Maggie May

My friend reckons that the lights will be deliberately phased across Hereford to cause delays and gridlock in the run up to the planning application for the Southern Link Road. The Council have been unsettled as they thought they would have planning permission over a year ago but have loads more objections than they ever expected. The Council will actually try and make congestion worse so that locals will be begging for a bypass - which isnt what they are ever going to get. Why else would they be building a new road junction on Edgar St with yet another set of traffic lights on the A49?

I am not interested in what politicians wear as long as it is reasonable or appropriate for the job. I am much more interested in what the policies are and how people conduct themselves and treat others. To me the lack of respect shown in Parliament reflects the lack of respect shown by politicians not just to each other but all to often the electorate and particularly the young , the old and the vulnerable. The Wolf in Red Riding Hood could dress up and look like a nice, little old lady, but the clothes didnt stop him eating up little Red Riding Hood.

I noticed these retail units within the "school" but opposite the new retail development. Can anyone open up a retail unit in a school? I thought such things required a change of use application. Does this mean that these businesses pay business rates or do they get a different rate being part of the school grounds? It all seems very off. Does the canteen now offer Costa Coffee and/or Macdonalds for the public or are they missing another trick here!

I was in town at 12.30pm (walked in so avoided any delays from traffic and enjoyed the exercise) and I noticed that there was a lane closed around the Edgar Street roundabout in front of Tesco and the old City wall section, towards the entrance to Bewell St. I must admit town seemed very busy but many of the stores were saying that today was the last day of the sales, so I dont know if that had anything to do with it.

Interesting that Cllr Bramer refuses to discuss this issue. If I were Mr Dunn I would make a formal complaint about this - it is not right and it is certainly not democratic. Perhaps people in the cabinet already have potential buyers lined up who only want vacant possession.

Does anyone know if this story is going to reappear on the HT website? Quite a few people I know dont have a computer and so only read the actual paper. If its not on the website it is unlikely to be in the paper and it certainly wasnt in this week's edition. If this story just reflects the members interests I cant see how there can be a legal issue with such a report unless Mr Wiggin couldnt complete his register of interests correctly - a bit like his difficulty with expense forms!

I understand that the reason the consultation has been extended is because the Council never made any copies of the local transport consultation available at its Info centres across the County. THis meant that anyone who didnt have access to a computer couldnt take part in the consultation at all. Think of all the people with either no broadband in far flung villages and isolated areas, along with all the elderly people who dont use computers who were excluded. Many of these people could be heavily reliant on public transport and so want to respond to this consultation but have no access. With Christmas none of the Information centres were open so I think it meant that it would be nigh on impossible for someone to take part in this consultation even if they really wanted to.

Thanks Two Wheels Good - though I am now entirely confused. How could relaying the centre of High Town with new paving slabs be anything to do with the Local Transport Plan? - I thought that was about cars, bikes, buses, rail etc. I must admit I wondered where all the money was coming from but surely buses and improving getting around the City would be better for everyone than redoing a job in High Town that was only done 7 years ago.

The display boards in the Butter Market are a separate consultation. The Local Transport Plan consultation is not available anywhere except online (Denise has provided the link above). I went to one of the info centres and they hadn't got anything on the Transport Plan consultation I could respond to. Instead I have found all these rather complicated documents on the council website https://www.herefordshire.gov.uk/planning-and-building-control/planning-policy/local-transport-plan-2016-2031 . Some are quite big to download and so I thought I would have a look at them in the local library or Information Centre but I couldnt find them as a hard copy. Apparently if you want your views known you have to send them in before 31st December. I am really annoyed as I have alot going on with the family, especially over Christmas and yet I want to make a comment about bus services.

Thank you Glenda - so the council report from Parsons Brinkerhoff is lying when it says that the route will require a Council subsidy. If this is the case can the local taxpayers get a refund on the cost of the consultants report? It seems Parsons Brinkerhoff have got an awful lot wrong what with the Southern Link Road, and upsetting Historic England; not realising the route goes through ancient woodland; etc. Why then is my money being used to pay this company hundreds of thousands of my money for reports that are incorrect or just rubbish? I would much rather all this money had been spent on No1 Ledbury Rd families, libraries or a few extra buses. Can we also get rid of the officer earning a fat salary who no doubt thinks that PB should be employed to write more and more reports for the Council?

I thought that with the Council due to create more than 4,000-6,000 new jobs at Rotherwas the rail link was a good idea, especially as I have family in Leominster, where jobs and rates of pay are much less than in Hereford. I didnt think the Council subsidises train services between railway stations in Herefordshire does it? I thought that railway services were the responsibility of the train operators - could someone explain why the Council has to subsidise rail travel? I dont understand the West Midlands Rail Co- surely they are not going to start operating train services - the Council have made a right mess of bus services over the years in Hereford.

I am not surprised as I have never heard much good said of Mr Bramer . My friend told me that a few years ago Mr Bramer was found to have breached the code of conduct when he was chair of the overview & scrutiny committee, voting that he keep his job and the allowance it gave him at that time https://www.herefordshire.gov.uk/media/6557218/SC1137_and_39_Cllr_H_Bramer_Short_Decision_Notice.pdf . This standards decision never made it in the local press to my knowledge unlike complaints about opposition councillors. Thats why I never buy the local paper anymore as it only has articles written by Conservative party members or supporters.

Can I just say I was just concerned that this was a view expressed to me by a social worker from outside Herefordshire I just got into conversation with. I dont know anything about the Social Care team in Herefordshire Council or Freedom Church. I was just concerned that in a conversation with a social worker from outside our County that this was all this person knew about Herefordshire. If Clarkester says there is no connection, then that social worker had heard things or had dealings with Herefordshire that must have led them to the wrong impression or conclusion

The loss of the library and no investment in new facilities for generations in Hereford is appalling. Why are they only now asking the Library Users Group if they can come up with sources of money? My feeling is this is going the same way as the LEA swimming pool - the Council fail to maintain the building on a regular basis and then when the repairs become significant because of neglect they close the building and it never reopens. Many schools are unhappy about using the HALO pool in Hereford but there is little choice if children are to be encouraged to learn to swim (to me a vital skill in a City with a river running through the middle of it). I am worried the library in Broad St is the same with the council having failed to properly maintain and upgrade it over the years. The library is so important for so many people, but particularly young people wanting to study and have access to resources other than the internet. I dont know how this council can talk of improving prospects for young people in Herefordshire if there is not a suitable and OPEN public library. My friends who have children at University cant study in Hereford in the holidays due to the lack of library facilities. How they can talk about a University for Hereford with no proper library services is beyond me.

Hi Pete Thank you for this. The person I met was quite young (all relative I suppose!) but looked under 30 and I got the impression that they had been involved in applying, or looking to apply, for a job in Herefordshire as a social worker in more recent times than 4-5 years ago. Also, the caps on agency charges I thought had only been brought in fairly recently in other local councils such as Worcestershire and Birmingham, so again it made me think her concerns were much more recent. As a proud Herefordian it is rather embarrassing to find that your home county is known for such a situation and I for one do not think this situation is acceptable. I have nothing against people having their own beliefs, but no church should not be wielding such influence as I heard about today and certainly not when it involves our public money and young people.

I know nothing much about Freedom Church, but I am concerned at what I was told by a social worker from outside of Herefordshire just today. I met this complete stranger on a day out and we got talking about Herefordshire. Out of the blue this person said that all other council's (Worcs; Birmingham, etc.) had capped social workers agency fees, but this hadnt happened in Herefordshire due to certain councillors being members of a cult church (I mentioned Freedom Church as I have seen the posts on Hereford Voice and was told this was the one). The stranger said that there is a separate element in the social services team where everyone is a member of Freedom Church. If you werent a member of Freedom Church you were unlikely to get a job in Hererfordshire despite the large number of vacancies. I find this concerning because social workers are responsible for some very vulnerable children and adults. Also surely the Council should only be employing those who have the best skills and qualifications, not on the basis of their religion (or even where they worship). I know nothing about this directly and I have been very worried by what I was told today as this is so wrong. Also, if that is what social workers from out of County know this is what is happening in Herefordshire, then we are never going to get good, permanent staff for the most vulnerable in our society. I hope any councillors who follow Hereford Voice could please look into this matter.

Aaaargh!! Roger please dont give the Council ideas about where they can try and charge us, even if they have no right! Actually a beautiful picture thank you Colin - I remember cycling round the perimeter with my sister as a child, as we went there every Sunday in the afternoon when it was fine and would be allowed to see the ducks at the duck pond on the way home. We also used to climb over all the old canons that were on the perimeter of the old castle but I dont know where these all went to.I would love to know what happened to those as they were part of Hereford's History. I am surprised how many people dont know Hereford has a Castle Green - I love taking family and visitors around the back ways and into the Castle green and back over the old Bridge. To my mind alot more could be made of promoting this area of Hereford right in the middle of the City on the banks of our great River Wye. I think the Friends of the Castle Green should be congratulated for all the work they put into making so much of this area.

The Council is desperate it seems and 2 of these farms just happen to lie in the path of the Southern Link Road - those tenants dont stand a chance as the Council will give themselves planning permission for the road and then sell these farms for building thousands of new houses in south Hereford. Local families lose their homes and jobs but lots more retired people from the South East can move in instead. Just hope they aren't the sort that need to use a hospital or like to read books.

Why have we still got those hanging gibbets on the one side? I see that even though there arent enough bike stands now, there will only be space for 8 bikes in that picture. I thought that when the trees were removed from High Town for the bull statue that they would be replaced. Trees improve the environment by keeping the air cool in summer and improving air quality. To me they also "soften" the streetscape and they have been shown to improve people' s feelings of wellbeing - something needed in High Town with all the empty shops and the burnt out buildings.

After seeing Denise' links to Here for Hereford on Twitter I found this report on their website about the Local Plan meeting on Friday http://www.hereforhereford.co.uk/2015/10/extraordinary-meeting-to-adopt-local-plan-2011-2031/ It seems to confirm what Glenda said about the meeting. Cambo it seems they dont know their own rules, let alone how to conduct a formal meeting. No wonder all their meetings are held in the daytime. I am sure they dont want too many people finding out what really goes on!

Glenda - it is true that what is needed is more social housing. Herefordshire Council have lots of sites and I thought they were going to start providing such "affordable" housing through places like the "Urban village" in the centre of Hereford. Nothing is happening on the Racecourse so you could have a really good well laid out development there for plenty more people? There are lots of other sites they could make this happen surely.Cant they do something with local builders to bring this forward? If the Council have all the skills Denise says why dont they start tackling providing homes for local people. Local People are paying their wages. This way homes could be provided for local families not just retired people moving here from the wealthy South East, pricing everyone else out of a home.

Jean I think you asked on another thread what councillor was at the Civic Society meeting talking about the SLR. My friend said that a few Herefordshire Councillors were but they didnt know all their names. One was Graham Powell from Ewyas Harold, who I think is on the Cabinet and also Anthony Powers. They also said that there was a new councillor who wanted a "motorway of the Marches" - a Welsh/English version of the M6 to go from South Wales up to North Wales right through the Marches borderlands. It was apparently a very interesting meeting so I think I might go along some time.

I heard that at the Civic Society meeting last night that a Conservative councillor said that the South Wye Transport package (all the sustainable transport measures) didnt yet exist. The plan for a bus lane had been thrown out and they havent got any ideas about tackling the congestion except by building a road.

This is the Skylon park news Feb 2015 http://www.skylonpark.co.uk/media/10572/Newsletter-February-15.pdf and refers to the first businesses moving to the Enterprise Zone - Beck , Marches Global and WPD. Mind you Mr Jackson is a very successful estate agent so perhaps he was just talking the Enterprise Zone up when he said 80 security and defence businesses were there. To be fair they could have all moved in after Feb 2015.

Thank you Mr Chappell about highlighting this meeting but why has this not been publicised by Herefordshire Council? The meeting on the Council website says it is adopting the Herefordshire Local Plan - Core Strategy 2011-2031 http://councillors.herefordshire.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=291&MId=5633&Ver=4 I could only see the Inspectors report. Where is the Local Plan - Core Strategy 2011-2031 the councillors are adopting on Friday?