“YOU CHOOSE” AND HAVE YOUR SAY ON COUNCIL SPENDING
A new public consultation and budget tracker has been launched by Bedford Borough Council to ask residents how local taxpayers' money should be spent in 2012/13 and beyond.
8 Aug 2011
News
Loss of Crucial Right of Way Averted as Network Rail Commits to Footbridge Alternative
After writing previously on mayordave.org.uk about Network Rail's plan to remove the riverside footbridge over the railway near Prebend Street in Bedford without providing any alternative to protect the right of way, I am delighted to report that following our negotiations it has committed to a major investment in a new footpath and underpass.
8 Aug 2011
Liberal Democrat Action On Resurfacing
Thanks to the extra £4m that Mayor Dave Hodgson has put into this year's road maintenance budget, and campaigning by Cllr Tim Hill and
3 Aug 2011
GREEN FLAG FLIES AGAIN FOR BEDFORD BOROUGH PARKS
The parks and green spaces of Bedford Borough have again been recognised as ranking among the best in the country by Keep Britain Tidy.
3 Aug 2011
Council Funding Gap: The Scale of the Challenge
I have written before about the financial challenge facing Bedford Borough Council, but as consultation begins on the first set of proposals to modernise Council services and make them more cost-effective, it is worth considering the figures involved in order to really grasp the full scale of that challenge. Bedford Borough Council has to save £36 million over four years in order to balance the books. That's an awful lot of money by any reckoning, but the fact that it represents over a quarter of the Council's current total net budget of £129 million brings the size of the task ahead into even greater focus (the bar chart on the right provides a graphical illustration). There is no escaping this; the Council is legally required to deliver a balanced budget, and cannot make a policy decision not to make all the savings, for example. What we can do, however, is to work with all parties on the Council, with staff and crucially with residents to make sure the savings are made carefully and in the fairest way poss
31 Jul 2011
The 'Warmer Beds' Home Insulation Scheme - Good for the Environment... and a really good deal!
I'll admit that a new home insulation scheme offered by the Council isn't necessarily the most exciting topic, but I really think it's worth highlighting what is an excellent deal for homeowners across the Borough. The 'Warmer Beds' Home Insulation Scheme is offering special summer discounted prices for cavity wall and loft insulation, which can help make a real difference to households in cutting heating bills and reducing their impact on the environment. Two thirds of all heat lost from an un-insulated home is through the walls and roof.
28 Jul 2011