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.
I visited the Council's Brunel Road depot this week, and chatted to some of the Direct Works staff about the work they are doing to help keep our roads as safe as possible for all users during the cold, icy weather.
The latest of my monthly columns for the Times and Citizen newspaper looked at Bedford Town Centre in the context of the nationwide trends which are creating such challenges for the British High Street. The 'perfect storm' of the extremely difficult wider economic climate, the rise of internet shopping and growth of out-of-town shopping have sent many town centres fall into steep decline.
The Rainbow Flag is flying at Borough Hall today, marking the launch of LGBT History Month. The flying of the flag is a small but important symbol of our commitment to equal rights, and I hope it sends a clear message of support to LGBT members of the community.
