Out and about

Hereford City Council ran Applefest successfully again this year. Turnout was great (strictly speaking the first day was 30th September but that was very nearly October).

The City Council is a parish council and so doesn’t have the powers and responsibilities of Herefordshire Council. It is still able to make a big impact in the city and events like Applefest are really great ways to bring the communities of the city together.

Around the ward

I’ve been dealing with a wide range of residents’ concerns this month including looking into extending double yellow lines, responding to planning applications and raising reports of anti-social behaviour with our neighbourhood policing team.

Several people have raised concerns with me about the level of litter in Churchill Gardens. This does tend to increase markedly when the colleges are in session. It reduces the enjoyment of the park for everyone, including students who are some of the most enthusiastic park users. I am talking to the colleges about what they can do to help.

At the councils

There was a meeting of the full Herefordshire Council this month. We should have been debating the Conservative’s plans for capital spending but, I’m afraid, the Liberal Democrats were very disappointed with their proposals. We agreed with their suggestion of investing money in the first stage of the bypass and in pothole repairs but we were shocked that they wanted to take all the planned investment out of council housing and community hubs. In the end they withdrew the item and I hope they will come back with something a majority of councillors can support.

I attended a meeting of Hereford City Council’s Community Development Committee. We heard of plans that the County Council has to install new public art in areas around the city centre. I have to say I was quite excited by some of these proposals and I look forward to seeing them develop.