Mayor Dave Writes - Delivering More Jobs and More Investment

In his latest monthly column for the Bedford Borough Bulletin, Mayor Dave Hodgson writes about the latest official government figures which confirm the stunning jobs growth for Bedford Borough since he was first elected.

With nearly 16,000 more people now in work than ten years ago, Bedford Borough's rate of jobs growth has been much higher than the regional or national rates as Mayor Dave has prioritised jobs and helped to deliver a string of inward investment successes.

However, he adds that there is no room for complacency. He goes on to welcome the new B&M store on Riverfield Drive in Bedford and to highlight the work of The Jobs Hub, which he introduced.

Mayor Dave has pledged to continue to prioritise increasing jobs and opportunities for local residents if re-elected in the crucial mayoral election this Thursday, May 2nd.

You can read the May edition of the Bedford Borough Bulletin here, while Mayor Dave's full column is as follows:

The latest official figures confirm the remarkable jobs growth we have seen here in Bedford Borough over the last ten years or so, with almost 16,000 more people in work now than in 2009. This represents a much greater rate of jobs growth than the regional or national rates, for example.

However, while this is of course welcome, there is absolutely no room for complacency. That's why it's such welcome news that a number of major new employers are coming to Bedford Borough, creating thousands of new jobs.

These include B&M, which is committing to Bedford Borough in a big way. It is at an advanced stage of developing its new logistics centre near Wixams. From this site the company will operate its distribution for a vast swathe of the country, and it is employing 1,000 people on the premises. It will sit alongside a new Aldi logisitcs centre where another 400 jobs are being created.

B&M's commitment stretches beyond simply their new logistics centre into retail itself. It has doubled its retail presence in Bedford with a new store and garden centre at the former Homebase on Riverfield Drive. It's great to see the site in full use relatively swiftly following the national programme of Homebase store closures which caused it to close.

To take just one other example of many new and growing employers in Bedford, the new Whistl site of Cambridge Road is now in operation, with hundreds of those appointed so far recruited via the Council's pioneering Jobs Hub scheme.

In 2018/19 alone, the Jobs Hub helped 700 people into a new job, training or self-employment. It has become a key feature of the local recruitment market, assisting both individuals and employers. It's a key element of our commitment to maintain the jobs growth we've seen in Bedford Borough in recent years, and you can find out more at www.bedford.gov.uk/jobshub

Mayor Dave Hodgson