Earlier in the month I wrote on here about the all-party support for our 2013/14 Council budget, which in tough times saves services for residents, freezes annual Council tax once again and invests in schools and infrastructure. The budget was the subject of my monthly article in the Times and Citizen newspaper, which appeared in last week's edition. If you didn't see it, here's the full piece:
Bedford Borough Council will continue to offer adult social care services required by the elderly and vulnerable, assessed with a care need at all of the 4 levels.
The Lib Dems are making bus services easier and more convenient to use, by putting live information about local services at your fingertips. 'Real time information' about how long it will be before your bus arrives at your stop can be checked via the Council's website at home, or as you wait at the stop, using any smartphone or tablet. Mayor Dave has also rolled out more live information boards at bus stops which use the same technology to give bus users accurate information about how far away their bus is.
Ofsted have published a report in which it has recognised Bedford Borough Council's "decisive action" in providing more resources to the safeguarding of children, stating that the Council is 'doing what is required to keep children and young people safe'.
Recently I attended Bedford School's event marking the next phase of its exciting project to convert the former St Luke's Church building on St Peter's Street into a brand new theatre for Bedford. The school hosted the awareness-raising event to mark the planning approval received for the project, with the focus now moving on to raising funds for the conversion and development of the theatre.
Mayor Dave Hodgson and the Lib Dem Cllrs are pleased to report that our budget proposals, featuring an average council tax freeze and the protection of frontline services, were passed at the last meeting of Full Council with support from all parties, and not a single vote against.
