Leominster Blog - A diary of Leominster events, gossip and Leominster information

Leominster Blog

The Leominster Blog contains Leominster news, gossip and other Leominster related information

Schools gear up for Car Free Challenge
Five Herefordshire secondary schools are taking part in a regional Car Free Challenge which aims to reduce the numbers of children travelling to school by car.

Pupils from Aylestone Business and Enterprise College, Hereford Cathedral School, The Hereford Academy, Minster College in Leominster and Kingstone High School will be competing against a further 31 schools across the West Midlands in the challenge which runs from April 26 until May 7.

The campaign, funded by the West Midlands Department of Health as part of its Change4Life campaign which aims to get people moving more, eating better and living longer, challenges schools to come up with innovative ways of reducing the number of cars coming to school.
It is being organised by TravelWise West Midlands.

Ideas so far generated in schools include podcasts, video documentaries, competitions to promote walking and cycling, poster campaigns, leaflets and newsletters to parents, promoting car sharing amongst staff, drama around the journey to school, sponsored walks and many more.

The most innovative and successful school in Herefordshire will win £100 for their school and a chance to win the top prize of £500 for the best school campaign in the West Midlands.

Andrew Ashcroft, Herefordshire Council’s head of planning and transportation, said: “By 2050 almost 60 per cent of the population could be obese, with nearly 30 per cent of two to 15 year olds currently being classed as overweight or obese. Walking or cycling to and from school provides an easy, daily opportunity for exercise and gets students outdoors and more active.

“With the ever increasing petrol price, walking to school will help parents save money. Reducing car use will also reduce school carbon emissions, 16 per cent of which result from school travel and transport.

“This is a great campaign that will not only help the environment by reducing the number of cars on the road and combat the increasingly growing obesity problem, it will also motivate students to become creative and organised about a real life issue that has to be tackled,” he added.

The challenge is for student groups who will need to be as innovative as possible to encourage people to go car free for a two week period. The challenge is due to take place between April 26 and May 7.

An awards event will be held next autumn to award the winners and the winning campaign will be turned into a new campaign for all secondary schools.

Hereford Cathedral School are starting the week on April 26 with a school assembly in Hereford Cathedral to explain the aims of the Challenge and Hereford Academy are launching the Challenge with an open morning and display at the school on the same day.
Posted : 20/04/2010 11:27:36

Another £1million to fix Herefordshire's highways
Herefordshire Council has received an extra £1million from the government towards its major scheme to fix the county’s highways.

The announcement came as part of the recent Budget after the council lobbied central government for more cash to repair the county’s roads.

This will be added to the £10.7million already earmarked by the council to deliver the biggest programme of highway maintenance that the county has ever seen.

Richard Ball, Herefordshire Council’s assistant director, said: “Highways in Herefordshire have suffered greatly after the worst winter weather in more than 30 years.

“Rather than just provide a quick-fix by filling in potholes, we will carry out a wider programme of planned resurfacing work over the coming year to restore the county’s roads to an acceptable standard for the longer term.

“The condition of the county’s roads is one of our major priorities and I believe Herefordshire is leading the way among local authorities in targeting resources to this important issue.

“I am glad our lobbying for government cash has paid dividends,” he added.

Detailed surveys have highlighted a rise in defects of more than 30 per cent on the county’s road network. This year will see the biggest ever programme of maintenance with over 135 miles of the county’s road network being treated.
Posted : 13/04/2010 19:09:16

Way forward for tourism in Herefordshire
A new report outlines the way forward for tourism in the county to build on the success of Visit Herefordshire in attracting people to the county.

The report commissioned by Herefordshire Council in collaboration with Visit Herefordshire DMP outlines the value of tourism to the county at £410 million per year, and shows how well placed the county is to increase visitor spend and offer.
It also builds on the good work carried out by Visitor Herefordshire in attracting people to the county through marketing, major events such as University of the Great Outdoors and the Flavours of Herefordshire Food Festival.

The report offers new ideas for creating greater collaboration between tourism operators and other sectors involved in tourism development within the county.

Natalia Silver, Herefordshire Council’s head of economic and community services said: “Tourism is so important to the profile and economy of the county and the report points us in the direction to ensure the work of all parties involved can promote the county and ensure visitors stay longer.”

Peter Hands, chairman of the Destination Management Partnership, added: “Following on from my tenure as chairman, this report is very welcome in outlining the next stage in the development of the Destination Management Partnership. Many partnerships in the UK are going through similar changes and as a county we need to be ahead of the competition to make sure we maximise the opportunities for the county.”

The next phase will be to work through the details recommended in the report, through a transition group.

Peter Hands will sadly be stepping down as chairman of the partnership in May to pursue a new challenge with his wife Gillian, having recently purchased the Speech House Hotel in The Royal Forest of Dean.

Natalia Silver said: “Peter will be greatly missed as he has overseen some major advances in tourism within the county over the past two and a half years. On behalf of Herefordshire Council, I would like to wish him all the best with his new venture.”
Posted : 13/04/2010 19:06:35

General election – make sure you can vote on May 6
Voters in Herefordshire go to the polls on Thursday, May 6, to elect their member of parliament for the Hereford and South Herefordshire and North Herefordshire constituencies.

Electors in Hope End and Ledbury wards will be going to the polls on the same day to elect new Herefordshire Council councillors following resignations.

To ensure everyone who wants to vote can, Herefordshire Council is issuing the following guidance:

Not everyone realises that they need to re-register each year to have their names included on the register of electors.

This happens when the council's electoral registration team carries out the annual canvass in the autumn, or if people move house during the year.

Anyone who returned the canvass form, or registered on line or by telephone during the annual canvass, should be on the register of electors. They will shortly receive their poll card with voting details for the election.

Anyone who did not register, or who has changed address since the autumn, still has time to register in time for the elections.

“All they need to do is download the voter registration form off the council's website and return it to the council's electoral registration team based at the Town Hall in St Owen Street, Hereford, as soon as possible,” said Chris Bull, the acting returning officer for the election.

“The deadline for completed forms to be with us is Tuesday, April 20,” he added.

The forms are also available from the council's Info shops and libraries – and they can be obtained by telephoning the council's electoral registration team on 0844 9396107.

For those who can't get to a polling station to vote, the council has the following advice:

If you can't get to your polling station to vote, or simply find it more convenient to vote by post, then you can apply to vote by post at the elections on May 6 and future elections.

Once again, the forms to apply for a postal vote are available to download from the council's website – www.herefordshire.gov.uk/elections - and from Info shops and libraries.

The deadline to apply to vote by post at the elections is 5pm on Tuesday, April 20.

The council is aiming to send out postal votes for the election on either Friday, April 23, or Monday, April 26 at the latest.

“Alternatively, residents can choose to vote by proxy – this means appointing someone to vote on your behalf.

“Simply complete and return the proxy application form which can be found on the council's website and is available from Info shops and libraries and return it to us. You may need to have your application vouched for, depending on the reasons for your application. More details can be found on the form,” said Chris.

The deadline to apply to vote by proxy at the elections is 5pm on Tuesday, April 27, other than for medical emergencies.

If someone is unable to get to the polling station due to a medical emergency that has arisen after the normal deadline, they can apply to vote by proxy up to 5pm on the day of the election.

To anyone who wants to stand in the general election, Herefordshire Council is issuing the following guidance:

Nomination packs can be downloaded from the council's web site www.herefordshire.gov.uk/elections or can be obtained by telephoning the electoral services office on 0844 9396107.

Completed nomination papers have to be delivered to the acting returning officer at the Council Offices, Brockington, 35 Hafod Road, Hereford HR1 1SH between 10am and 4pm (Monday - Friday) from Wednesday 14 April to Tuesday 20 April 2010.

Key towns served in each of the two constituencies covering the county are:

Hereford and South Herefordshire:
• Hereford
• Ross-on-Wye

North Herefordshire:
• Leominster
• Kington
• Bromyard
• Ledbury

Polling station locations can also be found on the council's website.

Anyone who needs further information about the process should contact the electoral registration team on 0844 9396107.
Posted : 12/04/2010 19:04:40

Pride of Herefordshire photo competition launched
Local photographers have a chance to showcase their work in some of the most visual places in Herefordshire in a competition to highlight the beauty and diversity of the county.

This competition has been launched as one part of Herefordshire Council’s Windows on Art scheme funded by the Communities and Local Government Department, which aims to make creative use of empty shops with a view to making high streets a more vibrant and attractive place to shop and run businesses.

The Pride of Herefordshire Photo Competition is an opportunity to show everyone what is good about the county and for everyone else to see it. Pictures will be judged and winners will see their images featured in window displays in empty shops around the county.

Natalia Silver, Herefordshire Council’s head of economic and community services said: “This is a chance for local people to use photography to show what Herefordshire means to them, as well as improving empty shops to visitors and shoppers into the county.

“This is a development of the window in art programme ran last year which was really popular and makes the most of the creativity in the county,” she added.

The competition is open to amateur and professional photographers alike, who are residents of Herefordshire who have until Tuesday 4th May to enter their images into The Pride of Herefordshire Photo Competition.

The Pride of Herefordshire Photo Competition judging panel will be looking for the photographers idea of positive aspects of living and working in the county. They will also consider a range of factors and will be looking for present rural, urban landscapes and scenes at events. Judges will also look for a creative approach and good technical ability.

For full details on how to enter the competition, please visit the link: http://www.herefordshire.gov.uk/leisure/arts_and_crafts/26195.asp or email: lhill@herefordshire.gov.uk or telephone Liz Hill on 01432 260621
Posted : 12/04/2010 18:59:01

Council warns over broadband offer
Herefordshire Council is warning county residents to beware of cold callers claiming to offer free broadband.

Maureen Guest, Herefordshire Council’s principal trading standards officer, said: “We have received calls from concerned members of the public who have been told by cold callers that Herefordshire Council is offering a free broadband service.

“As a council, we have no such offer for residents but would instead urge people to carry out their own research into the best broadband provider for their needs.

“Residents should always be wary of cold callers who often claim to offer services that do not exist and target the most vulnerable members of society.

“I would also welcome it if anyone who has calls from these people would contact trading standards so we can investigate the matter further,” she added.
Posted : 08/04/2010 18:51:57

Stained glass window unveiled at new crematorium
Herefordshire Council’s new crematorium now has a new stained glass window kindly donated by a Hereford man to commemorate the life of his late partner John Sperry.

Richard Claridge of Hampton Grange and Lynhales Nursing Homes donated the bespoke window to the crematorium.

The window was designed, painted and made by Williams and Byrne of Ludlow.

David Williams, of Williams and Byrne, said: “Richard wanted to make this gift to the people of Herefordshire because stained glass can be peaceful and uplifting. It cannot change the sorrow, but it can give comfort and strength.”

Councillor John Jarvis, Herefordshire Council’s cabinet member for the environment and strategic housing, said: “When we designed the new crematorium, we wanted the chapel to become part of the city’s heritage and we were delighted when Mr Claridge asked if he could pay for a stained glass window to be installed there.

“The window is not only a fitting celebration of his late partner’s life but is also a sensitive addition to the crematorium’s interior decoration.

“For people attending the crematorium it can be a distressing and upsetting time, so it is important that the surroundings are as sympathetic and pleasant as possible and this window certainly makes the chapel a more uplifting place to be,” he added.
Posted : 30/03/2010 12:47:53

New play areas to open in time for Easter holidays
Children across Herefordshire will be able to enjoy eleven new, creative outdoor play areas this Easter thanks to Herefordshire Council.

Over the last few months, plans have been drawn up, ramps and boulders have been installed and nature-friendly play equipment has been delivered to create fantastic new play areas with a focus on challenge, for children aged eight to 13 in Leominster, Bromyard, Hereford, Kington, Peterchurch, Credenhill and Ross on Wye.

Nearly £300,000 has been spent on the new equipment with funding from Playbuilder, a two year government project which aims to improve or develop play areas. The focus of Playbuilder is to encourage outdoor play in the natural environment. As fund manager, Herefordshire Council has worked closely with local groups and organisations to develop sites that include mounds, boulders, wood and logs as well as exciting new types of swings, slides and zip wires. Now, as the project reaches its half way point, eleven new sites will be opened just in time for the Easter holidays.

Developed hand in hand with the local community, Herefordshire Council will continue to maintain the sites and ensure they are kept safe.

Councillor Jenny Hyde, cabinet member for children’s services, said: “This project has brought together council departments and local community groups to make sure we make the best use of people’s broad skills and experiences and get it right for our children and their families.

“We’re lucky in Herefordshire to have so many open spaces and such a beautiful environment in which to live. However, much of it isn’t free for children to play in and there are many local community groups who have been working hard to make things better for their children and young people. Herefordshire Council has been delighted to work with them to make sure that our children get the play spaces they need and deserve.

“A lot of thought and discussion has gone into the design of these areas to make sure that the equipment provided enhances imaginative play and allows children to challenge themselves and take risks in a safe environment.”

The new play areas are Bye Street in Ledbury, The Knapp in Bromyard, Barons Cross and Sydonia Park in Leominster, King George V Playfield Fields and Northolme Road in Hereford, Roman Way in Ross on Wye, Crooked Well in Kington, and recreation grounds in Peterchurch and Credenhill.

A further fourteen play projects are due to begin this year taking the total to 22 across the county. These are due to be completed by April 2011*.


* The Copse, Burghill
Withington, site to be determined
Sutton St Nicholas, site to be determined
Llangrove, site to be determined
Weobley, site to be determined
Griftins Park, Lentwardine
Kingstone, site to be determined
Kington Recreation ground
Deer Park, Ledbury
The Knapp (Phase 2), Bomyard
Grandstand Road, Hereford
Waterfield Road, Hereford
Queenwood Country Park
Ross on Wye, site to be determined
Posted : 30/03/2010 12:46:50

Setting out ambitions for broadband in the County
Herefordshire could be missing out because of the limited broadband coverage, yet an event held on 18th March showed there is potential in businesses, communities and Herefordshire Council coming together to improve Broadband coverage in the county.

The Community Broadband Conference was open to anyone with an interest in improving broadband and included national and local speakers.

David Thame, gave an inspiring talk on how local people have set up Lingen Community Broadband showing that local solutions are possible though not without challenges along the way.

Launched at the event was the document entitled Broadband in Herefordshire – Developing a County Approach which sets out a vision for the future, as well as outlining how solutions can be met.
This document makes clear that waiting for market forces to solve the problem is unlikely, with Herefordshire not having the population density to make the laying of fibre optic cable financially viable for commercial operators.

Councillor Roger Phillips, leader of Herefordshire Council, said: “People of the county are losing out, including businesses who are not able to compete on a level playing field with companies in the more urban areas who have faster connectivity.

“Within Herefordshire Council and NHS Herefordshire we are keen to have more services available electronically to aid access to services specifically in the rural areas but this will prove difficult without a broadband solution,” he added.

Natalia Silver, Herefordshire Council’s head of economic and community services, said: “The conference and document produced aims to stimulate debate about a way forward for the county working with local businesses and communities to create solutions for different parts of the county.”

The document is available via email economicinvestment@herefordshire.gov.uk or sent by contacting 01432 260609
Posted : 23/03/2010 19:27:15

£10million to fix Herefordshire’s highways
After the worst winter weather for 30 years, Herefordshire Council is to invest over £10million during the next year (an increase of over £3million compared to last year) to deliver the biggest programme of highway maintenance the county has ever seen.

Councillor Brian Wilcox, Herefordshire Council’s cabinet member for highways and transportation, said: “Our highway network has suffered considerably during this winter weather and we have already filled 17,000 potholes since the beginning of the year.

“This compares to just 3000 in the same period last year and the numbers of potholes reported and being found are still continuing to rise.

“Whilst pothole repairs are providing a quick-fix, a wider programme of planned resurfacing work will be done over the coming year to restore the county’s roads to an acceptable standard for the longer term.

“The condition of the county’s roads is one of my priorities and I am pleased to be able to announce this major highway maintenance programme for the county. I believe Herefordshire is leading the way amongst local authorities in targeting resources to this important issue,” he added.

Detailed surveys have highlighted a rise in defects of more than 30 per cent on the county’s road network of more than 2,000 miles.

Amey normally use four hotboxes manned by two operatives to deal with the potholes but are currently using the four hotboxes together with an additional Jetpatcher and two further hot boxes.

All parish gangs have also been redeployed on pothole works (eight gangs of two men countywide) which is over and above the normal labour attached to this activity
Posted : 23/03/2010 19:26:31

New play area opens in Barons Cross
Children in the Barons Cross area will be spinning, climbing and cycling this summer as a new play area is due to open next month (April 2010).

Herefordshire Council has been working closely with Marches Housing Association and residents at Barons Cross to provide much needed facilities for the children who live on two adjacent estates. A patch of land divides the two at the moment, but work has already begun to turn this into a fantastic play area for 8-13 year olds and is due to be completed and officially opened on Saturday April 10 2010.

The new playground will feature a zip wire, a tree house, a cyclone spinning roundabout, a basket swing and a state of the art climbing frame. A cycle track is being created by local residents and to retain as much of the natural environment as possible, a wild flower area is being planted on the borders alongside some trees.

The £57,000 project is being funded through the government’s Playbuilder programme and is part of a project being run by Herefordshire Council to develop 22 new play projects across the county.

Residents at Barons Cross got together a steering group with support from the Marches Housing Association, to consult with children and young people, decide what was needed and put together plans and a funding bid to the council.

“The residents have worked incredibly hard, talking to children and young people and encouraging other residents to get involved, said Chris Bailey, Marches Housing Association. She continued, “Their work has paid off and as a result the children will be able to play outside this summer in a fantastic new facility. Through discussions with other groups, there are hopes to receive further funding for a ball court, an under-5s play area and a youth shelter which would make this an incredible community facility.

Councillor Adrian Blackshaw, cabinet member for economic development and community services, Herefordshire Council, said: “This is an exciting project and shows what can be achieved when people come together and work in partnership. The new play area has been planned with great care to make sure it is enhances the natural environment and is as inclusive as possible. It is so important for our children to be able to play outside and take reasonable risks when playing – it’s part of learning to be independent. Herefordshire Council is delighted to have been able to help with this much needed venture.”

The playground will be officially opened by Councillor Adrian Blackshaw at 11.30am on Saturday April 10 2010. To celebrate the event, WildPlay will be running some sessions with the children helping them explore the outdoor environment and there will be refreshments available to help families celebrate the opening.
Posted : 22/03/2010 16:47:32

Don your boots and discover more of Herefordshire
This year's Herefordshire Walking Festival offers more than 50 walks over a nine-day period so visitors and residents alike can discover the nooks and crannies of the county's rich, rural landscape.

The featured walk at this year's festival, which runs from June 19 to 27, is "In the Steps of the Mortimers", a three-day walk covering 30 miles from the north of Leominster through to Ludlow, uncovering the secret past of its undulating scenery.

In the south of the county, the Ross Round offers a chance to hike all or part of an 18-mile circuit around the market town, passing ancient sites and where steep climbs are rewarded with magnificent views.

Several of the walks offer a chance to sample some of the county's wonderful locally grown produce over a delicious breakfast, lunch, tea or evening meal while other walks provide refreshment stops or free tastings of local ice cream, apple juice or perry.

There are also many walks catering for special interests such as archaeology, ornithology, nature, history and wildlife.

Jane Lewis, Herefordshire Council's tourism, food and marketing manager, said: “This festival really does offer something for everyone, whatever their interests may be.

“This year we have two morning walks to hear the bird chorus, a special evening walk to search for bats and even a chance to go walking with llamas.

Budding photographers have the chance to improve their skills under the guidance of travel photographer Nick Meers, on a twilight amble at Croft Castle, and there is also a chance to find out more about the hauntings and horrors of Hereford city on a special ghost walk.

For further information and to book tickets log onto www.walkingfestival.com, telephone 01568 797842 or pick up one of the Herefordshire Walking Festival programmes from one of the county's libraries and tourist information centres.

This year's walking festival is being sponsored by MandMDirect.com, the country's leading online discount clothing retailer, and Amey, one of the UK's leading public services providers.
Posted : 15/03/2010 10:34:15

Herefordshire gears up for British Tourism week
Herefordshire Council's tourist information centres are gearing up for the fourth annual British Tourism Week which takes place from 15th-21st March 2010.

During 2008 visitors brought nearly £411 million into the county and the council is keen to celebrate British Tourism Week by putting on events to raise the profile of the tourist information centres and encourage visitors and residents to use them.

Last year's British Tourism Week saw 230 events take place across the country: a list of this year's events is available at www.britishtourismweek.com.

In Herefordshire the Leominster Tourist Information Centre will be offering free samples of local food and drink from local producers, throughout the week. Tyrrells potato chips, cider from Dunkertons, jams and pickles from Sally's Pantry, and Herefordshire cheeses from Monkland Cheese Dairy are just some of the tasty samples donated for people to try.

Ross-on-Wye's centre has some fabulous prizes to give away in a competition which will run throughout the week. Prices include tickets to see Jools Holland at Eastnor Castle on Saturday 10th July, £50 worth of Theatre Tokens and National Express tickets. To enter, simply call into the Tourist Information Centre.

There will also be a competition, one for adults and one for children, at the Hereford Tourist Information Centre. The prizes on offer here are two return tickets to travel anywhere in the United Kingdom by National Express and for the children a big cuddly teddy bear.

Councillor Adrian Blackshaw, cabinet member for economic development and community services, said: “Herefordshire is a beautiful county to visit so it’s no wonder we receive so many visitors each year: tourism is an important part of our local economy.

“Our tourist information teams have a wealth of knowledge about the county's culture and history, together with lots of information about places to visit and things to do. During national tourism week, we hope that local people as well as visitors, will be encouraged to visit the centres more often so that they can explore some of the county's hidden treasures.”
Posted : 15/03/2010 08:51:38

Seal of approval to customer services
Local people receive excellent customer service from Herefordshire Council and NHS Herefordshire, according to the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown.

The Customer Excellence Award has been developed by the cabinet office and assesses the attitude, professionalism and helpfulness of customer service staff, as well as the timeliness and quality of information provided.

There is also emphasis on how well the council and the primary care trust understand their customers, and their experience of, and satisfaction with, nearly 1000 different services delivered to over 170,000 people across the two organisations.

An assessor spent two days with the customer service team, scrutinising evidence, visiting customer service centres and checking experiences with customers, partners and staff.

The new award replaces the Charter Mark for excellence in customer services. Herefordshire Council has won the Charter Mark for the previous five years running.

Councillor June French, cabinet member for corporate, customer services and human resources, said: "Herefordshire Council has a strong track record in excellent customer services and I am delighted that the team have again met the highest standards to achieve this new award.

"Public services are usually well ahead of the private sector when it comes to providing a knowledgeable and responsive customer service, either face to face or by telephone or email. It is very important that residents are able to access local services and be able to talk to someone about the issues that concern them. Now that the council and the primary care trust are working in their unique partnership, staff have to know about nearly 1,000 different services that often affect the quality of life of thousands of local people. This level of service is something many other organisations can only aspire to”.

All the employees working in our customer service centres and contact centre have received extensive training and are able to provide a wide range of information on public services.

There are customer service centres in Hereford, Bromyard, Kington, Leominster, Ledbury and Ross-on- Wye. In addition, information can be obtained by ringing the contact centre on 01432 260500.
Posted : 12/03/2010 10:05:07

Setting out ambitions for Herefordshire broadband
Businesses and communities in Herefordshire are missing out because of the limited broadband coverage. However, a new document produced by Herefordshire Council sets out an ambitious way forward to address the challenges.

Herefordshire, like all rural areas, is not able to achieve the broadband coverage and bandwidth of more urban areas because the network coverage is not in place. The document entitled Broadband in Herefordshire – Developing a County Approach sets out a vision for the future, as well as outlining how solutions can be met.

This document makes clear that waiting for market forces to solve the problem is unlikely, with Herefordshire not having the population density to make the laying of optic fibre financially viable for commercial operators.

Councillor Roger Phillips, leader of Herefordshire Council, said: “People of the county are losing out, including businesses who are not able to compete on a level playing field with companies in the more urban areas who have faster connectivity.

“Within Herefordshire Council and NHS Herefordshire we are keen to have more services available electronically to aid access to services specifically in the rural areas but this will prove difficult without a broadband solution,” he added.

The document will be launched at a Community Broadband Conference on 18 March, from 4.30pm until 7pm at The Three Counties Hotel, Hereford. The conference is open to anyone with an interest in improving broadband and will include national and local speakers.

Natalia Silver, Herefordshire Council’s head of economic and community services, said: ”The conference and document produced aims to stimulate debate about a way forward for the county working with local businesses and communities to create solutions for different parts of the county.”

To book a place at the conference please contact Kate Amos on 01432 260638 or email to kamos@herefordshire.gov.uk

For anyone unable to make the conference the document can be sent (electronically or in paper form) after the event.
Posted : 09/03/2010 10:17:08

Unseen health dangers of binge drinking
Young people in Herefordshire are being warned of the dangers of alcohol consumption through an exciting new project being delivered in the county’s colleges.

NHS Herefordshire, the leader for health in the county, has successfully bid for £12,000 to pilot a new innovative programme which will help young people understand all the risks involved with alcohol consumption. The primary care trust is working in partnership with 2XL, a voluntary-run group that uses the creative arts to raise awareness and stimulate discussion on a wide range of issues affecting young people.

Aimed at colleges and sixth forms, 2XL is developing an exciting, vibrant, dramatic performance called Blind Delusion which will take their student audience on a journey challenging perceptions and myths so that they have a clear understanding of the risks involved with alcohol. Safe and sensible drinking is the key message. The project is a pilot project and will consist of ten performances being delivered around Herefordshire’s colleges between March and April this year (2010). Each performance is followed by an interactive workshop where students can ask questions, exchange information and, if they wish, talk to health professionals.

“It’s about presenting issues in a social context,” said Sue Carter from 2XL. She continued, “We have put the performance together after detailed discussion with a group of young people who we work with on a regular basis, so we can make sure the issues addressed are from a young person’s perspective.

Roger Hanson, NHS Herefordshire, said: “The anti-social effects of binge drinking are well documented with national hospital admissions at an all time high, but we also want students to be aware of the other effects of alcohol misuse such as links to cancers, heart attacks and strokes. There is also a whole range of issues around control and responsibility, which has an impact on sexual health and relationships.

“Drinking sensibly isn’t a problem, but many don’t understand what the NHS recommended limits are, and that the impact of abusing these limits goes beyond liver damage. Using drama is a great way of getting messages across to students in an accessible way and encouraging them to consider changes in their own behaviours.”

NHS Herefordshire hopes to develop the programme further and bids are in for additional funding to facilitate this.
Posted : 08/03/2010 11:27:42

Herefordshire’s lowest ever council tax rise
Herefordshire Council approved today (5 March 2010) the lowest council tax rise ever in its history. The rise of 2.54 per cent represents £29.85 a year, or 57.4 pence a week, on a Band D property, which will rise to £1,205.09 in the next financial year but is still below the average council tax level for the country.

In a challenging budget setting, the council balanced its books last year for the seventh year running and achieved £5.6 million in savings for the next financial year.

Today, Herefordshire Council announced it had allocated an extra £1.5 million in capital and extra reserves for road maintenance, following the worst cold spell in the county for 30 years. The council, with its contractor Amey, is filling in 200 potholes a day, dealing with the most urgent first but allocating £3.7 million over the next 12 months to bring roads up to repair and resurface the road network.

Councillor Roger Phillips, leader of the council, said the council recognised the impact of any rise on local communities but Herefordshire was facing huge pressures in providing more social care for vulnerable and older people, a section of the population that is growing rapidly, as well as facing more expensive safeguarding for children.

The numbers of people receiving intensive home care has risen by 25 per cent in two years, and the number of children under child protection has rocketed by 100 per cent in the same period. The council today announced an extra £500,000 in contingency for increased pressure on social care next year.

Councillor Phillips announced that he expected soon to hear details of the new dedicated schools grant funding formula from the Department for Children, Schools and Families. Herefordshire Council has been lobbying for a fairer deal for schools, as Herefordshire gets just over £4,000 funding per pupil from government, compared with the national average of nearly £4,400. The county is fighting for government recognition of the higher overheads involved in providing education in sparsely populated areas.

Herefordshire people get £317 each from the central government formula grant, which is 17 per cent less funding per head of population than the average for similar authorities, despite the fact that public services are more expensive to provide in rural settings.
Posted : 05/03/2010 16:38:35

Spring is ideal time to reuse
Spring is the ideal time of year for people to have a good old clearout and maybe even decorate their homes and Herefordshire Council is encouraging people to see if any of their unwanted items can be reused rather than thrown away.

Many people discover unwanted items when spring cleaning but they are too good to throw away and they need somewhere to take them. People may also be replacing furniture but their existing furniture could still be useful to other people.

All across Herefordshire there are many voluntary or community organisations that will gladly take unwanted items, still in good condition, such as furniture, electrical appliances, bicycles and paint. They are then made available to other people in the area.

Councillor John Jarvis, Herefordshire Council’s cabinet member for the environment and strategic housing, said: “The reuse and voluntary sector is a vital means by which unwanted items don’t end up in landfill.

“Around the county many such organisations exist to help and even collect those unwanted household items that people simply have no need for anymore. Most are perfectly good and suitable for re-homing.

“The Reuse guide lists all the organisations and the items that they accept, and is a great guide for finding out where to donate your unwanted possessions.

“Re-using valuable resources in this way can help reduce the amount of waste we send to landfill and help support good causes,” he added.

A leaflet containing details of the county’s local re-use organisations is available from Info in Herefordshire centres throughout the county. Alternatively, residents can try offering their unwanted items on the internet by using the Freecycle website and a local Freecycle group can be found at www.freecycle.org

People interested in finding out more about re-use initiatives should call 01905 766883 or visit www.wastemissionimpossible.org.uk
Posted : 02/03/2010 09:45:33

Herefordshire families invited to boogie on down
As the nation gets dancing with the Change4Life Let’s Dance campaign, NHS Herefordshire and Halo Leisure are teaming up to get local families strutting their stuff on the dance floor by offering free dancemat taster sessions.

Halo Leisure has purchased two sets of eight state-of-the art dancemats to help Herefordshire’s families get active. Using games console technology, the mats are used in small classes with an instructor on hand to help participants learn a range of steps. Each class member has their own mat to dance on with the dance image being projected onto the wall at the front of the class. The class can choose which tracks they want to do, which vary from 1970s glam rock to hip hop, dance and R&B. Once the tracks are chosen, the dancing begins! You follow the moves on the screen and your efforts are recorded and scored for accuracy, effort and skill, so there’s a competitive element too.

Dancemat sessions have been introduced into Halo’s group exercise programme at Hereford Leisure Pool and Leominster Leisure Centre. Although these are targeted at young people aged 6–16, Halo is working in partnership with NHS Herefordshire to provide some free sessions as part of the local Change4Life programme that people of any age can participate in.

The free sessions which take place on March 6, are open to all people regardless of age, ability and style. Four sessions will be run from Hereford Leisure Pool (10-10.45am, 11-11.45am, 1-1.45pm and 2-2.45pm) whereas Leominster Leisure Centre re inviting people to come and have a go any time between 11.45am-15.45pm. Booking is advisable for the Hereford sessions by ringing 0845 241 2562.

“Dance is great for all ages and abilities and it doesn’t really matter if you don’t have a musical bone in your body – you’ll still be having fun whilst getting involved in healthy activity.” Says Tamara Bailey, health and fitness manager at Halo Leisure. She continued, “All people need to bring with them is a willingness to have a go, and some comfy shoes."
Posted : 25/02/2010 14:40:12

Are you ready for this year's General Election?
While the date for this year's general election is not yet known, Herefordshire Council is urging residents not to wait until the date has been announced before they secure their right to vote.

The time between the election date being announced and the last change to register to vote can be a matter of a few days, warned Chris Bull, Herefordshire Council chief executive and electoral registration officer for Herefordshire.

“If you're not on the electoral register, you won't be able to vote,” he added.

Registering to vote only takes a few minutes: print off a form from the council's web site www.herefordshire.gov.uk or www.aboutmyvote.co.uk, the website of the independent elections watchdog, the Electoral Commission, or telephone the electoral services office at 01432 260107.

Return the completed form to the Electoral Services Office at the Town Hall, St Owen Street, Hereford HR1 2PJ.

“Sometimes people don't realise they need to re-register every year,” said Chris.

“Last autumn we sent out registration forms to 79,500 addresses in Herefordshire – around 90 per cent of people returned them. But if you're not sure you returned yours, or if you've moved house since then and have not registered with your new details, you need to register now to make sure you can vote.

“Don't let anything stop you make your mark and have your say on election day.”
Posted : 24/02/2010 09:42:32

Secure future for Leominster Town FC
The future’s looking bright for Leominster Town Football Club after it took over the lease of its pitch from Herefordshire Council.

Eddie Clark, chairman of Leominster Town FC, said he was delighted the club now has total control of the lease for the Bridge Street ground.

He said: “This really marks a new era for the club and we can now start developing the ground for the benefit of both the football club and town as a whole.

“The fact we have now taken over the lease means we can apply to the Football Association for various grants which can help us to improve the ground. We can then seek to climb the football ladder and play at a higher level than we do at the moment.

“We can also invest more in providing facilities to encourage youngsters to take up the sport and, as the largest market town in Herefordshire, we really want to create a football club that the whole county can be proud of,” he added.

Councillor June French, deputy leader of Herefordshire Council and a ward member for Leominster, said: “I am delighted the football club has now taken over the lease as this will enable them to better plan for the future.

“I would also like to thank staff from our property services and parks and countryside team for all the work they carried out to ensure this takes place.

“As a local member, I wish the club all the best and hope they are successful in achieving their plans to rise up the football leagues and perhaps we may even get to enjoy a day out at Wembley,” she added.
Posted : 22/02/2010 14:36:15

Children’s Centres open their doors to families
Herefordshire Council’s children’s centres in Kington and Leominster are inviting mums, dads and carers to go wild and get drumming with their toddlers next month as they prepare to hold open sessions for new and existing customers.

The sessions, which are free, take place at Coningsby Children’s Centre in Leominster (next to the Leisure Pool) on Saturday March 20 from 10am to 1pm and at Kington Children’s Centre on Thursday March 25 from 10am to 12 noon.

Both centres have local percussionist Pedro Brown on hand to make sure the event remains upbeat. Nature rangers, WildPlay, will be organising lots of outdoor fun for parents, carers and toddlers to get involved in such as den building, hide and seek and searching for bugs. Children’s centre staff will be around to talk to visitors about how they support families within the local community and refreshments will be available.

Andy Gosling, manager of Kington and Coningsby children’s centres, said: “This is a great opportunity for parents and carers to come and meet others with young children and learn about what each of our centres has to offer.

“There are lots of organisations using the centres on a regular basis offering a range of services from parenting support, child development programmes, access to health services and a range of other activities for young children and their families.”

Honey Bees Day Care Nursery will also be opening their doors at Coningsby Children’s Centre on Saturday 20th March.
Posted : 22/02/2010 13:20:43

Council helps responsible dog owners
Herefordshire Council is set to change the way it manages its stray dog functions with effect from March 1, 2010, to help responsible dog owners avoid unnecessary charges.

The changes will mean that responsibility for dogs collected as strays will pass to the owners, allowing the council’s dog wardens to spend more time carrying out enforcement or educational work around responsible ownership and dog fouling rather than transporting dogs around the county.

Fees associated with administering this service will also rise as a part of this change to more closely reflect the actual costs incurred.

Owners of dogs seized as strays will be required to pay an administration charge of £50, a statutory fee of £25, plus £8 per night for each night their dog is boarded at kennels. The administration charge will be reduced to £30 in cases where a dog can be returned directly to an owner without being boarded at kennels.

Shane Hancock, regulatory services manager with Herefordshire Council, said: “In future, an owner whose dog has been collected as a stray and taken to a kennels for safety will have to collect their dog from the kennel and pay a fee for its return. A big advantage of this is that it will release time for the dog wardens to actively promote responsible dog ownership and carry out enforcement where education is not working.

He added: “The vast majority of dog owners are very responsible and do not incur any charges because they keep their dogs under proper control. Dogs that are not kept under control and are left to wander unsupervised in public are a hazard. They can cause a danger to traffic, they may attack people or other animals, they may foul in public areas, and they may also get injured or killed.

“It is only right that responsible dog owners and non dog owners do not disproportionately fund, through their taxes, a service that has to be provided because of the actions of a minority. It is acknowledged, however, that on occasions dogs can ‘escape’ the control of even responsible owners.

“In such cases, charges may be avoided if owners comply with the legal requirement that dogs must wear a collar giving the name and address of the owner when in a public place. A telephone number is also useful. This allows a finder to contact the owner direct without the council stray dog service being involved.”

Anyone wishing to report a stray dog or a lost dog should contact Herefordshire Council’s INFO in Herefordshire service on 01432 260500
Posted : 15/02/2010 14:58:24

Council helps to meet the challenges of broadband
Herefordshire Council is seeking to work with communities and businesses to improve broadband coverage in the county.

The council recognises broadband coverage and speed is a key issue for the county, with communities and businesses potentially losing out on the opportunities of electronic communication.

In response, Herefordshire Council is organising a community broadband conference for anyone interested in looking at solutions for the county. The conference will take place on Thursday, March 18, from 4.30pm to 7pm, at The Three Counties Hotel, Hereford, with a mix of presentations and workshops.

Councillor Roger Phillips, Leader of Herefordshire Council, said: “We are using the conference to gauge a national and regional perspective on what is possible in Herefordshire, but we are also keen to create a forum for discussion and debate involving communities and businesses.”

One of the ways forward is to work closely with local communities to look at localised solutions to address broadband coverage, and the conference will include a presentation by the Community Broadband Network with examples of how local areas have worked together to improve services. Additionally, businesses have challenges not just on coverage but also bandwidth and this will also be a topic for the conference.

Natalia Silver, Herefordshire Council’s head of economic and community services, said: “The concern is that as a county we could just wait for market forces to improve coverage, however the problem facing many rural areas is that there are not enough customers for companies to justify the investment. However, we need to make sure businesses and communities do not lose out, and that companies decide not to locate to the county because of its limited broadband coverage.”

The conference is suitable for community representatives, local businesses, internet service providers, providers of internet content, community services e.g. rural shops and community centres, councillors and statutory and voluntary sector organisations.

The event is free, but early booking is recommended to avoid disappointment. To register please contact 01432-260638 or email to kamos@herefordshire.gov.uk no later than March 12, 2010.
Posted : 12/02/2010 15:18:52

Families challenged to read the labels
Herefordshire families are being urged to read the labels when doing the weekly shopping to make sure their favourite products don’t contain hidden sugars, fats or salt.

As part of the Change4Life campaign, NHS Herefordshire is doing a sweep on supermarkets across the county to teach people how to read product labels and understand what are healthy levels of sugars, fats and salt in some of our everyday products.

Health trainers have been scouring the shelves in our stores, helping customers identify some of the key offenders and looking for alternative, healthier options. Breakfast cereals are a classic; many popular brands which claim to aid weight loss are low in fat but still very high in sugar. Also, many low fat products are still high in calories due to hidden sugar. Too much sugar, fat and salt can have harmful long term effects on people’s health leading to diabetes, cancers and heart disease in later life.

Lisa Purslow, healthy lifestyle co-ordinator, said: “People are often surprised to learn that the foods they thought were healthy are not always what they seem to be. Label reading is a bit of an art and our health trainers have been helping shoppers learn how to do this. As well as learning how to identify sugars, fats and salt in products, our shoppers are being helped to understand the appropriate and safe levels for themselves and their children.

“Fizzy drinks are some of the worst offenders with up to ten teaspoons of sugar in a typical serving. We are encouraging families to get a better understanding of what’s inside their weekly shopping trolley so that they can make small changes. With a bit of label reading knowledge, they can choose alternative, products with lower sugars, fats and salt without having to change the kinds of products they buy.”

The team is happy to talk to customers about making healthy choices and help them learn how to read the small print on the packages. NHS Herefordshire will be at Morrison’s supermarket in Leominster on Friday February 12, at Tescos in Belmont, Hereford on Friday February 9 and at Morrisons in Hereford on Friday February 25, from 10am-4pm.

Details of all Herefordshire Change4Life events are available at www.herefordshirechange4life.org

Posted : 09/02/2010 09:54:34

Council celebrates cultural traditions of Africa
Herefordshire Council’s cultural services learning team has brought together local and international artists to celebrate some of the many cultural traditions of Africa.

Destination Africa is a programme of events from Friday, February 12 until Tuesday, February 23, and will include workshops in the county’s libraries and museum sites.

Events range from a bellydancing session at the Museum Resource and Learning Centre in Hereford, an author recounting his solo trek across Africa, as well as workshops for children to dance, paint their own tee-shirts, create wall-hangings and make kangas. There will also be storytimes on an African theme available in some libraries and a competition running thoughout February where people could win a wonderful cuddly elephant family.

Two of the flagship events will be the Cultural Roadshow attending Leominster Leisure centre on Saturday, February 13, where families are encouraged to make their own African art and the Heritage Open day on Tuesday, February 16, at the Museum Resource and Learning Centre in Friar Street, Hereford. Here people will have the opportunity to see some amazing museum artefacts from Africa, peek behind the scenes and there will also be dancing and painting workshops running.

In addition groups from a number of playgroups are being invited to special stories with Anansy, an African storyteller in some of the county’s libraries. There are also artists working in partnership with schools on African projects, including Aaron Meli who is working with John Kyrle High School on some drumming workshops which will hopefully lead to a performance in Ross Library.
Posted : 08/02/2010 16:19:05

Now is perfect time to install solar panels
Herefordshire Council is encouraging residents to consider installing solar panels which can reduce the cost of their electricity bills and reduce the impact they have on the environment.

Residents have a double incentive to consider solar energy now with grants available from Herefordshire Council to help towards installing the panels as well as a government announcement this week that people with solar panels will be able to sell the electricity generated.

Solar electric panels or photovoltaics have been in the light this week as the government announced the clean energy cashback or feed in tariff scheme for small-scale electricity generation.

Councillor Phil Cutter, Herefordshire Council’s energy champion, said: “Feed In Tariffs are to be introduced on April 1 2010 and will provide financial incentives for households to install solar electricity panels. A guaranteed minimum payment for the electricity generated will be offered from your energy supplier. The added incentive is the solar generated electricity, used in the home for lighting and electrical appliances will help reduce electricity bills.

“As a council, we can also help people with the cost of installing solar panels. Our SEES Renewables scheme still has funding for 10 grants of £500 available to private homeowners in Herefordshire, regardless of income, subject to funding, to help towards the cost of utilising renewable energy in the home.

“The deadline for receiving SEES Renewable applications is the end of February so I would urge people to get in touch soon,” he added.

Measures included in the scheme are:
• Solar thermal
• Solar electric
• Biomass boilers
• Wind turbines
• Ground source heat pumps
• Air source heat pumps

For more detail on how to apply for the SEES Renewables scheme please contact 01432 260398

Posted : 08/02/2010 13:47:28

Events at libraries to promote World Book Day
Herefordshire Council's library service is celebrating World Book Day in March with a variety of events and promotions.

The events, which will take place across libraries in the county, include the popular bounce and rhyme sessions, storytimes and even a special appearance by the Bookstart Bear.

Youngsters will be encouraged to dress up as storybook characters for a storytime session at the council's newest library which opened in Peterchurch last month.

Jan Nesaratnam, Herefordshire Council's senior reader services librarian, said: “World Book Day is an opportunity for us to promote the wealth of books we have available at county libraries and get more youngsters to enjoy reading.

“Books are great fun and by holding these storytelling events and encouraging youngsters to dress up, we hope they will develop a lifelong love for reading,” she added.

Events are:

Monday, March 1:
and Rhyme for under-fives at The Kington Centre 10.3am to 11am.

Tuesday, March 2:

• Three storytime sessions at The Kington Centre for Reception and Year 1 children from the local primary school.

Wednesday, March 3:

• Staff from Ross Library will be doing an Ugly Bug Storytime at the afternoon Stay and Play session at the local Children's Centre.
• Hereford Library - Bounce and rhyme for 0-3yrs 11.15am to 11.45am.

World Book Day Thursday, March 4:

• Peterchurch Library - Local primary school children will come along to the library from 10am to 11am. The children will be dressing up as storybook characters.
• Ledbury Library - under-fives storytime 10am to 11am
• Leominster Library – Bounce and Rhyme 10.30 to 11am
• Hereford Library - Storytime for 2+ yrs 10.15 to 10.45am
• Hereford Library - Bounce and Rhyme for 0-3yrs 2.15pm to 2.45pm
• The Bromyard Centre - Book exhibition 4pm to 5.30pm
• Belmont Library - Bookstart Bear will be welcoming under-fives to the library for short Bounce and Rhyme sessions at 11am, noon and 2pm. He will also be gifting bookstart packs on production of your child’s red health record book.
• Herefordshire Council's Cultural Roadshow will be at Belmont Tesco from 10am to 3pm promoting libraries and books to all ages and highlighting the service at Belmont Library.

Friday, March 5:
• Staff from Leominster Library will be out doing storytimes for three reception classes at Leominster Infants School.
• Under-fives storytime at Ross Library 2.15pm to 2.45pm

Saturday 6th March:
• Leominster Library Chatterbooks group (age 7-12yrs) will be dressing up as book characters 2pm to 3pm

Bookstart pack gifting at Belmont Library

At Belmont Library on Thursday, March 4 between 11am and 3pm children are invited to come and collect any Bookstart packs that they may have not already received. The first Bookstart pack is usually gifted at 9-12 month reviews by health visitors. The second pack is usually gifted at the 24-30month check, also by health visitors.

If you have missed either of these checks, bring your read child health record along to Belmont Library on World Book Day to collect your packs. Alternatively, contact our Early Years Officer, Julie Goodwin for more information on 01432 261644.

If you would like further information about any of these events, please contact Jan Nesaratnam, Senior Reader Services Librarian on 01432 383285.
Posted : 08/02/2010 13:44:50

New telephone scam hits Herefordshire
Fraudsters are telephoning local residents claiming they are due for a rebate on their council tax – if they would just let them have their bank details.

Herefordshire Council warns householders to be on their guard after a local woman received a bogus call saying that her council tax banding was being reduced.

The resident received a call from someone who gave her name as Margaret and told her that there was a one off fee of £39.99 for her council tax to be reduced. She put her through to a man who took her bank details. She did not catch the man’s name. When the call was finished she dialed1471 and message was ‘caller withheld number’.

The resident called Herefordshire Council to check and was advised to contact her bank urgently to explain what had happened, and to inform the police.

Similar warnings have already been issued from Newcastle to Portsmouth, as variations on the scam are growing across the country.

"No council would ever contact a resident in this manner on such issues”, said Mike Toney, head of the council’s benefits and exchequers service, “and we would never ask for your bank details over the phone to make refunds.

“Homeowners are asked to please remain alert to scams designed to find out your bank details and if possible, keep a close eye on vulnerable older family members or neighbours," he said.
Posted : 29/01/2010 18:06:15

Exhibitions to mark liberation of death camp
Herefordshire Council's community heritage team has arranged for two special exhibitions to mark the fact 2010 is 65 years since the liberation of the Auschwitz-Berkenau death camp.

Next month (February), the exhibition, “Never Again? Thinking about the Holocaust” will be coming to Hereford and will be on display from February 8 to 20 at Hereford Museum and Art Gallery then travelling to Leominster library from February 22 to 27 and to the Cider Museum, Hereford from March 1 to 6.

This exhibition by the Wiener Library, Britain's leading archive on the Holocaust and Nazi era, allows audiences to explore and think critically about the issues raised by the Holocaust and genocide. Themes covered include refugees, commemoration and memorials, propaganda both historical and contemporary and justice through the legacy of Nuremburg.

The Never Again? exhibition is complemented by the Heartstone “Testimony” Auschwitz-Berkenau exhibition on display at Hereford Museum and Art Gallery until February 20. This is a powerful photographic exploration of the Auschwitz-Berkenau death camp, featuring stunning contemporary photographs of this historic site and testimony from survivors.

Later in the year in October, to coincide with Herefordshire Photography festival, the photographic exhibition “Absence and Loss” by Marion Davies will be on display in the stairwell of Hereford Museum and Art Gallery.

The exhibition records Marion's journey around Berlin exploring the many Holocaust memorials in the city and impact of Nazis in Berlin and the wider German population in the wartime era. The exhibition aims to present an impression of the period, demonstrate man's inhumanity to man and encourage reflection on current issues of racism and extremism in society.

For more information about these exhibitions or to find out more about Holocaust Memorial Day please contact the council's community heritage officers on 01432 383599 or log onto www.herefordshire.gov.uk/museums or www.hmdt.org
Posted : 29/01/2010 17:08:48

Council approves £7.8m primary school
Herefordshire Council has rung the bell to start the legal process of creating a new £7.8-million primary school in Leominster. The brand new school, which will join up the current infants and junior schools, was backed by the council’s cabinet (Thursday 21 January 2010) but also needs the approval of the Secretary of State.

Although the government wants to see more businesses, charities or parents groups compete to run new schools, it will consider an exemption if the local community prefers their council to run it.

Consultation during the autumn of last year resulted in 73 per cent of local respondents supporting the proposal to amalgamate the schools, and when asked how it should be run, the overwhelming majority gave a vote of confidence to the local authority.

Both schools already are rated ‘good’ by Ofsted, but a brand new school, providing 630 places for children aged 4 to 11, will be a big boost to Leominster. It is part of a package of almost £30 million going into supporting schools in the market town. The new £20-million state-of-the art secondary school, the Minster College, is due to be finished in the summer of this year.

“The new primary school will make more effective use of resources”, said Councillor Philip Price, cabinet member for ICT, education and achievement. “It will share teacher expertise and provide a consistent support for children’s achievement in one school, Leominster Juniors and Infants are the only schools in the county not as an all-through primary.

“The decision to amalgamate was supported by the local community and councillors when this option was put forward under the government’s policy Primary Strategy for Change to obtain the funding. Cabinet’s decision seeks to formalise the statutory process”.

The investment will also support and sustain the vibrant community of Leominster. Approvals permitting the new school will be built on land next to the existing site in September 2012.
Posted : 26/01/2010 14:35:41

Emergency funding bid for £5.5m pothole bill
As Herefordshire thaws after the big freeze, the full damage to the county’s road network is becoming clear. Herefordshire Council estimates it will cost over £5.5 million to repair the potholes created as the water froze, expanded and broke up road surfaces.

The council and its highways partner, Amey Herefordshire, are currently scouring the county’s roads and lanes to repair hazardous potholes and keep roads safe.

In the meantime, council leader Roger Phillips has written to the Department of Transport to request the government to enact emergency funding. He makes the case that the road network has ‘suffered considerable damage as a direct result of the recent and unusually severe weather, which has left roads not meeting the high expectations of the public’.

He urges the government to act by making available extra financial support to address the full impact of the damage urgently. Several councils are expected to make similar requests.

“As in previous years Herefordshire continues to effectively deliver winter gritting and snow clearance to keep the county’s primary routes open”, said Councillor Phillips.

“There is great regret that there is never enough rock salt available in the national supply system for the council to grit over 2,000 miles of minor and unclassified roads – the focus always has to be on the A and B roads together with key access roads, such as to the county hospital, that keep the county open for business and emergency vehicles.

“However, now we face another challenge to repair hazardous potholes in the road network as quickly as possible – and although there are contingencies in the council’s budget, the financial impact is out of all proportion to what could have been expected during the winters Herefordshire is used to”.

Over 10,000 tonnes of grit have been used on Herefordshire’s roads this winter so far, mostly during the first two weeks of January. A typical recent winter would normally require about 5,000 tonnes of grit for the entire season.

If anyone spots a pothole, they are asked to contact the council’s street care line on 01432 261800 or at streets@herefordshire.gov.uk
Posted : 26/01/2010 14:34:52

Herefordshire schools get seven new minibuses
Seven new minibuses will help the county’s secondary school students get training in specialist subjects, thanks to Herefordshire Council.

To take part in the new young apprenticeship programmes and diplomas, 14 to19-year-old students need to be being able to travel from their base school for training in specialist subjects at other educational establishments. The courses include business, administration and finance, construction, engineering, hospitality, social care and creative and media.

Following a successful proposal, the council secured £1 million in government funding. Schools were asked how they wanted this money to be spent and as a result, more than £200,000 was used to buy seven 17-seater mini buses, which have been converted for use by disabled people and wheelchair users. The rest of the money will go towards equipment, ICT and building works.

Jenny Hyde, cabinet member for children’s services, said: “This really boosts the opportunity for young people in our schools, and because we face significant transport problems in getting students around our large county, the minibuses are going to be a great help. This was a wise choice made by the county’s schools.”

The minibuses will be kept at the following schools, although all secondary schools will be able to use them to transport pupils to and from diploma courses:

John Kyrle High School
Queen Elizabeth’s Humanities College
The Minster College
Weobley High School
Wigmore High School
Fairfield High School
Lady Hawkin’s High School
Posted : 25/01/2010 15:26:58

Snow brings traffic disruption in Herefordshire
Herefordshire Council has opened its emergency information line to take residents questions on how the snow is affecting roads, schools and services this morning. The number is 0844 939 6101.

The council reports that gritting teams are working across the county to tackle the heavy fall of snow that coincided with the start of commuter journeys this morning. Persistent heavy rain overnight meant that gritting could not start earlier as rock salt would simply have been washed away.

Traffic is at a standstill on several roads – including Fromes Hill on the Worcester to Hereford road where the council’s contractor Amey Herefordshire is hand-gritting to try and get traffic moving after a bus broke down and several vehicles abandoned. There remain traffic queues into Hereford.
Posted : 20/01/2010 10:37:28

Rock salt record in worst cold spell for 30 years
Over 10,000 tonnes of grit have been used on Herefordshire’s roads this winter so far, mostly during the first two weeks of January, when the county was in the grip of the worst cold spell for 30 years.

Herefordshire Council reports that storage barns were full with 6,500 tonnes of rock salt stockpiled before Christmas to ensure it could fulfil its pledge of keeping the county’s 600 miles of priority routes open over the winter.

This was backed up with more deliveries as needed and more rock salt has been received today (20 January 2010).

Last year, the council used 10,000 tonnes of salt during the whole winter period, and in the year before that under 4,000 tonnes were used, with under 3,000 tonnes used in total the year before that.

The council’s winter service plan is to grit the strategic routes that carry heavy traffic, the key commuter and public transport routes, and those important to the emergency services. But the council says it is almost impossible to also grit the unclassified and minor roads that make up the remainder of Herefordshire’s 2,000 plus miles of roads.

“I know many people in rural areas would want us to grit every minor road”, said Clive Hall, the council’s highway network manager. “If the council attempted to do so, it would soon have run out of rock salt altogether, given that the whole country was in the grip of icy conditions and there were national shortages due to the high demand on supply.

“Running out of supplies would mean it would be almost impossible for most people to get anywhere in the county, and this could bring business and commerce to a halt, as well as endangering lives and seriously impacting emergency and public services”.

“We do have a good track record in keeping primary routes open in even the worst conditions, but the recent prolonged period of below freezing temperatures has been a real challenge to our services”.

The council also has to carefully manage the way its salt is stored and used, as there is the risk of environmental damage if too much is washed into the soil or into water courses.

In the aftermath of the big freeze, there is also the problem of the potholes created as water freezes, expands and breaks up road surfaces. The council estimates it will cost over £5.5 million to rectify the damage to Herefordshire’s roads.

Herefordshire Council and its highways partner, Amey Herefordshire, are currently scouring the streets and lanes across Herefordshire to make sure that all hazardous potholes are repaired as soon as possible.

Local authorities are expected to lobbying central government for financial help in addressing the full costs of the damage to road networks during the extreme weather.

“We have contingencies in our budgets for the impact of winter on our roads, for we will be seeking help from government”, explained Clive Hall.

“Teams are out and about already repairing potholes,” he added. “They are also be inspecting drains at critical locations to make sure they are not blocked by debris and not the cause of localised flooding.

If anyone spots a pothole, they are asked to contact the council’s street care line on 01432 261800 or at streets@herefordshire.gov.uk
Posted : 20/01/2010 09:25:04

Jilt the Junk advice hits the road
Herefordshire Council will once again be taking its advice on dealing with junk mail on the road in a bid to help residents reduce the amount of rubbish sent to landfill.

The waste prevention team's Jilt the Junk Mail campaign, run in conjunction with Worcestershire County Council, is now in its fourth year and aims to help households get on top of the issue of unsolicited letters and flyers arriving through their letterboxes.

As part of the campaign, the team has arranged a number of drop-in sessions at customer contact centres in Herefordshire and Worcestershire.

Residents are invited to pop along and find out ways in which they can help stop junk mail. Free Jilt the Junk Mail packs will be available, containing letterbox stickers, envelope re-use stickers and more top tips and advice, but only while stocks last.

Councillor John Jarvis, Herefordshire Council's cabinet member for the environment and strategic housing, said: “This simple campaign is very effective and is the perfect way to stop all that 'junk' mail falling through your door. Pop along to one of the road shows to find out more from the waste prevention team about how to prevent all that unwanted post piling up on your doormat.

"We are also reminding people that if they do still receive junk mail, they can recycle it through their kerbside recycling collection, at local recycling banks or even compost the paper element at home."

The roadshow will be calling at the following venue between 10am and 3pm:

Herefordshire: InfoShop, Wednesday, February 24

For further information, visit your local customer contact centre, call 01905 766883 or visit www.wastemissionimpossible.org.uk
Posted : 19/01/2010 16:46:41

Spread the word about home composting
Herefordshire Council is giving residents the chance to give something back to their community by championing the benefits of home composting.

The council, in association with the national charity for organic growing, Garden Organic, and Worcestershire County Council, is appealing for volunteers to sign up to its Master Composters Programme. They are looking to recruit 20 more volunteers to be trained in March 2010.

A total of 72 people have been trained since the scheme began. The Master Composter scheme is aimed at promoting the benefits of home composting, encouraging more people to participate and enabling those who already home compost, to do so more effectively.

Volunteers will take part in a number of promotional activities, which could include attending events such as shows and doing school visits and demonstrations, where they will provide the council’s waste prevention team with a helping hand.

Since May 2006 volunteers have collectively given around 4,000 hours of their time to promoting home composting across the two counties.

Councillor John Jarvis, Herefordshire Council’s cabinet member for the environment and strategic housing, said: “The Master Composters Programme is making a massive contribution towards home composting throughout Herefordshire and Worcestershire and we are now looking for more people to join the team so that we can spread the word even further.

“Our existing volunteers are an enthusiastic and motivated team, who are doing a fantastic job in promoting home composting. Becoming a Master Composter is a great way to meet new people, learn valuable skills and benefit from being part of a team that makes a difference.”

Volunteers will be provided with full training in home composting and other related environmental issues. Volunteers will be expected to contribute a minimum of 30 hours over 12 months. Travel expenses will be paid.

People interested in finding out more should call Chris Atkinson on 01905 768227 or email cnatkinson@worcestershire.gov.uk
Posted : 19/01/2010 16:29:52

Flooding in Herefordshire
Herefordshire Council has reported that several roads remain flooded in the north of the county as a result of the melting of the week’s heavy snowfall over the weekend. The following roads are likely to remain closed well into today (Monday 18 January 2010):

A4113 Walford to Leintwardine
A4110 Adforton to Leintwardine
A4110 Lawtons Cross to Bainstree Cross, Kingsland
A438 Letton
C1001 Brampton Bryan to Walford
C1039 Bicton Crossroads
C1105 Ivington to Hyde Ash

The following are passable but with care:
A4111 Eardisley
A456 Little Hereford to Brimfield

The council’s emergency information line was opened at 6am this morning and is taking calls – the number is 0844 939 6101.

The information is based on reports from local authority and police sources but is not necessarily comprehensive. Conditions are liable to change at short notice. Motorists are advised to take care on all routes and to comply with warning signs.

Residents are advised to:
• Listen to the local radio for travel information
• Tell someone at your destination what time you expect to arrive
• Do not enter floodwater, as there is no way of telling how deep it may be. This applies if you are on foot as well as in a vehicle - manhole covers may have been loosened or removed so there could be extremely dangerous hidden hazards in floodwater
• Please respect road closure signs - they are there for your safety and mean the road is impassable
• Remember the rain and spray from vehicles makes it difficult to see and be seen, so adjust your speed and drive more slowly and use your headlights.
Posted : 18/01/2010 08:01:24

Refuse and recycling collections in Herefordshire
Friday's refuse and recycling will be collected as normal where the crews have safe access, reports Herefordshire Council.

Local people are requested to put out their recycling if they normally have a Friday recycling collection but it wasn't collected due to the Christmas Day and New Year's Day arrangements and the snow last Friday.

The collection crews will be working today and Saturday to clear both Friday recycling collections so residents are asked to put out their recycling at their normal collection point until 6pm Saturday. If the crews have been unable to collect by then residents should please bring their refuse and recycling back in.

The council expects that both refuse and recycling collections will return to full service next week but will keep residents informed if weather conditions worsen again.

Richard Wood, waste services manager, said: “I would like to thank Herefordshire residents for bearing with us during the recent terrible weather conditions and I would remind everyone that extra recycling can be put out in old purple and clear recycling sacks or in sacks clearly labelled, "RECYCLING" on their normal recycling day”.
Posted : 15/01/2010 08:21:29

Schools and Roads Update
With today’s big thaw, Herefordshire Council reports that most schools are expected to open today and A and B roads across the county are clear with some minor and unclassified roads getting easier to negotiate for motorists, although great care is still required as the rain is turning to ice on some high ground.

The council’s emergency information line is open this morning and taking calls – the number is 0844 939 6101.
Posted : 15/01/2010 07:21:07

Normal service resumes at household waste sites
Residents wanting to get rid of their refuse or recyclable materials can do so at the county’s household waste sites.

These have been closed due to the snowy weather, but are now open as normal.

Locations and opening times are:

Hereford
Chapel Road
Rotherwas Industrial Estate
HR2 6LD
(01432) 343420
Mon-Sun 8am – 6pm
(Inc. Bank Holidays except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day)

Leominster
Bridge Street
HR6 8EA
(01568) 614271
Mon-Sun 8am – 6pm
(Inc. Bank Holidays except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day)

Ross-on-Wye
Station Approach
HR9 7AQ
(01989) 762460
Thurs and Sat 8am – 6pm
Sun 10am – 5pm
(Except Christmas Day , Boxing Day and New Year’s Day)

Bromyard
Linton Industrial Estate
HR7 4QT
(01885) 488261
Tues 8am – 6pm
Sat and Sun 8am – 6pm
(Except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day)

Ledbury
Little Marcle Road
HR8 2DR
(01531) 635615
Wed and Sat 8am – 6pm
Sun 9:30am – 1pm
(Except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day)
Posted : 14/01/2010 09:16:15

Herefordshire’s refuse collections resume
Refuse and recycling collections across Herefordshire have resumed today, Thursday, January 14.

Herefordshire residents are being asked to put out their refuse and recycling for collection as normal today.

With the thaw expected to continue, the council is planning a double collection of recycling tomorrow, Friday, January 15.

It means that people who haven’t had a recycling collection due to Christmas falling on a Friday should put out their recycling tomorrow morning along with those residents who normally have their recycling collected on Fridays.

These arrangements will be confirmed first thing tomorrow morning.
Posted : 14/01/2010 09:15:33

Schools and Roads Update
Most schools are expected to open today in Herefordshire but the following schools are reporting they will be closed:

Notified as Closed as at 7.45am
Primary Schools
Kings Caple Primary
Kingstone and Thruxton Primary
Leominster Infants School
Leominster Juniors School
Llangrove CE Primary
Michaelchurch Escley Primary
Much Marcle CE Primary
Peterchurch Primary
Steiner Academy
Stoke Prior Primary

Secondary Schools
Fairfield High School
Kingstone High School

Special Schools
Barrs Court

Notified as Open as at 7.45am
Primary Schools
Ashfield Park Primary (packed lunches required)
Bridstow CE Primary (packed lunches required)
Dilwyn CE Primary
Eardisley CE Primary (no transport or lunches)
Goodrich CE Primary
Luston Primary
Madley Primary
Much Birch CE Primary at 10am
Orleton CE Primary
St Joseph's RC Primary 9.30 - 2.30
St Martin's Primary, Hereford
St Mary's CE Primary, Credenhill
Wellington Primary
Whitchurch CE Primary
Wigmore Primary
Withington Primary

Secondary Schools
John Kyrle High School
John Masefield High School from 9.45am
Lady Hawkin's High School main road buses only
Weobley High School
Wigmore High School

Special Schools
Blackmarston from 10am


Herefordshire Council reports that A and B roads across the county are clear after overnight gritting - but drivers are reminded to watch out for patches of black ice and freezing fog in some areas. The minor and unclassified roads remain hazardous after yesterday's persistent snowfall and overnight temperatures over just below freezing.

The council’s emergency information line is taking calls on the status of school opening, roads and public services this morning – the number is 0844 939 6101.
Posted : 14/01/2010 08:55:35

Refuse collections across Herefordshire cancelled
Refuse collections across Herefordshire have been suspended today, Wednesday, January 13, due to the snow.

Residents are being asked to keep hold of their refuse and recycling which was due for collection today.

Refuse can be put out next Wednesday for collection and recycling will be collected in a fortnight’s time, subject to the road conditions improving.

Herefordshire Council and its partners will assess the conditions tomorrow morning prior to deciding on whether we can safely carry out Thursday’s collections.

Look out for further updates on the council’s website and by tuning in to your local radio station.

The Hereford, Leominster and Ledbury household waste sites are open today, but residents are advised that care should be taken on the roads accessing them.
Posted : 13/01/2010 09:51:05

Schools open and schools closed in Herefordshire
Herefordshire Council has reported that 90 schools are closed and 10 known to be open across the county this morning (at 9.00am on 13 January 2010):

Schools closed today:

Primary Schools
Almeley Primary
Ashfield Park
Ashperton Primary
Brampton Abbotts Primary
Bredenbury Primary
Bridstow CE Primary
Broadlands Primary (and nursery and after school clubs)
Brockhampton
Burghill Primary
Burley Gate Primary
Canon Pyon Primary
Clehonger Primary
Clifford Primary
Colwall Primary
Cradley Primary
Dilwyn Primary
Eardisley Primary
Eastnor Primary
Ewyas Harold Primary
Garway Primary
Goodrich Primary
Gorsley Goff Primary
Hampton Dene Primary
Holme Lacy Primary
Holmer Primary
Ivington Primary
Kings Caple Primary
Kingsland CE Primary
Kingstone and Thruxton Primary
Kington Primary
Lea Primary
Leintwardine Primary
Leominster Infants
Leominster Junior
Little Dewchurch Primary
Llangrove Primary
Lord Scudamore Primary
Luston Primary
Madley Primary
Marden Primary
Michealchurch Escley Primary
Much Birch Primary
Orleton Primary
Our Lady's RC Primary
Pembridge Primary
Pencombe Primary
Peterchurch Primary
Riversides Primary
Shobdon Primary
St Francis Xavier
St James' Kimbolton Primary
St Joseph's RC High School
St Mary's Credenhill Primary
St Michael's CE Bodenham
St Paul's CE Primary Hereford
St Peters Bromyard
St Thomas Cantilupe Primary
St Weonards Primary
St. Mary's CE Primary, Fownhope
Staunton-on-Wye Primary
Stoke Prior Primary
Stretton Sugwas Primary
Sutton Primary
Walford Primary
Wellington Primary
Weobley Primary
Weston-under-Penyard Primary
Whitbourne Primary
Whitchurch Primary
Wigmore Primary
Withington Primary (and Nursery)

High Schools
Fairfield
John Kyrle High open for exam candidates only
John Masefield High only open for exam candidates
Lady Hawkins (open for A level exams)
Queen Elizabeth
St Mary's RC High
The Hereford Academy
Weobley High
Whitecross High
Wigmore High
The Steiner Academy
The Bishop of Hereford's Bluecoat School
Kingstone High
The Minster open for exam candidates only

Special
Barrs Court
Blackmarston
Westfields
The Priory Centre
The Aconbury Centre

The Contact Course at the Art College

Schools Known to be Open

Primary
Ledbury Primary
Marlbrook Primary
Mordiford Primary
St James' CE Primary, Hereford
St Martins Primary, Hereford
Trinity Primary

High
Aylestone High

Special Schools
Brookfield - open until 12.

Colleges
Hereford Sixth Form College
Herefordshire College of Technology
Posted : 13/01/2010 09:15:10

Heavy snowfall closes many schools
Herefordshire Council reports that several schools will be closed today as a result of the heavy and persistent snowfall. The list at 6.50am is:

Primary
Burghill Primary
Canon Pyon Primary
Kingstone & Thruxton Primary
Leominster Infants
Leominster Junior
Llangrove Primary
Whitchurch Primary
Wigmore Primary

High
Lady Hawkins (open for A level exams)
Whitecross High
Wigmore High
The Minster open for exams only

Special
Barrs Court
Blackmarston

The council does publish gritting routes on its website and these can be viewed by visiting www.herefordshire.gov.uk and the council’s own emergency information line has been open since 6am to respond to residents’ enquiries about schools, roads and other services. The number is 0844 939 6101.

Herefordshire Council has reported that as forecast, the county has been hit by persistent snowfall overnight and this morning, with up to 6 feet drifts in some areas of high ground affecting the road network.

Gritting and snowplough teams have been battling to try to treat the A roads as a priority since 10.30 last night. The teams will tackle B roads as soon as the A roads are clear. Currently A roads are passable with care but other roads, particularly the minor and unclassified ones, are hazardous.

The council’s contractors are in Hereford High Town clearing snow in preparation for the day’s business after hand gritting the city and market town shopping areas yesterday.


During what is the worst cold spell for 30 years, the council’s contractor Amey Herefordshire is focusing on regularly gritting the 600 miles of A and B roads - but if it attempted to treat all of the 2,500 miles of minor and unclassified roads across such a large area, it would run out of rock salt very quickly. Salt has to be carefully managed at a time of national supply problems but the council traditionally is able to keep most of the county moving on primary routes during extreme weather.

There are warnings of possible delays at Aylestone Hill in Hereford as Welsh Water begin repairs to a burst water main, the result of a thaw after freezing weather. Temporary traffic lights are installed and the repairs are expected to be completed by Thursday afternoon.
Posted : 13/01/2010 06:59:28

Heavy snow disrupts Herefordshire yet again
Herefordshire Council has reported that as forecast, the county has been hit by persistent snowfall overnight and this morning, with up to 6 feet drifts in some areas of high ground affecting the road network.

Gritting and snowplough teams have been battling to try to treat the A roads as a priority since 10.30 last night. The teams will tackle B roads as soon as the A roads are clear. Currently A roads are passable with care but other roads, particularly the minor and unclassified ones, are hazardous.

The council’s contractors are in Hereford High Town clearing snow in preparation for the day’s business after hand gritting the city and market town shopping areas yesterday.

The council does publish gritting routes on its website and these can be viewed by visiting www.herefordshire.gov.uk and the council’s own emergency information line has been open since 6am to respond to residents’ enquiries about schools, roads and other services. The number is 0844 939 6101.

Two schools – Kingstone High and Barrs Court special school - have reported they will be closed but the list is expected to grow.

During what is the worst cold spell for 30 years, the council’s contractor Amey Herefordshire is focusing on regularly gritting the 600 miles of A and B roads - but if it attempted to treat all of the 2,500 miles of minor and unclassified roads across such a large area, it would run out of rock salt very quickly. Salt has to be carefully managed at a time of national supply problems but the council traditionally is able to keep most of the county moving on primary routes during extreme weather.

There are warnings of possible delays at Aylestone Hill in Hereford as Welsh Water begin repairs to a burst water main, the result of a thaw after freezing weather. Temporary traffic lights are installed and the repairs are expected to be completed by Thursday afternoon.
Posted : 13/01/2010 06:58:49

Herefordshire to decide on its future
Local people to reshape Herefordshire as a new land of opportunity – major consultation starts next week

Thousands of residents are expected to participate in discussions to help turn Herefordshire into a new land of opportunity, with more and better paid jobs, more decent and affordable homes, and better transport links.

Herefordshire Council is launching next week the Shaping Our Place 2026 consultation, the findings of which will affect everyone who lives and works in the county. A public event at the Kindle Centre at Asda in Hereford - from 10am to 4pm – on 18 January kicks off an eight-week series of exhibitions and road shows across the county.

“Herefordshire Council needs you to share your views now in what will be one of the most important consultations ever to take place in the county”, said Councillor John Jarvis, cabinet member for environment and strategic housing. “The council wants to help create a land of opportunity, right here in Herefordshire, for all our communities.

“Herefordshire has the room and freedom to grow, while retaining its special heritage and environment. Everyone has a view about how Herefordshire can be improved – whether we need a relief road for the city, more decent and affordable homes, a university or better-paid jobs. But it will be up to local people to help grow the right future for the county, the city and the market towns”.

The consultation is driven by the need to grow the county. Herefordshire has below average wage levels for the region but above average house prices. There are 5,000 people on the county’s housing waiting list and demand is high for homes that are decent and affordable.

Herefordshire is recognised as providing a good education. But without a university, or sufficient higher education to build skills and qualifications, or good career prospects, the council knows young people are more likely to find better prospects elsewhere.

The county also needs more enterprises, offering high quality jobs. More space for employment land has to be found. Growth in the county will provide stronger markets for local firms to thrive and prosper - and safeguard local essential public services.

Sorting out Hereford’s traffic problems is a major priority. Previous consultation shows that most local people feel that a blend of public transport improvements and a new relief road and second river crossing is the preferred solution. However, the route – either to the west or the east of the city – needs careful consideration and the consultation details the implications of either option. Leominster is also identified as requiring a southern relief road.

The strategy for the market towns is to further promote their roles as service and economic centres for their rural hinterlands but also improve links with Hereford. Several villages could see development designed to increase affordable housing and sustain essential services, including schools, and new shops, along with rural transport improvements. The options are also to promote extended employment land and more enterprise centres to encourage the creation of new jobs, particularly creative industries and environmental technologies to boost the economic viability of villages.

The council is holding several exhibitions and road shows across the county in the coming weeks, as well as workshops in schools and colleges. People’s views will be analysed and proposed policies developed and presented back to cabinet later in 2010 and publicised, before being submitted to the Secretary of State, who will arrange for a public examination and inspector’s report with final adoption anticipated in 2011.

It provides a chance for everyone to help finalise the Local Development Framework, which will be the blueprint for planning and developing Herefordshire for the future.

In parallel, the council is also running a consultation on the Local Transport Plan, which will be adopted by April 2011 and will drive the county’s transport strategy for the next 15 years. The review of the transport strategy is intended to align transport policy with the wider needs of the county and will help coordinate support for growth. The Local Transport Plan consultation enables local people to let the council know what their priorities for transport are for the county, whether it is greater public transport investment, more cycle routes, better highway maintenance or further road safety improvements.

Members of the public wishing to comment can access the consultation documents on the council’s website www.herefordshire.gov.uk. Literature can also be picked up from council facilities like info shops and libraries.

More public events are expected to be announced by Herefordshire Council soon, but the following have been arranged:

• 18 Jan - Launch at Kindle Centre, Asda, Hereford. Turn up any time from 10am to 4pm
• 26 Jan - Public event at the Town Hall, Hereford from 10am to 1pm
• 02 Feb - Road show at Ross Market Square. Visit any time from 10am to 1pm
• 03 Feb - Road show at Leominster Corn Square from 10am to 1pm
• 04 Feb - Road show at Evans Easyspace at Rotherwas, starting 11pm
• 09 Feb - Road show at Kington Mill Street Car Park from 10am to 1pm
• 11 Feb - Road show at Bromyard Tenbury Road Car Park from 10am to 1pm
• 13 Feb - Road show at Hereford High Town from 10am to 3pm
• 23 Feb - Road Show at Ledbury St Katherine Street Car Park from 10am to 1pm
• 23 Feb – Evening event at Hereford’s Aylestone School from 6pm to 8pm
• 24 Feb - Road show at Ewyas Harold Memorial Hall Car Park from 10am to 1pm

Posted : 12/01/2010 13:07:17

Waste collections resume across Herefordshire
Herefordshire Council has reported that waste collections across Herefordshire have resumed today (Tuesday 12 January 2010). The council apologises for the disruption and crews will be making every effort to collect all refuse and recycling - but are still hampered by difficult icy conditions on many minor roads.

Residents are asked that if they have not had a collection by 6pm today, then could they please bring in their refuse and recycling and put it out again on their next collection day.

In the face of the worst cold spell for 30 years, the council is making the decision whether to send out the crews on a day-by-day basis. Rotherwas, Leominster and Bromyard household waste sites have re-opened today.

The council’s contractors will collect recycling material, over and above that in the authorised bins and sacks, for the next round of collections, which will take place when refuse collection vehicles are out again.

It will mean residents can put out excess recycling in their old purple and clear sacks or in any other sacks, so long as they are clearly labelled up as "recycling".

A decision on Wednesday’s collection will be made first thing tomorrow morning - residents are advised to tune in to their local radio stations or visit www.herefordshire.gov.uk to find out the latest information.
Posted : 12/01/2010 11:48:59

Herefordshire’s scandals, brought back to life
John Challis - of Only Fools and Horses and Green Green Grass fame – is to play a leading part in bringing back some of the most scandalous and surprising stories from Herefordshire’s past.

Herefordshire Council is holding a special evening next month when Mr Challis and other actors will perform dramatic readings of selected historic documents.

Tales from the Archives will be held in the Great Hall, Bishop’s Palace, Hereford at 7pm on Saturday 27 February 2010. It will feature crimes, miracles, tokens of love, drunkenness and witchcraft – all taken from the county’s written heritage held in the council’s archives service.

Chief archivist Elizabeth Semper O’Keefe said ‘We are delighted that Mr Challis and the other actors will be helping us celebrate the people of Herefordshire who are represented in our archives. It will be very exciting to hear them being given a voice and I’m sure it will make for a special evening.’

Tickets are £8 and will include light refreshments. For further information and bookings, call Herefordshire Council’s archive service on 01432 260750
Posted : 12/01/2010 10:03:40

More snow on the way for Herefordshire tonight
As Herefordshire braces itself for more heavy snowfall, the council warns that it must continue to prioritise on keeping the primary routes of the county open.

During what is the worst cold spell for 30 years, the council’s contractor Amey Herefordshire is focusing on regularly gritting the 600 miles of A and B roads - but if it attempted to treat the 2,500 miles of minor and unclassified roads across such a large area, it would run out of rock salt very quickly. Salt has to be carefully managed at a time of national supply problems but the council traditionally is able to keep most of the county moving on primary routes during extreme weather.

The council reports that all A and B roads in the county have been gritted throughout the night and are passable with care – but motorists are advised that they are likely to encounter black ice without warning, and there is freezing fog in some areas. Most minor and unclassified roads are all passable with extreme care - but pavements in villages, market towns and parts of Hereford are hazardous.

Waste and recycling collections are operating today, reports the council, and Fosca bin crews will endeavour to get to every household but delays are inevitable.

Social services have asked if residents could please look in today on elderly or vulnerable neighbours who may have run out of basic supplies and would find it difficult to get provisions if we suffer increased disruption.

Fire and rescue remind parents to keep children away from icy bodies of water after incidents in Herefordshire and Worcestershire, and urged extra care with wood burning stoves and electric fires. Also poorly parked cars in some back roads are restricting access for fire crew vehicles.

Around 90 schools in Herefordshire are expected to be open today and parents can check with individual school’s web sites or call the council’s emergency information line, which opened at 6am this morning. The number is 0844 939 6101.

The West Midlands Ambulance Service warns that people should take care to avoid the risk of slips, trips and falls if they have to venture out on foot.

NHS services remain under pressure and NHS Herefordshire is urging people to only use 999 if a situation is life-threatening. Anyone requiring medical treatment should consider using parts of the NHS other than Accident and Emergency and the 999 service. People can get advice on their condition from their local pharmacist or GP and should also consider calling NHS Direct on 0845 46 47 or visiting it on-line at http://www.nhs.uk/
Posted : 12/01/2010 08:10:06

Drivers asked to watch out for black ice
Herefordshire Council reports that all A and B roads in the county have been gritted throughout the night and are passable with care – but motorists are advised that they are likely to encounter black ice without warning, and there is freezing fog in some areas. Most minor and unclassified roads are all passable with extreme care - but pavements in villages, market towns and parts of Hereford are hazardous.

Around 90 schools in Herefordshire are expected to be open today and parents can check with individual school’s web sites or call the council’s emergency information line, which opened at 6am this morning. The number is 0844 939 6101.

The council’s contractor Amey Herefordshire dispensed 170 tonnes of rock salt on the roads overnight. They reported at 3.30am a major water leak on the A49 southbound, just past the traffic lights for Saxon Gate in Hereford, and Welsh Water have been notified.

The West Midlands Ambulance Service warns that people should take care to avoid the risk of slips, trips and falls if they have to venture out on foot.

NHS services remain under pressure and NHS Herefordshire is urging people to only use 999 if a situation is life-threatening. Anyone requiring medical treatment should consider using parts of the NHS other than Accident and Emergency and the 999 service. People can get advice on their condition from their local pharmacist or GP and should also consider calling NHS Direct on 0845 46 47 or visiting it on-line at http://www.nhs.uk/

While social services are doing their best to ensure elderly and vulnerable people are looked after, residents are asked please to check on their older neighbours as many may be in need of basic supplies.
Posted : 12/01/2010 07:02:27

Herefordshire Snow Update
As Herefordshire enters its second week of snow and ice, some schools in the county have reported to local radio and to the council that they will be open today. But parents are advised to check the school's individual websites for updated information or call Herefordshire Council's emergency information line– the number is 0844 939 6101.

The following schools are expected to be open today:

Ashperton Primary
Canon Pyon Primary
Cradley Primary
Fownhope, St Mary's Primary
Garway Primary
Holme Lacy Primary
Pencombe Primary
Trinity Primary
Whitchurch Primary

John Kyrle High School for years 11,12,13 and exam candidates only
The Minster at Leominster for years 11,12, 13 and exam candidates only
Kingstone High
St Mary's RC High for years 10 and 11 only (packed lunches are required and parents driving their children to school should please pick them up at 3pm).

Motorists are respecting the difficult road conditions and driving with care on the county's principle roads, which have been kept open by gritting teams, who were out at 12.30am and 4am this morning. Herefordshire Council and its contractor Amey Herefordshire are focusing on treating the 600 miles of A and B roads and managing road salt supplies - but much of the county's 2,500 miles of minor roads remain icy and hazardous.

Snow showers started at midnight and have been persistent on times across the county. Motorists are advised to check local road and weather conditions before making the decision to drive. Visit the council's website on www.herefordshire.gov.uk and look in the spotlight on the home page to access information on which roads will have been gritted.

Don't get caught out even on short journeys. If you have to travel, make sure you take plenty of warm clothing, food and hot drinks.

The county's emergency services along, with Herefordshire Council and NHS Herefordshire, reviewed together the situation over the weekend to ensure key services are maintained and communities supported throughout the spell of very cold weather.

The West Midlands Ambulance Service warns that people should take care to avoid the risk of slips, trips and falls if they have to venture out on foot.

NHS services remain under pressure and NHS Herefordshire is urging people to only use 999 if a situation is life-threatening. Anyone requiring medical treatment should consider using parts of the NHS other than Accident and Emergency and the 999 service. People can get advice on their condition from their local pharmacist or GP and should also consider calling NHS Direct on 0845 46 47 or visiting it on-line at http://www.nhs.uk/

While social services are doing their best to ensure elderly and vulnerable people are looked after, residents are asked please to check on their older neighbours as many may be in need of basic supplies.
Posted : 11/01/2010 07:11:11

Keep on recycling...
The snow may have prevented the regular refuse collections around the Herefordshire, but it needn't stop people recycling.

Herefordshire Council has agreed with its contractors that they will collect recycling material, over and above that in the authorised bins and sacks, for the next round of collections, which will take place when refuse collection vehicles can safely go out to collect.

It will mean residents can put out excess recycling in their old purple and clear sacks or in any other sacks, so long as they are clearly labelled up as "RECYCLING".

“We apologise that we have not been able to collect during the last few days due to the weather. The good news is that it needn't stop people recycling – just store it up and put it out when the collections start again,” said Richard Wood, Herefordshire Council's waste services manager.

Due to the ongoing icy conditions, Herefordshire's household waste sites won't be open this weekend (Saturday and Sunday, January 9 and 10). They are iced over and are not safe for residents to deliver their recycling and refuse.

Please check the council's website to see when the sites will reopen.
Posted : 08/01/2010 17:23:42

Motorists heed 'stay at home' message
Emergency services and organisations providing key services across Herefordshire have praised county motorists for heeding the “stay at home” message during the current spell of icy weather.

Plunging temperatures which fell to around -14C last night caused hazardous driving conditions across the county as water, slush and snow turned to ice yesterday afternoon and overnight.

But despite today’s blue sky and bright sunshine, temperatures are not due to rise much above freezing and with clear sky tonight, the temperature is expected to plummet again.

“We’ve had a great response from people across the county,” said Supt Kevin Purcell, of West Mercia Police, who chairs the group which oversees the response to the snowy weather from the emergency services, Herefordshire Council and NHS Herefordshire.

“With treacherous conditions, it was encouraging that roads were noticeably quieter yesterday afternoon and overnight. However, drivers must not be complacent.

“The big freeze is not over and conditions in the coming days will mean more ice and possibly snow this weekend – motorists should remain vigilant.

“The message is the same – only make essential journeys. If you have to go out, make sure you take plenty of warm clothing, food and hot drinks,” he added.

While the county’s A and B roads are passable with care, minor roads remain covered in snow and can turn into ice rinks overnight.

“As schools know their local conditions and how far staff and pupils have to travel, they are best placed to make their own decisions as to whether they remain closed or re-open,” said Chris Baird, children’s services assistant director for Herefordshire Council.

“Schools are also very much aware of the health and safety implications they need to take into account. They will act on the advice that the council and other partners provide.

“A number of our schools are not on main roads and many roads across the county are not yet suitable for school buses. This is under constant review and we are updating the current position with our transport contractors.”

When schools make a decision to re-open, they will update their websites, inform the council and let local radio stations know.

Gritters were out on the priority routes again last night (Weds, Jan 6) and put down around 400 tonnes of salt – but salt solutions do become less effective in the extreme temperatures we’re currently experiencing.

“Roads may appear gritted, but at the temperatures we’re getting overnight, the effectiveness of the salt can become limited,” said Clive Hall, Herefordshire Council’s highways network manager.

“Motorists who have to make essential journeys should be aware that when temperatures reach -15C, the roads could be slippery and icy, despite the salt we’ve put down,” he added.

The team of 18 gritters are currently working around the clock to keep the county’s A and B roads clear.

“We have to concentrate on keeping the main routes through the county clear so unfortunately we simply don’t have the capacity to extend the coverage to all other roads,” added Clive.

Visit the council’s website on www.herefordshire.gov.uk and look in the spotlight on the home page to access the information on gritting routes.

He also issued a plea to youngsters who are out about enjoying an extended winter holiday to stay safe.

“We want our youngsters to enjoy the snow, but please do it safely,” he warned.

“Large snowmen on verges close to a road and on roundabouts could be dangerous to drivers, and children playing in these areas are at risk of slipping into the roadway and are also at risk of cars skidding on the ice.

“Please enjoy the snow, but enjoy it in parks and gardens, well away from roads,” he added.
Posted : 07/01/2010 15:26:49

No refuse collections across Herefordshire today
Refuse collections across Herefordshire have been suspended today, Thursday, January 7, due to the snow and icy weather.

Residents are being asked to keep hold of their refuse and recycling which was due for collection today.

It can be put out next Thursday for collection, and recycling in a fortnight's time, if conditions allow.

Herefordshire Council and its partners will assess the conditions tomorrow morning prior to deciding on whether we can safely carry out Friday's collections.

Look out for further updates on the council's website and by tuning in to your local radio station.

All the county's household waste sites are also closed today.
Posted : 07/01/2010 10:30:25

Extreme weather continues
After recent snowfall and clearer conditions in Herefordshire, temperatures fell as low as minus 13 Celsius in some locations overnight. Herefordshire Council reports that A and B roads are passable with care. They were treated at 6pm yesterday and again this morning at 4am, and over 340 tonnes of rock salt was used, but untreated surfaces and unclassified roads remain hazardous.

Herefordshire Council’s emergency information line is up and running and residents can ring this for the latest information – the number is 0844 939 6101. Herefordshire’s schools are expected to be closed today generally but those opening will notify local radio to inform parents, updating their school’s website and implementing their processes for contacting parents and carers. Schools transport operators are not running services today.

As the weather forecast remains uncertain, schools are considering their local circumstances on a daily basis and will inform the council and local media when they are due to reopen.

The county’s emergency services along, with Herefordshire Council and NHS Herefordshire, are meeting regularly to review the situation and make plans to ensure key services are maintained and communities supported throughout the spell of wintery weather.

The message from the police is to stay at home if possible and only go out if it’s an urgent journey. Don’t get caught out even on short journeys. If you have to travel, then make sure you take plenty of warm clothing, food and hot drinks.

The West Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust has backed this call warning that iced-up untreated roads and pavements will be very slippery – so people should take care to avoid the risk of slips, trips and falls if they have to venture out on foot.

NHS Herefordshire is urging people to only use 999 if a situation is life-threatening – anyone requiring medical treatment should consider using parts of the NHS other than A&E and the 999 service. People can get advice on their condition from their local pharmacist or GP and should also consider calling NHS Direct on 0845 46 47 or visiting it on-line at www.nhs.uk.
Posted : 07/01/2010 07:55:31

Snow wipes out refuse collections
Refuse collections across Herefordshire have been suspended today, Wednesday, January 6, due to the snow.

Collections were called off late yesterday morning due to the weather.

Residents are being asked to keep hold of their refuse and recycling which was due for collection today.

It can be put out next Wednesday for collection, and recycling in a fortnight's time, if conditions allow.

Herefordshire Council and its partners will assess the conditions tomorrow morning prior to deciding on whether we can safely carry out Thursday's collections.

Look out for further updates on the council's website and by tuning in to your local radio station.

All the county's household waste sites are closed today
Posted : 06/01/2010 11:08:45

Herefordshire Snow Update
Herefordshire Council has reported that A and B roads across the county are passable with care after nearly 500 tonnes of salt were put down by gritters working throughout the night. Hereford has had around 4 inches of snow and up to 10 inches of snow has fallen on parts of South Herefordshire. The council’s contractor Amey Herefordshire is continuing to treat the roads this morning but unclassified roads will be extremely difficult for motorists.

Therefore, the council reaffirms police advice that drivers should not venture out unless their journey is absolutely necessary. Domestic waste and recycling collections are likely to be extremely disrupted today.

Parents can find out the most up to date information on school closures this morning by telephoning Herefordshire Council's emergency information line – 0844 939 6101 – which has been open from 6am.

The council has been notified of the following school closures due to heavy snow today. Parents are advised to ring their schools direct for further details.

Primary Schools
Almeley Primary
Ashfield Park Primary
Ashperton Primary
Bosbury Primary
Brampton Abbotts Primary
Bredenbury Primary
Brockhampton Primary
Burley Gate Primary
Burley Gate Primary
Burley Gate Primary
Canon Pyon Primary
Clehonger Primary
Clifford Primary
Colwall Primary
Cradley Primary
Dilwyn Primary
Ewyas Harold Primary
Garway Primary
Goodrich Primary
Gorsley Goffs Primary
Hampton Dene Primary
Holme Lacy Primary
Ivington Primary
Kings Caple Primary
Kingsland Primary
Lea Primary
Ledbury Primary
Leintwardine Primary
Leominster Infants and Junoirs
Lord Scudamore Primary
Lucton Independent School
Lugwardine Primary
Luston Primary
Marden Primary
Marlbrook Primary
Michaelchurch Escley Primary
Much Birch Primary
Much Marcle Primary
Orleton Primary
Our Ladies RC Primary
Pencombe Primary
Peterchurch Primary
Shobdon Primary
St Francis Xavier RC Primary
St James' CE Primary Hereford
St Joseph's RC Primary
St Pauls CE Primary Hereford
St Peter's Bromyard Primary
St Thomas Cantilupe Primary
Stoke Prior Primary
Sutton Primary
Trinity Primary
Walford Primary
Weobley Primary
Whitbourne Primary
Whitchurch Primary
Wigmore Primary
Withington Primary

Pembridge Primary is open but no buses will be operating

High Schools
Aylestone High
Fairfield High
John Masefield High
Kingstone High
Lady Hawkins High
Queen Elizabeth High
St Mary's RC High
The Bishop's of Hereford Bluecoat School
The Hereford Academy
The Minster
Weobley High
Wigmore High
John Kyrle High
Out of county schools
Monmouth Comperhensive
Tenbury High
Ludlow College

Special Schools
Barrs Court Special School
Blackmarston Special School
Westfield Special School
St Davids Pupil Referral
The Aconbury Centre

Hereford College of Technology - both Hereford and Holme Lacy Campus'

Herefordshire Council is grateful to the team of volunteer 4X4 response drivers, who are members of the community and made over 20 emergency journeys during the night, primarily to get staff to and from the county hospital, and are continuing to make journeys today.

Emergency crews have reported difficulties in getting to blue light incidents due to the weather. Untreated roads and pavements are likely to stay very slippery through the rest of today. And people are urged to take care so that they avoid the risk of slips, trips and falls.

NHS Herefordshire advises that if you do need medical treatment, please consider using parts of the NHS other than A&E and the 999 service. The NHS is extremely busy at present due to the cold weather; please get advice on your condition from a pharmacist, your GP NHS Direct on 0845 46 47 or on-line at www.nhs.uk and if you need treatment, consider using a walk in centre or minor injuries unit.

Residents are also being advised to check up on friends, relatives and neighbours who may be more vulnerable to cold weather, which is especially dangerous for older people or people with serious illnesses. People with heart or respiratory (breathing) problems may have worse symptoms during a cold spell and for several days after temperatures return to normal.

To keep warm and well during the current snowy weather:

• Keep curtains drawn and doors closed to block out draughts.
• Have regular hot drinks and at least one hot meal a day if possible. Eating regularly helps keep energy levels up during winter.
• Wear several light layers of warm clothes (rather than one chunky layer).
• Keep as active as possible.
• Wrap up warm if you need to go outside on cold days.

Keep your home at the recommended temperature of 18–21°C (64–70°F). If you can’t heat all the rooms you use, heat the living room during the day and the bedroom just before you go to sleep.
Posted : 06/01/2010 09:25:57

Residents advised to only make essential journeys
With further snow and freezing conditions due later today and overnight, Herefordshire Council and its partners are advising people to only make essential journeys.

Around 80 schools have closed today and refuse collections have been suspended as the weather created problems with crews finding it difficult to keep vehicles on the roads.

Parents can find out the most up to date information on school closures tomorrow morning by telephoning Herefordshire Council’s emergency information line – 0844 939 6101 – which will be open from 6am.

Meanwhile emergency crews have reported difficulties in getting to blue light incidents due to the snow and increased congestion on the roads

West Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust Assistant Chief Ambulance Officer, Mark Gough, said: “Untreated roads and pavements are likely to stay very slippery through the rest of today. We would urge people to take care so that they avoid the risk of slips, trips and falls if you are on foot.

“Where possible, people should stay at home. If you do have to travel, please ensure you take warm clothing, and sensible footwear with you. If possible take a shovel, snow chains, chocolate and a drink with you.

”If you do need medical treatment, please consider using parts of the NHS other than A&E and the 999 service.

“The NHS is extremely busy at present due to the cold weather; please get advice on your condition from a pharmacist, your GP NHS Direct on 0845 46 47 or on-line at www.nhs.uk.

“If you need treatment, consider using a walk in centre or minor injuries unit.”

Residents are also being advised to check up on friends, relatives and neighbours who may be more vulnerable to cold weather, which is especially dangerous for older people or people with serious illnesses.

People with heart or respiratory (breathing) problems may have worse symptoms during a cold spell and for several days after temperatures return to normal.

To keep warm and well during the current snowy weather:

• Keep curtains drawn and doors closed to block out draughts.
• Have regular hot drinks and at least one hot meal a day if possible. Eating regularly helps keep energy levels up during winter.
• Wear several light layers of warm clothes (rather than one chunky layer).
• Keep as active as possible.
• Wrap up warm if you need to go outside on cold days.

Keep your home at the recommended temperature of 18–21°C (64–70°F).

If you can’t heat all the rooms you use, heat the living room during the day and the bedroom just before you go to sleep.
Posted : 05/01/2010 17:15:50

Herefordshire Council emergency information line
Herefordshire Council’s emergency information line has opened to give local residents the latest news on roads affected by the snow as well as details of school closures.

The telephone line opened at lunchtime today and will remain open so long as there is demand for it this evening.

It will re-open at 6am tomorrow (Weds) and will have the latest details on school closures.

The number is 0844 939 6101
Posted : 05/01/2010 14:14:20

Snow affects Herefordshire refuse collections
Herefordshire's refuse and recycling crews were out this morning but were quickly affected by the snow.

Some areas have had their refuse and recycling collected, but by 9am crews were having difficulties keeping the vehicles on the roads.

At 11am today all collections of refuse and recycling were stopped.

If residents haven't had their collection today, they are being asked to take their refuse and recycling back in.

Refuse can be put out next Tuesday for collection, and recycling in a fortnight's time, if conditions allow.

We will assess the conditions tomorrow morning prior to deciding on whether we can safely carry out Wednesday's collections.

Look out for further updates on the council's website and by tuning in to your local radio station.

Posted : 05/01/2010 11:36:08

Road safety advice over the Christmas period
Herefordshire Council is reminding motorists out on the road over the Christmas period to drive according to the road conditions.

Drivers should be aware that if the road surface temperature drops to -5C, the grit laid down by the gritting lorries becomes less effective – and at -9C, it has virtually no effect at all.

Key advice is that although the council is continually monitoring and treating Herefordshire’s roads, people should only travel when necessary over the Christmas period during the current icy weather.
Posted : 24/12/2009 13:57:42

Gritters out and about to keep routes clear
Herefordshire motorists are being reassured that Amey Herefordshire’s fleet of fifteen gritters will be out and about keeping the county’s primary routes clear over the Christmas period.

Overnight the gritters have been working around the clock to keep primary routes clear: 209 tonnes of grit have been distributed during the last 18 hours.

The gritters were out at 4pm yesterday and were back out again at 10pm to grit all primary routes, secondary routes and car parks

A third grit of all primary routes occurred again at 2.30am this morning and Hereford’s High Town has been hand treated throughout this period.

The team of drivers will be on call right through the Christmas period and will continue to operate as weather conditions dictate.

A leaflet has been produced detailing the winter gritting routes which can be downloaded in PDF format from the council’s website at www.herefordshire.gov.uk

The major towns are available in individual, more detailed files, which are also available on the website.
Posted : 24/12/2009 12:39:24

Swine flu vaccination for county’s under 5s begins
The first of 10,000 children aged between six months and five years of age in Herefordshire have begun receiving their swine flu vaccinations.

The vaccination programme follows the announcement by the health secretary Andy Burnham earlier this month that children of this age had been identified as the next priority group because they are more likely to need hospital treatment if they catch swine flu.

The decision is supported by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation – the UK’s independent advisory board on vaccines.

This second phase of vaccinations follows hot on the heels of the first phase during which around 25,000 people - identified as being at risk of severe illness should they contract the swine flu virus - in Herefordshire were contacted by their local GPs and invited to have their swine flu vaccination

NHS Herefordshire has negotiated through the Local Medical Committee and has reached an agreement that local GPs will roll out this second phase of vaccinations.

While some have already begun contacting the parents of youngsters, the majority of GPs will be contacting families early in the New Year to invite them to bring their children in for flu vaccinations.

“These people have been identified nationally by the Department of Health (DoH) because they are at highest risk of severe illness should they contract the swine flu virus,” said Dr Akeem Ali, Herefordshire’s Director of Public Health.

“Thankfully, for most people the affects of swine flu are mild and no worse than a bout of seasonal flu.

“NHS Herefordshire, which is receiving the batches of vaccinations from the DoH, is making sure they are delivered to GP surgeries so they are in the hands of local doctors who know their patients and particularly those at risk.

“If you get a letter or a phone call from your GP inviting you, or your children, to have a swine flu vaccination, please ensure you to take up this offer,” added Dr Ali.
Posted : 24/12/2009 12:37:53

Highways team keeps county moving
Herefordshire Council and their service delivery partners Amey have been working hard during the recent spell of bad weather to keep the county’s roads clear of ice and snow.

The county’s fleet of 18 gritters has salted roads on both primary and secondary gritting routes during the recent cold snap. The county has 3,291km of roads with 963kmn being priority gritting routes while 684km are secondary routes.

Roadside grit heaps and bins are also provided where requested by parish councils to provide cover on minor roads which might not otherwise be treated.

A leaflet has been produced detailing the winter gritting routes can be downloaded in PDF format on the council’s website at www.herefordshire.gov.uk The major towns have also been made available in individual, more detailed files, which are also available on the website.

Councillor Brian Wilcox, Herefordshire Council’s cabinet member for highways and transportation, said: “Even though many people are now enjoying a much-deserved Christmas break, it is still crucial that the county’s roads are kept open as this helps to ensure the safety of commuters, people out shopping and those who are travelling to visit relatives.

“We will continue to keep a close eye on weather forecasts and ensure the appropriate action is taken to minimise the risk to the travelling public and keep the county’s roads open throughout the winter period,” he added.
Posted : 22/12/2009 10:22:49

There’s no need(le) to waste Christmas trees
Herefordshire Council is encouraging people not to put their Christmas trees into landfill this year but instead recycle or re-use them.

Millions of Christmas trees are disposed of in early January every year but people could instead take them to the household waste sites where they will be chipped, shredded and used for compost.

Laura Blackwell, Herefordshire Council’s recycling officer, said: “There are also living tree schemes where people can bring a real, potted tree into the house and then plant it back outside once the festivities are over.

“Another option is to buy an artificial tree which can be re-used every year. Unlike a real tree, it won’t help to offset global warming by absorbing carbon dioxide but in comparison to a Christmas tree that is sent to landfill after just a few weeks, it will use fewer resources in terms of transportation, felling and waste disposal,” she added.
Anyone wanting to recycle their Christmas tree in Hereford should take them to their nearest household waste site and leave them in the large composting bins.
Household waste sites can be found at:
• Hereford - Chapel Road, Rotherwas
• Ross-on-Wye - Station Approach
• Leominster - Bridge Street
• Ledbury - Little Marcle Road
• Bromyard - Linton Industrial Estate, Leominster Road

All household waste sites will be closed on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, Saturday 26th December.
All sites that are normally open on a Sunday will be available on Sunday 27th December. All sites that are normally open on Mondays will be open on Monday 28th December. All sites will be closed on New Year’s Day, Friday 1st January. Normal opening hours will resume on Saturday 2nd January 2010.
Posted : 17/12/2009 12:11:19

Herefordshire rural shops get a lifeline!
Herefordshire Council is offering rural shops in Herefordshire a chance to apply for funding to make a difference to their businesses and the communities they serve.

The discretionary grant aims to enhance the future viability of rural shops in Herefordshire in order to safeguard vital services for people living in rural areas.

A grant of up to £5,000, or 90 per cent of the total project cost, is available to owners, landlords or lessees of a general village stores which sells a variety of goods. Priority will be given to shops at threat of closure, particularly those that currently offer a post office service.

Eligible activities include:-

• Refurbishment to the shop interior;
• Purchases of equipment e.g. display cabinets, refrigeration;
• Training or advice.

The scheme excludes farms shops, community shops and franchises. However, they are encouraged to contact the team as there may be other funding available.

Cllr Adrian Blackshaw, Cabinet member for economic and community services, said: “I’m delighted to have an opportunity to support our rural shops as they provide such a vital service for their local communities. Keeping these services available and operating ensures that the most isolated and vulnerable communities of Herefordshire can survive.”

As funding is limited, all applications need to be received by 25 January 2010 to be assessed by an independent panel.

Any traders or landlords wanting to take advantage of the grant scheme should contact the delegated grants team for details and an application pack on 01432 260753 or email the team at delegatedgrants@herefordshire.gov.uk
Posted : 16/12/2009 17:23:28

10,000 under fives to get swine flu vaccination
Children aged between six months and five years of age in Herefordshire are to be vaccinated against swine flu.

Health Secretary Andy Burnham’s announcement last week, (Tues, Dec 8), means around 10,000 youngsters in the county will receive the H1N1 vaccine.

This age group was identified as the next priority group for the vaccine because they are more likely to need hospital treatment if they catch swine flu.

The decision is supported by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation – the UK’s independent advisory board on vaccines.

Although the roll-out of the vaccination programme has been hampered because a national agreement between NHS employers and the British Medical Association’s General Practitioners’ Committee could not be found, NHS Herefordshire is negotiating through the Local Medical Council to reach an agreement with local GPs.

“Failure to reach a national agreement is disappointing, but we’re hoping to be in a position to roll out the vaccination programme by around Christmas,” said Dr Akeem Ali, Herefordshire’s director of public health.

“We have a number of options, but our preferred choice would be to vaccinate through our local GPs.

“Parents of children in the priority group will receive information about the swine flu vaccination programme as soon as these plans have been finalised,” he added.
Posted : 15/12/2009 08:05:10

Herefordshire is a good place to live
Glowing reports show that quality of life in Herefordshire is improving

Herefordshire is a good place to live, thanks to the council, the primary care trust and the police services working very closely together to improve people's lives. This is the conclusion of a new government assessment – called Oneplace – which assesses how well public services are meeting the needs of local people.

Herefordshire Council and NHS Herefordshire, who are working in a unique and close partnership to improve local services, have welcomed the new report. Working with the police, and other agencies, they are credited with reducing anti-social behaviour and the fear of crime in Herefordshire, as well as ensuring that people are healthy and safe and that children get a good education.

The rating comes hot on the heels of another very positive report. Herefordshire Council's children's services are also 'performing well' according to an annual performance rating published by Ofsted this month. This is the third year running that children's services have demonstrated continuous improvement. The report says the overall effectiveness of the large majority of inspected services is good and better than in similar local authorities and nationally. Children receive a good start to their care and education in the county.

Also this month, the Care Quality Commission, the independent regulator of health and social care, has reported that Herefordshire is looking after older and more vulnerable people better than ever before. The council consistently delivers adult social care services above minimum requirements and this year has moved up a level from 'performing adequately' to 'performing well'.

The council works closely with its partner, NHS Herefordshire, which is the leader for health in the county, and has improved strongly the quality of life, health and wellbeing of users of social care services and carers, against more stringent government testing for social care.

The rural nature of Herefordshire presents difficulties in terms of domestic waste collection and the Oneplace assessment refers to the need to improve. However, in November, the council launched its new recycling service. Nearly 60,000 wheeled bins and over 15,000 sack deliveries took place and when the scheme went live, the council collected 600 tonnes of recycling by the second week – three times as much as in the same period the previous year. Over 98 per cent of all residential properties now receive a recycling service.

The council also launched this year a new community protection team to respond to anti-social behaviour, and is the first point of contact for sorting out fly tipping, abandoned vehicles, fly posting, littering and dog fouling, and quickly responds to and investigates all reports.

The council is also working to provide more affordable housing, which the Oneplace assessment also identified as a need for Herefordshire. Although it has reached its targets in 2009, the council is encouraging new developments, such as the urban village on the ESG regeneration site in Hereford. Other issues being worked on by the primary care trust, the council and other agencies, include the need to improve broadband access for business, and reduce road accident deaths, speed up ambulance response times and improve dental health.

Herefordshire is one of 152 areas assessed in England, with six independent inspectorates creating a single snapshot of an area. They look at how important local issues, such as crime, affordable housing and people's health, are being tackled – and the prospects for improvement.

The assessment sometimes uses 'red flags' to signal any significant concerns about performance, and in this first Oneplace report, Herefordshire has no red flags but is working to win 'green flags' for significant improvement in next year’s assessment.

Chris Bull, chief executive of Herefordshire Council and NHS Herefordshire, said: “The story for Herefordshire continues to be one of improvement and assessment of our services, by a number of different agencies, is finding that our unique and pioneering approach to partnership is working and providing real benefits for residents, especially in terms of quality of life, community safety, social care and education.

“There is of course, much more we need to do, but in this first Oneplace report it is great news that local people find Herefordshire a good place to live. It is only by working closely together, that their council, primary care trust and several other public services providers, can make a real and lasting difference in ways that are important to them”.

Mary-Ann Bruce, Oneplace spokesperson for Herefordshire said: "Herefordshire is a good place to live. The council, NHS, fire and police services work very closely together to improve people's lives. They've reduced anti-social behaviour and the fear of crime. People are healthy, safe, and children get a good education. The majority of people are satisfied with where they live. But the rural nature of the county creates difficulties, such as a need for more housing that people can afford, better waste management and improved broadband access to attract business and jobs. And more needs to be done to reduce deaths from accidents, speed up ambulance response times and improve dental health."

Oneplace provides an independent overview of local public services. It will help people see how well their local services, including councils, police and the NHS, are serving their needs and how well these services are working together to improve an area's quality of life. The results will be published on a new website www.direct.gov.uk/oneplace launched on 9 December 2009.
Posted : 09/12/2009 07:59:01

Social care services performing well in the County
Herefordshire is looking after older and more vulnerable people better than ever before, according to an independent assessment of social care services.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC), which is the independent regulator of health and social care in the England, has reported that when it comes to adult social care services, Herefordshire Council is performing well.

The council consistently delivers services above minimum requirements and this year the commission has reported that Herefordshire has moved up a level from ‘performing adequately’ to ‘performing well’.

The council works closely with its partner, NHS Herefordshire, which is the leader for health in the county, and has improved strongly the quality of life, health and wellbeing of users of social care services and carers, against more stringent government testing for social care.

“It is very good news that the council’s efforts to ensure that social care service meet the needs of the growing numbers of older and vulnerable members of our communities”, said Councillor Olwyn Barnett, cabinet member for older people and social care.

“There will always be immense pressures on these services in Herefordshire, because the older section of the population is growing faster than most anywhere else in the county, and there will always be room for improvement. But I am gratified that given the more stringent assessment of services, Herefordshire Council is able to demonstrate strong improvement in the range and quality of services it provides.

"I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to all members of staff for their very hard work and I congratulate them on the very good results, in spite of the financial pressures."

The council is helping larger numbers of older people to live independently at home, including people with a learning disability, and is boosting awareness and training to help them avoid falls, and so hospital admissions have reduced. People are checked on more often, particularly at night, and the success of electronic monitoring services is also exceeding targets.

Many more people are provided with adaptations to help them live at home and waiting times for this service are much shorter. The number of delayed hospital discharges of older people is very low, although the council needs to continue actions within its new integrated structure with the primary care trust to ensure this number is reduced.

Nearly 250 additional extra care places have been provided this year, including Rose Gardens, in Hereford, a partnership scheme of 91 affordable apartments with on-site social care and leisure facilities.

An innovative village warden scheme has been rolled out across the county, supporting people in remote areas to remain independent.

The council contributes to the funding of the voluntary sector (there are over 1500 voluntary and community organisations in the county and it is estimated that 18 per cent of the local population volunteer). Carers are supported to take part in community life through the carers’ hub, newsletters and specific events for carers.

There is a well-established ‘signposting’ service where local public services alert other services if they feel a vulnerable person needs extra help. Actions have been taken to strengthen and monitor protection for people who use services and their carers from all forms of abuse.

The council is ‘personalising’ services and has increased the number of people who receive a direct payment and use that to purchase the care they need.

There is a range of schemes and services that provide information and advice to help users and carers to understand and manage their income and meet their costs. For example, there is a ‘gold ticket’ fast track benefits scheme that guarantees applications will be processed within two working days.

The council and the primary care trust has improved health and wellbeing, providing a wide range of information and advice to promote a healthy lifestyle, including a magazine delivered to peoples’ homes, coffee mornings that offer free health checks and initiatives to manage long term conditions.

Services and results for people who misuse alcohol are better, and hospital admissions for alcohol related harm have been cut, and there are more drug users receiving effective treatment.

A range of employment opportunities is available for people with learning disabilities, including social enterprise schemes. Training courses and workshops for carers have been developed with partners, and the council plans to improve information and support for employment amongst carers by including information in the carers’ newsletters and on the website.

Chris Bull, chief executive of Herefordshire Council and NHS Herefordshire, said: “The unique and innovative partnership we have between health and social care means we are able to make progress on joining services up to help older people live independently at home with dignity, while having the confidence that the care and support they need is there for them. People in our county live longer than average and we have to ensure that we are delivering on our commitment to add life to years, as well as years to life”.
Posted : 03/12/2009 16:24:08

Council goes electric with new car
Herefordshire Council and its service delivery partners Amey are bidding to cut their carbon footprint by trialling a new electric car.

The partnership is one of just 100 nationwide to have secured the electric-powered smart cars as part of research trials being held across the West Midlands, London and the South East.

Powered solely by electricity, and chargeable from any three-pin socket, the smart electric car can achieve 300mg and travel up to 84 miles between charges. It also has reduced carbon dioxide emissions.

Councillor John Jarvis, Herefordshire Council’s cabinet member for the environment and strategic housing, said: “I am delighted we have been selected to trial this car as it will not only save our fuel costs but will also help the environment as they produce far less carbon emissions.

“It is crucial that we as a council lead by example and this will help to reduce our own carbon footprint. If the car proves a success, we will look at acquiring more as and when our existing fleet needs replacing.”

Mark Thomas, service director for Amey, said: “One of Amey’s priorities is to reduce its carbon emissions and the trial of the new vehicle is a step towards achieving that goal.”
Posted : 30/11/2009 17:07:17

Herefordshire is urged to shape its future
Growth is coming to Herefordshire – which may result in over 16,000 new homes, new enterprises, more jobs and prosperity, and a bypass for Hereford and Leominster. But making sure we grow the right way is up to everyone, says Herefordshire Council, which is launching a major consultation in the New Year to shape the future of the county, the city and the market towns.

Leader of the council Roger Phillips urged the silent majority to speak out on the options laid out for the Local Development Framework when the consultation starts on 18 January. Speaking at the council’s cabinet (26 November 2009), he said this was Herefordshire’s big chance to write the blueprint for planning and development up to 2026.

Cabinet members considered various ‘place shaping options’ outlined in a draft consultation paper, which has been published on Herefordshire Council’s website www.herefordshire.gov.uk and these are detailed for Hereford, Bromyard, Kington, Ledbury, Leominster, Ross-on-Wye and the rural areas of the county.

The council will hold exhibitions and road shows across the county early next year, with workshops in schools and colleges. People’s views will be analysed and proposed policies developed and presented back to cabinet later in 2010 and publicised, before being submitted to the Secretary of State, who will arrange for a public examination and inspector’s report with final adoption anticipated in 2011.

Previous consultation had highlighted that nearly 80 per cent of respondents feel that a blend of public transport improvements and a new relief road would be the preferred solution to Hereford’s traffic problems. However, the route – either to the west or the east of the city – needs careful consideration and the draft consultation paper details the implications of either option. The paper also outlines possible locations for the new homes, which will also affect the route of a bypass and the location of a second river crossing, as developers would need to contribute to infrastructure improvements. The aim is to regain the city’s place as an economic power in the region in order to bring prosperity and opportunity for future generations.

The strategy for the market towns is to further promote their roles as service and economic centres for their rural hinterlands but also improve links with Hereford.

The largest single allocation of new homes outside of Hereford could go to Leominster, due to its economic importance located on the A49 corridor and its rail links, with growth providing a southern link road for the town. Ledbury and Ross could support more development than Bromyard and Kington with the amounts of new homes and employment land balanced by their respective needs and environment considerations. Several villages and groups of villages could see development designed to increase affordable housing and create and retain employment and services.

The cabinet approved the ‘place shaping paper’ as a consultation document and agreed the formal consultation period of 18 January to 12 March 2010.
Posted : 30/11/2009 08:31:13

Council warning on fraudsters
Fraudsters have targeted Herefordshire homes attempting to trick people into giving their bank details over the phone.

The bogus phone callers claim they are representing the council and tell householders they are entitled to a refund on their council tax because they have 'overpaid'. They then ask for personal bank account details, in which to ‘pay the refund’.

"These calls are not connected to the council and people should never provide personal account or bank details over the phone," said Mike Toney, head of revenues and benefits for the council.

“In some cases, fraudsters may even get hold of part of a person's account number by going through their rubbish, and could quote a few numbers of this in the hope that their victim will provide the rest of the information.”

"Residents need to be aware that if they have overpaid their council tax, we would never telephone but will issue a revised bill to advise them of this. Fortunately no-one has fallen for the scam, but like most organisations, such as banks and government offices, Herefordshire Council will write to residents, therefore be very careful if you do receive calls like this and report them to the council and to the police."
Posted : 26/11/2009 10:48:49

Ambassadors speak up for Herefordshire
Visit Herefordshire is to launch its Ambassador Programme at Hampton Court today, Thursday November 26th, with many of the high profile ambassadors for the county in attendance.

Visit Herefordshire has signed up a wide ranging team of world renowned personalities, as its ambassadors to carry the message that Herefordshire is a wonderful county to visit and relocate to.

During the evening the new 2010 visitor guide for the county, which has a number of quotations from our Ambassadors, will be revealed.

Peter Hands, Chairman of Visit Herefordshire who has worked for several months tracking down the “Good and the Great” to enlist their support in promoting Herefordshire, said: “It has been along process but I am deeply heartened by the responses I have received to date, given that everyone is so busy with their own professional careers.

“Ambassadors who have already signed up include John Challis, Quentin Letts, Mathew Engel, Sir Roy Strong, Richard Johnson, Ian Storey, Walenty Pytel, Sam Llewelyn, Kate Bliss, Kevin Sheedy, Eleanor Oldroyd, Miranda Richardson, Lord Alex Carlile; Julian Lloyd Webber, Colin Addison, Robert Rogers and Brian Huggett.”

Ian Storey, world famous tenor, commented: “I really look forward to returning home to Herefordshire as I am always away performing in various opera’s around the world. It is just the most tranquil county I know”.

Jane Lewis, tourism marketing manager for Herefordshire, said: “It is quite amazing who we have discovered with connections to the county, I am delighted that we have been able to recruit such great Ambassadors and we thank them for their contributions to the new visitor guide.
Posted : 26/11/2009 09:51:19

Recycling collection reminders prove great success
Herefordshire Council has already had more than 500 people sign up to receive a free text message to remind them when to put their recycling out.

The council’s website, which also offers a free postcode search to find out collection days, has also received 1,969 users since the service launched on November 2.

To get free texts, residents just have to text “hcrecycle”, their postcode and first line of address to 80800. People who sign up to the free service receive a text at 6pm the night before their recycling is due to be collected.

Residents can also check their collection date by logging onto the council’s website www.herefordshire.gov.uk and using the simple postcode search.

Councillor John Jarvis, Herefordshire Council’s cabinet member for the environment and strategic housing, said: “We knew when we started the fortnightly collection of recyclable materials that some people may have trouble remembering when to put their wheeled bin or clear sacks out so I am delighted so many have taken advantage of this free text messaging service.

“I am aware people lead busy lives and as we are obviously keen for people to recycle as much as possible, we wanted to make it easy for people by offering these two services. People can also contact any of the Info in Herefordshire centres to find out when their collection day is.

“These figures show people in the county obviously want to embrace the new recycling service and ensure they don’t miss their collection date and this will be especially important as we start to hit the festive season when people will be having parties and recycling a lot more bottles and cans,” he added.
Posted : 23/11/2009 21:47:33

Walking and more in a Winter Wonderland
Enjoy a winter wonderland this Christmas at Herefordshire Council’s Queenswood Country Park with lots of fun including Bertie Buzzard’s Christmas Trail throughout the school holidays and much more.

Book your place now on the Christmas wreath making workshop on Sunday, December 13, 2009 from 1pm to 3pm.

Come along and make a traditional festive wreath using natural hedgerow materials to take away with you and decorate your home. The term wreath comes from the old English word, “writhen”, meaning to writhe or to twist. At Christmas evergreen plants, such as holly, ivy and pine have long been used to create wreaths.

These plants have a special meaning since they not only stay green, they bear fruit during the harsh winter months and traditionally people believed these plants to represent the promise of new or everlasting life….just don’t leave them up after Twelfth Night. Please wrap up warm as this event will take place outside.

The workshop costs just £5.50 per person, suitable for all ages but no children under 8 years. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Booking is essential please contact Queenswood Tourist Information Centre, telephone 01568 797842

Then on Saturday, December 19, 2009 Queenswood will host the Noah’s Ark Trust Annual Lantern Walk. Reserve your lantern and candle by registering with the Noah’s Ark Trust. For more information and to register please telephone 01432 264555 or visit www.noahsarktrust.co.uk

Queenswood Tourist Information Centre will be open every day until December 23 from 10am until 4pm and December 28 to December 31 from 10.30am-3.30pmso why not pop in for Christmas gifts galore, stocking fillers and a lucky dip £1 entry.

Queenswood Tourist Information Centre is one of the TIC’s in the county holding a “Decorate a Christmas Tree Bauble” competition for children. You can collect your bauble from Friday, December 4 until Saturday, December 12 and return it decorated to be judged on Saturday, December 19 at noon.

Each entrant will get a small present and the winner of the competition will be given the opportunity to visit Santa in his grotto or to attend the performance of Christmas pantomime.

Then when it’s all over for another year why not “Start as you mean to go on in 2010!” by joining Countryside Officer James Bisset for a walk around Queenswood Country Park on New Year’s Day, and the 2nd and 3rd of January 2010. Get some fresh air and exercise and learn more about the park and its trees and wildlife. These walks are free, no need to book, just meet in front of the Tourist Information Centre at 2pm. Dogs welcome on leads. All children must be accompanied by an adult.

For more information about Queenswood this December please contact the Tourist Information Centre, telephone 01568 797842.

Queenswood Country Park, managed by Herefordshire Council’s parks, countryside and leisure development service is open all year, from dawn till dusk with free car parking and a children’s play area.

There are three way-marked trails and easy access paths so that everyone can explore the park and work off that Christmas Pudding!

Queenswood is on the A49 between Hereford and Leominster – follow the brown signs at the top of Dinmore Hill.
Posted : 23/11/2009 21:35:48

Making it easier to get advice on benefits and bad
Herefordshire Council is holding a series of special surgeries at Belmont Library to make it easier for customers to access information and advice on housing and council tax benefits as well as blue badges.

The surgeries, being run by the council’s Info in Herefordshire centres, are every Tuesday from 9.30am until 12.30pm and all people have to do is call 01432 261832 to make an appointment.

Councillor June French, Herefordshire Council’s cabinet member for corporate and customer services and human resources, said: “We are aware many people who live in the South Wye area find it more difficult to get to the Info centre at Garrick House during normal working hours so decided we would, instead, bring the service to them in their own area.

“At these surgeries, our staff will be able to offer advice on whether people qualify for housing or council tax benefits and can then help them fill in the correct application forms to make their claims which will be fast-tracked and processed within two days as long as we have been provided with all the necessary information.

“Residents can also use the surgeries to see if they qualify for a blue badge for parking and again we can help them complete the application form.

“In the current climate, it is really important to ensure everyone is getting the benefits they are entitled to and I would urge anyone who thinks they may qualify to make an appointment for one of the surgeries,” she added.
Posted : 17/11/2009 14:50:44

New gritter to help keep roads clear this winter
Herefordshire Council has just taken delivery of a new gritter to help ensure it can keep the county’s roads open during the winter months.

The new £80,000 vehicle – paid for by a detrunking grant from the Department of Transport – brings the council’s total fleet of gritters to 17.

Councillor Brian Wilcox, Herefordshire Council’s cabinet member for highways and transportation, said: “Last year, we took over responsibility for maintaining two new roads, the A40 and A465, which were previously managed by the Highways Agency.

“As part of this agreement, we were given a grant towards maintaining these stretches of roads and have spent some of this money on buying this new gritter. Obviously, we now have extra lengths of road to keep clear during the winter vehicle and this new gritter will ensure we can keep to our targets of getting all priority routes treated within a two-hour period.

“The new gritter conforms to the highest environmental standards and has other features such as GPS technology which will show us which roads have been treated and when. There is also a camera inside the vehicle which allows the driver to see what is happening inside the hopper at the back from the safety of the cab rather than having to get outside the vehicle.

“This year, the council will again be using Safecote to treat the county’s roads and this will also mean the new vehicle will have a lifespan of at least 10 years, rather than the eight with the existing vehicles.

“Herefordshire Council has a dedicated maintenance cycle for its gritting vehicles and aims to replace each one after it has reached its lifespan and also keeps a spare gritter as part of the fleet in case it is needed for extremely severe weather,” he added.
Posted : 13/11/2009 11:43:52

Council prepared for winter weather conditions
Herefordshire Council is fully prepared for whatever this winter brings.

This year’s winter service plan builds on the success of last year’s gritting operations which proved to be resilient to the national salt shortage and enabled the council to keep all priority routes treated throughout the winter.

The winter service, along with the rest of the highway service, is now delivered for Herefordshire council by Amey Herefordshire. In this ground breaking service delivery partnership Amey Herefordshire deliver an ‘end to end’ service for the people of Herefordshire, which also extends well beyond highways into parks, public rights of way services and a range of support services.

Through this partnership Herefordshire Council has secured a guaranteed minimum annual saving of one million pounds, this representing five per cent of the annual spend on these services.

This represents a genuine efficiency saving as opposed to a cut in service because Amey Herefordshire has challenging targets to achieve, which are firmly linked to the award of contract extension. Many of these targets relate to the state of our roads and Amey Herefordshire are managing there operations to achieving the following standards as a minimum:

• 100% defects that represent an immediate or imminent hazard to the travelling public will be responded to within two hours and made safe within 24 hours. 100% of these defects will be permanently repaired within 28 days of initial report.
• 95% defects that, if they remain untreated could become a hazard will be repaired within 28 days of initial report, 100% within two months.
• 95% of defects that present a lower risk, will be repaired within two months of report, 100% within three months.
• All category other defects identified or reported will either repaired or incorporated into known programmes of work within six months.

The programmes of work are being developed through sound asset management planning. Asset management identifies the optimal allocation of resources for the management, operation, preservation and enhancement of the highway infrastructure to meet the needs of current and future customers. Considerable benefits can be derived from the management of assets in this way.

The development of asset management creates the foundation for a best practice environment, and good asset management will ensure that the need for investment is truly understood and that the performance and standards that can be attained for that investment are realised. Ultimately this approach enables the council to make key decisions on the levels of service and performance with regard to the county’s roads, this with the full understanding of the way in which we will need to invest the available funds to secure the very best outcomes for customers.

Councillor Brian Wilcox, Herefordshire Council’s cabinet member for highways and transportation, said: “As part of the development of our asset management plan, a public consultation exercise was carried out which received more than 4,500 responses.

“Customers clearly indicated what they felt was important and what was currently being delivered to a satisfactory standard. Limits on funds will undoubtedly mean that we cannot match all customer aspirations and that the first duty has to be to fulfil all of our statutory obligations. However, where the options to introduce a higher standard of service do exist, we will take into account the wishes of our customers when deciding where to invest.

“The public consultation concluded that our customers want safe and reliable journeys delivered through:
1. Safe roads, free from defects and obstructions including standing water
2. Quick and reliable journeys and free traffic flow
3. Investment and improvement in Streetscene particularly in areas where customers live and shop

“These wishes are reflected in the targets that have been agreed with Amey Herefordshire and by next year operations will have improved the road condition on our A roads, to a level that only five per cent of this network should be considered for maintenance, only eight per cent of our B and C roads, might require maintenance and our unclassified road network has its overall condition stabilised at 17 per cent to be considered for maintenance. These targets will be achieved alongside improvements in the cleanliness of our streets and drainage systems,” he added.
Posted : 11/11/2009 15:31:06

Council widens its search for would-be adopters
Herefordshire Council’s adoption team is launching a campaign to persuade would-be adopters in Herefordshire and immediate surrounding areas to get in touch during national adoption week (November 9-15).

The council needs people from all parts of the community who could make a lifelong commitment to a child or children. Adopters could be people who already have school-aged children, or grown up children who have left home. Alternatively they might have no children at all but would like to make a difference to a child’s life and provide a safe and loving environment for them to grow up in.

Hilary Hale, adoption team manager, Herefordshire Council, said: “There are lots of myths around who can adopt and who can’t. People are often surprised to learn that we don’t just accept young, heterosexual couples. Single people, older people and people with disabilities will all be considered – what is most important is that they are able to make a lifelong commitment to a child, enjoying the rewards as well as sticking with them through the tough times.

“We particularly need people just outside the county as many children we place will only feel safe in new surroundings, but we would like to be close enough to give them the support they will need. Herefordshire’s population is small, so anonymity can sometimes be a challenge.

“Adopters have to be over 21 and have lots of emotional and physical energy. They need to have a healthy lifestyle and the space in their lives and home for a child or children who will have had a difficult start.

“Re-parenting a traumatised child isn’t easy, but our experienced professionals can provide help and support and the results are life-changing.”

Starting during National Adoption Week, Herefordshire’s adoption team will begin campaigning in some of the area’s supermarkets where they’ll be providing general information about adoption in Herefordshire. They’ll begin at Asda supermarket in Hereford on Wednesday 11th November from 12-2.30pm and will be at Belmont Tesco on Thursday, November 19th from 5pm –8pm
Posted : 10/11/2009 15:18:03

Christmas Lantern Walk
A Christmas Lantern Walk is being held on Saturday 19th December starting at the Queenswood Arboretum, Dinmore Hill near Leominster for those wishing to reflect upon the memory of a loved and lost family member or friend over the festive season.
The 45-minute walk is being organised by Noah’s Ark Trust, a local charity that specialises in providing bereavement support for children, young adults and their families, and is open to all individuals and groups of families and friends.

Says Liz Collins, Community Fundraiser for the charity, “The walk is a wonderful opportunity for people to pull together at what is, perhaps, one of the most difficult times of the year. Everyone is welcome and it can really help to know that you are not alone in your situation. The lanterns and pretty woodland setting create a lovely atmosphere for everyone to remember together.”

The forest walk will pass a viewpoint overlooking the county where a few moments can be taken for remembrance and reflection. After the walk, and to recognise that Christmas is a time for fun and celebration, there will be carols, hot drinks and mince pies.

The walk starts at 5.30pm. Candles and lanterns can be reserved for a £5 donation to Noah’s Ark Trust, please register online at www.noahsarktrust.co.uk or call 01905 745735 or 01432 264555.
Posted : 02/11/2009 22:56:22

Young inspectors trained to check local services
Young people in Herefordshire are being given the opportunity to inspect the services they receive and recommend changes to how they are provided in the future.

Herefordshire Council has been given the thumbs up to run a new programme for young inspectors called Youth4U. The programme aims to give young people the chance to look at services available in their area and tell the people in charge of them what they think. It is being run by the Look Listen Change consortium which is made up of the National Children’s Bureau (NCB), the British Youth Council (BYC) and KIDS Charity.
This programme is for 13 to 19 year olds (or disabled young people up to the age of 25) who, because of their background or life experiences, haven’t had the opportunity to speak out and get their views heard.

They will be trained to look at anything from information, advice and guidance services at schools and colleges, to transport, health services, sport and leisure facilities or youth and community services
As well as gaining valuable training, they will be paid £75 for each inspection they undertake, and have the opportunity to achieve a national accreditation too.

Andy Preedy, Herefordshire Council, said: “The purpose of the programme is to increase the number and quality of opportunities for young people living in Herefordshire to influence services and activities that they access. It’s also to help young people to connect with their peers and shape local policies and services across a wide range of areas including health, transport and community services

“This is a great opportunity for 13-19 year olds to get involved in assessing local services and make a real difference to the way they are provided in the future.”

To get the programme started, Herefordshire Council is looking for ten young people for the first round of training and inspections which will begin before Christmas. Anyone wishing to nominate a young person who appears to fit the bill is encouraged to get in touch with the council’s youth involvement team on 01432 383008.
Posted : 02/11/2009 22:49:37

Don’t be spooked by recycling this Halloween
Herefordshire Council is urging county residents not to be spooked by recycling and give their well-carved pumpkins a second chance this Halloween.

Nearly every one of the pumpkins sold each year in Herefordshire is used to create spooky jack-o'-lanterns for Halloween celebrations.

Scarier than all those lanterns, however, is the fact that once October 31 is over most of the pumpkins are thrown in the bin and sent to landfill.

Laura Blackwell, Herefordshire Council's recycling officer, is urging people to think twice before putting their pumpkins in with their household rubbish.

She said: "Residents are urged to reuse their unwanted pumpkins to make delicious soup and can even serve the soup in the shells. Carved lanterns should be put in a home compost bin. This is great for vegetable peelings which can then be recycled into compost and used as a resource for the garden.

“If residents haven't got room for a compost bin, then they should consider having a kitchen waste disposer fitted instead," she added.

Recipe for pumpkin soup

Ingredients:
One 1kg pumpkin or squash
500ml skimmed milk
100ml low-fat cream
Half an orange
Two pinches of freshly grated nutmeg
A few cloves
One bay leaf
A handful of chives
Salt and pepper

Method:
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Remove the flesh from the pumpkin (you will want the shell to carve into a lantern. Remove the seeds and dice.

Put the diced flesh into a saucepan with 100ml water, season and cook for 20 minutes over a medium heat.

Grate the zest off the orange and slice thinly. Pour milk into another saucepan, add the orange zest, nutmeg, cloves and bay leaf. Bring to the boil, take off heat, cover and leave for 10 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve.

Mash the flesh from the pumpkin and put it back into the pan. Add the strained milk, bring to the boil, stirring constantly.

Before serving, add the cream and pepper and decorate with chopped chives. Serve piping hot with crusty bread

Posted : 29/10/2009 11:24:20

Use fireworks safely and considerately
The Safer Herefordshire Partnership is urging anyone using fireworks to be aware of the dangers of firework misuse and to follow the firework code.

Not everyone enjoys fireworks in the same way and it is timely to remember that irresponsible use of fireworks can pose a danger to people and property. Fireworks can scare people, especially the elderly and small children, and can frighten animals which should be kept indoors, if at all possible.

Councillor John Jarvis, Herefordshire Council’s cabinet member for the environment and strategic housing, said: “We want people to enjoy fireworks but to ensure they keep themselves and any vulnerable people safe by following simple rules and then we can all enjoy this time of year.

“We would also urge people to be careful when planning bonfires and not to put materials on them that will not burn or could create toxic fumes,” he added.

Top tips for a safe fireworks night are:
1) Only buy fireworks that meet the British Standard - BS 7114
2) Only allow adults to light or hold fireworks
3) Never return to a lit firework, even if it looks like it has done out
4) Stand well back when watching fireworks
5) Keep pets indoors
6) Never give sparklers to children who are under five years old and make sure they put them out in
buckets of water.

It is an offence under the Explosives Act for anyone to throw or set off fireworks in a public place, and the police can issue on the spot fines of up to £5,000. In addition the Fireworks Regulations 2004 make it an offence for anyone under the age of 18 to possess fireworks in a public place.

Anyone planning to use fireworks should also remember the curfew times, set by the Government, which prevents firework use between 11pm and 7am, and anyone who breaches this could be liable to a £5,000 fine.

Safer Herefordshire Partnership is made up of local agencies working together to make Herefordshire an even safer place to live and visit. Details may be found at www.herefordshre.gov.uk/community_and_living/1306.asp

Further information on the firework code can be found at www.dti.gov.uk/fireworks
Posted : 28/10/2009 16:44:17

Flavours of Herefordshire Awards 2009
Most of the key figures involved in food and tourism within Herefordshire gathered together at Hereford Racecourse on Friday, October 23, to recognise and reward those judged to be serving-up the very best “flavour of the county” to their customers.

Now in its eleventh year, the overall aim of the Flavours of Herefordshire awards-scheme continues to encourage all catering outlets and shops to source their supplies locally wherever possible.

The Flavours scheme also aims to persuade restaurateurs to preserve and promote authentic traditional recipes while developing and promoting new dishes based on the food and drink products of the area.

This year's search for the pick of the crop began as long ago as April. Since then, judges have been scouring the county to seek out winners in eleven separate categories:
• Best Breakfast
• Best Pub/Inn
• Best Gastro Pub
• Best Restaurant
• Best Tearoom
• Best Tearoom in a Visitor Attraction
• Best Shop/Retailer
• Best Food Producers
• Best Drink Producers
• Best Young Chef (Industry)
• Best Young Chef (Education)

Awards were also presented for Outstanding Achievement, Global Excellence, and to the Outstanding New Entrant.

"It's been another tough year for the judges," says Herefordshire Tourism's Jane Lewis.

"We always pride ourselves on finding the 'best of the best' in Herefordshire through this awards scheme, and I think out list of winners will help to point both locals and visitors to the county in the direction of some exceptional places where it is possible to truly appreciate the county's wonderful local produce."

The annual Flavours of Herefordshire awards took centre-stage on the eve of the county's second annual Food Festival, at Hereford Racecourse, which attracted 9,000 visitors.

TV celebrity chef, Gino D'Acampo, was this year's Guests of Honour and handed over the awards to those judged to be the very best at using and promoting local, Herefordshire produce.

For further information, visit www.visitherefordshire.co.uk.

A full list of winners is:


FLAVOURS OF HEREFORDSHIRE AWARDS 2009

BREAKFAST
Sponsored by the British Pig Executive

Winner
Walford Court Tearoom and Guesthouse
Walford Court
Walton
Leintwardine
SY7 0JY
Tel: 01547 540570
www.romanticbreak.com

Highly Commended
Lower Buckton Country House
Buckton
Leintwardine
SY7 0JU
Tel: 01547 540 532
www.lowerbuckton.co.uk

Commended
Upper Newton Farmhouse
Kinnersley
Herefordshire
HR3 6QB
Tel: 01544 327 727
www.herefordshireholidays.co.uk

Yew Tree House
Bacho Hill
Vowchurch
Herefordshire
HR2 9PF
Tel: 01981 251195
www.yewtreehouse-hereford.co.uk

Finalist
Glewstone Court Country House Hotel & Restaurant
Glewstone
Ross On Wye
Herefordshire
HR9 6AW
Tel: 01989 770367
www.glewstonecourt.com

Orles Barn
Wilton
Ross On Wye
Herefordshire
HR9 6AE
Tel: 01989 562155
www.yourhomeinherefordshire.co.uk


PUB/INN
Sponsored by Wye Valley Brewery.

Winner
The Three Horseshoes Inn
Little Cowarne
Bromyard
Herefordshire
HR7 4RQ
Tel: 01885 400276
www.threehorseshoes.co.uk

Highly Commended
The Bell Inn
Tillington
Herefordshire
HR4 8LE
Tel: 01432 760395
thebellinntillington.co.uk

Commended
The New Inn
St Owens Cross
Herefordshire
HR2 8LQ
Tel: 01989 730 274
www.newinn.biz

The Crown Inn
Woolhope
Herefordshire
HR1 4QP
Tel: 01432 860468
www.crowninnwoolhope.co.uk

Finalist
The Red Lion
Winters Cross
Peterstow
Ross On Wye
Herefordshire
HR9 6LH
Tel: 01989 730202
www.redlionatwinterscross.co.uk

The Royal George
Lyonshall
Kington
Herefordshire
HR5 3JN
Tel: 01544 340084
www.royalgeorge.lyonshall.net


GASTROPUB

Winner
The Mill Race
Walford
Nr Ross On Wye
Herefordshire
HR9 5QS
Tel: 01989 562891
www.millrace.info

Highly Commended
The Wellington
Wellington
Herefordshire
HR4 8AT
Tel: 01432 830367
www.wellingtonpub.co.uk


RESTAURANT

Winner
Wilton Court Hotel
Wilton Lane
Wilton
Ross On Wye
Herefordshire
HR9 6AQ
Tel: 01989 562569
www.wiltoncourthotel.com

The Loughpool Inn
Sellack
Near Ross On Wye
Herefordshire
HR7 4RQ
Tel: 01989 730236
www.loughpool.co.uk


Highly Commended
The Stewing Pot
17 Church Street
Hereford
HR1 2LR
01432 265233
www.stewingpot.co.uk

Commended
Glewstone Court Country House Hotel & Restaurant
Glewstone
Ross On Wye
Herefordshire
HR9 6AW
Tel: 01989 770367
www.glewstonecourt.com

The Bridge at Wilton
Wilton
Ross On Wye
Herefordshire
HR9 6AA
Tel: 01989 562655
www.bridge-house-hotel.com

Finalists
Miro Bar & Grill
14 Union Street
Hereford
HR1 2BT
Tel: 0845 8728193
www.mirorestauranthereford.co.uk


TEAROOM
Sponsored by Business Link

Winner
Monkland Cheese Dairy
The Pleck
Monkland
Leominster
Herefordshire
HR6 9DB
Tel: 01568 720307
www.mousetrapcheese.co.uk

Highly Commended
Mrs Muffins
1 Church Lane
Ledbury
Herefordshire
HR8 1DL
Tel: 01531 633579
www.mrsmuffins.co.uk

Commended
Walford Court Tearoom and Guesthouse
Walford Court
Walton
Leintwardine
SY7 0JY
Tel: 01547 540570
www.romanticbreak.com

Finalist
Pots and Pieces Teashop & Gallery
40 High Street
Ross on Wye
Herefordshire
HR9 5HD
Tel: 01989 566 123
www.potsandpieces.co.uk

The Old Apple Store Tea Room
Greenfields
Brockhampton Estate Cow Park
Bringsty Bromyard
Herefordshire
WR6 5TB
Tel: 01885 489074
www.brockhampton.com/applestore


TEAROOM IN A VISTOR ATTRACTION
Sponsored by Business Link.

Winner
Courtyard Centre for the Arts (Café Bar),
Edgar Street,
Hereford
HR4 9JR
Tel: 01432 346517
www.courtyard.co.uk

Highly Commended
The Garden at The Bannut
Bringsty,
Near Bromyard,
WR6 5TA
Tel: 01885 482206
www.bannut.co.uk

Commended
Hampton Court Orangery Café
Hampton Court
Hope under Dinmore
Leominster
Herefordshire
HR6 0PN
Tel: 01568 797676
www.hamptoncourt.org.uk

Finalist
Westonbury Water Gardens Café
Pembridge
Herefordshire
HR6 9HZ
Tel: 01544 232727
westonburymillwatergardens.com

Blue-Ginger Gallery
Home End Farm
Stiffords Bridge
Cradley
Worcestershire
WR13 5NW
Tel: 01886 880240
www.blue-ginger.com


RETAILER of the year

Winner
Pengethley Farm Shop
Peterstow
Ross on Wye
Herefordshire
HR9 6LL
Tel: 01989 730 430
www.pengethleyfarmshop.com

Highly Commended
The Hop Pocket Wine Company
New House Farm,
Bishops Frome
WR6 5BT
Tel: 01531 640592
www.hoppocketwine.co.uk

Commended
Townsend Farm Shop and Butchery
The Granary,
Townsend Farm,
Pembridge
HR6 9HB
Tel: 01544 388527
www.townsendfarm.co.uk

Truffles Delicatessen
46 High Street
Ross on Wye
Herefordshire
HR9 5HG
Tel: 01989 462 336
www.trufflesdeli.co.uk

Finalist
Herefordshire Farmers' Market Group
Compton
Bowley Lane
Bodenham
Herefordshire
HR1 3LG
Tel: 01568 797 427
www.hfmg.org

Canon Pyon Post Office and Stores
Canon Pyon
Herefordshire
HR4 8NU
Tel: 01432 830 355
www.realdrinksofengland.co.uk

Hopes of Longtown
The Farmers Barn,
Longtown
HR2 0LT
Tel: 01873 860444
www.hopesoflongtown.co.uk

Mousetrap Cheese Shop
3 School Lane
Leominster
Herefordshire
HR6 8AA
Tel: 01568 615 512
www.mousetrapcheese.co.uk


FOOD PRODUCERS SMALL
Sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce Herefordshire and Worcestershire.

Winner
Just Rachel Quality Desserts
The Old Dairy,
Churches Farm,
Bromsberrow,
Nr Ledbury
HR8 1SA
Tel: 01531 650639
www.justrachel.com

Highly Commended
Court Farm & Leisure
Court Farm
Tillington
HR4 8LG
Tel: 01432 760271
www.courtfarmleisure.co.uk

Commended
Country Flavours Ltd
Lower Bellamore
Preston on Wye
Herefordshire
HR2 9JS
Tel: 01981 500 005
www.country-flavours.co.uk

Finalist
Three Counties Gourmet
Ivory House,
51 Hallwood Drive,
Ledbury
HR8 2FY
Tel: 0845 0948459
www.threecountiesgourmet.net


Food Producer Large

Winner
Tyrrells Potato Chips
Tyrrells Court
Stretford Bridge
Leominster
Herefordshire
HR6 9DQ
Tel: 01568 720455
www.tyrrellspotatochips.co.uk


DRINK PRODUCERS

Winner
Jo Hilditch British Cassis & British Framboise
Whittern Farms Ltd
Lyonshall
Herefordshire
HR5 3JA
01544 340 241
www.britishcassis.co.uk

Highly Commended
Once Upon a Tree
Dragon Orchard
Dragon House
Putley,
HR8 2RG
Tel: 01531 670537
www.onceuponatree.co.uk

Jus Single Variety Apple Juice
Birchley,
Aylton,
Ledbury,
HR8 2PH
Tel: 01531 670749
www.jusapples.co.uk

Commended
Ross On Wye Cider & Perry Co Ltd
Broome Farm
Peterstow
Ross on Wye
Herefordshire
HR9 6QG
01989 567 232
www.rosscider.com

Chase Distillery
Rosemaund
Hereford
HR1 3PG
01432 820 920
www.chasedistillery.co.uk

Finalist
Spinning Dog Brewery
The Victory
88 St.Owen Street
Hereford
HR1 2QD
Tel: 01432 342125
www.spinningdogbrewery.co.uk


YOUNG CHEFS

Industry
Scott Davies
Holme Lacy House Hotel
Holme Lacy
Hereford
Tel: 01432 870870

Education
Herefordshire College of Technology
Folly Lane
Hereford
Tel: 0800 032 1986
Shea Bevan


Outstanding Achievement Award
Glyn Slade Jones Family Butchers
39 High Street,
Kington
HR5 3BJ
Tel: 01544 230470


Award for Global Excellence
Oliver's Cider & Perry
The Old Hop Kilns
Moor House Farm
Ocyle Pychard
HR1 3QZ
Tel: 07768 732026
www.theolivers.org.uk


Outstanding New Entrant
Mortimer Country Stores
Castle Garage
Wigmore
Leominster
Herefordshire
HR6 9UJ
Tel: 01568 770307
Posted : 26/10/2009 14:16:49

Proposals to build a new primary school
Herefordshire Council is consulting with parents, staff, pupils and residents on proposals to build a brand new, contemporary primary school in Leominster.

Funded by money received through the government’s Primary Strategy for Change programme, around £7.8 million has been earmarked for the new school. The building will replace existing school buildings at Leominster Infant and Leominster Junior schools, some of which are in poor condition and expensive to maintain.

Although no designs have been drawn up yet, the new school will provide more energy efficient, lower maintenance modern teaching and learning facilities, fit for the 21st century. It will help teachers, other school staff and governors to continue improving the good standards already being achieved by pupils at the existing schools.

In order to maximise funding and create the best possible facilities for Leominster’s children so that they are prepared with skills and knowledge needed for the 21st century, the council is proposing to amalgamate the two schools.

The proposed amalgamation has been on the cards for some time and governing bodies and head teachers from both schools have been in regular discussions with council officers since lat year. Leominster is the last town in the county to have a separate infant and junior school, although in other parts of the county, children have enjoyed the enhanced resources and continuity that a single primary school can bring.

Following discussions with both schools, the council has launched a consultation document to seek the views of parents, staff, governors, the local community and other interested stakeholders on the proposals to amalgamate the schools.

Rob Reid, head of access and capital commissioning said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for Leominster children to have some of the best up to date education facilities in the country. The Minster College building is nearly complete and there has been much excitement in the town about the prospect of children being able to learn in a new modern environment.

“We are hoping that primary school children will be able to enjoy new innovative buildings and equipment too, but we need to amalgamate the two schools for this to happen.

“It is really important that we consult everyone in the town and give people the opportunity to ask questions, so as well as publishing a consultative document, we are organising a number of events and meetings where council officers will be available to talk to parents and the local community.”

Details of all the events, together with a copy of the proposals are available on the council’s web site, www.herefordshire.gov.uk.

The deadline for consultation feedback is November 9 2009. The feedback will be considered by the governing bodies of the existing infant and junior schools before a report is submitted to the council’s Cabinet in the new year.
Posted : 13/10/2009 18:01:46

Enjoy some autumn colour at Queenswood
As the leaves on the trees start to turn and autumn descends upon us where better to see some amazing autumn colour than Herefordshire Council’s Queenswood Country Park?

October and early November is the best time to visit to see trees ablaze with colour and at the arboretum, especially in the Autumn Garden there are some really spectacular sights. Here the foliage of the Japanese Maples (Acer palmatum) display brilliant vermilions, purples, yellows and oranges.

Once again, this autumn there are lots of activities planned to help you make the most of this fantastic season.

The first event is the “Queenswood photography walk” on Wednesday, October 21 from 2pm until 5pm, when Ranger Paul Ratcliffe and travelling photographer Nick Meers will show how to take better photos of the arboretum and all its glorious autumnal colours. The walk costs £4 and booking is essential to help us manage numbers.

“Amazing art with autumn colours” will take place on Tuesday, October 27 from 10.30am to noon, this fun family walk with Ranger Jim Key and local artist Lisa Pendlebury will involve collecting fallen materials to create a giant scale piece of autumn art. This event cost is £2 per child and booking is essential.

Join Wildplay for the final event in October “Spooky Halloween Fun” on Thursday, October 29. There will be two sessions; the first at 11am to 12.30 pm, and the second at 1pm to 2.30pm. Come along to walk the haunted trail and take part in different Halloween activities. Booking is essential and entry is free.

On Saturday, November 14 “Fairytale Fungi” is taking place from 10am to 12.30pm. Experienced members of the Herefordshire Fungus Survey Group will accompany a group of people around the arboretum and woodland exploring the diverse range of fungi. Suitable for children over 12 years old only, booking is essential and entry costs £2 for adults but children over 12 and under 18 can attend for free.

Throughout the half term holiday you can discover how seeds find a new place to grow by following Bertie Buzzard’s Autumn Trail. Entry forms are 50p and are available from Queenswood Tourist Information Centre.

To book any of these events please contact Queenswood Tourist Information Centre, telephone 01568 797842. At all the events children must be accompanied by an adult.

Queenswood is Herefordshire’s only country park and has free car parking, toilets and a licensed café. There are three way-marked trails and easy access paths so that everyone can enjoy the park as well as a picnic and barbecue area, a popular adventure play area and a free ‘seaside style’ telescope at the view-point.

Queenswood Country Park is on the A49 between Hereford and Leominster – follow the brown signs at the top of Dinmore Hill. Alternatively the 492 bus service departs Hereford and Leominster at regular intervals throughout the day.
Posted : 13/10/2009 17:59:55

Taxi fares set to remain the same
Herefordshire Council’s regulatory committee has in principles decided to keep taxi fares in the county at the same level as they currently are, although this is still to be openly consulted upon.

Members of the committee were told at their meeting on Tuesday, October 6, that last year an early review of fares took place on August 12, 2008 due to a sharp price increase in fuel costs at that time. The present fees were agreed at that meeting.

Mr John Jones, chairman of the Taxi Association, contacted Herefordshire Council on September 16 this year calling for the fares to be frozen and the committee agreed to this.

Under Section 65 (2)(a) of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act of 1976 states the committee’s decision must now be advertised for a minimum 14-day period and, if no objections are received, then the fares will stay the same. If objections are made, the committee will meet again to consider these.

The proposed fares will therefore be advertised in the local press and on the council’s website before being brought back to the committee
Posted : 07/10/2009 22:38:05

Celebration of forgotten horticultural hero
Thomas Andrew Knight, an 18th century Herefordshire horticulturalist, who developed many of the fruit and vegetable varieties that we still eat today, wrote the original ‘Pomona Herefordiensis’ and went on to become president of the London Horticultural Society (later the Royal Horticultural Society) was born 250 years ago this year.

To celebrate this important anniversary, Herefordshire Council’s countryside team has organised an evening talk by Dr Murray Mylechreest about Knight’s life and works on Saturday, October 24 2009 at the Cider Museum, Hereford from 7pm - 9.30pm.

Residents are urged to come along and find out more about the ground breaking work of this horticulturalist, scientist, and experimenter who is often described as the ‘Father of Horticulture Science’.

James Bisset, principal countryside officer, said “I first realised it was the 250th anniversary of his birth when I was researching the varieties for next year’s Fruit Tree Initiative.

“Thomas Andrew Knight is credited by Darwin in the first chapter of ‘The Origin of Species’ for his pioneering work on the origin of cultivated plants. It is also believed that Knight’s observations on the results of breeding work with peas may have influenced Mendel to use peas for the basis of his important studies into inheritance, but many people do not realise that he was born and spent much of his life in Herefordshire. I thought it seemed like a good idea to arrange this event to give people the opportunity to learn more about him,” he added.

The talk by Dr Murray Mylechreest will be followed by a talk from Chris Fairs of Bulmers on Herefordshire’s Orchards Present and Future.

Tickets for the evening cost £6.50 (adults only) which includes a tour of the cider museum and the chance to sample some of the distillery products.

To book your place please contact Queenswood Tourist Information Centre, telephone 01568 797842.

Posted : 05/10/2009 23:19:31

Parents invited to apply for school places
The county’s high schools are busy organising open evenings and events as Herefordshire Council invites parents of year six children to apply for secondary school places for September 2010.

Due to start at secondary school in September 2010, about 1900 children will be looking around schools, meeting some of the staff and finding out what sort of facilities are available, before listing their three top schools in order of preference.

If parents put as their preference the school that serves their catchment area, then they usually get offered this school, but sometimes parents wish to send their children to a school outside this area.

This academic year (2009-10) nearly 95 percent were allocated their first choice of school, with a further 4.3 percent getting a place at their second or third choice. These are some of the highest percentages in the country and are indicative of the current reduction in pupil numbers.

Parents have received a pack through their child’s primary school, which contains an information booklet telling them about admissions and transfers to schools in Herefordshire. The pack also contains an application form and dates for school open evenings, although applications may be made online via the council’s web site.

Councillor Philip Price, cabinet member for ICT, education and performance, said: “We understand that choosing the right high school is a major event in a child’s life. Herefordshire is fortunate to have some of the best schools in the country – all our schools are good and an increasing amount of children are being allocated their first choice of school.

“It is important that parents and carers take time to visit schools, preferably with their child to find out whether the school and its ethos is right for them. They also need to consider other factors such as transporting their children to and from school and dealing with after school clubs and facilities, particularly if they choose a school out of catchment.”

The closing date for Herefordshire secondary school applications is Friday November 6 2009.

Herefordshire Council employs a choice adviser who can help families discuss options and go through the procedures for applying for places. They can be contacted on 01432 260999
Posted : 01/10/2009 00:25:25

National Customer Service Week
Herefordshire Council’s customer services staff are planning a host of special events to celebrate national customer service week which takes place from 5th-11th October.

Herefordshire has six centres which provide a single point of advice and support to customers and access to council services on a wide range of information. The centres based in Hereford, Ross on Wye, Ledbury, Kington, Bromyard and Leominster are all able to provide information and advice on local services, chase enquiries in relation to planning and building control, housing, environmental health and trading standards, housing benefits, council tax, payments, blue badges and bus passes, highways and culture and leisure services.

During the celebratory week, as well as providing their usual surgeries and services, the centres are all planning to hold additional events, many focusing on handy hints and tips for keeping warm this winter and carrying out home repairs.

The golden promise scheme to fast track new housing and council tax benefit claims within two working days has been so successful at the Hereford centre that it is now being launched in Leominster and Ross on Wye. Customer service staff will be promoting the new scheme on Monday October 5th.
From 6 October Belmont Library will host surgeries between 9.30am and 12noon every Tuesday. At the surgeries, residents can receive disabled parking blue badge scheme information including support and assessments, together with guidance and help for completing housing and council tax benefit applications. To book an appointment call 01432 261832.

To celebrate disability awareness day on Wednesday 7 October, all customer service centres will be promoting the disabled parking blue badge scheme. Herefordshire Carers Support will be available at the Hereford Centre, Widemarsh Street, between 9.30am and 4pm and there will be a bus between 11.00am and 2.00pm parked at the Maylord’s Orchard bus stop for wheelchair users to come and practice boarding.

To support the council’s partnership with NHS Herefordshire, the customer service team will be available to show patients how to choose and book appointments online at all our centres on Friday 9 October.

Councillor June French, cabinet member for customer services, said: “Our customer service staff are have a huge depth of local knowledge and understanding of local services, and provide good quality and much needed support to many residents.
“We have customer service centres in each of the market towns as well as Hereford, so people can get the information they need on their doorstep and all under one roof.  Customer services week provides an opportunity for us to encourage people to visit our centres and find out more about the services they can receive.”

Full details of all the events,including times and venues, are available on the council’s web site (www.herefordshire.gov.uk)
Posted : 30/09/2009 20:30:53

Vote for Herefordshire's favourite rhyme
Little Miss Muffet, Little Bo Peep and even Incey Wincey Spider will be out in force this October as Herefordshire Council helps to celebrate National Bookstart Day 2009.

In support of the day's theme 'my favourite rhyme' Herefordshire Council's library service will be asking people to vote online at www.herefordshire.gov.uk/libraries and at their local library to find the county’s favourite rhyme.

Voting will take place from October 12 to 31 with the result being announced on November 19.
National Bookstart Day on Friday, October 9 will see more than 4,000 parties, storytelling, singing and rhyming sessions taking place across the country.

Bookstart aims to help every child in the UK to develop a lifelong love of books and this year's programme will offer millions of children and parents the chance to discover the joy of reading together.

Bounce and Rhyme and storytime sessions in Herefordshire's libraries take place throughout the year and are free. Families are welcome to join in the sessions and share their favourite rhyme all year round. For more details please visit you local library or go online to www.herefordshire.gov.uk/libraries

Councillor Adrian Blackshaw, Herefordshire Council's cabinet member for economic development and community services, said: “It is vital every child discovers the joy of reading at as young an age as possible because this will not only improve their educational prospects but will also provide them with a lifelong hobby.

“Rhymes are an important starting point for helping children enjoy the sound of words and then move onto reading and it will be interesting to know which are the county's favourites so I would urge people to join the vote, either online or by visiting one of the county's libraries,” he added.
Posted : 27/09/2009 23:53:47

Number of deaths on county roads continues to fall
The number of people killed or seriously injured on Herefordshire roads is continuing to fall, the Safer Roads Partnership’s annual review conference was told on Monday (September 21st).

Councillor Brian Wilcox, Herefordshire Council’s cabinet member for highways and transportation, said in his opening address that the number of people killed or seriously injured in the county had fallen to 93 last year compared with 133 in the previous year.

He said: “Road safety is an issue that is not one person’s responsibility but needs all of us to work together in partnership. Road improvements can have a major impact on the number of injuries but this won’t work on its own and we also need to promote and support training for cyclists, motorcyclists and motorists so they put safety first.

“As a council, we offer cycle training for children and adults and we also subsidise courses for both new drivers and older motorists who want to build their confidence,” he added.

“Speed awareness courses are being offered to certain motorists caught speeding where they pay £60 and take one of these courses instead of getting three penalty points on their licence and, in just two months, we have had 1,000 people from Herefordshire taking these courses,” Councillor Wilcox added.

Rod Reynolds, the Safer Roads Partnership manager, announced the launch of a new approach to speed enforcement in the county. This has included the review of all sites where enforcement currently takes place, introducing enforcement of entire routes where speeding has contributed to accidents and providing enforcement at sites where there is community concern about speeding.

The community concern sites will link in closely with the council’s Speed Indicator Device locations. Two sites in Herefordshire have been chosen as part of this community concern pilot scheme and will be launched in October.

Councillor Wilcox said: “I am delighted two sites in Herefordshire are to pilot this important scheme which will mean communities can have a real say over what the Safer Roads Partnership does.”

At the conference, speakers were:

Rod Reynolds, Safer Roads Partnership manager
Julie Freeman, Herefordshire Council road safety assistant, on speed indicator devices.
Katy Jenkins, Safer Roads Partnership communications manager, on Take Control training for moped and motorcycle users.
Malcolm Jones, TTC Group, on speed awareness courses in Herefordshire.
John Partridge, Amey, on road safety on trunk roads.
Steve Proctor, TMS Consultancy on future plans
Beth Fylan, Brainbox Research, on a young drivers’ perception of risk.
Posted : 23/09/2009 23:28:30

Try hospital food!

NHS Herefordshire, the leader for health in the county, continues to ensure that patients receive high standards of nutrition and cleanliness - a fact confirmed by the latest results of its Patient Environment Action Team (PEAT) assessment published on the National Patient Safety Agency website.

Now the primary care trust is holding a week-long programme of events to let patients and the public know about ‘hotel services’, which are provided in partnership with Sodexo and cover all non-medical hospital services – from catering and cleaning to security and waste disposal. Patients and visitors will also be asked to feedback their comments on the food, the standard of cleaning, and the general environment to enable continuous improvements to be made.

The events will take place during week commencing 12 October and are aimed at informing patients, visitors and the public that the quality of the food and drink provided, and the standard of the environment is a top priority for NHS Herefordshire.

Information stands will be at each site - Stonebow Unit, Ross, Leominster and Bromyard Community Hospitals, and Hillside Intermediate Care Centre - for the week with primary care trust and Sodexo staff on hand between 12.00 and 2.00pm to answer questions about food preparation and meals which meet faith, cultural and lifestyle needs. There will be an explanation of how cleaning materials and equipment are organised to ensure safety, information on how we control infection and any plans for refurbishment.

The event is also an opportunity to sample the food and to test how clean your hands are.

Monday 12 October – Ross Community Hospital
Tuesday 13 October – Leominster Community Hospital
Wednesday 14 October – Hillside Intermediate Care Centre
Thursday 15 October – Bromyard Community Hospital
Friday 16 October – Stonebow Unit

Richard Carroll, managing director for the primary care trust’s provider services, said: “It is very important to us that the hospital environment helps patients get well as quickly as possible and so infection control and cleaning are a top priority. These events are a wonderful opportunity to reassure the people of Herefordshire of the high standards we are achieving and I hope as many people as possible are able to visit to ask questions and see for themselves how, for example, we test hand cleaning”

This year’s event looks at “faith, culture and lifestyle” and what the primary care trust can do to ensure that the patient environment takes account of these.

Wendy Huxley-Marko, who manages the ‘hotel services’ contract at the primary care trust, added: “We believe that wet should accommodate the different faith, culture and lifestyle choices amongst our patients. Come along and try our tasty Kosher, traditional and vegetarian menus – we know you’ll be impressed with the quality and range of choice on offer.”
Posted : 17/09/2009 16:57:48

Art in the Woods
If you go down to the woods…for two days this weekend, Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th September you will find they are inhabited by mystery and magic! As part of this year’s Herefordshire Art Week (h.Art) celebrations Queenswood Country Park will once again play host to ‘art in the woods’.

Artists will be at work in the woods from 1pm-4pm both days, creating fun projects for all the family to join.

You will find lots of new ideas and inspiration - there will be lots of things to make in the ‘Arty Party’ and larger pieces of art to add to as you walk around the Country Park. You will be able to draw pictures in sand, create a ‘ripple rainbow’ and help decorate Doris the dragon. Then you can go away with the fairies in the garden of delights and make a home for some of your fantastic creature creations! You will be guided in everything from making sculptures to painting and using materials from the woods to make all sorts of fun things.

This year ‘Art in the Woods’ has been organised on a voluntary basis by Marianne Ryan, who is currently doing teaching practice at Hereford College of Art, in connection with studying to become an art teacher.

Marianne said: “Queenswood is such a brilliant place for families and fun, it’s really inspiring, with the trees just beginning to turn wonderful autumn colours. There’s masses to see and do, and I’m really looking forward to this weekend!”

All the materials you need will be provided, so just bring your imagination and let it run away with you! Don’t let a little drizzle put you off, but please make sure you’ve got some old clothes you don’t mind getting messy and all children are accompanied by an adult.

Queenswood Country Park is on the A49 between Hereford and Leominster – follow the brown signs at the top of Dinmore Hill. Alternatively the 492 bus service departs Hereford and Leominster at regular intervals throughout the day.
Posted : 15/09/2009 23:00:47

Library users urged to have their say
Herefordshire Council is urging people who use the county’s libraries to have their say on what they think of the service.

During the week of October 5 to 10, all people aged 16 or over using county libraries are being asked to take part in the national public library users survey.

Councillor Adrian Blackshaw, Herefordshire Council’s cabinet member for economic development and community services, said: “We want to know what people think of the library services we currently offer and will be asking for comments on books, computers, staff and opening hours.

“Results from the survey will help us to plan future services so they best meet what the public want so I would urge as many people as possible to fill in the surveys,” he added.
Posted : 15/09/2009 12:28:28

Changes to increase use of mobile libraries
Herefordshire Council is to change the way the county’s mobile libraries travel round the county so more people can take advantage of their services.

The changes are part of a wide-ranging review of the service which followed the introduction of new routes and stops in 2007.

Councillor Adrian Blackshaw, Herefordshire Council’s cabinet member for economic development and community services, said: “When we brought in the changes two years ago, we promised there would be a review of the service and we have since held a series of public consultation meetings.

“These changes will help increase the use of the mobile library, improve access to other services in rural parishes, and to make better use of the resources we have,” he added.

Changes will be introduced in January 2010 and will be launched by a display of the history of the service over the years. The changes are to revert to the four weekly rota, making the visits easier to remember; to make the service available truly countywide in both rural and urban areas and to have longer and fewer stops to coincide with regular meetings or events.

The mobile library will also be used by various council departments to bring more services to rural parishes.

New times and stops will be advertised widely and all current customers will be individually informed about the routes.

Herefordshire Council would welcome any photographs or memorabilia about the mobile library service or people’s reminiscences about their visits and the impact it has had on their lives. Anyone with any items or memories should contact Claire Lockley on 01432 260545.
Posted : 15/09/2009 12:27:56

Chance for children to join Chatterbooks
Herefordshire Council’s libraries are offering the chance for county youngsters to share books, stories and meet other children at a series of Chatterbooks book groups throughout the county.

Chatterbooks book groups are starting up again in Ross, Leominster and Ledbury libraries this autumn.

Councillor Adrian Blackshaw, Herefordshire Council’s cabinet member for economic development and community, said: “Chatterbooks is a fun way for children aged between eight and 12 years old to share books, stories and meet other children. The aim is to encourage a love and enjoyment of reading as well as having a great time in the library.

“Youngsters don’t need to be book-worms to join in, either, as there are plenty of games, stories and exciting things to be involved in, as well as collecting stickers, pencils, folders and other goodies,” he added.

Teachers and parents have noticed that children who develop a wider love of books are more responsive to literacy work in schools. Libraries are ideally placed to support children who either already read widely or need help to engage with books, and the Chatterbooks book group scheme is both rewarding and fun.

The group in Ledbury starts meeting on September 17 from 4pm until 4.45pm and meets fortnightly.

The group in Ross Library restarts on September 17 from 5pm until 6pm and meets fortnightly.

The group in Leominster starts meeting on Saturday, October 3 from 2pm until 3pm and meets weekly.

For more information contact Ross Library on 01432 383250, Leominster Library on 01432 383290 and Ledbury Library on 01531 632133.
Posted : 14/09/2009 11:19:27

National Children's Centre Week
Herefordshire Council's children's centres are getting ready to celebrate the success of the children's centre programme and promote their activities during National Sure Start Children’s Centre week (14-18 September).

Herefordshire has 10 children's centres which provide activities and services for families with children aged five and under. Positioned around the county, they provide a single point of advice and support for young families. What they offer varies depending on local need, but most offer childminder support, job centre advice, health visitor drop-in sessions, dads’ groups, cookery classes and access to basic skills training. They also provide or link up with childcare facilities helping parents get back to work or training.

During the celebratory week, as well as providing their usual sessions and services, they're all planning to hold some special events (see below)

September 16th (Coningsby) and September 17th (Kington)

Families in the Leominster and Kington areas will be getting creative in the open air on Wild Play days courtesy of the Herefordshire Nature Trust. Wild play rangers will be running sessions to develop a wildlife friendly natural play area, offering children the opportunity to explore and experience the outdoors and have lots of fun. The centre is also using the week to start a Babysitting Course in Kington in partnership with the Youth Service on Tuesday 15th September. Coningsby Babysitting Course starts on 10th September, both from 4.30-6.30pm.

For details of all the events in Herefordshire, click here


Posted : 09/09/2009 18:06:18

Time running out to bag a bargain bin
Time is running out for people in Herefordshire wanting to get hold of a discount compost bin.

Residents in both Herefordshire and Worcestershire can get hold of a cut-price bin through the national Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) initiative before the end of the month. Composting is an easy way to divert bio-degradable organic waste (from the kitchen and garden) from going to landfill.

The resulting compost provides a great source of nutrients to help the garden grow and helps save money as residents don't have to buy compost. Until Wednesday, September 30 residents can buy a compost bin from as little as £12 – which includes delivery – when normally some bins can cost over £80.

Discounted compost bins can be bought online at www.recyclenow.com/compost or by calling 0845 076 0223. WRAP will no longer be able to provide this service from October, but Herefordshire Council and Worcestershire County Council are looking to set up a new scheme in the New Year.

Herefordshire Council and Worcestershire County Council have been promoting subsidised bins since 2004, with more than 84,000 compost bins sold across the two counties. If each bin is used for ten years this could divert nearly 100,000 tonnes of bio-degradable waste from landfill, saving the council taxpayer money and helping to protect the environment.

Councillor John Jarvis, Herefordshire Council's cabinet member for the environment and strategic housing, said: "The scheme has been a great success in both Herefordshire and Worcestershire as over the last five years, a huge number of residents haven taken advantage of this opportunity to buy a reduced priced compost bin. The long-term benefits of composting some of our household waste instead of sending to landfill are there for everyone to see, but even in the short-term, those who get hold of a bin through the discount scheme can save themselves a bit of cash."

For those already taken by the composting bug, help is always at hand through the Master Composters Scheme, where other residents share their tips and advice on getting the most from their bins. To find more information about home composting or other Waste Prevention initiatives call 01905 766883 or visit www.wastemissionimpossible.org.uk
Posted : 08/09/2009 16:12:17

Move to bring together and improve services
Herefordshire Council’s cabinet will consider proposed improvements to the way services for young people are provided across the county when it meets this week (September 10).

Cabinet members will be asked to build on the council’s progress in supporting young people not in employment, education or training by bringing together its services with those delivered by the independently run Herefordshire and Worcestershire Connexions company. If approved, staff and services provided by Connexions in Herefordshire will transfer to the council in April 2010.

Connexions provides information, advice and guidance for young people aged 13-19 on a range of issues. Careers advice, managing money and relationships, health and well being and making the right exam choices are just some of the issues Connexions advisers help young people with.

The role is a statutory one and at the moment, the council commissions Connexions to deliver the service on its behalf. It is proposed that the Herefordshire elements of the Connexions service are brought into the local authority and integrated within the reorganised children and young people’s directorate. The new service will need to extend to cover the 11-19 age range. Similar arrangements are being made across the country in response to a national decision made by central government to cease the current Connexions establishments from April 2010.

The council is exploring the possibility of acquiring the Connexions drop-in facility in the centre of Hereford, which has proved to be a popular resource. Consultees, including young people, have said they wish to see the drop-in facility retained.

Kathy Roberts, assistant director, said: “Herefordshire is making good progress in delivering services to young people: our numbers of young people not in employment, education or training is low, participation in post-17 education is high, targeted youth work is helping more vulnerable young people and we have successful arrangements in place for those who drop out of the education system.

“The council already provides many services for this age group and by bringing the Connexions service into the council we will be able to integrate our work further, reducing duplication and providing high quality seamless services for our young people.”

The transfer is planned to work alongside changes of duties and resources of the Learning and Skills Council (which supports and funds education and work-based learning for young people aged 16 plus) to the local authority from April 2010.

Staff and users of the service were consulted in June this year. If approved by cabinet, the Connexions staff will transfer to the council, retaining existing working relationships between schools and personal advisers and providing continuity for young people. Eventually, the services provided will be delivered from three new locality based areas of the county which will provide integrated multi-agency services for children, young people and families.

Cabinet members will receive feedback from the consultation process and discuss the alternative option of tendering the service before they make their decision on 10 September.
Posted : 07/09/2009 12:28:03

Pupils in Herefordshire reach new heights at GCSE
This year’s GCSE results achieved by pupils in high schools across the county are once again the best ever. They have improved year-on-year for the last four years and are significantly higher than last year’s high water mark.

74.8 percent of pupils achieved five or more A*-C grades, an increase of 5.3 percent on 2008 and eight percent above the 2009 national average. Those achieving the new benchmark of five or more A*-C grades including English and maths rose slightly on the previous year to 53.2 percent.

Notable successes were recorded at Whitecross High School with the most improved A*-C grades in the county (five or more A*-C)), up almost 14 percent to 86.7 percent , at the Minster College up 12 percent to 67 percent and at John Masefield High School up 11 percent to 83 percent.

Almost every high school improved on its 2008 results with Wigmore High School topping the charts with 95.4 percent five or more A*-Cs followed by Fairfield High School with 93 percent and The Hereford Academy with 85.9 percent. Over 70 percent of pupils at St Mary’s RC High School gained five or more A*-Cs including English and maths.

Councillor Philip Price, cabinet member for ICT, education and achievement, said: “I’d like to offer my congratulation to all our schools and their pupils for continuing to improve on results which are already above the national average results.

“I would also like to thank all the teachers, support staff and parents for helping our young people achieve such high standards. These results are a credit to the Herefordshire schools, community and supporting organisations, including the council.”
Posted : 28/08/2009 12:33:20

Spreading the word about new recycling service
Herefordshire Council is busy spreading the word about its new household recycling service which starts in November.

As part of the promotion campaign, the council’s waste management team has arranged for county buses to advertise the changes which mean most households will get a wheeled bin for all of their recyclable materials.

Buses branded with the new scheme can now be seen travelling throughout the county advising residents that wheeled bins will be delivered to their households in September and October ready for the new service to start in November. Residents should continue to use the current scheme until then.

Advertisements have also appeared in the local press and on the radio to promote the fact wheeled bins will be delivered in September and October. Billboards will also promote the scheme as well as posters in phone boxes.

Members of staff from the council’s waste management service have also been out and about at many sites throughout the county to promote the new scheme and give people a chance to ask questions about how the new scheme will work.

The team has been to the Big Event at the King George V Playing Fields in Hereford, Bromyard Gala, Ross town centre, Ledbury town centre, Leominster town centre, Fownhope stores, Kington Co-op, Allensmore Locks Garage, Bromyard town centre, Queenswood, Sainsbury’s at Ross, Oakchurch, Ledbury market place, Ross market hall, the Hop Pocket in Bishop’s Frome, Longtown post office, Wyevale and Morrison’s at Leominster.

Future events to be attended are Kington Show on September 12 and the Flavours of Herefordshire Food Festival from October 24 to 25.

An information pack will be delivered with every bin detailing how the new scheme works and advising people of their collection days.

Recyclable waste will be collected from the wheeled bins once a fortnight and household refuse will be collected weekly using plastic sacks.

Recyclable materials can be placed in the green wheeled bin. Items should be clean and loose and not in bags. Bottles and tins no longer need to be squashed and paper should be kept flat where possible.

Any households not suitable for wheeled bins will still have a recycling service using plastic sacks and will have been notified of this by letter.

Glass can, for the first time, be put in the wheeled bins for recycling but not in the plastic sacks.

Councillor John Jarvis, Herefordshire Council’s cabinet member for the environment and strategic housing, said: “We, as a council, face sever financial penalties if we do not increase the amount of recycling carried out in the county.

“I would like to thanks residents for the recycling they already do but the new scheme will not only make it easier for everyone to recycle but we will also be able to collect a lot of new materials such as yoghurt pots, egg boxes and fruit punnets.

“All materials that can be recycled should be placed loose into the wheeled bin and it will be sorted using state-of-the-art technology at a new facility near Worcester and turned into new materials,” he added.
Posted : 27/08/2009 12:14:34

Authors reveal mystery behind crime writing
Everyone loves a mystery, and library readers are no exception, so this autumn Herefordshire Libraries has teamed up with a host of top authors to reveal the secrets behind crime writing and give budding authors the chance to write their own crime novel.

Following on from their sell-out evening with the Medieval Murderers in May, Ross Library starts the library’s crime season on Friday, September 11 at 7pm when bestselling authors Caro Peacock and Rebecca Tope reveal their secrets of successful crime writing.

Rebecca Tope is the author of three popular murder mystery series, featuring Den Cooper, Devon police detective, Drew Slocombe, Undertaker, and Thea Osborne, house sitter in the Cotswolds. She’s also the "ghost writer" of the novels based on the ITV series Rosemary and Thyme.

Caro Peacock writes historical mysteries and is the author of A Foreign Affair, A Dangerous Affair, Death of a Dancer, and Death at Dawn. She also writes as Gillian Linscott.

Tickets priced £3 are available from Ross Library, telephone 01432 383280. There will be an opportunity to ask questions and buy signed books on the night.

Hereford plays host to bestselling author Anne Perry on Friday, September 18. Anne will be running a crime-writing workshop at the Museum Resource and Learning Centre, 58 Friars Street, Hereford from 2pm until 4pm, followed by an evening talk in the Woolhope Room, Hereford Library from 7.30pm.

Anne Perry is a prolific author selected by the Times (London) as one of the twentieth century’s “100 Masters of Crime”. Her publishing career began with The Cater Street Hangman in 1979, the first book in the series featuring the Victorian policeman Thomas Pitt and his wife Charlotte. In 1990, Anne started a new series of detective novels about private detective William Monk and volatile nurse Hester Latterly. None of Anne’s books have ever been out of print, and they have received critical acclaim and huge popular success worldwide.

Tickets cost £5 for the crime-writing workshop and £3 for the evening talk. Tickets for both events are available from Hereford Library: Tel. 01432 383280. Please note: Hereford Library is a historic building and access to The Woolhope Room is via stairs only.

Phil Rickman, bestselling author of the Merrily Watkins mysteries returns to Herefordshire Libraries by popular demand on Friday, October 23 for Mysterious Marches: in conversation with Phil Rickman at Leominster Library. 7pm onwards. There will be an opportunity to buy copies of Phil’s latest titles and get them signed on the night. Tickets priced £3 are available from Leominster Library, telephone 01432 383290.

Previous author events in the libraries have proved very popular and advance booking is recommended for all these events.
www.herefordshire.gov.uk/libraries
Posted : 25/08/2009 20:50:50

Herefordshire benefits from education investment
Leominster will be first to benefit from an extra £8.3million secured from government by Herefordshire Council in March 2009 to rebuild or refurbish primary schools in the county.

The council is in discussions with the current infants and junior schools in the market town to bring them together and open a new, state-of-the-art primary school in 2012. Consultation will take place with parents, children and the community over the coming months. The plan will complement the new build Minster College secondary school, which will be completed next year by contractors Stepnell Limited for a further total investment of £25 million, which was awarded to Herefordshire in 2006.

Although most of the new funds from the Department for Children, Schools and Families will be invested in the new primary school in Leominster, the council is inviting other primary schools across the county to bid for funds to improve teaching facilities.

Earlier in the month the council announced that provisional results in Key Stage 2 SATS results in primary schools showed a better year on year performance. Herefordshire’s schools are benefiting from a range of funding that will help to make sure this performance continues.

“The level of education provided to children and young people in Herefordshire is world class”, said council leader Roger Phillips. “But some of our schools do need investment and therefore the money we have secured from government is a very welcome boost.

“Herefordshire will see a very clear benefit in the next one to two years both in primary and secondary education, and this is set to continue as we focus on improving our school facilities and promoting schools working with each other in local clusters to address some of the challenges we face”.

New school buildings in Herefordshire include Riverside Primary School and Sutton St Nicholas and plans are progressing for a new Hereford Academy. This will be a specialist sports college and will provide an important sports and events venue for the city. It is scheduled to open in 2011. Although the government’s funding for Herefordshire schools is among the lowest in the UK, the council has been lobbying hard to get a better deal. Two years ago the council joined the F40 group of the 40 lowest funded local authorities to fight for an increased settlement.
Posted : 24/08/2009 13:41:12

New sexual health service launched in Leominster
NHS Herefordshire is expanding its services to offer sexual health check-up clinics in the market towns of Leominster and Ross-on–Wye.

Currently the sexual health service at Gaol Street in Hereford is the place to go for confidential, friendly and helpful advice on sexual health issues, but this is to change to help people in the north and south of the county access services.

Although the hub of clinical expertise is predominately at Gaol Street Health Centre in Hereford, the primary care trust understands that many patients may prefer to attend a clinic nearer to home or place of work.

New clinics times are:

Ross Community Hospital, Mondays from 9-11.30am and
Leominster Community Hospital, Mondays from 2-4.30pm

At Gaol Street in Hereford, people can receive contraception, assistance living with HIV, advice and support for people who are gay, lesbian and bi-transgender and screening for sexually transmitted infections. The new clinics in Ross on Wye and Leominster will focus on providing check ups for people who are worried about their sexual health and who may require screening or testing for sexually transmitted infections.

Maggie Colwell, operational manager, sexual health services for NHS Herefordshire, said: “We know that sometimes people are worried they may have a sexually transmitted infection but are anxious about possible painful procedures, feel embarrassed or have fears about privacy and confidentiality. We also know that some people find it difficult to get into the centre of Hereford and would prefer to go somewhere locally for confidential advice and support which is why we’ve decided to extend the services to Ross on Wye and Leominster.

“Many of the tests used involve a simple urine or a blood test and the results are sent via a text messaging service using brief anonymous messages. There’s lots of help and support for people who do have an infection and need treatment.”

All age groups are welcome to the new clinics, male and female but bookings are advisable. For an appointment, ring (01432) 378915.
Posted : 18/08/2009 23:02:18

SATS Results
Herefordshire Council has congratulated pupils and staff in the county’s primary schools after provisional results showed a better year on year performance in Key Stage 2 SATS results.

Nationally there is a slight fall in proportion of 11-year-olds reaching the standard expected of them in the English curriculum tests but Herefordshire schools maintained stability and above average performance with 80.9 per cent of pupils achieving Level 4 or above. Performance in writing at both levels 4 and 5 show an improved performance from 2008. Pupils making two levels progress since Key Stage 1 remains high in the county for the third year running at 90.9 per cent.

Herefordshire’s performance in maths has increased slightly over the last two years, taking it to 77.4 per cent at Level 4 or above this year, with the performance at level 5 showing a great improvement. Pupils making two levels progress since Key Stage 1 is 80.5 per cent, which is also an improvement on previous years.

Herefordshire’s performance in Science is good with year on year improvement taking the county to 89.5 per cent at Level 4 or more. Results at Level 5 also show gains, with 45.1 per cent of pupils achieving this level.

Herefordshire Council says the results have yet to be validated, so may be revised upward if some schools appeal.

Director of children’s services Dr Sharon Menghini said: “We continue to be aspirational and want the very best for all of our children so there will always be room for improvement still but we are very proud of these achievements.

”Parents should be encouraged by the provisional results and children and teachers given credit for all their hard work”.
Posted : 14/08/2009 00:15:54

Unanimous approval of £2.7m Grange Court scheme
Leominster’s historic Grange Court is to be given a new lease of life in a £2.7m improvement scheme approved by Herefordshire Council. Members of the planning committee voted unanimously to give the green light to extend and upgrade the former market hall, which was built in 1633, for the benefit of the community.

Central to the scheme is the recreation of a first floor hall for local events, weddings and conferences and an extension in the sunken garden at the rear to provide modern and flexible office accommodation, which can be let to bring in money to cover the running expenses of the complex. A bank of solar panels will generate electricity for the building, which will be improved to new ‘green’ standards. A new lift and staircase will be fitted and access for disabled people improved.

Leominster Area Regeneration Company (LARC), a public, private and voluntary sector regeneration partnership, will take over the ownership and management of Grange Court once the improvements to the carved black and white timber building are complete.

The planning decision (7 August 2009) was welcomed by Leominster councillors as a crucial turning point for improving and safeguarding for the future an historic and attractive resource important to the people of Leominster. It is one of the first examples of a scheme to transfer public assets to communities to meet local people’s priorities, as outlined in the government sponsored Quirk Review of 2007. The review concluded that every community should have the chance for more active citizenship, a greater role in running services and owning assets, and improving wellbeing in their communities.

Architects for the project are S T Walker and Duckham of Worcester. The council will now have to refer the application to the Secretary of State to seek listed building consent before work commences.
Posted : 13/08/2009 23:44:19

Swine Flu Update
NHS Herefordshire has confirmed that the county has sufficient supplies of antivirals and has increased from six to nine the number of local pharmacies who can dispense medicine for people diagnosed by the National Pandemic Flu Service or local GPs.

Flu friends – a friend or relative who does not have swine flu – can use a unique authorisation number, issued by the national flu line, to pick up antiviral medicine from outlets in Hereford, Bromyard, Kington, Ledbury, Leominster and Ross. The primary care trust stresses that people in Herefordshire do not have to travel far, usually to their nearest market town, to collect antivirals. People can also collect medicine from other collections points in Worcestershire or Shropshire if they are closer for them.

Antiviral medicine is free on the NHS, and is offered to all who need them, so there is no reason to buy antivirals from other sources or from unregistered websites, which could be selling counterfeit or substandard medicines.

The national call centre - telephone 0800 1 513 100 – has significantly relieved much of the pressure felt by GP practices across the country, including those in Herefordshire. The primary care trust stresses that people can still speak to their GP if they are concerned, saying it is important that people with underlying health conditions, pregnant women, and parents with children under the age of one should speak to their GP if they have symptoms.

People should not go to the accident and emergency unit or their GP surgery if they suspect they have swine flu, unless they are advised to do so by a healthcare professional.

If people think they have swine flu they should stay at home, go online and check symptoms on www.nhs.uk or call the swine flu information line on 0800 1513513. If still concerned, people should then call the national flu service on 0800 1 513 100, or text phone 0800 1 513 200, which will make an assessment and may issue a unique antiviral authorisation number for the patient’s flu friend to collect a course of antiviral medicine. There is also a new dedicated web site www.direct.gov.uk/pandemicflu for people to check their symptoms.

Information for the public can be found on the NHS Choices information and advice service: http://www.nhs.uk/ as well as the Department of Health website: www.dh.gov.uk and the Health Protection Agency website: http://www.hpa.org.uk/ For local information see the council website: http://www.herefordshire.gov.uk/ and the primary care trust web site: http://www.herefordshire.nhs.uk/
Posted : 13/08/2009 23:40:28

More taking plunge thanks to free swims
New figures just releases show the number of people taking the plunge in Herefordshire rose by 50 per cent in June thanks to the Government’s free swimming initiative.

Under the scheme, launched in April this year, children under 16 years old and people over 60 can swim for free at Halo swimming pools in Hereford, Ledbury, Leominster and Ross.

Figures just released show that, since April, nearly 40,000 people have taken advantage of free swims in the county with nearly 28,000 of these being under 16. The huge numbers of people taking advantage of free swimming in the county puts Herefordshire in the top 10 per cent of local authorities nationally for “take up” of the scheme.”

The number of over 60s taking advantage of the scheme from April to the end of June was 11,180 and the number of under 16s in the same period was 27,952.

Councillor Adrian Blackshaw, Herefordshire Council’s cabinet member for economic development and community services, said: “I am delighted our decision to take part in this scheme has resulted in so many people taking up swimming which is wonderful exercise for people of all ages.

“This scheme allows people to hone their swimming skills, get fit and have fun without having to worry about the cost,” he added.

Jon Argent from Halo Leisure said: “We were keen to join this scheme because we want as many people in the county as possible to enjoy the benefits of regular swimming. We knew the scheme would create a big splash in Herefordshire but it has been an even bigger success than we could have imagined.”

For more information about free swimming visit www.freeswim.org.uk or www.haloleisure.org.uk. To register, fill in a registration form at your local Halo centre.
Posted : 12/08/2009 10:54:40

Time Team in Herefordshire
Channel 4’s popular Time Team, together with presenter Tony Robinson, was in Herefordshire last week to record a programme for their forthcoming series.

Working with Herefordshire Council’s archaeological service (Herefordshire Archaeology), Time Team has been investigating a possible hillfort overlooking the River Lugg.

Tony Robinson said: “I always enjoy coming to Herefordshire which is a wonderful county to explore and have enjoyed working with the county’s archaeological team again. The programme is likely to be screened in February or March 2010 and I’m sure it will be of interest to everyone living in the county.”

Dr Keith Ray, Herefordshire county archaeologist, said: “The dig did reveal evidence of an Iron Age hilltop enclosure on the site, but of an unusual and fascinating kind. We are now waiting for the results from analyses of soil and carbon samples taken on site to help further inform our conclusions.

“We will be revealing some interim thoughts at our annual symposium being held at the Courtyard Centre for Arts in Hereford on Saturday, October 17.

“This event should be of interest to people from across the county as we will also be covering recent digs held at the Prospect in Ross, St Katharine’s in Ledbury and at Credenhill Iron Age hillfort,” he added.

Time Team has worked with Herefordshire Archaeology in the past - investigating Freen’s Court, near Marden in the late 1990s and also at The Weir (National Trust) as part of the Big Roman Dig live broadcast in 2005.
Posted : 11/08/2009 15:52:16

Wheeled bins for recycling to be delivered soon
Herefordshire Council is advising residents to start expecting delivery of their wheeled bins as the start of the county’s exciting new recycling service gets ever closer.

The bins – either a 240-litre or 120-litre – will arrive at properties in September and October but residents are asked not to use them until the new collection service starts on November 2 but instead continue with the current plastic sack system.

Councillor John Jarvis, Herefordshire Council’s cabinet member for the environment and strategic housing, said: “More than 70,000 bins are being delivered to households throughout the county ready for the new recycling service.”

“The council wants to ensure as many households as possible have a wheeled bin before the scheme starts on November 2 and they need this two-month period so they can ensure every part of the county is covered. We have also offered people a choice of bin sizes and this means some people may get their bins before others, depending on the type of bin requested. Where bins are not suitable we will write to residents to inform them of the recycling sack scheme that will be introduced at the same time.

“I would urge residents to continue using the existing plastic sack and blue box recycling service until the new scheme starts in November. At the moment, we have a recycling rate of 34 per cent and we want this to continue rising so I would urge residents to carry on using the existing recycling services until November.

“When the wheeled bin system comes into operation, people will be able to recycle glass for the first time from their kerbside and they will also be able to place all of their recyclable materials into one container.

“By making recycling easier, we hope our recycling rates will continue to rise and we can meet the government target of 40 per cent by 2010,” he added.

An information pack will also be delivered with each wheeled bin which not only explains how the service works but also includes the new collection calendar as well as a sticker to place on your bin. People should check this pack carefully as their collection day and time may change.

Residents will keep their weekly plastic sack collection for household waste that cannot be recycled and a six-month supply of bags will be delivered to every household in the county.

Green garden waste cannot be put into the wheeled bins but instead people should compost at home, take it to household waste sites or continue using the green bags which can be bought from the council and should be placed outside with the black sacks for collection.
Posted : 10/08/2009 21:32:59

Find out more about new recycling service
Herefordshire Council’s waste management team will be out and about around the county over the next two weeks to promote the new recycling service which starts on November 2.

As part of the service, which aims to make recycling easier, most households will receive a wheeled bin for all of their recyclable materials and, for the first time, glass will be collected as well.

Garden waste cannot be put into the wheeled bins and should either be composted or taken to household waste sites. Textiles also cannot go into the bins as they could be contaminated by broken glass and should instead be taken to charity shops.

Councillor John Jarvis, Herefordshire Council’s cabinet member for the environment and strategic housing, said: “We are keen for everyone to find out more about the scheme before it starts and I would encourage everyone to try and attend one of the events. The venues have been chosen to fit in with the school holidays and to allow us to meet people who are enjoying days out at county attractions or else out shopping.

“Currently we recycle 33.92 per cent but we really need to increase this to 40 per cent otherwise we face severe financial penalties imposed by central government so I would urge everyone to find out more so together we can save,” he added.

Roadshows will be held at:

Friday, August 7, 11am to 3pm: Queenswood Country Park, near Leominster

Saturday, August 8, 11am to 1pm, Sainsbury’s, Ross

Sunday, August 9, 11am to 3pm, Oakchurch Farm Shop, Staunton on Wye

Monday, August 10, 11am to 3pm: Ledbury Market Place

Tuesday, August 11, 11am to 3pm: Ross Market Apron

Wednesday, August 12, 11am to 3pm: Hop Pocket, Bishops Frome

Thursday, August 13, 10.30am to 2.30pm: Longtown Post Office

Friday, August 14, 11am to 3pm: Wyevale, Hereford

Saturday, August 15, 9am to 5.30pm: Bromyard Library and Info Centre

Sunday, August 16, 11am to 3pm: Morrisons, Leominster

Posted : 03/08/2009 19:15:03

Herefordshire Young Farmers
Members from several Clubs represented the County at this year's Royal Show and came home with some superb results.

On the Wednesday of the Show candidates for the farm business development competition were put through gruelling interviews at the YFC centre by a panel of judges intent on testing their business acumen and entrepreneurial skills. The assessors praised the high standard and diversity of entries this year. First place and sponsorship to the Oxford Farming Conference went to the Gloucestershire team with the team from Herefordshire in 4th place - David Pursey (Welsh Newton YFC) and Abi Croshaw (Ledbury YFC).

Thursday saw competitors demonstrating their prowess with modern farming vehicles, performing risk assessments and a host of tasks with a range of equipment provided by New Holland and Kuhn in the efficiency with safety contest in the YFC arena. Pembrokeshire took the top spot. The team from Welsh Newton YFC, Herefordshire were placed 3rd overall - Keith Payne, John Brewer, Peter Brewer and Ryan Williams.

HRH the Duke of Kent toured the NFYFC marquee which hosted the exhibits from this year's static competitions including recycling posters, photography, eco houses, recycling models and cyber bullying webpages. Adam Barry from Hereford YFC was placed 1st in the senior photography competition, and the team from Ross YFC also collected 1st prize in the cyber bullying webpage design competition. HRH the Duke of Kent chatted to exhibitors from Lantra, Vinvolved, Beatbullying and Norman Davies of the Guild of Straw Craftsmen who had been helping NFYFC staff inform to entertain the hundreds of young visitors to the marquee throughout the week. The Duke was presented with an YFC tie by NFYFC president Lionel Hill.

Winners of the static exhibits collected their silverware during the chairman's reception hosted by Bryce Mackellar at the NFU Mutual hospitality marquee.

NFYFC and English Rural Housing Association (ERHA) launched a new survey to examine if difficulties securing rural housing were influencing young people's decision to live and work in the countryside.

Launching the survey, which is online under the national news tab, ERHA's operations director Martin Collett urged Young Farmers to share their experiences and concerns about housing in rural areas.
The survey, which aims to establish if the availability of suitable rural homes is having an impact on people thinking of entering or remaining in farming, was welcomed by NFU head of policy Dr Andrew Clark.

Four days of fun, learning and achievement were brought to a close by Bryce Mackellar, who thanked everyone involved in making the NFYFC's final Royal Show a success.

The next event in the HFYFC calendar is the County Chairman's Ugly Bug Costume / Black Tie Ball on Saturday 22nd August followed on Sunday 23rd August by the 65th anniversary afternoon tea in the gardens both at Lower Hope Farm, Ullingswick kindly hosted by the Federation's Patron, Mr Clive Richards and his wife Mrs Sylvia Richards. Tickets for the Ball are available from Miss Sarah Wells on 07779 343949 and for the 65th anniversary tea from Mrs Annabelle Sankey on 01544 230650.
Posted : 31/07/2009 17:15:30

Council helps residents beat rising fuel costs
Herefordshire Council has just printed a leaflet aimed at helping county residents to cut their energy bills as well as reducing carbon emissions into the bargain.

The leaflet, which is available at all county libraries and Info Centres, explain a variety of grants that are available to help people improve the energy efficiency of their homes.

Councillor Phil Cutter, Herefordshire Council’s energy champion, said: “Many people do not realise how poorly insulated homes and inefficient heating systems can substantially increase fuel bills.

“Simple measures such as ensuring there is enough insulation in lofts, installing cavity wall insulation or updating heating systems can make a huge difference and, as a council, we are able to both directly provide grants and help people access government-funded schemes as well.

“I would urge anyone who knows someone who could benefit from these grants to contact Domestic and General Insulation on 0844 543 0043 for further details,” he added.

The Special Energy Efficiency Scheme (SEES) offers a £500 grant to homeowners and private tenants who heat their homes by storage heaters, electric central heating, LPG central heating, oil-fired central heating or room heaters, people who pay for their fuel use with prepayment meters, homeowners and private tenants aged over 60 and people on benefits.

Measures covered under the SEES scheme are loft insulation, cavity insulation, draught proofing, thermostatic radiator valves, room thermostats, hot water cylinder thermostats and tank jackets.

Private homeowners and private tenants with less than 60mm of existing loft insulation between the joists are also eligible for a loft insulation top-up to 270mm depth.

Any private household who does not meet the SEES criteria is able to get discounted rates for installing loft and/or cavity wall insulation under the Carbon Emission Reduction Target (CERT) initiative. For further details contact Domestic and General on 0844 543 0043.

Government-funded Warm Front grants are also available, providing up to £3,500 for homes with gas-fired heating systems and up to £6,000 for off gas heating systems. Measures included under this scheme are central heating systems, boiler replacements and insulation measures.

To qualify for a Warm Front grant, applicants must be on benefits. Anyone not on benefits but over the age of 60 may be able to claim a Warm Front £300 rebate towards the cost of repairing or installing a heating system.

Herefordshire Council also offers a Warm Front top-up grant of up to £1,500 which is means tested and only available to people who have confirmation of receiving Warm Front grant funding. For further information, contact Warm Front on 0800 3166011.
Posted : 30/07/2009 11:47:34

Plant a fruit tree in celebration
Thomas Andrew Knight, an 18th century Herefordshire horticulturalist, who developed many of the fruit and vegetable varieties that we still eat today, wrote the original ‘Pomona Herefordiensis’ and went on to become president of the London Horticultural Society (later the Royal Horticultural Society) was born 250 years ago this year.

You can now celebrate his important anniversary by planting two of his cherry varieties as part of the Fruit Tree Initiative organised by the Herefordshire Council parks, countryside and leisure development service.

The initiative, which is in its 11th year, aims to encourage people to plant older, traditionally planted local fruit varieties when restoring an orchard or choosing a tree for their garden.

James Bisset, principal countryside officer, said: “It was only while I was researching some background information on some of this year’s fruit tree initiative varieties that I noticed that it was the 250th anniversary of the birth of Thomas Andrew Knight and that no one appeared to really have picked up on it.

“This year you can buy two of his cherry varieties as part of the initiative, although numbers are limited, but I have arranged for lots more of his fruit varieties to be specially budded-on ready for next year’s initiative as a celebration of Herefordshire’s great horticulturalist,” he added.

The fruit trees are budded-on to two different types of rootstock: M25 vigorous rootstock which results in a standard orchard tree that could reach a height of approximately 30ft and semi-dwarf rootstock which results in a smaller tree (approximately 7-10ft tall) suitable for planting in an urban garden.

All fruit trees cost just £9.50 per tree and are supplied bare root as ‘one year maidens’ in a protective plastic bag for your quick collection and convenience.

This year’s apple varieties include: Bosbury Pippin (dessert), Hereford Cross (early dessert), Red Blenheim (cooker/dessert) and Violette (cooker/dessert) which is not a locally developed variety but of special interest due to its beautiful blue-black blossom.

This year’s special trees include the two Cherry varieties ‘Knight’s Early Black and ‘Waterloo’ raised by Thomas Andrew Knight in the early 1800’s, and a Quince variety called ‘Champion’.

More information on all of this year’s varieties can be found by downloading the Fruit Tree Initiative application form at www.herefordshire.gov.uk/fruittrees

James Bisset added: “Plans are now in place to arrange a celebration of the life and works of Thomas Andrew Knight this autumn in partnership with other local apple enthusiasts.”
Posted : 30/07/2009 11:46:39

Time Team in Herefordshire
Channel 4’s popular Time Team is in Herefordshire this week to record a programme for their forthcoming series.

Working with Herefordshire Council’s archaeological service (Herefordshire Archaeology), Time Team has been investigating a possible hillfort overlooking the River Lugg.

Dr Keith Ray, Herefordshire county archaeologist said: “Working with Time Team gives us the opportunity to investigate some of our recent discoveries and promote the archaeology of Herefordshire to a wide audience. We will be working alongside Time Team and providing the majority of the excavation team. We will continue to work on the site once Time Team have left to finish recording the excavations.

“We would also like to thank all of the staff at Hampton Court Castle and Gardens for their help in allowing us to explore this site which is on part of their estate,” he added.

Time Team has worked with Herefordshire Archaeology before investigating Freen’s Court, near Marden in the late 1990s and also at The Weir Gardens (National Trust) as part of the Big Roman Dig live broadcast in 2005.

“We always enjoy working in Herefordshire, which is a county rich in archaeological sites,” said Francis Pryor, Time Team site director.
Posted : 27/07/2009 17:37:24

Council protects threatened bus services
Vital bus services which serve some of the more isolated and rural parts of the county and which had been under threat of being withdrawn have been protected and will continue to run thanks to Herefordshire Council.

The council put out more than £750,000 worth of subsidised services out to competitive tendering and invited bus companies in Herefordshire and neighbouring counties to bid for the work.

The tendering process was carried out in the shadow of concerns that the increased cost of running bus services would lead to service reductions in the autumn.

These threatened services included the Bromyard Town service, the 417 Worcester to Ledbury route, which was to be curtailed at Cradley and the 426 service between Bodenham and Leominster as well as evening and Sunday journeys throughout the county.

However, the council’s public transport team attracted more than twice as many companies to tender for the work compared with previous years which meant they could maintain the quality of services and, in some cases, see improvements to the services.

Cllr Brian Wilcox, cabinet member for highways and transportation, said: “The outcome of the tendering exercise is very good news indeed.

“Public transport is vital for many people in a rural county such as Herefordshire and I am very pleased that we will now be able to maintain services at their current level.

“I would particularly like to thank the council’s public transport team for all of their hard work which has achieved a great outcome for bus users.”

The new timetables come into effect on the Sunday, September 6, and the council will re-issue its popular bus and train timetable booklets in advance of the changes.

Details will also be available on the council website at www.herefordbus.info at least two weeks before services commence.
Posted : 22/07/2009 17:06:05

Swine flu is now part of the community, says NHS
NHS Herefordshire and Herefordshire Council confirm that as predicted, there has been a rapid increase in the numbers of diagnosis of swine flu in Herefordshire by local GPs.

In line with the government decision to move to from a ‘containment’ phase to a ‘treatment’ phase earlier in the month, Herefordshire is no longer swabbing possible cases and sending them for laboratory testing. Instead GPs are making an immediate diagnosis and prescribing treatment, which means national and local figures on confirmed cases of swine flu are no longer available.

NHS Herefordshire, the primary care trust, confirms that swine flu is now very much part of the community across the whole of the West Midlands and that people should ensure they understand what they must do to limit the spread of the illnesses, and what to do if they have flu-like symptoms.

Herefordshire Council is aware of several schools and nurseries in the county that have very small numbers of pupils that have been diagnosed and they are being treated and recovering at home. Several employers will also have reports of staff being diagnosed.

The management of the nurseries and schools are working closely with the health agencies and Herefordshire Council to monitor the situation. Further guidance has been distributed to all schools, nurseries and early years providers in the county from the director of public health and the director of the council’s children’s services.

In the meantime, hundreds of employees in the council and the primary care trust have come forward to be redeployed to staff a local swine flu information line and antiviral collection points, both of which are ready to be activated should they be required.

NHS Herefordshire stresses that health services are managing the current number of cases and for the vast majority of patients the illness is generally moderate, and people do recover quickly.

The primary care trust and the council confirm there is no need for nurseries or schools to close if pupils or staff are diagnosed, and there is no need for people to stay away from work unless they have flu-like symptoms. People should not go to the county hospital’s accident and emergency unit or to their doctors if they suspect they have swine flu. Instead they are advised to contact their local doctor or NHS Direct on 0845 4647. Symptoms include fever and one of the following: cough, headache, runny noses, joint/limb pains, diarrhoea or sore throat.

If swine flu is diagnosed, the GP will give the patient an authorisation voucher, and local people are asked to identify a ‘flu friend’ who can collect their medication for them, as well as obtain daily essentials, without coming into close contact with the patient.

The primary care trust has not named the schools to give them time to ensure they have communicated with and reassured all pupils, parents, staff and members of the school community.

In line with national pandemic flu plans, the government decided on 2 July that the UK would move from a ‘containment’ phase to a ‘treatment’ phase. Efforts to contain the spread of the virus bought valuable time to learn more about the new virus, to build antiviral stocks and to start to develop a vaccine.

Scientists expect to see rapid rises in the number of cases and GPs and NHS Direct will now provide clinical diagnosis and prescribe treatment, rather than take swabs and await the results of laboratory testing. This means that the Health Protection Agency are no long publishing daily figures confirming swine flu and therefore it is impossible for Herefordshire to provide a running commentary on actual numbers of cases.

Currently the government is not advising avoidance of mass gatherings or social events and there are no restrictions in place. The council and the primary care trust are also working closely with the organisers of the forthcoming Big Chill Festival at Eastnor Castle, on 6 to 9 August, and others like Nostock on 31 July to 2 August at Bromyard, to ensure hygiene measures are in place to diagnose and treat festival goers who may contract swine flu.

The government has signed contracts to secure enough vaccine for the whole population of the UK and in Herefordshire, the primary care trust is putting in place plans to be able to offer the vaccine as soon as it becomes available in the autumn this year. The swine flu vaccination programme will be delivered through GP practices and schools.

NHS Herefordshire, Hereford Hospitals NHS Trust and and Herefordshire Council established in April 2009 a Public Health Incident Team to plan for, advise on and manage the swine flu pandemic in Herefordshire. The team works closely with the Health Protection Agency and Department of Health, as well as a range of agencies in the county, to provide help and advice for local people.

The NHS has been preparing for the possibility of a pandemic since 1998 and the UK is among the most prepared countries in the world. NHS Herefordshire, like all NHS organisations in the West Midlands, has a Pandemic Influenza Plan. The NHS has enough antivirals to treat half the population of the UK if they become ill.

Respiratory and hand hygiene

The Public Health Incident Team says it is still very important for everyone to take the simple steps that will help prevent catching colds and flu, which are based on good respiratory and hand hygiene. These steps are:

• Cover your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing, using a tissue.
• Dispose of dirty tissues promptly and carefully.
• Maintain good basic hygiene - wash hands often with soap and water to reduce the spread of the virus from your hands to face or to other people.
• Clean hard surfaces like door handles often, using a normal cleaning product
• Make sure your children follow this advice.

Information about swine flu

The Department of Health has launched a Swine Flu Information Line – 0800 1513513 - which contains pre-recorded messages giving background to the disease and what we can all do to prevent its spread. It will refer callers who need more assistance to NHS Direct

A national door drop of information leaflets was undertaken but copies can also be downloaded from www.direct.gov.uk/swineflu. A mass public health campaign has been undertaken with TV and radio to remind people of the measures they can take to contain the spread of swine flu.

Information for the public can be found on the NHS Choices information and advice service: http://www.nhs.uk/ as well as the Department of Health website: www.dh.gov.uk and the Health Protection Agency website: http://www.hpa.org.uk/

For local information visit the council’s website on: http://www.herefordshire.gov.uk/ and the primary care trust web site: http://www.herefordshire.nhs.uk/

Schools and other children’s services are expected to be operating as usual and there is guidance published on planning for, and responding to, pandemic flu. This can be found on the Teachernet website:: http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/emergencies/planning/flupandemic/

Business Link carries information on business continuity and on protecting the workforce on: www.businesslink.gov.uk/swineflu

The Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform website also has further references: http://www.berr.gov.uk/aboutus/pressroom/page51164.html

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office website gives advice if you are travelling overseas: www.fco.gov.uk/en/travelling-and-living-overseas/swine-flu. If you come back from one of the affected countries abroad and have flu like symptoms, stay at home and call your GP or NHS Direct on 0845 4647.
Posted : 15/07/2009 16:16:28

Summer fun at Queenswood Country Park
Stuck for something to do this summer? You can have fun at Queenswood Country Park whatever the weather and lots of events have been planned for the school holidays to keep you busy!

Join local textile artist Lisa Pendlebury for 'make and take' craft workshops in the woods on Monday 20 and Monday 27 July.

“Make a Green Man” on July 20 will be a chance to make your own green man using fabric, paper and natural materials.

At “Weave in the Woods” on July 27 you can get inspiration from the trees and create a beautiful miniature weaving to take home and treasure.

There will be three workshops each day starting at 10am, 11am and noon and the cost is just £3.50 per child. Booking in advance is essential to help us manage numbers in each workshop.

Queenswood’s feathered friend 'Bertie Buzzard' will be back again throughout the school holidays with a trail designed by work experience student Alex Ferris of Aylestone School.

And it's picnic time for teddy bears (and their toddler friends of course!) on Tuesday, July 28 and Wednesday August 26, 11am - 12.30pm when Herefordshire libraries come to Queenswood for some special Teddy Bears Picnic Rhyme and Storytimes.

These events have been organised in partnership with 'Bookstart' a national charity that encourages parents to share and enjoy books with their children and it will be a great way to find out more about introducing your child to books - however young they are.

You will need to book your place on these free events to help us manage numbers and you will need to bring a picnic for you and your toddler as well as a suitable picnic blanket to sit on. There will be lots of fun and rhyming games to play with your child and as you settle down to enjoy your picnic under the dappled shade of the trees you can listen to a story or two! (These events will be cancelled in very wet weather.)

Abby Marshall, Interpretation & Promotion Officer said: “Don't miss out - book your child's place on these events now by calling Queenswood Tourist Information Centre Tel: 01568 797842.

“Full details of all the events taking place between now and December can be found in our special 'Walks & Family Fun' leaflet available now from Tourist Information Centres, libraries and of course the country park!

“Alternatively get up to date information by checking out the 'Queenswood' pages on Herefordshire Council's website at www.herefordshire.gov.uk/queenswood” she added.

Queenswood is Herefordshire's only country park and has free car parking, toilets and a licensed café (opening hours vary please call 01568 797880 to confirm it will be open when you visit.)

There is a picnic area situated near to the very popular adventure play area and there is also a free 'seaside style' telescope at the view-point.

There are three way-marked trails and easy access paths so that everyone can enjoy the park and electric mobility vehicles are available to hire from the Tourist Information Centre Tel: 01568 797842.

Queenswood Country Park is on the A49 between Hereford and Leominster – follow the brown signs at the top of Dinmore Hill. Alternatively the 492 bus service departs Hereford and Leominster at regular intervals throughout the day.
Posted : 13/07/2009 16:58:33

Wheeled bins coming...
Herefordshire Council’s waste management team will be holding a special roadshow in Leominster on Thursday, July 30th, to promote the new waste recycling service which launches in November.

The team will be in Corn Square from 9.30am until 3.30pm and will be on hand to answer questions. Wheeled bins will also be on display.

The idea behind the new scheme is to make it far easier for people to recycle and the majority of households in the county will be getting a wheeled bin which can be used to store all of their recyclable materials.

For the first time, glass can also be collected using the wheeled bins and other materials which can be put in the bin include tins, cans, plastic bottles, paper and card. The wheeled bin will be collected once a fortnight.

Councillor John Jarvis, Herefordshire Council’s cabinet member for the environment and strategic housing, said: “This new scheme will really help residents to increase the amount they can recycle and I would urge them to come along and find out more and get any of their questions answered.

“We want people to have as much information as possible before the scheme starts and this roadshow is one of many we have already staged or have planned to spread the word around the county,” he added.

Green wheeled bins will be delivered to households in September and October so residents are urged to look out for them. They will also have an information pack with them explaining the new system and when your collection days will be.

The new scheme starts on November 2 and residents are asked to continue using their current sack recycling system until then.

Even if you don’t have a recycling service at the moment, the council’s intention is for all households to be included under the new scheme so look out for further details.

Residents will also be keeping their weekly black sack refuse service but should be aware that their collection day and time may change. Any changes in collection days will be on the information pack delivered with the recycling bin.
Posted : 09/07/2009 19:00:25

Council helping to cut red tape for farmers
Herefordshire Council is urging all livestock and arable farmers to back a new initiative aimed at reducing the number of farm inspections that are carried out in the county.

Mike Pigrem, acting head of regulatory services, said: “At the moment farms get visited by a number of different teams from within the council to inspect records, production methods and various other aspects of their day-to-day business.

“These inspections place additional demands on time for both farmers and council officers, so we have devised a new method to help reduce the perceived red tape burden on the industry.

“All farmers are to be sent a simple form to fill in which will enable us to update our records and help assess the need for future inspections and visits.

“They will also get a registration document under the Feed Hygiene Regulations which apply to any business selling crops for feed and/or producing, processing or storing feed for feeding to animals on their own holding. Anyone already registered can ignore this document,” he added.

Farmers are asked to complete the forms within 28 days.
Posted : 09/07/2009 18:57:16

Team cracks down on illegal flyposting
Herefordshire Council’s community protection team is cracking down on illegal flyposting in the county.

The team has removed hundreds of signs advertising businesses and other commercial activities from tens of locations in the county because they have been put up without the necessary permission.

With some exceptions it is generally illegal to place such posters on property or land without the consent of the owner or responsible authority, which in the case of public land will usually be Herefordshire Council.

Councillor John Jarvis, Herefordshire Council’s cabinet member for the environment and strategic housing, said: “Many of these signs are on the public highway and, as such, pose a distraction to motorists which could be dangerous.

“Where those responsible can be identified we are requiring them to remove the poster; where this is not the case enforcement officers will take immediate action to remove it.

“Most of the problems we have encountered are because signs advertising businesses have been put up illegally and, even though we appreciate times are hard, they do need to seek the correct permissions.

“We have also found signs for various local community events which have been left out long after the events have taken place. We don’t want to stop such events being advertised but would urge organisers to make sure the signs are removed as soon as possible after the event is staged.

“If they can also speak to us before putting the signs up, then we advise on suitable locations to ensure they are not posing a danger to passing motorists.

“I was shocked at the vast number of illegal signs that have been removed and we will be issuing warnings to the people responsible. If the offences persist, however, we will be forced to prosecute,” he added.
Posted : 09/07/2009 18:56:46

Just the ticket for bus travellers
Herefordshire Council’s run Tourist Information Centre in Leominster has become an agent for National Express buses, meaning town residents will no longer have to travel to Hereford to get their tickets.

The move came after the TIC was inundated with requests from residents and students in the town who wanted to book tickets for UK and European travel.

National Express has bus routes to 1,000 UK destinations, 500 European destinations and regular services to major airports.

Councillor June French, Herefordshire Council’s cabinet member for corporate and customer services, said: “We have been trying to get the ticket agency for some time to replace the facility lost when the bus station closed but National Express have only just started accepting new agents.

“I am delighted we can now offer town residents this valuable ticketing service which will make it much easier for them to travel around the country, to Europe and airports.

“Over 60s may also be interested to know that they qualify for half price travel on National Express and we also expect students to be interested in booking tickets for travel to Europe,” he added.

Leominster ward members Councillor Roger Hunt and Councillor Peter McCaull launched the new ticketing service on Thursday, July 2.

Jen Green, a Leominster resident who has been campaigning for the ticket office, said she was delighted she now doesn’t have to travel to Hereford to buy her tickets.

She said: “This will be a great benefit to residents and students alike and helps encourage more people to use the buses. All I would like to see now is for the buses to pick up in Leominster as that will even further reduce the number of car journeys made in the county.”
Posted : 07/07/2009 23:38:23

Getting on their bikes to promote cycling
Herefordshire Council’s integrated transport team has been promoting the benefits of cycling during national Bike Week.

‘Get Cycling’ packs were distributed to businesses and organisations throughout the county with the aim of encouraging more employees to cycle to work. Cycling is already enjoying good growth, with the number of cycle journeys in the county up four per cent from last year and up 15 per cent over the past five years. This year’s programme of events was designed to support renewed interest in cycling and to encourage more people to try getting about by bike.

At Hereford Hospital, council officers were on hand offering information and advice on local cycle routes and promoting the Free Adult Cycle Training scheme, while Dr Bike (Leominster bike shop owner, Phill Prothero) delivered free bike checks and carried out routine bike maintenance for Hospital staff who cycle to work.

Adult cycle trainer, Roger Calow offered hints and advice to staff at the council’s Plough Lane office in a ‘Meet the Trainer’ session that proved very popular. He later delivered a ‘taster’ training session for six members of the council’s environmental health team, based at Bath Street. The team has been making itsr own contribution to improving the environment by carrying out local site visits by bike. The training included a practical on-road session on how to cycle safely at roundabouts and junctions.

Local cycle groups also organised a full week of rides and events that were well attended.

Councillor Brian Wilcox, Herefordshire Council’s cabinet member for highways and transportation, said: “Cycling is not only a quicker way to get around the city but it is also more environmentally friendly and has the added benefit of boosting people’s health and fitness as well.

“We have a range of initiatives to help people get back on their bikes, including free adult cycle training, and I would encourage anyone interested to get in touch with the council’s Integrated Transport team on 01432 383652.”
Posted : 07/07/2009 23:37:29

Strawberry farm planning applications deferred
Members of Herefordshire Council’s planning committee have deferred making a decision on three planning applications submitted by S & A Produce (UK) Ltd.

Members of the committee, chaired by Cllr Tom Hunt, felt they had no alternative after taking Counsel’s advice at the meeting held in Hereford’s Shirehall on, Friday, July 3.

The plans, submitted by S & A Produce (UK) Ltd, which runs Brierley Court, near Leominster, include siting accommodation for 1,000 seasonal workers on the farm; a retrospective planning application to put up Spanish polytunnels; a further retrospective application to retain a sewage treatment plant at the farm.
Posted : 07/07/2009 13:30:11

Grange Court application is deferred
Ambitious plans for the modernisation of Leominster’s historic former market hall, now known as Grange Court, have been deferred by Herefordshire Council’s planning committee

Members of the committee made the decision this morning (Fri, July 3), after hearing that the plans include the removal of a Victorian staircase and the removal of trees within the grounds of the grade II listed building to make way for an extension.

Members voiced concerns over the loss of these and voted in favour of deferring a decision to allow the architect to consider these points.

The committee also heard that in recent years the council had spent thousands of pounds maintaining this “very important and much loved” building.
Posted : 03/07/2009 17:40:31

Hereford’s livestock market now truly on the move
After ten years of consultation, plans for Hereford’s new livestock market - designed to safeguard the future of farming in the county and protect the rural way of life – have been given the go ahead.

The council’s main planning committee approved the plans today (Friday 3 July 2009) and work on a new, environmentally friendly market is planned to start later this year. The planning committee asked for more landscaping to the site and more consideration to the access to the site from the main road and this work was delegated to council officers.

It now means the livestock market, which is noted for its high quality produce, can move from its current dilapidated 7.0-acre site near the centre of the city. This will release prime development land for the city’s new retail and leisure quarter, which will see the city get its first multi-screen cinema, as well as a range of high-quality, household name stores.

The new site of the livestock market will be along the Roman Road to the north west of Hereford, between the Bobblestock area of the city and the village of Stretton Sugwas.

Despite the economic slowdown, the planning committee heard from the farming industry that Hereford’s livestock market is experiencing its best trading for over ten years and that a modern and well designed facility was crucial to the county’s farming heritage and the local economy. Herefordshire Council also has proposals to restore and promote Hereford’s Buttermarket as a centre for locally produced food and drink and is promoting farmers’ markets and a campaign to put more local produce on menus and dinner plates across Herefordshire.

Herefordshire is traditionally a prime livestock area and its farming heritage includes the world famous Hereford cattle breed. Livestock farming supports 25 per cent of the country’s landscape, providing attractive pasture and a rural way of life that also supports a £400 million a year tourism industry.

In one of the most exhaustive consultations undertaken in Herefordshire, the council investigated the need for a new market over ten years and set up regular public meetings and discussions with residents, farmers, businesses, parish councils and county marketers in 2005 and 2006.

Six possible sites were put forward and there was detailed evaluation of location, traffic impact, environmental factors and amenity, following which the chosen site was announced in late 2006, and further scrutinised by a cross party group of councillors in 2007. The community services scrutiny committee, after three meetings of formal questioning and investigations deliberated that the site for the new market was right and recommended the relocation, releasing valuable development land for regeneration.

The new market will contain a 7,250-square-metre covered building with a sheep ring and cattle ring, with loading docks, over 300 car or car and trailer parking spaces, an additional 44 articulated or trailer lorry parking and nine lorry wash stations. There will be offices, a café, welfare areas and toilets, with landscaped areas of decorative native trees, a wildflower meadow and wildlife conservation area.

A parliamentary bill was passed in 2003 to move the historic market out of the city centre, as a charter of 1597 decreed it must be within the city boundary.
Posted : 03/07/2009 17:38:40

Libraries help families beat recession
Herefordshire Council’s libraries are helping families to beat the recession by stocking a range of PS3 and Wii games.

As from July 14th, new titles for PS3 and Wii games will be added to the media collections at Herefordshire Libraries and they cost just £2.50 for a week’s loan.

Games in stock can be ordered free at any of the county’s libraries or on line at www.herefordshire.gov.uk/leisure/libraries and new titles will be added every month.

Games already in stock include Wii® My Sims, Summer Athletics, Sports Party
PS3® Skate Games, Chronicles of Narnia and Indiana Jones.

Contact your local library for further details.
Posted : 02/07/2009 00:12:16

Healthy Herefordshire
Local NHS and council working together to help people live longer and better

Herefordshire is one of the best places to live in the UK, and people in the county are more likely to live longer to enjoy it.

New health profiles issued by the Department of Health show that the 178,400 people who live in the county generally enjoy better health than the average for the rest of the country and the region. Herefordshire men are likely to live to be almost 78 on average, and women nearly 83.

Early death rates from heart disease and stroke and from cancer have fallen in the county over the past ten years and have always remained below the national average.

Very few areas of Herefordshire fall into the most deprived 20 per cent of areas in England and none fall into the least deprived 20 per cent either. But the difference in life expectancy varies from 74.4 years for men and 80.7 for women in the most deprived areas of the county, to a maximum of 80.9 for men and 86.2 in the more affluent areas.

The good news is that Herefordshire is also below average in terms of levels of deprivation, child poverty, teenage pregnancy and violent crime, and GCSE achievement is better than average. Rates of hospital stay for alcohol related harm and rates of drug misuse are also lower than the England average.

Death from smoking related causes is at a lower rate than average as is the estimated proportion of adults who smoke. However, smoking during pregnancy in higher than in the rest of England.

However, Herefordshire still has a problem when it comes to rates of road injuries and deaths, as these are still higher than the national average. In addition, the estimated proportion of adults who are obese is higher; and levels of tooth decay in five-year-old children are higher than the average too.

Priorities for the county are reducing harmful alcohol use, roads injuries and deaths, reducing obesity in adults and further reducing the rate of smoking.

The profiles give a snapshot of health for each council area in England using key health indicators, which enables comparison locally, regionally and in some cases over time. They are designed to help local councils and the NHS decide where to target resources in their area.

Herefordshire Primary Care Trust and Herefordshire Council are working with a range of partners to challenge the links between high social deprivation and poor health with a particular emphasis on services for children, promoting healthy lifestyles and packages of care for older people.

Herefordshire’s Public Health Annual Report focuses on helping local people make the right lifestyle choices, such as help with quitting smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, using alcohol sensibly and practicing safer sex, as well as protecting from health threats. The council is also working with partners on a countywide road safety strategy in a bid to cut road deaths.

Said Dr Akeem Ali, Herefordshire’s director for public health: “The health profile for Herefordshire is largely positive and means people generally enjoy a high quality of life for longer. However, the primary care trust and the council are working closely on a series of campaigns that help people make the right lifestyle choices and ensure that local healthcare is of high quality, adding years to life and life to years”.

NHS Herefordshire’s Public Health Annual Report is available on its website: www.herefordshire.nhs.uk
Posted : 30/06/2009 09:09:48

Herefordshire confirms further cases of swine flu
NHS Herefordshire and Herefordshire Council have reported the second and third confirmed cases of swine flu in the county.

One confirmed case is a university student who returned home with symptoms, is responding well to treatment and has, together with immediate contacts, been given a course of antiviral drugs. The other case is a man in his 40s and public health personnel are now tracing immediate contacts to provide antiviral drugs as a precautionary measure.

With 1,358 confirmed cases of swine flu in the West Midlands and a total of 3,597 in the United Kingdom, the NHS has announced it has moved beyond the point where intensive containment of swine flu can be sustained.

Due to the relatively low number of confirmed cases in Herefordshire, the county’s director of public health states the county will continue to work hard to restrict the spread of swine flu. We will make the antiviral drug Tamiflu available to treat people at risk of complications.

“I want to thank everyone in our hospitals, GP practices, the NHS and council services who are working hard to help identify possible cases and put preparations in place in case we do move to an outbreak stage,” said director of public health Dr Akeem Ali.

“I wish to remind everyone that the illness is moderate but good respiratory and hand hygiene is the single most important thing people can do, at home, work or at school, to reduce their chances of catching the virus. Always use a tissue to catch your sneezes, throw away used tissues and regularly wash your hands”.

If you do feel unwell, then please stay at home and call NHS Direct on 0845 4647 or your doctor’s surgery rather than going to GP surgeries or accident and emergency.

Herefordshire’s first case was reported earlier in June and was a man, returning from holiday in an affected area, who contacted the primary care trust out-of-hours service and has recovered well after treatment at home.

A Public Health Incident Team was established in Herefordshire in April, together with a Swine Flu incident room and a Herefordshire Flu Helpline, which will be activated if required.

Both the primary care trust and the council have identified staff who can be switched from their normal duties to support preparations, such as staffing the flu line and helping to manage the distribution of antiviral medicine if necessary, while ensuring that the other usual health and council services are maintained.

Residents are reminded that the Department of Health has a Swine Flu Information Line – 0800 1513513 - which contains pre-recorded messages giving background to the disease and what we can all do to prevent its spread. It will refer callers who need more assistance to NHS Direct. The Department of Health has distributed swine flu information leaflets, as part of a national door drop, but people can obtain further copies of the leaflets by downloading them from www.direct.gov.uk/swineflu.

The council and the primary care trust made translations of the flu leaflets available on their web sites to help migrant and seasonal workers stay healthy too.

Information for public can be found on: www.nhs.uk and www.hpa.org.uk - as well as on the council’s website www.herefordshire.gov.uk and the primary care trust web site http://www.herefordshire.nhs.uk
Posted : 26/06/2009 16:44:25

Closure of the A44 at Eaton Bridge over the Lugg
Motorists in Herefordshire are being advised that the A44 at Eaton Bridge, over the River Lugg, will be closed from 9.30am to around 6pm tomorrow, Thursday, June 25th.

The one-day closure is necessary to allow urgent repairs to be carried out to one of the river piers on the bridge.

To cause a minimum of disruption to drivers, the road will be closed after the morning rush-hour and will be re-opened as soon as possible.

The road will be closed from the A49 junction to the C1110 Stoke Prior Junction.

A diversion will be signposted. This will direct traffic back to Bromyard then down the A465 to Burley Gate roundabout and then along the A417 to the A49 at Dinmore and back up the A49 to Leominster.
Posted : 24/06/2009 17:27:37

Advice regarding ash from Leominster fire


Herefordshire PCT and Herefordshire Council have reassured residents and businesses in Leominster that the ash which resulted from the fire earlier this week is no risk to health if handled appropriately.

Officers from the council’s environmental protection team have been visiting companies close to the Skymark factory which went up in flames on Wednesday.

Nearly 200 people were evacuated to a council-run rest centre at the town’s Bridge Street Sports Centre – they were allowed back home at around 6pm on Wednesday after Dr Akeem Ali, the director of public health for the county, declared the area safe.

Some areas under the pall of smoke which headed north over the town were left covered with a film of ash.

“We’re satisfied that there is no immediate hazard to the general public following air quality monitoring by the Environment Agency,” said Paul Nicholas, the council’s assistant director (environment and culture).

“The ash deposits come from the destruction of the building structure, its internal fabric and stored raw and finished products in site,” added Paul.

“As the Skymark building was relatively new there has been no report that asbestos would have been within this building.”

Advice to residents of the town is that any ash deposits large enough to handle could be hand picked, using gloves as a precaution, and disposed of with normal household waste.

Windowsills and cars with sooty ash deposits too small to handle should soon wash away with rain. Remaining deposits can be removed using a damp cloth.

Growers with fruit and vegetables in the town are being advised to wash their produce before eating it.

This advice has been put into a leaflet which is being distributed to companies close to the Skymark site, and is also available from Leominster Library, the Info Shop at Leominster and off the council’s website – www.herefordshire.gov.uk.
Posted : 19/06/2009 17:53:02

Leominster fire – 6pm update
The Director of Public Health for NHS Herefordshire and Herefordshire Council, Dr Akeem Ali, has reassured those living in Leominster that there has been no long-term health risk from the fire which ravaged a factory in the town this morning.

Speaking at a press conference this afternoon, Dr Ali said that while around 170 people had been evacuated from their homes to a council-run rest centre in the Bridge Street sports centre, the reason for the evacuation had been the risk of explosions at the Skymark factory.

This afternoon officers from the Environment Agency monitored the air quality in the town. Based on the result, Dr Ali was satisfied that any risk had been minimised and that those evacuated should be allowed back into their homes.

Police officers will be on hand to assist those evacuated back to their homes.

During the incident morale was high at the rest centre and the public spirited nature of those evacuated has been praised by all agencies involved in the incident who said the Leominster community had pulled together and supported each other with many volunteering to help prepare food during the day.

Overnight and tomorrow fire fighters are due to remain at the scene of the fire to damp down.

Schools are due to open as normal tomorrow, and arrangements have been made to catch up on refuse collections missed today.

Missed domestic refuse collections from today will be picked up by contractors either tomorrow (Thurs) or Friday, or possibly Saturday.

Anyone who hasn’t had their refuse collected by end of play on Saturday is asked to retrieve it and put it back out for collection during the next couple of weeks.

The council’s contractors are aiming to catch up on missed trade waste collections by the end of the week if bags and bins are left accessible to the crews.

While the A49 at Leominster was re-opened earlier this afternoon, Southern Avenue remains closed to through traffic – workers needing access to businesses along this road will be allowed in through a cordon manned by firefighters.

Anyone in Leominster with concerns over their health are asked to telephone the out of hours number – 0330 1239309.

The incident involved a multi-agency response in Herefordshire and has been a good test for partners’ resilience and resources.

The organisations which have dealt with the incident are delighted with the efforts of staff and thank the community for their co-operation.
Posted : 17/06/2009 18:52:02

Leominster fire update – no 6 (1.30pm)
Herefordshire Council and NHS Herefordshire can confirm that the Minor Injuries Unit at Leominster Community Hospital has now reopened.
Posted : 17/06/2009 16:57:04

Leominster fire update – no 5
Herefordshire Council has announced that refuse collections in a number of areas have been affected by this morning’s fire in Leominster:

Refuse vehicles are parked in a depot within the cordoned off zone and therefore cannot be used.

The locations of collections which will not take place today are:

Round 15: Coddington, Wellington Heath, Stoney Cross, Westfields, Mathon

Round 16: Whitbourne, Tedstone Dalamere, Sapey Bridge, Hamish Park, Linley Green, Wofferwood Common, Stanford Bishop

Round 18: Bringsty Common, Brockhampton

Round 19
LEOMINSTER TOWN
Castlefields Waterworks Lane, Caradoc Drive, Conningsby Road and surrounding estate, South Street, Churchill Avenue, Holland Park, Westfields Walk, Sand Pits’ Newlands Road, Wharton, Brierly

Round 20: Lower Harpton, Bradnor Green, Huntington, Upper Hergest, Bredward, Kingswood, Chickward

Round 21: Almeley, Woonton, Weston, Lower Broxwood, Hurstley, Eccles Green

Round 22: Shobdon, Eardisland

Round 23: Kimbolton, Upper Hamnish, Puddlestone, Hatfield, Leyster

There will also be no collections of trade waste in Ledbury and the surrounding area, Shobdon and Eardisland. For these areas of Trade waste collections we will be catching up as soon as possible throughout the rest of the week including Saturday so please make sure your waste collection points are accessible during this time.

Plans to catch up on the missed collections will depend on when the council has access to its vehicles. Once this is known further information will be issued.
Posted : 17/06/2009 12:31:26

Leominster fire – bus service update (11.45 am)
Herefordshire Council can confirm that no bus services are being currently operated in the Leominster area by Lugg Valley Travel as they are unable to access the depot in Southern Avenue.

The following services are affected;

401,402, 403, 406 Leominster Town Services
426 Leominster - Marden - Hereford
491 Leintwardine - Leominster - Hereford
492 Ludlow - Leominster - Hereford
493 Leominster - Presteigne
495,496 Leominster - Kington
501 Leominster - Hereford
Posted : 17/06/2009 11:51:01

Leominster fire – 11.30am update
The fire at Leominster this morning has affected domestic and trade refuse collection rounds due to take place in a number of locations in the north of the county today.

The refuse collection vehicles are based in a depot at Southern Avenue which has been cordoned off due to the fire.

The extent of the disruption is not yet known – this will depend on when drivers can access the depot and drive the lorries out.

Further information on the affected refuse rounds will be given as soon as this is to hand.

Clinical waste and bulky waste collections are not affected.
Posted : 17/06/2009 11:36:34

Leominster fire – update 9am
Sorry, This update should have been posted before the 10am update!

Herefordshire Council has responded in several ways to the major fire at Leominster this morning:

The following schools are closed:

• Leominster Primary
• Leominster Junior
• Minster College
• Westfield Special School
• The Priory Pupil Referral Unit

Today's GCSE and A Level exams have been cancelled. The school will be in touch with the examination boards which have contingency plans to deal with these circumstances.

Lugg Valley Transport has a depot in Southern Avenue which it cannot access. As a result parents with pupils at the following schools will have to arrange alternative transport for their children this morning:

• Wigmore Primary
• Wigmore High
• Kingsland Primary

A rest centre was opened at Bridge Street Sports Centre in the town at 5am this morning.

Around 170-180 people have spent the early hours at the centre – they have been provided with cups of tea and breakfast.

The fire has affected Leominster Community Hospital; The Minor Injuries Unit and Outpatients departments are closed.

Anyone with a minor injury is being advised to attend the Accident and Emergency unit at the County Hospital in Hereford.
Posted : 17/06/2009 10:19:23

Leominster fire – road closures (10am)
Herefordshire Council can confirm that the A49 has been closed between the north roundabout - where the Fina Petrol Station is, and the Worcester Road roundabout as the road is lined with fire engines pumping water from the river.

The whole of Southern Avenue is closed from the Cemetery junction on the B4361, Hereford Road through to Worcester Road roundabout. Worcester Road itself in the town and up Etnam Street to the South Street junction is also closed.

Traffic from the A49 is being diverted through the town and down the B4361, Hereford Road to Cadbury roundabout to rejoin the A49.

Traffic wanting to go to Bromyard coming off the A49 at the north roundabout should follow the diversion through the town and down the B4361 to Cadbury's. They can then turn north back to the Worcester Road roundabout.
Posted : 17/06/2009 10:15:17

Herefordshire wins £2.4m for children and families
Herefordshire has successfully bid for £2.4 million to help bring together a wide range of services for children, young people and their families in a number of single sites across the county.

The bid was led by Herefordshire Council and the money, awarded by the Department for Children, Schools and Families, will be used to expand sites and facilities in Kington, Leominster, Bromyard, Hereford, Ross on Wye and Ledbury. The new sites will enable social workers, educational psychologists, education welfare officers, specialist teachers of visual or hearing impaired children, community police officers, youth workers, family support workers and others sharing facilities and working alongside each other.

The aim is to make it easier for people to access services by using existing public service sites that are well used and valued in local communities. Children and families, and the staff working with them will spend less time travelling as a result. Staff will be able to provide a much better service by being able to work together in buildings around the county.

The bid was made on behalf of Herefordshire Children’s Trust, a strategic partnership of agencies responsible for services for children and young people. A consultation on the project – called No Wrong Door – as been undertaken and views gathered to inform plans being prepared to carry the project forward.

Councillor Jenny Hyde, cabinet member for children’s services, said: “This is excellent news for Herefordshire as it means we can move forward with plans to revolutionise the way children’s services are delivered.

“Now we have some cash to spend over the next two years on developing existing sites, which will help us deliver what promises to be an ambitious programme.

“The No Wrong Door initiative is going to bring many positive changes to our children and their families. Many thanks to Chris Baird, assistant director of children’s services, who put this bid together so successfully.”

The money will be alongside other funding initiatives. These include the Primary Strategy for Change, which is a national government programme of investment for primary schools, and Building Schools for the Future, the scheme that aims to rebuild or renew every secondary school in England.
Posted : 16/06/2009 01:01:53

Building Excellence in Herefordshire
Following on from last year’s success at the Local Authority Building Control National Building Excellence Awards, Herefordshire Council’s building control team, in partnership with some of the region’s businesses, have enjoyed further success in the 2009 Awards.

Finalists and winners of the west of England regional awards were announced at a ceremony held recently in Bristol, where the Herefordshire Council building control team nominated 14 projects in total across the 11 categories available.

Of those nominated, nine of the projects made it onto the shortlist of finalists with three of these going on to win outright the award for their category.

Winners of the regional awards automatically qualify as finalists for the national awards to be held in London later this year where the finest achievements in construction across the UK will be honoured.

After the ceremony Herefordshire Council’s building control manager, Chris Jenner, said: “These awards represent the best of the best from the region, and to be selected as a finalist from the huge number of potential entries is a tremendous accolade in itself.

“All those involved can be rightly proud of their achievement. It really is great to see Herefordshire’s businesses and their work recognised at this level.”

Category Winners:

Best sustainable project: The eco-classroom - Lady Hawkins High School, Kington/Owen Pell Ltd/Herefordshire Council.
Best conversion to dwelling: Barns at Biddlestone Orchard – Langstone Build Ltd/Michael Keyse Architectural.
Best commercial building up to £1m: Orphans Press, Leominster – GP Thomas/David Taylor Consultants

Finalists:

Best conversion to dwelling: Ocle Mead, Ocle Pychard – Coleman Developments/Penelope Clayton Architectural/Alex Clive Design
Best housing; small developer: Four new dwellings at Yarpole – GP Thomas/McCartneys Design
Best commercial building up to £1m: Travelodge, Grafton – Barnwood Construction/Pyramid Design
Best commercial building up to £1m: Howton Farm – JA Shaw Building/Michael Keyse Architectural
Best social/affordable housing: Upper Marshes, Leominster – EG Carter/Walker Troup Architects
Best educational building: Sutton St Nicholas Primary School – Herefordshire Council
Posted : 11/06/2009 15:55:04

Herefordshire smokers warned on dodgy cigarettes
Smokers across Herefordshire are being warned they may be inhaling more than they bargained for if they buy dodgy cigs.

The Department of Health, with support from HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is launching a hard-hitting poster and radio advertising campaign highlighting some of the unpleasant ingredients that could be found in illicit tobacco products.

While the packaging looks almost identical to normal cigarettes, the contents are anything but, with research showing animal droppings, floor-sweepings, insects and even human waste have all been detected.

The poster campaign, which will be appearing in sites across the Midlands, show a man and woman smoking, but coming out of their mouth are examples of all the disgusting tasting things that go in to the dodgy cigs.

Paul Hooper, regional tobacco policy manager for the Department of Health West Midlands, said: “First and foremost, smoking tobacco of any kind is harmful to health. The NHS helps thousands of people quit smoking each year and when questioned some say they smoke dodgy cigarettes or tobacco that may have been smuggled into the country perhaps sold by ‘a man down the pub’ or in their workplace.

“They often say these cigarettes taste different, but it never occurs to them why. They often don’t realise just how unhygienic the conditions are in which they are made.

“Of course shop-bought tobacco is not a healthier option. It is better that people explore the help available to stop smoking altogether and save money that way, rather than seek out apparently cheaper alternatives.

“They might be cheap but they are a rip off.”

Selling dodgy cigarettes is also illegal and anyone caught dealing in their place of work could find themselves facing disciplinary action or even the sack, with the company also facing punishment.

Keith Morgan, Detection manager for HMRC said: “This is not an innocent or victimless crime but one that encourages otherwise honest people to trade with criminals. The illicit trade has a devastating impact on legitimate traders who have to compete against these cheap and unregulated goods.

More follows
“The gangs behind this form of criminality reap huge profits from cigarette sales which are ploughed straight back into the criminal underworld, feeding activities like drug dealing and fraud

He added: “We are keen to work closely with local people and communities in the fight against this type of crime. We would encourage anyone who knows of someone selling cheap or duty free cigarettes and tobacco from their house or place of work to contact the Customs hotline. ”

Posted : 08/06/2009 15:35:05

Residents get say on highways service
The public’s views on Herefordshire Council’s highways and transportation services will soon be compared with others across the country, thanks to the second annual National Highways and Transport (NHT) Network Public Satisfaction Survey.

Herefordshire Council is one of 77 local authorities to have signed up to a standardised survey that will ask members of the public exactly the same questions, whether they live in Herefordshire, Hertfordshire or Hampshire.

This second annual survey is the result of months of hard work between the National Highways and Transport (NHT) Network and a regional Highways Service Improvement Group and a number of Regional Improvement Efficiency Partnerships. It will allow local authorities to compare results, share in best practice and identify opportunities to work together in the future.

The questionnaire will be sent to a random sample of at least 4,500 Herefordshire residents this month (June) with local and national results expected to be published this summer. Since the survey is based on a sample, residents that receive a copy are being urged to take part.

Councillor Brian Wilvox, Herefordshire Council’s cabinet members for highways and transportation, said: “There are clear benefits to conducting a public survey in this way. As well as providing excellent value for money, it also enables everyone involved to identify areas of best practice and spot national, regional and local trends.

“This is not about producing a league table to champion one geographical area over another but it is about understanding customer views better and working together to deliver the best possible outcomes for local residents,

“The results will also allow us to better understand and respond to the views of the public,” he added

Posted : 08/06/2009 00:02:05

Council achieves budget targets again
Herefordshire Council has delivered another year of prudent financial management - coping with severe cost pressures on social care, larger winter road maintenance costs and increased homelessness to meet its budget targets.

The council balanced the books for the sixth year running and ended the 2008/09 financial year with an under spend of £249,000.

A large over spend in adult social care of £750,000, due to the growing numbers of older people in the county. Reductions in expenditure in many other areas ensured that the council did not have to use its reserves to cover the extra costs of providing social care for older people and vulnerable adults.

According to a report to the council’s cabinet today (Thursday 4 June) the authority faced increased bills on healthcare for people with learning disabilities; more expenditure on homecare and supported accommodation for older people; higher costs for providing temporary homes for homeless people; and extra measures to safeguard children. The economic downturn also saw reduced income on investments, on land charges, markets and parking.

The council also sustained an overspend on winter maintenance due to the need to keep primary roads open and ensure adequate supply of rock salt during one of the coldest winters for decades.

However, money was saved in several other areas to compensate, such as a wide range of efficiency savings in administrative functions, reduced transport costs, staff vacancies, commercial environmental health arrangements, an under spend in the waste management contract, property income, increased performance in managing benefits and managing the cost of external borrowing.

The council also refused to invest in Icelandic banks at a time when many local authorities were and avoided the serious financial exposure that is prompting cut backs in services in many other councils.

The report to cabinet proposes that the under spend of £249,000 be transferred to a contingency fund to help address future pressures on social care costs. The contingency will increase to £926,000 as a result.

The council holds general reserves of £6.39 million, which reflects an overall strong financial position in the face of continuing cost pressures on services.

In addition, the council’s final outturn on its capital budget also was well within target, totalling £48.05 million compared with the original budget of £57.9 million. The changes are due to amended timescales for the new livestock market and the corporate accommodation programme.

Major capital schemes in the last financial year included: £7.3 million on road and footpath maintenance, £3.2 million on the Ross flood alleviation scheme, £1.7 million for the new crematorium in Hereford, £4.6 million for the new secondary school in Leominster, £2 million for affordable housing grants, £2.1 million on the Rotherwas access road and £1 million to improve broadband services for schools.

“Herefordshire Council has a strong track record in prudent financial management and delivering value for money”, said Councillor Harry Bramer, cabinet member for resources. “Yet we face many unique pressures, such as our rapidly growing older population, the challenges of providing services across a large, sparsely populated and rural county, higher transport costs and very poor funding for education from central government.

“When you look outside our county, you can see many other local authorities have overspent, are slashing services, cutting jobs and grants and unable to meet their fiscal challenges. We have been able to avoid many of the pitfalls that have affected other authorities and continue to provide the care and support to the most vulnerable in our communities, that is our enduring focus and commitment”.

Posted : 04/06/2009 21:32:35

Herefordshire confirms first case of swine flu
NHS Herefordshire and Herefordshire Council have confirmed that the county has its first case of swine flu. A man recently returning from holiday in an affected area contacted the primary care trust out-of-hours service and is now responding well to treatment at home.

Director of public health Dr Akeem Ali has asked local people to remain vigilant and take all necessary hygiene measures to prevent the spread of swine flu. There are now 112 cases confirmed in the West Midlands region, and 428 confirmed cases in the UK.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) remains at level 5 today (4 June 2009) and the primary care trust, the council and the county hospital are prepared in case a pandemic (level 6) is declared.

Director of public health Dr Akeem Ali is Herefordshire’s lead on the issue.

“We have been expecting that we would eventually have cases of swine flu in Herefordshire and we are ready and planning for more.

“The man confirmed as having swine flu in Herefordshire, did exactly the right thing. When he was aware of possible symptoms, he did not go out but telephoned our out-of-hours service and identified a ‘flu friend’ who was able to get food and medication for him. The person is now responding well to anti-viral treatment and we wish to reassure people that Herefordshire has plans in place to deal with any outbreak. In the meantime everyone should please continue to take a few simple steps at home, at work or at school to maintain good respiratory and hand hygiene. Always use a tissue to catch your sneezes, throw away used tissues where germs can linger and regularly wash your hands”.

A Public Health Incident Team was established in Herefordshire in April, together with a Swine Flu Incident Room and a Herefordshire Flu Helpline, which will be activated in the event of a pandemic. Both the primary care trust and the council have identified staff who can be switched from their normal duties to support preparations, such as staffing the flu line and helping to manage the distribution of anti viral medicine if necessary, while ensuring that the other usual health and council services are maintained.

In Herefordshire, there have been updates to raise awareness of a possible swine flu case and information has gone to community groups, schools, youth clubs, residential homes, businesses, GP surgeries, dentists and pharmacists.

Residents are reminded that the Department of Health has a Swine Flu Information Line – 0800 1513513 - which contains pre-recorded messages giving background to the disease and what we can all do to prevent its spread. It will refer callers who need more assistance to NHS Direct. The Department of Health has distributed swine flu information leaflets, as part of a national door drop, but people can obtain further copies of the leaflets by downloading them from www.direct.gov.uk/swineflu.

The council and the primary care trust are making translations of the flu leaflets available on their web sites to help migrant and seasonal workers stay healthy too.

Information for public can be found on: www.nhs.uk and www.hpa.org.uk - as well as on the council’s website www.herefordshire.gov.uk and the primary care trust web site http://www.herefordshire.nhs.uk

The advice is, if you have come back from one of the affected countries, and have flu like symptoms, stay at home and call your GP or NHS Direct on 0845 4647.

There are simple steps that people and their families should take to help prevent catching colds and flu:

1. Cover your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing, using a tissue.
2. Dispose of dirty tissues promptly and carefully.
3. Maintain good basic hygiene - wash hands often with soap and water to reduce the spread of the virus from your hands to face or to other people.
4. Clean hard surfaces (e.g. door handles) often using a normal cleaning product
5. Make sure your children follow this advice.

Schools and other children’s services are expected to be operating as usual at present and have been alerted to additional guidance on planning for, and responding to, pandemic flu. Schools and other children’s or young people’s services are asked to download and display the government flu leaflet on notice boards. Higher and further educations colleges will not be advised to close even during a pandemic.

Posted : 04/06/2009 16:50:37

New livestock market plans up for consultation
Herefordshire Council is holding a public planning consultation event next week for the new livestock market, which is proposed for construction later this year on a new site along the Roman Road in Hereford.

Local people are invited to see the plans at Stretton Sugwas Primary School on the evening of Wednesday 10 June, from 5.30pm to 8pm. A new, modern, environmentally friendly market is proposed to the north west of Hereford, between the Bobblestock area of the city and the village of Stretton Sugwas. The plans will be considered by the council’s main planning committee later this month.

The relocation of the livestock market will release prime development land on the current 7.9-acre site near the centre of the city. The council is committed to supporting the farming industry, which is experiencing its best trading for over ten years and strong demand for locally produced livestock.

The new market will contain a 7,250-square-metre covered building with a sheep ring and cattle ring, with loading docks, parking spaces, wash stations, offices, a café, welfare areas, and landscaping. The site is open, level and although away from main settlements, is easily accessed with good transport links for the delivery of livestock from the most used directions. A new access road junction will be constructed on the Roman Road and a new road built onto the site.

Herefordshire Council sees the new livestock market as a key element in promoting the county’s farming heritage alongside the local economy. There are also proposals to restore and promote Hereford’s Buttermarket as a centre for locally produced food and drink; the moving of the traditional retail market to the city centre; the promotion of farmers’ markets and a ‘your county needs you’ food campaign to put more local produce on menus and dinner plates across Herefordshire.

Posted : 02/06/2009 16:13:22

Traffic reduced to single way at bridge on A44
Herefordshire Council has reduced traffic on the A44 at Eaton Bridge, near Leominster, to single way working controlled by traffic lights.

The decision follows a routine bridge inspection carried out by engineers on Wednesday, May 27, which raised concerns over safety at the bridge.

Traffic is restricted to single way at Eaton Bridge which is on the A44 road to Worcester, just east of the junction with the A49 near Leominster.

The restriction is to reduce the traffic loading on the bridge, as a precautionary measure, while engineers carry out further more detailed inspections and assessments. Concerns are over erosion to the bed of the river at the bridge.

It is anticipated that the restriction will be in place for six to eight weeks.

Posted : 28/05/2009 16:46:55

Chance to explore fashion in age of Austen
Places are still available on a Herefordshire Council run workshop which will explore fashion in the age of author Jane Austen.

The novels of Jane Austen have been brought to life in countless film and television adaptations, making them some of the most watched and read stories of all time. But how did the costume designers re-create the Regency fashions of the era for the screen?

A special workshop being held over six sessions at Herefordshire Council’s Museum, Resource and Learning, will be using Austen’s novels and personal correspondence as a basis for exploring the fashions of the time.

The sessions will be on June 4, June 11, June 25, July 2, July 9 and July 16.

A range of other sources will also be referred to, including original garments of the period from the museum’s own collection.

Althea Mackenzie, Herefordshire Council’s collections officer for costumes and textiles, said: “Many of our most popular costume dramas are based on stories from Jane Austen and this workshop will look at why these fashions were so popular.

“To take part, students do not need an in-depth knowledge of Austen’s writings, just an interest in the period and fashions of the time,” she added.

People interested in the Austen period are also being offered a chance to construct their own Regency gown or bodice based on originals in the Museum Resource and Learning Centre’s collection.

In the two sessions, being held on Saturday, July 25 and Sunday, July 26, people will be able to cut a pattern and make a toile that
can then be adapted to their own gown design.

For further details and to make bookings contact Althea Mackenzie on 01432 383033 or email amackenzie@herefordshire.gov.uk

Posted : 27/05/2009 20:46:30

Perry visits the University of the Great Outdoors
Perry Macarthy, the original Stig from Top Gear, visited Hampton Court to participate in the 2009 UGO event.

The second event was held on May Day Bank Holiday when more than 4,500 visitors were gathered to enjoy taster sessions of 26 activities on offer in the county.

Now in its second year, the aim of the event was to raise the profile of the range of activities on offer in Herefordshire and to encourage visitors to try out a new activity.

The range of activities included a 250m zip line; bungee running; golf; fishing; archery, canoeing; paintballing; pony trekking and many more. For the less strenuous there was Tai Chi; pottery; rug making; greenwood working and natural health treatments.

Perry Macarthy was enthused by the whole event and he commented: “The event was fantastic with so many people enjoying themselves during the whole weekend. The idea of offering taster sessions for a whole range of activities was great and so many people participated to receive their ‘degree’ from the University of the Great Outdoors.”

Jane Lewis, Herefordshire Council’s tourism, food and marketing manager, said: “We hope to continue to hold an annual UGO event in the county, to attract more visitors to the county to enjoy what we have to offer in this wonderful county.

“Visit Herefordshire is committed to developing new tourism initiatives for the county and to raise its profile within the UK and Europe as an active destination to visit”.

The event won a Highly Commended in the Heart of England Excellence in Tourism Awards – Best Tourism Experience in 2008.

For further information please visit www.visitherefordshire.co.uk.

Posted : 18/05/2009 22:27:00

Young people invited to help build new school
Herefordshire Council is inviting 14-19 year olds from across the county to get involved with the building of a new state of the art school in Leominster.

The Minster College is currently in the process of being rebuilt and Stepnell Limited has been appointed to undertake the work. Working with the council, Stepnell is offering young people from all high schools and colleges a number of work experience opportunities to give the pupils a unique opportunity to get involved in the design and build of what promises to be an outstanding school building for Leominster.

The construction industry involves a vast number of professions, and the work experience available can be in any of these areas. For example, as well as the more traditional professions associated with construction like brick laying, carpentry, engineering, utilities installation, a project of this size will need designers, both interior and exterior, project managers, business support, IT experts and environmentalists.

On offer is a choice of one full week’s work experience or a work shadowing scheme where the students spends a day a week on the project over a specified period of time. In addition one day or half day site visits can be arranged together with a talk from the contractor on specific curriculum areas.

And teaching staff can also spend time at the project on placements which encourage them to get up to speed with the construction industry.

Laura Bentley, 14-19 co-ordinator at Herefordshire Council, said, “Stepnell is providing this wonderful opportunity for our young people as part of the company’s plans to involve the local community and encourage future construction workers.

“This is particularly good for those preparing to go into the construction industry, but can also provide lots of opportunities for others too. It’s a great chance for young people to try different jobs out like project management, design and planning for environmental sustainability. Students can learn first hand what their chosen profession is really like in a proper business environment, and decide whether it’s really for them.”

Anyone interested should contact Laura Bentley on 01432 260419.

Posted : 18/05/2009 22:25:55

Judging Herefordshire's food standards
The 2009 'Flavours of Herefordshire' awards scheme has taken another massive step up the food chain, following the announcement that three of its judges for this year's competition will be former NFU President Sir Ben Gill; former Times journalist Jane Wheatley; and the Chair of Herefordshire NFU, David Morgan.

Now in its eleventh year, 'Flavours of Herefordshire' is one of the longest-running schemes in the UK, and both recognises and rewards the use-and-promotion of local produce.

As well as being one of the longest-running, the scheme is also one of the very best examples of how an area of Britain can celebrate its regional flavours – and it is widely recognised as being responsible for raising standards of quality and service throughout the county since its inception.

Sir Ben Gill – who will be chairman of the judging panel and will also judge this year's "Best Producer" category – is already a keen advocate of the Flavours of Herefordshire scheme.

"The last half of the twentieth Century saw a marked change both in the way that we eat and the food that we buy,” he said.

"Today, we buy more ready prepared meals, and the American trend to build urban apartments without kitchens threatens some of the bigger cities. Yet if we cannot associate with the food we buy, or understand the source of the food in the first place, we may be unable to address the global problems around the food that we are being presented with.

“We may know the price of the globally sourced cheapest product that we buy in our local supermarket, but do we know the real value to us as part of our diet?

"The 2009 Flavours of Herefordshire awards aim to recognise the work that is being done within the county by local food producers and users to boost the use of local food and begin to address the ignorance that has built up in recent decades between the source of the food and the consumer. At the same time it will identify and recognise the best local practice in reducing the carbon footprint of our food by local sourcing as well as adding to the quality of the fresh produce that we eat by shortening the journey time.

"In these difficult and uncertain times having confidence in the food that we buy and eat could never be of greater importance. The Flavours of Herefordshire awards sets out to promote best practice for local businesses and local consumers."

The eleventh annual 'Flavours' competition will reach its conclusion on Friday, October 23rd, on the eve of the 2009 Herefordshire Food Festival.

The full list of categories for the 2009 Flavours of Herefordshire competition is featured at www.visitherefordshire.co.uk.

Entry forms for the competition can also be downloaded from the website or by telephoning 01432 383068.

Posted : 18/05/2009 22:22:57

Chance to walk every inch of the way
Tickets are still available for a series of nine walks being held each day of this year’s Herefordshire Walking Festival.

The walks – called Every Inch of the Way – offer people the chance to cover every part of the Mortimer Trail and its five loops, incorporating other footpaths and lanes to create eight circular walks and one linear walk, at a more leisurely pace than the main trail which is being covered over three days.

Walks can be booked individually for any of the days or people can choose to do two or more of them. They will always move forward along the main Mortimer Trail.

The walks cost £10 for adults, £7 for a child on Saturday, June 13. The other walks from Sunday, June 14 to Sunday, June 21 are £3 adult and children free.

Jane Lewis, Herefordshire Council’s tourism, food and marketing manager, said: “All of these walks are fantastic on their own and can also be combined so people get the chance to sample some of Herefordshire’s finest Mortimer country.

“Some people find the long walk over three days to be too strenuous so we hope these shorter walks will appeal to them. They will be able to visit some of the county’s finest villages such as Yarpole, Wigmore and Shobdon, and enjoy some fine dining along the way,” she added.

Tickets are also available for other walks throughout the festival from June 13 until June 21.

For further information, telephone the Festival Booking Office on 01568 797842 or log onto the website at www.visitherefordshire.co.uk

Posted : 14/05/2009 13:00:31

Hi-tech and free at Herefordshire libraries
Need to do some research for that project but don’t know where to start? Then why not come along to one of Herefordshire Council’s run libraries which have recently been fitted with new PCs and also offer a wealth of access to online reference sites – and all for free.

All people need to do to take advantage of this free service is make sure they join up to their local library.

People will not only be able to use the Internet for free but they can also access many reference sites which normally charge for free.

These sites include Ancestry Online where people can get help with tracing family trees, Encyclopaedia Britannica, Grove Art Online and Grove Music Online which offer a wealth of information about artists and composers, Oxford Reference Online and Who’s Who.

Other sites available for free by Herefordshire Library users are Findgroups which helps people find voluntary and community organisations in the county, Issues Online, Know UK, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford English Dictionary, People’s Network and The Times Digital Archive.

Once people have a library card, they can also access these services from their own computer, safe in the knowledge that the information on these sites is accurate and from a trustworthy academic source.

James Anthony, Herefordshire Council’s principal libraries officer, said: “Many people do not realise they can access this wide variety of sites for free just by joining the library. If they want to research or do their homework in the library, they will also find plenty of books to help them but the beauty of these sites is that they are extremely reliable sources and can be accessed from any computer.

“We are also allowing people to use their own USB devices on computers in libraries so they can easily take their research home or to school and college and continue working on it,” he added.

To join Herefordshire Libraries, just fill in a form at your local library and, if used regularly, your card will be valid for life.

Posted : 13/05/2009 22:58:29

Calling All Ex Young Farmers
For the 65th year of the Herefordshire Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs we want to start archiving the HFYFC memorabilia.

Do you have any old photos, cinefilms, videos, newspaper cuttings or yearbooks ?

If you do, please drop any information into the YFC office.

Please, if possible, provide dates, names and any other information about the photo.

For any further information then please contact

Boo Davies on 01544 327599 or Annabelle Sankey on 01544 230650.

For full details about the County Rally visit www.hfyfc.org.uk or contact the County Office on 01432 274187.

Posted : 13/05/2009 01:37:10

£1.1m cash boost for outdoor play
Children across the county are to benefit from a £1.1million boost to outdoor play thanks to Herefordshire Council.

The council has successfully obtained the funding from the Department for Children, Families and Schools under the Playbuilder scheme, to improve 22 play areas for 8-13 year olds in local communities over the next two years.

Rather than swings, slides and more traditional equipment, the fund will be used to create exciting innovative play areas that will facilitate play in the natural environment. The emphasis is on making the most of the county’s green spaces by creating play opportunities for children which are challenging and allow them to take risks. A range of exciting play equipment will be installed in response to local children’s requests and more natural features such as logs, mounds and boulders might also be used.

Eleven projects have been identified for this year. They are:

Roman Park, Credenhill
Bromyard Recreation Ground
Peterchurch Recreation Ground
Bye Street, Recreation Ground, Ledbury
Crooked Well Meadow, Kington
Dean Hill, Ross on Wye
The Grange, Leominster
Sydonia, Leominster
King George V Playing Fields, Herefordshire
Northolme, Belmont
Prospect Walk, Hereford

Local communities will be consulted to find out what children want in these particular areas before ideas are presented to them for further consideration. Parish and Town councils are being contacted, together with local councillors to encourage their involvement.

Councillor Jenny Hyde, cabinet member for children’s services, said: “This is great news for Herefordshire and provides us with an opportunity to create some exciting places for children to play in.

“Children in Herefordshire have told us that they want to play more adventurously and be free to enjoy themselves in the natural environment, which is why we welcome the focus of this funding to allow greater access to ‘natural’ play. This will encourage children to get outside and enjoy themselves freely with their friends, use their imaginations and be physically challenged – all important aspects of a child’s development.”

Herefordshire Council will shortly be inviting expressions of interest from community groups for eleven more projects to run from 2010 to 2011, so anyone with any ideas needs to start working on them now. Each project has to focus on 8-13 year olds, provide a wide range of play experiences and be committed to providing open-ended adventurous play in a stimulating environment for all children, regardless of their background or ability.

The first eleven projects have to be up and running by April 2010 so preliminary meetings with local communities will begin taking place within the next few weeks.

Further information is available from Tobin Godfrey on 01432 260000 tgodfrey@herefordshire.gov.uk

Posted : 12/05/2009 21:14:52

School children raise funds for guide dogs
Thousands of Herefordshire school children are getting ready to join in this year’s Walk to School Week which takes place from 18-22 May 2009.

The theme is Walking Together and Herefordshire Council has joined forces with other authorities in the West Midlands to work with the Guide Dogs for Blind charity, encouraging schools to raise enough cash to sponsor a guide dog puppy.

Resource packs are being provided for schools which contain lesson plans, activities, DVDs and sponsorship envelopes for those who wish to raise funds. This year’s theme aims to encourage children to walk to school with their parents and friends. The partnership with the charity will help children to understand the problems which walking can pose to anyone who uses a guide dog.

Schools raising £250 or more can sponsor a guide dog puppy, give it a name and receive regular pupdates showing how their puppy’s training is progressing.

Fortyeight schools are taking part in Walk to School Week; seven of them will be raising money for guide dogs and receiving assembly visits from puppies and their walkers.*

Linda Sinker, Herefordshire Council, said: “We’re delighted to be working with Guide Dogs for the Blind this year as it brings an extra dimension to the campaign.

“Walk to School Week is a great opportunity to help children learn about the importance of keeping fit and healthy and highlight the benefits of walking to school wherever possible. The aim is to show children that it can be fun too and encourage them to continue walking to school once the week-long campaign is over.”

Guide Dogs for the Blind, in conjunction with Herefordshire Council has provided activity booklets for children, stickers, posters and badges for each participating child.

Children who are not able to walk to school because they live too far away are also being encouraged to join in the week by encouraging their parents to park ten minutes walk away and allowing the children to walk the rest of the journey. Children who travel by bus or taxi can also take part by walking around the playground or field at break or lunchtime to earn their sticker.

*Schools participating in the guide dog scheme are:

Leominster Junior School
Marlbrook Primary School, Hereford
Ashfield Park, Ross on Wye
Weobley Primary School
Ledbury Primary School
Lord Scudamore Primary School, Hereford
St Martin’s Primary School, Hereford


Posted : 08/05/2009 18:25:29

It might be pants, but it could save your life
NHS Herefordshire is stepping up its campaign to encourage women aged between 25 and 39 to get their cervical screening undertaken every three years.

Everyone knows that cervical screening (a smear test) is not particularly nice, but cervical screening saves one life in our region every day. Cervical cancer affects women of all ages but is most common in women aged 30 to 45. Women aged between 25 and 49 are invited for cervical screening every three years and women aged 50 to 64 are invited every five years. The invitation comes to their home in the form of a letter and they are given the choice of where they go for the test. Results are then posted back to their home address.

Janey Lyons, NHS Herefordshire, said: ”The test is very simple and only takes about five minutes. It’s done in private at your doctors surgery or local health clinic, and you can ask to see a female doctor or nurse.

“It’s so quick and easy, yet if anything is found in the test, it can usually be treated quickly and painlessly before it develops into something potentially life threatening.”

Prior to the events surrounding Jade Goodie, the number of women taking up their cervical screening offer in Herefordshire was below target, but since Jade’s well publicised illness and subsequent death, the number has risen.

The primary care trust in Herefordshire is eager to build on this surge of activity and has joined forces with other health providers in the midlands to run an eye-catching poster campaign What’s pants, but could save your life? The poster encourages women to contact their doctor or Gaol Street health clinic and make sure their tests are up to date.

Posted : 08/05/2009 18:22:23

Swine Flu - Situation in Herefordshire
NHS Herefordshire and Herefordshire Council have asked local people to remain vigilant and take all necessary hygiene measures to prevent the spread of swine flu. At present there are no confirmed cases of the infection in the county, although there have been cases in neighbouring Worcestershire and Gloucestershire.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) remains at level 5 today (5 May 2009) and the primary care trust, the council and the county hospital are prepared in case a pandemic (level 6) is declared.

A Public Health Incident Team was established on Monday last week (27 April 2009). A Swine Flu Incident Room and a Herefordshire Flu Helpline is set up at NHS Herefordshire’s offices in Hereford and these will be activated in the event of a pandemic. Both the primary care trust and the council have begun to switch staff from their normal duties to support preparations, such as staffing the flu line and helping to manage the distribution of anti viral medicine, while ensuring that the other usual health and council services are maintained.

Director of public health Dr Akeem Ali is Herefordshire’s lead on the issue.

“In Herefordshire, it is important that we do not become complacent”, he said. “There is so much that is not yet known about the virus and how it spreads, so we must continue to be prepared for a possible pandemic, whilst hoping for the best. Everyone can continue to take a few simple steps at home, at work or at school to maintain good respiratory and hand hygiene. Always use a tissue to catch your sneezes, throw away used tissues where germs can linger and regularly wash your hands”.

In Herefordshire, the authorities have been sending out regular updates to community groups, schools, youth clubs, residential homes, businesses, GP surgeries, dentists and pharmacists.

The Department of Health has launched a Swine Flu Information Line – 0800 1513513 - which contains pre-recorded messages giving background to the disease and what we can all do to prevent its spread. It will refer callers who need more assistance to NHS Direct

Everyone in Herefordshire will shortly receive a swine flu information leaflet, as part of a national door drop, which is expected to take place from now, with 17 May being the final date for the entire distribution. People can get copies of the leaflets immediately, however, by downloading them from www.direct.gov.uk/swineflu. GPs have been asked to download copies of the leaflets and display them in their surgeries.

The council and the primary care trust are making translations of the flu leaflets available on their web sites to help migrant and seasonal workers stay healthy too.

To keep the public informed a mass public health campaign has started with TV and radio. The adverts remind people of the measures they can take to contain the spread of swine flu.

Information for public can be found on: www.nhs.uk and www.hpa.org.uk - as well as on the council’s website www.herefordshire.gov.uk and the primary care trust web site http://www.herefordshire.nhs.uk

The advice is, if you have come back from Mexico or one of the affected countries, and have flu like symptoms, stay at home and call your GP or NHS Direct on 0845 4647.

There are simple steps that people and their families should take to help prevent catching colds and flu:

1. Cover your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing, using a tissue.
2. Dispose of dirty tissues promptly and carefully.
3. Maintain good basic hygiene - wash hands often with soap and water to reduce the spread of the virus from your hands to face or to other people.
4. Clean hard surfaces (e.g. door handles) often using a normal cleaning product
5. Make sure your children follow this advice.

Public events within the county are expected to go ahead as planned – such as the Hay Festival. The government is not advising avoidance of mass gatherings and there are no restrictions in place. However, NHS Herefordshire stresses that it is important that people attending events should continue to take the hygiene measures designed to protect everyone from the virus, including washing their hands frequently and covering their mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing. The position will be reviewed if the situation changes.

Preparations for holding local and European elections will proceed as planned. This will be kept under review in liaison with EU partners.

Schools and other children’s services are expected to be operating as usual at present and have been alerted to additional guidance on planning for, and responding to, pandemic flu. Schools and other children’s or young people’s services are asked to download and display the government flu leaflet on notice boards. Higher and further educations colleges will not be advised to close even during a pandemic.

Local businesses can obtain more specific advice from www.businesslink.gov.uk - which signposts to relevant guides on developing continuity plans. The Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform website also has good information on www.berr.gov.uk

Posted : 05/05/2009 13:37:15

Work to improve county’s roads
Herefordshire Council and its partner Amey are about to commence this year’s surface dressing programme to the county’s roads.

Surface dressing is a cost effective way of restoring and preserving road surfaces. It involves a coating of bitumen being sprayed onto the road surface followed by one or more layers of hard stone chippings. As the bitumen sets, the chippings stick to the road surface and are further embedded by rolling in.

The process is rapid, compared to many other surfacing techniques and avoids lengthy closures and disruption to road users.

However, drivers do need to travel very slowly on the newly laid surface to prevent chippings being dislodged and signs will be in place telling motorists to slow down.

Inconsiderate drivers travelling above the recommended speed cause chippings to be thrown up which can damage vehicles, property and, most importantly, people.

The work coincides with the planned grass cutting programme which is carried out to ensure overgrown verges do not cause visibility problems for motorists.

Richard Ball, Assistant Director Environment and Culture, said: “This work is a necessary and essential part of our annual road maintenance programme and I would ask motorists to be patient when travelling along roads where surface dressing is being carried out.

“We will also be taking many measures to reduce inconvenience to motorists by providing advisory and warning signs,” he added.

Posted : 05/05/2009 13:33:57

Council recognises the value of foster care
Herefordshire Council has introduced a new fee system for foster carers which will help professionalise their roles, provide a better career structure and pay more to reflect the value of the work they do.

Herefordshire’s fostering allowances needed to be revised as they had fallen below the national average. Earlier this year, the government launched new training standards to professionalise the service. Herefordshire Council agreed to use the standards to underpin a new fee structure which reflected skills and competencies.

This has resulted in an increase in allowances for children placed in foster care and higher fees for their carers, provided they undertake the training required. The first level, level one, requires carers to undertake mandatory training in diversity, safeguarding and first aid, then choose one more workshop from a selection available.

Councillor Jenny Hyde, cabinet member for children’s service, said: “Fostering is a challenging but incredibly rewarding job. It requires a very special kind of person to become a foster carer and make a real difference to children’s lives.

“The council is keen to provide support and recognition for local carers. We want Herefordshire children to be placed with Herefordshire carers so that children can stay in their existing school and retain as much normality in their lives as possible.”

“The work our foster carers do is invaluable which is why we were keen to make sure that the revised payment system reflected their skills and gave them the opportunity for career progression too. Some of our older children can be very challenging because of their life experiences, requiring their carers to have considerable experience, skills and understanding. Having a tiered fee system allows us to recognise these additional skills.”

The new allowances paid by Herefordshire Council are, for the first time, in excess of the government’s recommended rates. They vary according to the age of the child and experience of the carers. For example, a level one carer looking after a 5-10 year old would receive around £216 a week plus free Halo leisure membership for carer and child, help with transport, holidays and clothing allowances. A level three carer looking after a 16-17 year old would receive around £375 a week plus other benefits.

Anyone interested in fostering should ring 01432 383478. Training and support is provided.

Posted : 01/05/2009 14:48:09

Spring-cleaners urged to put clutter to good use
Herefordshire Council is encouraging residents busy with their annual spring clean to think twice about what they throw out.

People working hard to spruce up their properties with a spot of decorating or those getting rid of some clutter are being urged to put their unwanted items to good use to help the environment.

All across Herefordshire there are many voluntary or community organisations that will gladly take unwanted items, still in good condition, such as furniture, electrical appliances, bicycles and paint. They are then made available to other people in the area.

Re-using valuable resources in this way can help reduce the amount of waste we send to landfill and help support good causes.

Councillor John Jarvis, Herefordshire Council’s cabinet member for the environment and strategic housing, said: "Many people choose this time of year to tidy, improve their homes and organise belongings. Taking a little time to think about how you could put your unwanted items to good use can help in a big way when it comes to reducing the amount of waste we send to landfill."

A leaflet containing details of the county’s local re-use organisations is available from the council. Alternatively, residents can try offering their unwanted items on the internet by using the Freecycle website, a local Freecycle group can be found at www.freecycle.org

People interested in finding out more about re-use initiatives should call 01905 766883 or visit www.wastemissionimpossible.org.uk

Posted : 28/04/2009 21:50:10

Come and have a go at UGO
Herefordshire is hosting the second “University of the Great Outdoors” event on May 3 and 4 at Hampton Court, Nr Leominster. Last year the two day event attracted more than 3,500 visitors and was voted a top outdoor event by participants and organisers and awarded Highly Commended at the regional Tourism in Excellence awards in 2008.

The event is held to raise awareness of the range of different activities on offer in Herefordshire and visitors are encouraged to have a go at over 24 different activities including paintballing, horse riding, Sky Trek, bungee running, fishing and laser clay shooting. Perry “the original Stig” Macarthy will be at Hampton Court on both days to join the crowds in having a go.

“The county has plenty to offer the active visitor and Visit Herefordshire is keen to share that secret and become the UK’s University of the Great Outdoors.” said Jane Lewis, tourism, food and marketing manager for Visit Herefordshire.

This is one of many projects being undertaken by Visit Herefordshire to promote the Great Outdoors, including the annual Walking Festival 13th – 21st June 2009 with over 60 walks over nine days throughout the county. The Walking Festival, now in its seventh year attracts 1,500 visitors to the county.

The outdoor theme continues with the golf short breaks packages, a new project for Visit Herefordshire, that was launched last year. The packages offer accommodation and opportunities to play golf at over 15 different golf courses.

To find out more about University of the Great Outdoors contact Visit Herefordshire on 01432 260621
www.visitherefordshire.co.uk

Posted : 27/04/2009 17:52:22

Chance to discover Mortimer Country in depth
Herefordshire Walking Festival, running from June 13 to 21 2009, offers ten days of unrivalled opportunities to discover the countryside of Herefordshire, in the company of experts on butterflies and birds, archaeology, local lore, history and heritage, with plenty of time to enjoy the delicious home produced food and drink and simply to stand and stare.

The Mortimer Trail is the featured walk this year and although the three linear sections are fully booked, each day a section of the Trail is explored and expanded into the surrounding landscape with all its ancient features and stories.

Every Inch of the Way is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to discover Mortimer Country in depth and tickets still remain for most of these loop walks.

Family walks are featured at the weekend and even here the Mortimers are not forgotten – ‘Monumental Mortimers’ wanders through the village of Wigmore & its castle, answering Who? Why? When? and What was medieval life like?

There is a walk for toddlers upwards in the grounds of the National Trust’s Brockhampton Estate and ‘Wild Play’ on Ewyas Harold Common. Even the chance to take a friendly llama for a walk around the Golden Valley.

Just email tourismmatters@herefordshire.gov.uk for your copy of the programme or visit www.walkingfestival.com from where you can buy your tickets.

Posted : 27/04/2009 12:35:42

New Bed and Breakfast added to leominster.co.uk
Today we have added details of Staunton House bed and breakfast to the Where To Stay section of the Leominster website.

For details of places to stay in Leominster and the surrounding area see Leominster hotels and bed and breakfast accommodation
Posted : 20/04/2009 22:43:53

Off the Page events celebrate Adult Learners Week
Off the Page, a week of practical, fun sessions on the theme of paper, books and tales is running in Herefordshire Council's libraries and museums from May 11th to 16th.

The events include a writing workshop using images from Herefordshire's library and museum collections, the chance for people to try their hand at papermaking, book making and calligraphy and a pleasant evening walk around Leominster and Ross with tales and stories along the route.

Sarah Chedgzoy, Herefordshire Council's principal officer for young people and learning, said: “These special events have been organised to coincide with Adult Learners Week 2009 and people will have an opportunity to learn a new skill, discover something about the place they live in, and have fun.

“We also want to remind people that libraries are welcoming community spaces offering free internet access and information to support people's work, learning and leisure while museums are inspirational community spaces that offer visitors opportunities for recreation and learning,” she added.

All sessions are free but booking is essential. For more information visit your local library or telephone 01432 260731.

Programme of events

Monday May 11
Faces and Places
A writing workshop discovering and reinventing the stories behind some of the wonderful images in the Herefordshire's Heritage and Library collections
10am – 12pm
Museum Resource & Learning Centre
58 Friars Street
Hereford
HR4 0AS
The workshop is led by Sally Givertz
Places limited. To book, phone Museum Resource & Learning Centre 01432 383595

Monday May 11
Ross Tales Walk
An evening walk that brings Ross's past back to life with stories and tales
7pm – 8.30pm
The walk is led by Mary Sinclair Powell and starts from
Market House Heritage Centre
Market Place
Ross on Wye
HR9 5HD
To book a place, phone the Market House Heritage Centre 01432 260675

Monday May 11
Create a Concertina Book
7-9pm
Leominster Library
8 Buttercross
Leominster
HR6 8BN
The workshop is led by Guy Begbie
To book phone Leominster Library 01432 383290

Tuesday May 12
Marches Scribes Workshop
An opportunity to try your hand at creating beautiful writing
10am – 12pm
Hereford Library Woolhope Room
Broad Street
Hereford
HR4 9AU
The workshop is led by Marches Scribes
Places limited. To book, phone Hereford Library 01432 383600

Wednesday May 13
Faces and Places
A writing workshop discovering and reinventing the stories behind some of the wonderful images in the Herefordshire's Heritage and Library collections
2pm – 4pm
Burgage Hall
Church Street
Ledbury
HR8 1DW
The workshop is led by Sally Givertz
Places limited. To book, phone Ledbury Library 01531 632133

Wednesday May 13
Book Doctor
A hands-on, practical workshop showing you how to take care of your books. From antique first editions to the old favourite that is suffering from being read too much.
2-4pm
Museum Resource & Learning Centre
58 Friars Street
Hereford
HR4 OAS
The workshop is lead by Liz Bowerman from Herefordshire Record Office.
Places limited. To book, phone Museum Resource & Learning Centre 01432 383595

Thursday May 14
Papermaking
It's fun, quick and easy to make your own handmade paper. Come and have a go at our hands-on workshop with Lisa Pendlebury. All materials provided but bring an apron if you have one.

10am – 12pm
The Bromyard Centre
Cruxwell Street
Bromyard
HR7 4EB

2pm – 4pm
Belmont Community Centre
Eastholme Avenue
Belmont
Hereford
HR2 7UQ

Places Limited.
To book, phone The Bromyard Centre 01432 260280
Belmont Library 01432 383295

Thursday May 14
Leominster Tales Walk
An evening walk that brings Leominster's past back to life with stories and tales
7pm – 8.30pm
The walk is led by Peter Holliday and starts from
Leominster Library
8 Buttercross
Leominster
HR6 8BN
To book a place, phone Leominster Library 01432 383290

Friday May 15
Bookmaking with Lisa Pendlebury
Learn some easy techniques to start making your own simple books. All materials provided for this make and take workshop. We will also look at how you can use the books for diaries and journals
1.30 – 3.30pm
The Kington Centre
64 Bridge Street
Kington
Herefordshire
HR5 3DJ
Places Limited. To book, phone The Kington Centre 01432 260600

Saturday May 16
Marches Scribes Workshop
An opportunity to try your hand at creating beautiful writing
1.30pm – 3.30pm
Ross Library
Cantilupe Road
Ross-on-Wye
Herefordshire
HR9 7AN
The workshop is led by Marches Scribes
Places limited. To book, phone Ross Library 01432 383280

Posted : 14/04/2009 15:15:34

Walking is the new folk rock and roll
Herefordshire Walking Festival is offering a chance for people to walk in the footsteps of folk legend John Jones during this year’s annual event which runs from Saturday, June 13th until Sunday, June 21st.

Jones of the legendary folk rock legends Oysterband, now lives in Herefordshire, and for his new Feet Don’t Fail Me Now tour will be walking to each of the venues, taking in some of the county’s wonderful countryside.

He said: “Walking is definitely the new rock and roll for me now I that have moved to this part of the county which has some of the most stunning countryside I have ever seen.

“The tour has given me a chance to more fully explore this countryside and I would urge anyone who loves walking to get tickets for this year’s walking festival,” he added.

John is walking from Hay-on-Wye to Titley in Herefordshire on Friday, May 22 where Oysterband will be giving a concert at the village hall.

He will then be walking from Titley to Leominster on Saturday, May 23 to give a concert at The Blue Note and walks on to Hereford the next day when the band will be in concert at The Barrels.

Want to follow in John’s footsteps?

If so then why not get tickets for the Ancient Trackways to a Black and White Hamlet walk in Titley on Tuesday, June 16 from 4.30pm until 10.30pm. This is a seven-mile walk following a section of the Mortimer Trail and it ends with a two-course meal at the Michelin-starred Stagg Inn.

There is also a chance to walk the Titley Loop on Saturday, June from 10am until 3.30pm. This nine-mile walk links ancient settlements at Hergest Ridge, Wapley, Croft Ambrey and beyond.

There is also a town walk in Leominster and a ghost walk being held in Hereford.

Jane Lewis, Herefordshire Council’s tourism, food and marketing manager, said: “John is a perfect example of someone who has started walking and has become totally hooked.

“I am sure he will have a wonderful time getting to his tour venues on foot and I would encourage county residents to follow in his footsteps and book their tickets now for the walking festival,” she added.

Herefordshire Walking Festival, sponsored by M & M Direct, offers 61 walks throughout the county catering for all ages and abilities and including special interest walks such as photography, archaeology and even a chance to meet llamas.

The Mortimer Trail is the featured walk this year and although the three linear sections are fully booked, each day a section of the trail is explored and expanded into the surrounding landscape with all its ancient features and stories. Every Inch of the Way offers a once-in-a-lifetime chance to discover Mortimer Country in depth.

Just email tourismmatters@herefordshire.gov.uk for your copy of the programme or visit www.walkingfestival.com from where you can buy your tickets.

Posted : 14/04/2009 14:55:38

Italy Comes To Kington
Kington Choral (KCS) brings glamour and talent to Kington in June in the form of Italian soprano Silvia Spruzzola, who will be one of the star soloists in Kington Choral’s Summer GEM of a concert in St Mary’s Church, Kington, on Saturday 20th June 2009.

The impressive solo line-up is completed by Scottish baritone Allan Smith and local tenor Michael Clee, accompanied by organist Hilary Norris.

The soloists and 75-strong KCS choir will be conducted by Maureen Twiddy and will perform a triple bill of Gounod’s “St Cecilia Mass”, Elgar’s “From the Bavarian Highlands”, and Moeran’s “Songs of Springtime”.

E.F. Moeran has strong local connections with Kington so the choice of his beautiful but demanding acapella choral work is extremely appropriate.

KCS is a large SATB choral group based in Kington - visit the website kingtonchoral.org.uk for more information

Posted : 09/04/2009 19:58:17

Free swimming arrives with a splash!
More than 6,500 people have registered for Herefordshire Council’s free swimming scheme, which launched on April 1, at Halo swimming pools throughout the county.

The scheme, which provides free swimming for people aged 16 and under and over 60, is the result of a two-year grant from the government which aims to promote better health and wellbeing.

Of the people who have registered so far, 54% are female and 46% are male and 67% are aged 16 and under and 33% are aged 60 and over.

The youngest person to register is only a few weeks old and the oldest is 92.

Councillor Roger Phillips, leader of Herefordshire Council, said: “This is great news and has proved extremely popular, as we were expecting.

“Swimming is a great way to keep yourself fit and improve your wellbeing in a safe and enjoyable environment.”

Simon Gwynne, Manager of Hereford Leisure Pool, added: “The scheme has started well, particularly with the under 16’s, with the launch coinciding with the start of the Easter break”.

For more information about free swimming visit www.freeswim.org.uk or www.haloleisure.org.uk. To register, fill in a registration form at your local Halo centre.

Posted : 09/04/2009 18:52:54

Join some a guided walks with a difference!
Put the spring back in your step by joining a guided walk led by the Herefordshire Council Countryside Ranger Team.

The new programme of guided walks is now available and this year the team have organised some special interest walks which will provide unique opportunities to get closer to wildlife and explore the Herefordshire countryside.

The first walk this spring is ‘Dawn Deer Stalk’ starting at 6am on Saturday 9th May.

Countryside Ranger Paul Ratcliffe will take you around Haugh Woods and the surrounding countryside to track deer, and although spotting one is not guaranteed, you will be able to see lots of evidence of their presence and get some tips on how to track them.

You will also be able to enjoy the wide variety of flora on display as the woods and fields will be full of spring flowers and apple blossom.

If our feathered friends are more your thing then why not join Countryside Ranger Trevor Hulme for a 7.30am start on Saturday 16th May looking for ‘early birds’ at Queenswood Country Park. Trevor is a keen ornithologist and will give you an insight into identifying birds by their song and you will also get to explore the country park before many of the days’ visitors start to arrive.

The walks are both free, though booking is essential to help us manage numbers.
To book your place please contact Queenswood Tourist Information Centre, telephone 01568 797842

The full programme of guided walks can be found in the new “Walks and Family Fun” leaflet which also provides details of the family events taking place at Queenswood Country Park throughout the summer and beyond.

The leaflet is available from libraries, leisure centres and tourist information centres across the County and of course Queenswood Country Park or log onto www.herefordshire.gov.uk/queenswood

Posted : 08/04/2009 15:01:59

People urged to get a slice of Big Lottery Funding
Herefordians running projects in the county to enhance local facilities or help people enjoy their local area are being encouraged to bid for a slice of £250,000 up for grabs through The People’s Millions TV contest.

Grants of up to £50,000 per project will be awarded through the People’s Millions partnership between the Big Lottery Fund and ITV.

Across the Central region £250,000 cash is on offer in the contest which gives the public the opportunity to decide which local projects will receive Lottery funding.

In previous years the county’s Taste for Adventure Centre, H.O.P.E. For Children and Their Families and the Ewyas Harold Playground project each won a grant through the scheme.

“However, the county missed out last year so we’re encouraging people running local projects to make sure they get their details in to stand a chance of winning some cash this year,” said project development manager Clare Wichbold.

“The contest is particularly looking for projects that enable local people to get more involved in their community and that are original and imaginative,” added Clare.

“Later this year the short-listed projects will be showcased on ITV Central local news where they will have to convince the public why they deserve the cash. It will then be up to the public to use their vote to decide which groups win the funding.”

The People’s Millions is part of the Big Lottery Fund’s commitment to involving the public in deciding how Lottery money is spent. In the last four years, the competition has made 318 awards totalling £18 million to community projects across the UK through the contest.

Entry packs for The People’s Millions are available by calling the hotline: 08450 10 11 12, or by visiting www.peoplesmillions.org.ukl. The deadline for applications is May 15th.

Posted : 08/04/2009 13:30:42

Children’s centres invite families to have say
Children’s centres across the county are encouraging families to have their say over what sort of activities they’d like the centre’s to provide for them over the next few months.

Run by Herefordshire Council with support from the primary care trust, the centres are for families with children aged up to five years and provide lots of services and activities to meet local need. For example, some provide support groups for dads, others have activity days for parents and babies, one even has a special group for parents of twins and other multiple-births.

To encourage existing centre users and new ones to come and talk about what services they’d like to see provided, and find out how they can access training, play activities and other groups, a series of two hour open sessions have been arranged. All will take place from 10am until 12 noon and at each venue where there will be a selection of activities organised to keep children entertained while mums, dads and carers have a chat with centre staff.

Open sessions take place at:

Kington Children’s Centre, which is based in the Kington Youth Centre (next to Lady Hawkins School) on 18 April. The centre will be celebrating its first birthday in partnership with the county youth service, so lots of fun activities are promised.

Coningsby Children’s Centre, Leominster on May 9th

Shobdon School in the Community Room on May 30th

Andy Gosling, children’s centre manager, said: “Although children’s centres work mainly with families with very young children, we offer services to families with older children too and can signpost families and carers to other organisations who run activities for them. It’s important we get an understanding of what local families need to help us prioritise our work and make sure we meet those needs.

“A great deal of work goes into planning activities at all our centres and we want to make sure we get it right. I’d encourage people to keep an eye open for further details at their local children’s centre.

Details of all children’s centres activities are available by contacting a central number: 01432 383340 or mobile 07792 880 738.

Posted : 03/04/2009 16:05:44

Do you think you have an award winning business?
The Chamber of Commerce Herefordshire and Worcestershire are looking for special businesses from across the two counties to enter their Chamber Business Awards 2009.

The Chamber Business Awards celebrate the very best of Herefordshire and Worcestershire’s most successful businesses. With 11 categories, it is your chance to be recognised as a great business. Just by entering, you will boost the morale of your employees and the benefits of winning are numerous.
The categories for this year are:
• Business of the Year
• International Business of the Year
• Award for Excellence in Leisure and Tourism
(Sponsored by Herefordshire County Council and Worcestershire County Council)
• Growth Business of the Year (aimed at SME’s)
(Sponsored by Business Link)
• Award for Excellence in People Development
(Sponsored by Sanctuary Group)
• Community Enterprise of the Year
• Most Promising New Business (operating for 3 years or less)
• Award for Innovation through Technology
(Sponsored by Central Technology Belt)
• Large Business of the Year (over 250 employees)
(Sponsored by Nexus Creative)
• Young Entrepreneur of the Year (under 25 years of age)
(Sponsored by Rural Regeneration Zone)
• Entrepreneur of the Year (sponsored by University of Worcester)

This year, more than ever, finding ways to stand out and win business is a challenge. Therefore, the Chamber of Commerce is urging every business (regardless of membership), large and small, based in Herefordshire and Worcestershire to enter and use the most prestigious business awards in the area to their advantage. Winning a Chamber Business Award will get you talked about and make potential customers take notice.
Entries close on Friday 24 April and it couldn’t be easier to enter. Simply log onto www.hwchamberawards.com and complete the application form stating in no more than 2000 words why you deserve to win.
The winners will be announced at the awards ceremony at Malvern Theatres on Friday 17 July.

For more information about the awards please contact the Chamber Team on 0845 641 1641 or e-mail enquiries@hwchamber.co.uk

Posted : 02/04/2009 01:20:25

Feast of flavours at county’s walking festival
Herefordshire Walking Festival – running from June 13 to 21 - offers the chance to not only explore the county’s countryside but also enjoy tasting some of its best produce including ice cream and cider as well as enjoy a meal at a Michelin-starred pub.

Longtown Circular, an 8.5-mile walk on Friday, June 19 from 10am until 8pm, finishes with supper at White Haywood Farm restaurant while Farming Today and Tomorrow, an eight-mile walk exploring local footpaths on Sunday, June 21 from 10.30am until 5pm, ends with a real farmhouse supper.

Beside the Cornish Way, a seven-mile walk through meadows and orchards on Saturday, June 13 from 10am until 4pm, includes a farmhouse lunch while Cider Cellars and Orchard Walk on Sunday, June 14 from 10.30am until 1.30pm, includes a farmhouse ploughman’s lunch and a chance to taste cider.

To the Vale of Ewyas on Monday, June 15 from 10am until 4.30pm, is a 9.5 mile walk ends
with a cream tea while Rivers and Railways of Kington, a seven-mile walk on Monday, June 15 from 6pm until 10pm, ends with a light supper.

People who like fine dining may want to join the Ancient Trackways to a Black and White Hamlet walk. This seven-mile walk ends with a two-course meal at the Michelin-starred Stagg Inn at Titley.

The Night, The Fox and The Dragon walk on Tuesday, June 16 from 5.30pm until 8.30pm, is a six-mile walk which ends with supper at a pub.

Views from the North, a five-mile walk on Thursday, June 18 from 2pm until 5pm, in the Leintwardine area ends with a cream tea using local produce.

A cream tea is also included in the Common and Garden Sunset Stroll, a four-mile walk in Bringsty Common on Thursday, June 18 from 6pm until 8.30pm.

Anyone who loves ice cream may want to join the five-mile walk The Cream of the Country, on Friday, June 19 from 5.30pm until 8.30pm, which ends at the award-winning Just Rachel ice cream factory where there will be a chance to taste and buy. Walkers are advised to bring a coolbox along to store any pirchases.
Jane Lewis, Herefordshire Council’s cultural services manager, said: “These walks offer the perfect opportunity to enjoy two of the county’s major assets, being the countryside and local food and drink.
“I would advise people to book their tickets soon as these walks are a great way to build up an appetite to taste some of the county’s best produce,” she added.
Herefordshire Walking Festival is sponsored by M&M Direct, the UK’s leading online discount clothing e-tailer. Log onto www.mandmdirect.com to find out more.

For further information about the walking festival, call the booking office on 01568 797842 or log onto the website at http://www.walkingfestival.com/

Posted : 01/04/2009 12:10:28

Primary schools to benefit from £8.3m cash boost
Herefordshire's primary schools are to benefit from a financial boost worth £8.3million thanks to the council successfully revising and resubmitting its Primary Strategy for Change to the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF).

The National Primary Strategy for Change programme is designed to rebuild, remodel or refurbish about half of primary schools across the country over the next 14 years. Like many other authorities in the country, Herefordshire Council submitted a strategy in July 2008 but was told more work needed to be done before the strategy could be approved. The council worked hard during December 2008 and January 2009 to improve its strategy which was resubmitted in January 2009.

The DCSF has approved the revised strategy this week and as a result, £8.3m will be released to Herefordshire over the next two years with further funding to follow. Most of the funding will be used to create a new primary school in Leominster, by merging the existing infant and junior schools. There will also be a fund available to support small schemes that meet the Primary Strategy for Change criteria. This will enable other primary schools in the county to benefit from the strategy as well and over the next few weeks they will be invited to bid for some of the cash.

Cllr Philip Price, cabinet member for ICT, education and achievement, said: “This is really good news for children and young people in Herefordshire, and for the schools that educate and support them.

“The revised strategy had to respond to a number of issues such as how the council will support world class standards in our schools, how links will be made between schools and early years settings, how we intend to address deprivation and how we can make sure all schools benefit from good quality ICT both within the communities and in the classroom.

“I am delighted to learn that children's services officers have managed to address these issues in their revised strategy and that so many schools will benefit as a result.”

The next step will be for the local authority to begin working with Leominster Infant and Junior schools to agree a way forward for the two schools to come together


Posted : 27/03/2009 15:16:36

Grass cutting season starts in Herefordshire
From now until the end of October, (weather dependant), Amey Wye Valley will once again be carrying out grass cutting works as part of the grounds maintenance partnership with Herefordshire Council.

As long as the ground is sufficiently dry for the mowers to cut the grass without churning up the ground, teams of grounds maintenance personnel will follow regular set routes around the county ensuring all amenity grassed areas receive attention.

Amey Wye Valley has a full time team, supplemented with additional seasonal workers, who are employed to deal with all the grounds maintenance works, which include approximately 137 hectares of grass cutting, care and maintenance of 15,000 trees and 2,000 square metres of flower beds containing over 90,000 plants.

They also care for, and water, in excess of 260 hanging baskets and maintain 73,000 square metres of shrub beds and look after more than 50,000 linear metres of hedgerows and 6,848kms of highway verges.

Combined efforts with Herefordshire Council and the Britain in Bloom committees throughout the County resulted in four gold awards and one silver-gilt award last year, helping to showcase Herefordshire as the beautiful county it is.

During the course of grass cutting works, workers have found that cars parked on the verges can cause considerable damage to the verge and prevent access to the mowers. This means they may have to leave a particular area uncut, which then results in the area looking shabby and unkempt. If people could be aware of this and keep cars off the grass verges this would assist workers greatly.

A particularly unpleasant aspect of grass cutting is dog mess. The dog mess ends up being strimmed or stepped in by the operatives and if dog owners can be aware of this and remove any fouling to dog bins, this will make the grassed areas more pleasant for all to use, and greatly assist the teams in their task. The constant desire to have litter put in bins rather than left lying on grassed areas will also reduce the time teams need to spend litter picking before grass cutting.

Grass cutting is a challenging task, greatly influenced by the weather. Amey Wye Valley are ensuring that teams are fully staffed during the growing season of May and June and hoping that last year’s above average rainfall experienced in July, August and September does not repeat itself.

However, this awareness of the variations in weather patterns has ensured that this year AmeyWye Valley has improved capacity by restructuring our and they are confident we will be better equipped to get back on track should the weather be against us.

Anyone who would like more information regarding grass cutting in your area, or have any feedback to give, please call 01432 845900 or email wyevalley@amey.co.uk

Posted : 27/03/2009 15:02:45

Council helps residents monitor energy use
Herefordshire Council is helping local residents beat the credit crunch by offering them the chance to loan free energy monitors and smart plugs which will help them reduce their utility bills.

These devices, available for free at all Herefordshire Libraries from April 6 2009, including both mobile libraries, will allow residents to see how much energy their household appliances are using and costing in real energy terms and the cost to the pocket and the environment.

There are two types available – a sophisticated monitor that tells you the whole usage in your house and a smart plug which measures just one electrical appliance.

Kate Murray, Herefordshire Council’s assistant cultural services manager, said: “The monitors have been purchased with funding from the Energy Saving Trust and, working with the council’s sustainability unit, are being distributed through libraries. They can be reserved, borrowed and renewed just like a book, using a library card.

“We hope people will take advantage of these devices as they really will show people how to save money through simple measures such as switching to energy saving lightbulbs and turning off appliances and lights when not in use,” she added.

For more information on how the council is approaching climate change and energy efficiency – check out the council’s website at www.herefordshire.gov.uk and you can calculate your whole carbon footprint and get advice on how to reduce it and save money at www.myherefordshire.com

Posted : 26/03/2009 13:10:56

Out-of-hours number changes
The out-of-hours number to contact a doctor or dentist outside office hours is changing on April 1st 2009.

The new number is 0330 1239309 and will be charged at a local rate. The service is for all residents as well as visitors to the county. Lines are open between 6pm and 8am Monday to Friday, during weekends and on public and bank holidays. Anyone with an urgent query about adult social care can also use this number between 5pm and 9am.

Doctor Ian Williams, Director of Integrated Commissioning, said, “The out-of-hours service is there to help people who have an urgent medical or dental concern while their GP or dental surgery is closed.

“The Primecare team will give advice and will be able to arrange access to a healthcare professional at one of our primary care centres in Herefordshire, or a visit from a doctor, if it is needed.

“A leaflet containing the new number and information about doctor and dental services in Herefordshire is being sent to every home in the county during the next ten days. We would urge every resident to read and keep this leaflet safe.”

The service is provided by NHS Herefordshire, in association with Primecare. Primecare’s fully-trained, dedicated team help around 3000 people each month with urgent health problems. This rises to as many as 4,500 during December.

Calls dealt with by the team range from severe abdominal pain and collapse to general enquiries about flu and vomiting. The top ten symptoms the team deal with are vomiting and diarrhoea, cold and cough, sore throat and earache, urinary tract infections, head, back and joint pains.

The leaflet with information about the new telephone number, as well as other useful healthcare information and numbers is being sent out to every home in the county with this year’s council tax leaflet. The new number is also being promoted by doctor and dentist surgeries and Hereford city buses will also carry advertising to promote the number.

Posted : 20/03/2009 12:27:51

Do you have a long term health condition?
The Expert Patients Programme is a potentially life-changing course run by the NHS to help people with long-term health conditions improve their quality of life.

The course is completely free and available to anyone with any long term health condition (for example arthritis, asthma, diabetes, heart disease, depression, Parkinson’s disease).

Participants attend a two-and-a-half-hour session once a week for six weeks, learning ways to manage their condition more positively and take control of their life.

Sue Tobey, Expert Patient Programme co-ordinator for NHS Herefordshire, said: “We have already held a successful course in Hereford this year with positive feedback from participants.

“It’s very rewarding to see for myself the benefits it can bring. The next courses start in Leominster on Wednesday, April 8, at Leominster Community Hall.

“I would be delighted to talk to anyone who is interested in attending or would like further information about the programme.”

Course sessions cover key topics such as managing symptoms, relaxation techniques, goal-setting, dealing with stress, depression, healthy eating, safe exercise and communication.

Tutors on the Expert Patients Programme are all volunteers who themselves have a long-term health condition and have been participants on the course, giving them first-hand experience of the difference it can make.

Participants who have attended the programme have been enthusiastic with their praise:

• “When I look back I realise I had given up hope of ever being able to live a normal life…now thanks to EPP I have a life!”

• “I feel more confident, less isolated and armed with a wealth of information to enable me to obtain a better quality of life”

• “I enjoyed the course very much…I manage a short bus ride now to visit my eldest son, whose home I have not been in for two years…that to me is a great achievement”

Anyone wanting more information about the courses or wanting to book a place should Sue Tobey on 01432 383568

Posted : 16/03/2009 12:57:12

Councillors back credit crunch budget package
Despite the recent cataclysmic changes to the economic environment, Herefordshire Council will finish the financial year within its targets for the fifth year running.

At its full council meeting today (Friday 6 March 2009) councillors backed a new budget package to fight the credit crunch and a 3.9 per cent increase in council tax – the second-lowest rise in the authority’s history. It means an increase of 85 pence per week on a band D property.

Councillor Roger Phillips, leader of the council, said the council recognised the impact of any rise on local communities and Herefordshire was facing huge pressures in providing more social care for vulnerable and older people, a section of the population that is growing rapidly. The council is also facing an 80 per cent reduction in income from its investments due to the fall in the bank rate.

Councillor Phillips announced that later this month he is to meet with Ed Balls, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families to lobby for more money for schools as Herefordshire still receives 19 per cent less than the national average educational funding for unitary authorities. The council also gets 17 per cent less in government funding per head of population than the average. Councillor Phillips warned that Herefordshire needed to fight to ensure rural counties were not further penalised.

Councillors heard that despite big challenges in the local, national and global economies, the council has driven out £5.5 million in efficiency savings in the last year, and through prudent management had secured day-to-day reserves of £6.7 million. The council will commit £1 million from the reserves to meet immediate pressures on services.

The council will also put in new funding to help local families and encourage enterprise. It is providing nearly £600,000 for a mortgage rescue scheme over the next four years to help families with money difficulties to stay in their own home. For the same period another £500,000 will help people gain a foothold on the housing later. Over £200,000 is earmarked to encourage owners to bring empty properties back into use and £250,000 will go in grants to help adapt homes to help disabled people live independently.

Another £1.5 million goes to improve the Rotherwas business park and extra money is being secured to investigate the revitalising of the Buttermarket in Hereford, to showcase local produce and culture. Funds will go into relocating the city’s traditional open retail market into High Town, otherwise councillors heard, the market could be no more in 12 months time. In addition, the council will put £1.5 million into supporting its smallholdings over the next three years. And there will be an extra £20,000 to support the Citizens Advice Bureau as its services are likely to be in greater demand during the economic downturn.

To safeguard children and vulnerable adults, the council is spending an additional £230,000 to ensure checks and support systems are in place.

The council is planning to achieve nearly £1 million in annual savings by renegotiating its contract with Amey for highways and maintenance work. And it will invest to ensure it can maintain its popular weekly rubbish collections and provide kerbside recycling for 90 per cent of households in the county to avoid huge landfill penalties. Money will also go on local construction contracts to refurbish Halo leisure centres and provide enhanced youth services, with a new youth centre planned for Leominster.

Tributes were paid to the council’s financial management, which moved quickly to restructure its medium term financial plans to take account of the dramatic changes in the economy. The council also prudently avoided investing in Icelandic banks, which has cost many other local authorities millions of pounds and cuts to jobs and services.

Posted : 06/03/2009 17:02:38

Are you a budding David Bailey?
Herefordshire youngsters who would like to follow in the footsteps of world famous photographers such as David Bailey or Lord Snowdon are being urged to first try their hand in a police photographic competition.

The photo competition is part of a series of events to mark the official opening of the refurbished and extended Divisional Police Headquarters in Bath Street, Hereford in August this year, and is open to all pupils of both primary and senior schools in the county.

Primary school pupils can enter two categories (either or both). The first category requires entrants to show in photographic form what policing in Herefordshire means to them. In the second category, pupils should depict what they like about where they live.

In the senior section, entrants can again display what policing in Herefordshire means to them but the second category asks for a photograph that encapsulates the very essence of the county - the Heart of Herefordshire.

There are £100 prizes for the winners of each category, with £50 and £25 for 2nd and 3rd places. The school attended by the winning student in each category will also receive a prize of £500.

The last date for entries is midnight on Tuesday 30th June 2009. The winning photographs will be determined by a panel of judges including Ch. Supt. Mark Turner (Divisional Commander), Cllr Bernard Hunt (Chair of the Local Policing Board and Police Authority member) and Mr Graham Richards from Frame-Up in Widemarsh Street, Hereford.

Ch. Supt. Mark Turner said, "This is an excellent opportunity for our students to tell us in pictures how they see the police in their locality, and will of necessity require them to engage with their Local Policing Teams and other officers in order to get the right photographs."

"The winners' work will not only be framed and put on display in police stations across the county but will also be used by our Press Office when preparing leaflets, posters and other literature. I would encourage all our young people to have a go and see if they can portray Herefordshire Police and/or Herefordshire itself in just one photograph."

Entry forms for the competition are available from the school secretaries of all the counties schools or from the Press Office at Hereford Police Station on 0300 333 3000.
Posted : 05/03/2009 20:53:54

Bank Holiday event near Leominster
Full details of the spectacular two-day outdoor-activity event, scheduled to take place in Herefordshire over the May Bank Holiday weekend, have been announced.

Set to take place in the grounds of Hampton Court, near Leominster, over the weekend of Sunday, May 3 and Monday, May 4h, the second annual University of the Great Outdoors is being heralded as the only regional event focusing exclusively on outdoor activities, where visitors can pay a one-off entrance fee, which will then enable them to circulate within the grounds, and enjoy unlimited taster sessions in a choice of around 30 different activities.

As such, it's the opportunity in The Midlands this year for anyone to come and "have a go" at a new and exciting outdoor activity. The action-packed sessions available include grass-sledging, orienteering, canoeing and kayaking, mountain boarding, pony trekking, abseiling, archery, bungee, trampolining and zip-lining along the longest wire in the UK.

A Central Arena, meanwhile, will have a full programme of events to keep the whole family amused: from a birds of prey display to Perry McCarthy giving a talk about his life as 'The Stig' on BBC TV's Top Gear.

Full details are now featured on the website www.visitherefordshire.co.uk, as well as in a free University of the Great Outdoors leaflet (Tel: 01432-260621).

The event also offers less-energetic visitors to the county an opportunity to get involved in a range of activities including wine tasting, green woodcraft, photography, tai chi and belly dancing.

Exhibitors and leisure equipment suppliers will also be on hand throughout the event to provide expert advice, and essential kit, to anyone interested in taking the taster sessions on to the next level.

The University of the Great Outdoors will be open to participants from 10am to 5pm on both Sunday and Monday. Prices for one day are £8 (adult), £7 (concessions), £5 (child) and £28 (family – two adults, three children). Two-day tickets are also available. "Spectator" entry fees, are just £4, £3, and £2 respectively.

The entry fee includes entrance to the gardens of Hampton Court, including the sunken gardens and maze.

Promising to be even bigger and better than last year, the showcase occasion is aimed at reinforcing the county's proud boast of being one of the very best activity holiday destinations in the whole of Britain.

Posted : 02/03/2009 22:01:59

Chinese themed fun for Herefordshire youngsters
Herefordshire Council’s museums and libraries are running ten days of Chinese themed activities during the Easter holidays called Destination China.

The events, which run from April 7 to 17, follow on from the highly successful Destination Japan event last year which saw 395 people involved in workshops ranging from Manga to Taiko drumming.

This year’s events focus on the arts and culture of China and will include painting, martial arts, dance and storytelling.

Sarah Laws, Herefordshire Council’s arts learning officer, said: “Destination China aims to provide creative learning opportunities and celebrate Chinese culture.

“We are holding the event during the Easter holidays to provide a low-cost and fun activity for families and also help us to promote what our libraries and museums can offer to children,” she added.

Events are:

April 7 to 17: A display of the Chinese collections at Hereford Museum Resource and Learning Centre, Friar Street, Hereford (HR4 0AS).

April 7: Open day at Hereford Museum Resource and Learning Centre with China Painting from 11am onwards for children aged eight and above. Move Like Jackie Chan (Martial Arts Breakdance) will be held from 11am until 12.30pm for the eight and above. All of the activities are free but must be booked in advance.

April 7: Move Like Jackie Chan (Martial Arts Breakdance) at the Bromyard Centre (HR7 4EB) from 5pm until 6.30pm for ages 10 and over. Tickets cost £3.

April 8: Chinese storytelling at Ross Library (HR9 7AN) from 10.30am until 11.30am for children aged five and over. Tickets £3.

April 8: Traditional Chinese dance at Ross Library for children with Fenfen Huang for ages five to eight and from 2.30pm until 3.30pm and for ages eight and above, 3.30pm until 4.30pm. Tickets £3.

April 8: Chinese art workshop at The Market House Heritage Centre, Ross (HR9 5HD) from noon until 2pm for children aged five or over. Tickets £3.

April 8: Chinese storytelling at Ledbury Library (HR8 2AA) from 2.30pm until 3.30pm for children aged five and over. Tickets £3.

April 9: Chinese storytelling at Leominster Library (HR6 8BN) from 2.30pm until 3.30pm for ages five and above. Tickets £3.

April 9: Readings by Chinese author Tina Freeth at Leominster Library (HR6 8BN) for adults from her books Lychees and Bingo Balls, Cupboard Love and Growing up on the Land, 6pm to 7pm. Tickets £3.

April 14: Chinese crafts workshop for families at the Market House Heritage Centre, Ross (HR9 5HD) from 10am until 1pm. Tickets £3.

To make bookings and for further details contact:
• Hereford Museum Resource & Learning Centre: 01432 260692.
• The Bromyard Centre: 01432 260280.
• Ledbury Library: 01531 632133
• Ross Library: 01432 383280
• The Market House Heritage Centre, Ross-on-Wye: 01432 260675


Posted : 27/02/2009 11:07:24

Go bananas for Fairtrade Fortnight
Herefordshire Council is encouraging people to support Fairtrade Fortnight with a visit to the growing number of county shops and restaurants serving and selling Fairtrade products.

In May 2006, the authority took the decision to support Fairtrade produce, which benefits small farmers in developing countries, and achieved Fairtrade County Status.

Fairtrade Fortnight runs from February 23rd until March 8th and events in the county include a Go Bananas stall in High Town, Hereford, on Friday March 6th from noon until 2pm when people will be given fair-trade bananas to eat as part of a national record-breaking effort. The bananas are being donated by local supermarkets.

People have a chance to learn more about Fairtrade products at a special evening being held at Leominster Community Centre on Friday, March 6 at 7.30pm. Trish Marsh, Herefordshire Council's sustainability manager, will be talking about her experiences of buying only local or fair-trade food for a year. Janet and Les Hardy will also talk about their visit to Peru to see Fairtrade businesses.

As part of this evening, hand-made Peruvian, Alpaca good and Traidcraft snacks will be for sale.

There will also be a Fairtrade Day at Tupsley's St Paul's Community Centre on Saturday, March 7th from 10.30am until 1.30pm.

The county website, at http://www.herefordshirefairtrade.org.uk, includes a full directory of suppliers and the latest Fairtrade news.

Herefordshire Council serves Fairtrade tea and coffee at all its public meetings and encourages other organisations to follow suit.

In September 2004, a young co-operative calling themselves Harambe was set up at Lady Hawkins' School in Kington to sell Fairtrade products and to raise awareness of the benefits of Fairtrade. The name Harambe is a Swahili word which means working together.

Posted : 20/02/2009 23:31:18

Info In Herefordshire wins Charter Mark
Herefordshire’s residents receive excellent customer service from Herefordshire Council’s Info Shops and Info by Phone and as a result, they have been awarded a charter mark for the sixth year running.

Charter Mark is the UK national standard of customer service excellence for public sector organisations. To meet charter mark standards, the council had to submit an application showing evidence of improvements made over the past year and receive a two day assessment visit in January.

Charter mark assessor, Pat Broad, was very complimentary about Customer Services during her visit to the Hereford Centre, Garrick House. After interviewing council staff to check that the required standards were being met, she praised the team for working in partnership with others to provide co-ordinated services, using resources well and being positively involved in the community. She was particularly impressed with the Golden Ticket Scheme which is currently being piloted at the Hereford Centre where an appointment is made for new benefit claimants and as long as all documentation is received at that appointment, the claim will be processed within 48 hours.

Councillor June French, cabinet member for corporate, customer services and human resources, said: “I’m delighted to learn that the team have met the standard once again and offer them my heartiest congratulations.

“It is very important that residents are able to access local services and be able to talk to someone from the Info customer services team who is helpful and knowledgeable. All the employees working in our Info Shops and Info by Phone have received extensive training and are able to provide a wide range of information on all the council’s services.

The council has Info Shops in Hereford, Bromyard, Kington, Leominster, Ledbury and Ross on Wye. In addition, information can be obtained by ringing Info by Phone on 01432 260500.


Posted : 13/02/2009 21:27:59

Not just stamping books …revisited
Staff at Leominster Library are putting together an exhibition to give borrowers a glimpse into their lives away from work.

It follows on from a successful exhibition held in January 2000, titled ‘Not just stamping books’.

The staff who work at the library have a diverse range of interests and hobbies and the exhibition will include examples of their photography, artwork, knitting, ceramics and even a decorated cake.

The exhibition will run from Tuesday, February 24th until Friday, March 6th in the Leominster Library exhibition room and will be open during normal library opening hours. Entrance is free and all are welcome.

Posted : 11/02/2009 11:36:19

Young Farmers Hedging Match
A total of 52 members from 10 Clubs in Herefordshire demonstrated their hedgelaying skills at the Annual County Hedging Match on Sunday 25th January. The Match moved to the north-west to Upper Wall End Farm, Monkland, Leominster HR6 9DE by very kind permission of Mr and Mrs R H Marfell and family.

Competitors were required to stake, pleach and heather a specified length of hedge in the time allowed. All the stakes were kindly donated by B and J Davies of Bucknell. The annual Match offers young people the chance to learn this valuable and traditional countryside skill and to put their craft to the test in this popular Young Farmers competition which first started in 1948. The pairs aided class saw 9 teams given the chance to improve their skills on the day with hands-on assistance from more experienced hedgelayers.

Mr Clifford Price, Chairman of the Competitions Committee, commented "the Hedging Match is one of my favourite competitions and it is very gratifying to see a well-laid hedge finished to a high standard".

Trophy results were as follows:-
The Agricultural Valuers Association Trophy awarded to the Club gaining the highest marks in all classes
1st Craswall YFC
2nd Ledbury YFC A
3rd Welsh Newton YFC

The Pencombe Agricultural Society Cup was awarded to the Club gaining the highest marks in Classes 2 and 3
1st Longtown YFC
2nd Craswall YFC A
3rd Craswall YFC B

Individual class results were as follows:-

Class 1 (U26 singles)
1st Matt Gardner - Ledbury YFC
2nd Graham Richards - Craswall YFC
3rd Ben Pritchard - Longtown YFC

Class 2 (U26 pairs)
1st Adam Price and Mark Lewis - Craswall YFC
2nd Nigel Box and James Prosser - Ledbury YFC
3rd James Leighton and Alec Brazier - Pencombe YFC

Class 3 (U21 pairs)
1st Elliot Pritchard and Haydn Lloyd - Longtown YFC
2nd Josh Christopher and Greg Christopher - Craswall YFC A
3rd Rebecca Watkins and Harvey Powell - Craswall YFC B

Class 4 (U26 aided)
1st Harry Pritchard and Sam Whistance - Longtown YFC
2nd Johnny Cross and William Layton - Craswall YFC
3rd Alex Lawrence and Jack Williams - Allensmore YFC

For more information and a programme of events click on the County website at www.hfyfc.org.uk or contact Lucinda at the County Office on 01432 274187 or e.mail countyadmin@hfyfc.org.uk.

Event dates in March
Pantomime Festival week Monday 16th - Thursday 19th February 7.15 pm and Finals Night on Saturday 21st February at 6.30 pm at the Bishop of Hereford's Bluecoat School
Sports Competitions Day - Sunday 8th March at St Richards School, Bredenbury 11.00 am
Fashion Fix and Mini Treats evening - Friday 13th March at Hereford Town Hall 7.30 pm


Posted : 10/02/2009 23:36:49

Snow In Herefordshire - Update
As the situation in Herefordshire has eased, Herefordshire Council has stood down its emergency information line. Over the last two days nearly 2000 calls have been made to the line but further information can be obtained from the council's switchboard on 01432 260000 and the council's website – www.herefordshire.gov.uk

Herefordshire Council is monitoring weather conditions and has the emergency service on standby for the weekend, together with its usual highways services, volunteer agencies and rest centre teams.

The council has a week's supply of road salt, assuming that gritters are covering the main roads and priority routes two times a day. Over the last week, gritting has sometimes been carried out four times a day to keep routes open. Each gritting costs around £9,000 and this winter has seen the introduction of a different type of salt, which although slightly more expensive, goes further and lasts longer on the roads. This has helped Herefordshire avoid some of the salt shortages that have hit other parts of the country.

The council has secured almost all A roads in the county after gritting teams worked first to treat roads with road salt in advance of this morning’s heavy and widespread snowfall, and then again with snowploughs throughout the early hours. The council will continue to plough and treat the roads as necessary – particularly problem spots such as Fromes Hill on the A4103 Hereford to Worcester road.

The main problem this morning, other than on the minor roads, has been the A49 by Much Birch and also on Blackfriars Bridge. Although this is the Highway Agency's responsibility, the council has worked in collaboration to ensure that the main roads in Herefordshire are passable.

The council confirms that several bus companies are not running a service today, and these include DRM, P W Jones, Newbury, First Midlands and IandF Coaches, and operating a limited service are Yeoman, George Young and Stagecoach. Travellers are advised, however, to call the bus companies direct for information as this may change.

Apart from school closures reported earlier today, the Saturday morning Herefordshire Music Service at Bishops High School has been cancelled.

Posted : 06/02/2009 14:01:13

Update from Herefordshire Council
Herefordshire Council reports that it has secured almost all A roads in the county after gritting teams worked first to treat roads with road salt in advance of this morning's heavy and widespread snowfall, and then again with snowploughs throughout the early hours.

The council will continue to plough and treat the roads as necessary – particularly problem spots such as Fromes Hill on the A4103 Hereford to Worcester road. Gritting teams were pleased to receive a much-needed delivery of road salt this morning.

However, the council advises motorists to avoid the A465 between Hereford and Abergavenny which is impassable and the A40 between Ross and Monmouth as several lorries have broken down and are blocking the road at this time. Although the A49 north of Hereford is passable, the A49 south of the city remains a problem. All available snow clearance contractors are working on roads across the county.

Herefordshire Council received several hundred calls to its emergency information line on 01432 260260 from residents requiring updates on local road conditions and school closures. Yesterday the information line took nearly 1000 calls from residents between 6am and 10am. Traffic on the council's website www.herefordshire.gov.uk increased significantly as local people sought updates on school closures.

Several schools have decided to close in Herefordshire today. These are:

Almeley Primary
Ashperton Primary School, Ledbury
Aylestone High, Hereford
Barrs Court School
Bishop of Hereford Bluecoat School
Blackmarston School, Hereford
Bosbury Primary
Brampton Abbotts C E Primary School
Bredenbury Primary
Bridstow C E Primary School
Broadlands Primary
Burghill Community Primary School, Hereford
Burley Gate Primary
Canon Pyon C E Primary School
Cleehonger Pre-School
Clehonger C E Primary School
Clifford Primary School, Hardwick, Hay-on-Wye
Cradley Primary
Credenhill Primary
Eastnor Parochial Primary School, Ledbury
Eardisley Primary
Ewyas Harold Primary
Fairfield High School, Peterchurch
Garway Primary
Gateway Nursery, Bartestree
Goodrich C E
Gorsley Goffs Primary
Hampton Dene Primary
Hereford Sixth Form College
Holme Lacy Primary School, Hereford
Holmer C E Primary School, Hereford
John Kyrle High
John Masefield High School, Ledbury
Kings Caple Primary School, Hereford
Kingsland Primary
Kingstone & Thruxton Primary School
Kingstone High School
Kington Primary School
Lady Hawkins' High School, Kington
Ledbury Primary School
Lee Primary
Llangrove C E Primary School
Longtown Primary School, Hereford
Lord Scudamore Primary
Lugwardine Primary School
Luston Primary
Madley Primary
Marden Primary School, Hereford
Michaelchurch Escley Primary School
Monmouth Comprehensive
Mordiford Primary
Much Birch Primary
Much Marcle Primary
Orleton Primary
Our Lady's R C Primary School, Hereford
Pembridge Primary
Pencombe C E Primary School
Pendock CE Primary School
Peterchurch Primary School
QE High School, Bromyard
Shobden Primary
St Francis Xavier's R C School, Hereford
St James’ C E Primary School, Kimbolton
St Martin’s Primary School, Hereford
St Mary's C E, Fownhope
St Mary's RC High School
St Michaels Bodenham
St Pauls Primary, Hereford
St Peter's Primary School, Bromyard
St Thomas Cantilupe, Hereford
St Weonard's Primary School
Staunton-on-Wye Endowed Primary School
Steiner Academy, Much Dewchurch
Stretton Sugwas C E Primary School
Sutton Primary
Walford Primary
Wellington Primary
Weobley High School, Hereford
Westfield School, Leominster
Weston Under Penyard Primary
Whitecross High School and Specialist Sports College, Hereford
Whitbourne Primary
Whitchurch Primary
Wigmore High
Wigmore Primary
Withington Primary

Generally, residents are asked to consider very carefully whether their journey is absolutely necessary, look in on elderly or vulnerable neighbours, be aware of where your children are if they are playing in the snow today and use the famous Herefordshire community spirit to help each other out, particularly in the more remote areas of the county.


Posted : 06/02/2009 10:01:24

Update from Herefordshire Council: 10am on 5 Feb
The council’s emergency information line, which opened at 6am today, is closing at 10am after taking nearly 1000 calls from residents anxious to hear about local road conditions and school closures.

Calls were also coming in from neighbouring areas that do not have a similar service. However, calls to the line have now virtually stopped, and further updates are available on the council’s web site – www.herefordshire.gov.uk - and the council’s normal switchboard will also be providing information on 01432 260000.

A decision whether to reopen the emergency information line will be taken according to how weather conditions develop.

Herefordshire Council’s gritting teams have been out gritting all priority routes this morning and also placed emphasis on areas of steep gradients and those subjected to heavy snowfall - but many side roads are potentially dangerous to drive down. The council does have enough road salt to deal with this current snowfall but, due to the national shortage and suspended salt deliveries, has to manage its stock levels carefully.

The council’s strategic partner Amey has worked long hours through the night and also diverted labour from sub contractors, grounds maintenance and street cleansing to undertake hand salting from 3.5 tonne trucks and utilise pushable hand spreaders. Priority was given to high usage footways and risk areas such as the footpath by the hospital. Rural steep banks, where it was unsuitable for large gritting vehicles, were also targeted by the two men and truck teams. There were individual rescues undertaken by the teams, including that of a French lorry driver who skidded off the road.

The council apologises but due to potentially dangerous conditions on most side roads, the today’s household refuse collections are being postponed.



Posted : 05/02/2009 12:06:10

Update from Herefordshire Council: 9am on 5th Feb
The council has opened its emergency information line – 01432 260260 – to update residents on road conditions and school closures. BBC Hereford and Worcester is also providing regular updates and the council's website – www.herefordshire.gov.uk - also has information. And if you put in the word 'grit' in the site search box you will find maps showing all the roads included in the council's gritting programme, or go directly to:
http://www.herefordshire.gov.uk/transport/road_path_maintenance/3231.asp

Herefordshire Council's gritting teams have been out gritting all main roads and secondary routes this morning and they are doing all they can to keep the county moving in today’s snowy conditions. Focus has also been placed on areas of steep gradients and those subjected to heavy snowfall but many side roads are potentially dangerous to drive down. The council does have enough road salt to deal with this current snowfall but, due to the national shortage and suspended salt deliveries, has to manage its stock levels carefully.

The council apologises but due to potentially dangerous conditions on most side roads, the today's household refuse collections are being postponed.

Some Herefordshire schools have decided to close today due to the weather conditions and concerns about getting children home safely. So far we have heard from the following schools that they will be closed today:

Ashfield Park Primary
Ashperton Primary
Aylestone High
Barrs Court School
Bishop of Hereford's Bluecoat School
Blackmarston School
Bosbury Primary
Brampton Abbots Primary
Bredenbury Primary
Broadlands Primary
Brockhampton Primary
Brookfield School
Burley Gate Primary
Colwall Primary
Cradley Primary
Goodrich Primary
Hereford Cathedral School
Hereford College of Technology (both Campuses)
Hereford Sixth Form Centre
Holme Lacy Primary
John Kyrle High School
John Masefield High School
Kimbolton Primary
Kings Caple Primary
Kingstone High school
Kingstone and Thruxton Primary
Lord Scudamore Primary
Lea Primary School
Ledbury Primary
Leominster Junior
Leominster Infants
Little Dewchurch Primary
Llangrove Primary
Lugwardine Primary
Michaelchurch Escley
Monmouth Comprehensive School
The Minster College, Leominster
Mordiford Primary
Much Birch Primary
Much Marcle Primary
Peterchurch Primary
Queen Elizabeth High School
Royal Forest of Dean School
St Francis Xavier RC Primary
St Joseph's Primary
St Mary's Fownhope Primary
St Mary's RC High
St Mary's Credenhill Primary School
St Paul's Church of England Primary
St Peters Bromyard Primary
St Thomas Cantilupe Primary School
St Weonards Primary
The Steiner School
Stoke Primary School, Leominster
Sutton Primary
Walford Primary
Westfield School
Weston Under Penyard Primary
Whitchurch Primary
Whitecross High
Wigmore Primary
Wigmore High

Parents are advised to contact schools direct to check opening arrangements for tomorrow. A multi-agency emergency meeting – including police, fire and rescue, ambulance services, the primary care trust and the council – also decided to issue the following advice:

Generally, residents are asked to consider very carefully whether their journey is absolutely necessary, look in on elderly or vulnerable neighbours and use the famous Herefordshire community spirit to help each other out, particularly in the more remote areas of the county.

When preparing to drive in wintry conditions:
• Check the local and national weather forecasts
• Listen to local and national radio stations for up to date travel information
• Tell someone at your destination what time you expect to arrive
• Make sure you have warm clothes, food, drink, boots, a torch and a fully charged mobile phone in case you break down
• In snowy conditions carry a spade
• If severe weather strikes, don't make any unnecessary journeys

When driving in bad weather conditions:
• Motorists should keep well back from the vehicle in front
• If steering becomes unresponsive it may mean water is preventing the tyres from gripping the road. Ease off the accelerator and slow down gradually
• Rain and spray from vehicles may make it difficult to see and be seen, motorists should reduce their speed and clearly indicate at roundabouts and junctions

Vehicle condition is also a vital part of road safety. Motorists are advised to:
• Keep lights, windows and mirrors clean and free from snow and ice
• Make sure the car battery is fully charged
• Add antifreeze to the radiator and winter additive to the windscreen washer bottles
• Make sure wipers and lights are in good working order and used
• Check that tyres have plenty of tread depth (the legal minimum tread depth for car tyres in the UK is 1.6mm across the centre three quarters of the tyre) and are maintained at the correct pressure
• Make sure the brakes are working correctly
• Make sure that you understand the meaning of all warning displays on the vehicle instrument panel: do not ignore warning signs, they could indicate a dangerous fault developing


Posted : 05/02/2009 11:46:15

Way ahead for Leominster relief road
A meeting between representatives of Herefordshire Council and Leominster Town Council has resulted in a joint agreement to pursue plans for a much-needed East-West Relief Road for the market town.

Local ward councillors met in late January with the leader of Herefordshire Council Roger Phillips and cabinet member for highways and transportation Councillor Brian Wilcox. They all agreed that a Leominster relief road would reduce traffic congestion and improve air quality in the Bargates area and in the town generally. The most realistic way forward was for the relief road to be funded by the private sector, linked to a major residential housing development.

The option is to be pursued through the county’s new Local Development Framework, which is replacing the Unitary Development Plan (UDP) for Herefordshire. The UDP contains the council’s official planning position and already identifies transport constraints in Leominster imposed by the town’s infrastructure - and any significant housing growth in the future would require the construction of a new road. Leominster could accommodate a proportion of the housing growth being set out for Herefordshire in the emerging Regional Spatial Strategy. If the new homes are built on land to the south west of Leominster, their development would be dependent on the construction of a new road from the B4321 Hereford Road to the A44 south west of Barons Cross.

However, Herefordshire Council will need to review the technical evidence provided by landowners and potential developers and will, over the summer and autumn of this year, further consult on options in its overall core strategy. This strategy feeds into the Local Development Framework, and shapes Herefordshire until 2026.

The use of public funds to finance the construction of a relief road has been effectively ruled out as the project would not meet the Department for Transport’s criteria, so other funding such as the infrastructure levy will be explored. Herefordshire Council is also exploring opportunities for financial support from the Welsh Assembly as the West Midlands Regional Assembly is keen to prioritise strategic transport links with mid Wales.

“During a very positive meeting, we also agreed that traffic management changes would be required in the Leominster town centre to stop any use of the town as a rat run”, said Councillor Brian Wilcox. “This would also be accompanied by measures to support sustainable transport such as walking, cycling and public transport, but Leominster Town Council and local people would play a major part in the consultation leading up to preferred options”.

Councillor Richard Westwood, deputy mayor and chairman of Leominster Town Council’s finance committee, said: “We are delighted that Leominster Town Council’s efforts to raise the profile of the need for the relief road have been recognised and we will continue to work enthusiastically with Herefordshire Council to pursue our joint aim”.

Posted : 04/02/2009 11:35:02

Council works round clock to keep roads safe
Herefordshire Council, together with their contractors Amey, have been working round the clock this week to make sure the county’s roads are safe for motorists during the heavy snowfalls.

Some 1,700 tonnes of salt was spread on the county’s roads on February 1, 2, 3 with operations focusing on major and secondary routes to keep these clear. 115 people were involved in co-ordinating and delivering the gritting operation.

Councillor Brian Wilcox, Herefordshire Council’s cabinet member for highways and transportation, said: “I would like to thank all of the people who have ensured motorists have been able to safely use all of the county’s major routes and also drivers for taking care in the difficult conditions.

“Even though the snow is now starting to melt, I would still urge motorists to keep driving sensibly as there is still a further risk of ice and snow throughout the week.

“We are replenishing our stocks of salt and have all of our gritters on standby in case the snow returns,” he added.

Posted : 04/02/2009 10:39:34

Free swimming for younger and older people
Herefordshire residents under 16 or over 60 years of age will get free swimming from 1st April. Herefordshire Council has secured nearly £200,000 a year from the government to pay for the two-year scheme, which aims to promote better health and wellbeing.

The Herefordshire scheme means more children and young people will have the chance to get proficient at swimming and involved in sport by 2012, when the Olympics are hosted in London. The council and the primary care trust also hope older people will be encouraged to take a more active part in local activities and live longer, enriched lives as a result.

“We feel that this scheme will be popular right across the county”, said Councillor Roger Phillips, leader of Herefordshire Council.

“We have a high level of swimming provision in Herefordshire and by removing charges for children and young people under 16 years of age, we can provide a very positive activity that keeps them fit and safe in the water”.

Added Dr Akeem Ali, Herefordshire’s director of public health: “Swimming is an easy and enjoyable means for improving health, wellbeing and general quality of life, especially if you are over 60 and get together with friends or neighbours as part of an active day out”.

The free swimming will be delivered by Halo and available at the Halo swimming pools in Hereford, Leominster, Ledbury and Ross-on-Wye. Eligible people will be will be asked to register for the scheme and will be issued with a free swimming card, which will allow them unlimited free access to swimming. The scheme covers public access swimming but does not include swimming lessons. To register your interest in the scheme please contact your local Halo centre on 0845 1300 842.

There will be a pre-registration process publicised before 1 April and an announcement will be made to all Herefordshire residents starting from 16 February in Herefordshire Matters – the magazine that promotes council and primary care trust services available to local people. The magazine will ask people to contact their local Halo centre to register their interest.

There will also be posters and leaflets, a website, adverts in the local press, information in libraries, info shops and museums, in doctors and dentists surgeries, via schools and there will be an official launch event in April.


Posted : 03/02/2009 18:42:46

Young Farmers Hedging Match
Members from 11 Clubs in Herefordshire will be demonstrating their hedgelaying skills at the Annual County Hedging Match on Sunday 25th January.