Mayor Dave Hodgson has outlined the Council's ambitions for economic development in Bedford Borough in the new Economic Prosperity Plan. The plan will focus on three key areas: supporting sustainable business growth, promoting the vitality of our town centres and encouraging education and skills development for all ages.
Bedford Borough Council's annual Foster Carer Awards returned last week, following a two-year break, to celebrate the borough's fosters carers and say 'Thank You' for all that they do to support the children and young people in their care.
There was some speculation in the national press recently which suggested that the Government was set to drop its pledge to close the child detention facility at Yarl's Wood Immigration Detention Centre in Clapham. I have always argued that locking up children for immigration purposes is an abominable practice, and as someone who was very pleased to see the Liberal Democrat pledge to close the Yarl's Wood Family Centre included in the Coalition Agreement, I was obviously disturbed by the suggestion that the Government may be rowing back on it. I am therefore delighted that Liberal Democrat Children's Minister has quashed the speculation and confirmed that child detention will be brought to an end by the government, and Yarl's Wood's family unit will close.
This week's Council Planning Committee meeting was a busy one, as they often are. I'm not involved at all in determining planning applications, with planning being a 'regulatory' function of the council, rather than an 'executive' function, which are those I have responsibility for as Mayor. I was pleased to be informed on Monday night of good news for the Borough with regard to a number of applications.
In his latest monthly article for the Times and Citizen newspaper, Mayor Dave Hodgson has highlighted how a strategic approach of targetting savings in Borough Hall rather than out in the community has enabled £81 million of required ongoing savings to be made since 2010 while protecting frontline services and freezing council tax, with the freeze proposed to continue for a fifth consecutive year.
