Mayor Dave Writes: Saving Local Services, Keeping Council Tax Down, Getting Bedford Borough Moving

In a short statement for the Times and Citizen on why he is standing for re-election as Mayor, Mayor Dave Hodgson has explained how he has worked successfully to turn long-talked about key projects for Bedford Borough into a reality, while keeping council tax down and saving services being lost elsewhere. Here's his full statement:

For many years in Bedford Borough we heard politicians talk about things like a new bus station, lower council tax, cheaper parking and a completed western bypass. Now these things are actually happening, after I worked with those of all parties and independents to cut through the bureaucracy and get the best for the Borough.

We've saved services being lost elsewhere, such as libraries, weekly bin collections and children's centres, despite huge cuts to Council funding. All this while freezing or reducing council tax for five straight years.

The employment rate here has grown much faster than national and regional figures, and infrastructure we're delivering including the western bypass completion will help further. There's a lot still to do, with my plans to scrap all temporary classrooms, cut town centre congestion and keep fighting to save threatened services at our hospital, and that's why I want to continue the task of getting the very best for our Borough.

Mayor Dave Hodgson