This week the Liberal Democrat draft budget goes to a meeting of the Full Council, and a number of recent news stories from elsewhere have emphasised the importance of our fight to save services and protect the vulnerable in the face of huge government cuts.
Latest figures have shown that there are a third fewer people sleeping rough in Bedford Borough than there were one year ago, with work continuing to support rough sleepers and reduce the figure further.
Mayor Dave Hodgson made Bedford Borough the first place in the country to install average speed cameras on local roads back in 2012, after gathering views from residents across the borough about the need for effective action on speeding. This week BBC Look East reported on the latest news from Mayor Dave's average speed camera programme, after he announced funding for a further five sets of cameras in the proposed 2019/20 council budget.
As part of their Budget consultation the Conservatives on Peterborough City Council are looking at reducing the amount of financial help provided to residents on low incomes through the Council Tax Reduction Scheme.
Mayor Dave Hodgson has again made the case for the retention of the Bedford town centre M&S store, this time in a phone call with a senior manager at M&S headquarters this week.
Route via Bedford would be best for ease of access for residents, for the economy and for connections A station to the south of Bedford would delay or even threaten the already long-awaited Wixams station altogether Mayor: "Passenger railway needs to serve passengers!" Mayor Dave Hodgson has welcomed the launch of the public consultation on route options for the Bedford - Cambridge section of the East West Railway line, and called on people to have their say in support of a route via Bedford itself.