megilleland

Just in case anyone is wondering what BBLP stands for it is Balfour Beatty Living Places. I noted on 4th Noveber 2013 that their website for this was not up and running and today the same applies.

I think the plan is to kick it off locally, but I imagine they will be leaning towards a regionlism (ie EU) approach through the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership. That's why they are linking up with Ludlow colleges in Shropshire. The local council's role will diminish in education as the overall plan is to be indoctrinated from Brussels.

Bus service review 6 March to 21 April 2014 How to respond to the bus review Please complete our online bus review questionnaire. Why we are undertaking this review Around 39 per cent of the 3.1 million bus journeys made each year in the county are supported by a subsidy from the council. The total cost of the subsidy is around £1.6 million. The remainder of journeys are made on services run commercially by bus operators. View a list of the services supported with subsidy The council spends an additional £1.4 million reimbursing bus operators for concessionary travel - free travel on the bus network for older and disabled people. You will be aware that public services are facing significant financial pressure as central Government reduces funding to local councils as part of its austerity measures. Facing significant cuts in our budget, we are reviewing all of our activities. At a meeting on 23 January 2014, the cabinet considered a report on the review of transport services. It agreed to undertake a detailed review to save £1 million over the next two financial years (2014/15 to 2015/16). What the bus review covers We are working closely with bus operators to explore how we can make savings through more efficient services and journey planning. This includes looking into: * Integrating some contracts, therefore, increasing the efficient use of vehicles and drivers. Examples of integration include: - Incorporating school transport services within the wider bus network - Retaining some limited rural or market day services as feeder services which link to the core bus network (key transport corridors with regular, higher frequency services) * Whether or not some supported services might operate commercially and without subsidy * Reducing the frequency of some services However, it is unlikely that we will achieve £1 million savings purely through efficiencies. Therefore, we will have to consider withdrawing subsidy for some services. We carried out a comprehensive consultation in 2011, which asked about your bus service priorities. We would like to update that consultation because of this significant budget reduction and to help guide the decisions we will have to make following contract negotiations with operators. We will carry out further consultation with local communities as we finalise what operators are prepared to provide with lower levels of subsidy. Further information If you have any queries, need help to complete the questionnaire or would like it in another format or language, please call 01432 260211 or email publictransport@herefordshire.gov.uk

I have not heard too much about this idea to create a university in Herefordshire, but it appears the scheme is well under way. Information concerning the establishment of such a place of higher education can be found at The New University - Herefordshire website. As this project is going to gain momentum I have started a fresh topic "The New University - Herefordshire" to follow its progress. Comments will now be taken at a higher level led by King Bobby who I nominate for an honoury degree when the establishment is finally opened.

Since the article in The Hereford Times alerting citizens that Herefordshire Council has overwhelmingly backed the principle of passing its offices and other estate on to the countys university project. The groundbreaking motion went through with just one abstention and no votes against at full council this morning (Friday). Support for the motion means fundraising for the project can begin in earnest. My first thought - money no object. Where did the seed finance come from? Not the council I hope as they will have to have parking meters along all the roads of Herefordshire to bring in any money to support this. Can any councillors explain as they all voted for this worthy cause, except one who abstained. Noticed that the Blackfriars building used by the council has been vacated and fenced off completely. Did someone mention that the Robert Owen school was to be given the building?

Assuming that students will be attracted to a Herefordshire University, splitting the campuses around the county is going to create a lack of identity for it. Students want to be able to get to the university town easily - they rely on public transport. So Hereford, Leominster and Ledbury with a rail service are contenders. Also students want to be in a place with an active nightlife - this rules out Leominster and Ledbury. Also there needs to be a range of accommodation to rent. Trying to fit a university into a few buildings that the council wants to get rid of is not the answer. Create an institution of education that stands out from the norm by incorporating dynamic architecture, draws in the local youth with buildings that the public can use and provide seasonal accommodation, out of term, to boost tourism. Any thoughts?

Hereford has plenty of brownfield sites. They are called car parks and they are slowly sprawling over the city and stifling it as a place to enjoy and live in. As I have said in previous postings car parks should be multi-storey, and with good design, a memorable place to park in. By reducing the size of our car parks by going up this can release land for housing and green areas, providing an incentive for young families to work and play in the city. We have so many car parks, most built on derelict land, that the sites blight or add to the rundown appearance of the city. All this waste land we are told is being held for future development which never seems to materialise, so in the meantime lets turn it into a cash cow. Have a look at these places to park and see how your journey into Hereford could be something to look forward to in starting your day at work or shopping. In a competition to find the world's coolest car park thousands of car parks were involved in an initial worldwide search, with a final shortlist of 10 taken forward and analysed by the expert eyes of Jamie Mitchell, Editor of DesignCurial and Assistant Editor of FX Magazine, and Stress Free Airport Parking co-founder, Dave Greenbrown. The judges deliberated over each car park, scoring on categories such as design, innovation and each building’s relationship with its surroundings. Other comments made included: "the structure wowed the judges with its impressive design and embrace of the community by providing room for public exhibition space and shops". "using a mirror to reflect daylight through a central core, the building impressed judges with its unique lighting solution which they both described as both “stylish and innovativeâ€. "the car park is often referred to as the ‘cheesegrater’ by Sheffield residents due to its unique jagged cubed exterior. The judges recognised the design’s ability to turn a traditional car park shape into a visually striking building". “but as well as being a bold, striking structure, this is also a carefully thought-out, multi-faceted work of architecture that brings together retail, parking and leisure facilities. Much more than a car park, it is now an architectural icon that's beloved of those who use it - there have even been weddings and yoga classes there.†While most of us still have to settle for parking our cars in utilitarian concrete hulks, the 10 car parks in this shortlist at Stress Free Parking show how imaginative and innovative these buildings can be.

Sure is. Photos taken this afternoon Friday 7th March 2014

Liverpools Grade 1 listed Central Library re-opened to the public today, following a £50m refurbishment. The refurbished library now includes a 22 metre long Literary Pavement. Made from granite, the pavement is engraved with book titles from world literature, including, at Liverpool Councils request, Swallows and Amazons. I thought one of the letters in the word "Amazon" was missing in the photograph and plenty of ideas here:

Is this person to be OLM centre manager? Is the clue in the interview - Where is your career taking you next?

From Hereford Times February 27, 2014:

Which brings us to a interesting letter from The Hereford Times:

Are Hereford Council offering traffic consultancy to Coventry? Maybe they should have a site visit to the Edgar Street roundabout to see how they can speed up everything to a standstill!

Hereford Times reader - relatively new to the county - has some ideas about improving Hereford. Can't see that happening as Belmont Golf Club was situated in an historic landscape.

And more here: TwoWheelsGood says... Good comment.

Two stories here for the record: and You can read the reports I posted on this thread - scroll down to post 143

What back-lit portraits of the local worthies in the chinese style. Looking down on us as we circumnavigate the Edgar Street roundabout

Maybe down in a couple of days. Taking their time.

They have started to demolish the church today. It will be down by this evening.

A good question. I wonder what the council will reply. Knock it down for a knocked down price!

Agenda General Overview & Scrutiny Committee Monday 10 March 2014 10.20 am item 9. Hereford Futures Limited To inform Members about Hereford Futures Limited (‘HFL’); the council’s financial and other support for HFL; council liabilities going forward; HFL’s achievements; and any matters of general applicability to companies established by the council. GENERAL OVERVIEW & SCRUTINY COMMITTEE MEETING DATE: 10 March 2014 TITLE OF REPORT: Hereford Futures Limited REPORT BY: Solicitor to the Council Additional documents: Appendix 1 HFL Funding Appendix 2 List of previous HFL related reports to Cabinet

extract from item 60. BUDGET 2014/15 AND MEDIUM TERM FINANCIAL STRATEGY Looks like there is going to be a big fire sale. What new infrastructure? Will there be anything left?

Hereford Times 10:40am Tuesday 4th March 2014 in News By Bill Tanner Although a University is a good idea, to use buidings all over the place, just because the council wants to get rid of them isn't the best solution. A Herefordshire University would need to have a distinctive identity and something more creative could be built to highlight this beacon of further education. After all we don't want student tutorials in public conveniences just because the council can't afford to keep them open! Asset transfer appears to be the flavour of the month - at the moment.

Hereford Times 10:17am Tuesday 4th March 2014 in News

I came across this on the council's development blog: Property that the council owns The council has created a database of property the council owns which they have made searchable in a number of ways. They have also made sure you can see the results on a map following a search under the headings: Search by property name Search by parish Search by ward Search by classification Why would you want to see our property? There are several reasons but probably the most important one is that the council is a public body and that you, as citizens, have a right to understand what assets we hold and how we use them. Yes, but not a right to know the decisions behind selling off assets below market value.