Hereford Voice

Residents particularly in SouthWye have seen a big increase in the use of drones in the area. If you have a drone then please read the advice here from West Mercia Police;

Use of Drones

Dear All, 

After a rise in incidents relating to the use of drones within the Southside Area, we hope this message will outline some of the rules relating to drones.

The UK’s drone rules are based on the risk of the flight – where you fly, the proximity to other people, and the size and weight of your drone.

Rules surrounding public drone use.

Persons flying drones need to follow the drone and model aircraft code. Some of the key rules are:

• Never fly higher than 120m / 400ft 

• Always keep the drone in sight 

• Keep clear of airspace restrictions, including around aerodromes, unless you have permission to fly within them 

• Keep 50m away from uninvolved people, to avoid endangering them 

• In most cases, unless flying a drone that is less than 250g, persons must keep at least 150 metres horizontally away from parks, industrial, residential and built-up areas

All of the rules also apply if flying at night.

If a person’s drone weighs less than 250g then they may overfly a small number of people for a short period of time. But, if they have a heavier drone, or want to fly near or over people for longer periods then it’s most likely they will fall into the Specific category of regulations and may well need a special approval from the Civil Aviation Authority. This may allow them to fly in congested areas and closer to people.

Registration and flyer ID

If the person’s drone has a camera (unless it is a toy) or weighs 250g or more then they need to register with the CAA. They need to renew this registration every year. 

Anyone flying a drone 250g or more needs to pass a test and get a flyer ID from the CAA.

Minimum age to fly

In most cases you must be at least 12 years old to fly a drone on your own*. 

You can fly if you are under 12, but you must be supervised by someone 16 or over and both of you must have passed the flyer ID test.

Labelling your drone or model aircraft

Persons must label every drone or model aircraft they’re responsible for with their Operator ID. Operators will use the same Operator ID for all their drones or model aircraft. 

Operators can find their Operator ID in a confirmation email or online.

Further advice and information around drones can be found by visiting the CAA HERE

Drone code can be downloaded below;

the_drone_code.pdf

The cycle track is on target and expected to be complete by August 2023.

If you’re a regular visitor to Hereford Leisure Centre or Hereford Racecourse, you will have noticed that work is well under way in creating the new off-road cycle track in the north of the city.

Just over a quarter of the track’s bed has been excavated, and the first section of sub-base laid. Hereford Cycle Track is one of our 15 projects benefiting from our funding programme, and has also received support from Sport England and British Cycling. It’s located next door to one of our other projects – Hereford Skate Park.

Planning for the floodlit 1km closed circuit cycle track was approved by Herefordshire Council last August and it is expected to be completed in August 2023. It will provide a riding space free from traffic for all recreational riders as well as those that are training or part of a club. There will be a learn to ride area for children with the track mimicking a road layout. A cycle hub will be available which will include adaptive bikes for hire to support riders with disabilities. 

Keep up to date with progress on Hereford Cycle Track Facebook page.

Source | StrongerHereford

Photography by Cadsite Services 

Hereford Cathedral is delighted to announce the appointment of The Reverend James Pacey as its new Canon Chancellor.

James currently ministers as part of the Chaplaincy team for the Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust in the Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham and prior to ordination worked as a theatre practitioner and director. James will be collated and installed as Chancellor in June and he and his wife Rachael, along with their two cats, look forward to joining the cathedral community.

The Reverend James Pacey says: "I am absolutely thrilled to be joining the team at Hereford Cathedral and am looking forward to getting to know the people of the town, diocese and county. With its rich history, treasures and place in the Diocese, I am hugely excited about working with the Dean, Chapter and the community of the Cathedral as we seek to hear the surrounding stories and tell our story of the love and salvation given us in Jesus Christ. I know I follow a wonderful legacy left by Chris Pullin and am immensely excited to be sharing this next chapter in the Cathedral's story.”

The Very Revd Sarah Brown, Dean of Hereford, says: “James is a rare combination of pastor and missioner, with a liturgical eye and a gift for translating the theology of the church and church buildings into compelling stories which move hearts and minds towards God. I’m looking forward to seeing what he and our Library and Education teams can do to develop our understanding of the wonderful artefacts and resources that we have to offer here. Both Canon Andrew Piper and I are very much looking forward to working with James, as together with the whole Chapter and our amazing staff team we work out what a cathedral is called to be and do.”

The Rt Revd Richard Jackson, Bishop of Hereford, says: “I am delighted that James has agreed to join the Cathedral team as Chancellor. His combination of liberal catholic, inclusive theology, great communication and interpersonal skills, and enthusiasm for the life of our cathedral church was evident both in his interview and in commendations from colleagues. We look forward to welcoming him and Rachael to the diocesan family.”

The Rt Revd Paul Williams, Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham, says: ‘‘With his gifts of creativity, affinity for liturgy and experience of missional storytelling and engagement with both adults and children, James’ ministry will bring many blessings to the life and mission of Hereford Cathedral.’’

As well as ministry work, the cathedral’s Chancellor is responsible for the Education department, which leads work with schools and families, and the cathedral’s Library and Archives team. The Chancellor also takes care of the cathedral’s historic artefacts, including the world-famous Mappa Mundi world map, the Chained Library and a copy of the 1217 Magna Carta, as well as the modern day lending library which is open to the public.

The Report Published by the Department For Education

Please see the response from Herefordshire Council below;

Herefordshire Council has confirmed publication of the Children’s Commissioner’s report and the subsequent Ministerial decision on Herefordshire Children's Services.

"We fully accept the Minister’s decision and would like to thank the Children’s Commissioner, Eleanor Brazil, for her support throughout the review of our children’s social care services.

Paul Walker, Chief Executive, said:

"I would like to thank the Children’s Commissioner for her report. We are grateful to her for all the work she has done and are committed to working with her and all our partners to meet the targets she has set. I am sorry for the failures she has highlighted – our children and families deserve better and we will work tirelessly to ensure we build the service we all wish to see

Improving Herefordshire Children’s Services remains this council’s number one priority. There are areas of progress identified by the Commissioner on which we can build, but we accept the pace of change has not been fast enough. We now have in place a detailed three-year improvement plan, which the Commissioner recognises as a strong platform for progress over the coming months, significant additional investment, a strengthened leadership team, a targeted recruitment and retention campaign and the structure for an independent commission to give families a voice and help us all move forward from the mistakes of the past.

As the Commissioner makes clear in her report, many of the issues facing Herefordshire Children’s Services are long-standing and complex. But we are determined that we will bring about the changes necessary in the timescales set out so that we build a better service fit for the future"

Darryl Freeman, Director of Children’s Services, said:

"This is a difficult report for everybody working in the children’s service and I want to say sorry to all the children and families who have not received the support that they deserved. I want to thank the Commissioner for her work and the manner in which she has approached her task. All of us share her vision for the service we want to create and are wholeheartedly committed to meeting the targets she has set within the timescales laid out.

We welcome this opportunity to work further with the Commissioner and external partners. As the Commissioner says, there are areas of progress which have already been made and on which we can build. But we know that the pace of change has to be quicker, and it will be. I know that the dedication and commitment of everybody involved in the service is entirely focussed on that goal and giving children and families the service they deserve"

Cllr David Hitchiner, Leader Herefordshire Council, said:

"The Commissioner’s report makes clear the work which is needed to improve our children’s services and the speed with which it must be done. We fully accept the Commissioner’s findings and I personally would like to thank her for the exceptional way in which she has gone about her work.

I would also again like to apologise to all the families and children who have not received the support they deserved over a number of years and restate the determination of my administration to put things right.

We welcome the opportunity to work with the Commissioner, partner authorities, other agencies and families to bring to an end the failings which have affected our children’s service for far too long.

We know – and the Commissioner acknowledges - that change is under way and improvements have started to show through. We’ve strengthened the leadership team, allocated £22million of investment and sought external and independent advice to put right some of the mistakes of the past. But we also know that there is much more still to be done. We will do it. And we will ensure that the voice of children and families who use our service are heard throughout this process"

Cllr Diana Toynbee, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said:

"I want to thank the Children's Commissioner for her work, and this report. It provides a very thorough context to where our services are, and was informed by her meeting a wide range of people in Herefordshire.

I’m pleased that the government minister has agreed to the Commissioner’s recommendation that we build on the work that is already underway, strengthened by extra capacity, and her continuing oversight.

The recommendations and timeline are rigorous, but these targets are my targets, and I could not be more ambitious about reaching them.

We are determined to make this turning point work for children and families across the county – they deserve nothing less"

Alexandru Croitoru skipped court hearings in 2021 and fled overseas

A Hereford delivery driver has been fined for illegally disposing of waste for a second time in a case heard at Kidderminster Magistrates’ Court.

Mr Alexandru Croitoru (26) of Grandstand Road, Hereford, failed to appear for his first court hearing at Hereford magistrate’s court on 9 January 2021, and a warrant was issued for his arrest. Two years later, on Wednesday 18 January 2023, Mr Croitoru surrendered himself at Hereford Police Station having been alerted by the Home Office on his return to the UK.

The court heard that in May 2019, Croitoru had thrown ten large parcel bags full of domestic waste over a bridge on Hunderton Lane, Hereford, which had landed in a farmer’s field. Paperwork found in the mass of rubbish led officers of Herefordshire Council’s Community Protection team to Croitoru, who failed to assist with the investigation. On returning to the UK after some time abroad, Croitoru told the court that he had made an error and he did not know how else to dispose of the waste.

Croitoru pleaded guilty to two charges of depositing controlled waste without a licence and for failing to secure the transfer of waste to an authorised person.

He was given a 12 month community order, ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work and pay fines and costs of £1090.

Marc Willimont, the council’s head of public protection, says:“This is a clear case of an individual simply dumping rubbish rather than waiting for the next refuse collection or taking it to the nearest household waste site. He did not cooperate with our enquiries, left the country and only on his return did he surrender himself to the police.

“Fly-tipping costs council tax payers tens of thousands of pounds each year and anyone found will always be prosecuted - this case is an example of what happens when the council traces the waste back.”

The maximum penalty for fly tipping is a £50,000 fine and/or 5 years imprisonment.

All householders have a duty of care to ensure that the waste they produce is disposed of correctly and they have documentation to show who they have transferred the waste to and keep those records for at least 2 years.

Herefordshire Council’s Community Protection Team will investigate fly tipping which is reported by calling 01432 261761 or online at www.herefordshire.gov.uk/flytipping

A 1200-year-old rare coin has been donated by its owner to Hereford Museum.

The silver penny dates back to the reign of King Offa, the famous eighth century ruler of Mercia.

It was handed to Hereford Museum on Tuesday 28 February by Dr Jerry Davis who bought the coin at auction in 2022. In turn, Jerry offered the coin to the museum at minimal cost. Helped by public donations received through the Herefordshire Museum Service Support Group, the museum seized the chance to purchase it. In time, the coin will go on display in Hereford’s state-of-the-art museum and art gallery when the doors to the new building on Broad Street open in 2025.

The ‘King Offa’ penny was found in a field in Marden, just a few miles north of the museum in which it will be displayed. The metal detectorist who unearthed it in February 2022 ensured it was correctly recorded with the Portable Antiquities Scheme, as all archaeological finds in England and Wales should be.

The Marden and Sutton area was the location of ‘Offa’s palace’, the royal estate that continued to exist for centuries after the time of the kings Offa and Ceolwulf II, whose head appears on other coins that form part of the Herefordshire Hoard.

It’s the same area where Offa is said to have murdered King Ethelbert of East Anglia and where Ethelbert’s decapitated body was laid in Marden Church before being transported to Hereford in 794. A shrine to St Ethelbert remains in place in Hereford Cathedral.

The museum is delighted to acquire the penny, which was minted in Canterbury by coin-maker Babba between the years 783-792. Considering its age, it’s in very good condition. Its association with King Offa makes it of huge interest to Herefordshire, given his historical significance in the county.  

Dr Jerry Davis says:

“I’m delighted that the coin will ultimately be displayed alongside other fantastic treasures in Hereford’s redeveloped museum. Rare artefacts keep local people and visitors interested in the county’s history. They bring stories to life. They help people make a connection with history that words alone can’t always do. For example, people will be able to see how skilful coin-makers were even 1200 years ago, which may deepen their interest in that period. Their experience will be intensified when the penny is displayed alongside other fascinating finds like the Herefordshire Hoard. I’m really looking forward to seeing how the museum puts these significant treasures on display for people to enjoy and learn from.”

Judy Stevenson, museum team leader, says:

“Everyone at the museum is so very grateful to Dr Davis for donating this wonderful artefact, linked to one of the region’s most significant historical figures. The museum loves both the support and generosity of people and their enthusiasm for their local heritage and past stories.”

The coin will go on temporary display in Hereford Museum from March 1 to May 31, 2023.

Samantha Smith who is 56 years-old, of Waterfield Road in Hereford and who pleaded guilty to a single charge of attempted murder at Worcester Crown Court on Thursday 1 December has today (Friday 24 February) been sentenced to 12 years in prison.

Smith’s conviction relates to an incident in Rothesay Mead, Hereford on Sunday 3 July 2022 for which she was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.

Smith had attacked a 59-year-old man with a knife leaving him with significant injuries.

The investigating officer, Detective Constable Emma O’Hare said: “This brutal attack could have very easily have meant this was a sentencing from a murder trial. Fortunately, the victim was strong enough to work with us in preparing the case and I’m happy to report he continues to make a good, physical recovery.

“This case is a reminder that domestic abuse isn’t isolated to women victims. Many men are in abusive, coercive, controlling, and violent relationships and quite often, they keep their abuse to themselves.

“I want to reassure any victim of domestic abuse that we are here for you. Regardless of your gender, we will listen, we will investigate every report and we will support you.

“I want to thank the survivor of this terrible ordeal for their trust in police, their courage and their openness. My only hope is that they can now perhaps close one chapter of this book and start to rebuild their life.”

West Mercia Police will act on all reports made and offer our full support to anyone who feels they are a victim of domestic abuse.

Cabinet members approved (Thursday 23 February) Herefordshire Council’s continued response to homelessness in the county.

Project Brave began as a new way of dealing with homelessness and rough sleeping during the recent covid pandemic, when government notified councils to bring ‘everyone-in’ from the streets. In addition, this multi-agency partnership set out to create solutions for very vulnerable people at risk from substance use, mental health, criminal experience and exploitation. It zeroes in on those who aren’t eligible for, or fall between the cracks of, various statutory services.

Since 2020, the project has evolved into an ambitious plan to end high-risk homelessness in Herefordshire and help former homeless people into new accommodation and with ongoing support.

It recognises that homeless people’s needs are often complex. By working with partner organisations, it aims to provide personalised services to overcome the failings of historic services and systems.

Project Brave achievements

Since the project began, the council has secured over £520,000 in government funding to help buy 12 properties to accommodate rough sleepers.

A further £5.6 million is being used to reshape our rough sleeping outreach team and drug and alcohol services as well as the way community, voluntary and charitable sectors work in this area

The project has also helped provide more emergency accommodation, delivered cold weather accommodation and opened a new community hub to enable partner organisations deliver services to those affected. It’s also given over 300 people at risk of rough sleeping a warm, safe place to access services and live.

Councillor Ange Tyler, cabinet member for housing, regulatory services and community, says:

“It’s difficult to imagine how those sleeping rough are coping. Living on the streets can be dangerous, it causes serious health issues and it badly affects people’s wellbeing. We really must do all we can to end rough sleeping in Herefordshire. Project Brave is our answer to this and I welcome its continuation and wish everyone involved every success.”

Visit Herefordshire Council's Webpage if you’re worried about someone who is, or may be at risk of, rough sleeping.

Earlier on the same day, we delayed sharing this article until 11:39 to see if any other local Social Media pages would share it...

Strangely just 12 minutes later...👇

Just another coincidence..🤔

A draft masterplan for Hereford has been published which provides a future blueprint for making the city an even better place to live, work, visit and study.

The draft plan, which has been published following recent initial public engagement, sets out a vision to enhance the character of the city, improve transport connections, boost the local economy and improve green spaces.

The masterplan integrates existing strategies, including The Big Economic Plan, the Local Transport Plan and emerging Local Plan, to provide a coherent vision to ensure that future improvements to the city and county are coordinated. It also provides a compelling case to gain the funding needed to deliver the proposals over the next 25 years.

Herefordshire Council’s Cabinet will discuss the plan on Thursday 2 March and is set to recommend that it goes out to further public consultation. This is expected to happen in the early summer.

The Council’s Cabinet Member - Infrastructure and Transport, John Harrington, said: 

“Hereford is a wonderful place to live, learn, work and shop. This masterplan sets out a comprehensive long-term vision to retain and strengthen everything we love about the City while bringing new opportunities for local people by boosting the economy, improving leisure and cultural facilities and building new homes. This work, done in parallel with our work on establishing an Eastern river crossing, will make Hereford the modern, sustainable and resilient City we need it to be.

“We also want to give people far more choice on how they want to get around the city and region with a much greater focus on making it easier and safer, for those that can and wish to, to walk and cycle within the City which will tackle climate change, reduce traffic congestion, improve air quality and encourage healthier lifestyles.

“At the heart of this plan is the recognition and celebration of our cultural identity to ensure that our rich history shapes our future.”

He added: 

“It is worth stating that this is a long-term vision and it will not be delivered immediately. Much will depend on the availability of funding, but this underlines why it is so important to have a comprehensive, joined-up vision so that we can make a compelling case for funding.”

Within the plan, five strategic objectives have been set for the city, taking into account feedback from public engagement. They include:

🔹Giving people more choice on how to get around the city and region with a greater focus on reducing the need to use cars for shorter journeys by making it easier to walk, cycle and use public transport. This would improve air quality and reduce congestion.
🔹Create a healthier and more equal city by bringing more prosperity and encouraging people to become more active.
🔹Developing the city’s economy, including providing new, high quality affordable homes and better commercial, leisure and learning opportunities.
🔹Improving green spaces and providing more nature-based solutions to meet climate change goals.
🔹Enhancing Hereford’s built and natural heritage by delivering outstanding design of future buildings and public spaces.
It sets out 12 ‘Big Ideas’ for achieving the objectives which are:

▪️Idea 1: Improving neighbourhoods by re-establishing local centres with a great range of services and shops to reduce the need to travel. This would be underpinned through the expansion of ‘low traffic neighbourhoods’ to restrict through traffic in some areas, supported by ‘School Streets’ which will make it easier and safer for young people and their parents to walk, cycle or scoot to school.

▪️Idea 2: ‘People-friendly streets’ with investment in infrastructure to make it easier for people to walk and cycle, thus reducing the need for short car journeys. This would be supported by public realm improvements with more green spaces, the expansion of 20mph areas, more controlled parking zones and a gradual long-term reduction of on-street parking.

▪️Idea 3: Boosting Historic Walls and Gateways through the establishment of a recreational trail which connects the city’s medieval defences, much of which have become lost or obscured. The trail would become a valuable educational, cultural and leisure resource which would bring back life an important part of Hereford’s history and identity. Five historic ‘City Gateways,’ would be marked with public realm improvements and better pedestrian and cycling access.

▪️Idea 4: Revealing the Historic Core: creating a series of projects that will help restore neglected areas of the of the city’s historic core which will create new and improved public spaces, enhance the character through greening and encourage more walking and cycling. For example, one of the projects is to replace paving in High Town with historic stone while reducing street furniture to enable more events to take place. Likewise, St Peter’s Square would also be restored as a historic public space by relocating bus stops, narrowing the highway and restricting traffic between Union Street and Offa Street.

▪️Idea 5: A Vibrant Historic Core: setting out an ambition to bring a residential community back into the heart of the city alongside cultural and leisure uses. This includes the possibility of repurposing car parks in the area for community-based use as part of a vision to make the city centre ‘car light’.

▪️Idea 6: Hereford, University City: bringing higher learning educational use into the city centre by supporting the newly established New Model Institute for Technology and Engineering (NMITE) along with other key learning institutions. NMITE has an ambition to develop a main campus in the city centre by making use of vacant sites and under-used buildings, supported by strong walking and cycling links.

▪️Idea 7: Reconnecting to the River Wye: potential improvements include supporting ongoing efforts by Herefordshire Wildlife Trust and Friends of Bartonsham Meadows to shape a new nature reserve at Bartonsham Meadows. Other proposals build on the Wyeside project within the Stronger Hereford Town Investment Plan with improved walking and cycling routes to encourage active travel and recreation. The area around St Martin’s Street could become a focus for leisure and hospitality, reinforcing Hereford as an ‘outdoor city’.

▪️Idea 8: The Station Quarter: developing a new intergenerational residential-led quarter on the northern-edge of the historic core. A new transport hub at Hereford Station would improve connections with key parts of the city, making it easier to switch between bus, rail, cycling and taxi. Design standards would be based on the city’s Victorian and Georgian heritage with an urban wetland and canal terminus to create a destination space.

▪️Idea 9: Commercial Road Corridor: transforming the road to become a green tree-lined boulevard which would create a positive first impression of Hereford a city while making it easier to navigate by bike and foot. There would be a focus on providing housing for the growing student population and unlocking new leisure and retail opportunities to ‘spill out’ onto the boulevard and breathe new life into the area. Land from a newly vacated bus station would be used for key workers and student housing.

▪️Idea 10: Re-establishing the Hereford and Gloucester Canal: supporting efforts by the Herefordshire and Gloucester Canal Trust to protect and restore the historic route of the canal so that it can be brought into the city centre and as part of a new Hereford terminus. This will enable water-based recreational and community facilities to be provided at Aylestone Park.

▪️Idea 11: Enterprise and Innovation Corridor: supporting long-term ambitions in Hereford’s Economic Plan to identify a broad corridor for employment-led development as land becomes available over the next 25 years, with a focus on green-technology. This will build on the success of the city’s thriving Enterprise Zone at Rotherwas.

▪️Idea 12: The Lugg Green Lung: developing high-quality walking and cycling routes to enable people to easily access the natural habitat around the River Lugg without the need to use a car. Undisturbed areas of natural habitat would be protected.

During the public engagement which, started in December and closed on 3 February, 393 people responded to a survey and over 2,000 comments were received via the survey. In addition, 324 comments were placed on an online map through the ‘Commonplace’ website which encouraged the public to interact with the masterplan.

The public will have the chance to comment on the proposals in early summer before the final plan is adopted.

Full proposals can be found in the Cabinet papers 👉 https://bit.ly/HfdMasterplan

Some brilliant work achieved yesterday by all the wonderful volunteers who between them collected and redistributed over 1 tonne of surplus chicken to organisations across the city including The Kindle Centre and Hinton Community Centre plus hundreds of individual families.

Fantastic effort! Well done and 'Thank You' to you all

St Martin's FoodShare is a superb local initiative that Hereford Voice are proud to have supported since day one.

"I am keenly aware of the plans to use a hotel in Hereford to house Asylum Seekers. I have issued a public statement on matter which is included below.

Jesse Norman said:

"I have been made aware of correspondence between the Home Office and Herefordshire Council regarding the potential location of asylum seekers in Hereford. I have requested an urgent meeting with the Immigration Minister so that all the facts can be established.

“There is a national need to address this important issue, and Herefordians will naturally want to play their part. But there are also real concerns about the extra pressure which this could create on local services which are already stretched.

"Herefordshire Council is currently under review by an independent Commissioner in relation to Children's Services; the Hospital remains under huge pressure in A & E; access to GP and dental care is limited at present.

"It is essential that these fragile but crucial public services should not be further burdened."

This additional statement follows the previous statement that we received and published and also in direct response to our 'Breaking News' article on Friday regarding the Three Counties Hotel https://bit.ly/hc3chotel

Hereford Voice can today reveal that 'Greggs' are potentially going to be opening a large café at Phantom House on Holme Lacy Road, Rotherwas Hereford.

Simulation image created to give just an impression 

This at the moment is still subject to contract and finalising agreements and planning permission but if this does get the green light it will be a welcome addition for many people working in Rotherwas.

We understand that here will be significant extended early opening hours, compared to their unit in the city centre. The new Phantom House café will be much bigger in size with plenty of additional seating available..

Hereford Voice 'Leading The Way For Others To Follow'

Remember where you heard it first! 

Following the 'Breaking News' article from Hereford Voice 👉 https://bit.ly/Hfd3Counties and also on our Facebook page here https://bit.ly/hc3chotel that the Three Counties Hotel in Hereford is going to be used to house asylum seekers, Sir Bill Wiggin, Member of Parliament for North Herefordshire, has called on the Government to remove the Permanent Secretary at the Home Office.

The Government has promised to pass new laws to swiftly detain and remove illegal migrants. 

However a Bill has still not been brought before the Commons.

Sir Bill Wiggin said,

“The recent incident in Knowsley shows that the criminal gangs and people traffickers who are exploiting illegal immigrants are exposing these people to the kind of horrible violence that we have seen.

“Filling hotels in England with illegal migrants is encouraging extreme right-wing groups and putting police officers at risk.

“I will not accept it in Herefordshire.

“In addition to meetings that I have had today I have also recently met with the Prime Minister and so I know that stopping the boats is his number one priority, as it is mine.

“So I wonder why this Bill is being held up.

“I will support the Government and this Bill wholeheartedly but in the meantime genuine asylum seekers are being let down.”

In January 8 schools competed in seperate boys and girls semi finals. After some tough close games Weobley and Fairfield qualified for the boys finals and Wigmore and Fairfield qualified for the girls. 

Eli Jones led Weobley to the title after 10 tough matches against Fairfield. The team consisted of Alek King, Tom Dyer, Eli Jones, Rubyn Dimond and George Stevenon who was absent for the finals. 

Wigmore then went on to beat Fairfield in the girls final with captain Bethany Preston lifting the trophy. All the Fairfield players are in year 10 so aim to come back stronger next year after this first taste of the finals. 

The schools were lucky enough to have Phil Preston from Herefordshire Badminton Academy to present the trophy. 

Phil commented on how impressed he was with the standard of badminton and invited all high school aged pupils to HBA every Sunday 3-5pm at The Acadmey School on Ross Road. 

"HBA is always open to new members and wants to work closely with the schools association to increase the numbers of young people playing badminton in the county."

Hereford Voice have in the last few minutes received a reply from MP Jesse Norman in response to our 'Breaking News' article on Friday regarding the Three Counties Hotel 👉 https://bit.ly/Hfd3Counties and also on our Facebook page here https://bit.ly/hc3chotel

MP Jesse Norman 

Mr Norman told Hereford Voice;

"I have been made aware of correspondence between the Home Office and Herefordshire Council regarding the potential location of asylum seekers in Hereford. I have requested an urgent meeting with the Immigration Minister so that all the facts can be established.

“There is a national need to address this important issue, and Herefordians will naturally want to play their part. But there are also real concerns about the extra pressure which this could create on local services which are already stretched.

"Herefordshire Council is currently under review by an independent Commissioner in relation to Children's Services; the Hospital remains under huge pressure in A & E; access to GP and dental care is limited at present.

"It is essential that these fragile but crucial public services should not be further burdened."

'Remember Where You Heard It First'

Hereford Voice 'Leading The Way For Others To Follow'

That's the view of local Councillor Polly Andrews who wrote to us over the weekend saying;

"I understand that the hotel has been commandeered( if that is the right word ) directly by the Home office - the council has no input into this. I know that city councillors, especially those that represent the area are very worried about the proposal - but so far we have been given no further details"

Following on from our 'Breaking News' article HERE and on our Facebook page HERE

Hereford Voice continues to lead the way by revealing import local news, which is in the public interest.

Three Counties Hotel, Belmont Road Hereford 

Councillor David Summers told us;

"It is my understanding that the CEO and multi-agency partners will be meeting with Government Officials next week to discuss the matter and like others I await the outcome of those meetings."

Councillor Tracy Bowes told us;

"At the moment we have very limited information from the government and a meeting is being held on Thursday with representatives from Herefordshire Council and the government to discuss those concerns."

Councillor Ann-Marie Probert told us;

I've had an email from our chief executive……

At this stage we have no further information than that contained in the letter. The next step is a meeting with Government Officials and local multi agency partners (including Police and health) which is due to be held later next week. We will then update all members on progress and any next steps.

I'll speak with other councillors to advise me what we will be doing to get it stopped.

Cllr Probert"

There is currently a live hybrid planning application submitted on behalf of Lidl to demolish the Three Counties Hotel and build a new supermarket, Hereford Voice also broke that news last year in this article - https://bit.ly/HVLidl

And apparently at the time another local social media page said our story was just a rumour, before realising it was actually fact then ironically 'jumped on the bandwagon'...

Hereford Voice once again leading the way for others to follow..

We will continue to provide genuine updates on this story and other local news.

In an exclusive interview with Hereford Voice today, Cllr. John Harrington, Cabinet Member for Infrastructure and Transport, said: 

"No one particularly wants to pay more for anything in life, but we live in a world that has inflation increasing regularly each year as a reality and reaching the highest levels for decades in 2022/23. When we came in as an administration in 2019, car parking charges (including on-street charges, which our Conservatives colleagues brought in as it happens) had not been adjusted for inflation since 2016. We made a big inflationary uplift in 2021 to play catch up and took the opportunity to bring in a zoning system - Green (Zone 3 Work and Stay) Yellow (Zone 2 Visit) and Red (Zone 1 Central) - to help users make choices about their journeys. We also agreed to do more regular inflationary uplifts so that increases felt proportional and weren't a shock. We will be increasing car parking charges in the Red and Yellow Zones by 20p per hour this year but freezing it in the Green Zone car parks (like Merton Meadow and St. Martins in Hereford and Broad Street in Leominster and Bridge Street in Ledbury). People who want to go and park more centrally will pay more. Those that have disabilities will continue to have bays provided and they are also entitled to park in any Council carpark or on-street bay for free, provided they have their blue badge. Concessions are also available for trade-persons (they just need to ring the parking team, easy to Google) and there are season tickets available for commuters, as well as evening season tickets for City or town centre residents who want to use the carparks to park at night.

The revenue that we earn from car parking charges goes to cover the cost of the service, with the surplus going to cover other services the Council provides, like school transport and subsidised buses. Councils run carparks to manage congestion in their urban centres, primarily (we have had car parking charges in Herefordshire for decades obviously) but also to support local and national policies, such as decarbonisation of transport. Making urban centres cleaner, less congested and more pleasant spaces generally by discouraging, for example, the 5 circuits around Broad Street, King Street, Berrington or Aubrey Street, for a free or cheap spot, means people who can park a little further away like the Swimming Baths in Hereford and walk the 'half a mile' into town for a proper wander, will spend more time and money in centres. It is unfortunate how much we come to rely on parking revenue as Councils to top up things like school transport but that, in Herefordshire, can be laid quite legitimately at the feet of our two MPs, who voted repeatedly to cut revenue grants to Herefordshire (they county they were elected to represent) under successive Conservative governments, so that we have £100 million less revenue coming in in 2023 than we did in 2011;

MP Bill Wiggin - https://bit.ly/BillWiggin

MP Jesse Norman - https://bit.ly/JesseNorman

The reason we had to raise Council Tax by 4.99% the week before last is in very large part due to our MP's inability to sit on their hands or champion Herefordshire against instructions from Westminster when the time to vote for huge cuts came. Shropshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire (all Conservative controlled) have, or are looking exactly the same or very similar rises in Council Tax (despite the impression given to the contrary in the lovely glossy ad by Herefordshire Conservatives in the Hereford Times last week - a paper no longer fit for purpose as a source of clear and balanced news but very good if you want to know what everyone's favourite roast dinner is, or you need to line the litter tray).           

Herefordshire compares reasonably fairly to other local big towns or Cities in terms of charges (with almost all of those towns and cities giving notice they are having to raise charges again this year). As Cwmbran will no doubt be mentioned again, Cwmbran has a large amount of free parking due to a shopping centre there that provides 3000 spaces for anyone to use, meaning the council has given up trying to manage parking itself. I also think that people who complain about having to spend £2 or £3 pounds for a couple of hours parking but will then go and spend that or double that on a coffee or a pint (before you consider their more substantial spend on their shopping) need to consider if the parking charge is actually fairly reasonable. I'm not denigrating those on low incomes, for which I understand the struggle, but questioning the majority of people who complain.     

It's not easy being a Councillor or working for a council at the moment, there is little money (and none of the backhanders every brainiac on social media keeps telling us about) and tough choices to make, not least about the urgent need to address the Climate Emergency, which most commenters seem to have forgotten about, but we all do our best and try to balance all the decisions we make. The simple fact is, if you don't like that, and don't share this administration's values, you vote for someone else in May. That's democracy. The one thing I would ask though, please, is to put your mark in the box based on facts and not ignorance"  

Following a decision taken by Full Council on 10 February, Herefordshire Council will apply an inflationary increase to its parking charges from April this year.

Residents and businesses will also be asked for their views about on street parking in roads that surround the historic centre of Hereford.

The new parking charges will take effect from Monday 3 April 2023 where a 20p per hour increase will be applied to all zone 1 and 2 car parks in the county. Charges at zone 3 car parks, however, will be frozen so that it becomes increasingly more cost effective for drivers that are able to, to park further away from our central areas.

The review of on street parking is in line with the Local Transport Plan (LTP), approved in 2016, which sets out the council’s strategic objectives for parking. This includes managing the supply and pricing of parking to encourage the use of active and sustainable travel choices, and supporting our long-term growth proposals in Hereford through the delivery of longer-term parking provision, such as Park and Choose, and to rationalise and reduce the supply of commuter parking in the centre of the city.

Cllr John Harrington, Cabinet Member Infrastructure and Transport, said: “We need to be proactive when setting our parking charges as we are faced with inflationary pressures on the costs of the parking services and those services which parking income is used to support, such as public transport. I am pleased that we are once again able to freeze the prices in our outer zone 3 car parks so that those that use them daily will not be affected by this small increase.”

“We understand that there will be some local concern that the introduction of parking charges to free parking areas will mean that the city centre footfall will reduce as a result, but in fact, better management of parking facilities leads to reduced congestion, improved air quality and road safety, promotes the local economy and ensures good accessibility.

“Professional surveys undertaken in the identified locations have recorded an average of 541 parking events between 30 minutes and 2 hours each day, excluding residents with permits. An estimated 40% displacement into off street parking or other travel means would see nearly 70,000 parking trips displaced from our city streets annually, improving space availability for businesses and residents, creating more turnover and helping our visitors.

“We are keen to hear the views of residents and businesses in the streets where these proposals will apply. Letters will be sent to affected properties, along with Ward Councillors and other stakeholders, in the coming weeks so they can get in touch directly as part of the process.”

Hereford Voice has today come into possession of a document sent from the Home Office to Herefordshire Council requesting the resettlement of a minimum of 120 Asylum Seekers in Hereford's Three Counties Hotel.

In the letter sent from Ann Smith (MCIPS)Deputy Director | Resettlement, Asylum Support & Integration says;

"We have identified the Three Counties Hotel, Belmont Rd, Hereford HR2 7BP as a site to be used to accommodate asylum seekers and are therefore bringing this to your attention so that we can address any concerns you may have. Due to the demands on the system we intend to stand up this site in line with our new guidance, and would like to work with you to determine which cohort would best fit to this site and I can confirm it has a maximum bed space of 120"

Herefordshire Council would also be expected to pick up all the costs associated, including providing, healthcare, school, free schools dinners etc...

See all of the relevant documents attached below;

Resettlement of Asylunm Seekers 1.pdf

Resettlement of Asylunm Seekers 2.pdf

Health Protection For Migrants 1.pdf

Scabies.pdf

NHS Asylum Seekers.pdf

On 03/02/2023 at 11:33, ragwert said:

Yes, but this Council are so behind the times it will be years and a change in Councillors to make a trial happen .
 

We also broke the news in March 2021 that Herefordshire Council were unsuccessful in their first bid for e-scooter trials however, all is not lost because the Council have been advised that they are still being considered for any expansion of the trials, an option that could be with Beryl, who are already trialing e-scooters in various cites across England.

West Mercia Police Officers are appealing for witnesses following a fatal collision on the A465 Aylestone Hill.

The collision happened around 11.45am on Monday 30 January, between a silver ford mondeo and a black bmw near to the junction with Bodenham Road.

An 82-year old was taken to hospital following the collision. On Wednesday (15 February), we were informed he had sadly passed away due to his injuries.

PC Lee Palmer, Operations Policing Unit “This is a very sad update to what initially appeared to be a non-serious injury, our thoughts are very much with the family of the man who has died.”

Our appeal now is for anyone who witnessed the collision or has any information or dash-cam footage which may help with the investigation to call me on 101 extension 772 2068 or email lee.palmer@westmercia.pnn.police.uk

This evening we received a phone call about two broken down vehicles in Hereford causing some significant delays during rush hour.

This time it took just 7 minutes to almost copy us word for word..

The Courtyard is delighted to announce it has been shortlisted for the FSB Celebrating Small Business Awards 2023 in the West Midlands in the Sustainability category.

FSB (Federation of Small Businesses) is a non-profit organisation and the UK’s leading business campaigner, making real change happen for its members and the wider small business community. The awards celebrate the achievements and contributions of small businesses and the self-employed across the UK.

“We are absolutely thrilled to be shortlisted for an award that recognises our hard work in this field.” Says Courtyard Operations Manager Phil Pearcy, “Art and culture are at the forefront of generating awareness to the Climate Emergency, and we plan to use our experience to help accelerate other small, local businesses on their own journeys to net zero.”

In 2018 The Courtyard joined forces with other arts and cultural organisations in the UK and Herefordshire Council to declare a Climate and Ecological Emergency. The arts venue pledged to work with and support local communities, council, and stakeholders in urgently tackling this Climate Emergency, and call upon others to do the same.

The Courtyard has also been working alongside Julie's Bicycle and is part of their initiative working with Arts Council England to develop plans for greener, cleaner, more sustainable arts projects across the country.

Over the past 12 months, The Courtyard has improved its waste management, working with Pedicargo to ensure greater separation for recycling and maintain zero to landfill. The venue has also installed solar panels on the roof which now generates 20% of its own electricity, rolls out green riders to visiting companies, installed additional sustainable transport facilities and has partnered with Beryl Bikes to encourage cycling to the venue.

In spring 2022, The Courtyard joined ‘30 for 2030’ an initiative that forms part of the Greener Footprints campaign launched by the Herefordshire Climate and Nature Action Partnership. The initiative saw 30 private, public and third sector employers in Herefordshire pledge to track their progress and achievements along the way to net zero emissions by 2030.

The Courtyard works with its staff, stewards, and audience members to explore ways of decreasing its carbon footprint, through an Eco Group, staff training, Carbon Literacy and initiatives such as Good Journey. For more information about The Courtyard’s commitment to environmental sustainability, visit courtyard.org.uk/ the-courtyards-eco-declaration.

The finals of the FSB Celebrating Small Business Awards for the West Midlands will be held on Wednesday 22 March 2023, where the winners will be announced.

Plans have been submitted by Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service for Leominster Police Station

Proposal

Proposed single storey extension to the existing police station to create additional vehicle garages and the construction of a new 2 storey specialist fire training area with associated works including at-grade external training area, hard and soft landscaping, car parking and cycle storage facilities.

View from North West

View from North East

📷 Bond Bryan