Countryside now a target

I WRITE with reference to Bill Wiggin’s call ( View From Westminster ) to hear the views of constituents re proposed wind turbines.

Undeniably, our beautiful Herefordshire landscape and the setting of our historic buildings (and by inference, our tourist trade) is being threatened by the proposed ‘invasion’ of wind turbines.

Herefordshire is blessed with rolling hills and small rural settlements. These hills are now being targeted for what amounts to an industrialisation of the countryside.

The proposed wind turbines at Acton Green and Pencombe are enormous (252ft/77m high) and will be visible from as far away as Hereford, Worcester and the Malvern Hills. They are completely out of proportion to anything else in our landscape and will present an incongruous blot for many years to come.

Small rural communities struggle to fight well- resourced energy companies. We are extremely vulnerable and the energy company admits that the landscape will be affected and offers the local community money towards a project – approximately £2,500.

If rural communities are left to fight alone they stand little chance against these well-organised industrialists. Everyone needs to let our planners, councillors and MPs know that we value our heritage and our countryside more highly than a new roof on the village hall.

SUE HOLDEN Acton Court, Acton Beauchamp

Where’s our civic pride?

I RECENTLY returned from a holiday in Funchal, Madeira, where I observed the street cleaners most days and the shop and restaurant staff washing pavements.

What a contrast to the state of Hereford on June 26. I felt sad and ashamed.

The front garden of Monkmoor Court in Commercial Road was devoid of plants and thick with weeds. There were weeds around most of the entrances to the adjoining shops and businesses and in the steps approaching the Venn archway. At the junction of Widemarsh Street and Maylord Street there was a split black rubbish bag with food scraps spilt onto the pavement.

This was at 10.15am.

The pavements throughout the city centre were covered in bird droppings.

The windows of the former Chadd’s store were filthy.

Wake up, councillors and business people of Hereford; surely you do not think that visitors will want to return to a dirty, neglected place.

BRIAN HUBBARD Belmont, Hereford

EU meddling in rubbish

IN reply to the letter “puzzle over weekly bin collections”, July 3, I suspect the reason lies with European Union interference.

In the UK, the unit costs of refuse collection in real terms has fallen for decades. That is until the whole system was distorted by the European Union with recycling targets, which have pretty well doubled collection costs. Plus landfill reduction targets which have hit disposal costs with the imposition of a punitive landfill tax.

But like so many areas of British life, we no longer control ourselves. Our present Westminster parliament has made sure we are controlled by others.

KIP WAISTELL UKIP Prospective Parliamentary Candidate Vowchurch

Failing over waste sifting

WE have recently moved from mid-Wales to Herefordshire and, as with most house moves, there were things to dispose of.

Neighbours informed us of the Leominster recycling centre as the preferred option due to the assistance one gets with unloading.

We gave it a try, not knowing that our double-axle trailer was not allowed.

However, everything was courteously explained and we were allowed to unload as a “one off ” for which we were grateful.

In Powys, the local recycling centre is similarly assisted but the separation of materials is very strict at the point of unloading: plastic, metal, glass, electrical, cardboard, paper, paint and oil all in separate skips.

At the Leominster centre, however, it was “Metal there, everything else in landfill over there”. We were amazed at the apparent total lack of ‘sifting’, and very concerned as to what was going to landfill.

There may be good reasons why this is happening, but we hope that in the near future moves are made to encourage a much more rigorous approach to the separation of materials.

Admittedly, the Leominster centre was very busy and this would be time consuming and create an even longer tailback of vehicles.

I suppose one can only do what the facilities allow. At the moment, it can hardly be called recycling if the majority is being sent to landfill. Hopefully, our domestic recycling wheelie- bin contents are not being dealt with in a similar manner!

On the plus side, our move to Tillington has been very pleasurable indeed.

MICHAEL & BERYL WHITE Tillington

Plea for help with otters

THIS is just a plea for anyone with ideas to protect a garden from the otters that have found our ponds and emptied them.

Bearing in mind the only river near us is the Arrow and it’s over two miles away, we have no idea where they have come from. We have seen a smallish cub and a bigger one.

Any ideas anybody?

An electric fence is not really suitable for our big pond. If anyone in Lyonshall knows where their holt is, it would be nice to know. I know they are lovely creatures and protected, but we would like to protect our fish from them.

HEATHER DAVIES, Burgage Close, Lyonshall.

Challenges are costing us all

I NOTE that from last week’s Hereford Times that Hampton Bishop parish council are challenging the latest decision supporting the development of the rugby club.

To date they have lost every case but with a protected purse for court proceedings they appear to be exploiting the situation. Herefordshire Council, unfortunately, has to defend each case with money from the council taxpayer – that’s you and me folks.

I was pleased to support the application that is actually in Hampton Bishop Ward and separated from Tupsley Ward by Holywell Gutter Lane. Many of Tupsley’s 7,000 residents expressed their support for the scheme as well as young people in Hampton Bishop.

In addition their was strong county-wide support at the packed main planning meeting which identified the added bonus that it would free up the present site for other purposes – a win win situation!

Enough is enough, parish councillors, you have done well out of the public purse and before you roll out the old chestnut of flooding, remember the £17m spent on the Stank for flood alleviation and the fact that the Hampton Bishop area has flooded on several occasions during the lengthy and expensive court procedures without one brick being laid. I rest my case!

CLLR MARCELLE LLOYD-HAYES, Tupsley Ward, Herefordshire Council