Police authority merger 'likely to cost £20m'
Henry Vann has uncovered figures in a recent parliamentary report suggesting that the proposed merger of Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Police Authority is 'likely to cost £20m'.
20 Feb 2010
News
Over a Quarter of a Million Pounds Granted to Bedford Borough's Voluntary Sector
Bedford Borough Council's Grants Committee, chaired by Mayor Dave Hodgson, met last week and allocated £276,000 to voluntary sector groups carrying out a wide range of extremely important functions within the Borough. Grants were made to a variety of groups such as BECHAR, which provides vital services to the homeless and rootless, the Citizen's Advice Bureau, Bedford Women's Refuge and Victim Support.
17 Feb 2010
Police authority move confirms proposals to merge with Hertfordshire
Local fears that Bedfordshire Police is set to be merged with the Hertfordshire Force have increased after Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for Bedford and Kempston Henry Vann uncovered a bid for £500,000 of funding from the Government's 'Merger Exploration Fund.'
14 Feb 2010
Borough Budget Protects Frontline Services and Keeps Council Tax Bills Down
Bedford Borough Council's approved budget has brought down the Council Tax increase for residents from a forecast 11.5% before Mayor Dave Hodgson's election in October to a below-inflation 2.3% after £9 million of savings were identified. The budget includes £5.9 million for road and pavement maintenance, as the Liberal Democrats continue the fightback against the former Tory County Council's massive backlog of repairs, and extra funding for a range of green initiatives including recycling in both the urban and rural areas and the Mayor's Climate Change Fund.
11 Feb 2010
Vann slams Labour under investment in Education in Bedfordshire
Government education funding second worst in region last year.
1 Feb 2010
Dave Hodgson Marks 100 Days as Mayor
Dave Hodgson was elected Mayor of Bedford Borough in October last year, and took office 100 days ago this week. Despite this short timeframe and a toxic financial inheritance from the Conservative County Council, a review of the first months of Dave Hodgson's period in office shows that he is getting things done for local residents and is working with his Liberal Democrat colleagues to make Bedford Borough a great place to live, work and do business.
31 Jan 2010