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Latest news PROPERTY NEWS The market Buyers are coming to the region because it still provides good value when compared to Gloucestershire and Monmouthshire. Demand remains steady at the top end of the market and interest remains high in the Hay-on-Wye and Black Mountain area with some buyers looking as far west as Brecon to get the kind of property they want. HIPs All properties in England and Wales marketed for sale since the 14th December, 2007 in England and Wales will need a Home Information Pack. The Pack includes an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC), containing advice on how to cut carbon emissions and fuel bills. Also included in the HIP are documents such as a sale statement, searches and evidence of title. Interest Rate Cut by 0.25% The Bank of England has cut UK interest rates from 5.75% to 5.5%, the first cut since August 2005. Green MOTs for Homes Households across the UK will have access to a one-stop shop advising
them how to make their homes greener following the launch of a new Government
initiative on the 20th November, 2007. LOCAL NEWS LEA proposals to close and amalgamate schools There was shock and then opposition in response to the Local Education Authority’s anouncement of its proposal to close or merge 37 schools in the county, ranging from primaries to the top-performing Fairfield High at Peterchurch. Other schools face big changes to admission numbers and catchment areas. The Herefordshire branch of the National Association of Head Teachers has passed a vote of no confidence in the director of Children’s Services and her senior officers over the way the draft plan has been managed and planned. The National Union of Teachers said it was ready to take 'all action needed' to protect teaching jobs. Communities were organizing 'Save our School' campaigns within hours of the plan becoming public. As a result of the scale of the objections and the level of criticism of the figures and finance on which the plan was based meetings were held between councillors, officials and professionals. On Monday, 21 January the Council announced the suspension
of the draft schools closure plan. 'Instead,
elected members want more time to involve all schools and their communities
in detailed discussions. We also need outside, independent and objective
advice and verified evidence of the finances and population projections
- as well as a greater understanding od the effect of any mergers on
rural communities and school journey times,' said
council leader Roger Phillips. Plans to re-develop Hereford’s Cathedral Close Plans for a £5.6 million scheme to redevelop Hereford’s Cathedral Close have been submitted to the Council. Many of the designs and plans for materials are inspired by postcards and photographs of the close which date back to the nineteenth-century. A Heritage Lottery Grant of £4.2 million gave the project the green light in June 2007 and plans are to be submitted for a second stage of approval later this year. Work should begin late in 2009, so as not to coincide with Hereford’s hosting of the Three Choirs Festival, and be completed in 2011. Major investment in cider and fruit business for Ledbury Western Europe’s largest cider and fruit-milling
plant will open in Herefordshire this year under plans from the company
behind Bulmers cider.
Scottish and Newcastle have joined forces with agricultural company Q
Group to launch Universal Beverages Ltd. in Ledbury. Ethnic community representation in Herefordshire A group has been launched to represent Hereford’s Malayalee community, HEMA, with the support of Herefordshire Voluntary Action and the Council. Binso Francis said, 'We’ve been quite late to start an organisation, but we want to study and learn and it will help a lot of people. We intend to teach our children about our heritage and customs, but other people, too.' Amelia Hughes, of Voluntary Action, said, 'There are not many cultural groups in Hereford, but we’ve helped a few and there is scope for more.' College launches its bid for an eco-award As part of their bid to obtain an Eco-Schools Green Flag Award, Hereford 6th Form College invited Mike Townsend, former chief executive of the Woodland Trust, to talk about how Hereford can become a low carbon, re-localised economy. A Four Day Arts and Crafts Course Herefordshire Council has designed this course for people who are hoping to make a career out of their creativity. Over the past 5 years the council’s creative industries section has helped many local artists and businesses to develop and succeed. For more information contact Andy Dawson on 01432 383064 or adawson@herefordshire.gov.uk. Learning Village project The first phase of Hereford’s £30 million scheme to revolutionise further education is on course to be finished by Easter with colleges planning to move in to the new workshops, teaching block, learning and resource centre and car park over the holiday period.www.bulmerfoundation.org.uk Prescriptions to take to road The Fownhope Medical Trust, a small local charity, has provided the funds for Fownhope Medical Centre to purchase a van for the purpose of delivering medicines to people struggling to get to the surgery every month. Shirley Ali Khan of
the Bulmer Foundation has a proposal for a Herefordshire Loyalty
Card. The proposal goes beyond encouraging people to spend locally
to rewarding and incentivising a wide range of sustainable practices
in the county. Peter Norton, also of the Bulmer foundation, argues
that "If
adopted widely, it could help to differentiate Herefordshire, enhance
community spirit and improve the well-being of Herefordshire people". The Campaign to Protect Rural
England has produced a report showing
that Herefordshire is one of the counties least disturbed by urban development. FEBRUARY Culture 1 February 2 February 4 - 9 February 8 February 11 - 16 February 13 February 16 February 19 February 20 February 21 February 22 February 22 February 23 February 23 February 18 - 23 February 25 Februuary - 1 March 28 February MARCH Culture 1 March 1 March 3 - 8 March 4 March 6 March 7 March 7 March - 26 April 11 March 11 -12 March 12 - 15 March 13 March 15 March 15 March 17 - 22 March 19 March 20 March Please let us know if there are any other topics or events you would like us to include here - sport, agricultural, business, equestrian and political to follow soon. Local news A new initiative from a Hereford artist aims to bring new blood to the city’s artistic life and provide a unique opportunity to artists starting out on their careers and those in search of affordable studio space. Artsite Studios is calling on any artists interested in an affordable non-profit space within the city centre, big or small, to sign up for the project. The project has the backing of Hereford College of Arts. For more information phone Stephen Bourke on 07734 086179 or email him at artsitestudioshereford@googlemail.com. Two young Hereford musicians, Joe Schiavon and Steve McGowan, have launched their own record label, Monosound Recordings, a new alternative / folk / accoustic label, with the first release on the new label scheduled for December. Herefordshire Council’s Cabinet has given the go-ahead to spend about £40 million on two state of the art ‘superschools’ , Minster College in Leominster and south Hereford’s Wyebridge Sports College, which will boost its bid to become a specialist sports, science and health academy. The future of Bromyard Community Hospital is reported to be secure with plans to add a dental access surgery and hopefuly a minor injuries unit. The Flower Festival in September, after two and a half years of organising, was a huge success - attracting more than 14,000 people to Hereford Cathedral. Many local businesses benefited from the festival and the success of the event demonstrated that Hereford could pull together to put on a large event of this nature. Another Flower Festival is planned for the future. The Rotherwas Ribbon has had a reprieve after three councillors have “called-in” the Cabinet’s decision to lay the road over it and now the Environment Scrutiny Committee will review the decision. Councillor John Jarvis, Environment Cabinet memeber, said “We believe the council should take every opportunity to ensure it is doing the right thing to protect the Rotherwas Ribbon, explore opportunities for tourism and complete the Rotherwas access road to safeguard existing and future jobs in Hereford”. Excavations around the summit of Credenhill Iron Age Fort will take place until the end of September and will be feature in a time Team documentary about hill forts, expected to be broadcast by Channel 4 next year, which will include footage of other Herefordshire sites. Berrington Hall hosted a weekend for green businesses as part of its Great Green weekend - visitors discovered a range of local green and eco-friendly business iniatives, took part in workshops and listened to talks on green issues. A Bromyard company, Micron Sprayers Limited, which won a Queen’s Award for Enterprise last year is encouraging other Hereford firms to apply. The Chairman said sales increased as a result of receiving the award - which is recognised internationally and therefore a good marketing tool - and gives a boost to staff morale. The Awards are presented for either International Trade, Innovation or Sustainable Development and the main requirements are that the business must be based in the UK, employ at least two people and be able to demonstrate commercial success. The National Vine Collection, one of the largest collections of vines ever assembled in Britain, has held its annual Open Day. Brian and Annie Edwards of Ewyas Harold, have a total of more than 400 vine varieties, holding the national collection of hardy dessert and wine grapes, as well as the national seedless grape collection. The couple’s aim is to grow, trial and sell as comprehensive a collection of vines that will ripen in Britain as they can assemble. Shirley Ali Khan, of the Bulmer Foundation, has a proposal for a Herefordshire Loyalty Card. The proposal goes beyond encouraging people to spend locally to rewarding and incentivising a wide range of sustainable practices in the county. Peter Norton, of the Bulmer foundation, argues that “If adopted widely, it could help to differentiate Herefordshire, enhance community spirit and improve the well-being of Herefordshore people”. The Campaign to Protect Rural England has produced a report showing
that Herefordshire is one of the counties least disturbed by urban development Early this month the Three Counties Cancer Network is meeting to discuss which way cancer services should be developed to meet the needs of the people of Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire. The Herefordshire campaign, Cut the Cancer Misery Miles, is hoping that radiotherapy services will be brought nearer so that people no longer have to travel to Cheltenham for this treatment. The Herefordshire Primary Care Trust director of commissioning and primary care said there was no doubt the current journey for Herefordshire people requiring radiotherapy would be considered but the meeting had to consider whether the population in the county justified a local service, whether it could be staffed adequately and safely and also the viability of its link to Cheltenham. Volunteers from the Madley
and Herefordshire Nature Trust worked alongside members of Herefordshire
Amphibian and Reptile Team to clear up an overgrown pond in the village,
home to a rare species of newt.
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