Work to ensure that Bedford continues to be a safe and welcoming place to visit sees District Enforcement Ltd awarded a contract to deter those from spoiling our parks and open spaces and Bedford town centre from environmental offences.
Nominations are now open for the Queen's Award for Voluntary Services 2023.
Yesterday morning I was very lucky to have my car 'dry washed' by a new team made up of learning disabled users of the Council's Adult day centre services. They've done a great job, and there was not a hosepipe in sight! This is a service which is currently being trialled, and it is hoped to be launched publicly soon, so keep an eye out for more information. As I say, they've certainly done a fine job on my Smart car! The dry wash is obviously very timely in the current circumstances, with the hosepipe ban in place, and is very environmentally friendly. The service they offered was great, and I'm sure it will prove popular when it is up and running.
The latest 'Pints in the Parishes' event is taking place tonight, at The Bedford Arms in Oakley from around 7.30pm. If you're in the area, please come along and let me know about any local issues of interest or concern, Council services or indeed anything at all you want to discuss. Here's a link to The Bedford Arms's website: www.bedfordarmsoakley.co.uk.
We may be enjoying some unseasonably mild weather just at the moment, but doubtless winter will come back and bite us soon. This year, not only are we doing all we can to ensure we can keep the Borough moving when freezing weather strikes, we are also doing more than ever to keep residents informed and up-to-date about key services through the winter. Perhaps the most innovative way in which we're doing this is via the new interactive map on the Council website showing the exact location of the gritting lorries in real time! The map is available on the Winter Maintenance Updates page, alongside all the other information you might need on school closures, public transport, waste collection and more. Here's the link: http://apps.bedford.gov.uk/winterupdates/
It is with a mixture of joy and relief that I can report that, as of last night, St Mary's Street is fully reopened ahead of schedule, following the urgent repair works. The works started on 3rd October after a ground radar survey found the road was in serious danger of collapse due to a complete lack of drainage on one side of the road, which was only resurfaced four years ago by the former County Council.
