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As world leaders prepare to gather in Glasgow for COP 26 to discuss co-ordinated action on climate change, Herefordshire leaders have agreed exemplary new standards that will revolutionise housing in the county. Herefordshire Future Homes aims to set standards for net zero carbon homes developed by the council, and its partners across the county and is aimed at all stakeholders involved in housing. Coalition councillors met last week to discuss how low energy homes would drive net zero carbon development in the region, create new jobs and skills, and support the local economy while building homes for those who need them would enable communities to flourish for years to come without trapping them in fuel poverty by reducing energy supply needs. Coun Ellie Chowns (Green Party) welcomed the initiative to develop passive houses in Herefordshire saying: ‘This signals our ambition to make real the concept of net zero affordable housing and how we will do that.’ ‘We know that new buildings have got to be net zero carbon – we’ve already got 85000 old homes in Herefordshire and retrofitting them to zero carbon standard is a massive challenge, we shouldn’t be adding to the housing stock by building new buildings that will need retrofitting down the line. This is about putting our policy where our mouth is and committing to zero carbon standards.’ Herefordshire Future Homes ambitions will ensure healthy, warm homes for residents – eliminating cold, mould and damp in healthy neighbourhoods with space for children to play, space for nature, and the provision of sustainable transport options. Proposals include One Planet Living frameworks designed to help people live well with the resources of the one planet we have. It has been used over twenty years in both public and private sector housing and elsewhere, and is aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Coun Felicity Norman welcomed the proposals and said: ‘We absolutely need to provide quality housing that will help to ensure that our communities are healthier.’ Advisor John Christophers, from Zero Carbon House, told councillors that there was a policy vacuum in the UK at the moment but that Herefordshire was not alone in wanting to set higher standards for housing. Citing examples in Norwich, Exeter and Norwich, Mr Christophers said that as these standards became embedded in contractors minds the cost differentials would minimise and zero carbon housing would become the new norm. Springfield Meadows in Oxford is an example of Herefordshire’s housing ambitions. Designed to help residents lead happier and healthier lives with a minimal carbon footprint, the development engages with nature and creates a strong sense of community. It is a mixed development of 23 affordable and for-sale homes, built ‘tenure-blind’ to the same high standards throughout. The homes are built using local labour and natural materials with 90% reduction in embodied carbon emissions. All homes are zero carbon in operation, with solar panels and connection to green power for any surplus demand. A car-club operates with electric vehicles. Residents benefit from large gardens, giving the opportunity to grow their own food, a central green space to enjoy as a community, a wildlife pond, a community orchard, and herb garden. Homes account for over 26% of Herefordshire’s carbon emissions, and have increased by more than a quarter over the past twelve years.

New Jobcentre has opened in Maylord Orchards Hereford The new temporary Jobcentre opened its doors this week to give jobseekers every opportunity to find work as well as offering as much support as possible. You will find the new Jobcentre in the former Sports Direct unit

Gift the city: Hereford launches city wide gift card to support local businesses and make local shopping easy Hereford Gift cards can be purchased from £5 to £500, and spent like a debit card with Hereford businesses including Printer + Tailor, La Madeleine, Fodder organic wholefood shop, Church Street café Rocket, jeweller C.V Osborne, Timothy Hawkins Gallery, The Coffee Cart Company. Hereford’s newest business, Löv Leaf, a shop dedicated to house plants also accepts the new Hereford Gift Card. Steph Sparks is the owner of Löv Leaf, located on Hereford’s Church Street: “I opened Löv Leaf in Hereford at the end of July 2021 and it’s going really well so far. House plant shops are slowly starting to pop up around the UK, mainly in London and the larger cities. When it came to opening Löv Leaf, Hereford, and Church Street in particular, was my number one choice, it is full of quirky independent shops and offers a great shopping experience. The support I’ve had from locals has been amazing. Of course, there are days when it’s quieter. “I think the Hereford Gift Card is such a great idea. If you’re buying someone a gift and don’t know what to get for them, you can get a Hereford Gift Card and they have so many options. A Hereford Gift Card is a window to the whole of Hereford, and will help people to discover new businesses. Customers get that personal service when they come into the shop and a lifetime of advice too. Rather than every shop having its own gift card, it makes sense for us all to work together to create one fantastic gift card for Hereford. “The pandemic encouraged us to invest more in our home environments, it became not only home but a work and social space too. Working from home was never for me though, and the pandemic was the catalyst for me to leave the tourism industry and set up Löv Leaf. I could never have envisaged running my own shop before covid, but there are so many benefits of surrounding ourselves with green plants like improved mental wellbeing.” As well as retail businesses, leisure, services and hospitality businesses are part of the Hereford Gift Card. Gary Waring is the owner of Hereford’s popular Left Bank venue and said the Hereford Gift Card will be useful: “Left Bank is similar to a French continental bar, it’s a place for people to meet and socialise over a drink. When we were closed due to covid, we put seating in place for over 500 people and that helped us to weather the storm. We also stopped taking cash during the pandemic, so the Hereford Gift Card will be another way people can pay. I think it will be successful.” Hereford Business Improvement District is behind the new Hereford Gift Card, and all Hereford BID businesses are able to join the Hereford Gift Card, free of charge. The Hereford Gift Card is part of the award winning Town and City Gift Card concept from payments provider Miconex, and is the first programme of its kind in Herefordshire. Mike Truelove, Chief Executive of Hereford BID said: “Hereford is leading the way in the county by introducing its own gift card. It reinforces Hereford as a brand, and as an appealing city that people want to visit. Retail footfall is slowly returning to pre-pandemic levels, the Hereford Gift Card gives our city an extra layer of support, particularly as we approach the Christmas period.” Colin Munro is the Managing Director of Miconex: “A cathedral city with great shopping, dining and leisure, the Hereford Gift Card has the potential to be hugely successful. There are around 30,000 households in Hereford. If every household bought, or was gifted, a £10 Hereford Gift Card, that would be £300,000 going into the Hereford economy, supporting local businesses, local people and local jobs.” The Hereford Gift Card is a prepaid Mastercard and is available to buy now, online or at the Hereford Tourist Information Centre on St Owen Street.

Twinkling lights, mulled wine, a festive atmosphere and fabulous gifts – Christmas markets are one of England's fondest traditions. Getty Images Many cities enjoy wonderful Christmas Markets throughout the festive period, with their classic wooden chalets often showcasing local produce, wines, crafts, food and gifts. Which is your favourite market and would you support bringing this tradition to Hereford ? Ho ho ho

The landlord at The Orange Tree pub in King Street Hereford has made the contentious decision to 'refuse entry' to people wearing sportswear, 'Stone Island' branded clothing, hoodies and bumbags and will only allow entry to adults over the age of 21 at weekend as we reported in this article last Wednesday on our Facebook page. The Orange Tree Pub Hereford The landlord wants to restore the pub to its fomer glory and busy times and by refusing entry to these young unruly people will hopefully make it a proper pub again. Charity | The landlord, Mr Hoyle will also be donating 10 per cent of takings in September to local charities. The Little Princess Trust will be the first charity to gain from this generous donation scheme. 📸 Google

'An immersive Art Experience for Car lovers' at Lemore Manor 23rd and 24th September. You will find yourself at an exclusive venue surrounded with car art and with people like you who love, own and/or collect cars. Art will be available throughout the grounds of the estate as well as inside the building. There will be a few spectacular art cars and rare cars among works of art brought by car manufacturers and private collectors to be displayed as works of art. ART CARS Bentley Unifying Spur by Rich Morris Polestar 1: The only car you can buy with Art British and European Custom Art Cars BMW LAUNCH B500X Arkonik by Etienne FEATURED AF10 by Arash Motor Company The Aston Martin Callum Vanquish 25 Morgan Plus Four CX-T Morgan Plus Six (Viper Green) Alpine DISPLAY Aston Martin Heritage Trust RACING CARS Blackbull Whisky's Lamborghini Huracan Evo GT3 DTO Motorsports PROTOTYPES and RARE PRIVATE CARS Details and Tickets https://www.sleepingwithart.com

The Little Princess Trust’s new HQ is now open, allowing the charity to help more children and young people with cancer than ever before. The new site, named The Hannah Tarplee Building, will shine a light on the charity’s work with its provision of wigs as well as its funding of childhood cancer research. Located in the heart of Hereford, LPT’s home houses a custom-built wig-fitting salon and a designated space that now allows the charity to physically knot the real hair wigs that make such a difference to their young recipients. The site also has a conference room where many of the scientists and researchers funded by The Little Princess Trust will present on their work focused on finding kinder and more effective treatments for childhood cancers. Experts in the field of paediatric cancer say the presentations given by some of the world’s leading scientists and academics will firmly put Hereford on the research map. Dr Pam Kearns, Professor of Clinical Paediatric Oncology at the University of Birmingham, said LPT’s new conference facility is “of national significance” and “demonstrates the charity’s ongoing commitment to change the lives of children with cancer”. “The space will be such a fantastic hub for paediatric cancer researchers, oncologists and the wider cancer community,” she added. “And it will act as a catalyst for collaboration to drive forward innovation in paediatric cancer research.” The charity had previously rented offices and Phil Brace, from The Little Princess Trust, said everyone associated with LPT was delighted to now have a purpose-built home of their own. He added: “We notified our supporters of our intention to invest in a new headquarters and are incredibly grateful to the many businesses who have supported us to significantly reduce costs. “This new premises means we can do so much more by increasing our efficiency, our own wig production, furthering our research and reaching more children and young people.” The Little Princess Trust was set up in memory of Hannah Tarplee in 2006 and the new premises has been named in her honour. Hannah, who was from Hereford, was diagnosed with a Wilms Tumour shortly after starting primary school and the loss of her hair proved especially traumatic. Her parents struggled to find a wig suitable for her and felt the most fitting tribute to the five-year-old would be a charity dedicated to providing wigs to children who had lost their own hair due to cancer treatment. The Little Princess Trust has since gone on to provide more than 11,000 wigs to young people and the charity’s new home, and the work taking place there, will act as a permanent legacy to Hannah. Wendy Tarplee-Morris, Hannah’s mother and LPT Founder, said the charity was committed to remaining true to its Hereford origins and that is why the investment was made in a new home which would be open to the local community. Schools will be encouraged to visit and learn about LPT’s work while the conference facilities will be freely available to other Herefordshire charities wanting to use them. Mr Brace added: “The Little Princess Trust is, and always will be, focussed on both its provision of wigs and its essential research funding while maintaining its core values. “We are always grateful to our supporters and recognise our responsibilities to the children and young people whom we serve.” “And we will never forget our roots and that is why we have chosen to invest in Hereford – the city where we will remain.”

The Little Princess Trust will be soon moving into 'The Hannah Tarplee Building' in Berrington Street Hereford. The former Bob Gallier site has been transformed into a state of the art facility for this fabulous charity. The Trust, founded in memory of 5 year old Hannah Tarplee, supplies the best real-hair wigs available, free of charge, to children and young adults up to the age of 24, who have lost their hair through cancer treatment or other illnesses, donations gratefully received here ➡️ https://www.justgiving.com/littleprincesstrust Website ➡️ https://www.littleprincesses.org.uk

Positive Hereford | The Royal National College for the Blind (RNC) have been awarded a grant of £3000 from Hereford City Council which will go towards funding new lawnmowing equipment. This will help the College maintain their grounds for the benefit of RNC students and guide dogs. Full details can be found HERE

Initial analysis from the Knife Angel Hereford team shows that at least 102,000 people visited the statue during its recent visit to the city. Photograph courtesy Jon Simpson In addition, more than 700 school children took part in associated workshops to learn about and discuss issues related to violent crime. A further 30 free to attend events were organised for the general public, including sessions about coping with stress after lockdown and bereavement workshops. The Herefordshire Walking Festival even included a visit to the Knife Angel along two of its routes! During its four week stay, the Knife Angel became a focal point for visitors to the city. Nearly 200 volunteers were recruited to provide advice and information. These included Samaritans and Vennture team members who were available to offer additional support for those who needed it. Thousands of photographs were taken of the Angel, including stunning shots from the official photographer, Jon Simpson. The Knife Angel was free to visit, but nearly £11,000 was donated on site by members of the public. Thanks to their generosity and to grant awards from West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner, West Mercia Police, The National Lottery Community Fund, High Sheriffs of Herefordshire (2020/1 & 2021/2), Eveson CharitableTrust, Community Safety Partnership and the Clocktower Foundation, the Knife Angel team has gathered a legacy fund of more than £30,000 to continue with its work to raise awareness of the devastating impact of violent crime. The Knife Angel’s visit to Hereford was organised over 18 months by a core team, led by Alison Davies and Meryl Cain. Alison, who lost her own son to knife crime in 2018, says: More than 350 knives and two guns were surrendered to the two Knife Angel amnesty boxes (one located at the Knife Angel site at Hereford Cathedral, the other at Hinton Community Centre). These will now be melted down to produce a commemorative sculpture for the city. The Knife Angel left Hereford in the early hours of 12 July. It is currently at its home base in The British Ironworks in Oswestry, awaiting its next public appearance in Chelmsford, Essex in the September. Partner organisations We are very grateful for the support of the following organisations: John Campion West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner, West Mercia Police, The British Ironwork Centre, The Chapter of Hereford Cathedral, Hereford Diocese, Herefordshire Council, The Herefordshire Community Foundation, The Clocktower Foundation, Herefordshire Business Board, Golden Valley Web Design, Herefordshire High Sheriffs (20/21, 21/22), Eat Sleep Live Herefordshire, Hereford Voice, Signs & Labels Hereford, Safeguard Medical, The Green Dragon Hotel, Wyvern Flooring, Tudor Building Supplies, Hereford Rotary, Herefordshire Lieutenancy, The Beaumont Trust, West Mercia Youth Justice Service, Gabbs Solicitors, Your Herefordshire, Hereford College of Art, Herefordshire & Ludlow College, No Wrong Door/HVOSS, BBO/HVOSS, Close House, The Samaritans, Vennture, Hereford City Youth Council The National Monument Against Violence & Aggression - The Knife Angel The Knife Angel is a stunning 27ft tall, 3.5-ton sculpture of an angel made out of 100,000 confiscated knives received from 43 Police Forces across the UK. Originating from The British Ironwork Centre in Oswestry and created by sculptor Alfie Bradley, it took two years to construct. Prior to lockdown, the Angel toured around the UK and has become a national monument against violence and aggression in all its forms.

I met up with Keith Marston yesterday morning to discuss how we can move forward with our Duck Pond Project. We have agreed our next clean up day will be on Sunday 24th October from 0900-1400. I think we need to have a good general clean up, remove any litter and objects from within the Pond, where it's safe to do so. There is plenty of weeding and the clearance of overgrowth from the immediate area around the main part of the Pond and surrounding gardens as well as the other end near to the Fosse. As a group we can check the fencing and decide an action plan for a bigger event in the Spring of 2022, but at least we can get things moving in October. We have already secured funds for aeration pumps and we will also look at purchasing these with a view to having them installed hopefully in the Spring or sometime next year. A full nature plan is what is required with tree surveys etc so we are looking forward to discussing all of these ideas with Herefordshire Council and Hereford City Council. There are some local groups who are also keen to get involved such as our Friends of the Castle Green. I have left a message for George Watkins at the Castle Hotel and I have had a good long chat on the phone tonight with Jim Kenyon to see how we move this forward. Jim has some really good ideas, which we welcome. So please let us know if you can Join us again folks? We need your help! You all did amazing work with us on this project and we would love to see you all again this time. Make a note in your diaries! SUNDAY 24th OCTOBER 2021 - 0900-1400

Ian was upside down, up to his neck in a flooded cabin, in the middle of the Atlantic in the pitch black. His navigation books are destroyed. He has a rudder so he can steer and he has water and food, but everything is soaking wet. He’ll know what’s possible once he’s checked himself and the boat but he’s a very determined, very special man. With 4 days of bad weather still to come, Ian is checking what he can but he’s lost most of his power, a lot of kit and communications equipment.He is battered and bruised but feeling strong. He has lost AIS (the alarm) so the coastguard is alerting other ships of his location. Former SAS soldier Ian is rowing 3400 miles solo from NY to the Isles of Scilly without GPS! He hopes to raise £500,000 for charity more details rowsentinel.com Latest update an hour ago: 10:00am Ian is continuing to row towards the IOS and has less then 600 miles to go. He’ll do everything that he can to complete the challenge. Good luck Ian we are following your progress.

The freehold disposal of Hereford Town Hall is being discussed at a meeting set for August 6th It's not a simple 'yes or no question' because this is public money that needs to be spent! There are huge maintenance costs to consider, many of the county's historical buildings require regular maintenance and the Hereford Town Hall needs at least £2.5M spending on it immediately just to bring it up to standard, but there is a lot more work required. This is mainly down to the lack of ongoing maintenance since back to the 1990's. The reason for this consideration, from our understanding, is that the Town Hall could be sold to the Hereford City Council and or including a possible 3rd party (CIC) which will be discussed further at the meeting on August 6th 2021. A community interest company (CIC) is a special form of non-charitable limited company, which exists primarily to benefit a community or with a view to pursuing a social purpose, rather than to make a profit for shareholders. Therefore, access to finance – whether through provide donors, grants or community development finance – may lead a social enterprise to operate as a CIC rather than as a standard company. These funding options such as grants etc are available to CIC's but this source of funding would not be available to a Council. Councillor Gemma Davies, cabinet member for commissioning, procurement and assets, said that in setting this year’s budget, it was vital £11.2 million in savings was identified, including new approaches to managing council assets. she said. Hereford Town Hall was built in 1904 and is a Grade II Listed building. In order to bring the Hereford Town Hall and other historical buildings across the county up to standard would most likely result in a increase in Council Tax, so the real question here is; 'Would you prefer in increase in your Council Tax or for Herefordshire Council to consider these other options'?

‘Hereford City Life’ backed by Hereford BID are launching the ‘Hereford Gift Card’! They are launching a brand new gift card to help encourage customers to spend their money with local Hereford businesses. The Hereford Gift Card is a pre-paid ‘Master Card’ based programme, that can be accepted by independents and nationals within Hereford city centre. Consumers The new Hereford Gift Card can be purchased as a gift for a family member or friend or even to give to someone to say thank you. The gift card is just like any other gift card that you see on the high street and you will be able to use it to spend in many of the local shops, cafés, restaurants and bars and all participating businesses in Hereford City Centre including Marks and Spencers, Primark, New Look, Timothy Hawkins Gallery, Saxtys, Pleasance and Harper, Toni and Guy, Fox and Mabel...to name but a few however, a full list of those participating businesses will be provided once the gift card is launched in the next few months, just in time for Christmas!! Businesses This scheme is another great way to encourage visitors to shop and spend with your business and can benefit many sectors, including retail, hospitality, leisure and service. How do I register? To register your business as an approved Hereford Gift Card location, please visit the registration page here https://hfd.news/kwj and follow the steps outlined. Costs Being an approved location for the Hereford Gift Card will cost you nothing other than the levy you already pay to us. Every penny the customer spends on the card will be loaded on the card too - there are no hidden fees! What if I have more questions? If you have more queries about the Hereford Gift Card and registering your businesses, you can find FAQs on the Hereford BID website using our link - https://hfd.news/2so or alternatively, please feel free to contact Hereford BID by email info@herefordbid.co.uk

On our recent visit to the Town Hall our friend John Marshall explained the history of the Coat of Arms and we are so pleased that he has put all of the incredible history into writing for your reading pleasure! It's been 376 since Hereford was under siege from the Scottish! The infamous battle resulted in the creation of Hereford's Coat of Arms, and the two stories are closely intertwined. In 1189, King Richard I gave the City its first royal charter, and with it came Hereford's first Coat of Arms, but the remainder of the design dates much later, to 1645, at which time the realm was in a state of Civil War. The City of Hereford stood for the King, and was stationed with Royalist troops. The garrison for the City, however, was very small, no more than 150-200 men at most. Then, a large Scottish force of 14,000 men marched to attack Hereford - mercenary troops fighting for Cromwell. They surrounded the City with the intention of capturing it, confidant that they could defeat the vastly outnumbered Royalists. However... the citizens of Hereford joined with the soldiers in the garrison, enacting the duties of fighting men so well that they kept the invading Scottish troops at bay for approximately five weeks. The enemy was unable to make a single penetration of the City's defences during this time, their only achievement being the destruction of one span of the old bridge over the Wye and dislodging a few stones from the City walls. In the end, the Scots gave up trying to capture the City and retreated, leaving the Royal Standard flying in triumph over the City. King Charles I, upon hearing of this, was delighted and full of praise for the citizens of Hereford. So much so, that he visited the City in order to thank them personally for their success, and made the Grant of Arms which the City now possesses. The shield on the coat was given ten crosses in white and blue, representing the surrounding forces of the Scottish troops. The motto for the City, which is also on the Coat, was granted; INVICTAE FIDELITATIS PRAEMIUM - which means; "Reward for faithfulness unconquered". A lion crest can now be seen on the top of the Coat, signifying loyalty and defence of the Crown. The helmet below the lion is also very rare, and is only found on the Coat of one other authority in England - the City of London. Full story of the Coat of Arms HERE

Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service deployed boat crews from Hereford and Worcester stations, a drone was used from Ledbury Fire Station and another fire crew from Fownhope were all mobilised to reports of a person in the River Wye in Hereford. A Police helicopter was seen hovering over the River Wye using a search light and emergency services were near to the Bunch of Carrots. The incident was finally left with West Mercia Police We reported the story late last night here https://hfd.news/kud

Here's a wonderful photo of one of the regular coal trains crossing the river along the Great Western Way from our Old Hereford Pics archive. Who remembers when the trains were active along the GWW?

Herefordshire Council teams have recently completed a programme of resurfacing and drainage works on the U71005 - Sellack Boat, Kings Caple in Herefordshire

Leader of Herefordshire Council, Cllr David Hitchiner, has announced changes to Cabinet Member portfolios, to take effect from 1 August 2021. Leader of Herefordshire Council, Cllr David Hitchiner Councillor Pauline Crockett will step down from Cabinet due to personal reasons, but will continue her duties as a ward member. Councillor Felicity Norman is the new Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Wellbeing, and Councillor Jenny Bartlett will continue as Cabinet Support Member. Councillor Diana Toynbee’s Children’s and Family Services portfolio returns to the full list of responsibilities which Councillor Felicity Norman had when she had this portfolio, but with the addition of Councillor Kath Hey who is appointed as an additional Cabinet Support to support Young People’s Attainment, including post-16 education, training and skills development. This additional support role is important to reflect the responsibilities that Councillor Toynbee has concerning the Improvement journey in Children’s Services and also the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on young people and to ensure that the county’s education and skills are aligned and delivered effectively. The new Cabinet will come into effect from Sunday 1 August 2021: Councillor David Hitchiner - Leader of Herefordshire Council / Corporate strategy and budget Councillor Liz Harvey – Deputy Leader of Herefordshire Council / Finance, Corporate Services and Planning Councillor Diana Toynbee - Children’s and Family Services, and Young People’s Attainment Councillor Gemma Davies - Commissioning, Procurement and Assets Councillor Ellie Chowns – Environment and Economy Councillor Felicity Norman - Health and Adult Wellbeing Councillor John Harrington - Infrastructure and Transport Councillor Ange Tyler - Housing, Regulatory Services and Community Safety

Police in Hereford are appealing for information following a racially aggravated assault in the city. The incident happened in the Church Street area of the city at around 4.00pm on Wednesday 7 July 2021. The victim sustained facial injuries as a result. Officers are appealing for any witnesses to come forward with information and are particularly interested in identifying the man shown in the image below. If you have any information please contact PC Karol Kujawa on 07971 395081 quoting incident number 369i of the 7th July 2021 or report anonymously using the Tell Us About section of the website.

Following on from our article yesterday here 👉 https://hfd.news/hwo Andrew Thompson, aged 52, Hereford, has been charged with attempt murder and will appear in Kidderminster Magistrates’ Court today (Thursday 29 July). He has been charged in relation to an incident that occurred in the early hours of Tuesday (27 July) in Dartmouth Court, Hereford. The cordons have now been released and we would like thank the community for their patience and help with our investigation.

Officers have arrested a 52-year-old man from Hereford on suspicion of attempted murder. The arrest was made after police were alerted to an incident at an address in Dartmouth Court at 2.12am on Tuesday 27 July. A man has received treatment for stab injuries to his neck and abdomen, he is now in a stable condition. A cordon remains in place at Dartmouth Court. The 52-year-old remains in custody while the investigation continues. We are asking for members of the public that may have seen or heard anything suspicious in the area of Dartmouth Court between 2am - 3am on Tuesday 27 July to please contact us via the website or via 101 quoting reference 55i of 27 July.

Council Tax set to rise by 4.99% as council faces long-term Covid-19 cost pressures on its budget Full Council has approved the 2021/22 budget today (12 February 2021). This includes the setting of Herefordshire Council tax rates which will come into effect from April 2021. The final budget takes into account the 2021/22 final local government finance settlement announced by central government. This includes: A new ‘Lower Tier’ Services Grant of £0.25m Revenue Support Grant funding of £0.6m New Homes Bonus funding of £1.7m Rural Services Delivery Grant of £5.3m The council is continuing to face long-term Covid-19 cost pressures on its budget. The council has looked first to find savings within its core activities to offset these costs. This has resulted in £11.2m in savings being identified across the council’s services – the largest one-year saving this council has ever had to make. Councillor Liz Harvey, Cabinet Member for Finance and Corporate Services, said: Council Tax funds around 29% of the council’s budget. A 4.99% total increase to Council Tax has been recommended. This is an equivalent rise of £1.51 a week for a Band D property. The increase is made from a 3% increase to the ‘adult social care precept’ and 1.99% increase to ‘core Council Tax’. In total this will provide £3.2m towards the cost of council services. Residents on a low income may be eligible for help to pay their bill through the Council Tax Reduction scheme. Some residents will continue to pay no Council Tax at all, such as young adults who have left care and, with effect from 2021, also all the council’s Foster Carer families.

Supporting Local Business | Sensory & Rye are opening in the former 'British Heart Foundation' shop opposite the Kerry, but they need a little bit of local support... Over the last 6 years we have seen the incredible rise in Herefords food scene and they have been right at the heart of it. Based in Bastion Mews they have built this creative, beautiful restaurant, packed with good vibes, stunningly beautiful food and some of the best coffee in Hereford! Bastion Mews has been their original home, but they are restricted by size and their ideas, passion and creativity needs space to grow! They are moving into the British Heart Foundation building, just across from where they are now and they are already in the process of turning it into the most incredible restaurant! The additional space will Sensory & Rye to offer a dinner menu, live music, breakfast, brunch and lunches as well as many more ideas that they have secretly kept up their sleeves. Their small team have made huge strides in the renovations, but they need local support to help them to complete the journey. If you would like to help, full details https://bit.ly/3wWxEu8

Cabinet members in Herefordshire Council are facing a slew of questions after the city’s major road project careered out of control. Furious residents want answers and have submitted numerous questions to the cabinet about the City Link Road which faces a £6 million overspend, jeopardising the Transport Hub and improvements the Commercial, Newmarket and Blue School Street elements, as well as flood mitigation measures in Hereford. Image | Google The ruling Coalition leaders will meet on Thursday to discuss the matter and have expressed grave concerns about the ‘casual culture of overspend’ they say was the hallmark of the previous Conservative administration's approach to the delivery of major capital projects. Cabinet member for transport, John Harrington, said At a public Cabinet meeting this Thursday, 22nd July, members will debate a report which they say highlights a litany of errors and possible cover-ups which took place at the council under the Conservatives between 2015-2019. The current administration say previous cabinet members and officers played down the ballooning cost of the compulsory purchase orders needed to deliver the road element of the Hereford City Centre Transport Package. Coun Harrington claims the public and opposition councillors who challenged promises that ‘the most expensive piece of tarmac in England’ was delivered on time and to budget, were misled. Coalition members committed themselves to unearthing the overspend on the city road scheme during a purge to improve project management and governance of major infrastructure projects in the council. Cabinet Member for Finance, Liz Harvey said: How Did Hereford’s City Link Road Spiral Out of Control? Investigations commissioned by the current cabinet into value for money around council capital projects have concluded that land block purchases at the station end of the road created an early £3.8m overspend on the Link Road. The Coalition administration say this hole in the project’s finances was masked by combining the original stand-alone City Link Road project with an entirely separate Marches LEP funded project intended to deliver a transport hub at the station, public realm improvements on Commercial Road, Blueschool Street and Newmarket Street, providing much needed safe walking and cycling routes from the city to the railway station. The GP hub and new student accommodation along the Link Road were included and the combined project was rebranded as the Hereford City Centre Transport Package. Coun Harvey said she believed that combining of separate projects: ‘allowed Peter to rob Paul, and spiralling City Link Road costs were paid for with budgets originally set aside for the transport hub and other public realm improvements.’ Of particular concern to the current administration is the unusually high level, over 100, of 'compensation events', according to Coun Harrington, that saw contractors, Balfour Beatty Living Places, revise upwards their original bid to deliver the projects. Coun Harrington said: ‘I am not suggesting that BBLP deliberately underinflated their bid to secure the HCCTP contract, but so many compensation events during the delivery of a project raises questions about how the council managed this contract and how realistic BBLP's original bid was. We simply must not operate like this again in the future and, alongside senior officers, we have put in place procedures to ensure that all major capital projects are run by one corporate department from now on, with cross cutting responsibilities ensuring we do not ever again get the kind of silo working that I believe has led to some of the missteps that have dogged this project.’ Prior to Thursday’s cabinet meeting to discuss the matter Coun Harrington said that Coun Harrington said: Coun Harrington added: Finance member, Coun Liz Harvey, commented: