Surface Access to Airport

Those of you who travel to Luton Airport might be interested in a document which describes the strategy for getting people to and from the Airport over the next few years.  Here is a copy of the document which gives the details

Budget Debate Next Thursday

I would like to encourage anyone who can come, to attend next week's Council meeting in Chicksands.  This is when the budget for next year will be discussed and voted upon. The meeting starts at 6.30pm and the public are always able to attend.  If you wish to speak, you must give notice. You can find the agenda HERE

New Leisure Centre Contractor

Just heard that Stevenage Leisure Limited will be operating the Houghton Regis Leisure Centre on a one year contract.  They currently operate leisure facilities in the north of the authority.  Great news.

Luton Airport Expansion

You may have heard that the company which operates Luton Airport is consulting the public on a possible expansion.  Here is information about the times and locations of the consultations.

Saving the Houghton Regis Leisure Centre

I thought I would comment on the perception put about by some members of the public that your Town and Central Bedfordshire Councillors did little to stop the closure of the Leisure Centre.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  We did not sit idly by when the Leisure Centre was earmarked for closure.  Both at meetings and privately, your councillors were working tirelessly to try and find a solution.  Andrew Selous was not the only politician working hard behind the scenes.  This was a team effort.  I am extremely grateful to the HRLC Action Group for all their efforts, but it is quite wrong to imply that they were filling the void created by your Town and Central Bedfordshire Councillors.  Let's give credit where credit is due.!

Houghton Regis Leisure Centre Contract Awarded

At today's Central Bedfordshire Council Executive Meeting members voted to award a one year contract to keep the Houghton Regis Leisure Centre Open.  This is an excellent result.  After 18 months of campaigning by both Central Bedfordshire Councillors and the Houghton Regis Leisure Centre Action Group, the Council finally decided to acknowledge the significant needs of the community.  However,it should not have taken 18 months, two petitions, three open meetings plus endless protests by your Houghton Regis Councillors at Council and Executive meetings, letters, phone calls and e-mails, for the Council to do the right thing.  I pointed this out today and suggested that the next time Houghton Regis Councillors suggest that the Council is headed in the wrong direction, they will believe us - not force us to prove it beyond more than would normally be required.  We have the schools reorganisation looming. Let's hope the Council were listening when we told them what we would like to do!!!.

The Localism Act

I thought some of you might be interested in a summary of the forthcoming Localism Bill and how it will affect the way Central Bedfordshire Council will conduct its business in the future.  Here is a link to the summary:  http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/localgovernment/pdf/1923416.pdf

Sundon Rd Improvements

You may have noticed activity along the Sundon Rd.  This is because Central Bedfordshire Council are undertaking a number of improvements.  Here are the details: 

Provision of new mini roundabout on junction of Sundon Road/Hillborough Crescent (northern junction) including short section of resurfacing on Hillborough Crescent approach.

o        Re-lining of Sundon Road / Hillborough Crescent mini roundabout.

o        Highlighted crossing points along Sundon Road including the following:

·         Coloured road surfacing;

·         Bollards with full height reflective banding;

·         Provision/rearrangement of pedestrian barrier to slow   pedestrians/cyclists;

·         Severe vegetation cut back to improve intervisibility.

o        Provision of knee rail fencing along the footpaths to stop illegal parking within the grass verge and to deter pedestrians from crossing the road in the wrong place.

o        Provision of new warning signs to improve drivers’ awareness of the presence of children in vicinity of the road.

o        Resurfacing, drainage works and relining of Sundon Road/East End roundabout to improve skid resistance, resolve the drainage issues and reduce vehicle speeds.

 It is anticipated that the above works will be completed during February/March, this is however weather dependant. These works will be carried out in the weekday between 9:00 – 15:30 to minimise the disruption to local traffic.

In addition, the resurfacing works in Sundon Road/East End roundabout are programmed for 19th, 20th and 21st March at night between 20:00 and 06:00.

A5 M1 Link Road

As this project is moving forward you might be interested in some of the details of what has happened so far.  Here is a website which contains all the documents currently related to the new Link Rd: http://www.persona.uk.com/A5dunstable/desposit-docs.htm
You might also be interested in this document unearthed by the ever vigilant Cllr. Alan Winter which gives detailed information about the cultural and historical context of the land around the projected motorway link. http://www.persona.uk.com/A5dunstable/deposit-docs/DD026-DD050/DD-038A.pdf

Keeping Warm in Cold Weather

From  Central Bedfordshire Council:
Warm Homes Healthy People – Keeping Warm during the cold snap!
With temperatures set to plummet again tonight, Central Bedfordshire Council is asking residents to keep an eye out for vulnerable neighbours, who may be susceptible to the effects of cold weather. 
Cllr Carole Hegley, Executive Member for Social Care, Health and Housing at Central Bedfordshire Council, said: "Please think of older  and vulnerable neighbours at this time and where possible try to pop in to see if they are well or need any help." 
Cllr Hegley's call comes after Central Bedfordshire Council launched its Warm Homes Healthy People scheme, which aims to offer help and support for vulnerable people living in cold and damp homes.  
The Scheme offers advice and financial assistance to improve your home insulation and heating.  You do not have to be in receipt of benefits to receive help from the Warm Homes Healthy People Scheme.
If you are a homeowner, or a tenant in a privately rented home and your home is cold, damp or has an old inefficient heating system, you could be eligible for a range of help. 
This scheme is being run in conjunction with other Partners  such as  NHS Bedfordshire, Age UK Bedfordshire, Older People’s Reference Group, Advocacy for Older People, Disability Resource Centre and Bedfordshire Rural Communities Charity.
Handy hints to keep warm during the current cold snap.

• Keep warm by dressing well and wearing plenty of thinner layers rather than fewer, thicker ones.
•  Try wearing bed socks and thermal underwear at night
• Stay active can also have a big impact on how warm you feel on colder days. If possible, try to move around at least once an hour.
• And of course eating regular meals will help keep energy levels up during winter, and hot drinks such as tea and coffee. 

 
For more information:  0300 300 8302 and mention Warm Homes Scheme.

Roman Remains

Our Council archaeologist has been kind enough to send me the location of the Roman remains near Parkside.  Here is the map.  Bear in mind that this land is private and there are rules about treasure troves. 
You must report all finds of Treasure to a coroner for the district in which they are found either within 14 days after the day on which you made the discovery or within 14 days after the day on which you realised the find might be treasure. http://finds.org.uk/treasure/advice/summary

Help Desk

Thanks to Cllr Alan Winter, I can pass on an exceptionally useful website which gives residents information about how to deal with everyday problems.  Thanks Alan.
http://libdem.webs.com/hr/problems.html

Metal Theft in Houghton Regis

Lead flashing has been stolen from Hawthorn Park Lower School, in Parkside Drive, in Houghton Regis. The offence took place between 6:00 p.m. on the 23rd and 7:00 a.m. on the 24th of January. crime reference, J D / 2 9 0 6 / 2012. If you have any knowledge about this crime please call the Force Control Room on 1 0 1. email chc@Bedfordshire.pnn.Police.uk . text 07786200011 Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111

Great Movies at Leighton Buzzard Theatre

I am an avid film fan so I thought you would want to know about the film seasons starting at Leighton Buzzard Theatre.

Leighton Buzzard Theatre kicks off its new season with a host of new shows including films from the Cult Classic Film collection.
There’s something for everyone young and old on Valentines Day starting with The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark (between 11am and 2pm). Brought to you by Blunderbus Theatre Company following their sell-out performances of Elmer and A Very Snowy Christmas, The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark is based on the classic children’s book by Jill Tomlinson, this funny gentle and reassuring tale is written especially for children between the ages of three and seven. Tickets are selling fast so you are advised to book early. 
Winner of the best comedy and musical film at the Golden Globes, The Artist, will also be aired on Valentines Day evening at 8pm. The nostalgia-filled black-and-white tale, follows a silent film star whose career dims during the advent of the talkies. The film currently has 12 nominations for the British Academy Film Awards and has been met with rave reviews. 
The Cult Classic Film collection which launches this season gives you a perfect chance to escape Saturday night TV with Faster Pussycat Kill Kill on March 31, followed by Shaft (28 April) and Pulp Fiction (26 May)later in the season, all starting at 8pm.
Leighton Buzzard Theatre is also continuing to introduce films from around the globe with the ever popular World Cinema night on a Tuesday evenings (8pm) starting with Las Acasias on 20 March. This deceptively simple drama follows a lonely truck driver as he transports a load of acacia wood from Paraguay to Buenos Aires.
To find out more about this seasons new shows email the box office lbtboxoffice@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk , pick up a copy of our new look brochure or visit the theatre online at www.leightonbuzzardtheatre.co.uk.
Please note from  week beginning Monday 6 February the Box Office will now be open on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturdays 9.30am -12.30pm and 1pm -3pm plus 45 minutes before every performance.  To telephone the  Box Officer call 0300 300 8125 , tickets can be reserved or paid for by credit card. 

Roman Remans around Parkside and Houghton Regis

The Saturday before last I met a stall holder at the Houghton Regis Leisure Centre Open Day Car Boot Sale who told me he had been talking to archaeologists on land adjacent to Houghton Park Road.  I was intrigued by this and contacted the Council's archaeologist.  I also did a little research.  Yes!  There are Roman remains in our area.  Here's part of what the archaeologist told me:

We have records of two Roman sites in the area you describe. One north east of Houghton Park Road and south of Chalton Cross Farm and the other east of Fenwick Road and north of Pastures Way. Finds of pottery, metalwork, building material and iron slag have been collected in fieldwalking from these sites. This provides the dating for the sites and suggests that they may have contained substantial buildings and been then site of some sort of industrial activity. At present we do not have enough information to say whether or not either of theses sites are villas, though the evidence does indicate that they were settlement sites. We have no evidence that there was a Roman road linking these sites or in the immediate area. As these sites will have formed part of a wider contemporary landscape they are likely to have been linked by some sort of routeway, but this would probably have been a track rather than a formal road such as Watling Street on the line of the present A5.

If anyone has further information on the Roman History of Parkside or Houghton Regis, I'd love to hear from you!(The picture is from Chesters - not Parkside!!!)

Highways and Footpaths Maintenance

I met with our Highways representatives this morning.  Each year the Council reviews its short and long time plans.  There is a 4 years strategy for repairing and renewing roads and pathways in Parkside.  If you have any issues related to this, please contact me OR if you need to report an issue related to Highways, here is the link to the Council's website - and all the information you need is there.  http://www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/travelling/roads-safety-and-highways/default.aspx
Thanks to our many residents who are ever vigilant and report light outages and other issues on a regular basis.  Remember, you can also use Fix My Street to report issues in your area. http://www.fixmystreet.com/

Broadband Survey

Central Beds Council is asking the public to participate in a survey on Broadband. The Council write: 
The consultation will run in 2 phases. Phase 1 ends at end-February 2012 and will support our funding application to BDUK for Central Bedfordshire.  The consultation will then continue until mid-year to register demand across individual parishes and be used as part of our tender request to infrastructure suppliers who will actually install the new equipment. If residents have registered during Phase 1 there is no need to register again post end-February. The link is www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/broadband

Schools Funding in Central Bedfordshire

On the government's own Academies website http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/leadership/typesofschools/academies we find the quote to the left.  How ironic then, that last week Central Beds Council passed a motion asking the Minister of State for Education to give schools in Central Bedfordshire more money. I had a problem with this motion.  I couldn't understand why the Council should go bat for the academies when these schools have turned their backs on the Council and are no longer the responsibility of the local authority. Why should the Council be looking for more money for Academies when they don't want to have anything more to do with the Council?  These academies now answer directly to Central Government.  You can't have it both ways.  You can't decide to sever your ties with the Council but also expect the Council to lobby on your behalf when you need more money.  In my view, once academies decide to cut loose from the local authority, they are on their own as far as money is concerned. Sometimes, there might be a price to pay - but as the school above seems to believe - this is no problem!   It is quite clear to me that if every school in Central Bedfordshire becomes an academy, the Council will have no further financial relationship with these schools.  If they want more money, they will have to go to the government or their MP for it - as it is Central Government, not Central Bedfordshire Council that have overall responsibility for these schools. I hope the public understand the consequences of academising all of our schools.  All the local authority will be responsible for is cared for children, special needs provision, admissions policies and strategy - such as it can be when you have nothing to strategise over.  I'm afraid I abstained on this motion - not because I dont' think schools should have more money, but because the motion made no sense.  53% of our children now attend academies - and these institutions are no longer our responsibility.

Get your street parties booked for the Jubilee

From Central Bedfordshire Council

Get your street parties booked for the Jubilee

To mark 60 years of The Queen's reign the Diamond Jubilee in June will see communities across the country celebrating in great British tradition by hanging out the bunting and holding a street party. The celebrations will centre around an extended weekend on 2, 3, 4 and 5 June, and those party organisers are advised to get their traffic road closure orders in early. To make the process of organising a street party as easy as possible, Central Bedfordshire Council has made a traffic order to cover the whole district meaning that charges usually paid by organisers will instead be covered by the council. Cllr Brian Spurr, Executive Member for Sustainable Communities Services at Central Bedfordshire Council, said: "We are asking people who organise a street party to get in contact with us and tell us what roads they would like to close, and how long they will be closed for. There are some circumstances where an application would need to be made, but the sooner people get in touch, the quicker we can get the ball rolling. “We want to make sure all residents can enjoy the celebrations and one way of ensuring this and making organisers jobs a lot easier is to cut the amount of 'red tape' that can surround such events.” Organisers should complete an application form which is available from www.communities.gov.uk/publications/communities/streetpartyguide , and send it back to the council by 1 May. If you need further advice about road closures then you can call 0300 300 8308. If you are planning a party here is a brief guide to make your event run smoothly.
Plan ahead. Start by gauging interest amongst your neighbours. Invite the whole street to the first planning meeting.
Keep it local, keep it simple. Be careful about how you publicise your event so as not to draw a wider crowd. Street parties are small private events organised by the residents for residents and at no cost to the public. If what you are organising turns into a larger event different rules will apply. Delivering invites by hand is a great chance to meet neighbours and tell people face-to-face about the event.
Be safe Planning a safe event is the best way of reducing risks and so it is important to consider and minimise all risks. Contact the Central Bedfordshire Safety Advisory Group (SAG) who can review and offer advise on your safety arrangements. They can also offer information about insurance, licensing, noise control and temporary structures such as bouncy castles.
Consider others Try to encourage all ages to come and join in. Also remember to allow for all tastes. On the day put out some chairs for the elderly and maybe somewhere soft for young ones to sit. Remember that parties create waste, so make sure that there are plenty of helpers to clean up after your event.
Organisers should complete an application form which is available from www.communities.gov.uk/publications/communities/streetpartyguide and send it to:
Traffic Management Team
Central Bedfordshire Council
Technology House
239 Ampthill Road
Bedford
MK42 9BD

For further information please contact: Emma Gorringe,  Media Officer on 0300 300 6247

Luton Houghton Regis Dunstable Busway

Some of you might be wondering how the busway is progressing.  Well, it is on target for completion in 2013.  I have decided that the quickest way for me to get to Luton on the Busway is to drive to the White Lion Retail Park, park the car and take the busway from there.  The bus companies have not decided yet how they are going to get Parksiders down to the Busway - and until they do, this seems the best bet. Take a look at the map:
http://www.luton.gov.uk/Media%20Library/Transport%20and%20streets/PDF/Engineering%20%26%20Transportation%20/busway/LDB%20Core%20Route%20Plan.pdf