Residents of Herefordshire are responding in their thousands to one of the most important consultations ever to be undertaken in the county. But the deadline for completed questionnaires for the Shaping Our Place consultation is looming fast. It ends on 12 March but the level of participation so far in Herefordshire has already eclipsed that of similar strategic planning consultations in other parts of the country.

Shaping Our Place aims to help turn Herefordshire into a new land of opportunity, with more and better paid jobs, more decent and affordable homes, and better transport links. It was launched by Herefordshire Council on 18 January, and since then, scores of public meetings, events and workshops have taken place in the city, the market towns, parishes, schools and businesses across the county.

The consultation sets out options for the locations of new communities in the city and the county’s towns and villages, as well as where new employment land could go and how transport might be improved, including whether the Hereford relief road should go to the east or west of the city.

Residents can still pick up a consultation and questionnaire from their local council info centre or can log onto the council’s website www.herefordshire.gov.uk and complete a questionnaire online. Or they do not have time to complete the full questionnaire they can fill in a simplified version, with a freepost address, in the Herefordshire Council and NHS Herefordshire publication Herefordshire Matters, which is distributed to every household in the county. Herefordshire’s press and radio have given the consultation unprecedented coverage, which is ensuring it is the most successful consultation every undertaken by the council.

Councillor John Jarvis, cabinet member for environment and strategic housing, said: “Every individual who lives or works in the county will be affected by what will become the planning blueprint for Herefordshire over the next 15 years, and every hamlet, village, town and the city has an issue they want to influence, whether it is about jobs, employment land, affordable homes, transport or local services.

“Thankfully people are getting involved but if you haven’t yet completed a questionnaire I would ask you please to do so now by looking on the council’s website, popping into a council info shop, or looking out for the simple questionnaires in the local press or Herefordshire Matters”.

The consultation is driven by the need to grow the county. Herefordshire has below average wage levels for the region but above average house prices. There are 5,000 people on the county’s housing waiting list and demand is high for homes that are decent and affordable.

Herefordshire is recognised as providing a good education. But without a university, or sufficient higher education to build skills and qualifications, or good career prospects, the council knows young people are more likely to find better prospects elsewhere.

The county also needs more enterprises, offering high quality jobs. More space for employment land has to be found. Growth in the county will provide stronger markets for local firms to thrive and prosper - and safeguard local essential public services.

Sorting out Hereford’s traffic problems is a major priority. Previous consultation shows that most local people feel that a blend of public transport improvements and a new relief road and second river crossing is the preferred solution. However, the route – either to the west or the east of the city – needs careful consideration and the consultation details the implications of either option. Leominster is also identified as requiring a southern relief road.

The strategy for the market towns is to further promote their roles as service and economic centres for their rural hinterlands but also improve links with Hereford. Several villages could see development designed to increase affordable housing and sustain essential services, including schools, and new shops, along with rural transport improvements.

People’s views will be analysed and proposed policies developed and presented back to cabinet later in 2010 and publicised, before being submitted to the Secretary of State, who will arrange for a public examination and inspector’s report with final adoption anticipated in 2011.

In parallel, the council is also running a consultation on the Local Transport Plan, which will be adopted by April 2011 and will drive the county’s transport strategy for the next 15 years. The review of the transport strategy is intended to align transport policy with the wider needs of the county and will help coordinate support for growth. The Local Transport Plan consultation enables local people to let the council know what their priorities for transport are for the county, whether it is greater public transport investment, more cycle routes, better highway maintenance or further road safety improvements.

With 5,000 people on the housing list in Herefordshire, there is a pressing need for more affordable homes in the county. For local people on lower earnings, a house at the bottom end of the market would cost them 8.5 times their annual earnings.

Herefordshire Council is working with housing associations and social landlords to get the message out to people waiting for a decent and affordable home. They too can influence the important Shaping Our Place consultation, which sets the blueprint for planned development in Herefordshire up to 2026.

The Shaping Our Place consultation aims to help create more and better-paid jobs, as well as more decent and affordable homes. Launched by Herefordshire Council on 18 January, it is due to finish on 12 March and will affect everyone who lives and works in the county.

Although Herefordshire hits its targets for creating affordable housing, and has many new builds in the pipeline, the key will be to ensure that demand is met consistently and across the county, in every market town and village, as well as the city.

The county also needs more enterprises, offering high quality jobs. More space for employment land has to be found. Growth in the county will provide stronger markets for local firms to thrive and prosper - and safeguard local essential public services.

The strategy for the market towns is to further promote their roles as service and economic centres for their rural hinterlands but also improve links with Hereford. Several villages could see development designed to increase affordable housing and sustain essential services, including schools, and new shops, along with rural transport improvements.

The consultation documents and questionnaires can be obtained from Home Point and Herefordshire Housing, as well as from any of the council’s info centres across the county, or by accessing the council’s website www.herefordshire.gov.uk. 

Herefordshire Council is not cutting, or planning to cut, services by 25 per cent as reported this morning by BBC Herefordshire and Worcestershire.

The council’s finance department was asked, as part of a national survey by the BBC, what it expected to be the overall reduction in spending in public services in real terms, over the next five years, as a result of government budgetary plans.

The council was also asked what it thought were the most vulnerable areas to a squeeze on public spending. This does not mean the council has discussed or agreed cuts of this nature.

Although the council is, like every other local authority, facing severe financial pressures, it is placing an emphasis on sharing corporate functions with the primary care trust and the county hospital in order to make central efficiencies in order to stave off cuts to essential public services. 

Getting fit and active doesn’t have to be boring or tedious; it can be great fun and NHS Herefordshire intends to prove the point by inviting families to free Wii fit sessions at Whitecross Sports College.

Aerobics, balance, skiing, snowboarding, boxing, running; whatever you fancy having a go at, the Wii fit can do it all so NHS staff are keen to encourage people to have a go as part of the Change4Life programme.

The sessions take place on Tuesday February 23 and March 9 from 6.30-7.30pm at Whitecross Specialist Sports College and High School.  Children aged two to eleven are invited to bring their families along to an hour of fun trying out new types of exercise to help them move more.  More exercise combined with eating well will help Herefordshire families to live longer too.

Lisa Purslow, healthy lifestyle co-ordinator, said:  “This is one type of computer game the health officials approve of as it requires active participation rather than passive gaming.  We will have a number of Wii fit stations up and running so anyone can just call in and have a go.

“We don’t expect everyone to like all types of exercise, but the Wii fit is great fun and gives people options to try: and of course there’s a bit of healthy inter-family competition involved too.

“Mums and carers at Green Croft Children’s Centre have already tried out the new Wii fit plus consoles and had a great time.”

The Wii fit exercise session is one of many events being organised by NHS Herefordshire to help local families change the way they live their lives.  Full details of all events together with Top Tips on how to make small, meaningful changes to benefit health and well being are available on www.herefordshirechange4life.org

There’s good news for young unemployed people in the county after Herefordshire Council secured funding for new jobs.

The funding comes from a new Future Jobs fund developed by the Department of Work and Pensions in a bid to help unemployed people between 18 and 24-years of age gain employment.

Funding under the scheme was due to finish at the end of March, but the council has secured funding which means the scheme can run for a further 12 months.

The criteria for the funding stipulates that applicants must be18-24 year olds who have been unemployed for six months.

The council has been working with local employers in both the private, public and voluntary sector, to identify possible job opportunities. As a result, a diverse range of jobs are on offer, including work in horticulture, leisure, health, caring professions and construction.

All posts will be advertised through Job Centre Plus and financial support may be available to help with travel and training costs.

Cllr Adrian Blackshaw, Herefordshire Council’s cabinet member for economic development and community services, said:  “We’re delighted to be able to offer some of the county’s young people hope in the current economic climate.

“We understand how difficult it can be for young people beginning their working lives.  Employers want to see evidence of experience, which makes it very difficult for some to get their first break.

“Although the posts are temporary, the six month contracts will help many get a foot on the employment ladder by providing them with valuable experience, boosting their skills and helping them decide on future career prospects.

“I hope those invited to apply will do so and make the most of this great opportunity.”

The council is keen to hear from employers who may want to take someone on for six months under the scheme.

“The salary, plus any other associated costs, are covered by the grant. We’re particularly looking for companies which work to benefit their local community,” said Melvyn Davies, the council’s employment placement officer for the scheme.

Companies interested in taking part in the scheme can contact Melvyn on 01432 261606.

Editor's Note: If you are looking for a job in Herefordshire, try Herefordshire Jobs