Today the Government announced that it would be supporting Liberal Democrat peer, Lord (Tim) Clement-Jones' Live Music Bill, which seeks to remove the bureaucratic burden from small venue owners, such as pubs and community halls, who want to have live music play for their guests
Local Conservatives have blocked further progress on an exciting riverside regeneration scheme for Bedford town centre in a move described as 'playing politics with Bedford's future.' A scheduled meeting next week of an all-party jury to select a developer to work up plans in consultation with local residents for the 'Riverside North' project has been cancelled after the Tories used a Council blocking procedure to halt this latest step in the process. The move is likely to see any further progress on plans for the regeneration delayed for months, beyond the local elections in May.
A survey has shown that the Council tax cut delivered in Bedford Borough by Mayor Dave Hodgson is the largest in England. The survey published yesterday by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) showed that of the 80% of Councils who responded to their survey, Bedford Borough Council's £8.91 cut for band D households is the largest by a significant margin, with only one other council reducing council tax by more than £5. The reduction has been achieved without the widespread cuts to services seen in other areas across the country, with no library closures or reductions in opening hours, weekly bin collections saved and all leisure facilities retained.
A fly-tipper has been fined for illegally dumping bags of rubbish and a rolled-up cushion from their car in Ampthill Road, Bedford in December.
New NHS data reveals the shocking increase in ambulance wait times for residents in Bedfordshire. Ambulance services are now at breaking point as wait times for ambulances responding to life threatening situations increase by 20% since 2019. Wait times for the next most serious category of calls have increased by 40% over the same time.
Mayor Dave Hodgson visit Harrold Playing Fields this morning to see the works upgrade to the Pavilion, which the Council helped to find through the Rural Grants Scheme.
