flamboyant

According to comments on the Hereford Times website In a response to an email. Cllr Johnson says Cllr Hamilton was referring to opposition in his press release. It's very confusing!

Cllr Powell who is Cllr Hamilton accusing of bullying and harassment ? I hear he was on the BBC news today with comments from Cllr Johnson?

I witnessed a similar out burst by the Leader Cllr Johnson at the meeting on the 19th . When he shouted at another Councillor 'you speak because I allow you to speak!' I've never seen anything so ridiculous it made a total farce of the entire proceedings. Do you know Cllr Powell who Cllr Hamilton is referencing in his comments, when he states appalling behaviour by other members caused his resignation?

Holly Moses Megilleland that's an interesting read! Me thinks the tide is turning!

Senior Managers are given the task of saving money they are told what the savings need to be . They gather together in a room and decide on their new titles and then come up with a reason why it's imperative they stay. Once that's done they decide how they are going to make the savings needed. They then 're-shuffle the front line staff change all the department names and make half a dozen front line staff redundant, giving those left more work to do, which won't get done because it's an impossible task. That gives them months some times years before anyone will notice, by that time it will be time to do it all again! Don't take my word for it wait till you see the 're-shuffle for Libraries and Customer Services! Incidentally those managers with new titles are all working from home, nice job if you can get it!

Yes you couldn't be more right! It happens all the time the more inadequate you are the better your chances! They invent jobs for people there are new posts cropping up all the time.

Biomech sounds like a good idea go for it!

I agree with TwoWheelsGood 100% TwoWheelsGood if you're serious, post your idea on the comments section at the bottom of Tony Johnson's letter on the Hereford Times Website along with every forum you can think of! Then post a petition on 38 degrees, let the people decide. I'm guessing you will have your 7,000 + signatures in no time at all!

It's very hard to criticise when things are going well, I'm sorry but there is nothing that's going well. The Council administration can not defend some of the crazy decisions they've made and they continue to make. Letter on the Hereford Times website from Cllr Johnson states if we have a better idea they are all ears! I witnessed Cllr Johnson being all ears it was not pretty!

My experience of the current administration is none of them can take criticism. See for yourselves. http://www.herefordtimes.com/news/letters/10685351.Letter_from_Tony_Johnson__Leader__Herefordshire_Council_says_prudent_borrowing_is_best_for_future/

Cllr Powell, just when I was about to give up , you posted and have temporarily restored my faith by echoing the sentiments of the dozen or so die hard posters that adorn these forums. However I've also come to realise it doesn't matter what we say we won't change anything there really is no stopping these people they truly believe they are above reproach. What I find really astounding is that there really is nothing we can do to change things. Cllr Johnson said it all when he said at the meeting on the 19th 'you speak because I allow you to speak!' Thank you Cllr it can't be easy to stand up against these bullies!

The Ltd grasp brigade will meet tomorrow to decide on the fate of yet more of our services. Panic not they will be following the recommendations of some new rising stars! The Library assistant now presiding over customer services assisted by a team of newbies who to their credit have managed to bluff their way through and convince the cabinet that they actually know what they are doing! News flash 'they don't' they are steering you into a disaster! Surely the Balfour Beatty saga has awoken you from your slumber, I mean who saw that one coming? For those not in the know Balfour Beatty will not have any phone lines until the 14th Oct! Herefordshire Council can't contact their own contractors! Isn't it time to regroup? At the very least you should be serving the public's someone's head?

Page 2 of the Journal makes interesting reading. There's been a moment of clarification and I sincerely hope it doesn't lose momentum! Independent party Councillors are calling for an end to cabinet rule! Well done Cllr Mathews, Bowen and Hardwick. Now take it a step further and engage with front line staff and let them give you all the evidence you need to bring about this change. That one step will save Herefordshire Council the millions it needs to make our Council and our City something we can be proud of!

Councillors could propose to take a 10% cut and be identified on the Council website in the same way their party is identified. For example Councillor Atkinson (VRP) The acronym standing for Voluntary reduction in pay. It would certainly earn the respect of the public and you never know it might even shame the others into following suit? Probably a really stupid idea but I'm nothing if not consistent!

Sorry Victor Wright but I don't recall saying that 'we' should not welcome our new Councillors to clarify what I actually said was I had been here before. Emphasis on 'I' it's my opinion and I have very good reason for thinking as I do. You are entitled to your opinion I would never try and persuade you otherwise, nor would I criticise you for them since I don't know what experience you've had dealing with Councillors. I do know mine so my comment is justified. Kind regards to you

I'm with Bobby on the first post (sorry Colin) I've been here before and it never goes well!

This project requires an initial investment of 10 million. The digital strategy is contradictory, it talks about high numbers of people living in Hereford in poverty and the high numbers of elderly living in rural areas. Do Herefordshire Council really think these people need a broadband connection? One of the key selling points is the Cabinet will have access to broadband. It's an extremely expensive project. The Council want people to conduct Council business online. The Council Website can not support this project without huge investment. The rural areas have access to fast connections BT, sky and any number of internet service providers have this market covered. If you live in the Countryside and want a fast connection you can get one if you know where to look. By the time HC get this off the ground technology will have moved on.

When reading through the different forums I have concluded what an intelligent group of posters we have. There are accountants, directors, strategists, consultants and auditors to name but a few reading the different forums. I'm an advocate of transparency because I believe it's one way to utilise that army of experts. I believe the Current Council are pouring massive amounts of time energy and money into the wrong resources and projects. That's not a revelation and from what I've read many agree with me. I am not the most intelligent person on the planet, I'm apt to let my imagination, passion and morality cloud my thinking and I certainly know my limitations. So ...... My reason for posting is to throw out a challenge to all you clever people. Take a look at the following agenda reports pack on the following link and post your thoughts. There are several things in the document that provoked my thought processes but sadly as I said I'm not intelligent enough to answer myself! For example: The documents states one of the reasons this initiative is a good idea is because it will encourage more people to shop online. Won't that sabotage the ESG? It would appear the cabinet run with the cowboys and shoot with the Indians? http://councillors.herefordshire.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=251&MId=4376&Ver=4

Excellent points Biomech now who and how do we hold them to account? By my reckoning that amount of money goes a long way to keeping open a day centre for our disabled or elderly or perhaps a new mini bus for some of our beautiful children at Black Marston. No no no sorry my apologies what a ridiculous idea! Shame on me!

Biomech you're hilarious 'a plan' the Council don't have plans! You are correct in your assertion that without a plan which would include a direct line of communication the Council are yet again losing control of our funds. I do not condone a single penny being unaccounted for! If Balfour Beatty took over the running of this service on the 1st of Sep then I expect them to take over the complete running of this service. That would include a direct line of Communication , nothing less is acceptable. If a bank went off line for even a day and customers could not contact them, it would make the National news! If customers were then told there was a cost implication they would storm the banks! The Council are accountable for the Contract they should now be checking the small print!

Councillor I was told by Customer Services that they couldn't contact Highways either I was told to call back next week! Surely that can't be correct ?

It was more of a stumble than a roll out !

I think this is a brilliant idea - the main reason being that the bigger the network the more transparency will prevail. It will encourage debate. This County is dis-jointed, the left hand rarely knows what the right hand is doing there's too much going on in Hereford with bits of information all over the County. This site could bring all the information together! I think this site's about to get very interesting! Good luck Colin and well done and thanks for all your hard work! Bobby don't worry the whole of Herefordshire gonna love you lol!

Thanks for the link Victor I hope everyone takes a look at the picture and never agrees to black bins! Is this what people want ? Am I the only one who thinks these bins are ruining our streets and once pretty front gardens? They do not look nice as a focal point in your front garden and as the picture clearly shows more than one will look even worse than they do now! Bags get ripped open because most people put them out the night before because they don't want to get up early in the morning to put them out. The bins attract flies and vermin because people never clean them trust me if we get black bins they will start to smell and you will see a lot more flies and other vermin. Please look at the picture posted by Victor and whatever you do don't vote for black bins! I also disagree with Colin sorry Colin but if people put their refuse out the night before collection and a cat rips open the bag and drags it all over the street. Do you really think that's the collectors fault and their responsibility to clean up? According to the Council the men will only clean up within a metre of the bags they collect. If my bag was ripped open I would clear the mess myself I would not want the men to pick it up for me. They are after all paid to collect the bags it's not their fault the bags get ripped open.

Are Amey responsible for signage? When I rang Herfordshire Council regarding a missing sign on a public right of way I was told it was the Parish Council same response when I requested dog fouling signs. I was also told there was no money in the budget for signage. It would appear there's no money for very much in the budget! I spoke to a really nice lady but I must admit I was a bit rude but when I thought about it later I called back and apologized I can't seem to help losing my temper I feel really sorry for the guys answering the calls and I know they are only doing their jobs but I want clarity on who is responsible for what! It's very confusing and frustrating when you call customer services, and sometimes you wait ages for them to answer only to be directed elsewhere and the web site is a total joke the search engine returns the most ridiculous results and I've lost track of how many times it crashes! I've given up reporting things.