News

Dave Hodgson by the Bedford to Bletchley rail bridge on the riverside path in Bedford

Network Rail Must Respect Riverside Right of Way Over Footbridge

Network Rail is seeking to pull down the footbridge over the Bedford to Bletchley railway line along the riverside path in Bedford, near the Prebend Street Bridge. This may not mean much to those people who don't use that path, but the many people who do know it and who use this important route between the town centre and Queens Park and Kempston will know that this means people will have to use the path under the bridge. That would be fine, were the clearance under the bridge on the path not just 4 foot 9 inches, and liable to flooding which makes it impassable.

12 Mar 2011
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Dave Hodgson with Town Bridge behind

Mayor Announces New Limits to Council 'Snooping' Powers

Mayor Dave Hodgson has announced a series of measures to restrict Bedford Borough Council's use of powers dubbed a 'snoopers' charter' for councils, and bring openness and transparency locally to a system which has been abused by a number of Councils around the country. The Mayor's reforms include introducing public scrutiny of any use by the Council of powers to conduct covert surveillance on local residents and new limits over authorisations of such uses.

11 Mar 2011
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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
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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
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