March 2008

Mums, dads and carers are being urged to bring their babies along to new bounce and rhyme sessions being held at the Kington Centre.

Six months on and with around £45,000 spent, youngsters in a Hereford suburb are enjoying first class play equipment thanks to a joint Hereford City-Herefordshire Council project.

The relocation of the Ledbury Tourist Information centre to its new home in the Master's House is almost complete and the new centre will open its doors for business this Friday, April 4.

Books in the bathroom…DVDs in the doghouse?

Full details of the two-day outdoor-activity spectacular in Herefordshire have just been unveiled.

Ambitions to transform Wyebridge Sports College into a new, state-of-the art academy have won the backing of Herefordshire Council. The council's cabinet (27 March 2008) approved a 250-page outline business case that should unlock almost £22 million of capital investment from the government to rebuild and refurbish the high school in the South Wye area of Hereford.

A key event for landlords in Herefordshire is to be held on the evening of Wednesday, April 2, from 7pm to 9.30pm.

Herefordshire Council has backed plans to build a new school for 70 pupils at Staunton on Wye. The support by the council's cabinet (27 March 2008) was crucial to secure a government grant to cover 90 per cent of the net costs of the new school, which would have been withdrawn at the end of the month if the local authority did not support the scheme.

Herefordshire Council is encouraging people to support their local post offices and village shops by expanding the council's bill paying service.

Herefordshire Council has opened a brand new state-of-the-art fitness suite at Lady Hawkins' Community Leisure Centre in Kington and is inviting local residents to look round the gym during a launch event on Tuesday 1st April from 10am to 12 noon.

Herefordshire Council is launching a series of short walks to help people walk their way back to health.

It's a well-known fact that Herefordshire has one of the fastest growing populations of older people in the UK.

A valued pilot village warden scheme, which helps older people feel safe and in touch with their community, will continue with the support of Herefordshire Council and Herefordshire Primary Care Trust.

As part of works to renew and refurbish water mains in Ross-on-Wye, a series of road closures will be necessary.

Motorists in Hereford are being advised to leave a little extra time for their journey on Sunday, April 6, when temporary traffic lights will be used on the A465 Aylestone Hill.

Following last year's successful visit, the team of traders Marche de France is returning to the county early next month.

By working together, the council and the primary care trust will cut by half the average delivery time for special equipment to help people with disabilities, or who may be recovering from illness, to live independently at home.

Herefordshire Council has confirmed it still requires special safety tests to be carried out to licensed taxi and private hire vehicles modified for wheelchair access.

The Lord-Lieutenant of Herefordshire, Sir Thomas Dunne, KCVO, has appointed new Deputy Lieutenants of Herefordshire.

Young people have the chance to test out their rapping skills and learn some new ones at a free DJ workshop this month.

Herefordshire has been given £450,000 to increase activities for young people and the council is looking for volunteers to mange the fund. The money comes from the government's Youth Opportunity and Capital Fund and has to be spent on increasing the range of things to do and places to go for young people over the next three years.

Richard North, principal of Minster College, in Leominster, has announced that he is to leave the school in August after eight and a half happy and successful years.

Families in Ledbury can enjoy activities and services in one location thanks to Ledbury Primary School becoming a fully extended school.

Ledbury Tourist Information Centre is having a bright and welcoming new home made ready in the historic Master's House at St Katherine's, Ledbury.

Pre-school children from across the county will be showing off some of their creative arts projects at the Courtyard Theatre Hereford on Wednesday 19th March.

Herefordshire could become a national pilot for how schools and communities could work together closely and creatively to sustain rural schools.

Herefordshire Council and Worcestershire County Council are celebrating a year of the Real Nappy Incentive Scheme with a special fashion show next week.

Plans to change the use of former traditional farm buildings into self-contained holiday units at Little Quebb Farm, Eardisley, were approved by members of the northern area sub-committee at their meeting on Wednesday, March 12.

Members of the northern area planning sub-committee meeting on Wednesday, March 12 have agreed to have a site visit over plans to convert a former mill in Leominster into three apartments.

Planning permission for an implement store at Woodside Lodges, Falcon Lane, Ledbury, incorporating bunkhouse accommodation for groups of walkers and cyclists together with a common room, were approved by members of the northern area planning sub-committee at their meeting on Wednesday, March 12.

Herefordshire Council has been working with Age Concern on a unique project encouraging older people to lead exercise sessions and help others get fitter.

Herefordshire motorists will benefit from fairer and clearer parking systems as new regulations come into force on March 31, 2008.

Shoppers visiting Hereford's Maylord Orchards centre will be able to get on and off buses more easily thanks to a series of works carried out by Herefordshire Council.

At a public meeting held at Colwall Primary School on Wednesday 27 February Herefordshire Council and Network Rail gave a commitment and a clear timetable for the village to get a brand new bridge in little more that one year.

Children from county schools are to enjoy a creative boost to the curriculum thanks to the success of a project which provides cash for professional artists to work alongside teachers in primary schools.

Crime and mystery, murder and mayhem, tales of the riverbank, super heroes and Japanese Manga drawings - they're all on the cards for a fun-packed celebration to mark Ross-on-Wye library's 20th birthday.

Plans are coming together for the Herefordshire business event of the year.

Visitors and residents in Ross-on-Wye will be able to enjoy a better view of a historic wall in the town thanks to work carried out by Herefordshire Council.

Parents in Leominster and the surrounding area will have the opportunity to learn about the consequences of drug and alcohol misuse at a special information evening on March 18.

Herefordshire has appointed the first new director to its new public services partnership, following the pioneering appointment of a chief executive to lead both the council and the primary care trust. The new post will lead the promotion and protection of health and wellbeing in the county.

If you're aged 60 or over and want to check you're getting all the benefits you should, you need to get along to Hereford's High Town on Wednesday, March 19.

Councillor Roger Phillips, leader of Herefordshire Council, has joined a national call for landfill tax to be returned to local authorities so it can be invested in refuse and recycling facilities.

Getting the work-life balance right in the workplace can raise staff morale, reduce staff absenteeism and increase productivity; that's the message being given to businesses across the county at a conference being held at Hereford's Three Counties Hotel this week.

Key Stage 2 pupils throughout Herefordshire are learning how to stay safe on the county's roads by watching a special play.

Herefordshire Council has agreed a 4.4 per cent increase in council tax for the 2008-09 financial year - and a budget designed to boost spend on services that protect the most vulnerable members of the community.

Members of the southern area planning sub-committee were minded at their meeting on Wednesday, March 5 to approve plans for a residential development, pond, parking for the village hall and surgery together with the demolition of a packing shed at Court Farm, Much Birch.

The principle of residential development on land next to Coopers Hall, Cusop, was approved by members of the southern area planning sub-committee at their meeting on Wednesday, March 5.

Mr Tony Blows, landlord of the Dog Inn public house at Ewyas Harold, has been found guilty by district judge Morgan sitting at Hereford Magistrates Court on Thursday, March 6, on charges laid by Herefordshire Council under the new smoke-free legislation.

Members of the southern area planning sub-committee are to have a site visit before making a decision on plans for alterations and refurbishment to a retail unit at 27 Brookend Street, Ross-on-Wye and the erection of nine apartments.

Members of the southern area planning sub-committee were minded at their meeting on Wednesday, March 5 to approve plans to build a bungalow to replace an existing residential caravan at Trewaugh Farm, Three Ashes, Herefordshire.

Herefordshire Council has just completed restoration work on the historic Hog's Mount Steps at Hereford's Castle Green.

A former pupil of a Herefordshire school has returned to take over as the head teacher of her old school.

Herefordshire Council is encouraging residents to think twice about what they throw out during their annual spring clean.

Work has started to build a staggered zebra crossing on Aylestone Hill between the Folly Lane and Venn's Lane junctions.

Aylestone Park Association will be holding its annual meeting on Thursday, March 13 at 7pm in the Royal National College for the Blind, Venns Lane, Hereford.

Motorists driving over Fromes Hill are being reminded to keep to the speed limit with the latest weapon to stop speeding drivers.

Public services watchdog the Audit Commission has reported to Herefordshire Council that it was 'happy' that 'a full and independent investigation had taken place' following the council's discovery of problems in procurement in its ICT division in the summer of last year.

Opening at Hereford Museum & Art Gallery on Saturday, March 15 is an exhibition of original contemporary prints by the Oxford Printmakers Co-operative.

Parents of children entering reception classes in primary schools and parents of pupils transferring to secondary schools across the county will learn which school their child will go to in September this month.

Ticket sales for this year's Herefordshire Walking Festival, being held from Saturday, June 14 until Monday, June 22, have been going well with places on the featured long-distance Monnow Valley Walk nearly sold out.

Following the community consultation regarding the services at Weobley library an undertaking was given that Herefordshire Libraries would communicate their thinking on future plans for the library in Weobley.