News - Bedford Liberal Democrats

A Statement on Schools Following the Government Announcement on BSF This Week

The plan approved by the Full Council to re-organise the schools structure as a two-tier system was dependent on funding through the Building Schools for the Future programme. This will therefore not be going ahead, and the Council will not be pursuing a comprehensive restructuring. So, while there is huge disappointment at the loss of the BSF Funding and the halting of the previous agreed plan, our focus is now on the future and on improving education in Bedford Borough.

9 Jul 2010

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Cllr Sawyer's statement on ending of BSF funding

"We are extremely disappointed with the decision to cancel the Building Schools for the Future Programme (BSF). The programme represented a once-in-a-generation opportunity for vast investment to transform schooling in Bedford Borough, and it is obviously a major blow that the programme has been brought to an end before that investment was made.

7 Jul 2010

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Councillors go Twitter!

Liberal Democrat Councillors on Bedford Borough Council are all joining Twitter and you can follow them and their thoughts on events as they happen. The Twitter account: @BedfordLibDems has been set up to create a quick-fire comments page for all fourteen Liberal Democrats on Bedford Borough Council, including Mayor Dave Hodgson.

7 Jul 2010

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Liberal Democrats Pledge to Open Up The Council For Petitioners

As part of the ongoing drive to open up the Council, Bedford Borough Liberal Democrats are to propose new rules under which a residents' petition carrying at least 30 signatures will trigger a debate at a Full Council meeting. A report to a meeting of the Council's General Purposes Committee taking place on Tuesday 13th July recommends a minimum requirement of at least 1,000 signatures before Full Council considers a petition, but the Lib Dems are proposing to make the petitions system more open and responsive to the concerns of local residents.

6 Jul 2010

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True Grit!

The summer sun may have been shining, but earlier this week I signed off a decision to order 3,000 additional tonnes of salt from Sweden for the roads in the winter. The Council has had salt on order from domestic suppliers for months, but a severe national shortage means they cannot even guarantee delivery by the winter. Clearly the fact that all local authorities are struggling to get hold of stocks would be no consolation to anybody if we were to face another winter like the one just gone, so I was adamant that we must the extra mile (or extra thousand miles!) to find salt stocks and make sure we are as well prepared as possible to help keep people safe on the roads and to keep schools, hospitals and businesses open.

3 Jul 2010

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Council Stocks up on Gritting Salt for Winter in Midst of International Shortage

With Bedford Borough enjoying warm summer weather, Mayor Dave Hodgson's commitment to making the Council as well prepared as possible to for next winter and any repeat of the 'Big Freeze' has seen an additional supply of 3,000 tonnes of gritting salt secured from Sweden. The Council has placed orders with domestic salt suppliers to replenish stocks for next winter, but a severe national shortage has left these suppliers unable to guarantee delivery before the winter. Rather than waiting and hoping that these orders materialise, the Mayor authorised a search of the international market, which is also suffering a shortage of supplies. A supply of 3,000 tonnes of salt in Sweden was located and secured, and this will be shipped in and added to the Council's stocks in readiness for gritting local roads when the next bout of cold weather hits.

2 Jul 2010

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