Mayor Dave - One-Off Funding for Bedfordshire Police Welcome, but Severe Underfunding is Ongoing

Mayor Dave Hodgson has welcome the announcement of £4.6m of one-off funding for Bedfordshire Police, but asserted that it does not change the force's ongoing, severe shortage of annual funding. Noting that the Chief Constable has stated that the funding will help the force to cover the costs of activity already carried out in tackling gang, gun and knife crime, Mayor Dave has also pointed out that the money will not fund much-needed extra policing.

Freeze Fares Campaign Update - House of Commons Select Committee Calls for Commuter Freeze

In a scathing report on the notorious May 2018 rail timetable changes which caused huge disruption to Bedford services, the House of Commons Transport Select Committee has called for commuters' to have their 2019 season tickets frozen at 2018 prices.

School Funding Campaign Success

In a huge boost for local schools, Mayor Dave Hodgson has announced a victory for the campaign against the shock government funding cut for Bedford Borough's schools. Extra funding has been secured from the Department for Education, which will maintain the per-pupil funding rate for Bedford Borough's Schools for 2019/20.

Local Government Funding Announcement Confirms Brutal Cuts for Bedford Borough

Commenting on this week's Local Government Finance Settlement, which confirmed the severe ongoing Government cuts for local services, Mayor Dave Hodgson said that contrary to the Prime Minister's claims, 'austerity is most definitely not over for local services.'

Check Your Christmas and New Year Bin Collection Days, as Mayor Dave Thanks Refuse Collection Teams

Merry Christmas!

Mayor Dave Hodgson has wished everyone a very Merry Christmas, and paid tribute to members of the emergency services working over the Christmas period.