News - Bedford Liberal Democrats

Calm Maintained Across Bedfordshire Last Night

'Calm Maintained Across Bedfordshire Last Night.' That was the welcome headline on the website of Bedfordshire Police this morning after an extensive police operation on the streets in Bedford and elsewhere to prevent any of the sickening violence and destruction which has taken place elsewhere from happening here. I have spoken to the Divisional Commander today and congratulated the police on their efforts last night in being prepared and being out on the streets, offering a reassuring presence to local residents and businesses in our town. The Council has obviously been in close contact with the police, and we will continue to work closely together. While it was welcome that the scurrilous and unsubstantiated rumours about possible trouble in Bedford last night did not prove to be true, there can be no room for complacency. I know that the police are know this, and there will again be a major, prepared police presence out in Bedford again tonight.

10 Aug 2011

View

“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

View

Mayor Dave Hodgson by the existing railway underpass near Prebend Street in Bedford

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

View

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

View

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

View

Bar Chart Showing size of Bedford Borough Council's Funding Gap to 2015

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

View