Mayor Dave Hodgson has paid tribute to council staff and all workers and volunteers who are keeping people safe and keeping the Borough moving during the freezing weather conditions.
Writing on his Facebook page, Mayor Dave commented:
"A huge, huge thanks to all Council staff and all workers and volunteers who are going out in awful conditions supporting the vulnerable and helping to keep the Borough safe and keep it moving.
Mayor Dave Hodgson's Cabinet has approved £1million of additional local road and footway improvement works across Bedford Borough. The funds are set to deliver extra road resurfacing, footway maintenance and upgrade schemes in 2018/19.
Bedford's road condition scores are in the top quarter of councils across the UK (DfT figures Jan 2018). The proposed additional funding is intended to help keep local roads and footways safe and in good condition. It is funded from savings in delivering this year's budget, and will enable the Council to extend the existing road resurfacing programme.
Mayor Dave Hodgson's Cabinet's budget has been approved with unanimous support from all councillors, of all parties plus independents.
The unanimous approval comes at a time when news headlines are being made by nearby councils hitting severe financial crisis, while other areas are seeing more and more drastic cuts to services proposed such as three weekly bin collections, for example, and widespread library closures.
Mayor Dave Hodgson has slammed the Environment Agency's decision to award a permit for the giant Covanta waste incinerator, describing it as 'riding roughshod' over local communities.
"The Environment Agency's approval of the permit for the incinerator near Stewartby is another decision which rides roughshod over local communities. That's been a recurring theme ever since Bedfordshire Conservatives identified Rookery South Pit near Stewartby as their preferred incinerator location.
Alongside residents we've made a powerful case against the plant at every stage, taking the fight through planning, through parliament and wherever it has taken us. But a series of unaccountable bodies, remote politicians and complacent regulatory agencies have combined to let local people down.
The scale of it is mind-blowing: 594 lorry journeys over local roads every day, bringing nearly 600,000 tonnes of waste per year. Bedford Borough Council collected just 38,000 tonnes of black bin waste last year, for goodness sake!
There is simply no need for a monstrous regional-scale rubbish burner here. It's scandalous that it's been waved through at every stage, in the face of the evidence and of overwhelming local opposition."
Bedfordshire NHS Clinical Commissioning today announced a six month reprieve for the Putnoe Walk In Centre, announcing an extension to its contract from 31st March to 30th September, 'while a new Urgent Treatment Centre is set up in Bedford.'
Commenting on the news, Mayor Dave Hodgson said: "While this is better than closure in just a couple of months' time, I do not agree that the Putnoe Walk In Centre should close at all. I believe that the Urgent Treatment Centre at Bedford Hospital should be additional to the Walk-In Centre, as it serves a different purpose, in a different location and fulfils a distinct, important need.'
Following the publication of an update report by Bedfordshire CCG prior to its Governing Body meeting on Thursday 25th January, Mayor Dave Hodgson has slammed the closure of Putnoe Walk-In Centre as 'unacceptable', addiing that the uncertainty over ongoing walk-in care in Bedford 'beggars belief'.
Mayor Dave Hodgson has issued a rallying cry for people to sign up as hospital foundation trust members and ensure a strong local voice for Bedford Hospital.
Under the hospital's planned merger with Luton & Dunstable Hospital, it will become part of a merged trust which will formally be a continuation of the L&D Foundation Trust.
Mayor Dave Hodgson has wished a very merry Christmas to all, and highlighted a particular campaign promoting an excellent local charitable cause.
Writing on his Facebook page (www.facebook.com/davethemayor), Mayor Dave offers warm Christmas wishes to all, and also alerted readers to local charity King's Arms Project's Nightshelter appeal. Here's his full message:
