Budget Approved with All Party Support
We were very pleased to receive all party support for on Wednesday for the Council budget, which is now approved and will see...
4 Feb 2011
News
New Chief Constable Confirms - There Will be NO Merger
I have just emerged from a meeting with the new Chief Constable of Bedfordshire, Alf Hitchcock, who confirmed that merger plans with Hertfordshire (or anywhere else) are 'dead.' We of course had excellent news last year when the bid to merge the forces was blocked after Home Office intervention, but to hear the leadership of the Force itself, which had been heavily in favour of merging, rule it out categorically is fantastic for all of us who have campaigned to save our local police force.
31 Jan 2011
Real Devolution in Action!
Before becoming Mayor, I spent a lot of time as a campaigner and ward Councillor arguing that the Council should devolve power...
28 Jan 2011
New Pothole Hit Squad Hits the Ground Running (and Repairing)
Yesterday I visited the Council's new 'pothole hit squad.' This is a new service we have launched to enhance the road repairs...
27 Jan 2011
End for Council Magazine in further £45,000 Saving from Council PR
One of my early decisions as mayor was to cut the cost of the Council magazine 'Borough News,' halving the number of editions to 6 a year and making delivery cheaper and wider-reaching across the whole borough. This produced a major saving for the taxpayer, while improving the design, content and reach of the magazine in order to make it more useful for local residents. I hear a range of views about Borough News from residents, some from people who like to receive it, others who feel it is a waste of money. Personally, while I can see its purpose and have worked to make it more useful and cost effective, in the current climate resources must be directed to the front line to protect services while keeping tax down. We are therefore now going further and stopping the magazine altogether in order to communicate with residents in more cost effective ways.
26 Jan 2011
Real Action on the Environment - Pursuing Zero Carbon Growth for Bedford Borough
On Sunday a Council consultation on a climate change planning policy came to a close. It was significant, in that the options...
25 Jan 2011
