Bishopstone

JOINT MEETING – Councillor D B Wilcox, the cabinet member responsible for highways in the county, has agreed to meet the chairman and vice-chairman from Madley Parish Council and Bishopstone Group Parish Council on Wednesday, February 4, to discuss the future of the road between Madley and Bridge Sollers following complaints from residents about traffic accidents and the increased usage.

PARISH FREIGHTER – Herefordshire Council has advised the Bishopstone Group Parish Council that the charge for the parish freighter will go up from £38.78 to £380 per visit after July this year. All those who have taken advantage of this excellent service (which brings a waste disposal vehicle into the village which residents may use to clear out household rubbish) will be appalled at the news. Bishopstone Group Parish Council has decided it can no longer hire the service. It has, however, arranged for the freighter to visit Byford on Saturday, March 28, and Bishopstone on Saturday, May 16, at the old rate.

POLICE – The new community support officer, Mr Dean Wall, introduced himself to the meeting of the Bishopstone and District Group Parish Council at the start of the meeting on Thursday, January 15, by bringing the good news that this area was free from crime last month.

PARISH COUNCIL – At its meeting on Thursday, January 15, Mr A Blackshaw, the ward councillor, told the meeting about the downturn in the economy and how it was affecting Herefordshire. He said that Herefordshire Council was optimistic for the future and with a £5m spend on Cathedral Close and the same on the Butter Market the future was bright. The new Butter Market will be a centre for selling locally grown and made food products and will become a venue to be proud of, he said.

Mr Michael Truelove gave a short talk on Community Wheels, a service which provides a vehicle for the elderly, frail and disabled in North Herefordshire. COMMUNITY CENTRE – Parish Council. At the meeting held on Thursday, January 15, the item on the agenda that caused the greatest stir, when debated, was a report given to the council by the chairman of the new Bridge Community Centre Committee.

The original planning application to provide disabled access to the church was objected to by residents living in and around Bridge Sollers. The committee met and produced an alternative plan which was agreed to by the objectors at a meeting in the church and this new plan was passed by Herefordshire Planning.

The committee chairman then said that the objectors had written to the Chancellor to object to the new plans. The Chancellor is the person who gives final consent for the approval of a church faculty. With that approval, the last piece of the jigsaw would be in place and Lottery money would almost certainly be secured. Without the faculty, there will be no Lottery money and no community centre, the meeting was told.

When one parish councillor asked how many people were objecting, he was told six, while about 480 would benefit from a community centre.

The chairman asked the objectors present at the meeting if they would reconsider their position but they did not respond.