Just for info a fair few landies are being stolen at the moment particularly Defenders and the old series. Another one was stolen last night in Much Cowerne Vehicle Reg:K319KEX

New wards

Herefordshire is currently divided into 53 wards represented by 53 councillors. You can find maps of all the new wards HERE

Dear Councillors and Parish Clerks,

I would like to take this opportunity to let you all know that I have been appointed as the Locality Steward for the Hereford City South Locality.  I love working in Hereford City and I hope that I can make a difference.

Please see below an update on work carried out this week in the locality:

The sink hole on Folly Lane just before the traffic lights – This  has been fix and  I will keep an eye on this.

Works that have been carried out by the reactive teams in the last week:

Saxon Gate

• Norton Avenue Re set Kerb  5

Eign Hill

• 10mm Wearing Course 1 sq. meter

Hinton and Hunderton

•  Remove Mud / 100 meter
•  Drybridge Walk   Remove Mud / Spoil 100 meter

Newton Farm 

• Empty Overflowing Bin 1

Some of the matters I have been involved with this week include  :

• Carried out driven statutory inspections
• Closed footpath HER18 running from the sewage works to HER17 ( This will remain closed for the foreseeable future)
• Enquiries 
• Drop Crossing  application

Please feel free to ring or email me at any time and I will be happy to help. Have a lovely weekend.

Many thanks 

Matthew Heeley 

Matthew Heeley

Acting Locality Steward Hereford City South| Balfour Beatty | Services | Living Places

I Have telephoned Herefordshire Council this morning on the number listed Tel 260500. Automated answer, (which really bugs me because now I am paying to listen to their silly messages) I waited over 14 minutes and all I kept hearing was a message saying a customer service representative will be with your shortly, alternatively I can go to their website. I waited and waited, eventually after 18 minutes I hung up in frustration. 18 minutes!! This is a joke it really is.

I have had to send a letter of complaint to Herefordshire council as they tried to close the Housing Solutions Team early on Monday and were potentially turning homeless people away unlawfully....for anyone interested here's my letter of complaint plase feel free to ask any sensible questions...anything unconnected to the topic or about me personaly will be reported to Colin so please behave fairly and sensibly or leave my post alone:

Dear Christine,

I write further to my telephone-call and I confirm that I wish to complain about the fact, that I found the Housing Solutions service closed early on Monday and people presenting to Franklin House were being told by untrained and inexperienced receptionists to return the following day (see link to my Facebook page:)

.https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10203943757248913&set=a.10203942151368767.1073741832.1071611993&type=1

I noted that after having taken the photo, four members of the Housing Solutions team, managed to come down and clear the back-log of people waiting to use the Housing solutions Service, so it is clear to me that the sticker should never have been placed on the machine.

I also wish to complain about Kevin Badham approaching me outside of Franklin House to demand why I took a photo of the sticker.  My personal business has nothing to do with Mr Badham or any other member of the Housing Solutions Team and I would have preferred it, if he had left me alone especially as I was busy supporting a homeless person outside of your building.  It should be remembered that I no longer make direct contact with your colleagues from the Housing Solutions Team because of the complaint that is with the LGO and also because Mr Hughes has asked me not too.  So I cannot for the life of me, understand why Kevin would approach me, unless he intended to provoke me and belittle me in front of members of the public.  If that was indeed his intention, then he succeeded and it was for that reason I told him to, "Shut up and go away from me."
 
This kind of behaviour by the Housing solutions Team is outrageous, wrong and indicative of everything that is rotten with this service.  As I pointed out to the receptionists yesterday, if someone vulnerable had read that sticker, they would have probably left and returned to the streets or to some other place that was unsuitable, life threatening or down right dangerous to live-in.  And your organisation would be responsible in part for any DEATH that would have happened.

I want something done about the Housing Solutions Service and I want it done quickly because they have proved themselves to once again be unfit for purpose and I should not be having to micro-manage this service, especially as I am untrained, uninsured and ill equipped to police them.

I will be happy to have a full written apology from Collette and Kevin and I would like a letter of thanks from Helen and Geoff for once again, having saved Herefordshire Council from breaking the law and being involved in unsavoury and potentially life-threatening practices.

Yours truly,

Phil Smart  

Does the Tupsley Community Group now own the old "Whitehouse Pub" up at Whittern Way?? Or is it owned by some other group??

I ask, because it is an absolute eye sore....a magnet for vandalism and appears to have been empty for months if not years with no clear plan for what it's future holds. I had a conversation today the gist of which was the good folks who run The Cock Of Tupsley very successfully, have enquired about buying it, as they would like to re open it, and run it as an extension to their thriving business.

No. Was the answer. Apparently just one person gets to say "No". No committee meeting, no vote, just one persons say so.(Who does that remind you of???)

So whoever does own this.....either get it tidied up, and open....or let someone else do it!!!

Letting it fall into an even greater state of disrepair should not be an option!

Following on from Ian R Crane's excellent lecture on Fracking in Hereford earlier this year and the activity down in Balcombe, West Sussex where Cuadrilla are drilling for shale gas this latest video - Ian R Crane: The UK's Fracking Nightmare spells out the dangers and special interests of those involved. An excellent insight into how fracking came about and how it could affect our water supplies in the future.

The above mentioned, has finally been taken over by a family and will continue its path as a going concern. It is not making huge profits but nor is it losing money. It is not being changed into a care home which was the major concern, neither will it turn into an Indian sit down restaurant.

Maybe it will get a overhaul of the rather drab interior though?

Best wishes to the new owners and no doubt I'll see you soon.

I have arranged a public meeting, mainly for the residents of Hunderton but for anyone who is worried about using the Great Western Way at the moment, with the police, at the Kindle Centre on Thursday at 7pm.

Officers investigating the recent murder, and related matters will be attending, along with the local police commander, Supt Sue Thomas and the local south wye police team. The police will give as much information as they can about this investigation, and will answer questions from the public.

This is another opportunity for anyone who thinks they may have any information, however slight,to give to the police and also an opportunity to discuss latest plans for CCTV on the Great Western Way.

Richard Hadley has asked the question on Facebook so I will ask the question on Hereford Voice.  Does anybody know if anybody or  any organisation is arranging to send contributions to CalAid,

Please note this forum is not for a discussion on the rights or wrongs of the situation it is merely asking a question.   

Sorry this old chestnut but can anyone tell me if they have noticed a change in the phasing of the traffic lights near the butchers at the St.Owen Street/Bath Street/Mill Street Junction.

I came out of St.Owen Street today and moved over to the right hand side as I was heading towards the Fire Station on the left.

Normally the lights go green with a filter first for the left hand lane only today that was missing. Unfortunately the lack of white line definition these days means that some vehicles new to the area may feel that they can drive on from the left hand side and this was demonstrated today with a non local trade van driving across from the left blasting his horn at all the bemused drivers on the right including me.

Has the phasing changed anyone?

I ain't paying it anymore. What's the point paying for something that you ain't getting. If I went to my local Fishmonger and said, 'A Kilo of your finest Cornish Clams my good man' and I then paid the sum of money required and he suddenly went all quiet refusing to hand me my Clams, I'd be within my rights to kick off and shout, 'You thieving Barstard of a Fishmonger. Give me my Clams'.

That's the way of business. Two agents. One the Seller and me the customer and if one ain't getting what the other is required to hand over then its not a financial transaction you'd ever wish to repeat.

This bloody Council have an agreement with you and I. In return for our money, the very least they can do is cut me bloody grass, clean me streets and empty me bloody bins and that's it. Nothing else. It's all very straightforward as far as I can see and if, as a result of fiscal difficulties, their money pot is slightly down then they should start culling the suits until there is enough money made available to deliver the things that they agreed to provide us.

So I ain't paying them a penny piece more. They can dispatch me to Gloucester Prison and it'll be of no concern to me. I'll happily languish there without a single care in the world. And when they open the cell door and say, 'Your three months us up. Out you go', I'll say, 'Clear Off I ain't coming out. I enjoy being buggared every time I venture down into the shower block'.

Im serious! I ain't paying it anymore. Why pay for something you ain't getting and by the looks of it, you won't be getting ever again.

I don't want to fuel a team of Council employees investigating the mysteries of Carbon Emissions, Democratic Services, Drugs and Alcohol services, Reducing Crime and promoting Road bloody Safety and all the 'Partnership' gibberish they shovel out proclaiming its saved me millions. I want my bloody grass cut. Nothing else.

I ain't paying them anymore money. I've got absolutely no problem at all in facing the consequences of my actions. They and I are done! I no longer wish to involve myself in a financial transaction with them.

Not while I've got a repeat prescription for diazepam and the ability to still think for myself.

Following on from Bobby47's recent post entitled "Imagine the good we could do..."

http://www.herefordvoice.co.uk/topic/1636-imagine-the-good-we-could-do/

A disturbing leak has been made to Wikileaks in response to the offer of a bounty for internal documents, information which has until now been withheld as top secret.

"Written to pick winners and losers..." what has been released so far is just one chapter from a total of 29, referring to medicines, big Pharma, etc.

There is a lot more to this...  food safety, jobs being moved offshore, file downloads being criminalised and monitored by ISPs.  But one large plank of it is the power that these crooks are grabbing for themselves.  This has taken decades, but we're fast approaching the point where if these bullying corps see a threat to their future profits, national sovereignty can be overriden and whole countries will be bullied into complying with the billionaire owners and controllers of these offensive collections of human beings.

• The people of Scotland could be sued for not allowing fracking.

• The people of Canada could be sued for not allowing genetically modified food.

So.... bullying bankers and employers have moved on.

Now, they're not not just picking on disabled employees, trade union reps, safety reps or contractors.

They're picking a fight with democratically elected governments in their greed and lust for money and power.

You have to ask the BIG question now.....  WHY should I vote for anybody in May 2015 if the power of our politicians is being taken away???

AND...  WHO THE HELL allowed this to come about?  I'd suggest the mega-crooks Blair and Mandelson played an important part in it during their thirteen years of treachery, abuse and self-enrichment.

And also Cameron and Osborne during the past five years.

I think that the Eye Hospital moved to the County Hospital some 10+ years ago and for the last few years there had been a large advertising board outside the premises suggesting the the Retirement Building Company , McCarthy and Stone we're going to build retirement flats on the site after obtaining planning permission to knock the building down - appears that they have given up trying to obtain the required permission.
Drove past this morning , the McCathy and Stone board was down and a new one exhibited in its place stating that the building was For Sale . Appears that the building will remain empty for the foreseeable future.

I think this is a bad idea, no doubt a tory thing to help their business mates get even more money so they can give even more money to the Tory party.

I am not religious, but I think it would be nice if we could do without going shopping for at least one day a week. With 24 hour shopping and online shopping, surly we do not need even more hours for people to shop.

People are forced to work sundays in stores these days, certainly when they start the new job, it is you work sunday because that is the way it is or you do not have a job.

I work Sundays, while I was not forced into it as such in that I would lose my job, the way things was worded was not nice.

Dear Councillors and Parish Clerks,

Please see below an update on work carried out this week in the locality:

Sink hole on Folly Lane just before the traffic lights -  I am sorting the work out and we will be done as soon as we can.

National Grid are going to reinstate the patches on Belmont Road and I will keep you updated on this.

Works that have been carried out by the reactive teams in the last week:

Hinton and Hunderton

• Remove Mud / Spoil 200 Metres
• Drybridge Walk 100.00 Linear Metres
• RIVER WYE CYCLEPATH  Tree crowning

Saxon Gate

• Walton Close Re set Kerb  1

Some of the matters I have been involved with this week include  

• Carried out driven statutory inspections
• Closed footpath HER18 running from the sewage works to HER17 ( This will remain closed for the foreseeable future)
• Walk inspections Lower Bullingham
• Sink hole on Folly Lane 

Please feel free to ring or email me any time and I will be happy to help, have a lovely weekend.

Many thanks 

Matthew Heeley 

Matthew Heeley

Acting Locality Steward Hereford City South| Balfour Beatty | Services | Living Places

Demolition company has been on the site for two weeks

I thought I was being a bit clever by going in for a haircut (West Street) as the kids' don't go back for a week or so. Wrong! Massive Q ..... Had to wait for 30 minutes today ..... Just a timely reminder NOT to try it the weekend after next! 

Highlight today was a woman driving in on her mobility scooter with, I presume her grandson, or great grandson, and getting totally annoyed as the place was full! She then put the machine into reverse and left .....