In clarification
I AM writing to clarify Bromyard & Winslow Town Council’s position with regard to the application by Bovis Homes to build approximately 500 houses on Hardwick Bank, Bromyard.
The town council has always supported the principle of 500 houses being built in the form of a sustainable urban extension on Hardwick Bank and indeed consulted the people of Bromyard on the proposal a number of years ago. 
The public were overwhelmingly in favour and the council worked hard to ensure that the proposal was included in Herefordshire Council’s core strategy, which it is, (policy BY2). 
The principle of the development is therefore well-established and included in the core strategy.
No pedestrian safety concerns were raised by councillors at the council’s planning committee meeting when Bovis Homes’ application was considered. 
The concerns mentioned by the Mayor Cllr Clark are personal concerns and it should have been made clear to the Hereford Times that he was not speaking on behalf of the town council. 
No concerns about pedestrian safety were raised by the planning committee.
The planning committee’s only concern was the current lack of 5ha of designated employment land to accompany the 500 houses and the committee felt it could not support the application until that land is identified. 
It is understood that this land will be identified by Herefordshire Council through a Bromyard Development Plan which is already underway.
CLLR ROGER PAGE
Chairman
Planning & Economic Development Committee
Bromyard & Winslow Town Council

Floral invasion
AS usual at this time of year in Herefordshire, mile after mile of roadside verge is threatened with an invasion of deplorably untidy wild flowers, shrubs and trees which only serve to distract drivers’ attention from the important business of getting from one place to another as fast as possible. 
Furthermore, this wilderness is infested with dangerous wild animals such as hedgehogs, mice and voles, not to mention all the so-called songbirds with their irritating cacophony.
May I appeal to all your readers who own ride-on mowers, strimmers and similar equipment to tackle this menace head-on by getting out on to the highway and reducing as much of our verges as possible to the much tidier appearance of green baize. 
And in case anyone is tempted to drive a vehicle on this pristine surface I would recommend planting non-native trees such as Leyland cypress, or positioning rocks at regular intervals. 
Old tyres can be particularly attractive for this purpose.
JIM HARDY
Stanhope Street
Hereford

Huge cost
I WAS sorry to miss the meeting about the proposed bypass in Breinton last week, and pleased to see that so many people are taking an interest. 
It was good to read that Bill Wiggin stands by previous statements opposing a western route, as there are many reasons why such a road would not deliver a reduction in city centre congestion. 
People forget that the majority of traffic is not just passing through but has local destinations; mostly needing to access work, shops, schools, hospital, railway station etc. 
The current congestion would be compounded by extra traffic from the 1000s new homes to be built to help pay for a bypass. 
The huge cost of the project would therefore not be good value for money. 
At the same time it would wipe out special and irreplaceable wildlife habitats on both sides of the River Wye SAC and SSSI, and destroy the iconic landscape painted by the esteemed artist Brian Hatton. 
This unique and unspoiled riverside scenery is a huge asset for the people of Hereford to enjoy.
DR NICKY GEESON
Kings Acre Road
Hereford

Speak for all?
JESSE Norman has announced that he wants to represent the people of Hereford & South Herefordshire again. 
But does he actually want to speak for all of the people in our community, or just the better off? 
Does he actually care about those of us who are less well off?
In the last few years, Mr Norman has consistently voted in favour of policies that would restrict the income of people who are already struggling to make ends meet. 
In 2013 he voted on numerous occasions to cap increases in benefits and tax credits at 1%, well below the RPI, which was running at over 2%. 
In 2016 he voted in favour of cuts in housing benefits and support allowances.
While supporting these kinds of cuts, he also regularly voted against increases in taxation on incomes over £150,000, and voted against taxing the bonuses of bankers.
Child poverty rates are worse now than when the conservatives took power in 2010, hospital waiting times are longer, and social care services are in crisis, yet over the last seven years Mr Norman and his colleagues have consistently sought ways to look after their friends at the expense of those who really need help. 
Surely it is time for a fresh voice at Westminster, who will speak for the majority and support those who most need it?
JOHN MCCLOSKEY
Cotterell Street
Hereford

Good record
I suppose it is only natural that as we approach a General Election, your letters column will become busier than ever. 
Those who write to you about their preferences usually do so to complain about a particular topic in which they have a personal interest.  
Where the candidate is seeking re-election, the views expressed by your correspondents can sometimes get nasty or even personal.
Jesse Norman is seeking re-election as a Conservative MP, and so it is reasonable to start by accepting that his politics do not suit everyone. 
But let us look at his record in representing Hereford and South Herefordshire for the last few years. 
With his very active support and involvement, the Enterprise Zone has attracted £16 million worth of investment, thus creating hundreds of new jobs. 
The same can be said for the fact that Hereford will soon become a university city.
Not every project has been quite so spectacularly successful but the fact is that he now has ministerial experience, which is sure to continue.  
This must put him in a unique position, close to the heart of government, where he can continue supporting us in the future.  
Herefordshire has not enjoyed such a benefit for decades.
I believe Jesse Norman has been an excellent constituency and parliamentary MP, and I cannot imagine anyone else taking his place.
ANDREW SELLERS
Hereford

Unfair fine
READERS should be aware of unfair and exorbitant fines for parking in local car parks. 
My wife and I took our grandson to the athletics club and parked in the car park at Hereford Leisure Centre. 
A car park ticket was purchased and displayed on the dashboard.
As we were walking away from the car, my grandson remembered that he had left an item in the car. I unlocked the car remotely as he returned to collect the item from the rear seat. While the car door was open, the ticket must have blown down from the dashboard and landed face-down on the driver’s seat. 
We were unaware that this had happened.
On our return, an hour later, I was surprised to find a ‘Parking Charge Notice’ attached to the windscreen.
I appealed to ‘Corporate Services (Parking Management)’ explaining what must have happened to the ticket, and included a photocopy of the valid ticket.
I have received notice that the appeal has been denied and I have 14 days to pay £45 or the charge will be increased to £75 which is payable within a further 14 days.
In possession of a valid ticket, I feel this is ‘Highway Robbery’.
ROB WILLCOCK
St Weonards

Help our birds
PLEASE keep feeding the small birds in your gardens but don’t make it easy for sea gulls, crows and pigeons to get at the food. 
These large birds, who are extremely noisy, foul our cars, conservatories, patios and pavements.
You also must realise the gulls and sometimes crows eat young birds and take eggs from nests. 
So make feeding trays suitable for small birds only so these large birds can go back to the coast or woodlands.
MRS A JONES
Hereford


Join together

HOW can Mr Linnane (Letters, May 11) be so sure that Theresa May will “secure a better deal and future for our country” in Brexit negotiations. 
To my mind she is far too abrasive and has little idea how to handle those with whom she has to negotiate. 
One of her failings, of course, is her inability to judge character; while the vast majority of Britons must see Boris Johnson as a buffoon and know him to be a self-confessed liar (but still he laughs about the false claim about NHS funding on the Brexit bus) she puts him in a responsible cabinet post. 
Her Chancellor was forced to make a U-turn the day after presenting his budget!
Things look very bad and there is little time to  turn them around and possibly little will among those who could make a difference. 
Your correspondents Toni Fagan (May 11) and Polly Ernest (May 4) are quite right; it should be possible to defeat the Tory incumbent in the South Hereford constituency. 
Your own on-line poll (May 4), even if taken with a large pinch of salt, showed that Tory supporters are far out-numbered by those who would like to see a change.
The other parties know that their candidates have no chance of success but if, in the national interest, they would agree on one of their number to be the anti-Tory candidate and urge all of their supporters to vote for him or her they would be doing democracy a great service. 
It goes without saying that the Independent candidate would also need to be a party to the alliance.
Have you noticed that Mrs May is avoiding meeting the man in the street and that her audiences are always packs of the party faithful? 
And what is the message she tries to convey? 
It appears to be limited to “stable and strong”; I suggest “abrasive and wrong”.
F A MILLIGAN
Hereford

Tactical vote
RECENT letters suggest voting tactically. 
A website set up for the purpose has gone viral: www.tactical2017.com. 
I am a reluctantly disillusioned former “semi-supporter” of Jesse Norman. 
His admirable principles have sadly been superseded as energy minister in abandoning support for small and medium sized companies, solar and other renewable businesses, in favour of large companies involved in oil, gas, coal and nuclear generation. 
His government has presided over an attempt to dismantle a thriving solar PV industry. 
I am proudly a part of that industry. 
Many have suffered as a result of ill-conceived cliff-edged cuts in support for solar. 
We all wanted subsidies gone but sensibly so that jobs and businesses could be preserved. 
The Tories ignored us. 
This will prove the most short-sighted of any government in living memory. Climate change and decreasing costs of solar mean it is the fastest-growing energy technology in the world, a global industry for the future that should be supported not undermined. 
So to vote tactically and get the Tories out, thousands need to put aside our party loyalties and follow the advice of the website. 
And be sure to vote accordingly!
ALEX FORNAL
Lower Maescoed

Helped locals
I FELT the need to supply some balance to the letters regarding our MP Jesse Norman.
Before being elected, he campaigned for ‘Broadband for Herefordshire’. 
As a business in Pontrilas we needed Broadband to remain competitive and BT had declined to upgrade our exchange. 
Jesse brought pressure to bear and the end result was a Broadband provision.
Later, when our Post Office was under threat he put his weight behind the campaign to retain the Post Office. 
Thankfully, because of his campaigning and pressure the Post Office was saved and operates to this day.
He’s been helping our county since prior to 2010 and I’ll be encouraging everyone I know to support someone who works for the local people.
TIM MULHALL
Pontrilas

Thank you
WE would like to thank the matron and staff at Oaklands Nursing Home for the kindness, care and consideration shown to our friend Sheila while with you for the last four years of her life.
Much appreciated.
V and J Gittings
Hampton Park
Hereford