The following is a press release from the Herefordshire Coalition
A political row has broken out after plans to improve England’s most expensive piece of tarmac with tree planters was linked to council tax increases.
Conservative Herefordshire councillor Ann-Marie Probert has slammed the proposals to install tree planters along Hereford’s City Link Road as ‘disgusting’, arguing that the money should be used for other purposes, including lowering council tax but Independent for Herefordshire’s Cllr John Harrington said: ‘The City Link Road, which Coun Probert criticises, perhaps not realising was a Conservative led scheme, was badly designed and badly thought out and has cost £30 million for less than a mile of tarmac, with no segregated cycle path and a huge ugly central reservation.’
‘We have managed to secure funding to put tree planters along the road that can be re-used when we are able to put in a proper tree planting system. This is not money raised through council tax, this is capital funding, raised and ring-fenced, that can only be used for this purpose – I know Ann-Marie is a relatively new councillor but she needs to get her basic facts right.’
The furore has been caused by calls from the Conservative councillor to ‘help residents first’. Defending the decision Coun Harrington said: ‘We have done exactly that. We have trebled the support for anyone who is struggling with council tax, but we cannot divert money from capital projects specifically for identified works, into revenue pots for running services. If Ann-Marie wants to help residents first then she should lobby her political masters in Westminster who have told councils they must ‘wash their own faces’ and ensure that services are funded by local taxes.’
‘We’ve lost £100 million a year in revenue coming in when you compare 2022 to 2010 and both her Conservative MPs voted for those devastating cuts – has she expressed her disgust towards them? This is not our decision; this is Conservative Party policy. We know how hard increased cost of living will be for many and therefore set aside wide-ranging support for anyone struggling.’
Coun Harrington said that deadlines for spending £6 million budget, half of which was from a grant from the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership, for the city centre improvement scheme were looming. ‘I took the decision not to dig up High Town, as planned by the previous Conservative administration, because I couldn’t justify two years of disruption to traders as a building site moved around High Town simply to replace a surface, that needs minimal repair, with a complete excavation and relaying with several millions pounds worth of Chinese granite.’
Coun Harrington said he had instructed that some of the funds were diverted instead to make improvements to the Widemarsh pavements which ‘have long been overdue and which the Conservatives refused to address’. The funds also ensure the Cycle Contraflow proposals for St Owens Street go ahead and improve the street scene around Hereford. Tree planters were chosen as they could be moved for the May Fair in the City and would give planners time to consider where to plant the planned increase of trees in the ground.
‘This has nothing to do with council tax’ said Coun Harrington, adding: ‘every councillor should know that. This is about spending funds ring-fenced for specific jobs that are important to Hereford, have been identified as needing attention for many years, and will start the process of improving air quality and the aesthetics of the county’s important mother city.’
The press release was shared in response to this article from Conservative Councillor Ann-Marie Probert
A councillor has slammed a decision to spend further money on schemes such as the City Link Road trees, Green bike shelters and improvements to Widemarsh Street’s famous kerbs.
Ann-Marie Probert, a Conservative councillor for Newton Farm said:
”Yesterday I felt ashamed to be called a councillor. Herefordshire Council have announced we will be spending £700,000 repairing Widemarsh Street’s kerbs and £500,000 on planters on the Link Road to nowhere.
“We will also be spending £30,000 on two bike shelters but the vote to raise the council tax was approved because we needed the money.
“These are not full council decisions, they are the cabinets. I received an email today suggesting we clean up Belmont Road by the traffic lights at Asda and put trees and planters there. No, weed it and sweep it and tidy it up but stop wasting the taxpayers money. There are people living on the bread line and we are throwing money around. This is not the time. We must help our residents first.
”We have apparently pulled the plans to build a new fire station and police station because it will cost to much money. Wow!”
Ann-Marie’s comments follow an article released by Your Herefordshire last week that highlighted the possible cost of new planters on the City Link Road and the cost of improvements to the kerbs on Widemarsh Street.
Improvements to Widemarsh Street’s troublesome kerbs in Hereford could cost around £700,000
For many years now, the kerbs on Widemarsh Street in Hereford have caused issues for pedestrians, with many tripping over and some sustaining some fairly nasty injuries.
It’s a regular occurrence to see somebody receiving medical support after such an incident and the news at the end of last year that improvements and changes are set to be made was welcomed by many.
Black tape has been placed on the kerbs as a temporary measure following reports of a number of people tripping over that were highlighted by Your Herefordshire. There was previously black tape put on the kerbs a few years ago so this is by no means a new measure but it’s hoped that it will reduce the number of people tripping over the kerbs before work to improve the footpath takes place in the Spring.
Recent documents released by Herefordshire Council show that the cost of the improvements to the kerbs on Widemarsh Street could cost in excess of £700,000 (Inclusive of VAT).
Alongside the City Link Road planters and other projects such as the City Green Cycle Shelters, this multi-million investment in Hereford city centre is hoped to help increase footfall and make the city centre a more welcoming place to visit.
Herefordshire Council is yet to confirm a date when the work on Widemarsh Street will take place.
New tree planters and in ground trees on City Link Road in Hereford set to cost more than £500,000
If you’ve travelled down the City Link Road in Hereford over recent days, you may notice that a number of planters and tree have been installed to help improve the look of the area.
On 7th October 2021, a Herefordshire Council Cabinet Member decision report approved a budget of £570,191 for the project.
Herefordshire Council’s Cabinet Member Infrastructure and Transport took a decision 3 December 2020 to approve the progression of the HCCI project.
This included a provision of streetscape and green infrastructure elements to form part of the outlined public realm improvements.
A design process to identify the planters to be purchased was undertaken which included consultation with the Cabinet Member Infrastructure and Transport, Ward Member, Hereford City Council, Hereford Business Improvement District and the Hereford Tree Forum.
Feedback from this consultation identified a preferred style of planter and tree species which was agreed with the Cabinet Member Infrastructure and Transport.
A Record of Officer Decision taken 26 February 2021 outlined the value for money assessment that BBLP had undertaken to confirm a provider and approved the budget envelope. This decision can be viewed using the following link:
https://councillors.herefordshire.gov.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=8287
The Cabinet Member Infrastructure and Transport took a further decision 7 October 2021 which approved an update to the HCCI programme elements and associated spend profile. This decision approved the progression of planters and in-ground trees for the City Link Road and identified the need to deliver this programme element within the 2021/22 financial year in order to meet the required Marches LEP spend.
The same provider has been selected to procure these further planters based on the value for money assessment undertaken by BBLP previously, to provide consistency with the new planters installed within the central High Town area and due to the provider’s ability to deliver these planters
before the end of March 2022.
Decision made by Herefordshire Council:
To approve the purchase of tree planters for the City Link Road as part of the HCCI project. This element is to be purchased and installed within a budget of £335,000.00 which includes an allowance for risk.
The 7 October 2021 Cabinet Member decision report approved a budget of £570,191 for this element and confirmed they would be procured and installed through the Council’s public realm contract with Balfour Beatty Living Places (BBLP). This decision report can be viewed using the following link:
https://councillors.herefordshire.gov.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=8255
The remaining budget for this element will be the subject of further proposals and Officer Decisions for in-ground trees.
