AT its annual meeting Walford Parish Council outlined that it had focused on four key projects throughout the past year.

Council chairman Joanne Akkers said that members had previously voted to support local parishioners and take on the Howle Hill Memorial Garden to ensure that it was completed in time for Remembrance Sunday in November last year.

She explained that the parish lengthsman Terry Griffiths was tasked with carrying out the urgent work and create the garden, which was mostly funded by a National Lottery grant.

The council heard that as part of the project’s second phase that a number of fundraising activities would be undertaken to help pay for the planning application to remove the War Memorial, a Grade II scheduled monument, 10 metres from its current position, opposite the bus shelter, and for it to be placed in the centre of the memorial garden.

Additionally, funds will be required to complete the associated information boards.

The parish council also stated the Kerne Bridge Canoe Launch continues to make a substantial financial contribution to its finances and stated that during the coming year it will see maintenance work carried out on the steps to the launch and to the railway buttress.

The Parish Council spent nearly £10k on maintenance work around the parish with much of it being carried out on Bulls Hill. Over half of the expenditure has been reclaimed from Herefordshire Council under the parish lengthsman scheme.

Herefordshire Council have agreed to implement a trial 30mph speed restriction to the dangerous bend at Leys Hill Junction, largely thanks to the Bill Cansdale’s contribution made over many years with its implementation is expected to take place this summer.

Walford Community Support Scheme is a parish council funded scheme that provides coffee mornings, lunches and even a panto visit for mainly elderly parishioners and is run very ably by Rebecca Purdell.