News
On the Board of the New South East Midlands Local Enterprise Partnership
I was pleased to be appointed recently to the board of the South East Midlands Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP). This is the new body set up to drive inward investment, innovation, economic growth, new enterprise and job creation across the region. I will be one of six local authority representatives on a board of no more than fourteen, also featuring members from business and higher education from across the South East Midlands area. I look forward to working at the heart of the new partnership on areas such as bidding for funds from the £1 billion Regional Growth Fund and in driving forward major infrastructure projects such as East-West Rail.
13 Apr 2011
My Pledges to You
With the Mayoral election approaching fast on May 5th, I have set out my pledges to local residents, as follows:
11 Apr 2011
Coming Soon to Bedford: Electric Car Plug-In Charging Posts
In addition to our efforts over recent weeks to protect rural bus routes and prevent the cuts of neighbouring Conservative-run councils from damaging cross-boundary services, we have been working hard on another significant feature of our ongoing campaign to support sustainable transport in Bedford Borough, with exciting results. We have helped to lead a successful bid which is bringing in nearly £3 million to the Eastern region for electric car charging points. We will therefore shortly be installing four charging posts as part of a first wave of eight posts, with two plug-in points on each, in public places around Bedford. Even better, we have agreement that the electricity for these will be provided free of charge by renewable energy providers Ecotricity. So, as electric cars become more widely available over the coming months and years, local residents will be well placed to take advantage of the electric car revolution.
6 Apr 2011
Stepping in to Protect Rural Bus Services from Cuts Made Elsewhere!
As you have probably heard through the national media, a lot of Councils across the country are slashing their support for bus services, with rural routes in particular under severe threat. By contrast, here in Bedford Borough, where most rural routes are subsidised by the Council, we are working to protect residents' access to services and even improve them where possible. In the urban area, where services are run commercially by Stagecoach from Monday to Saturday, we have introduced a new Sunday service which mirrors the routes which run for the rest of the week and offers a vast improvement on the confusing, little-used routes which ran previously. With the rural buses, a range of difficulties have arisen due to the cuts of neighbouring authorities to their support for cross-boundary services. However, thanks to our extensive consultation with rural bus users and our close work with the bus operators, I'm pleased to say that we are doing all that we possibly can to make sure local residents don't miss out
30 Mar 2011
COUNCIL STEPS IN TO CONTINUE RURAL BUS SERVICES
Bedford Borough Council has announced it will step in to continue two rural bus services.
29 Mar 2011