who are we? /hereford/hereford civic society

Message from the Chair

The Society's Chair is

Jeremy Milln

Contact details

Tel: 01432 357085; Mob: 07779 034457

The Society’s Chair, at the invitation of the Editor of the Hereford Times, contributes an occasional “Opinion Piece” for Herefordshire’s principle weekly newspaper of record.

Previous articles see Topics Tab E-K Hereford Times Opinion Pieces

TALKING POINT HEREFORD TIMES - 26th March 2026

Among the many things for which Hereford's Left Bank and DKP are celebrated are its occasional Talk Shop sessions facilitated by Perry Walker, an innovator of participatory methods for exploring complex issues foundational for the formation of policy.

At its 'agree-athon' on 10th March a panel of politicians presented some controversial propositions. Labour for the fluoridation of water, Conservatives for banning mobile phones in schools, Lib Dems for decriminalising cannabis use, Independents for Herefordshire for a 'none of the above' option on a ballot paper and Greens for abandoning the gross domestic product measure. (Reform were invited but failed to respond).

Panellists were invited to explain the 'why' and 'how' of their propositions, modifying them to satisfy areas of disagreement expressed in the room; the idea being to find unity rather than division in debate. It was a bit of fun of course and the scoring, giving the phone proposal the highest mark, a little opaque.

For me the most interesting idea was the last. This is the notion that the linear measure of economic growth expressed by GDP (the amount of stuff we can consume), is inherently unsustainable on a finite planet and that the focus needs to be on quality of life. Broader missions like improving mental health, public services, gender equality and children's well-being might be better measures of progress and sounder foundations for economic sufficiency. From a Civic Society perspective I would add better stewardship of what we already have, whether our precious countryside or our historic buildings. The ideas were explored by Kate Raworth in her book Doughnut Economics which envisions a safe and just space for living within the earth's ecological boundaries necessary for social cohesion and community welfare.

These are pertinent questions for us in Herefordshire as we design the housing, employment and transport of the future, mindful that repeating harmful twentieth century approaches and expecting different outcomes may be defined as insanity.