Restricting the Council's Own 'Snooping' Powers
You may have read in yesterday's Times and Citizen newspaper, or heard on Heart FM this morning, about my reforms to the...
11 Mar 2011
News
Figures Show Bedford Borough Council Tax Cut is Biggest in the Country
A survey has shown that the Council tax cut delivered in Bedford Borough by Mayor Dave Hodgson is the largest in England. The survey published yesterday by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) showed that of the 80% of Councils who responded to their survey, Bedford Borough Council's £8.91 cut for band D households is the largest by a significant margin, with only one other council reducing council tax by more than £5. The reduction has been achieved without the widespread cuts to services seen in other areas across the country, with no library closures or reductions in opening hours, weekly bin collections saved and all leisure facilities retained.
11 Mar 2011
Town Centre Development Held up by ‘Appalling’ Tory Blocking Tactics
Local Conservatives have blocked further progress on an exciting riverside regeneration scheme for Bedford town centre in a move described as 'playing politics with Bedford's future.' A scheduled meeting next week of an all-party jury to select a developer to work up plans in consultation with local residents for the 'Riverside North' project has been cancelled after the Tories used a Council blocking procedure to halt this latest step in the process. The move is likely to see any further progress on plans for the regeneration delayed for months, beyond the local elections in May.
11 Mar 2011
Digging in for the Exciting Bedford River Valley Park Project
On Sunday I was delighted to help out at a fantastic event organised by the Forest of Marston Vale Trust, which saw volunteers...
9 Mar 2011
Live Music Bill will benefit hundreds of small venue owners – Clement-Jones
Today the Government announced that it would be supporting Liberal Democrat peer, Lord (Tim) Clement-Jones' Live Music Bill, which seeks to remove the bureaucratic burden from small venue owners, such as pubs and community halls, who want to have live music play for their guests
7 Mar 2011
Bedford Borough Bin Bonanza
Many residents living in larger households contacted me after I became Mayor about the Council's refusal to provide additional orange or green recycling bins or even bags to use alongside bins when they became full. Having campaigned for many years to make it easier for residents to use the recycling collection schemes, for example for new recycling facilities at blocks of flats and for a wider range of materials to be included, I have been determined as Mayor to continue to support residents to recycle. I therefore changed this policy, as residents who want to recycle must be supported to do so. Anyone who wants additional capacity to recycle more, either via more green or orange bags or a bin, can have it.
6 Mar 2011