Month: July 2022

If successful, the new powers would be in place by the end of 2022, and would enable the council to carry out some enforcement of specified moving traffic offences, helping to improve safety and congestion, and encourage active travel.

In July 2020, Government announced plans to improve cycling and walking uptake across the country in Gear change. As part of this strategy, the Department for Transport (DfT) have begun the process to enable new regulations to provide for Local Authorities to enforce moving traffic contraventions.

Enforcement will be provided through approved camera devices that can detect traffic offences, where a trained Civil Enforcement Officer will then administer a Penalty Charge Notice when appropriate. Enforcement for the most serious offences will still be retained by the police.

A public consultation was carried out between 3 March and 15 April 2022, showing strong support for more effective enforcement, particularly near schools.

The two initial sites are at Commercial Road and East Street, and will improve safety, congestion and air quality, and stop the high numbers of vehicles using East Street to rat run. The proposed sites are based on the history of complaints or incidents in the vicinity, and the Council plans to expand to new sites next year.

Cllr John Harrington, Cabinet member for Infrastructure and Transport, said: “The change in national law now permits Local Authorities to enforce breaches of laws and regulations that previously the police were expected to enforce. The intention with any enforcement is to promote compliance with existing restrictions, and the concept behind doing this with cameras is to explore areas in the county where compliance in the past has not been as effective as we would have liked.

“We need to be sensible about how to enforce transgressions, which residents throughout the county regularly express their dissatisfaction over. Let’s not forget that people who will get fined are breaking the law or contravening regulations, and a large proportion of those who do it will do so repeatedly because there is no or minimal police enforcement. The change in national law allows us as a Council to step up and do that.

“In the case of moving traffic contraventions such as weight limit breaches or going the wrong way down a one way street, for example, enforcement powers were previously held by the police and an officer would need to witness a driver breaking the rules, stop the vehicle, establish who is driving, and serve them a Fixed Penalty Notice. This process requires investment and resource which, quite frankly, our police forces don’t have anymore.

“The change in the regulations announced by the UK Government will mean that councils will be able to deal with these matters in the same way that it does parking, with the registered owner being held liable and notified via the post. Due to this change, cameras would then become the most effective tool to identify contraventions, ensure maximum compliance and promote safety on our roads, which is ultimately the aim.

“The issuing of penalties will not be automated – all penalties will be reviewed by a trained enforcement officer prior to issue, and there will be an appeals process in place just as there is with parking.”

More information can be found in the decision paper.

Herefordshire Council expects to become the first local authority in the country to have food waste collected by bike.

Cabinet members today (Thursday 21 July) agreed a new waste service specification, including that Herefordshire’s food waste will be collected weekly by bike. Cabinet gave pedal-powered collections the green light after debating the idea during today’s meeting.

Cargo bikes pushing ahead

A cargo bike food waste collection will begin in central Hereford. The zero-carbon approach will see kitchen scraps turned into compost. While this is a first for any UK council, similar approaches have already been adopted elsewhere. A BBC report shows food collection by bike is already underway in Paris. Meanwhile, online retailer Amazon is reported to be launching a fleet of e-cargo bikes to replace van deliveries in London.

New waste collections mandatory

Our environmentally-friendly step is part of a new waste and recycling collection service for Herefordshire that will also include a fortnightly garden waste collection service, which councils must introduce as part of new government legislation.

The new enhanced service will provide much more recycling capacity and will improve both the quantity and quality of recycling. Residents will keep the bins they already have for general waste and recycling. The council will meet the one-off cost of additional bins needed to separate different types of waste. This will be offset by savings made every subsequent year in reduced disposal costs.

Losing sleep over climate emergency

Gemma Davies, cabinet member for commissioning, procurement and assets, says:

“I am absolutely thrilled with this. Not just that we’re introducing this environmentally-friendly collection service but also that we expect ours to be the very first council in the country to do so. How good it is to lead in the critical race to combat our climate emergency. Making these changes is a very useful way for us all to get involved in helping our environment. I’m grateful to all the members who supported this plan and I’m confident Herefordshire residents will also get behind it. The change will benefit us all.”

Getting it right

Residents are being encouraged and supported to make good choices to ‘reduce, reuse and recycle’ through our ‘Getting it right’ campaign. This encourages people to put the right items into the right bins. Reducing contamination (putting the wrong things into the wrong bins) will improve recycling rates.

Other waste reduction measures include the incredibly successful reusable nappy scheme, which is helping residents with young families reduce nappy waste. Its popularity meant the scheme had to end just 30 days after its April launch date.  We also recently announced funding grants for setting up or extending existing repair cafes to discourage people from throwing away repairable household items.

If you enjoy mending old toasters, renovating radios or stitching and fixing old shirts, then running a repair café may be just what you’ve been waiting for.

With new funding available, there is no better time to get involved in a project that’s good for your community and good for our planet.

What are repair cafés?

Repair cafés are places to meet, fix things and chat with other like-minded people who would rather repair an item than put it in the bin or take it to a local recycling centre. Find out more about them here: repaircafe.org/en/about.

Repair cafés are run by dedicated volunteers who enjoy helping their community. If you don’t want to run one but have the skills to volunteer at a local repair café, please email

recycling@herefordshire.gov.uk.

Funding available

The scheme is open to applications from formally constituted, non-profit groups and organisations wholly based in Herefordshire. City, town and parish councils are also eligible to apply.

Those who make a successful application could get up to £2500 in funding. That can be used to hire a venue, help towards a membership scheme, pay for insurance, tools, training and promotions. The council funding – earmarked for trial projects to reduce waste – can be used to start a new repair café or expand an existing one. The closing date for applications is Friday 12 August 2022 and more information can be found at herefordshire.gov.uk/repair.

Councillor Gemma Davies, cabinet member for commissioning, procurement and assets, says:

“Repair cafés are fabulous. They bring people together. They provide opportunities for skills sharing. And, more broadly, they’re another step towards helping our planet. It’s sad that we’ve sleepwalked into becoming a throwaway society. Repair cafés can help us reverse the trend of tossing goods away that, with very little effort, could have years of life left in them. I’d love to see repair cafes popping up all over Herefordshire so everyone living here or visiting the county can benefit from them.”

See further details on our webpage.

Visit Community Repair Network to find out more on what it means to run a repair cafe.

Cabinet members agreed to invest £8 million of capital funding for the complete refurbishment of Hereford Museum and Art Gallery (HMAG) in Broad Street, and £500,000 to relocate Hereford Library to a renovated Maylord Orchards centre. The funding, which is subject to council decision, will combine with a £8 million bid to Stronger Towns, and a £5 million bid to an alternative fund bringing the total cost of the museum refurbishment to £18 million and the library relocation and renovation to £3.5 million.

A redeveloped HMAG will support the creation of a world-class, energy-efficient, cultural and visitor experience at the heart of Hereford. As well as other treasures, it would be an ideal place in which to showcase the Herefordshire Hoard, which the council is campaigning to bring home for the people of Herefordshire. The new Library and Learning Resource Centre (LLRC) at Maylord Orchards will also provide rentable space for a range of services and organisations, including the council’s adult learning services and health and wellbeing clinics.

Councillor Gemma Davies, cabinet member for commissioning, procurement and assets, says:

“I’m delighted cabinet members reached agreement on these two significant proposals for Herefordshire. Our investment in cultural services is so important to support local people and adds exciting destinations and support for both residents and tourists. There’s plenty of evidence showing cultural and creative centres attract visitors who go on to spend time in hotels, restaurants and other local venues and we expect the new museum to attract around £2.5 million to the local economy every year. These projects represent good value for money for the people of Herefordshire and put culture at the very heart of our city’s future.”