Biggleswade Bulletin

When does your copy of the Biggleswade Bulletin drop through your letter box?

Our copy for the month does not appear until the last week of that month at the earliest. It has been delivered in the next month or sometimes not at all. I have brought it to the publishers attention but to no avail. The April issue was delivered to us in the last few days.

Now I really do not mind that I have missed the Town Mayors engagements, which should be published anyway on the Town Council web site, but the Town Council pay for that inside page. According to the advertising rates its £180 for a full page.

http://www.biggleswadebulletin.co.uk/

Biggleswade Town Council Meeting dates for 2011/2012 - repeat

Dates for future meetings of the council were agreed at the Biggleswade Town Council meeting of 22nd March 2011.

As of now these dates have not appeared on the council web site and as the next meeting is less than two weeks away, I have shown them again below.

All of the meetings commence at 7.00pm and will be held at the Old Court House, Saffron Road, Biggleswade. The meetings are on a Tuesday except 26th October 2011, which is on a Wednesday.

I did enquire why when all council meetings are normally held on a Tuesday, why there was a meeting arranged for Wednesday 26th October 2011. I have been told there is "no reason".

10th May 2011 - Annual Statutory Meeting

24th May 2011 - Town Annual Meeting

14th June 2011 - Planning

28th June 2011 - Council

12th July 2011 - Planning

26th July 2011 - Council

9th August 2011 - Planning

23rd August 2011 - Council

13th September 2011 - Planning

27th September 2011 - Council

11th October 2011 - Planning

26th October 2011 - Council

8th November 2011 - Planning followed by Finance & General Purposes

22nd November 2011 - Council

13th December 2011 - Planning

10th January 2012 - Planning

24th January 2012 - Precept followed by Council

14th February 2012 - Planning

28th February 2012 - Council

13th March 2012 - Planning

27th March 2012 - Council

10th April 2012 - Planning

24th April 2012 - Council

Church Street, Biggleswade - proposed temporary road closure.

Central Bedfordshire Council are consulting on a proposed temporary road closure to enable surfacing work to be carried out.

Work is to be carried out in two separate areas.

1.Shortmead Street to ASDA access.

2.ASDA access to Rose Lane.

The alternative route is from Church Street turn right into Rose Lane, and then right into High Street, continue on High Street to mini roundabout with Shortmead Street, take 2nd exit and continue on Shortmead Street to junction with Church Street and vice versa.

THIS WILL REQUIRE A REVOCATION OF THE ONE WAY ORDER ON CHURCH ST

Closure is expected to take place during two weeks from Monday 23rd May between 0800 and 1800 hrs, although a legal order will be made to cover a four month period. Specific dates will be advertised locally closer to the time.

Cycling Signage - an up date

Further to the blog of 12th April 2011 I asked Central Bedfordshire Council, Customer Services for a contact to discuss the signage.

The contact they provided me with was Steve Lakin, Walking & Cycling Officer. Within hours I received an email from Adrian Clothier, Senior Engineer (Road Safety) | Bedfordshire Highways, thanking me for my enquiry to the Highways Helpdesk !!

Anyway, it appears that on review that a number of the sign installations have not been positioned or orientated as per the original design. These errors will be rectified at their soonest opportunity.

I have pointed out to him, that the problem appears to be more than positioning and orientation.:

1.The sign which points into Southlands school and shows a cycle way through to Holmemead school, but only if you can climb a six foot fence with your bike, then ride across the playing fields.

2.The sign at the top of Holme Court Avenue that signs Stratton Upper school / Stratton Business Park to the right. Fifty yards along the road, the sign appears to indicate Stratton Business Park into the bushes and to the right. Stratton School signage has disappeared it appears that the sign at the top of Holme Court should be pointing down Saxon Drive as it is signed along there .

3.The sign on the lamp post at the entrance to Holmemead school, I would think you know where you are by then.

Biggleswade Town Council - staffing costs

http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/



Does anyone know why the Biggleswade Town Council staffing costs are considerably higher than a selection of other Central Bedfdordshire Councils?

Ampthill - population 7040 - total expenditure £799,510 - staff costs £237,822

staff costs as a % of total expenditure  29.7%

Dunstable - population 35120 - total expenditure £1,669,610 - staff costs £420,334

staff costs as a % of total expenditure 25.2%

Houghton Regis - population 16670 - total expenditure £1,127,140 - staff costs £355,455

staff costs as a % of total expenditure 31.5%

Biggleswade -  population 16410 - total expenditure £741,427 - staff costs £383,313

staff costs as a % of total expenditure 51.7%

Biggleswade Town Council Elections 5th May 2011

I have now seen the election flyers for most of national party candidates for election to the Town Council and the one thing that strikes me is that none of the existing Councillors are claiming to have done anything for the town. Most politicians bore you to death with all of the wonderful things they have done for you or to you for your own good, but not this lot. Many of those  who are standing for re-election, eleven are existing councillors, and have been town councillors for some time and you would have thought that they would have been shouting about their achievements.

____________________________

There is one statement claiming success:

"The achievement of your Conservative Town Council over the past four years has been outstanding"

____________________________

This is a selection of the statements included in the election documents from the candidates:

ensure growth is managed with the minimum of disruption

to improve transport links with better roads

to retain adequate green space

fight for a centrally located health centre accessible to all the towns residents

endeavour to reduce the Town Council share of the council tax

strive to ensure that Central Bedfordshire maintains their promise of allowing Biggleswade Town Council to have more control into running of the town and that they listen and take into serious consideration the views of Town Councillors and residents

interested in facilities for children in the town and the transport infrastructure

improved public transport and improved cycleways throughout the town.

_________________________________

Are these the things that are important to you?

______________________________



I know they have spent nearly £60,000 of our money without any authority being minuted on a planning application for an out of town health centre on land outside the development envelope. It was always doomed to fail. I am still pursuing the auditor about this. This was against the wishes of the majority of the people of Biggleswade who expressed an opinion.

I have sat at a council meeting when a long standing councillor got quite annoyed when it was suggested a public consultation exercise was organised by the council. "We are the elected representatives and we make the decisions", she said.  Another councillor from the "opposition" then said "there's too much consultation, its become a buzzword". I think they forget you are sitting there.

On the question of Biggleswade becoming a Fairtrade town another long term town councillor was reported to have said "over my dead body". Link to Fairtrade Association Biggleswade: http://www.fabweb.org.uk/

____________________________________

Remember when you come to vote that the existing Biggleswade Town Council Councillors signed up to the statement below and if you recognise that as the way they have operated over the last four years, then you should have no problem in voting for more of the same.

The Governance Framework

• The Council identifies its visions as part of its programme setting process and communicates its intentions and intended outcomes to its citizens and service users via its web site, local news leaflet and press releases.
• The Council has clear channels of communication with all sectors including public sessions before its meetings, regular surveys of users and local residents needs and views and encourages the public to give to the Council their views upon all aspects of the Council services provided.

Review of Effectiveness.

Biggleswade Town Council has responsibility for conducting, at least annually, a review of the effectiveness of its governance framework...............

The Road to Nowhere

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Cycling Signage in Biggleswade":

Mmmmmm..... lots of sign are appearing around the town. Another sign that you may or may not know as you leave the new Kings Reach Development on the east side of Biggleswade, the 3rd exit shown at the roundabout for 'local traffic' is in fact a no through road.

_____________________________________________

I found the sign and took a picture. Chambers Way is straight ahead Saxon Drive is to the left and to the right is Sorrell Way. This leads to Rosemary Close, Chervil Close, Fennel Drive, Sage Close and Tansey End but nowhere else. Very local traffic.

Cycling Signage in Biggleswade - Comment



Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Cycling Signage in Biggleswade":

Not only that but I had the impression that the Safe Route to Holmemead and Southlands Schools was via the foot/cyclepath across Kitelands Recreation ground - in fact Holmemead School had a new back entrance and gate installed off the recreation ground so that children didn't have to come along Mead End when leaving school.

Now some of the signage is indicating that the safe route is via Holme Court Avenue. I don't think so. But there are still other signs contradicting this!

Also have a look again at the sign at the top of Kitelands Road by the crossing lights on London Road - it seems to indicate that the town centre and railway station are accessed via London Road. Not a safe route either. And not what the other signs are saying...

I am glad to see that the shared footpath/cycleway sign at the entrance to Holme Court Ave has been turned around through 180 degrees to face the correct way....



Posted by Anonymous to Biggleswade OnLine at 12 April 2011 14:52

The Avenue Centre, The Avenue, Biggleswade - The final word?



On the 22nd March 2011, I went back to the Biggleswade Town Council and asked:

 

Can you provide me with a copy of the minutes which show the minuted decision (between November 1999 and 31^st March 2003) which changed the designation of the £200,000 in reserves to New Office Provision?

 

I have today, been told by Biggleswade Town Council, that a search has been completed of all the minutes between November 1999 and March 2003 and no minutes have been found that relate to a change of designation of the £200,000. The Accounts paperwork for 2000, 2001 & 2002 has been destroyed as they are only obliged to keep it for six years.

 

If there is anyone out there who can offer any documentary evidence of where the monies went, we would all be grateful.

Cycling Signage in Biggleswade

Have you noticed the proliferation of signs that have appeared recently showing cycle routes. These have appeared along Holme Court Avenue, Mead End,  London Road and probably elsewhere to.

Along Holme Court Avenue, there are about a dozen of these signs:

This indicates a preferred cycle route.

Then there is the really useful sign, in case you missed Holmemead School:

Or there is the hidden one. You cannot see it cycling down the road.

Is this shortcut to Stratton Upper School?



Can you really ride a bike through Southlands School and get to Holmemead?

I suppose the question that should be asked, is how much did all this cost ?

Biggleswade Town Council - purchase of Magistrates' Court.

Whilst pursuing where the £200,000 from the sale of the Avenue Centre went, I was provided with extracts of documents, (which I paid for),but did not ask for, but nevertheless are interesting.

They are extracts of the agenda / minutes of a Town Council meeting held on 25th April 2006.  I believe they were given to me to prove that the Avenue monies were not spent on the Magistrates Court. I am still pursuing where the monies did go.

Source of Funds for the Acquisition and Refurbishment of the Magistrates Court Building

The agenda extract says:

It has been recommended by our Accountants that the order of priority of funds should be:-

1. Proceeds of Chestnut Avenue

2. PWLB Loan

3. Proceeds Cemetery Lodge

4. Earmarked Reserve.

Computers, furniture etc from Capital Rolling Fund.

The proceeds of the Cemetery Lodge can only be used for acquisition or major enhancements of capital assets, not for revenue purposes.

Remaining balances of the Earmarked Reserve not utilised can be redirected for any purposes, including revenue, i.e. unrestricted.

Members are therefore asked to approve the Cemetery Lodge proceeds in priority to Earmarked Reserve.

The minutes extract says:

Members considered the recommendation by our Accountants that the order of priority of funds should be:

1. Proceeds of Chestnut Avenue

2. PWLB Loan

3. Proceeds Cemetery Lodge

4. Earmarked Reserve.

Computers, furniture etc from Capital Rolling Fund.

It was RESOLVED that the Cemetery Lodge proceeds are approved in priority to the Earmarked Reserve.

My notes:

1. No 1 Chestnut Avenue was sold in June 2006 for £171,000.

2. PWLB is the Public Works Loan Board, who are a statutory body operating within the United Kingdom Debt Management Office, an Executive Agency of HM Treasury. PWLB's function is to lend money from the National Loans Fund to local authorities and other prescribed bodies, and to collect the repayments.

3. I cannot find a sale price for Cemetery Lodge.

Central Bedfordshire Council tell me that they sold the old Magistrates Court in March 2006 to Biggleswade Town Council for £325,000.

Biggleswade Car Parks

Further to yesterdays post on car park leases, and the total car parking expenditure, the following anonymous comments were made:

1.So who 'owns' the other 'public' car parks in Biggleswade?
- opp the library,
- opp the Conservative Club,
- The Dan Albone car park,
- the one next to Mill Lane?
There may be others...

I'm sure at least some of these are Town Council run - so do they not have a budget?

2. misread the original post - now see Dan albone already accounted for - my mistake.

Well, would you believe it, the car parks are actually listed on the Biggleswade Town Council web site:

Chestnut Avenue – Opposite library - 37 spaces – 3hr limit

Dan Albone –Shortmead Street - 30 spaces

Mountstar – Station Road - 50 spaces

Rose Lane - 136 spaces

St Andrews Street West - 21 spaces

St Andrews Street East - 39 spaces

White Hart - High Street - 14 spaces – 2hr limit

Local Elections 5th May 2011 - Nominations

Central Bedfordshire Council - Nominations for District Councillors

Biggleswade North

Bernard Victor BRIARS

Maurice Richard JONES

Jane Gay LAWRENCE

Rex George Charles SKINNER

Biggleswade South

Allister James DENNIS

Sheila Margaret GRAYSTON

David John LAWRENCE

Peter Frank VICKERS

Biggleswade Town Council - nominations

Holme Ward

Dennis Edward JAMES

Paul JENKINS

Peter ROOK

Wendy Patricia SMITH

Peter Frank VICKERS

Tim WOODWARD

Ivel Ward

David William Frank ALBONE

Ian Joseph BOND

Bernard Victor BRIARS

Jane Gay LAWRENCE

Luke MILLAR

Sarah Jane MULCHRONE

Michael Robert Thomas NORTH

Bernard John RIX

Madeline Ann RUSSELL

Rex Charles George SKINNER

Stratton Ward

Allister James DENNIS

Sheila Margaret GRAYSTON

David John LAWRENCE

Hazel RAMSAY

Steven WATKINS

George Edmund David WILSON

Peter WOODWARD

Full details of party affiliation (if any) and proposers can be found at:

 http://www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/council-and-democracy/councillors/nominations/default.aspx

Biggleswade Town Council - Car Park Leases - "and there's more"

On the 28th February 2011 I asked Biggleswade Town Council, a question about the accounts for year ended 31st March 2010:

"On page 4 under Car Parks there is an item (4126) entitled car park lease.

It shows an agreed budget of £31,650, a revised budget of £31,650, a year to date of £33,773 and a projected actual of £32,650.

Can you please tell me which car park this lease is for, how long a lease it is and if there are any lease breaks?"

On the 18th March BTC told me:

"Car parks x 2 Dan Albone & Rose Lane leases expire 2014, break clause on Rose Lane 2012."

On 19th March I went back to BTC:

"You have now told me that the amount in the accounts for year ended 31.03.2010 is not for a "car park lease" as stated but for car park leases (2).

Can you please give me a breakdown of the projected actual of £32,650, for that year between the two car parks.

Can you provide me with the actual dates of the expiry of the leases and the actual date of the Rose Lane lease break."

I have today received another response from BTC:

Rose Lane - Break 30th April 2012 - expires 12th July 2014 - £19,250.

Dane Albone - Expires 1st February 2014 = £7,650

The other car park that was overlooked is Mountstar £5,750, year on year contract.

So we started off with a car park lease, which became two leases and now has become three leases, although I still do not know when the annual Mountstar lease starts and finishes.

When you look at the accounts for year ended 31st March 2010, these are the projected outturn figures:

Expenditure

Rates - £22,237
Materials / Tools - £100
Professional fees - £9,850
Surface repairs - £5,000
Car Park Lease - £32,650
Signs - £250
Salary & Overhead recharge - £12,856

Income

Mid Beds District Council Grants - £8,750
PCN Fees (50%) - £1,500
(I am assuming this means Penalty Charge Notice ??)

NET EXPENDITURE - £72,693

This represents nearly 10% of Biggleswade Town Council's budget.

I am sure you have a view on this.