All polling stations will be run in accordance with coronavirus (COVID-19) guidelines to ensure the safety of people wishing to visit the facilities to vote.  Voters are required to wear a face covering and observe social distancing.  Polling station staff will be wearing personal protective equipment (PPE).  Hand sanitiser will be provided at the venues and the facilities will be cleaned regularly throughout the day.  We may have to limit the number of people in a polling place at any one time.  Voting may take longer than normal, so please allow extra time for your visit.

The polling stations are accessible to everyone and polling station staff are trained to help in any way they can. A magnifying glass, a tactile voting device and a copy of the ballot paper in large format are available in every polling station.

Postal votes must be received by 10pm on Thursday 6 May 2021. If you miss the post, you can hand it in to the electoral team at Hereford Town Hall or at any polling station in the electoral area before 10pm on Thursday 6 May 2021.

The verification of the votes for the Police and Crime Commissioner elections will be on the morning of Friday 7 May and the vote count will take place on Monday 10 May.

The counting of the votes for the Local Government by-election and the Neighbourhood Planning Referendums will take place on the afternoon of Friday 7 May.

For more information on the 6 May elections and referendums, including the Police and Crime Commissioner Elections and details on how to vote visit: www.herefordshire.gov.uk/elections

The plan to reopen in August 2020 along with all other leisure facilities wasn’t possible due to severe and deliberate damage caused to the roof of the Centre through vandalism.

Since then the contractors working on behalf of the Council have made the building watertight and the internal works to repair the substantial water damage caused by the vandalism is progressing.

Alex Haines, Halo’s Partnership Manager said, “The task of replacing the electrical system including the fire alarms/emergency lighting throughout the entire Centre is more extensive than we initially thought. This means we will not reopen this month along with the other Halo centres in the County as we had all hoped and planned for. We are very disappointed but this crucial work is needed to make the building safe.”

Herefordshire Council and the Contractors are doing all they can to progress as quickly as possible within the demanding constraints of a Covid compliant workplace. They have developed a scheme of work which indicates a handover to Halo by the end of the Summer 2021. 

Chris Jenner, Assistant Director for Technical Services at Herefordshire Council, said: “We know that Halo customers and the community in general are anxious to see their Centre reopen as soon as possible. We share in the frustration that this unnecessary hardship has brought about for the town, at a time when the benefits of activity, exercise and community cohesion have never been more essential and appreciated.”

Alex Haines went on to say, “Everyone involved is working hard to reopen the Centre. We care passionately about keeping community leisure centres open and viable for the long term. We’ve done it for nearly 20 years in Bromyard and we intend to continue to do so for many years to come.”

Halo has developed a number of options for local people to help them keep active during the Centre’s closure. Visit haloleisure.org.uk/news/1460-your-options-whilst-the-bromyard-centre-is-closed

“Our thoughts are with the Royal Family at this time.”

Statement on behalf of Her Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant, Edward Harley OBE:“I am very sad to hear the news regarding His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh.

“I am very sad to hear the news regarding His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh.
HRH has been a pillar of strength to The Monarchy, dedicating his life to supporting Her Majesty The Queen in her duties.
The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, which has offered opportunities to thousands of young people, is just one of his many lasting legacies.
HRH has been a hugely positive and encouraging influence in so many fields.
My thoughts are with Her Majesty and all the members of The Royal Family at this very sad time.”

Statement on behalf of Councillor Sebastian Bowen, Chairman of Herefordshire Council:

“It is with great sadness that we observe the passing of HRH The Duke of Edinburgh. Our thoughts are with the Royal Family at this sad time. The flags across the county are being flown at half-mast as a sign of our greatest respect, and there will be books of remembrance located throughout Herefordshire to commemorate and celebrate fond memories of Prince Philip throughout his life.

“We first welcomed The Duke of Edinburgh to Herefordshire in 1957 when he accompanied the Queen on her first visit to the county as Queen and they have both visited us on several occasions since then. The last occasion was their visit on 11 July 2012 during Her Majesty’s celebration of her Diamond Jubilee, which will be a permanent memory for the people of Herefordshire. The Duke has always been such a marvellous consort to the Queen throughout the decades, helping to make the world envious of the British monarchy, which is without equal.

“The Duke of Edinburgh, when a young Naval Officer stationed on Malta was introduced to Polo by Lord Mountbatten, who was a great exponent of the game and wrote a classic manual on Polo. The Duke became a fine player with a very good handicap of four. He was a member of many winning teams. After Polo, the Duke took up Carriage Driving, very successfully. He was skilled, brave and very determined and won many Championships and represented Great Britain. He drove a team of the Queen’s ponies to many successes. His enthusiastic participation greatly raised the profile of Carriage Driving.

“We owe The Duke a great debt of gratitude for the way he dedicated his life to be at the Queen’s side at thousands of visits in their service of our country and the whole of the Commonwealth. The way he supported the nation’s young people mature into responsible adulthood through his innovative Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme was a marvellous inspiration for many young people.  I know that The Duke of Edinburgh Scheme has changed, greatly for the better, the lives of thousands of young people and taught them to believe in themselves and to learn that serving other people is the greater glory.

“He will be sorely missed, not only by the Royal family and his friends, but also by the nation as a whole.”

Herefordshire has been chosen as one of 100 places across the UK to receive funding through the government’s £220m UK Community Renewal Fund, for investment in skills development, communities, businesses and improve local employment opportunities.

The county has been highlighted as a priority place for investment based on an index of economic resilience across Great Britain, which measures productivity, household income, unemployment, skills and population density.

Investment and support that is tailored to address the challenges faced at a local level is essential to tackle disadvantage, ensure that everyone has the skills they need to take advantage of the opportunities available and enable local economic growth.

With up to £3m available for investment locally, Herefordshire Council (as the designated lead authority) is inviting voluntary and community sector organisations, education providers and business groups to submit proposals for innovative pilot projects that address local challenges, develop skills and support people into work.

Any organisation interested in submitting a proposal should visit the council website at www.herefordshire.gov.uk/communityrenewalfund or email CommunityRenewalFund@herefordshire.gov.uk  for further information on the application process.

The council will assess all submitted applications and shortlisted proposals will be submitted to the government in June for approval. Approved projects will be delivered between Autumn 2021 and March 2022.

Further information about the UK Community Renewal Fund can be found on the gov.uk website: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-community-renewal-fund-prospectus