flamboyant

The issue is the trees in Glastonbury Close Councillor not Kingfisher. Did the Localities steward inform they had been done or not?

Also are all Parish Councillors registered data controllers, including Clerks and volunteers? I once called a Parish Councillor who was out so his wife took my details and said she'd pass them on not sure she was a registered data controller. Do all Parish Councils have Public a Liability insurance in the event they could be pursued under data protection or worse held to account for failing to report an issue that results in harm to a member of the public?

Megilliland, do you know what the implications are for failure to comply with the Constitution? Is the Constitution a legally binding duty?

BBs contract States their Computer Systems must interact and feedback to the Councils IT systems. Which would mean that all reported work regardless of a work order raised needs to be recorded and reasons why some requests do not result in a work order. Is a schedule of work given to Parish Councils so they can inform members of the public when a job will be completed if they get a repeat call? For example the trees mentioned in Glastonbury Close?

Does anyone know what the disputed work is? As I understand it the Council paid Amey to complete works and Amey didn't? Or is that over simplifying it? What exactly is the explaination behind the money owed? Sorry I am not very bright!

I hope they don't knock on my door I'm likely to get arrested!

Paul curtesy of Dippy, we have located him, 2nd row third picture. http://brianrwilliams.bigcartel.com/category/extinct-birds

Well done Dip I had no idea where to start I knew you'd know!

Paul you would have more chance of an audience with the Queen than you would with our local MP! There was once a thread on the voice with identity pictures but I can't remember what it was called! Dippy where are those pictures ?

Brilliant everyone well done! GreenKnight thanks for kicking this off! When you have finished polishing your armour can we have the next part of the plan? Now you have our attention it would be a shame to stop now and I am confident you have some more good ideas under your metal jacket! Seriously well done

The following could be a worry for the Council if it wasn't for the fact that the Council have appointed Geoff Hughes as project Director? Nothing to worry about he will gather up the usual suspects responsible for the **** up in the first place and they are sure to **** it up all over again! Why because they are ****ing up thinks on a day to day basis! What exactly does it take to trigger a public enquiry? I am confused as to why the auditors haven't been looking into this? http://www.herefordtimes.com/news/11823873.__40_million_legal_dispute_loss_could__finish__Herefordshire_Council___claim/

Cllr Chappell the links in the posts above contradict your response? Which is the whole point.

Brilliant Megilleland Particularly like the following new scheme being launched ...... Er it's not new there are 81 parishes already signed up? Scheme to commence 1st April 2015 ..... Er no it apparently started in 2000 with over 50 PCs signed up to the scheme by 2005? Successfully piloted by Wellington, Pyons and Foxley..... Sorry weren't they already signed up, where are the other 78 PCs already signed up to the scheme? Smoke screens and mirrors, or just total incompetence which apparently began in 2000 and continues to date, I mean the incompetence obviously not the scheme, why am I not surprised? Hopefully someone's thought to check the contact details on the PC list are up to date, I was given a number by the Council for a Parish Councillor who passed away three years ago!

Brilliant Megilleland Particularly like the following new scheme being launched ...... Er it's not new there are 81 parishes already signed up? Scheme to commence 1st April 2015 ..... Er no it apparently started in 2000 with over 50 PCs signed up to the scheme by 2005? Successfully piloted by Wellington, Pyons and Foxley..... Sorry weren't they already signed up, where are the other 78 PCs already signed up to the scheme? Smoke screens and mirrors, or just total incompetence which apparently began in 2000 and continues to date, why am I not suprised?

The following is a section from the link Megilleland posted The Council is also considering the potential to extend the scheme to incorporate Town Councils. This might allow Herefordshire’s five market towns - Ledbury, Leominster, Ross on Wye, Bromyard, Kington and Hereford city itself - to participate in the scheme. As highway issues are likely to be more significant in the towns, the scheme would focus more upon ‘Streetscene’ improvements such as litter, sign maintenance, graffiti and even public toilets. Might just have saved all those public toilets closing if they'd got this scheme up and running. The next time Cabinet are rubber stamping these proposals can you make sure these schemes are well documented and there is a continuing strategy should whoever is in charge move on to pasture new that the next person coming in knows what their responsibilities are, here's a really radical idea how about an operational plan, it's a big book of instructions! Simples!

Megilleland excellent research, don't suppose you found a list of the PCs that actually signed up and 'have' a lengthsmen?

Thank you Cllr Chappell, I would now urge you to take the list of the 81 PCs that signed up for the lengthsmen scheme give them a call and find out exactly how many actually still have or indeed ever had a lengthsmen? The problem you have is as stated above PCs are run by volunteers and as such are constantly changing, one PC signs up to the scheme then leaves before one is appointed and doesn't pass on the relevant information to the next volunteer. There's no paperwork documented processes the entire system falls down. I'm guessing half these PCs do 'not' have a lengthsmen regardless of who signed up to the scheme in '2005' The other issue you have is that a certain amount of money is allocated to the PC from the Council the other half comes from match funding. If the person responsible for bidding for funding within the Council has moved on has the funding actually been acquired? If it has can you comment on who/ where the funding is coming from?

I have absolutely no problem with the guys on the ground at Balfour Beattie. The blame for outsourcing the Highways Contract and giving full control to an independent company rests squarely with the Council. As with Hoople, Futures and any other Company we outsource too they have the cloak of commercial confidentiality and there's no way of holding them to task if they're not doing what we paid them to do! The picture at the top of this thread invokes anger amongst the residents of Hereford and rightly so and it will only get worse. Apathy will set in and people will just accept the grass won't get cut the dog faeces and the litter won't be cleared no matter how much they scream about it! Can anyone confirm which Parish Councils have a lengthsman? One of their jobs would include clearing that mess up. I find it telling that 50 Parish Councils signed up for this scheme and they don't know anything about it?

Cllr Vaughan Powell it wasn't a criticism. Herefordshire Council were warned that if they handed reporting Highways issues to Balfour Beattie they would remove the audit process. When reporting was in house if BB or their predecessors Amey failed to do a job they'd been sent it was recorded by the Council because of repeat calls from customers. I.e. We've had 450 potholes reported and 200 have been re-reported as not been repaired, hence they got a kick up the backside! The Council were warned that giving BB full control would remove the audit process but they ignored warnings. You stated to Colin that you'd been told the trees had been cut, when in fact they haven't, you wouldn't have known had Colin not told you. BB don't bank on people like Colin being a blogger who just happened to report some overgrown trees. Trust me there will be a lot more occasions when you will get conflicting reports of the work that's been undertaken when it hasn't. I'm confident you will challenge them at every opportunity, however other Councillors won't be quite so willing. The report I posted earlier states that 55 Parish Councils had joined the lengthsmen scheme back in 2005 but at the current time most Parish Councils haven't got a clue what the lengthsmen scheme is? There's an awful lot of the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing. Has your area got a lengthsman, I'm sure their supposed to tackle litter, which is the subject behind this post. Good luck in the elections Councillor, you deserve it!

Cllr Vaughn Powell you haven't really gone off topic you exposed the Councils Contractors as liars which illustrates serious flaws in BBs contract and Service Level Agreement, not to mention the works audit, isn't it fraud to claim you provided a service you were paid for when actually you didn't? You went on to remind us of the rest of the Councils c.o.c.k ups! Finances, budget, care act, core strategy Balfour Beatty etc........ I think you were bang on topic! 😄

Anyone know what became of the lengthsmen identified in the article below? By all accounts they've been in place since 2005. http://www.halchereford.gov.uk/uploads/files/lengthsman_scheme.pdf Needs looking into..

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/councils-rely-on-local-street-champions-to-pick-up-litter-prune-hedges-and-grit-minor-roads-as-funds-run-out-9985738.html

The Council are trying to encourage Communities to do it themselves! Expect things to get a lot worse! https://www.herefordshire.gov.uk/environmental-protection/street-care-and-cleaning/refuse-litter-enforcement/community-litter-picks-and-litter-picking-packs

GreenKnight more info on your post below http://www.bromsgrovestandard.co.uk/2015/02/20/news-Government-eye-on-Alexandra-Hospital-following-resignations-127089.html The following was taken from a National audit review and may explain why it's easier to resign than blow the whistle on bullying Figure 2 Whistleblower case study: when whistleblowing arrangements fail When whistleblowing goes wrong for an employee A surgeon saw repeated instances of poor hospital care and bullying, where patient outcomes and safety concerns were ignored. The surgeon reported these concerns both verbally and in writing but encountered the following: Management did not investigate these concerns for two years after their formal disclosure. The surgeon’s concerns and identity were disclosed to colleagues by managers without permission. The surgeon’s employability and academic reputation were damaged by colleagues and managers. The employer and union attempted to broker a deal to avoid public scrutiny of the concerns at trial. Source: National Audit Office interview with whistleblower This type of behaviour is endemic in our society.

One of the main reasons the Conservatives gain the majority in Hereford is because the Cons are staunch voters. I would urge anyone who doesn't vote to vote in the May elections, it's the only chance of getting an alternative ruling party in Hereford! Those loyal to the Conservative party need to ask themselves have they really made a difference for the better in Hereford? I have tried on three separate occassions to speak to Jesse Norman. When you call or email you have to explain your reasons for wanting to speak with him to one of his many PAs. If it is not in his best interest to speak with you then you can go and whistle and I don't mean Whistleblow that's not allowed! The Leader of Herefordshire Council has already made it clear he doesn't need to know what's going on inside the Council!