Elderly Ross-on-Wye resident was deceived into having unnecessary and expensive roof repair works.

A Bournemouth company, its director and salesman, who targeted an elderly Ross-on-Wye resident, have received fines for unfair trading criminal offences.

Herefordshire Council’s Trading Standards Service took the prosecution case which concluded on Friday 30 April after a three day trial at Hereford Magistrates Court.

The Magistrates found all three defendants guilty of the same charges:

Aggressive practice of carrying out the work two days after the contract was made and failed to give the 78 year old home owner her 14 day cooling off period.

Misleading the consumer into having wholly unnecessary roof cleaning and coating work which ended up damaging the roof.

Misleading the consumer into believing £5640 was a reasonable price for the work when a chartered surveyor stated it was barely worth £1000.

More Than Homes Ltd were ordered to pay £15,000 in fines and £2500 costs.

Director Michael Roche, 45, of Stourview Court in Bournemouth, and salesman Jason Johnson, 46, of Porchester Road, Bournemouth were both fined £500 and £100 costs. The low level fines were simply due to both defendants being on universal credit.Herefordshire Council’s Trading Standards Service Manager, David Hough, said: 

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“We ask family, friends and neighbours to remain vigilant in protecting elderly residents who are often the target of cold calling scams. This is an ever increasing problem now with rogue traders taking advantage of the Green agenda. I would urge people to never respond to unsolicited telephone calls, mail shots, text messages or door-to-door selling.

“The council has a zero tolerance policy on rogue trading and our Trading Standards team will work tirelessly to crack down on anyone preying on vulnerable residents. This prosecution is one of a string of cases against companies based in the Bournemouth area who target the elderly for bogus home improvements. These companies tend to sell waterproof wall and roof coatings and spray foam loft insulation. They target the elderly by using databases of home owners over a certain age and telephone them to coerce them into agreeing an appointment which is then attended by a commission only salesman.

“The products are invariably wholly unnecessary and sold at vastly inflated prices. We urge local residents to avoid becoming a rogue trader victim simply by not engaging with any cold callers, whether on the telephone or at the door.”

 

Anyone concerned about the activity of a doorstep seller is urged to contact the Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline on 0808 223 1133 or visit the Herefordshire Council website for more consumer advice www.herefordshire.gov.uk/scams

Herefordshire Council teams have recently completed a programme of resurfacing and drainage works on the A4103 - Egleton Bend (SCRIM) in Herefordshire.

Herefordshire Council teams have recently completed a programme of resurfacing and drainage works on Hafod Road, Hereford.

To see which roads have been repaired and resurfaced across the county recently go here 👉 #hvroads

Hereford Council teams have recently completed a programme of resurfacing and drainage works on the A417 - Hillhampton to Burley Gate in Herefordshire.

Emergency services are currently at the scene between Mayberry Avenue and Bradbury Close (Saxon Gate Junction) attending an incident involving a vehicle on its roof.

Decision details
Procurement of journey time monitoring software

Decision Maker: Acting Assistant Director for Highways and Transport

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Is Key decision?: No

Is subject to call in?: No

Purpose:
• The journey time data is used for both service and corporate monitoring purposes as a key performance indicator (KPI) for congestion;

• The journey time data is also used in transport modelling to provide a comparison between current observed journey times in Hereford with different transport and/or land use scenarios to help assess efficacy of different options;

• The Highways Analyst software produced by Basemap provides the most flexible solution for our basic data requirements but also provides much greater scope for data analysis and assessment of transport schemes than alternatives, providing a great deal of added value;

• It requires minimal officer time to extrapolate and analyse the data;

• The Council has used Highways Analyst to monitor the journey time KPI for 3 years and this will ensure consistency with historic journey time reporting maintaining the integrity of the observed long term trends in journey times;

• There are cost savings associated with securing a 3 year subscription with Basemap, by way of a fixed rate for the three year period (no inflation increases); and

• The council is not bound by a contract with Basemap, and the annual subscription can be cancelled at any time with no penalties.

Contact: Victoria Hammond, Transport Planning Officer Email: vhammond@herefordshire.gov.uk.

Publication date: 12/05/2021

Date of decision: 11/05/2021

Positive News | Herefordshire Council teams have recently completed a programme of resurfacing and drainage works on Stoney Street, Madley Herefordshire.

A40, Ross-on-wye closed for a brief time yesterday whilst this load was made secure. Driver reported for insecure load offences.

Photograph courtesy of West Mercia Police OPU

West Mercia Police (OPU) officers are trained to identify HGV load offences, with the aim of education and enforcement to make our roads safer.

The family of Mary Bastholm has issued a statement as investigation work continues at the Clean Plate Cafe in Gloucester today.

The Constabulary is stressing that the current work relates to assessments of the site, which are likely to take a number of days, and that excavation work has not begun.

Officers say that they could be at the site for a number of weeks.

Mary's family said: 

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“We are aware of the ongoing developments around Mary’s disappearance and are being kept up to date and supported by Gloucestershire Police Family Liaison Officers, at this time please may we ask for privacy so we can grieve for Mary and direct any media queries to Gloucestershire Police’s Press Office.”

Mary was 15 years old when she was reported missing on 6 January 1968 and she has never been found.

Mary’s disappearance had previously been linked to serial killer Fred West and there was suspicion he was involved in her death.

Police activity will be taking place at a location in Gloucester for a number of weeks following a recent discovery.

Photograph courtesy of BPM Media

On Friday 7 May officers were called to a café in Southgate Street by a production company filming a documentary.

They reported how they had found possible evidence to suggest a body could be buried within the property.

Detectives attended and the Major Crime Investigation Team has deemed that further assessments are required in order to determine whether an excavation is necessary.

In the past, people have linked the building to the disappearance of Mary Bastholm.

Mary was 15-years-old when she was reported missing on 6 January 1968 and she has never been found.

Mary's disappearance had also previously been linked to serial killer Fred West and there was suspicion he was involved in her death.

Family Liaison Officers have now been put in place to provide support and updates to Mary’s family as enquiries continue.

Investigating officers expect to be at the location, which is at The Clean Plate café, for a number of weeks.Assistant Chief Constable Craig Holden said:

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"This could be a significant development on a case which has gained a lot of public interest over the years.

"On the basis of the information provided to us, we consider this to be new and potentially important evidence in the case of Mary Bastholm, however further detailed assessments will take place over the following few days to determine the extent of excavation needed.

"First and foremost our thoughts are with Mary’s family and we would ask that their privacy is respected at this difficult time.

"This news may understandably alarm those who work near to the premises, as well as those in the wider Gloucester community and beyond.

 "The Constabulary has always said any fresh evidence would be reviewed. This has happened and a focussed and proportionate investigation will now take place.

"Due to the potential scale of this there will likely be some disruption to those who work nearby, and I ask for their patience and co-operation during this time.

"We will have local officers in the area and a visible police presence at the location possibly for a number of weeks.

"We would also encourage anyone who is affected by this news to please seek support."

 

Anyone who has any new information relating to the disappearance of Mary Bastholm can report this to Gloucestershire Constabulary online by completing the following form and referencing incident 99 of 11 May: https://www.gloucestershire.police.uk/tua/tell-us-about/cor/tell-us-about-existing-case-report/

The Force still has documentation and information from the original enquiry into Fred West and therefore anyone who submitted information previously does not need to do this again.

My son recently moved out and I decided to redecorate his old room. I will purchase a double bed and keep it as a guest room. I removed his old tiny 2.6 small single divan and thought I would take it to the tip yesterday (Sunday 27th January). If only I know what a palaver I was in for I would not have bothered! 

I drive a people carrier (Mercedes Vito), like the one below complete with rear seat and glass rear doors as per the photograph. We arrived at the tip at Rotherwas and I was asked by a chap who's name was Tim, what I had to tip, I replied just my sons single bed, he told me it would need to go into land fill and showed me where to park. As I parked up he then seamed to change his mind and asked me if I had a permit? A permit? I have not been to the tip in years so I was not sure what permit he was referring too, I explained that I was driving a people carrier and I was tipping just a bed, he then went to his little office and came out with a lithograph and pointed to a commercial van, I again explained that I have glass panels and seats in the back, he said you cannot tip here without a permit, I asked where do obtain a permit? Because I had the bed loaded already. He explained that it takes a few weeks and that I need to apply online but basically I could not tip this bed, I was frustrated and told him I would dump it on the side of the road (clearly I was not going to do that but I was angry). 

I telephoned a friend and he told me to take it to Ross on Wye, yes Ross on Wye! So I drove to Ross and I was told I could park outside and carry the bed onto the site, which is exactly what I did, how pathetic is this?? 

It is no wonder we so much fly tipping when they make it so difficult to take our old items. 

I am also confused as to how they expect anyone to drop off a bed in the absence of a larger vehicle of a van, you could not get it into a average car anyway, so had I not have the vehicle I would of borrowed my mates van anyway...

Good news to hear that Yeomans Travel number 75 bus service via Hunderton circle will be reinstated on Saturdays as soon as the route has been registered.

Positive Hereford | There are lots of good things about our wonderful city.

We have new independent retailers that will all be reopening again on Monday including all those lovely shops and boutiques in The Independent Quarter and Hereford Butter Market

We have a new a pizza restaurant, fabulous coffee bars, take-aways, bistros, wine bars and pubs! A new eatery offering Korean BBQ at your table is coming soon to the Hereford Old Market Shopping Centre and we have some fabulous hotels too.

We love our city and county and we like to shout about it and promote everything positive. It's all too easy to moan but we are privileged to live in such a beautiful part of the World. We will continue to promote local business and encourage people to visit Hereford and Herefordshire.

The lockdown has been a very challenging time for people and businesses alike but there is light at the end of the tunnel..

Join us in our campaign and 'BE POSITIVE' about this fabulous city of ours. 'Positive Hereford'

Follow our hashtag #positivehereford

Newton Farm Ward

* Community Centre built - as part of the original Oval Development

* Neighbourhood Watch and foot patrols reinstated

* Street Cleaning - ie weeds removed from kerbs

* Tree Pruning - restore some light to affected properties

What about the other wards - any suggestions - only two weeks to go till voting 6th May. Elected councillors will forget once voted in so a reminder/checklist may help them.

Herefordshire Council teams have recently completed a programme of resurfacing and drainage works on Church Rd Ledbury.

Members of the Showman's Guild marking what would have been the first day of the Mayfair earlier this week in Hereford City centre.

Photograph courtesy of Hereford Markets and Events

The Mayfair is celebrating its 900th year and has been rescheduled to 3 to 5 August.

More details follow our unique link 👉 https://hfd.news/dsz