Bedford Borough Liberal Democrats

Household bin collections will take place as normal on Bank Holiday Monday (25 May) for Bedford Borough households. Those households whose black, orange or green bin is due for collection on the Bank Holiday are asked to put it out for collection as normal.

You can check your bin collection day at www.bedford.gov.uk/bins

The Booktastic Children's Book Festival has brought a wide array of wonderful children's authors to Bedford over recent years, with the event having taken place at local venues including the Higgins Bedford, the University of Bedfordshire Polhill Campus and The Place Theatre.

This year's event has sadly had to be cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, but the organisers have instead taken it online, and arranged for numerous popular authors and illlustrators to deliver a programme of interviews, panel discussions, workshops and in-conversation sessions, all live streamed on the Booktastic YouTube channel

A local Councillor has hit out at Covanta over the 'appalling disruption' its incinerator development is causing for local residents and road users.

The US waste giant is constructing a controversial 600,000 tonne per year waste incinerator just outside the village of Stewartby, after it was given approval nationally despite local opposition.

As off today, Thursday 21 May, you are now able to dispose of more types of waste at the Household Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC) on Barkers Lane.

With more onward disposal sites for waste collected at the HWRC starting to open and the success of the new system at the Barkers Lane site to facilitate social distancing, the Council is now able to allow more types of waste to be disposed of.

This Week is Mental Health Awareness Week, and Bedford Borough Liberal Democrats are highlighting the many resources available to help people look after their own mental health and to support others.

This theme of the week is kindness, which has been chosen because of the close link between kindness and mental health and its importance for good mental health and wellbeing.

The Chair of Bedford Borough Council's Planning Committee has thanked everyone involved for 'making democracy happen in difficult circumstances', after the committee's first virtual meeting took place last night.

The meeting, which was broadcast live on YouTube, saw committee members, Council officers and members of the public take part remotely online via video due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Bedford Borough Council has extended the temporary green waste drop off site at Oasis Swimming Pool, through to Sunday 24 May.

This site is for Bedford Borough residents only. No booking is needed but proof of address is required.

Bedford Borough Liberal Democrat Group Leader Cllr Christine McHugh has recorded a video about the facility on site, and you can watch it here

From Monday 18th May there will be a new timetables for East Midlands Railway, with around 80% of trains running. Meanwhile new Thameslink timetables commence from today, Sunday 17th May, while a full replacement bus service will re-start on London Northwestern's Marston Vale line on Monday 18th May.