A walking and cycling path extending the reach of the Great Western Way formed part of a series of events aimed at promoting Sustrans National Connect2 project. The project Involves 79 community-based schemes across the United Kingdom designed to overcome barriers such as busy roads and rivers to make journeys easier, safer and more enjoyable, while making the landscape more attractive and is competing against five others for £50m of Big Lottery Fund money. The winner will be decided by a television based public telephone vote, expected to be in December. However, details of how to vote will not be released until nearer the time.

Sustrans and Herefordshire Council are urging members of the public to register on the www.sustransconnect2.org.uk website so they can be reminded to vote when the time comes. Hereford's scheme will offer an eastern river crossing for walkers, cyclists and equestrians linking the City Centre with Rotherwas Industrial Estate. Currently 500 cycle journeys a day are recorded along Holme Lacy Road and 30 per cent of commuters to the estate who come from north west Hereford, often suffering journey times of 45 minutes to an hour, will instead be able to make the journey in a mere 15 to 20 minutes. This will help to cut congestion and offer commuters a healthier, greener travel choice.

Councillor Brian Wilcox, Herefordshire Council's cabinet member for highways and transportation, said, 'Although Sustrans have a strong case for winning the funding in December, it's not in the bag yet. It's important that members of the public register on the web site or by texting the word "Connect2" to 80010 to be kept informed of when that vote is'.

The Hereford scheme has attracted widespread local interest and the national Connect2 Day saw supporters across the city joining in. Starting at Rotherwas, Pikadish offered breakfasts to those who travelled sustainably to work. At Wyebridge Academy, students joined Councillor Wilcox in opening Shaw's Path. A Walking for Health group took up the baton by walking from St Francis of Assisi to Belmont Abbey. From there the PCT had a group walking to their offices at Asda. Meanwhile, at the hospital Phil Prothero Cycles was offering Dr Bike free cycle maintenance checks.

The Hereford and District Wheelers then cycled the length of the scheme on existing roads to be welcomed by students at Holme Lacy Primary School. The scheme would offer a safer and shorter off-road alternative to the route they took. Shipley Gardens offered much needed refreshments at the end of their journey, highlighting the tourist potential of the scheme.

Mr. Tony Blows, landlord of the Dog Inn public house at Ewyas Harold, is to be prosecuted by Herefordshire Council for offences under the new smoke free legislation which came into effect in England on Sunday, 1st July 2007. He is the first person in the county to be charged under the new legislation and will appear at Hereford Magistrates Court on Friday, 26th October at 10am, facing the charges below:

1. Mr Tony Blows, being a person responsible for the management of the Dog Inn public house, Ewyas Harold, Herefordshire, failed to discharge a duty to which he was subject by section 8 (4) of the Health Act 2006, namely as the person in control (or concerned in the management) of smoke free premises, did fail in his duty to cause persons smoking there to stop smoking on the evening of Saturday, 4th August 2007.

2. Mr Tony Blows did, on the evening of Saturday, 4th August, smoke cigarettes contrary to Section 7(2) of the Health Act 2006 in premises, namely the Dog Inn public house, Ewyas Harold, that are smoke free by virtue of Section 2 of the Health Act 2006.

3. Mr Tony Blows being a person responsible for the management of the Dog Inn public house, Ewyas Harold, Herefordshire failed to discharge a duty to which he was subject by section 8 (4) of the Health Act 2006, namely as the person in control (or concerned in the management) of smoke free premises, did fail in his duty to cause persons smoking there to stop smoking on the afternoon of Monday, 23rd July 2007.

Mums and carers turned out in force with their babies to the first Sign and Rhyme session, held at Ledbury Library.

Baby signing is a type of communication that babies as young as six months old can use to communicate with their parents and carers. Babies of this age are capable of understanding but their ability to speak doesn't develop until they are 12 to 18 months old. In these sessions, which will be held every Friday from 10am until 10.30am, babies will be read a couple of stories and some rhymes, which parents will be able to join in with. Parents and carers will also be taught a few signs which they can use to help them communicate with their baby in a fun and enjoyable way.

At the launch on Friday, 28th September goodie bags were handed out to parents and they were also able to sign up for the Bookstart Book Crawl to collect certificates for their children. Each child is given their own Book Crawl collector's card and each time they visit the library they receive a sticker. When the card is filled with five stickers, they get a certificate. There are up to five different certificates to collect, with colourful drawings by top children's illustrators such as Catherine and Laurence Anholt, Rod Campbell, Penny Dale, Lara Jones and Hilda Offen.

Parents are also reminded that libraries do not charge fines for under fives, on any library books. Any parents or carers interested in the sign and rhyme sessions are welcome to drop in to Ledbury Library to find out more, or they can telephone Herefordshire Libraries on 01531 632133.

The seventh annual Herefordshire Funding Fair due to take place at Aylestone High School on Wednesday, 24th October, once again giving community and voluntary organizations the opportunity to get advice on how to obtain cash for their projects. The event will include practical workshops from local and regional grant givers, the chance to talk to funders on a one to one basis, and networking opportunities galore.

The organizer of the event, Clare Wichbold said, 'We are delighted to welcome several new funders who are giving workshops for the first time. We are also pleased to welcome back our colleagues from the Big Lottery Fund and Heritage Lottery Fund.'

One successful project which received help at a previous funding fair is the Eardisley Church development. The team behind this project has raised more than £160,000 from community grants and local sources to modernize the village church and create a venue adaptable enough to meet the needs of a 21st century rural community.

Derrick Rowland, secretary of the team, said the council's project development team had been invaluable in securing funding from a variety of sources. 'Without their help, the project would have been unable to progress,' he said.

Admission to the funding fair is free, but places are limited for the workshops, which have previously proved very popular.

The workshop sessions will run in the morning and be repeated in the afternoon. Information stalls will be available on a drop in basis throughout the day. Childcare is available if required and a buffet lunch will be available between 12.30pm and 1.30pm.

Further information on the event is available by telephoning the council's project development team on 01432 261793 or by email at projectdevelopment@herefordshire.gov.uk.

A Leominster Local Police Officer is hoping that his pedal power efforts will help to set a good example to other cyclists, encouraging them to stay within the law when they are on two wheels. Leominster Town North officer PC Paul O’Reilly is now conducting regular patrols of his patch on two wheels and says his bicycle is a great way to get about, helping him get to all parts of the local area quickly and visibly. However, he is concerned that not all cyclists are following the rules of the road – or for that matter, even riding on it.

PC O’Reilly has received numerous complaints from pedestrians who have been confronted by cyclists riding on pavements in recent weeks. A number have had near misses and there is a risk that someone will be injured if this continues. But cycling on pavements is not the only offence being committed in the town. Cycling without lights, cycling the wrong way up a one-way street and cycling through red lights are becoming common offences.

'The last thing we want to do is put people off getting on their bicycles, however, what we are keen to ensure is that they cycle safely and lawfully,' said PC O’Reilly, who took delivery of his own specially kitted out police bicycle earlier in the month. 'We hope that by the police using pedal power across Leominster it encourages others to follow us. Not only is cycling fun, it is good for the environment and helps to keep you fit. We want cyclists of all ages to be safe when they cycle and that means for themselves and for everyone around them. Cyclists need to be aware that anyone riding a bicycle should abide by the law and anyone not doing so will be dealt with as appropriate.'

Other members of the Local Policing Teams in Leominster will also be receiving police bicycles soon, so there will soon be even more pedal-power PCs and CSOs to help spread the safe-cycle message. As a cyclist you are more vulnerable than other road users, but by taking some simple precautions, you can reduce the risk of accidents or injury.

• Helmets should always be worn, even on short journeys
• You should only buy a helmet if it carries a CE mark and one of the normal safety standards for example, BS863, A.S.2063, ANSI Z. 90.4 or SNELL.
• Try the helmet on before you buy it. It should fit comfortably and snugly and sit level across your forehead without obscuring your view.
• Look after your bike, check moving parts regularly and give special attention to tyres, brakes and lights.
• Have your bike serviced regularly.
• It is against the law to cycle at night without front and rear lights and a red reflector. Keep them clean and if they are battery operated, check the batteries before each journey.
• You should always wear reflective bands both day and night to increase visibility.
• If your bike has a bell, use it but don’t assume everyone can hear you.
• Exercise caution when using shared cycle paths.
• Before setting out on a cycle ride always give some thought to your journey to ensure it will be safe and enjoyable.
• Wherever possible use cycle lanes. Take care and remember that these are often shared with horse riders and pedestrians.
• If you have to cycle on the road, try to use side streets and avoid very busy roads.
• Take extra care at junctions and roundabouts and use clear hand signals.
• Cycle in single file on busy or narrow roads.
• Remember, it is against the law to cycle on pavements (unless shared), or through red lights and down one-way streets the wrong way.

Motorists too are asked to be extra mindful of cyclists on the road – make sure you give them plenty of room when overtaking, and take extra care to look in your mirrors for cyclists when pulling out of junctions.

Police have recovered a quantity of what are believed to be wraps of heroin during a raid at a house in the South Wye area of Hereford. Officers from Hereford CID’s Pro Active Unit executed a search warrant at a house in Kestrel Road, Newton Farm, shortly after 7.30am on Friday, 5th October.

The raid followed complaints from the local community about drug dealing activities believed to have been taking place on the premises. Having entered the property, a search was carried out by officers and a quantity of what are believed to have been heroin wraps were recovered. These have been sent for laboratory analysis.

As a result of the discovery, a 35 year old man and a 40 year old woman were arrested on suspicion of possession of a controlled drug. They were both taken into custody at Leominster Police Station for questioning, but have been released on Police bail until mid November, whilst enquiries continue.

A Herefordshire Division spokesman said of the successful warrants, 'This operation was the result of police working with the local community to improve the area where they live and local peoples' quality of life. It is an excellent example of the public being proactive in passing on information to their Local Policing Teams, which in turn helps to provide the intelligence that allows such warrants to be carried out.

We thank the local community for their assistance in bringing such information to our attention and we hope that the results of doing so speak for themselves. It should encourage others to do the same, either by speaking to their Local Policing Teams or by calling Crimestoppers if they prefer to remain anonymous.'

Anyone who has information about drug dealing, antisocial behaviour or other criminal activity in their area, should call police on 08457 444888 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.

Herefordshire Council and Hereford City Council are embarking on a new partnership to improve the city's parks and play areas. After several months of negotiations, a programme of capital investment has been agreed and Hereford City Council is to invest more than £180,000 in the next year to improve outside play provision for children and young people.

This is the biggest single project the city council has been involved with since it became a parish council in 2000. Hereford City Council is now looking forward to becoming a much more proactive local council and more announcements will follow in due course.

Lack of capital funding to spend on parks in recent years has meant some of the city's parks have deteriorated and Herefordshire Council has not been in a position to renew the infrastructure. Herefordshire Council will continue to pay for the maintenance of all parks and play areas in the city but the £180,000 will be used to create new projects. These include a new ball court and changing facility at Gorsty Lane, Tupsley, a new ball court at Grandstand Road along with a youth meeting point and a new ball court and teen area with seating at Beaumont Gardens.

In the first year, providing for older children and teenagers is a priority because they have traditionally been left out of play provision. Ball courts will be used extensively by teenagers but will, of course, also be available to younger children and are fully accessible to wheelchair users.

It is expected that this will be the first phase of wider investments into the infrastructure of parks and opens spaces that will greatly benefit local people. Other projects are already in the pipeline that over several years will see a transformation of many public open spaces. Future play projects will include improvements to existing play areas for all ages as well as new enterprises. Both councils would welcome suggestions from local people about any new play provision they would like to see provided and they should contact Fran White on 01432 260411 or email fawhite@herefordshire.gov..uk.

Councillor Anna Toon, leader of Hereford City Council said, 'This new arrangement marks the beginning of a vibrant and positive working relationship with Herefordshire Council. While I am sure we will have our disagreements from time to time, that won't stop us actively investing into the future of our city together. I hope that this is the first of many new initiatives.'

Councillor Adrian Blackshaw, Herefordshire Council's cabinet member for economic development and community services, said, 'As a council we have limited funds and while we have managed to maintain the existing parks and play areas, we have not had the capital available to create new ones. This new agreement with the city council will be of great benefit to the people of Hereford and we look forward to working with them to ensure the city can offer better provision for recreation and create new play areas for children of all ages'.

For further information about this or any other issue relating to the city council please contact Mark Inglis, assistant town clerk, atc@herefordcitycouncil.gov.uk For more information on parks and play area proposals contact Fran White, parks development manager, email fawhite@herefordshire.gov.uk.

A further step in the development of the Masters House in Ledbury was taken at an open day and public meeting which was held on Tuesday, 2nd October.

The open day was held to consider and debate findings of the consultation carried out by the Ledbury and Area Development Trust into the potential use of the Masters House. Those findings resulted in two preferred options being presented in detail, showing the site being used as either a library and information centre or as a heritage showcase and centre for visitors. People visiting on the day could see the reasoning behind the options and look at some concept drawings of those options, produced by local resident and member of the steering group overseeing the project, Mr. Alan Meikle. The day time event attracted around 150 people, while the evening meeting attracted a further 100 people.

The public meeting was hosted by Herefordshire Council, chaired by Councillor Adrian Blackshaw, Herefordshire Council's cabinet member for economic development and community services and was attended by Councillor Harry Bramer, Herefordshire Council's cabinet member for resources and Natalia Silver, Herefordshire Council's head of economic and community services.

Councillor Blackshaw said, 'The meeting was very much about listening to people's views and reactions from the research conducted by the Development Trust which was funded by Heritage Lottery, assisted by Herefordshire Council. We had a very positive contribution from the people present, along with some mixed views, but we certainly received a clear message that the Masters House should be used as an asset for the town and brought back into full use.'

The Ledbury and Area Development Trust, through support of the Ledbury Town Council and the Civic Society, will be completing a business plan on the potential long term use of the Masters House and this will be presented to Herefordshire Council by the end of October.

The council will be using the work of the Development Trust to establish options for the site and other facilities in Ledbury to consider the needs of the community and finances available. A further decision on the site will be made towards the beginning of November. The concept drawings produced by Alan Meikle, reflecting the preferred options will be on display as from Monday, 8th October at the Info Centre in the Masters House.

If you would like to make your thoughts known but could not attend the public meeting or open day contact Roger Payne on 01531 636304 or Natalia Silver, head of economic and community service on 01432 260732.

Residents of Herefordshire who are hoping to hold festivals in the county are being given the opportunity to pick up tips from experts in this field at a special forum to be held on Wednesday, 31st October. This event will take place at Hereford's Courtyard Centre for the Arts and will run between 10am and 2pm.

Participants will have the opportunity to attend three sessions with arts professionals. These sessions will explore the three most important areas for organizers:

· Promoting your event
· Legal issues
· Health and Safety

'Each session is designed to highlight relevant issues faced by event organizers and offer possible ideas and solutions,' said Deborah Allison, the council's Arts Liaison Officer. Facilitators leading the sessions are Chloe Garner, Director of Ledbury Poetry Festival, Kevin O'Keefe, Herefordshire Council Legal Practice Manager and Paul Elkington of WestEnt Productions. The forum will be chaired by Jane Lewis, Herefordshire Council's Cultural Services Manager.

'The Festival and Events Forum is an annual event which is now in its tenth year. It is a half day gathering for people in Herefordshire and beyond, who enjoy making arts events and entertainment happen in their area,' said Jane. 'It doesn't matter whether you're a volunteer or professional; beginner or experienced. There will be something for all organizers to learn and we are expecting this event to be the best we have held so far.'

The cost is £10 per person and booking is essential. Anybody who is interested should contact Arts Liaison Officer, Deborah Allison to receive a booking form. Deborah can be contacted by telephoning 01432 260614 or by email at: dallison@herefordshire.gov.uk.

City centre shopkeepers in Hereford have been given guidance on what to do should there be a major emergency affecting the area. Copies of the new Hereford city centre emergency procedures and evacuation guidance have been handed out to traders by Herefordshire Council's emergency planning team and the city centre manager, Cynthia Spaull.

The council has a responsibility, along with its colleagues in the emergency services, to respond to major emergencies. The organizations have to work together to mitigate the effects of such an event.

'Most everyday emergencies are dealt with by our colleagues in the emergency services. However, we recognize our responsibility to care for people in need of shelter, warmth and food,' said Council Emergency Planning Officer, Nigel Thomas. 'This plan explains to businesses and shopkeepers what our roles are and helps them to understand what they need to do should we ever have a major emergency in the inner city area.'

The plan has been put together with input from a number of agencies, including West Mercia Police, West Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust, Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service, the Hereford City Partnership, Maylord Shopping Centre and Herefordshire Council.

Speaking on behalf of the Partnership, Cynthia Spaull said, 'We are pleased with this plan which sets out in easily understandable terms how those who live and work in the city centre should respond in an emergency.' Nigel Thomas went on to say, 'Emergency planning is about being prepared for the worst but hoping it never happens. This plan will be a tremendous help should we ever face a major emergency in the city centre. This is very unlikely, but shoppers, visitors and residents of the city centre can be assured that if need be, we have a comprehensive plan which ensures people's safety and allows a speedy return to normality.'

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