Less than a year after it opened on Greyfriars in Bedford Town Centre, Bedford Borough Council's pioneering Jobs Hub has received national recognition for the results it has achieved in supporting residents into work, training and business. The Jobs Hub won the 'Delivering Better Outcomes' category at the Municipal Journal Awards 2013, after a remarkable first eleven months of supporting the employment prospects of local residents.
Figures from the last financial year show that the Council invested around £26 million towards the improvement and maintenance of Bedford Borough schools in 2012/13.
It's Armed Forces Day today, a day when we say thank you to all currently serving troops and their families and to the whole Armed Forces Community. It's a day to pay tribute to the service they give on our behalf. Here in Bedford Borough, we have signed a 'Community Covenant', which sets out the mutual commitment made between the Bedford Borough community and the armed forces locally. It was of course an honour to sign that covenant as Mayor and leader of the Council, and I said at the time that the important thing was not the signing of the commitment, but making sure it means something in practice.
It was a real pleasure last week to welcome school crossing patrol staff to the Mayor's Parlour to mark the fact that 2013 is the Diamond Jubilee of the School Crossing Patrol in Britain.
Monday night saw a major step forward for our plans for a new bus station for Bedford, with the Council's planning committee giving them its unanimous backing.
Tomorrow morning sees the much-anticipated opening of the redeveloped Higgins Bedford. It is of cour se the longset day of the year, so as you may know, we're marking the opening of this major cultural attraction in the heart of Bedford Town Centre with a 'dawn to dusk' launch, throwing the doors open to as many people as possible on day one and inviting everyone to come and enjoy their museum. It all kicks off at 4.40am, with the first pre-booked tour. I shall be there, and can't wait to welcome the first visitors.