Councillor David Sawyer, Liberal Democrat De Parys Ward, is campaigning to improve the crossings in a number of streets throughout De Parys for disabled residents in the area. Three of the busiest junctions in the area are on Park Avenue as it meets St Augustine's Road, St Andrew's Road and Pemberley Avenue and they don't yet have dropped kerbs for people who have difficulty with mobility.
I am delighted that the Bedford Academy was included by the government amongst the schools listed previously as 'for discussion' which will receive funding for the projects planned under the Building Schools for the Future programme. The Academy will replace John Bunyan Upper School, of course, and as John Bunyan's Chair of Governors and the former former Ward Councillor for Kingsbrook, not to mention a local resident, I know the community very well. I am therefore aware of just how important the investment in the education of current and future generations of young people in the area will be.
I am very pleased that Independent Councillor Doug McMurdo has accepted my invitation to join the Cabinet as Leisure and Culture Portfolio Holder, after Cllr Barry Huckle informed me that he wishes to step down from the Cabinet in order to give him more time to pursue other interests. I have thanked Barry for his hard work on the Cabinet, and know that he will continue to make a full contribution on the Council in the interests of local residents. I am very much looking forward to working with Doug, who is Ward Councillor for Sharnbrook, and I know that he is ready to get stuck into the challenges ahead.
On Tuesday night I took part in the Council's Inter-Departmental Bowls Tournament. One of the purposes of the tournament is to raise awareness of the council-owned bowls clubs and to help them in their efforts to attract new interest, and I have have no hesitation in recommending the Queens Works Club after a very enjoyable evening. The club Members on hand were friendly and helpful (and patient when helping those of us with no previous experience of the game!), and it really is a nice place to spend a summer's evening. In fact the only thing that went wrong from my point of view was the fact that my team, the Chain Gang, was defeated! We were beaten by the Care Bears (comprising staff from the Council's Home Care service), who were far more ruthless than their name suggests!
Yesterday I continued my ongoing series of visits to local employers with a visit to Lindström Ltd, whose UK Headquarters and main service centre are here in Bedford, in the Elms Farm Industrial Estate in Goldington. Lindström provide workwear (i.e. uniforms, overalls etc) and associated services (e.g. laundry) to companies all over the UK. It was interesting to see their impressive operation in action, and I was keen to stress that I want to support them to continue to prosper and provide employment here in Bedford.
This morning I cut the ribbon at the opening of the New Aldi store, which completes the first phase of the redevelopment of the Church Lane Neighbourhood Centre, or rather 'Goldington Square,' as it has been renamed. It was a great event, with a real buzz about the place as a huge queue waited patiently for me to cut the ribbon in order that they could cross the threshold and get their first taste of the store!
