Watford Liberal Democrat Sal Brinton will be appointed to the House of Lords after being nominated for a peerage today. The former parliamentary candidate for Watford was included in the list of 50 new working peers the Queen will confer later this year.
The Infrastructure Planning Commission's consultation on Covanta's plans to build a 600,000 tonne incinerator at Rookery Pit near Stewartby closed on Friday. I made a submission in a personal capacity. I have always been steadfast in my opposition to a project which represents an appalling prospect for Stewartby and for the wider Borough, and I set out my very strong objections to the proposal.
Local Liberal Democrats have expressed their delight at the announcement that Councillor Qurban Hussain is to be given a seat on the Liberal Democrat benches in the House of Lords.
Bob Russell MP is backing National Energy Action's Warm Homes Campaign 2010 and is stressing that a national energy efficiency drive is vital in combating rising levels of fuel poverty.
The Government's passion for the idea of the 'Big Society' has caused some confusion over what exactly the term means, but for me if it is to prove successful it will be made real not by theoretical discussion of the concept, but by the willingness of those with power to hand it over to the lowest practical level. I've certainly tried to instill this approach in Bedford Borough Council, and recently we've had an excellent example of the way in which the Council can empower communities. We have handed over the management of the Mile Road Allotments to the Mile Road Allotment and Leisure Gardeners Association, who have the capacity, knowledge and the passion to run their own site. This move saves the Council around £3,000 a year, so it makes sense in every respect.
In a major boost for local public transport, Mayor Dave Hodgson has announced a radical extension to Sunday bus services in Bedford. The new programme of services will replace the current, extremely limited Sunday service with regular buses serving the same routes which operate across the whole Bedford town network over the rest of the week.