Hereford Voice

Plans for improvement work to Leominster High Street and Corn Square have taken a further step forward as the preferred design is agreed and work set for work to start in January 2024 The High Street, Iron Cross, Victoria Street and Corn Street in Leominster will be enhanced with attractive surfacing, improved paving, wider pavements and raised tables at the major junctions making it easier for pedestrians. Corn Square will also be resurfaced in materials which will make the square more aesthetically pleasing and in keeping with its historic setting. The proposed new timeline for these street works will see Corn Square and Leominster Town Centre remain open throughout the Christmas trading period and minimise disruption to residents and businesses at one of the busiest times of the year for the town. Councillor Graham Biggs, cabinet member for Economy and Growth said: We’re acutely aware of the pressures faced by small businesses across Herefordshire and where possible we will always seek to minimise the impact of street works especially at peak times such as Christmas. I would like to thank Leominster Town Council and all of those involved in delivering this scheme who have worked tirelessly to secure a commitment which will see the proposed street works delayed until January 2024 to allow full access to Leominster Town Centre throughout the Christmas trading period. Under this administration the Council will always act to support businesses and promote the local economy wherever possible and we will be offering to meet with local businesses to see how we can support their Christmas plans going forwards. Original proposals had included the pedestrianisation of Corn Square to allow for events, and a reduction of traffic entering the High Street during the day. Due to feedback received during the consultation earlier this year there will be no immediate changes to the current parking or traffic arrangements. We can confirm that no formal decision on this has been taken by Herefordshire Council and nor will it be until a full consultation with residents, businesses and local stakeholders has taken place. Plans for the improvement work will be available to view at Leominster Town Council Offices, Tourist Information Centre, 11 Corn Square, Leominster, HR6 8YP and on the Herefordshire Council website The tender for this work is now live online. We value expressions of interest from local businesses

£2.2 billion for local authorities in the West Midlands and East Midlands which includes Herefordshire. Redirected HS2 funding to resurface more than 5,000 miles of road across the country, improving journeys for all. Millions of people will enjoy smoother, safer and faster road journeys thanks to the biggest-ever road resurfacing programme to improve local roads. Today (17 November 2023), Transport Secretary Mark Harper has set out the allocations of an £8.3 billion long-term plan, enough to resurface over 5,000 miles of road across the country over the next 11 years. It’s one of the key cornerstones of Network North to improve journeys for all. Across England, local highway authorities will receive £150 million this financial year, followed by a further £150 million for 2024/2025, with the rest of the funding allocated through to 2034. Each local authority can use its share of the £8.3 billion to identify what local roads are in most need of repair and deliver immediate improvements for communities and residents. This is divided as: £3.3 billion for local authorities in the North West, North East and Yorkshire and the Humber £2.2 billion for local authorities in the West Midlands and East Midlands £2.8 billion for local authorities in the East of England, South East, South West and, for the first time in 8 years, London We’ve already confirmed £5.5 billion up until 2024/25, for England outside London, which includes the £200 million announced by the Chancellor at the Budget in March. Today’s £8.3 billion nationwide boost comes on top of that and extends until 2034, providing long-term certainty to local authorities and helping to prevent potholes from coming back in the future. The funding also comes on top of the local transport, road and rail budgets allocated at the last Spending Review and in addition to what local authorities were already expecting for the next decade. Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, said: For too long politicians have shied away from taking the right long-term decisions to make life easier for hardworking families – tackling the scourge of potholes being a prime example. Well-maintained road surfaces could save drivers up to £440 each in expensive vehicle repairs, helping motorists keep more of the cash in their pocket. This unprecedented £8.3 billion investment will pave the road for better and safer journeys for millions of people across the country and put an end to the blight of nuisance potholes. Transport Secretary, Mark Harper, said: Most people travel by road and potholes can cause misery for motorists, from expensive vehicle repairs to bumpy, slow and dangerous journeys. Our £8.3 billion boost to repair roads across the country shows that we’re on the side of drivers. Today’s biggest-ever funding uplift for local road improvements is a victory for all road users, who will enjoy smoother, faster and safer trips – as we use redirected HS2 funding to make the right long-term decisions for a brighter future. According to the RAC, smoother, well-maintained road surfaces could save drivers up to £440 each in expensive vehicle repairs from pothole damage, helping motorists keep more of the cash in their pocket. This £8.3 billion boost is particularly important when considering that, according to a survey from the AA, fixing potholes and investing in roads maintenance is a priority for 96% of drivers. These funds can also help boost road safety and encourage active travel, as smoother road surfaces will make it safer and easier for cyclists to use roads with greater confidence. RAC head of policy, Simon Williams, said: Drivers’ biggest bugbear of all is the poor condition of local roads, so the fact the government has found a significant additional pot of revenue should give councils the certainty of funding they need to plan proper long-term road maintenance, something we have been calling for many years. We hope local authorities will use the money in the most effective way possible by resurfacing the very worst roads, keeping those in reasonable condition in better states for longer through surface dressing and filling potholes as permanently as possible wherever necessary. This should in time go a considerable way to bringing our roads back to a fit-for-purpose state and saving drivers hundreds of pounds in the process from not having to fork out for frustrating repairs to their vehicles. To increase transparency and ensure the £8.3 billion leads to an increase in the number of roads being resurfaced, local authorities will be required to publish information on their websites on a regular basis explaining how they are spending the funding in their area. The measure is a key part of the government’s Network North plan, with money redirected from HS2 instead going to improve the daily transport connections that matter most to people. It builds on tough regulations announced in April this year to crack down on utility companies causing pothole pain with botched streetworks, through stricter inspections and costs for the worst offenders – backed by further measures in our Plan for drivers announced just last month. These include £70 million to keep traffic flowing, updating 20mph zone guidance for England to help prevent inappropriate blanket use and measures to speed up the rollout of electric vehicle charging. Edmund King OBE, AA president, said: Perilous roads blighted by potholes are the number one concern for drivers and a major issue for bikers, cyclists and pedestrians. So far this year, the AA has attended more than 450,000 pothole-related breakdowns. The damage caused can be a huge financial burden for drivers but is also a major safety risk for those on 2 wheels. The £8.3 billion plan can make a considerable difference in bringing our roads back to the standards, which road users expect, especially if councils use the cash efficiently to resurface our streets. As well as safer roads, eliminating potholes gives confidence to people wanting to cycle and instils pride of place within local communities. Network North will see £36 billion invested in hundreds of transport projects and initiatives across the country, and includes the extension of the £2 bus fare cap in England to the end of December 2024, as well as over £1 billion to improve bus journeys in the North and the Midlands. Rick Green, Chair of the Asphalt Industry Alliance, said: This additional funding is good news for local authorities in England and is much needed to help them tackle the backlog of repairs. We have long been calling for surety of funding over the long-term and the fact that the DfT has committed to this money being available over the next 11 years should allow highways teams to implement more efficient works to improve local road conditions and enhance the resilience of the network once they have details of their allocation. This long-term investment will also help give the asphalt supply chain confidence to further invest in plant upgrades, materials innovation and technical advancements to support the development and delivery of lower carbon roads in line with the government’s net zero ambitions. See a breakdown of the funding allocations for local highways maintenance by authority. Further information The £8.3 billion funding is equivalent to resurfacing 5,157 miles of road. This is based on sector data suggesting an approximate cost of £1 million to resurface 1km of road. £8.3 billion would, therefore, allow 8,300km or 5,157 miles of road to be resurfaced.

Netflix are filming in Hereford for documentary, thanks to our lovely friends at Sunshine Radio for letting us know! Ho ho ho Come and enjoy the festive fun in High Town for the annual Christmas Lights Switch On. The Hereford Christmas light’s switch-on display takes place in High Town from 3pm until 5:30pm this Sunday 19 November. The event by Hereford City Council, Sunshine Radio & Outstanding Education, will be packed full of festive fun, including live music. Ho ho ho If you are unable to attend, do not worry, you can watch the whole event LIVE on our HEREFORD LIVE 24/7 HD Camera https://hfd.news/HerefordWebcam A superb panoramic view of High Town Hereford hosted by our good friends at WorkHere: Community Workspace, Hereford

West Mercia Police have confirmed that a body was found on (Tuesday 15 November) in a woodland near Church Stretton following searches for a man who was reported missing on Sunday 29 October. As of Tuesday a formal identification had not yet taken place but it is believed to be that of 56-year-old Christopher Jiggins.

New Hereford library and learning centre one step closer according to Herefordshire Council. The development of a new library and learning centre for Hereford has taken a step further forward following a Cabinet decision to locate it at Shirehall. Hereford library is currently in a temporary location at Friar St, after moving out of the Broad St building to make way for the £18m redevelopment of Hereford museum. While a previous decision had been for the new library and learning centre to be sited at the Maylord Orchards Centre, Herefordshire Council’s Cabinet requested that the Shirehall also be explored as an option. The business case for Shirehall considered by Cabinet (Thursday 26 October) set out how the building would be capable of providing a significantly larger footprint and an increase in shared workspaces than Maylord Orchards, while bringing a hugely valuable heritage asset back into community use. The proposals outline how a modern library would provide space for people of all ages while being flexible enough to also hold events and community space. The lower area would accommodate a digital skills lounge with dedicated PCs for public use/digital workshops, a fully equipped sensory room and a ‘maker-space’ for members of the public to use equipment that may not be available to them at home. As a result of the decision today, a request will now be made to the Stronger Towns Board for the funding previously allocated, by the Government as part of the Stronger Towns Fund, to the Maylord Orchards library project to be reassigned to the Shirehall project. Following this a proposal will be put to Full Council for additional funding to be added to the capital programme for essential building works. Councillor Harry Bramer, cabinet member for community services and assets, said: “Hereford’s Shirehall is a landmark building that’s at the heart of the City’s heritage. Siting the new library and learning centre in this prominent venue will bring it back into use for the whole community. It offers many options and opportunities for how we could use the space to benefit people of all ages.” “While we recognise the proposals are still subject to funding agreements, we’re excited that this decision is taking another step towards the creation of a modern, inspiring library and learning space for Hereford – to provide a first-class library and learning centre to match the quality of the City’s new museum that’s currently in development.”

In a post on his Twitter account the MP wrote; "Very grateful to the Prime Minister for accepting my resignation. Having laid the ZEV mandate and framed the Automated Vehicles Bill, this is the right time to step down. Looking forward to more freedom to campaign on the River #Wye and other crucial local and national issues!"

Let's start the week with a positive Police Dog article!! 13 minutes later... Someone else liked our dog theme.. still good to know Hereford Voice is the first go-to place for articles and ideas, we're clearly 'Leading The Way'

Hereford's iconic Grapes Tavern is up for sale with Savills with a guide price £210,000 A Grade II Listed circa 17th century public house within a busy city centre location. By order of the LPA Receivers KROLL To be sold via online auction on 21 November 2023. Location The Cathedral City of Hereford lies approximately 50 miles south west of Birmingham and 35 miles west of Cheltenham. An historic and attractive city, the property benefits from a prominent corner position at the junction with Church Street The immediate area is made up of an impressive array of boutique independent traders including clothes shops, coffee shops and delicatessens.

Christmas is fast approaching and the 'cost of living crisis' is particularly challenging for small businesses, with this in mind, like we do most years, Hereford Voice are again offering FREE ADVERTISING for local independent businesses throughout December and the festive period. And today's guaranteed predicted follow up is!!! 🥁Drum role please... 🥁 Ta da! This one took the little fella a bit longer, 11 minutes.

There is a brand new bus service coming to Hereford! The all new electric Zipper 🚌 News travels very fast..👇 just 8 minutes again, must be a notification for sure.

There is a storm brewing and it's called Cairán ! This news of this particular storm is contagious! It looks just 8 minutes 🤭

You must LIKE & FOLLOW 👉 Hereford Voice on Facebook. Free are adverts promoted on our Facebook page only. Limited to one advert per business however, we may find additional free slots to re-advertise again during the month. You can have a free advert providing you are NOT paying to advertise with any other local page within the same period. Free adverts are subject to availability on a first come first serve basis. Free adverts are only for local independent businesses. Existing clients will benefit from additional free adverts during this festive period. Free advertising is only during the month of December. Make sure to email your advert content together with any good quality images to news@herefordvoice.co.uk Free Events - email news@herefordvoice.co.uk NOW THAT'S CALLED SUPPORTING LOCAL BUSINESS!

Herefordshire Council has signed a ground breaking agreement with three other English and Welsh local authorities today (10 November). The Marches Forward Partnership became a reality at an official event held at Hay Castle on the Welsh and English border. The new partnership sees Herefordshire Council join forces with Shropshire Council and Monmouthshire and Powys county councils, to take on some of the big challenges they all share. The four local authorities will now work even more closely together with both UK and Welsh governments to progress this exciting cross border collaboration. This will include working jointly to secure funding support from both governments as well as with a wide range of other partners to unlock more investment and explore new approaches to make major projects that benefit the Marches region become reality. Covering 80% of the English/Welsh borderland, the local authorities have similar characteristics and geography as well as an overriding mutual ambition for the region as a whole. The Partnership provides a unique commitment to work cross border, cross country and cross party on major projects that are in the overall best interests of the region. Transport, skills and housing, alongside energy, climate change, tourism and digital connectivity are high on the agenda, all common issues for the area’s population of almost 750,000. By working together the four local authorities hope to deliver cross border successes and unlock millions of pounds for identified initiatives that support the Marches rural economy and green growth. Leader of Herefordshire Council, Cllr Jonathan Lester, said: “This partnership offers a great opportunity to work with our neighbours on issues that are common to us all. “While all the councils will continue to run for the benefit of their residents, the partnership provides a really helpful framework for collaboration on areas where we can get the most benefit and make the biggest difference by working together. “These are very early days but we’ve already started discussion around what we would like to achieve and will be moving at pace to turn these ambitions into actions.”

John Lewis releases new Christmas advert for 2023-(1080p).mp4 #HerefordVoice | #JohnLewisChristmasAdvert | #Christmas

A planning application has been submitted by STAR PUBS AND BARS for new signage at the Volunteer Inn located in Harold Street Hereford. Proposed erection of illuminated and non-illuminated signs to the exterior; sign a - repaint existing letters in gold with dark green returns, sign b - one new double sided pictorial panel to existing post sign illuminated by linolites, sign c - three new amenity boards, two fixed back to back on post, sign d - two new lanterns to entrance, sign e - four new led floodlights to replace existing Planning Application P233243/A

This will be a fabulous addition to West Street in Hereford.

A man has been sentenced to eleven years in prison after he pleaded guilty to child sex offences and bestiality. Knill Watkins, 34, from Withington in Hereford he pleaded on 4 September 2023 and was sentenced on Friday 27 October at Hereford Crown Court. He was sentenced for the following offences: ▪️Three counts of making indecent photograph of a child Observe a person doing a private act ▪️Two counts of sexual penetration per vagina/anus by a person with a living animal ▪️Possess extreme pornographic image/images portraying an act of intercourse/oral sex with a dead/alive animal. ▪️Possess a prohibited image of a child ▪️Two counts of assault a girl under 13 by touching The offences took place between 2012 and 2021. Detective Constable Rich Britton said: “Watkins is a dangerous individual who committed horrendous crimes. I’m pleased that he will now face the consequences for his actions and will rightly be identified as a sex offender for life and spend time in prison. “We take all forms of child abuse incredibly seriously and I hope this result shows the effort we put into making sure children in our community are safe from sexual predators” If you feel you are a victim of any sexual offence you can report it to us via West Mercia's Victim Advice Line on 0800 952 3000 or visit www.victimadviceline.org.uk. This is a free, independent and confidential support service. In an emergency always dial 999.

Golden Valley South Ward - Thursday 26 October 2023 Matthew Engle with 549 votes, more the doubling the amount of votes received by Conservative candidate David Greenow.

Anyway, now let's share the news of the new free Hereford Zipper bus service! Coincidence right? 👇

Remember When They Said Our News Article About Greggs Opening At Rotherwas Was Just A Rumour... Well as soon as other local pages realised it was true they soon jumped on the bandwagon and were all over it.. 😉 We have published regular updates and planned to visit once the new signage was in place in time for the spring in October, but someone really needed to REVEAL the news of the new signs before anyone else, fair enough.. We popped along a few days later at the weekend and shared the news on our page below 👇 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗴𝘀 𝗔𝘁 𝗥𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗛𝗮𝘀 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗧𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆! Good luck to the whole team Our original article https://hfd.news/jC0S back in February where Hereford Voice revealed that 'Greggs' were opening at Phantom House on Holme Lacy Road, Rotherwas Hereford. Just an hour later our topic was followed with this...👇 even though they have been screaming about the big opening of Greggs for the past few months, oh the irony 🤣 However, we were pretty pleased with our original photoshop illustration that we created and published when we broke the news at the beginning of the year below 👇 Above was our mockup and below is how it looks now 👇

We're now coming into the wonderful festive season and what better way than spoiling the kiddies with a letter from Santa! We have been promoting this fabulous service from Royal Mail for many years, so this year we thought we would publish the message a little earlier and shared this on Monday 16th October in the evening. Guess who followed the theme as soon as they woke up the following morning? 👇 It's all just a coincidence we know.

We love to support local business with our low cost advertising options... Oops, think we may have hit a nerve.. 👇

Let's talk about pumpkins! 🎃 Oh look someone had the same though just minutes later lol 👇 And what about the Balloon Festival ! 13 minutes later...

Nothing like a good breakfast to start the day! 23 minutes later...

UPDATE Two injured following dog related incident Following on from our news article last night https://hfd.news/dogincident West Mercia Police have confirmed that, officers responded to a report of a dog related incident which caused injuries to two people in Hereford. The incident took place at a residential property on Campbell Close, Hereford at around 5.15pm yesterday (Sunday 22 October). During an altercation between two dogs from the same household, a man in his 20s suffered a hand injury attempting to separate the dogs and a woman, also in her 20s, suffered facial injuries after being knocked to the ground. Both people have been taken to hospital. The dog which caused the injury to the man has been recovered from the property and is currently secured at kennels.