August 2009

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.

Herefordshire Council is inviting residents to see revised plans for Ledbury’s new library at the historic Master’s House.

Herefordshire Council is busy spreading the word about its new household recycling service which starts in November.

Hereford-based band Hidden in the Dark have helped Herefordshire Council carry out a consultation into the refurbishment of Hereford’s iconic Buttermarket at a special consultation event last week.

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.

Herefordshire Council has teamed up with local housing groups to seek views on how more decent affordable housing could be provided in Shobdon.

Hereford Museum and Art Gallery is offering families the chance to learn all about making ropes through a special demonstration being given by the Guild of Weavers, Spinners and Dyers.

Herefordshire Council is to start maintenance works to improve Bewell Street in Hereford.

Herefordshire Council’s community protection team has been issued with new powers to help achieve its aim of maintaining Herefordshire as a place of outstanding natural beauty.

Students in Herefordshire’s high school sixth forms are celebrating as this years ‘A’ level results issued today show an overall improvement for the third year running.  98.9 percent of students passed in all subjects which is above the national average of 97.5 percent.  The year on year improvement of 0.7 percent is also better than the national improvement figure of 0.3 percent.  25.7 percent of the students achieved A grades which is 7 percent higher than last year.

Herefordshire Council’s regulatory sub-committee has reviewed the premise licence for the Hop Pole, The Square, Bromyard.

Young people who were at risk of leaving school with no qualifications or career prospects will be continuing their education or taking up employment thanks to the success of a scheme run by Herefordshire Council.

The most important jobs fair in Herefordshire takes place next month as local organisations work together to provide help, support and advice for people who are unemployed.

Herefordshire Council’s outdoor education facilities in Bodenham and Hereford have been given the thumbs up by Peter Hill, inspector for the Adventure Activities Licensing Service (AALS).

More than 235 children, parents, carers and childminders rolled up their sleeves to get stuck into a day of serious play at the newly opened Widemarsh Children’s Centre this month.

Shoppers visiting Hereford’s city centre are being urged by Herefordshire Council to have their say on the refurbishment of the iconic Buttermarket at a special consultation event this week.

Routine tree maintenance works will be carried at King George V Playing Fields and The Bishop’s Meadow in Hereford during the next two weeks.

Herefordshire Council is starting to take delivery of wheeled bins ready for the council’s new recycling service which starts on November 2.

NHS Herefordshire is expanding its services to offer sexual health check-up clinics in the market towns of Leominster and Ross-on–Wye.

There’s good news for people looking for a job in Herefordshire following the announcement that around 80 apprenticeships are to be created in the public sector.

Herefordshire Council is to open its first new library in the county for 15 years – in a church ringing chamber.

After a hectic year of concerts, performed for audiences in places as divergent as Ross-on-Wye and Conde-sur-Noireaux in France, the Penyard Singers have now been invited by the Coningsby Trustees, to present an end of summer event in the St John Medieval Museum site in Hereford, to coincide with other Heritage Open Day activities.

Herefordshire Council’s Heritage Services are holding a press launch to promote this year’s Heritage Open Days throughout the county at the Museum Resource and Learning Centre, Friar Street, Hereford on Monday August 24, 2009 at 3pm.

Children in four of the county’s primary schools will be dancing their way to confidence when they go back to school in September thanks to Herefordshire Council successfully applying for cash to fund a special dance project.

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.

Hereford Museum’s summer exhibition is the place to be with something for everyone of all ages interested in craft and industry.

NHS Herefordshire has issued advice that the county has sufficient supplies of antiviral medicine. The primary care trust has also increased from six to nine the number of local pharmacies that will provide free of charge precriptions for local people diagnosed with flu-like illness by the National Pandemic Flu Service.

Channel 4’s popular Time Team, together with presenter Tony Robinson, was in Herefordshire last week to record a programme for their forthcoming series.

Herefordshire Council’s regulatory sub-committee has suspended the premise licence for McColls, The Oval, Hereford, for a period of seven days.

Herefordshire Council’s regulatory sub-committee has suspended the licence at College Green Post Office and Stores for a period of 24 hours.

Herefordshire Council’s regulatory sub-committee has been asked to review the premises licence for the Britannia Inn, Cotterell Street, Hereford.

Permission for alterations and an extension to Ross library was granted by members of Herefordshire Council’s planning committee at their meeting on Friday, August 7.

New figures just released 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.

The winners of this year’s Hereford City Floral Decorations Competition have been announced this week.

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.

NHS Herefordshire, the leader for health in the county, has announced that Diane Jones and Paul Deneen have been reappointed to serve further four-year terms as non-executive directors of the primary care trust board from 1 October 2009 to 30 September 2013. The board is responsible for supervising the overall work of NHS Herefordshire and ensuring probity and public service values.

Herefordshire Council has a treasury management function, the role of which includes ensuring that the council secures the best return it can on public funds and funds it might want to borrow.

Yo-yos will be taking over Hereford’s High Town this Wednesday, August 5, as part of a celebration to mark National Play Day 2009.

Residents of Walford went to the polls on Thursday last week, July 30, to vote for a new member of Walford parish council.

Wine, olives, locally produced cheeses and even that most famous of French liqueurs, cassis, are just some of the tempting flavours which will be on offer at this year's Herefordshire Food Festival on October 24th and 25th.

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.