I am very concerned by the plans to merge Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Police Forces. As will be even more evident after today's emergency budget, tough decisions lie ahead for all public sector organisations, including the police, and Bedford Borough residents could lose out if those decisions are taken more remotely.
In these incredibly difficult economic times, residents rightly expect the Council to do all it can to keep Council tax bills down while protecting front line services. That has been my key priority since being elected as Mayor in October last year, and this week Finance Portfolio Holder Michael Headley announced our aim to freeze Council tax next year. This will be an extremely tough task, but after years of inflation-busting tax rises and poor services under the Conservative County Council, local residents deserve better.
The second 'Pints in the Parishes' event is taking place tonight, at the Fox and Hounds in Riseley. These sessions are intended to provide an opportunity for me to hear directly from anyone who wants to discuss the issues important to them in an informal, local environment. They are also a chance for for me to show my support for local, community pubs. I will be at the Fox and Hounds from around 7.30pm.
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.
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.
I was delighted that the motion I proposed at a meeting of the Full Council last night in opposition to the plans to merge Beds Police with the larger Herts force received unanimous support from all sides of the Chamber. Councillors have spoken with one voice prior to key meetings at the two respective Police Authorities tomorrow, at which the Authorities will vote on whether to proceed with the plans and put them out to consultation.
