people were very quickly arrested eliminating any ongoing threat to the community.

. Those people arrested are not believed to be known to the injured men.

. We continue to have significant policing resources committed to the investigation, currently

concentrating on forensic investigations and reviewing all the information gathered by us,

including cctv footage and a number of witness statements. The majority of our house to house

enquiries have now concluded. Clearly a hugely important and substantial task for investigators

now is the compilation of the file of evidence.

 

I would like to thank all local communities in Hereford and Almley for their continuing understanding and support during this police operation.

 

Many of you will know the identity of the injured men, at this time we the police, are not overly confirming their identity simply to give them and their families the time and space in which to recover from their dreadful ordeals. Our thoughts are with them, and my officers remain in close contact. I am pleased to be able to report that one of the injured men has been released from hospital and he is resting and recovering at home.

 

It is important for me to acknowledge that theses were very serious incidents, but please be reassured that they are very rare, and there is no longer a threat to the community of Herefordshire

 

Clearly as I have indicated earlier our investigations has progressed significantly and I am now able to pass on some of that detail, Again whilst the identities of those involved in the commission of the offense may well of been revealed by other sources of information, now they have been charged with offenses I necessarily will not be disclosing their details myself.

 

On Friday 5th April 2013 (with the agreement of the Crown Prosecution Service) charged a man in connection with the two stabbings.

He is a 47-year-old man from Peterborough and he appeared before before Hereford Magistrates Court during that afternoon charged with encouraging or assisting in the commission of indictable offences, believing that one or more will be committed ( under the serious crime act 2007)

 

The charge is in direct relation to the attacks on the two men in Westfailing Street and on the footpath between Golden Post and the Belmont estate on Tuesday afternoon (2 April)

He has also been charged with a burglary which took place at a house in Kington on the same day (2 April)

He appeared before Hereford magistrates Court for a second time during the morning of Monday 8th April 2013 at which time he was remanded in custody and is now in prison awaiting his trial.

A woman in her 30s, who was also arrested in connection with the stabbings, was detained on the 4th April 2013, under section 2 of the Mental Health Act and taken to a secure unit outside Herefordshire where she is being assessed and remains.

At this time, we are happy that the three other men, all from Kington Herefordshire, who were arrested over the knife attacks, had no direct involvement with the stabbings and have been released without charge in relation to those offenses.

However one of them, a 42-year-old man, has been charged with handling stolen goods in connection with the Kington burglary and has been bailed to appear before Herefords Magistrate Court at a later date.

A second 47-year-old man has been granted bail pending further inquiries into assisting an offended wanted by Cambridgeshire police and also for handling stolen goods in connection with the Kington burglary.

A 43-year-old man has been released on police bail in relation to the offense of handling stolen goods,in connection with the same burglary.

 

As I have previously explained we have many officers committed to the investigation where we uncovered information leading us to suspect others of criminal offenses we will pursue them. I am sure this gives confidence to you all that we are professionally investigating all aspects of both the stabbings and the related matters we have uncovered. I will re-emphasis the point that we are entirely happy that we have arrested the offenders for the stabbing offenses, and no threat to the community now remains. To demonstrate this point I can also tell you that officers carrying out inquiries into the burglary at Kington arrested two more people during the afternoon of Friday 5th April 2013 - a man and a woman in the Belmont area of the city, also on suspicion of handling property stolen during the burglary. They have also been released on police bail whilst our inquiries into them and their criminal activities continue.

 

It remains for me to conclude by re-iterating the point that members of the public who believe they may have information relevant to any aspects of our ongoing investigation to contact West Mercia Police on 101 and ask for officers at Hereford, or please approach any of my staff who will be patrolling your areas whilst they continue with reassurance and high level visibility patrolling over the next few days.

I thought I would tell you of my complaint to First Group concerning the 74 bus service:

Sent 16th February

"Experienced the local bus service last night. We arrived at 9.55pm to catch the 10.05pm departure from the bus station at Tesco, along with 12 other passengers, to travel on the 74 service to Newton Farm - which then failed to arrive. We would have to wait another hour for the next bus at 11.05pm which together with the travelling time of 15mins to Newton Farm meant that we would have got home nearly one and half hours later. Not a good advert for using buses. This happens quite regularly on this service and the £6.70 taxi fare didn't help either".

 

First Group acknowledged 17th February:

"Thank you for contacting us. We aim to respond to all enquiries within 14 working days, but hope to respond sooner. If you have not heard from us within this time, please accept our apologies and contact us by phone on the number shown on our website".

 

First Group replied 25th February:

"Thank you for contacting First and I apologise for the delay in getting back to you

 

Your comments have been passed to the Depot Manager for investigation where the service will be looked into and the driver concerned identified and interviewed. As soon as we have had a response, we will be in touch as soon as possible. This can take 7-10 working days".

 

Follow up reply 20th March:

Thank you for your contact regarding the issue you faced with the No.74 service on 16 February and I apologise for the delay in my response.

 

Running our buses on time is one of our key priorities as it is vitally important that customers are able to plan their journey knowing that their service will arrive as advertised in the timetable. We are working strenuously to reduce delays and have intensified our monitoring processes to identify late or early running buses and understand underlying causes. Our buses also benefit from a remote satellite tool so that we can properly monitor their movements and take corrective action to ensure adherence to the timetable.

 

Having re-investigated your comments with the depot, they have checked the records onboard the vehicle and confirm that on the date in question, the driver was still issuing tickets in the Bus Station at 2204hrs and has not left the stop before the scheduled time of 2205hrs. On this occasion, we are unable to uphold your complaint".

 

My response 24th March:

Thank you for your reply which was rather disappointing. I can assure you that myself and at least 12 other people were waiting for that last bus on the night in question. However in view that the computer says the bus was standing in the bus station at the correct time it must have been a ghost bus!

 

I cannot be bothered to continue arguing the toss with your company and accept that your company will continue to run the Hereford 74/74A bus service as you see fit and not for the benefit of your customers.

 

Thank you

 

Martin Gilleland

 

PS: My partner returned from Malvern on Thursday 21st March had to wait for 74 bus for nearly an hour between 3.30pm and 4.30pm before getting home.

Does anyone else experience missing buses from the timetable?