News

Innovation and Commitment Helping Town Centre Fight Back Against Challenges Facing Britain's High Streets

Innovation and Commitment Helping the Fight Back Against Challenges Facing Britain's High Streets

Town Centres across the country are having to battle against a range of prevailing factors such as the economic situation and the rise of out-of-town and internet shopping. Here in Bedford we obviously face these issues just as all other towns do, and there are real challenges for our town centre. However, Bedford Town Centre is showing some real resilience and, while we must all recognise that there is lots to do to support and improve Bedford town centre, we have a number of reasons to be positive about its prospects for the future, as I wrote in my monthly article in the Times and Citizen this week. If you haven't seen it, I have reproduced it below:

Pioneering Jobs Hub to Open in Bedford Town Centre - Work is Underway

The opening of a new 'jobs hub' in Bedford Town Centre is now not far away, with refurbishment work now underway on the premises in Greyfriars. This is pioneering new scheme, which we have pursued through the 'Bedford Borough Partnership Board' (the partnership of local public sector bodies, which I co-chair), will offer a unique approach to supporting people into work, training and business. The Hub is also being supported by Job Centre Plus, and will offer real support to people in an informal environment.

Helping to Make Bedford Borough Council Greener

As part of the Liberal Democrat's commitment to reducing the Council's carbon footprint by an aspirational 40% by 2015, Bedford Borough Council has again been supporting Green Office Week.

SUCCESS!! Kimbolton Road To Be Resurfaced

Local Lib Dem councillors David Sawyer and Henry Vann have been busy collecting signatures for a petition for Kimbolton Road to be resurfaced, and the Council has responded quickly and announced that the section of Kimbolton Road in De Parys ward will be resurfaced later in the summer. This is part of a series of major road resurfacing programmes that start in Bedford Borough later this month, covering a total of 38 roads as part of the Council's continuing commitment to investing in and improving the road network in Bedford Borough.