Creasey Park Community Football Centre - Dunstable's new £3 million home of football and fitness - has been officially unveiled at a special launch event this weekend.

Former England international goalkeeping star Ray Clemence cut the ribbon to the full size artificial pitch, community pitches and changing rooms during a festival of football and community activities that included youth matches, a disability football display and arts craft session for young people.

The afternoon saw Chairman of Central Bedfordshire Council, Cllr Peter Hollick and Mayor of Dunstable, Cllr Claire Meakins-Jell cut the ribbon to the stadium pitch and brand new clubhouse, before the two partner clubs to the project Dunstable Town FC and AFC Dunstable play their Spartan South Midlands League match.

Around 700 fans turned up to a windy Creasey Park to see AFC Dunstable eventually win the match 1-0.

The complex, which is home to both teams, has been through a massive redevelopment thanks to funding from both Central Bedfordshire Council, Dunstable Town Council, the Football Foundation and developer contributions.

Facilities - including the bright, modern clubhouse and function area - have been brought up to a 21st Century standard, while Peppercorn Park and Brewers Hill Middle School's playing pitches have been brought into the scheme to allow football clubs and the wider community to have greater access to sport.

Attractions at Creasey Park also include a BMX track and full-size stadium pitch with spectator stand.

Chairman of Central Bedfordshire Council, Cllr Peter Hollick, said: "This excellent new redevelopment not only supports the council's aims to support healthier lifestyles and sporting activities for young people and children, but demonstrates our commitment to invest in regeneration for all our local communities throughout Central Bedfordshire.

"It is wonderful to have such strong partnership working with Dunstable Town Council, who are taking on the management of the facility."

Mayor of Dunstable, Cllr Claire Meakins-Jell, added: "I was delighted to be a part of the opening of Creasey Park Community Football Centre on Saturday and hope all attended thoroughly enjoyed the day and the match

"This new facility will be a tremendous addition to Dunstable and will benefit the whole community of Dunstable.

"Thank you to all those who attended to make the day a truly memorable occasion."

END

Rising star violinist Charlie Siem took time out of his busy schedule to drop in on some aspiring musicians at a Biggleswade school.

The 25-year-old visited Stratton Upper School in the town on Friday, and spent a casual hour chatting with the youngsters before giving them their own private performance. He was invited to the school in Eagle Farm Road by Inspiring Music, Central Bedfordshire Council's music service. The service helps people at all stages of life to participate in and enjoy music, supporting individuals in reaching their full potential in developing musical skills.

Charlie, an Old Etonian and Cambridge graduate, performed his first oratorio at the tender age of 15. Signed to major record label Warner, he has now released two albums of classical music. He has performed at the Royal Albert Hall and Royal Festival Hall, Carnegie Hall in New York and more recently in Moscow and Shanghai. He has also taken to the stage with pop diva Lady Gaga and rocker Bryan Adams.

Totally enthralling his young audience, Charlie picked up his 200 year-old Guarnerius violin, which had previously been played by childhood idol Yehudi Menuhin, and started to play one of Paganini's Caprices.

Michelle Beasley, head of music at Stratton Upper School, said: "It's been really inspiring for them to see somebody who is succeeding at such a high level at such a young age.

"I think they were quite starstruck but from talking to them it seems to have renewed their determination to play the violin - they want to get better at it now because they've seen what is possible."

Year 10 pupil, Ben said: "It's been pretty amazing, the amount of skills that he used."

Attending the event, Councillor Angela Barker, Deputy Executive Member for Children's Services, said it was "absolutely magical".

Councillor Mark Versallion, Executive Member for Children's Services at Central Bedfordshire Council, said: "Having such an inspirational and talented musician perform for our children is a great coup for Central Bedfordshire Council.

"I hope that Charlie's time with Stratton Upper School will inspire and encourage more young people to develop an interest in classical music and indeed to take up playing the violin."

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A plan which sets out how Central Bedfordshire Council will support future local economic growth and help businesses to thrive was approved last night (24 November) at Full Council.

The Economic Development Plan demonstrates how the council intends to work with key partners to achieve the area's economic potential and deliver the 27,000 additional jobs being forecast by 2026.

Four priority themes; Land and Premises, Supporting Business, Skills for Growth, and Into Work, will govern the work around the Economic Development Plan, and help coordinate work between the council, its partners and new and existing businesses.

Cllr Ken Matthews, Executive Member for Strategic Planning and Economic Development for Central Bedfordshire Council, said " Central Bedfordshire is a prosperous and attractive area. We want to ensure that we continue to be a place people want to live and work, and build on our leading education institutions and businesses to ensure our residents are able to benefit from the economic growth of the area.

"In producing the Economic Development Plan we are embracing the critical role our partners and stakeholders will play in delivering sustainable economic growth in Central Bedfordshire and the key role the Council has in enabling businesses and residents to achieve their goals and aspirations."

Key projects of the plan are very much underway and demonstrate how the council intends to support economic development throughout Central Bedfordshire.

Cllr Matthews, added: "We want to make it easy for people to do business with us. A top priority will be effectively listening to and acting on local business needs. We will introduce a range of measures to support this, focusing on high quality services to business and enabling them to invest and grow locally."

As technology develops, the council recognises the increasing demands from business and residents for access to high speed broadband and has started work on a Local Broadband Plan for Central Bedfordshire which will outline how the commercial and public sectors will work together to roll out next generation broadband.

Tackling Youth Unemployment by 2012/13 is also a key part of the plan, with activities such as increasing apprenticeships and tailoring support to local residents' needs.

Cllr Matthews commented: "We will also work with public and private sector partners to bring forward a range of business space, from dedicated enterprise and innovation centres, such as the Incuba Centre in Dunstable." This facility seeks to provide dedicated business support and stimulate growth in the Low Carbon technologies sector.

The recently launched Timebank service will be used to match local providers of business services such as marketing, financial, planning, sales and HR, to businesses which are looking to start up, grow or move into the area. Every part of the plan will seek to maximise business growth potential throughout the whole of Central Bedfordshire.

You can view the Economic Development Plan and more information on Timebank and the range of business support services on this website.

Cllr Matthews, added: "Following the consultation over the summer I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all residents and businesses who took part and helped to shape our economic development plan priorities."

END

A new scooter training programme for young children has launched this week to coincide with National Road Safety week 2011.

Scootability is a scheme of scooter training adopted by Central Bedfordshire Council, to help educate children in a fun and active way whilst reinforcing basic pedestrian safety messages for using pedal scooters.

To mark the launch of Scootability in Central Bedfordshire, Cllr Brian Spurr and pupils from Thornhill Lower School in Dunstable took part in a training session today, 23 November.

Scootability is a progressive course and has been developed for school teachers to use as part of the curriculum, at lunchtime or after school clubs.

The key safety messages throughout the programme are equally relevant to younger children and to older children who walk or scoot independently to school, to the local shops or around where they live.

Councillor Brian Spurr, Central Bedfordshire Council’s Executive Member for Sustainable Communities Services, said: "It was great to visit Thornhill Lower School and meet with pupils whilst they carried out a training session. The aim of Scootability is also about encouraging more children and parents to think about using another form of sustainable transport to get to school safely. The earlier we can teach practical road safety skills to children the better."

NHS Bedfordshire have supported the programme in line with their Change for Life initiative, which helps to promote exercise and the health benefits around physical activity.

Craig Lister from NHS Bedfordshire commented: "Scootability is a great scheme which encourages pupils and their families to have fun while building active travel into their daily routine as part of their journey to school. We are excited to be to supporting this new training programme as part our Change for Life campaign."

There are three Scootability levels for children to participate in which will teach scooter control skills, looking out for pedestrians and pavement etiquette, priorities at driveways and practice on the pavement with driveways and side roads and driveways.

Amy Cleaver, Deputy Head teacher at Thornhill Lower School said "We are pleased to be able to offer the Scootability training scheme. Pupils really enjoy the training and think that scooting is a really fun way of travelling to school."

END

Residents of the Leighton Rural area are invited to discuss local matters that are important to them at the Let’s Talk Together community meeting on 6 December at Eaton Bray Village Hall, Church Lane between 7pm and 9pm that will be chaired by Councillor and Executive Member Mark Versallion (Heath and Reach ward).

Importantly the Let's Talk Together meetings are an opportunity to meet with service providers, local Councillors and Bedfordshire Police to inform local policing priorities. Also as part of the agenda for the evening, Central Bedfordshire Councillors will provide residents with an update on the council's budget setting process.

Councillor Mark Versallion the Executive Member of Children's Services, said "I would encourage everyone to use this opportunity to tell the Council, Police, and other services what is important to you as you can influence how services are delivered. I know many are passionate about wanting the M1-A5 link road but have concerns about the number of houses to be built to afford the road. I know many are also passionate about illegal traveller sites and the withdrawal of bus services and I hope this opportunity will be used to convey those views to the Council, Police and other organisations that I and others hold to account."

The Let's Talk Together meeting is organised by the Central Bedfordshire Together partnership which includes Central Bedfordshire Council, Bedfordshire Police, NHS Bedfordshire, the Fire and Rescue Service, Town and Parish Councils and other organisations who play an active role in the community. Meetings usually last around two hours, but you can attend for as much or as little as you like.

For more information about Central Bedfordshire Together visit Let's Talk Together.

END

As part of National Road Safety which kicked off yesterday, 21 November, Central Bedfordshire Council and Amey, have launched this year's campaign with a demonstration to parents and children about parking problems outside Lancot Lower School in Dunstable.

Bedfordshire and Luton Fire and Rescue Service staged a call-out at Lancot Lower School, which involved driving through popular school parking zones. The aim was to demonstrate how difficult it was to drive their vehicle through the parked cars in an emergency.

Cars parked illegally or inconsiderately put other road users at risk. Not only can it impact on pedestrians preventing them from crossing safely, but causes problems to emergency services who need to manoeuvre around vehicles, preventing them arriving at a 999 call in time.

Road Safety Officers from Amey and PCSOs from Bedfordshire Police were also available to offer advice to all road users in the area, on being safe on the roads.

At the event the officers saw a range of parking issues such as parking on pavements, corners and verges which is not uncommon amongst all schools. They also spoke to numerous parents when they had parked illegally or inconsiderately and advised them of the safety implications.

Due to the parking issues along the narrow road, the Fire Engine struggled to get through the small gaps, and had to drive very slowly, which demonstrated that in the case that they were attending a real emergency, this would slow them down considerably and could endanger lives.

Cllr Spurr, Executive Member for Sustainable Communities Services at Central Bedfordshire Council who attended the event, said: "Parking around schools is always a problem and this event highlights an important safety issue. We call on all drivers to think about their parking, and ask that they are considerate when parking near schools and in residential areas. Thanks to everyone who was involved in the staged call-out and we hope it helps to raise awareness of illegally parked vehicles and the impact it has on others."

Bedfordshire and Luton Fire and Rescue Service’s Area Commander Dave Fothergill said: "We are committed to helping to improve safety on our roads, and reducing the number of road traffic collisions and casualties. However, if we are delayed in getting to the scene of an emergency incident, because of inconsiderate thoughtless or illegal parking, the consequences can become even more serious. We hope that drivers will take notice and give thought to others when parking, by making sure that there is space for one our emergency vehicles to pass at all times."

The rest of National Road Safety week will see the launch of Scootability training at Thornhill Lower School, which is aimed at creating a fun and active training session to help reinforce basic pedestrian safety messages.

Woburn Lower School is also running a poster competition for its pupils, to raise awareness around crossing safely, acting as a reminder to drivers to stop at zebra crossings.

Chairman of Central Bedfordshire Council, Councillor Peter Hollick who also attended the Road Safety event at Lancot Lower School, said ‘It was great to offer my support for Road Safety Week. We all must take road safety seriously, whether we are in a car, on a motorbike, walking or cycling. Our actions impact on others if we do not behave in a safe manner on our roads; it can put others in serious danger."

For more information on how children can stay safe on the roads, visit http://think.direct.gov.uk/index.html. There is also an interactive road safety website for children and parents to use. This can be found at http://talesoftheroad.direct.gov.uk. It is full of road safety advice, games and competitions.

END

Houghton Hall, Tithe Farm and Parkside Central Bedfordshire Councillors (Councillors Susan Goodchild, David Jones, Peter Williams and Rita Egan) will be holding a Help and Advice Surgery at Houghton Regis Library, Meeting Room,on Saturday 26 November 2011 from 10am–12noon.

Are there any issues that concern you? Come along and have your say. Together we can get things done!

For further information please contact the Members’ Support Team on 0300 300 6090, or the Councillors direct:

Cllr Susan Goodchild - tel: 0300 300 8525
Cllr David Jones – tel: 0300 300 8535
Cllr Peter Williams – tel: 0300 300 8567
Cllr Rita Egan – tel: 0300 300 8518

END

Flitwick Library, Coniston Road, Flitwick, MK45 1QJ on Friday, 25 November 2011 from 10am-12noon.

Are there any issues that concern you? Come along and have your say. Together we can get things done!

For further information please contact the Member Support Team on 0300 300 6090 or e-mail the Councillors:

andrew.turner@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk
fiona.chapman@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk
charles.gomm@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk

END

Three new mobile CCTV vehicles will start patrolling the streets of Central Bedfordshire as high tech rolling cameras are being used to crack down on illegally parked vehicles, and help improve safety in and around problem areas.
 
Launching this week, the innovative form of parking enforcement works by taking a wider area image of a street and through collecting the registration numbers of those vehicles parked illegally, it can automatically process the owner’s information and immediately create a Penalty Charge Notices (PCN) for offenders. The PCN is then sent through the post directly to the registered owner/keeper of the vehicle - saving time and money.
 
The camera vehicles will be used to target problem areas such as outside schools, but will also provide effective enforcement for other areas including, yellow lines, bus stops and bus lanes.
 
Cllr Brian Spurr, Executive Member for Sustainable Communities Services at Central Bedfordshire Council said: “Our approach to parking must support the economic aspects of our town centres and villages, as well as supporting growth and regeneration in the area."
 
"By managing our parking better we want to make our town centres easier to access, more vibrant and safer places to be where people want to spend time. This means ensuring good short term provision for shoppers, good access for disabled people with a reduction in illegally parked vehicles."

END

Central Bedfordshire Council is reminding residents to be scam aware as part of National Consumer week, running from 21 to 25 November.

The Council's Trading Standards team is looking to raise awareness of scams  by  promoting  their  'early warning '  email alert service to help prevent residents and small businesses  from falling victim to scams and rogue traders.

The new alert service, which anyone can sign up to,  will warn people about potential scams or rogue traders that  have been reported to the Trading Standards team as operating in and around the Central Bedfordshire area.

One of the latest email alerts  has  warned residents and businesses about a  very common, widely reported ‘windows support’  scam. Cold callers have been telephoning  consumers and small businesses at random, claiming  to be from ‘windows support’  and  state that they have received an  'error message' or 'virus detected message' sent from the victims computer. The caller then offers to resolve the problem , whilst on the phone,  by accessing the computer remotely, for a nominal fee of £70-100, payable by credit card.  In reality, the caller does not fix the computer and may in fact weaken the computer's security for possible future scam activity. Plus, in paying for the service with a credit card, the consumer will not only lose the amount they paid, but will have provided their card details to a complete stranger.

The callers tend to use a 'Withheld' or 'International' telephone number and reports received suggest the calls are originating from the Far East. When challenged or asked further questions, the callers tend to promptly end the call. There has also been one occasion reported whereby the consumer being called did not even own a computer. 

Cllr Brian Spurr, Executive Member for Sustainable Communities Services at Central Bedfordshire Council, said: "  We believe the ‘Windows Support’ reports  we have received to be a scam and we would advise anyone to act with extreme caution when receiving such calls. Everyday innocent people are being targeted by scam artists with a wide range of scams and they are  becoming ever more sophisticated.  

"Scams come in a variety of guises, whether it is notifying people of a prize draw or lottery win, the promise of a bogus tax rebate or information on a little known get-rich-quick scheme, all are designed with one objective - to deprive the individuals of their money or take their personal details.

“People can be targeted via the post, telephone, or even on their  own doorstep, and as technology advances, many more people are being targeted via email. We hope to encourage more people to sign up to our new ‘email alert’ scheme and raise awareness  and help protect them from falling victim to a scam."

To sign up to the  'early warning' emails, people are advised to email be.scamaware@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk including their email address and postcode.

Guidance on how to spot a scam  and what steps you can take to avoid becoming a victim  can also be found at  www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/bescamaware

Cllr Spurr added: “If people suspect or have any information relating to a possible scam or rogue trader, please let our Trading Standards team know via Consumer Direct on 0845 4040506."

END

A team of independent experts has found that Central Bedfordshire Council's Adult Care Services is well placed to make sure that vulnerable residents are protected from all forms of abuse and harassment.

The council commissioned the Local Government Group to health check improvements to adult safeguarding following a government assessment of Adult Care Services last year which rated the service as adequate.

The peer challenge team, made of up senior representatives from other councils and NHS bodies, judged the safeguarding process to be good, sound and embedded in the front line. They reached their conclusion after a week long assessment in which they scrutinised council policies and procedures and held interviews and discussions with councillors, managers, staff, service users and their carers as well as partner organisations.

In particular the team recognised the leadership provided by the Adult Safeguarding Board and the Director of Social Care Health and Housing and her team in driving forward the improvements. Both the Council and the Adult Safeguarding Board, combining council and partner representatives, have focused on developing effective processes and monitoring. These have been reinforced through training and supervision for all those with a role in the welfare of vulnerable adults.

The peer challenge also identified areas for further improvement including more involvement from service users and their carers in saying what they want to see achieved by raising concerns and also more widespread use of advocacy services. The team also recommended that the council should make sure that safeguarding was a factor in jointly commissioning services with others and should look to integrate safeguarding with wider community safety and wellbeing work.

The results of the Adult Safeguarding Peer Challenge were reported today to Executive councillors.

Welcoming the findings, Cllr Carole Hegley says, "From the outset Central Bedfordshire Council has recognised the vital importance of meeting our responsibilities to protect vulnerable adults. We have worked tirelessly in pursuit of this goal and I am delighted that this independent assessment has recognised the progress that we are making and the commitment by councillors, officers and staff at all levels and by our partners.

"Having laid solid foundations I am determined to press ahead with building on the improvements we have made to provide the best possible protection and outcomes for those using our services."

END

Actions to improve the system for letting social housing in Central Bedfordshire have been endorsed by Executive councillors in a move to increase fairness and meet local needs.

Since 2009 the council has operated a joint allocations policy with Luton Borough and Bedford Borough Councils that underpins decisions on awarding social housing to the 11,500 people registered across the partnership. All three councils together with Aragon Housing and BPHA have also operated a Choice Based Lettings scheme, known as Bedfordshire Homefinder, to give eligible tenants maximum choice when bidding for social housing.

Both the allocations policy and the Choice Based Lettings scheme are being amended to reflect recent changes in the law and to respond to feedback from customers and other interested groups.

Changes to the allocations policy include giving greater weighting to families in a 'severely overcrowded' situation and to families with dependent children on top of other needs. People with housing-related debt will not be able to bid for homes until this is cleared or they have agreed repayment plans.

Councillors have agreed to consult on changes to the allocation of new houses within 'rural exception sites' that have been developed in response to housing needs identified by Parish Councils. Whilst recognising the importance of supporting employment within a parish and helping people to move to a parish where they have a family connection, the changes suggest that priority for new homes should go to parish residents.

The council will also be fine-tuning the Choice Based Lettings scheme that has already proved popular with tenants, receiving 7,000 property bids a month. Allowing tenants to bid for homes across a wide area has helped cut the time that council homes are empty, ensuring that the council doesn't lose out on rental income. The average re-letting time for general needs properties has gone down from 71 days in February 2010 to 29 days in February 2011. For sheltered accommodation the re-let time has dropped from 110 days to 36 days over the same period.

In the last 18 months 30 more households have moved into Central Bedfordshire from Luton and Bedford through the Choice Based Lettings scheme than those moving out. The council will look further at the issue of 'cross border mobility' in 2012 and in particular how the imbalance in terms of net migration affects Central Bedfordshire and its tenants. 

Executive Member for Social Care, Health and Housing, Cllr Carole Hegley says, "There is a huge demand for social housing in our area. We are seeking to meet local demand as fairly and effectively as possible by working with our partner councils and by regularly reviewing our arrangements to make sure they are up-to-date and adequately reflect local needs and national developments.

"As a council we want to do everything we can to continue to promote social mobility. We have committed to further reviewing our approach in 2012 to see how we can benefit from the opportunities presented by the government's Localism agenda, including redefining the purpose of social housing."

END

More than 2,000 Central Bedfordshire residents have taken part in Central Bedfordshire Council’s Budget 2012 survey exercise and a further thirty people have attended community workshops on the same topic.

The Council delivered its questionnaire to all households within its quarterly community magazine in September, to find out how its customers feel about spending on local services and Council Tax.

Cllr Maurice Jones, Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Corporate Resources, explained what the Council was looking to achieve through the campaign:

“When our new Council was elected in the Spring, we made a commitment to improve our communications with local people, and listening to their views is a key part of this.

“Before we develop our draft budget for the next financial year, we wanted to hear how our customers feel about where we should save money, where we should protect services from cuts and taxation.”

The workshop feedback and survey results were presented to the Executive today (Tuesday, 15 November).

The feedback showed that a clear majority of residents want Council Tax to remain the same, but expect it will increase.

Respondents suggest that the Council should look to cut its spending from its “back office” to protect front line services. Maintaining roads and pathways, refuse services and working with the police to reduce crime should be protected from reductions. However, residents did feel that savings could be made in other areas, such as cultural services.

When asked about the possibility of the Council providing services in different ways, such as through partnerships or the private sector, most respondents were positive, provided that value for money could be assured.

“We were delighted that we received such a strong response to the survey, since we now have a very clear indication of which services residents believe we should be focussing our resources and money on. In light of these results, we will spend the next few weeks developing draft budget options so that they reflect the feedback we’ve had from our residents”, added Cllr Jones.

The draft budget options will be confirmed by Executive at the meeting on Tuesday, 6 December. Following this, the Council will begin another round of engagement, consulting with residents, partners and stakeholders on their proposals. This consultation period will run until Monday, 30 January.

To view the full results of the public market research, go to www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/consultations

END

Cllr Mark Versallion, Executive Member Children's Services has visited Ramsey Manor Lower School, Barton le Clay to congratulate staff and children on their Forest School award

Ramsey Manor Lower School is the first school in Bedfordshire to be awarded the status of Forest School. Forest Schools is a national scheme to encourage children to explore and experience the outdoor world.

Forest school activities include discovering flora and fauna, identifying small animals and using natural materials to make artworks. The activities will help children to develop social skills and increase their fitness levels, as well as helping them to understand the outdoor environment.        

Ramsey Manor Lower School has a small woodland area and some mature trees in the school grounds. 

The school is also celebrating being awarded the ICT mark. Children at the school are using information and communications technology (ICT) to enhance their work and the award recognises the school’s success in developing the strategic use of ICT in both administration and across the curriculum

Cllr Mark Versallion, Executive Member Children's Services, said, “I would like to congratulate Ramsey Manor on becoming the first Forest School in Bedfordshire. It is a marvellous achievement by everyone at the school and I am sure that the children will thoroughly enjoy the outdoor activities.”

END

Events are being held throughout Central Bedfordshire to mark Domestic Abuse Awareness week running between 21 to 25 November.

As part of the national awareness week, Central Bedfordshire's Community Safety Partnership will be holding roadshows at various locations to raise awareness of domestic abuse and the support services which are available to not only victims, but also professionals who deal with issues surrounding domestic abuse.

Cllr Brian Spurr, Central Bedfordshire Council's Community Safety Partnership, said: “Domestic abuse has a devastating effect on individuals and families; people need to know that they do not have to deal with it on their own and help is out there.”

“Our events will hopefully help to encourage individuals to have the confidence to report domestic abuse. We want to promote a clear and consistent message that domestic abuse is not acceptable and that perpetrators will be held to account.”

People can visit the first roadshow on 22 November between 9:30am and 12:30pm at Leighton Buzzard Market Square, or during the afternoon on 22 November, between 1:30pm and 4:30pm at Tesco's car park in Flitwick.

On 23 November the roadshow will be visiting Dunstable, at the Asda car park all day (9:30am to 4:30pm) and during the afternoon on 24 November, between 1:30pm and 4:30pm, people can talk to representatives in Biggleswade, at the Asda car park.

Cllr Spurr added: "By using the Central Bedfordshire Council’s ‘Rave Bus’ people will have the opportunity to talk in confidence with Domestic Abuse support staff in the private counselling room, and activities will be laid on for children, whilst there parent or guardian is talking in private."

Throughout the week, community safety representatives will also be promoting national White Ribbon day, 25 November 2011, inspired by The White Ribbon Pledge and lead by men who campaign to stop domestic violence against women. Although women might be the primary victims of this type of assault, the day was set up to seek support from men to help stamp down on domestic abuse and raise awareness. To find out how people can get involved visit: www.whiteribboncampaign.co.uk/getinvolved

21st Nov 2011
9:30am to 4:30pm
Harpur Centre, Bedford
 
22nd Nov 2011
9:30am to 12:30pm
Leighton Buzzard Market Square
 
22nd Nov 2011
1:30pm to 4:30pm
Tescos, Flitwick
 
23rd Nov 2011
9:30am to 4:30pm
Asda, Dunstable
 
24th Nov 2011
9:30am to 12:30pm
Queens Park Neighbourhood Centre, Bedford
 
24th Nov 2011
1:30pm to 4:30pm
Asda, Biggleswade
 
25th Nov 2011
9:30am to 12:30pm
Saxon Centre, Kempston

END

To mark National Flood Week (14-20 November) communities, individual residents and businesses are being encouraged to prepare themselves for the increased risk of flooding as winter approaches.

Last year we saw some flash flooding in Central Bedfordshire, so this year the council is hosting information displays during National Flood week to get out the message that there is no better time to begin to prepare than now.

The Council partners with local and national agencies, these partners include the Environment Agency, Bedfordshire and Luton Local Resilience Forum, The National Flood Forum and the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, to ensure that collectively flood risks are managed and responded to in the event of a flood.

Councillor James Jamieson the Leader of Central Bedfordshire Council, said "Flooding and the disruption it causes can cost residents and businesses many thousands of pounds. There is lots of information and advice out there to help people find out whether their property or premises are at risk of flooding and if so what they can do to protect themselves."

Emergency flood planning information, including a guide answering commonly asked questions on flooding and useful contact numbers is on the councils website.

The Environment Agency has setup a new network called Flood Group UK, designed to help communities at risk of flooding support each other. This group enables communities to share information, experiences and advice about flooding. It also contains a flood directory with information on how to find out if you are at risk of flooding, how to sign up for free flood warnings and gives advice on how to protect your property.

New 20 mph speed zones and limits have been introduced in residential areas and adjacent to schools in Sandy as part of Central Bedfordshire’s Safer Routes to school initiative.

Local people have been campaigning for improved safety restrictions throughout these areas so following road and highway assessments, Central Bedfordshire Council has now introduced 20 mph speed limits and zones outside of schools in Sandy.

As part of these measures children at Maple Tree and Robert Peel Lower schools took part in art competitions to design road signs which are to be displayed alongside the regular 20 mph speed zone signs.

Cllr Brian Spurr, Executive Member for Sustainable Communities Services at Central Bedfordshire Council, said: " As part of our Safer Routes for school initiative we have carried out traffic surveys by foot and bicycle to local schools, and results prove that speed of traffic is consistently a key concern. This scheme will help to reduce speeds, increase safety and hopefully allow people to feel more confident about making journeys to and from schools in Sandy by foot or bike".

This latest scheme includes area-wide 20 mph zones for the whole of Fallowfield, Berwick Way and Dapifer Drive areas. There are also 20 mph speed limits in place for Ivel Road, Engayne Avenue and Laburnum Road.

Cllr Spurr, added "Our aim is for everyone throughout Central Bedfordshire to understand the benefits that driving more slowly and safely in residential areas has for them, their family, and their neighbours and, where necessary, to do their bit to influence others to reduce their speed".

Pauline Duncombe, Head teacher of Maple tree school, commented: "It has been great to see the children involved in this project which has made them much more aware of the safety issues around traffic near schools. All the pupils who took part felt that their opinions about their local environment have been taken account of and are proud that their work is now being viewed by so many people."

Dave Saunders, Head teacher at Robert Peel Lower School, said: "We are always keen to promote an awareness of road safety and the signs are an excellent permanent reminder to parents and children about the need to be aware of road safety. "

END

Haynes Lower School has broken new ground by becoming the first school in Central Bedfordshire to start a scheme of school dinners being provided by the local pub. 

Shaun and Lisa Wilson, the landlords of The Greyhound pub in Haynes tendered along with other suppliers for the contract.  Shaun and Lisa said: “Providing dinners for one of our local schools is a great achievement for our business and we are really pleased with the feedback from the pupils who are enjoying their daily hot meals”

From a total of 97 pupils at the school, 45 pupils are taking the meals. Parents book the meals a month in advance and the menu rotates every two weeks, which gives pupils plenty of choice. The Greyhound also provides meals for Haynes Pre School. 

All tendering processes were followed and the supplier uses locally sourced meats and vegetables.

Cllr Angela Barker, Deputy Executive Member for Children’s Services, said, “The success of these school dinners are a great example of people working together to sustain the local community. The Greyhound has a good reputation locally and parents can be confident that the food is fresh and home cooked.

“I would like to congratulate the school on this innovative move. This is a great example of the Big Society in action.”    

END

Residents of Leighton Buzzard are being asked for their views on planning and development briefs on two sites in the town, following the options consultation held earlier this year.

Land South of the High Street and at Bridge Meadow currently have a mix of uses, but redevelopment could provide a range of alternatives and the potential to provide spaces for retail, business opportunities, community facilities and housing close to the town centre.

Over 200 local people and around 80 school children took part in the public consultation in January/February 2011, and using this valuable feedback, Central Bedfordshire Council has developed more detailed briefs for these sites. The six week consultation launches on 19 November, with exhibitions being held at Leighton Buzzard Day Centre on Duncombe Drive, then moving on to Leighton Buzzard Library for the duration. The exhibition on 19 November will also include the review of the Leighton Buzzard Conservation Area Appraisal.

Previous work carried out has reviewed the sites, considered what opportunities there are to attract potential occupiers, what type of developments will be viable, how potential constraints such as traffic and heritage issues can be addressed, and has suggested possible options for redevelopment. The council is now asking local people to share their views on the two draft briefs.

In 2010 the council was awarded additional funding from Central Government to enable the briefs to be prepared and to help guide and promote redevelopment of the sites.

Cllr Ken Matthews, Executive Member for Economic Development and Strategic Planning at Central Bedfordshire Council said: "Leighton Buzzard is an ever improving town and this second stage of consultation offers residents the chance to have their say on the direction for the future.

"Following the successful options stage earlier this year , which saw a good majority of respondents agreeing with the overall framework, we have managed to develop our proposals and hope residents will take the time to comment on the draft briefs.

"Central Bedfordshire is growing as an area and we are an ideal location for new businesses or those looking to relocate as we offer excellent road and rail links. By attracting businesses to the town we are also creating more jobs and making the area far more vibrant."

The consultation will end on 6th January 2012, and people can also take part by visiting the council's consultation page (consultation will be live from Friday 11 November) 

Cllr Matthews added; "This redevelopment work is all part of our key aim to create 26,000 new jobs by 2016, by providing the necessary infrastructure to support local new businesses, and helping existing businesses to grow and develop.."

The exhibitions will be held at the following locations:

19 November: Leighton Buzzard Day Centre on Duncombe Drive, between 10am and 3pm

Leighton Buzzard Library between 21 November to 31 December 2011.

END

Residents of Dunstable, Houghton Regis and Rural area, if you want to see action taken to improve your area or if you simply want to highlight local issues and be part of the solution, then come to the Let’s Talk Together meeting on Tuesday 29 November.

The meeting for Dunstable and Houghton Regis area, including the surrounding villages, is being held at Heathfield School, The Green, Caddington, between 7pm and 9pm and will be chaired by Councillor and Executive Member Richard Stay (Caddington ward). Local issues can be discussed as this is the place to get those answers to the questions you’ve been longing to ask, such as Houghton Regis Leisure Centre, housing growth, approved gypsy and traveller sites as well as illegal encampments, the A5/M1 link road and transport issues such as car parking and bus services. We encourage you to use this opportunity and not to let it pass you by.

Importantly the Let's Talk Together meetings are a great opportunity to meet with service providers, local Councillors and Bedfordshire Police, agree the Local policing priorities, get crime prevention advice, arrange a free home fire safety check, join the Neighbourhood Watch, Street Watch or Speed Watch to help improve your community. The organisers are keen to work with local communities to tackle issues together and look forward to people getting involved at the meeting.

Central Bedfordshire Councillors will also provide residents with an update on the council's budget setting process and how residents can get involved in this and have their say.

The Let's Talk Together meeting is organised by the Central Bedfordshire Together partnership which includes Central Bedfordshire Council, Bedfordshire Police, NHS Bedfordshire, the Fire and Rescue Service, Town and Parish Councils and other organisations who play an active role in the community. Meetings usually last around two hours, but you can attend for as much or as little as you like.

Councillor Richard Stay the Executive Member of External Affairs, said "This is a great opportunity for you to put questions directly to the people who design and deliver vital services for your local community – they need to know what issues are important to you, so do use this opportunity to influence how services are delivered in the future."

During the autumn the Let's Talk Together meetings have been held for most of the Local Policing areas in Central Bedfordshire and the information for the final meeting is listed below.

The final autumn meeting date:

• Leighton Rural - Tuesday 6 December 2011 at Eaton Bray Village Hall, Church Lane, Eaton Bray, LU6 2DJ

END

Councillor Nigel Aldis will be holding a Help and Advice Surgery at Lloyds Pharmacy, 5 Market Square, Sandy on Friday, 18 November 2011 from 10am-12noon.

Are there any issues that concern you? Come along and have your say. Together we can get things done!

For further information please contact Councillor Nigel Aldis – telephone: 0300 300 8503 or e-mail nigel.aldis@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk

END

With much-publicised adoption league tables for local authorities published last week, Central Bedfordshire Council can confirm that since, becoming a unitary authority, 100% of children eligible for adoption have been placed with families within 12 months.

The national performance tables are based on data since 2008, and as a result Central Bedfordshire was not included due to the change to unitary status in April 2009. However, the Council’s 100% performance rate would put Central Bedfordshire amongst the very best authorities in the country for placing children with families within a year of the decision that a child is eligible for adoption.

The Children in Care and Adoption Performance Tables show, against 15 key indicators, how each local authority is performing. Media coverage has focused on those Councils which fail to speedily place children in their care with adoptive parents, and claimed that many authorities are managing the adoption process poorly and making the situation unnecessarily complex. Average figures for some Councils over three years are as low as around 50% for the adoption of children within 12 months, in marked contrast to Central Bedfordshire’s performance figure, which would place it in the top authorities in the country.

Cllr Mark Versallion, Executive Member for Children’s Services, said, "We fully support the Prime Minister's campaign to encourage more people to come forward and adopt a child. This is a high priority for us and we will continue to strive to be one of the best performing authorities when it comes to adoption. I would like to encourage anyone who is interested to please get in touch with us."

For more information about adoption please call 0300 300 8181

END

Ten local companies with potential for high growth are enjoying taking part in Central Bedfordshire’s High Growth programme – “The Pilot 10”. The course was launched at an induction event at Priory House, Chicksands last week.

This 12 month programme includes access to the recently launched Business Timebank scheme, a Business Growth voucher and a grant towards a business development programme.

Launched ahead of the Government’s Business Coaching for Growth programme which is due to go online in January 2012, the Pilot 10 scheme will provide key support and opportunities to high growth businesses.

Cllr Ken Matthews, Executive Member for Strategic Planning and Economic Development for Central Bedfordshire Council, said, “Over the past few months we have held three very successful Business Growth Clinics around Central Bedfordshire. I am sure that this course will be equally successful.  With high-growth companies generating such a large proportion of new jobs, this group of businesses is key to the success of our jobs target.” 

Nayana Puran owner of Cafe Expresso in Cranfield, said, “The Pilot 10 initiative from Central Bedfordshire Council is an important platform that will allow businesses to participate in a structured programme to support and accelerate growth. I look forward to networking with other local businesses to share best practises.”

If you think that you have what it takes to be part of future High Growth Programmes, contact Central Bedfordshire Council’s business team on business@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk  or 0300 300 5297.   

END

A local man who falsely claimed over £9,000 in benefits has been ordered to do 150 hours of unpaid work for the community.

Terrence Albone of 6 Home Close, Houghton Conquest pleaded guilty at Bedford Magistrates Court to not notifying the Council of his earnings and therefore falsely obtaining Council Tax Benefit worth £92 and DWP benefits of £9,387.

Magistrates gave Mr Albone a 12 month Community Order with a requirement to do 150 hours unpaid work. In addition to repaying the overpaid benefit, he must also pay £200 towards prosecution costs.

Cllr Maurice Jones, Executive Member for Corporate Resources at Central Bedfordshire Council, said: "Benefit cheats take money away from the people who really need it and we will continue to work with partners such as the DWP to combat benefit fraud."

END

Dunstable has been announced as one of the communities that will host the Olympic Flame on its route round the UK.

Residents from across Central Bedfordshire are being invited to welcome the Olympic Flame to Dunstable on 9 July 2012, share in the excitement that the Relay will bring and celebrate the achievements of the Torchbearers selected to carry the Flame.

Dunstable is one of over 1,000 villages, towns and cities announced by the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) through which the Olympic Flame will be carried by Torchbearers during the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay which is presented by Coca-Cola, Lloyds TSB and Samsung.  LOCOG has worked closely with representatives from a number of sectors in the East of England to devise the route.

Welcoming the announcement, Leader of Central Bedfordshire Council, Cllr James Jamieson says, "Hosting the Olympic Torch Relay will shine a light on Dunstable and on our area as a whole. I hope that residents of all ages will join us for this historic occasion to share in the Olympic spirit and welcome the Flame to our area as part of the countdown to the start of the Games.

"This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for local people to witness the spectacle of the Olympic Torch Relay and to support members of the community who have been chosen to run with the Olympic Flame."

Councillor Pat Staples, Deputy Mayor of Dunstable says, "Dunstable will be so proud to host part of the Olympic Torch Relay.  I hope that everyone will share my excitement at this wonderful news and I know the whole of Dunstable will turn out to witness and celebrate this historic event.  This announcement will provide everyone with a real boost and will contribute to the ever improving fortunes of the town." 

Sebastian Coe, Chair of LOCOG said: "We are thrilled to confirm that Dunstable will act as a host location for the Olympic Flame, extending an invitation to people in Central Bedfordshire to welcome the Olympic Torch Relay during its journey around the UK.  This is the UK’s moment to shine and I want to encourage people across Central Bedfordshire to start planning how they can be part of this once in a lifetime opportunity and show their support for the inspirational Torchbearers chosen to carry the Olympic Flame as we count down to the start of the Olympic Games."

The 70 day Olympic Torch Relay, will start at Land's End, Cornwall on the morning of 19 May 2012. On leaving Land's End, the Olympic Flame will travel an estimated 8,000 miles around the UK giving thousands of communities and individuals their moment to shine as the Olympic Flame comes to a place near them.

In announcing the villages, towns and cities LOCOG has realised the aspiration of taking the Olympic Flame to within an hour's journey time of 95% of the population. In fact, over 95% of the population will be within just 10 miles of the Olympic Flame next summer. The street by street detail of the route will be confirmed next year.

People are invited to view the interactive map at www.london2012.com/olympictorchrelaymap to find their nearest community through which the Olympic Flame will be carried.

On the final day of the Olympic Torch Relay, it is LOCOG's intention that the Olympic Flame will travel down the River Thames as it makes its way to the Olympic Stadium on 27 July 2012 for the lighting of the cauldron at the Opening Ceremony, signifying the official start of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

The Olympic Flame will be carried across the UK by 8,000 inspirational Torchbearers each of whom will have a story of personal achievement and/or contribution to the local community. In December this year, successful nominees will be contacted with a conditional offer and final Torchbearer places will start to be confirmed from February 2012 onwards.

Today LOCOG launches two new public participation programmes. The 'Local Leaders' initiative is an invitation to people to take the 2012 Games into their community and create their own celebrations next year, for the Olympic Torch Relay and other key moments during the Olympic and Paralympic Games. People are encouraged to sign up to the Local Leader programme at www.london2012.com/localleaders to receive further information on a range of themed celebration ideas focusing on the Opening Ceremony evening, gardening, quizzes and barbecues and be in the front row to receive free London 2012 event materials to support events.

Also launched today is the 'Get Set for the Olympic Torch Relay' education resource, available to all schools registered with Get Set, London 2012’s official education programme. The aim of the resource is to provide schools with cross-curricular resources aimed at teachers working with 3 to 16 year olds to aid learning around history of Olympic Torch Relays, the design of the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay and the Torch itself. A further education resource will launch next year to encourage schools to plan a welcome for the Olympic Flame and show support for the Torchbearers. Lloyds TSB, official Education Partner of the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay, have launched their Flame Followers schools programme which compliments the Get Set resources, and gives schools once-in-a-lifetime opportunities be right at the heart of the excitement and celebrations of the Relay.

END

With temperatures dropping Central Bedfordshire Council is advising residents to make sure that they're in the know about bad weather affecting roads, schools and council services by signing up for online alerts.

A dedicated section on the council's website provides a range of winter weather related advice including up-to-the-minute highways updates and school closure details.

The 'Schools Open Status' section of the website allows schools to update details of closures on line to make parents and others aware if schools aren't open or transport isn't running. People can also sign up for e-alerts, to receive a tailored email telling them about any weather-related disruptions for the service they are interested in. Register for email updates. 

As well as online information, the Council will also be posting updates about weather-related disruptions to services like refuse collection through Twitter and Facebook. To make sure you get the latest available information go to facebook or twitter  to follow the council on social media.

Councillor, Maurice Jones, Deputy Leader of Central Bedfordshire Council says: "During bad weather the situation can change on an hourly basis and while we will always aim to keep services running the council or schools may have to make quick decisions to suspend or close some services for a short period. Being able to update people online and through social media allows us to give instant updates so that we can let people know what is happening as soon as possible. In the case of school closures in particular, it’s important to give parents plenty of time to make alternative arrangements."

The reminder coincides with a national 'Get Ready for Winter' campaign.

ENDS

Central Bedfordshire Council's Public Protection team is asking organisers of firework displays to ensure they have properly trained and qualified people carrying out the display, that all equipment meets safety standards and that they follow Health and Safety Executive (HSE) guidance.

This follows the completion of a Council investigation into an accident at the 1st Leighton Buzzard Scout Group display last year where 18 people were injured by a misfiring firework.

The investigation showed that the volunteer who held the display did not have the proper training although he believed himself to be properly trained. The authority did not find sufficient evidence to show that Scout Association were responsible for what happened. The volunteer was not subject to the Health and Safety at Work etc Act because he was not at work.

The case has highlighted current limitations in the law, namely that Category 4 fireworks - the most powerful type which are designed for use at public displays by trained professionals only - can be sold to individuals who don't have to show that they have had Category 4 firework training. This will be a requirement from 2013.

The Council has agreed to work with the Scout Association to help them improve the advice they offer to groups on running this type of event. They have also been working with other firework display organisers in Central Bedfordshire to support in delivering safe displays.

Cllr Brian Spurr, Executive Member for Sustainable Communities Services at Central Bedfordshire Council says, "We believe that lessons have been learnt from this serious accident last year for the Council, the Scout Association and the volunteers. Whilst there are inherent risks associated with the use of fireworks we hope that our advice will ensure that there will be no recurrence."

Anyone seeking advice on holding firework displays can contact the Council's Public Protection team on 0300 300 8203 or on the Health and Safety Executive website.

END

Residents of Toddington met Council representatives to discuss the future plans for Crescent Court sheltered housing scheme at a public meeting last week.

Central Bedfordshire Council is looking at all of its housing accommodation for older people to ensure that it meets needs, expectations and modern standards.

The council is currently consulting on three proposed options for Crescent Court. Local residents and tenants are being asked to give their views on the options, which are to refurbish the existing building, develop an Extra Care Scheme on the existing site or to develop an Extra Care Scheme on a new site in Toddington. The timescales for the development of these options vary from 2 to 5 years.

Julie Ogley, Director of Social Care, Health and Housing for Central Bedfordshire Council, said: "This is a new opportunity of investment funding for the council, through a change to housing finance. This means we could undertake a refurbishment of Crescent Court or a new build scheme. The options we have put forward we believe all offer something 'better' in terms of housing for older people in and around Toddington.

"We must consider investment in terms of cost effectiveness and delivering services that are likely to be in demand now and in the future. Our aim is to have the best effect and minimum disruption to existing tenants.

"We believe that a change from 'sheltered housing' to 'extra care' service provision, is one way to take us into the future. We know that tenants are very concerned about potential changes to Crescent Court and to help their understanding about what a redeveloped scheme might look like, we have arranged a visit to a local scheme run by a housing association to see what extra care provides. This will also provide an opportunity for them to learn more about housing associations.

"Two of the options could also include consideration of mixed tenure for older people to include renting or purchasing options if a housing association is chosen to develop the sites."

The council stressed that it is open to views or suggestions on the main options it has presented.

The consultation period runs until December 14. Copies of the consultation document and feedback forms are also available from Toddington Library, the Parish Council Office at the Village Hall.

The feedback forms can be returned to the FREEPOST address on the documents or dropped at one of the special 'post boxes' located at Toddington Library, Parish Council Offices or Crescent Court.

Alternatively call Sue Marsh the Housing Services Manager on 0300 300 5662 to receive a consultation document and feedback form by post.

END

Central Bedfordshire Council is maintaining its commitment to do everything possible to prevent the unlawful development of a green belt field in Heath and Reach this week.

Local Central Bedfordshire Councillor Mark Versallion has called a cross Council 'Cobra' style meeting on Monday 7 November, to bring together the Council's legal and planning enforcement teams and other Councillors.

Its purpose will be to consider whether there are further actions the Council should take to reduce the risk of illegal development.

Following worried calls from local people on 16 October, alerting the Council to the fact that a field on the outskirts of the village was being tarmacked, swift action has been taken to prevent further unlawful development. Enforcement notices have been served on the land owners, requiring the removal of the hard standing and an injunction secured to deter any potential occupants moving onto the site.

"If anyone were to move onto the site they will immediately be in breach of the injunction and in contempt of court – which could result in prison or a fine. We hope the injunction will prevent any illegal occupation, but were it to happen we know we are in a strong position to vacate the site quickly. We are also being as robust in enforcing the removal of the hard standing as the law will allow us to be," said Cllr Versallion.

The Council has now received a planning application for the creation of a mobile home traveller site, which it must consider despite the fact that it relates to green belt land. Cllr Versallion has already registered his request to call this into Development Management Committee where it can be fully debated.

"As a representative of local people, I am acutely aware of how worried residents are about the threat of unlawful development. As a Council, we take the strongest action to prevent all forms of unlawful development in our area and I want everyone in Central Bedfordshire to know we will continue to be vigilant and robust," added Cllr Versallion.

END

Leading provider Mears has been awarded a new contract by Central Bedfordshire Council (CBC) to provide repairs and maintenance services to social housing in the area. This is a temporary arrangement until August 2012 when a permanent contractor will be in place.

Mears will be taking over the existing contract from Enterprise at the request of the Council, and services will include Voids, Response repairs as well as aids and adaptations to CBC’s 5,500 housing stock.

The new service will commence on Monday 7th November and run till August next year. Mears is confident that it will be able to provide a seamless transition. Day to day operations will be run from the existing Mears office in Bedford with the potential for a new satellite office in Dunstable.

Cllr Carole Hegley, Executive Member for Social Care, Health and Housing at Central Bedfordshire Council said, "We are determined to make sure that our tenants benefit from a high quality repair and maintenance service. We look forward to working in a productive partnership with Mears."

Alan Long, Executive Director at Mears said; ‘We are delighted to have been awarded this contract and look forward to working with Central Bedfordshire Council and their tenants.’

END

Children and young people who are in or have left council care have celebrated their personal and educational achievements alongside their carers, social workers and senior figures from Central Bedfordshire Council at a special awards ceremony.

Over 100 children and young people were nominated for the Achievement Awards which were organised jointly by the Council’s Looked After Children team and the Children in Care Council.

Award winners, including children in care and care leavers had excelled in areas such as education, helping other children in care, supporting their local community, increasing their physical activity and securing jobs and accommodation.

The Children in Care Council – all of who have experienced being in care first hand - finalised the winners list for the special awards, including 'Young Person of the Year'. Other categories included: Outstanding Talent; Healthy Living, Education and Positive Contribution.

The Young Person of the Year award went to a child under 10 years of age. Described as "polite, caring and a friend to all" this young person has made lots of progress over the last year including learning to swim and as their confidence grows is actively trying new things.

Achievements of other award winners included being a film extra, doing well in college, successfully completing training courses and volunteering regularly in a local charity shop. A number of the winners were recognised for their outstanding support for other young people in care by working for the Children in Care Council.

One of the special awards went to Sarah Blackford who has recently been awarded a joint first honours degree in Business Studies and Human Resource Management.

To make the event special, the Council Chamber at Chicksands was transformed by officers and Children in Care Council members who worked hard to set up decorations, food and entertainment.

Cllr Mark Versallion, Executive Member for Children’s Services at Central Bedfordshire Council presented the awards and said, "I was honoured to be part of this very special evening and to hand out awards which were thoroughly deserved. These are truly inspirational young people who have shown that they can do anything they set their mind to. I was touched not only by their personal commitment but their commitment to others."

The awards were also attended by Leader of the Council Cllr James Jamieson, Director of Children's Services Edwina Grant and members of the Corporate Parenting Panel.

Speaking about their role in organising the awards and what the awards mean to them, members of the Children in Care Council said:

"This is the second year that we have helped to organise the Awards Evening and it was great to see so many children and young people receive their award."

"It's good to see workers, managers and members of the Corporate Parenting Panel celebrating our achievements with us."

"Some of us have had some challenging times but it is nice to know that what we have achieved is celebrated no matter how small it may seem to others."

"By recognising our achievements it motivates us as well as other young people to go on and achieve. It also enables us to be role models to younger children who are also in care."

END

Well over 150 local residents took part in the Pride in Biggleswade event held last week (26 October) aimed at getting people to talk about local issues and get involved in their community.

Local representatives from Biggleswade Town Council and Central Bedfordshire Council, Bedfordshire Fire, and Police service  including members of the Biggleswade Community Safety Group  were on hand to discuss issues including new community safety initiatives which have been launched locally, and also encouraged local residents to take part in the litter picking event held throughout the afternoon at housing estates in and around Biggleswade Town Centre.

Throughout the afternoon over 150 young people took part in a Skate Jam organised by Central Bedfordshire Council and the local Make a Difference youth group (MAD) , supported by Asda who put on refreshments. The team also ran a walk about quiz for young people to raise awareness of anti social behaviour, firework safety and legal penalties, with the winning entry awarded with £15 iTunes Voucher.

In the run up to Fireworks night, Central Bedfordshire Council’s Trading Standards officers also took part in fireworks and alcohol sales checks in local retailers throughout the town.

Local Retailers were encouraged to sign up to  a radio scheme that is linked to the CCTV control Room to enable them to speak directly to the CCTV operators over local concerns,to enable matters to be captured on CCTV. Throughout the afternoon, the council’s Dog warden was also on hand to provide advice on stray and nuisance dogs.

Cllr Brian Spurr, Executive Member for Sustainable Communities for Central Bedfordshire Council, said: "It was great that so many local residents took part in the Pride in Bugleweed day. These events are a great way of bringing the community together to discuss local issues and get people taking an active part in helping to improve their local area.”

The Fire Service and Police also accompanied people on the litter pick to help identify waste that could create a risk of fire in gardens or present implements for committing crime. Ten houses were identified as part of this event, and residents were advised to remove articles that could be used for committing crime or waste that could create a fire hazard.

Cllr Spurr added, “We also had a really good response to the mobile Police station where community safety initiatives such as ‘Your Numbers Up’ were being promoted. As part of this over 25 vehicles were fitted with secured number plates to help improve car security. Our own waste minimisation team also spoke to around 130 residents on how they can help reduce household waste and increase their recycling items. All in all it was a really successful event and I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those involved in supporting this community initiative.”

ENDS

With the fireworks and bonfire season upon us Central Bedfordshire Council’s Public Protection team have been visiting retailers to ensure that members of the public are protected from being sold dangerous fireworks.

Officers from the Public Protection team  have inspected around 50  local retailers that are selling fireworks to ensure that they are being stored safely and securely, away from possible sources of ignition and damp conditions.

A number of other checks will be carried out to make sure retailers are behaving responsibly and complying with the law. The team will  be confirming that the retailer has the required registration or licence to legally store and sell fireworks and that the fireworks conform to the safety standard BS 7114.

Cllr Brian Spurr , Executive Member for Sustainable Communities Services at Central Bedfordshire Council said: “Firework displays can be great fun for everybody, but people have to remember that fireworks are explosives and they can be very dangerous.

“We want people across Central Bedfordshire to enjoy a safe fireworks night. Fireworks should only be purchased from reputable suppliers and we would advise the public to steer well clear of buying fireworks from markets, car-boot sales or street sellers. Fireworks bought from these sources could be defective and are unlikely to meet UK safety requirements. They could put you and your family at serious risk of injury.”

The council's Public Protection team have also been  working with organisers of local firework displays to help ensure they have properly trained and qualified people carrying out the display,  and that all equipment meets safety standards and that they follow Health and Safety Executive (HSE) guidance on firework displays.

Cllr Spurr added, "Please follow our guide on how to use fireworks and have an enjoyable and safe bonfire night.”

 Only buy fireworks from a reputable dealer and ensure they marked BS 7114
 Do not drink alcohol if handling or setting off fireworks
 Keep fireworks in a closed box
 Follow the instructions on each firework
 Light at arms length using a taper
 Stand well back from a lit firework
 Never go near a firework that has been lit and failed to go off. It could  still explode
 Never put fireworks into your pocket or throw them
 Always supervise children/under 18’s around fireworks
 Light sparklers one at a time and wear gloves
 Never give sparklers to under 5’s
 Keep pets indoors
 
If members of the public have any concerns that fireworks being sold are unsafe or that they are being sold illegally they can contact Trading Standards, in confidence, on 0300 300 8136 or email trading.standards@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk 

END

Councillor Julian Murray will be holding a Help and Advice Surgery at the Beecroft Community Centre, Westfield Road, Dunstable, LU6 1DL, on Saturday 12 November from 10.30am-12noon.

Are there any issues that concern you? Come along and have your say. Together we can get things done!

For further information please contact Councillor Murray on 0300 300 8546 (e-mail: julian.murray@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk) or the Members’ Support Team on 0300 300 6090.

ENDS

Residents of Ampthill and Flitwick, if you want to see action taken to improve your area or if you simply want to highlight local issues and be part of the solution, then come to the Let’s Talk Together meeting on 15 November.

The meeting for Ampthill and Flitwick area, including the surrounding villages, is being held at Clophill Village Hall, Kiln Lane, between 7pm and 9pm and will be chaired by Councillor and Executive Member Andrew Turner (Flitwick ward). Local issues can be discussed at the market stalls such as local planning and development and transport issues such as car parking.

Importantly the Let's Talk Together meetings are a great opportunity to meet with service providers, local Councillors and Bedfordshire Police, agree the Local policing priorities, get crime prevention advice, arrange a free home fire safety check, join the Neighbourhood Watch, Street Watch or Speed Watch to help improve your community. The organisers are keen to work with local communities to tackle issues together and look forward to people getting involved at the meeting.

Central Bedfordshire Councillors will also provide residents with an update on the council's budget setting process and how residents can get involved in this and have their say.

The Let's Talk Together meeting is organised by the Central Bedfordshire Together partnership which includes Central Bedfordshire Council, Bedfordshire Police, NHS Bedfordshire, the Fire and Rescue Service, Town and Parish Councils and other organisations who play an active role in the community. Meetings usually last around two hours, but you can attend for as much or as little as you like.

Let's Talk Together meetings will be held for each Local Policing area in Central Bedfordshire on the dates listed below. You can find full details on www.centraltogether.org.uk

Other autumn meeting dates:

• Dunstable/Houghton Regis & Rural - Tuesday 29 November 2011 at Heathfield School, The Green, Caddington, LU1 4HF
• Leighton Rural - Tuesday 6 December 2011 at Eaton Bray Village Hall, Church Lane, Eaton Bray, LU6 2DJ

Please note the venues are provisional and may be subject to change. Details will be publicised locally confirming location.

ENDS

Residents of Ampthill and Flitwick, if you want to see action taken to improve your area or if you simply want to highlight local issues and be part of the solution, then come to the Let’s Talk Together meeting on 15 November.

The meeting for Ampthill and Flitwick area, including the surrounding villages, is being held at Clophill Village Hall, Kiln Lane, between 7pm and 9pm and will be chaired by Councillor and Executive Member Andrew Turner (Flitwick ward). Local issues can be discussed at the market stalls such as local planning and development and transport issues such as car parking.

Importantly the Let's Talk Together meetings are a great opportunity to meet with service providers, local Councillors and Bedfordshire Police, agree the Local policing priorities, get crime prevention advice, arrange a free home fire safety check, join the Neighbourhood Watch, Street Watch or Speed Watch to help improve your community. The organisers are keen to work with local communities to tackle issues together and look forward to people getting involved at the meeting.

Central Bedfordshire Councillors will also provide residents with an update on the council's budget setting process and how residents can get involved in this and have their say.

The Let's Talk Together meeting is organised by the Central Bedfordshire Together partnership which includes Central Bedfordshire Council, Bedfordshire Police, NHS Bedfordshire, the Fire and Rescue Service, Town and Parish Councils and other organisations who play an active role in the community. Meetings usually last around two hours, but you can attend for as much or as little as you like.

Let's Talk Together meetings will be held for each Local Policing area in Central Bedfordshire on the dates listed below. You can find full details on www.centraltogether.org.uk

Other autumn meeting dates:

• Dunstable/Houghton Regis & Rural - Tuesday 29 November 2011 at Heathfield School, The Green, Caddington, LU1 4HF
• Leighton Rural - Tuesday 6 December 2011 at Eaton Bray Village Hall, Church Lane, Eaton Bray, LU6 2DJ

Please note the venues are provisional and may be subject to change. Details will be publicised locally confirming location.

ENDS