Mayor Dave Hodgson has slammed the decision by NHS Commissioners to pursue plans to downgrade Bedford or Milton Keynes Hospital despite a plea from Bedford Hospital itself to drop the proposals and take a different approach.
Highways England has today announced the preferred route of the new dual carriageway between the Black Cat Roundabout and Caxton Gibbet and the preferred new configuration of the Black Cat roundabout, and Mayor Dave Hodgson has responded by calling on the agency and on the Government to ensure there are no further delays for this crucial project. Today's announcement comes two years after the public consultation on the options for the remodelled junction and new section of road, while the 2021/22 start date for the project has already been subject to what Mayor Dave has described as an 'appalling' two-year delay.
Bedford Borough Council has introduced ten short-term parking bays across Bedford Town Centre, to allow shoppers to take advantage of click & collect in Bedford Borough.
Bedford Borough Council's Town Centre Jubilee Trail has launched today (Thursday 19 May), kicking off local celebrations for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.
This week's Council Planning Committee meeting was a busy one, as they often are. I'm not involved at all in determining planning applications, with planning being a 'regulatory' function of the council, rather than an 'executive' function, which are those I have responsibility for as Mayor. I was pleased to be informed on Monday night of good news for the Borough with regard to a number of applications.
The family history information and taster session I attended at Bedford Central Library on Saturday really has whetted my appetite to find out more. Amongst the wide range of things I discovered in the short session I enjoyed are that a Great Grandmother was in the workhouse, while a Great Great Grandfather was a station master in Scotland. I also discovered previously unknown links to various parts of the country, including the West Midlands.
