The government has failed to inject money and support local communities in Kempston in last week's Levelling Up funding announcement. It comes despite Rishi Sunak's own constituency of Richmond in Yorkshire receiving £19m of levelling up funding. If the bid had been successful, it would have provided funding to restore the Saxon Centre and invest in public space, walking and cycling infrastructure.
Bedford Borough is encouraging residents who have received a letter from their GP inviting them to a cervical screening test, to attend their appointment.
Bedford Borough Council is giving away 5,000 trees to local residents, businesses, schools and community groups to collect and plant locally. This giveaway will be held on Wednesday 15 February and Saturday 18 February, from 10am to 3pm at Oasis Beach Pool car park.
It is just 100 days until we have elections here in Bedford Borough.
For the first time, electors voting in person at polling stations will need to show photographic ID to vote at this year's local elections, including electors in Bedford Borough. Residents are being urged to make sure they are ready to vote in May by not only checking they are registered to vote but also checking they have an accepted form of ID.
Following recommendations - which included securing an independent review and a resetting of departmental priorities and input from the Environment Committee's Task and Finish Group - from the Planning Advisory Service and a Task and Finish Group, Bedford Borough Council's Planning Service has made excellent progress against national targets. Minor applications are now being determined within eight weeks 87% of the time (November 2022) - a huge improvement since actions were taken and well above the government's 70% target. The proportion of major applications determined within 13 weeks has also remained comfortably above the national target.