Bypass need
YOUR Comment column, June 29 refers. 
The background to this subject seems to have been forgotten. 
Hereford needs a bypass for two main reasons. For future traffic management but most importantly, to open up the space for the 6500 houses and businesses we must build by 2030. Our future depends entirely on growing the economy and income.
A report by Amey was commissioned to establish the options for housing and infrastructure. The report concluded that a bypass to the west was the only viable option because land to the east is a flood plain and is classified as a Site of Special Scientific Interest. 
Would you build on a flood plain even if you got permission? 
The report understandably raised much concern among western residents as would be the case to the east.
Because of those concerns, a second report was produced by Parson Brinkerhof. This report confirmed the validity of the first – go west. Consultation with the public showed 90% of respondents in favour of a bypass split 50/50 with western residents unsurprisingly favouring the east.  
Our core strategy, which included a western bypass, was the subject of a public enquiry. Objectors had a six-week opportunity to put their case. The inspector found in favour of the strategy and the bypass.
Growing the economy means houses, businesses and roads. 90% of residents want a bypass. All major employers want a bypass. The public inspector supports a bypass. East of the city is a flood plain and an SSSI. There would be objectors wherever a road is built.
Your Comment author says your paper is unconvinced. How much more evidence is needed?
A W JOHNSON
Leader 
Herefordshire Council

Why do this?
I WONDER if Dr Jonny Duffett is the best spokesperson for the project to amalgamate five surgeries into one? (Last week’s Hereford Times page two.)
I am one of those readers, I fear, who has no idea what a “Hub and Spoke model” is. 
There is also no explanation of how the current practices’ “old legacy 19th century premises” are unfit for purpose. 
And what is this “resilience” which Dr Duffett is offering as a rationale for this revolution?
I’m a leukaemia sufferer with complex medical needs and I am very content with the service presently offered by Sarum House surgery.
NICHOLAS SWINGLER
St Martin’s St
Hereford

Skill shortage
I READ your talking point letter from Lola Cook and thought I would share some of my thoughts with the public following this dreadful event. 
It coincides with a meeting I had last week with one of the senior management of Herefordshire College, where we discussed the lack of suitable courses for one of the country’s most important industries – the world of construction.
As a Herefordshire Construction company with experience of designing and building everything from steel-framed farm and commercial buildings to residential developments, we have many design challenges to master. 
We are looking for designers, an estimator and project managers yet there are so few people out there with the expertise. 
One of the biggest flaws of the education system is the lack of preparation for work in the construction industry and sadly it is this lack of knowledge and indeed sense of responsibility that has contributed to this terrible event. I will list below the various bodies who one would expect to be involved in the process which led to the improvements to this ageing block of flats:-
1 The architect who would have set the specification and drawn the detail.
2 The main contractor who would have brought the various costings together from the sub contractors.
3 The sub contractor who would have chosen the cladding type and recommended the flashing details together with access methods and health and safety implications.
4 The project manager who would have policed the construction process to make sure it was done to the agreed specification.
5 The Building Control officers who were there to protect the residents and make sure it was safe and built to the expected standard.
6 The procurement office for the council who would have compared the prices from the various contractors and make sure that those quotes had included the correct specification.
7 The management company who ran the buildings’ maintenance and improvements on behalf of the residents.
8 The manufacturer of the cladding panels who would hopefully have helped to recommend the correct specification of panel.
9 The British Board of Agrement or equivalent body who would have issued the safety certificate for the cladding material.
10 The Building Research Establishment or equivalent body who would have carried out the fire tests to make sure it’s flammability and structural integrity would have withstood the fire condition and temperatures to which the material would have been exposed.
 As well as this there is an almost limitless choice of materials when purchasing insulated cladding – such as :-
1 Expanded Polystyrene, Extruded Polystyrene, Polyurethane Foam, Polyisocyanurate Foam all of which have varying grades of flammability.
2 Rockwool lined cladding, which is pretty much non combustible but is more expensive and much heavier, demanding more challenging methods of fitting and handling.
3 These can come as bonded products or supplied and fixed as ‘Built up’ combinations on site, with an assortment of battens or galvanised rails to fix it to.
4 There are the different materials used in the skins of the products, from aluminium foil to aluminium sheet and steel flat or profiled sheets with various types of zinc, painted and plastisol coatings.
There is a failure of Building Regulations, partly brought about by the privatisation of this essential public service, which we have been talking about within our business for some time. The inspection process does not inspect a new build well enough in our opinion. This event will surely bring that into sharp focus and bring about changes that are well overdue.
I hope this will help the reader understand the complex process which will become the centre of the hopefully very thorough enquiry.
PHIL COLLINS
Collins Design & Build Limited                                                                                          
Pontrilas

Best in world
IN October 1960, my father John Gwilliam, who was already British Ploughing Champion, ploughed in the World Ploughing Championship at Roma, Italy and over two days of competition won and became the World Ploughing Champion. 
He received the ‘Golden Plough’.
Last week my wife, sister, brother-in-law and myself tracked down where the original ‘Golden Plough’, as won by my father is housed at the Helena Thompson Museum in Workington, Cumbria and paid a visit to this place. 
We were made very welcome and treated with courtesy by all the staff. 
I explained about dad winning the ‘Golden Plough’ and we were then allowed to hold it. 
It was an emotional occasion as, some 56 and a bit years after dad won this trophy, his son and daughter actually got to hold it aloft.
Dad, John Gwilliam was the second Herefordshire man to win the “Golden Plough”, the first being Leslie Goodwin in 1958. 
The original ‘Golden Plough’ was retired to the museum in 1975 and a list of winners is exhibited there. 
I have now supplied, at their request, pictures of the World Champion Ploughmen as they held none.
Philip Gwilliam
Kington

Explain this
PLEASE could someone explain to me how Theresa May can pluck £1billion out of the air to bribe the DUP to support her Government, and not do the same for the NHS?
PAUL GILL
Camelot Close
Hereford

Very grateful
I WOULD like to express my sincere thanks to all the people who came to my wife’s aid after she fell in Widemarsh Street last Saturday. 
People appeared within seconds with offers of help for which we were very grateful.
A special mention must go to Di, an off duty paramedic, the lady who gave up her bottle of water and the staff at Neil Powell butchers.
In these seemingly challenging times worldwide, it is refreshing to know there are still so many examples of extreme caring and kindness.
Thank you again to all those who went out of their way to assist.
Nigel Pritchard
Burghill

Money tree
We’ll keep all the pledges we wrote
(I’m not one for turning my coat)
‘Cos when it gets fraught
Things need to be bought
At one hundred million per vote.
 
In life there aren’t many things free
(Tell that to Ireland’s DUP)
Since that General Vote
They’ll say (quote-unquote)
“It’s magic – a new money-tree!”
GEORGE RICHARDSON
Weobley

They listened
I WRITE to publicly congratulate and thank my ward and county councillors for resisting the pressure placed on them to close down my local road network on September 24 to facilitate the Velo Birmingham cycling event. 
Had it gone ahead, I am sure it would have caused chaos, inconvenience and seriously dented our fragile local economy as it has on previous occasions when held elsewhere, such as in Caerphilly and Monmouth. 
To publish a closed road cycle route, sell 15,000 tickets at up to £75 a time to ride on it and only then, months later, actually apply to close those roads strikes me as a fatally flawed and risky business plan. 
It is almost as if the organisers believe local politicians will ignore the objections of those they represent in order to avoid any negative publicity from being seen to refuse permission for an event that has already gone about raising charity sponsorships. 
I am pleased to say that in Herefordshire we have democracy alive and well with a local population organised enough to make their voices united and heard. 
Thank you Herefordshire County Council for actually listening. 
Andrew Jones
Bromyard

One for list
I ECHO Les Wilson’s “It would be nice list” for Hereford. 
I would add it would be nice if the Butter Market could be upgraded.
BRIAN HUBBARD
Belmont

Terrible sight
LIKE Pauline Burgess I have also seen the terrible sight of chickens going into Cargill to be slaughtered. All of them packed tight into crates.
So much misery in their short lives.
If anyone would like to learn how to live without causing suffering to animals, they can contact Viva at viva.org.uk
GERALDINE ENGEL
Moat Way
Malvern

It’s the colour
HEREFORD will not do any good (in the City of Culture campaign) until that Welsh black bull in High Town is changed to red and white.
Hereford cattle are well known throughout the world, so whoever painted it black is colour blind.
Hereford has got everything – Hereford Cathedral, Mappa Mundi, Wye Valley and more.
Please get out the paint brushes and paint it red and white!
GRAHAM J EVANS
Nunwell Road
Bromyard

Time to quit
ONCE it was politicians from UKIP who could be relied upon to come out with nasty pronouncements and promptly be forced to leave public life. 
Now, with the unlamented demise of that party, it seems that the Tories have taken on the role (Disgraceful fire remarks, HT, 29 June).
Councillor Baker (a member of the Fire Authority!) appears to think that councils checking on cladding in the light of the deaths of 80 people in the Grenfell Tower are overreactions. 
As we find out more about these horrific events it seems likely that it was this level of complacency from his fellow Tories on Kensington & Chelsea council that was, at least partly, a contributing factor to the tragedy.
I hope, by the time this letter is published, he has done the decent thing and resigned. 
Although he will probably think I am overreacting.
DAVID PHELPS
Knightwick

A great party
IN past years I put all my efforts into making shapes in the ‘mosh pit’ at the brilliant Tenbury Music Festival to the extent I am always a little jaded and need recovery time thereafter! 
My recovery period usually clashed with the ‘Tenbury Party in the Park’ so I have never made it to the party in the park!
However, this year my two little grandchildren had Sunday roast with us and we all decided to give it a go! 
After divesting my bank account at the cash point in anticipation for a costly, summer, family afternoon, we walked in between the swimming pool and the scout hut and ‘Wow’. 
The party hit us right between the eyes. 
It really was a party in the park, absolutely buzzing with children thoroughly enjoying themselves across most of the Palmer’s Meadow! Such an event doesn’t happen by accident and must have taken a great deal of cost, time and effort to bring together in such an organised and wide-ranging manner. What a fantastic community and family event this was! 
Apart from a cup of tea and an ice cream the whole event was free and fully funded by sponsors and volunteers which is very much appreciated. 
On behalf of every parent, carer and grandparent who thoroughly enjoyed the afternoon, may I take this opportunity to offer a great big thank to the organisers, Tenbury Wells’ local policing team and all the sponsors and volunteers for a great afternoon of entertainment and fun while bringing the community together. 
CLIFF SLADE
Tenbury Wells