Vicky Hancock

Herefordshire Council has taken the decision to cease work on a western bypass for Hereford at Full Council today (Tuesday 2 February 2021).

Council has determined to stop the progress of the southern link road and western bypass schemes, which are included in the adopted policy. A suggested amendment was debated but not approved.

The decision follows a detailed review of the transport strategy for Hereford which set out to better understand existing and future transport conditions in the city, and to assess alternative options particularly in light of the declared climate and ecological emergency and changes to national transport policy.

The votes cast were 27 for, 19 against and 6 abstentions. All 52 councillors were present and voted.

The decision means that the Hereford Transport Package will be removed from the council’s capital programme.

The council meeting can be viewed again on the council’s Youtube channel.

Proposed budget will now be put forward for recommendation to Full Council

Herefordshire Council’s Cabinet has agreed the proposed 2021/22 budget which will now be put forward for recommendation to Full Council on Friday 12 February 2021.

The proposed budget takes into account the 2021/22 provisional local government finance settlement announced by central government last December. This includes:

‘Lower Tier’ Services Grant of £0.25m which will cover around 70% of the cost of the council’s response to the pandemic
Revenue Support Grant funding of £0.6m
New Homes Bonus funding of £1.7m
Rural Services Delivery Grant of £5.3m
The council is facing pressure on its budget over the next financial year, mostly due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. £11.2m in savings and a Council Tax increase have been proposed to Full Council to deliver a balanced budget. It has also been proposed that £1.9m of additional funding is provided to increase Council Tax discounts for those facing financial hardship.

Council Tax funds around 29% of the council’s budget. A 4.99% total increase to Council Tax has been recommended. This is an equivalent rise of £1.51 a week for a Band D property. The increase is made from:

3% increase to the ‘adult social care precept’. This will provide an additional £3.2m to be spent on delivering social care services
1.99% increase to ‘core Council Tax’. This will provide £2.2m towards the cost of all other council services.

Residents on a low income may be eligible for help to pay their bill through the Council Tax Reduction scheme. Some residents will continue to pay no Council Tax at all, such as young adults who have left care and, with effect from 2021, also all the council’s Foster Carer families. More information and advice on reduction schemes and allowances can be found on the Herefordshire Council website at www.herefordshire.gov.uk/counciltax

Herefordshire Rural Hub February 2021

Ahead of our Police & Crime Commissioners Elections this year on Thursday 6^th May we are trying to get the message out to the public that polling stations will be a safe place to vote as part of a national campaign.

Polling stations will be safe places to vote

Amy Hallett AEA (Cert).

Electoral Services Officer

We have been made aware there are scam emails circulating locally regarding NHS Vaccinations. One asks you to asks you to sign in to find out the date for your Covid vaccination and the other is asking you to book an appointment using NHS e-Referral Service – NHSVaccination (no space). Please DO NOT respond to these. It is a SCAM. They ask for your mother’s maiden name which the NHS would never do.

 

 

Over 3,200 Herefordshire children are set to benefit from free school meals support during the February and Easter half term holidays, through a council funded scheme.

The scheme was originally introduced at Christmas to provide support to vulnerable individuals and households with children, particularly affected by the pandemic during the winter months.

The council’s decision to continue to support the free school meals provision throughout the holidays will help to ensure that vulnerable Herefordshire families don’t go hungry.

Under the extended scheme primary and secondary school pupils who are entitled to benefits related free school meals will receive meal provision up to the value of £15 to cover the cost of food for the week of the February half term holidays and up to £33 to cover meals for the longer Easter break through their schools.

Parents and carers of primary and secondary school age children that are already in receipt of benefits related free school meals will be contacted by their school prior to the holidays.

Councillor Felicity Norman, Cabinet Member for Children and Families, said:

“We know the pandemic has had a devastating impact on individuals and families across Herefordshire. The winter months are proving to be incredibly difficult for many people, and as the situation continues it is vital that we support the most vulnerable members of our communities for a longer period of time.

“Primary and secondary schools will be contacting parents and carers in good time to let them know that they are entitled to the benefits related free school meals and how they will receive them. Families with an eligible child that haven’t received information by the holidays should get in touch with their child’s school direct.”

For more information about the free school meals scheme for the February and Easter holidays, please visit www.herefordshire.gov.uk/holidaysfsm

Keep Herefordshire Warm is Herefordshire Council’s home energy advice service. By providing a freephone advice line, dedicated home energy advisors and grant funding for eligible homes, Keep Herefordshire Warm supports households to use less energy, lower their bills and make energy-saving improvements to their properties.

Homes relying on electric heating may be eligible for free first-time central heating, grants are available for insulation and support for when your boiler needs repairing or replacing. Warm, affordable homes are vital to health and quality of life – and Keep Herefordshire Warm is here to help make the winter months more comfortable.

Call our friendly advisors for free on 0800 677 1432, or visit keepherefordshirewarm.co.uk

Everyone will benefit from Census 2021

Households across Herefordshire will be asked to take part in Census 2021 this spring.
The census, run by the Office for National Statistics, is a once-in-a-decade survey that gives us the most accurate estimate of all the people and households in England and Wales. It has been carried out every ten years since 1801, with the exception of 1941.
Understanding the needs of the nation helps everyone from central government to organisations, such as councils and health authorities, plan and fund public services across England and Wales. Census outputs inform where billions of pounds of public funding is spent on services like transport, education and health – on cycle routes, schools and dental surgeries.
Information from the census is also important in helping lots of other people and organisations do their work.
Charities and voluntary organisations often use it as evidence to get funding. It helps businesses to understand their customers and, for example, decide where to open new shops. Plus, those doing research, like university students and people looking into their family history, use census data. It provides important information on population diversity, allowing organisations to know whether they are meeting their responsibilities and triggering action where necessary.
Census 2021 will be the first run predominantly online, with households receiving a letter with a unique access code, allowing them to complete the questionnaire on their computers, phones or tablets.
“The census provides a unique snapshot of our communities,” Iain Bell, deputy national statistician at ONS, said. “It benefits everyone. Based on the information you give, it ensures millions of pounds are invested in emergency services, mental health care, school places, hospital beds, houses, roads, GP’s and dentist’s services.
“No-one should miss out. Everyone can complete online with a new search-as-you-type ability and paper forms for those who need them.”
Census day will be on March 21, but households will soon receive letters with online codes explaining how they can take part. The census will include questions about your sex, age, work, health, education, household size and ethnicity. And, for the first time, there will be a question asking people whether they have served in the armed forces, as well as voluntary questions for those aged 16 and over on sexual orientation and gender identity.
Results will be available within 12 months, although personal records will be locked away for 100 years, kept safe for future generations.
For more information and advice on how to answer the questions, visit census.gov.uk

Council calls for education staff to receive a COVID-19 vaccination as a priority

Herefordshire Council Cabinet Members have asked the Government to prioritise COVID-19 vaccinations for education workers.

As a result of growing concerns around staff safety and continuity of education, the council has asked the Government to recognise education staff as front line workers in need of urgent protection from coronavirus (COVID-19).

Council calls for education staff to receive a COVID-19 vaccination as a priority

Cllr Felicity Norman, Cabinet Member for Children and Families, said:

“Herefordshire’s schools and colleges have continued to deliver education both face-to-face or online throughout the constant changing demands of the pandemic. We fully recognise the valuable contribution of all of education workers in keeping our teaching services running and helping Herefordshire children to continue with their education and we feel that their safety is a priority. We hope to see all teachers and non-teaching staff included in the COVID-19 vaccination programme in the near future.”

Cllr Pauline Crockett, Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Wellbeing, added:

“Herefordshire is in a good position to deliver vaccinations initially to those that need it the most. Schools have implemented COVID secure measures and worked hard to prevent transmission in school settings. We feel very strongly that school, college and nursery staff should be vaccinated as soon as possible and we will continue to campaign for this to happen.”

Alex Davies, Executive Headteacher of Burghill Community Academy and Stretton Sugwas C.E. Academy, said:

“We recognise that school staff are worried for their own safety and that of their families. A vaccination for teachers would support children returning to school, once transmission rates allow and give greater confidence and reassurance to teaching staff, to parents and carers and children.

“Learning at home can’t be compared to learning in a classroom and school life is more than just education. We are concerned about pupils’ mental health and happiness while working from home and isolated from their friends and school community. The Government should be doing everything in their power to protect teaching and education staff, and provide a safe environment for ongoing learning.”

Vaccinations for education workers will not only mean a level of added protection for staff themselves and their families, it will also mean that there will be less impact on children’s education with a more resilient education workforce.

Leader of the Council, Cllr David Hitchiner, has written to the Secretary of State, Rt Hon Gavin Williamson CBE MP, to request the prioritisation of COVID-19 vaccinations for school, college and nursery staff in Herefordshire.

Herefordshire Council offers support to the most vulnerable people and those struggling to cope during lockdown

Herefordshire residents are being urged to STAY AT HOME now in order to protect the NHS and save lives, following the Government’s announcement of a third national lockdown.

The instruction comes in the wake of a sharp increase in COVID-19 cases across the country, including Herefordshire, in recent weeks.

The latest guidance stipulates people should only leave home for specific reasons:

shop for basic necessities, for you or a vulnerable person
go to work, or provide voluntary or charitable services, if you cannot reasonably do so from home
exercise once a day locally with one person from your household (or support bubble) or one other person
meet your support bubble or childcare bubble where necessary, but only if you are legally permitted to form one
seek medical assistance or avoid injury, illness or risk of harm (including domestic abuse)
attend education or childcare – for those eligible

The lockdown is due to last until at least mid-February. For full details of the Government’s lockdown rules visit www.gov.uk/guidance/national-lockdown-stay-at-home

Herefordshire’s Acting Director of Public Health Dr Rebecca Howell-Jones said:

“Throughout this pandemic, the vast majority of Herefordshire residents and businesses have shown extraordinary levels of compliance to the COVID-19 rules in order to protect themselves, their loved ones and wider communities against this highly contagious and sometimes lethal virus.

“But, with the new variant spreading rapidly in our communities, the pressure on our health and care services is now greater than at any other time in this pandemic.

“We ask that Herefordshire residents step up to the plate once again and STAY AT HOME to protect the NHS and save lives. We know this an extremely difficult time for many people but there is help for our most vulnerable members of society.”

Anyone who has medical appointments should attend as normal, while people concerned about their physical health and/or mental wellbeing are advised to seek the help and support they need, for example through the NHS 111 phone number.

Dr Howell-Jones added:

“I want to remind everyone to continue following the guidance on washing their hands regularly and thoroughly, always using a face covering in shops and other indoor public settings, and social distancing. This plays a vital part in reducing the spread of COVID-19.”

Shielding

If you or your child has been identified as clinically extremely vulnerable, you will receive a letter from the Government addressed personally to you. This letter is to let you know about the new guidance that will be in place for you.

In general, if you’re at high risk from coronavirus:

do not go to work, school, college or university
only go out for medical appointments, exercise or for essential reasons

Local support for vulnerable people

We recommend anyone who thinks they may struggle to cope during the lockdown should prepare a support plan. Think about the support you will need on a daily basis and those who can help you. This could include family, friends, neighbours or people you know in your local community. Your plan might include help with things that you usually take for granted such as shopping, collecting medication, pet care, posting mail, picking up urgent items, someone to check in on you or just someone to have a chat with.

If you need to isolate and there are gaps in your plan which means that you require additional support, please contact the Herefordshire Council Talk Community Helpdesk by calling 01432 260027 or email talkcommunitycovidresponse@herefordshire.gov.uk.

The WISH website has lots of information on where you can find local support if you are on your own or you are struggling financially. For advice on money, debt and budgeting and information about the council’s Better Off Service and financial support visit www.wisherefordshire.org/money

For information on community support, including ordering groceries and meals for home delivery and the location and how to access your local food bank, visit www.wisherefordshire.org/communitysupport