This summer's walking festival was such a success that Herefordshire Council is already planning a midsummer treat for feet for 2008. In spite of the torrential rain that fell during the 2007 festival, some 1,400 walkers from as far away as Edinburgh and Southampton, together with 60 children, still enjoyed a programme of 60 guided walks. Themes included a mountain walk, cider orchards, birdwatching early in the morning, butterflies in the afternoon, moths in the evening and myriad calls of bats at night.

There was also a unique opportunity to walk with travel photographer, Nick Meers, learning how to maximize picture-taking opportunities during a spectacular storm. The Mortimer Trail was walked over three days and the Ross Round over two days.

One of four Americans from Lucas County, Ohio, who set off from Kington to enjoy the Hedwigs of Herefordshire walk, said, 'This was a wonderful walk and, when I return, I look forward to joining you again.' Other children became Landscape Detectives, learned of Marvellous Meadow Minibeasts and our Wild Connections.

Planning has now started for the annual Herefordshire Walking Festival which runs from June 14 to June 22, 2008. The programme of walks, which cater for all abilities, is currently being put together and walk leaders willing to volunteer their services are being urged to get in touch. For further information about becoming a walk leader please contact Lisa Richardson on 01432 260623 or Rob Hemblade on 01432 261981.

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The old cliché of it's a game of two halves was an accurate reflection of last Saturday's game, after Ross took a commanding 15-0 lead only to see Brockworth reel them in during the second half and deliver the clinching try with 5 minutes of the game remaining.

After last week's cup defeat, Ross started well against table toppers Brockworth. The Ross pack controlled possession, which enabled the Ross 10, Chris Gage to ensure the game was played in the Brockworth half. The initial pressure told, with Ross opening the scoring after 15 minutes.

After a series of big hits from the Ross pack, the Brockworth fullback was forced into a hurried clearance that fell into the welcoming arms of Ross fullback Chay Brine. He broke right, beating the first tackler before setting Luke Gray away along the right hand touchline. He beat his marker for pace, then outpaced the covering defence to score in the corner.

This score set up a pattern for the next half hour, with Williams, Rawlings and Redman outscrummaging their opposition. Brockworth could not build any possession or territory and from a turnover, Ross added their second score. A Gavin Oates steal at the tackle saw Simon Gwynne move the ball quickly right. Again Luke Gray found himself in a bit of space and squeezed over in the corner to put Ross 10-0 up.

Within five minutes of the restart, Ross were another score ahead. From a dominant scrum, TC Leech fed Simon Gwynne. He drew his man, sending Chay Brine through the defence. Some great interpassing between Luke Gray and Simon Gwynne put Chay Brine through to score, putting Ross 15-0 ahead. Brockworth scored with the last play of the half, cutting Ross's lead to 15-5.

With the slope in their favour, the second half was a different story. Unable to dominate territory, Ross found themselves defending for long periods within their twenty two and after ten minutes of the second half, two quick Brockworth tries saw them take a 19-15 lead.

Ross battled hard during the last quarter, looking for a score that would take them back into the lead. However, with only five minutes remaining, the Brockworth No. 8 broke through some weak tackling and outpaced the covering defence to score, giving a final result of 26-15 to Brockworth.

The Walford Timber Man of the Match was Luke Gray.

Next Saturday Ross are back at home against Dursley. Kick off is at 3pm.

Ross-on-Wye Weather Station is located by the tennis courts and bowling green at 'Crossfields' and is one of the important stations around the country which regularly sends data to the Meteorological Office. This is why Ross-on-Wye is sometimes mentioned on the BBC weather reports. It is currently still a manually monitored station and readings are taken twice per day by husband and wife team, June and Rex Swallow.

Police are appealing for information following a burglary at a Hereford photographic shop in which two distinctive prints were stolen. The main window of Photogenix in Commercial Road was smashed at around 5.40am on Monday, 1st October and two prints depicting Al Pacino in the film Scarface where removed. Nothing else was stolen, although the window had to be replaced at a cost of many hundreds of pounds.

One print features a Dollar note design, with Al Pacino’s photograph in the centre and the words ‘Who do I trust? I Trust me’ on the front. It was contained in a 3ft by 2ft black aluminium frame. The second print was much smaller, on stretched canvas and again featuring an image of Pacino in Scarface and the words ‘Make way for the bad guy’. Images of the stolen prints have been published in the hope of tracing the offenders - two unknown males in their late teens or early 20s.

'The prints that were taken are quite distinctive but not particularly high in value and other more expensive items in the window display were completely ignored,' said a police spokesman. 'It seems quite likely that these Scarface prints were specifically targeted - they may even now be on the walls of the offenders’ homes.'

Police would like to hear of anyone who has recently acquired similar prints in suspicious circumstances. They are asked to contact PC Phil Harvey at Hereford Police Station on 08457 444888 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

A woman who died following a collision on the A456 at Little Hereford on Thursday, October 18 has been named as Sarah Diane Edwards, aged 22 and from Ludlow Road, Ludlow.

Sarah died when the Ford Focus car she was driving was in a head-on collision with a Fendt tractor, at around 7.38pm. Both vehicles suffered extensive damage in the collision and the road was completely blocked. All three emergency services were called to the scene, where Miss Edwards was pronounced dead by a paramedic.

The driver of the tractor escaped without serious injury. The Herefordshire Coroner has been informed and a post mortem is due to be carried out today, Monday. It is expected that an inquest into Miss Edward’s death will then be opened and adjourned by the Coroner.

Police have begun an investigation of the collision and are appealing for anyone who may have seen the vehicles travelling along the A456 prior to the collision to get in touch. They are asked to contact PC Richard Pearce at Hereford Police Station on 08457 444888.

Police are appealing to witnesses to a collision on the A44 Pembridge to Kington road in which a man died and two other people were injured on Saturday evening, 20th October. The collision happened at 5pm near to the Lyonshall turning and involved a blue Citroen C2 travelling towards Pembridge and a gold Honda CRV headed in the opposite direction. Both vehicles suffered extensive damage in the collision and the road was completely blocked.

All three emergency services were in attendance, including two air ambulances. The male driver of the Citroen, Mr Duncan Hartshorne, age 44 of Ridgemoor Road, Leominster was taken by air ambulance to Hereford County Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. A female passenger in the Citroen was taken by land ambulance to the same hospital with serious but no life-threatening injuries. The male driver of the Honda also suffered serious injuries and was also airlifted to Hereford County Hospital where he currently remains.

The road was closed for around five hours with diversions in place while police began an examination of the scene and the vehicles were removed. The Herefordshire Coroner has been informed of the man’s death and a post mortem is expected to be carried out on Wednesday. An inquest into the man’s death is expected to be opened and adjourned the same day.

Police are keen to trace anyone who may have seen either vehicle travelling along the A44 that evening or anyone who witness the collision itself. They are asked to contact PC Chris Fry at the Hereford Roads Policing Team.

More than 40 young people will put council officers through their paces at an event which is being organized to gain their views about future plans for children and young people's services.

Across the county, Herefordshire Council has been forging stronger, direct links with children and young people through a range of events, consultations and activities so that children and young people can participate more in the planning of services which will affect them.

There are a number of forums where young people can share their views, such as the Youth Council, Shadow Cabinet Board and school councils. This event however, is being specifically organized for those who find it difficult to contribute and often get left out of the loop when it comes to expressing their views.

The one day event called 'You Talk - We Listen' will take place on Friday, 26th October, between 9.30am and 3.30pm at Hedley Lodge, Belmont. There are still places available for anybody interested in attending this free event.

During the morning, those attending will share ideas about what it's like to be a young person in Herefordshire at the moment, and how young people think they should be able to influence the services they use. They will share this with Council staff in the afternoon and work together on a plan to help young people get a better deal from the services they use by giving them a greater voice and more influence.

Sharon Menghini, Director of Children's Services, said, 'Children and young people are at the heart of all we do and therefore we must listen to their views and reconsider our services in light of their feedback. Their voices should be heard and used to influence our thinking and used as a regular health check on how we are doing.'

The findings of the day will be fed into a long term Children and Young People's plan which is currently being developed for consultation in December. For further details of the event or to book a place, contact Amanda Edwards on 07875 022838.

Police investigating the theft of a customer’s watch from a jewellery store in Hereford have released CCTV images of two people they wish to trace.

The theft happened at around 12.50pm on Saturday, 6th October when the victim placed her watch on a counter at H Samuel in High Town while she tried on other watches. As she was doing this she briefly turned away and when she went to put her own watch back on, it had been stolen.

Police would like to trace the couple pictured, who were in the store at the time and stood next to the victim at the counter.

Anyone with information about their identities is asked to contact the Hereford Public Service Desk on 08457 444888.

Plans to erect six homes and garages on land next to the Methodist Chapel, Hereford Road, Weobley, were supported by members of Herefordshire Council's northern area planning subcommittee on Wednesday, 17th October. The decision will now been referred to the head of planning services who will determine whether the subcommittee decision stands or whether the application should be referred to the main planning committee for determination.

The site is allocated in the Unitary Development Plan for an estimated capacity of 12 homes to which 35 per cent must be made available for affordable housing. Herefordshire Council's forward planning manager said the proposed density of homes on the site was not in compliance with policy. The council's strategic housing manager objected to the proposed development due to no provision for affordable housing.

The Weobley Housing Needs survey of February 2007 identified a need for a further 11 affordable homes in the village. 'This proposal singularly fails to address possibly the most pressing issue for the council in not providing any affordable dwellings as required by the site allocation in the Herefordshire Unitary Development Plan, Council policy generally, regional policy and national policy,' a report to the northern area planning subcommittee said.

Twelve letters of comment were received from residents, supporting the proposed access to the site, although some expressed concern at the size of the planned homes in comparison to surrounding houses. Weobley Parish Council supported the application.

Drugs and those who seek to deal in them have long been a concern for people in the South Wye area, 'We know because you have told us,' say the police, 'both in conversation with officers and through the PACT (Partners and Communities Together) process.

Importantly, local people have backed up their concerns with the information needed to take action against the small number in the community involved in drug dealing. That’s why earlier this month police carried out a search warrant at an address in Kestrel Road, recovering a quantity of wraps of suspected heroin and making two arrests.

Of course, the search itself was only part of a process that included months of intelligence gathering before any action could be taken on the ground. That process is still ongoing, with our enquiries continuing and the man and woman arrested on suspicion of possession remaining on police bail.

Much of this work by necessity has to happen ‘behind the scenes’, which can give the impression that nothing is happening - when absolutely the opposite is the case. The important thing to remember is that we do listen and we do act on your information, so please keep it coming.

As an example, we had several PACT postcard surveys sent in to us highlighting the particular problems in Kestrel Road in the weeks ahead of the raid. I hope the people leaving us information in this way feel suitably encouraged that they had played their part in the police actions earlier this month.

So, if you have information about drug dealing - or any other kind of crime in the local community - what can you do?

The Local Policing Teams at South Wye Police Station would be happy to hear from you direct or you can pop information into the PACT post-boxes which you can find across the Belmont area. Of course, you may not want to talk directly to the police, but there is another way to pass on information without getting involved. Crimestoppers.

A quick call to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 is easy to do: simply pick up the phone and tell them what you know, not who you are. No details about the caller are ever asked for or recorded by Crimestoppers, so it is totally anonymous. The results of passing on such information should, however, speak for themselves.

A planning application for the demolition of an existing home and the erection of five three bedroom homes and associated parking at Four Gables, Walwyn Road, Colwall was approved by members of the Northern Area Planning Subcommittee on Wednesday, 17th October.

The site lies within the Malvern Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the new homes will be two storey with rooms within their roof spaces. As it lies within the defined settlement boundary of Colwall, the site is identified for development in the Herefordshire Unitary Development Plan.

Four letters of objection were received, expressing concern over increased noise and disturbance and the height of the planned homes. Various conditions were attached to the planning consent.

Planning permission to build four new homes on land next to 44 Vicarage Street, Leominster, has been refused by members of the

Northern Area Planning Subcommittee on Wednesday, 17th October. The decision has now been referred to the head of planning services who will determine whether the subcommittee decision stands or whether the application should go to the main planning committee for determination.

Leominster Town Council objected to the application, expressing concerns about possible flooding of the area. Five letters of objection were received from local residents and one petition in objection with a total of 29 signatories. They expressed concerns about flooding, impact on privacy and the ability of the existing sewage system to cope with more homes.

Welsh Water objected to the scheme because it was submitted before completion of works on the sewerage which should be carried out by April 1, 2008. The council's public rights of way officer was concerned about the effect the homes would have on a public footpath as were the Ramblers Association.

The Environment Agency said the site falls within a flood risk zone 2 and the Environment Agency were satisfied with the planned homes which were planned to have finished floor levels 400mm above the one in 100 year flood level.

The scheme was refused because it was considered inappropriate over development

Mature drivers are regarded as being in a low risk group, because of their experience. Unfortunately though, as people mature not only do they gain wisdom, they can also pick up some bad habits over the years, especially when behind the wheel.

It is a known fact that getting older involves many physical changes as well as changes to health and personal circumstances. All these may affect how safely people can drive. These changes can make driving more stressful and therefore less enjoyable, often resulting in a lack of confidence, which is one of the main reasons people stop driving. Our roads are changing and are becoming busier, with larger and faster moving vehicles using them.

To help raise awareness of issues of driving as we age, Herefordshire Council's Road Safety Unit is offering mature drivers a subsidized, two hour practical driving session in their own vehicle, with an approved driving instructor.

Councillor Brian Wilcox, Cabinet Member for Highways and Transportation said, 'The aim of the sessions is to build up drivers' confidence, improve safety and reduce the risk of them being involved in a collision. This offer is open to any person who lives in Herefordshire who is aged 70 and above and the cost to the individual is £10.

Ann Mann, Road Safety Officer for Herefordshire Council said, 'We have many older drivers in the county who live in rural areas and their car is their life line. If we can help them to keep their independence by offering help with their driving skills, that would be wonderful.'

For those interested in taking part, a leaflet and application form can be picked up from Age Concern offices, University Of The Third Age groups, GP practices, libraries or by telephoning Herefordshire Council's road safety unit on 01432 260946.

Children at Riverside Primary School are getting into shape as the school launches into the second half of the new term with Healthy Living Week which runs from Monday, 29th October until Friday, 2nd November.

On Monday, the 8 to 11 year olds will be put through their paces with a fast moving circuits session, which involves nine physical activities to music. They will be rewarded for all their hard work with fruit, courtesy of Tescos. At the same time, in a bid to encourage the whole school to get active, there will be playground games organized during breaks.

On Tuesday, the 10 and 11 year olds will be ditching the crisps and sweets and replacing them with fruit, wholemeal bread and yoghurts as they learn to put together healthy lunch boxes Other children will be involved in circuits training and shared playgroup games throughout the day.

Wednesday is 'Parents' Day' as Janice Tissington, from the Council's healthy eating team will be helping parents come up with exciting ideas for healthy lunch boxes. School lunches will include a salad bar and freshly baked bread every day. The older children will be put through their paces on Whitecross Sports College's Shaper Trailer, which has fitness testing equipment on board.

Thursday sees the whole school involved in the Heartstart campaign, where children will be taught how to look after their hearts and given basic first aid training in resuscitation.

To encourage children to try different tastes, they will be asked to bring in some fruit and swap it with a friend. To finish the week in style, the children will be invited to wear their sports kit for the day on Friday, in order to raise money for the Heart Foundation. The whole school will be skipping for joy in a huge skip-out taking place throughout the day which aims to raise money for charity as well as raising cardiovascular fitness levels.

Jim Preston, Head Teacher at Riverside Primary School, said, 'There are always plenty of activities going on in school which aim to promote healthy living, but we thought it would be good to get the whole school involved in a week long event. We are very much aware that we have a duty to promote the good health of our children and ensure they enjoy healthy lifestyles.'

Herefordshire Council has pegged charges for providing day centre care for older people at £4 per hour, compared with the national average of £7.30 per hour. The move follows consultation during the summer on proposals to charge fairly for a range of services for older people, such as care in the home or attendance at day centres.

All those who receive services have a financial assessment and the charge is based on how much they can reasonably afford to contribute in line with national guidance. For a number of years, people using care services in Herefordshire have paid a much lower contribution for their care than those in other local authorities.

The consultation found people raised concerns about proposals to increase day centre fees from £2.90 to £7.30 an hour in line with other local authorities. As a result of these concerns, the council's cabinet has approved recommendations to limit the rise by £1.10 to £4 an hour. This will be reviewed again in March 2009. The council is implementing a new charging policy which it believes is fair and makes the best use of the money available.

It compared Herefordshire's income and charging position with other similar authorities and revealed that a larger percentage of people using the services make no contribution, or pay only a small proportion of the full charge. It also highlighted the fact that people's contributions were 50 per cent lower than the average of other authorities compared within the review.

'The vast majority of our older people are on fixed incomes and we appreciate that changes may worry them,' said Councillor Olwyn Barnett, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health. 'We would like to assure them that we will do all we can to minimize the impact these changes will have. In the meantime, we will continue to improve the quality of services and expand the variety of services we offer.'

Along with many local authorities across the country, Herefordshire has to act in the face of increasing demand for its care services. With a growing elderly population and increasing numbers of people in need of care, the demand is growing above the national average. The council also faces the added pressure that for the fifth year running it has received no extra money from Government to help pay for the increased demand on services.

Herefordshire is bracing itself for increased pressure on local public services as forecasts show nearly a 20 per cent rise in numbers of pensioners living in the county by 2011. The increase is much larger than the 12 per cent expected for this age group in England and Wales, according to Herefordshire Council's own research based on figures from the Office for National Statistics and the Government Actuary's Department.

Nationally, local authorities are looking at a £1.8 billion deficit in budgets for adult social care. Herefordshire supports more people in registered care than many other areas, so it will be hit harder than most. Herefordshire Council is spending over £40 million, approximately a quarter of its entire budget this year on adult social care. The council reports that it is beginning a separate review of how day care is provided across the county and will be consulting the public on this in the near future.

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