This week we received the very welcome confirmation of the award of £3.1 million from the national weekly collection support fund. The grant award is in recognition of our commitment as one of the minority of councils to have protected weekly black bin collections and our plans to increase recycling and reduce waste even further.
Two weeks ago the festive season in Bedford Town centre was kicked off in customary, spectacular style with the Christmas Lights switch-on and firework display along the Embankment. Even better, this year, we were honoured to be joined by a true hero of 2012 and a great Bedfordian, our very own Olympic Gold Medallist Etienne Stott. Etienne once again gave his time selflessly in support of a great community event, as families and people of all ages enjoyed the fun. The lights are looking great, and with late night shopping on Wednesdays and every day in the week prior to Christmas, not to mention events and festivities coming thick and fast, there are so many reasons to come into Bedford for your Christmas shopping. The array of excellent independent shops have something for everyone, and just as the Portas Pilot Bedford Town Team's postcards (see right) have it, if we all enjoy a Very Bedford Christmas this year and shop locally, the better it is for our economy and for our community as a whole.
I have just come from a meeting of the Council's Corporate Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee, which had invited me to talk about the Riverside North development and answer the Committee's questions on the scheme.
There was dreadful news from Parliament this week, when the Joint Committee of the two Houses considering US waste giant Covanta's appalling plans for a monstrous, oversized incinerator near Stewartby effectively gave the final go-ahead for the scheme.
Earlier this week I had the honour of presenting Bedford's very own London 2012 Olympic Gold medallist Etienne Stott with the Honorary Freedom of the Borough. This is the highest honour that can be bestowed by the Council, and it is richly deserved recognition for Etienne. Not only did he thrill us all with his performance at the Olympics with Tim Baillie in the C2 Canoe Slalom, which stood out even amongst a long list of memorable sporting moments in 2012, but he has also shown himself to be a fantastic ambassador for Bedford Borough and a genuine role model.
I want to take this opportunity to wish everyone a very merry Christmas. Let us hope on this Christmas Eve that the rain eases off and river levels stabilise, and that those households in higher risk areas can enjoy a dry, safe, peaceful Christmas at home or with friends and family. The Council is in close contact with the Environment Agency and will continue to monitor the situation closely today and throughout the Christmas period, as we all hope for some drier weather and respite from the rain.
