Your Council Tax - no rise in 2012 ?

Central Bedfordshire Council collects council tax from local residents which is used to fund services such as refuse collection, libraries, parks and open spaces, children's services and social care.

Council tax is also collected by Central Bedfordshire to fund local town or parish council services and Bedfordshire Police.

This year Central Bedfordshire Council froze its council tax bills and in its budget proposals for next year, it intends to once again avoid any increase in council tax.

On 6 December the Executive agreed the draft budget for 2012/13. The draft budget is now available for comment. A summary of the draft budget is provided in this consultation document (PDF 897KB):

http://www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/Images/111207%20ConsultDocumentWeb_tcm6-25891.pdf#False

Government funding support for councils is being reduced by 28% over four years. Biggleswade Town Council, at the Finance & General Purposes Committee held on 15th November 2011, (minutes not yet published) were, I understand looking at recommending to the Precept Meeting to be held on 24th January 2012, a 3.99% increase in their element of the Council Tax. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Bob Neill has recently stated that he regarded an increase of more than 3.5% to be excessive. Biggleswade Town Council have over £2 million pounds in reserves and hardly ever spend their budget.

Superfast Broadband - Have your say.

Buried in the Central Bedfordshire press releases for December 2011 (if you can find them on the new website) is this one:

_________________________________________________

Superfast broadband is winging its way to most of Central Bedfordshire and a new survey should show just how much demand there is for the service.

Officers at Central Bedfordshire Council want to find out just how much demand there is from businesses and people who live in the area.

Superfast broadband would mean people could download music, games and films more quickly, and websites would download faster too.

For businesses the service could also boost opportunities to access global marketplaces and allow more companies to offer flexible working to employees.

A survey is being set up to find out just what residents and businesses want from their internet capacity.

Responses to the survey will inform the council's Local Broadband Plan, which aims to ensure that at least 90 per cent of the area has access to superfast services. And for those, possibly more rural, areas that cannot be served by the technology the plan will help to put in place alternative services so that everyone has access to minimum standards of broadband (at least two megabits).

The plan will help to extend coverage of superfast broadband (with speeds greater than 25 megabits per second, and ideally more than 30 mbps) in areas of Central Bedfordshire that are not currently, or unlikely to be served by the market.

The plan is expected to be considered by councillors in February 2012. After this, the council will then work with communities, industry and partners to deliver the plan.

To have your say, register your demand and to find out more on superfast broadband in Central Bedfordshire visit our website.

http://www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/local-business/business-information-and-advice/broadband.aspx

__________________________________________________________

If you then go to "Register your demand for superfast broadband" and open it you  can complete the survey.

Or go directly to it:

http://www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/surveys/Broadband/broadband_online_survey.htm

I cannot find a published end date for the survey.

Biggleswade Town Council year end accounts 31st March 2010 & 2011

Details of the last post on this, dated 25th October 2011, can be seen at:

http://biggleswadeonline.blogspot.com/2011/10/biggleswade-health-centre-planning_25.html

I have changed the title of this post update from "Biggleswade Health Centre Planning Application - funding and expenditure - FOI Request." as after nearly a year of asking, I have now been told this. What now transpires is, that I do not have the "real" copy of the accounts for year ended 31st March 2010 & 2011.

On the morning of the 8th November 2011 a letter dated 5th November, was hand delivered from Deputy Town Mayor, Biggleswade Town Council. It advised me that an internal review had been held by a panel that consisted of Cllr W P Smith, Cllr. I Bond & Cllr M Russell. The review panel decided that the question I asked in January 2011 was similar to the question I had asked in December 2010, so had already been answered. I was advised in this letter that £49,690 was allocated to cost centre 4819 (Saxon Sports Village) in the year ended 31st March 2010. The panel advised that they felt I had now been supplied with all of the information required in response to my queries over the last eighteen months.

 

15th November 2011 my response, hand delivered to the Councillors home addresses that day.

Thank you for your letter dated 5th November, which was hand delivered on 8th November 2011.

In my email of 27th December 2010 to the Town Clerk, I asked:

Now we know that the approval for this expenditure on the planning application was not minuted, but can you tell me what powers were relied upon to authorise the Council going outside of its normal remit and spending this money??

His answer to that procedural question on the 4th January 2011 was:

Any other expenditure the Council consider as long as this is agreed by Council can be made from the capital budget; this does not fall under the same category as Grants and hence requires no powers.

My question of 9th January 2011 was:

Whilst I await the accounting information I have requested, can you tell me how this application was funded and expenditure allocated within the Town Council Accounts?

It may be considered that the Town Clerks email of 4th January 2011, answered the first part of the question, but I cannot for the life of me see where in the Town Clerks email he told me where the expenditure was allocated.

If the Town Clerk was so convinced that he had provided me the information why when I asked again on 23rd February 2011 did he refer me to the Auditors and again when I asked on 16th June 2011 did he ignore me?

It is also relevant, that prior to all of this I asked for a copy of the accounts for year ended 31st March 2010, I have attached a summary of my efforts.

You are now telling me that a total of £46,960 was capitalised at year end 31st March 2010. This is news to me. You are obviously under the impression that this is shown in the copy of the accounts that I finally received in February 2011, for that period. The copy I was provided with does not show any expenditure allocated to Cost Centre 4819 - Saxon Sports Village.  Neither does the one for 31st March 2011, although there were monies expended in that period as well, and the expenditure has continued into this year. In fact I have never seen a copy of the accounts for any period that shows any expenditure for Cost Centre 4819 - Saxon Sports Village. That's why I keep asking the question!

It appears that all our time has been wasted, because for some reason the Town Clerk has chosen not to provide me with the correct copy of the accounts.

I would be grateful if you can arrange for me to be provided with the correct copies of the cost centre breakdown for year ended 31st March 2010 and 2011. I would also be grateful if you could personally verify that these are correct before they are sent to me?

I thank you and your panel for the professional way that you have conducted this Internal Review.

encls:

1. summary of my efforts to get copy of accounts for year end 31st March 2010.

2. copy of page that I was told was part of year end 31st March 2010 accounts.

3. copy of page that I was told was part of year end 31st March 2011 accounts.

Emailed to Noel Mullarkey ICO

On the 25th November 2011 a letter dated 23rd November, was hand delivered from Deputy Town Mayor, Biggleswade Town Council.

The response was that:

A complete set of Budget papers for year ending 31st March 2011 were supplied to you on the 5th November 2011.

The copy budget sheets attached to your letter show the costs for the Saxon Sports Village allocated to 109/4819.

As you have already been provided with all the relevant information requested we are unable to supply any further documentation.

10th December 2011, my response sent by email to Cllr W P Smith, Cllr. I Bond & Cllr M Russell.

Thank you for your letter dated 23rd November 2011, which was hand delivered on 25th November 2011. I apologise for the delay in replying.

Given the information provided in your letters, I will advise the ICO that my request for the information, that was the subject of the Internal Review, has now been satisfied.

However you have now raised other issues that need resolving.

You said in your letter of 23rd November 2011:

"A complete set of Budget Papers for year ending 31st March 2010 were supplied to you on the 5th November 2011"

Is your reference to the 5th November 2011, to your letter of that date that was hand delivered on 8th November 2011? This letter did not indicate any enclosures and in fact there were no enclosures. Should there have been?

The "budget papers" finally provided to me as purporting to be year end accounts for both 31st March 2010 & 2011 do not show the expenditure of £49,960 you told me for 2010 or the £5876.70 the Auditors have told me was expended in 2011. All they show is a budget of £50,000 for 2010 with no expenditure and no budget or expenditure for 2011.

Therefore, I still do not have a copy of the year-end accounts for 2010 and 2011 which reflect these figures. As I asked in my letter of the 15th November 2011:

I would be grateful if you can arrange for me to be provided with the correct copies of the cost centre breakdown for year ended 31st March 2010 and 2011. I would also be grateful if you could personally verify that these are correct before they are sent to me.

I trust you will provide these documents in a timely manner, as I would prefer not to involve the ICO again.

Be Scam Aware - Potential Loan Scam

Central

Bedfordshire

Scam Aware

Central Bedfordshire Council’s Trading Standards team is warning consumers to be aware of potential loan scams.

We have had a report from a consumer who had applied for a loan with a company called Lending Solutions Ltd and paid a £95 admin fee upfront. The following day the consumer received a call claiming the application had been approved and the loan amount was ready to be transferred into their account, subject to part payment of the first loan repayment. The consumer duly paid this amount so that the loan amount could be transferred. However, the next day, the consumer received another call from the loan company requesting a further payment which acted as a release fee "for the tax office". Again, the consumer paid the amount requested, but has yet still to receive the agreed loan amount from the company.

Based on the information provided and the business practices described we believe this has all the hallmarks of a potential scam and we would advise anyone to act with extreme caution when applying for loans.

Our advice to consumers is that a legitimate loan company would never request an advance payment (i.e. admin or release fee) prior to you receiving the loan amount. Never be intimidated into making a rash decision just because claims of prompt payment of such fees will speed up the transfer of funds for example, and always take a moment to ask yourself why you are paying money upfront before you have even received the loan amount and why such "fees" were not mentioned at the beginning of the loan application.

If you have any information about suspect rogue traders or would like to report a possible scam please initially contact Consumer Direct on 08454 04 05 06, in order so that all relevant regulatory authorities can be notified.

In the meantime, please visit our website www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/bescamaware for advice and guidance on how to spot a scam and how to avoid becoming a victim.

Trading Standards

(Community Safety and Public Protection)

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Central Bedfordshire Council Priory House, Monks Walk, Chicksands, Shefford, Bedfordshire, SG17 5TQ

Telephone: 0300 300 8136 Email: trading.standards@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk

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Be Scam Aware - Invitation to buy shares.

Central

Bedfordshire

Scam Aware

Central Bedfordshire Council’s Trading Standards team is warning consumers to be aware of a possible scam involving an invitation to buy shares.

We have had a report from a concerned consumer in Leighton Buzzard who was cold-called by telephone, and whereby the caller claimed to be representing a portfolio management company and was offering the consumer the opportunity to buy extra shares in a specific Company of which the consumer was already a shareholder. The caller claimed the reason for the offer was that the Company in question had not paid any dividends. The consumer became suspicious of the call as they had already recently received a dividend payment from that particular Company.

Based on the information provided we believe that this call has all the hallmarks of a scam and we would advise anyone to act with extreme caution when receiving such calls. The caller subject to this particular scam would appear to already have obtained certain information (i.e. personal contact information, current shareholdings, etc.) and so at first may appear to be genuine, however in reality, they could be using this information in an attempt to extract money from consumers.

Our advice to consumers is that a legitimate company would never cold-call you by telephone. Never give your details to anybody over the telephone unless you are absolutely certain of their intentions. Never be intimidated into making a quick decision, due to limited availability for example, and never make a payment or provide your bank account details over the telephone. Always take a moment to ask yourself whether the offer sounds genuine and if, at any point, you have any doubts about the offer being made, do not be afraid to hang up the telephone.

If you have any information about suspect rogue traders or would like to report a possible scam please initially contact Consumer Direct on 08454 04 05 06, in order so that all relevant regulatory authorities can be notified.

In the meantime, please visit our website www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/bescamaware for advice and guidance on how to spot a scam and how to avoid becoming a victim.

Trading Standards

(Community Safety and Public Protection)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Central Bedfordshire Council Priory House, Monks Walk, Chicksands, Shefford, Bedfordshire, SG17 5TQ

Telephone: 0300 300 8136 Email: trading.standards@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk

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Ringmaster - Simple Steps to Reduce Heartache of Burglary

With Father Christmas getting set to do his rounds at the weekend, Bedfordshire Police is urging residents to take a few extra actions to prevent heartache should anyone be the victim of crime over the festive period.

At a time when expensive gifts are being exchanged, criminals seize on the opportunity to commit burglaries in the hope of scooping brand new items that they can then sell on.

Residents are being urged to register with the UK National Property Register at www.immobilise.com where they can log any items such as mobile phones, computers, bicycles, appliances and jewellery. Immobilise will record serial numbers and also allows the user to upload pictures and a brief description of the item.

The Immobilise database is linked directly to a number of police systems across the UK which makes it easier for officers to trace the owners of any recovered items as well as identifying items that have been found on suspected criminals.

Another measure that residents can consider is security marking their property with Ultra-Violet (UV) pens or chemical DNA marking solutions which can also be used on jewellery.

Inspector Jim Hitch of Bedfordshire Police said: “No one likes to think about being the victim of crime at such a happy time of year, but unfortunately there are people out there who prey on people at this time of year for that very reason.

“Registering your items with Immobilise only takes a few minutes and is completely free of charge, but the benefits of it could be priceless. By taking photos of your items, you would also providing the police with great intelligence – if you have jewellery, then place the item next to a ruler when taking the photo so that it is clear how big the item is.

“Bedfordshire Police is working tirelessly to combat the threat of burglary in the run up to Christmas and beyond but I hope that residents take the time to register and mark their belongings to make sure anything stolen really is ‘too hot to handle’.”

Bedfordshire Police and Crime Reduction co-ordinators continue to actively target the problem at the moment but anything that can be done to prevent the problem in the first place is invaluable.

Other measures that residents can take to reduce the threat of burglary include:

• Keep vehicle keys out of sight at night
• If you have a garage, use it
• Ensure security lights are working and your car is locked and alarmed
• Ensure all doors and windows are locked
• If you see someone acting suspiciously, telephone the police
• Join a Neighbourhood Watch or Street Watch scheme

If you have information relating to any burglaries, contact Bedfordshire Police, in confidence, on the non emergency number 101, or text information to 07786 200011.

Alternatively contact independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111, or online at crimestoppers-uk.org.

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Ringmaster - Police Warn against Making False Allegations

Bedfordshire Police is reminding residents of the dangers of making false allegations and wasting police time.

During December, detectives have investigated three separate robberies which turned out to be false claims. Each of the incidents required officers to take statements, undertake door-to-door enquiries and view hours of CCTV footage before the truth was discovered.

On Thursday December 15, a 49-year-old woman claimed that she had been robbed of money and her mobile phone after visiting the Post Office in Shortstown. Officers attended the scene and carried out an area search for the two ‘offenders’ but when detectives later questioned the woman, she revealed that she had made the allegation up.

At around 10.30pm on Friday December 2, Bedfordshire Police received a report that a man in a wheelchair had been robbed in Goldington Avenue, Bedford. The man claimed that three teenagers wearing hooded tops and carrying a knife had stolen £200 from him. Detectives carried out a large search for the offenders, but again the crime report was found to be false. The same applied to a report from a 14-year-old boy who claimed that he was assaulted and robbed of his mobile phone on Monday December 5.

Detective Sergeant Gary Maxey of the Serious Crime Investigation Team at Bedfordshire Police, said: “We always take any report of robbery extremely seriously and will do all that we can to capture the offenders as quickly as possible. Unfortunately we have seen a number of incidents this month where people have purposefully made up claims and wasted quite a considerable amount of police time.

“I’d like to remind residents that making false allegations – whether they be robbery or any other crimes - and wasting police time is a serious offence which could result in the person making the claims being prosecuted. In these cases we quickly established that stories just weren’t adding up and were able to warn the claimants about their actions.”

To report any crime please contact Bedfordshire Police, in confidence, on 01234 841212, the non emergency number 101, or text information to 07786 200011. Alternatively contact independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111, or online at crimestoppers-uk.org.

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Ringmaster - Planning for an Emergency

Over a quarter of local residents would save their pets first in an emergency according to a survey carried out by the Bedfordshire and Luton Local Resilience Forum (BLLRF).

BLLRF surveyed residents across Bedfordshire to ask questions related to emergency planning and how they would react in an emergency. Of those surveyed, 27 per cent said they would save their pets in an emergency with an equal number of residents saving precious photographs. Only 15 per cent opted to save family members.

BLLRF Chair and Bedfordshire Police Assistant Chief Constable, Katherine Govier, said: “In an emergency it is important to act quickly, we recommend each household has an evacuation plan so you know exactly what you would do if an emergency such as a flood or fire occurred. The survey reveals Bedfordshire is a very pet-friendly county, and our emergency advice actually states residents should take their pets with them in emergencies. Facilities will be available for animals at every rest centre.

“Our website http://www.whatwouldyoudoif.co.uk/contains details of how to create an evacuation plan for your household. It is also a good idea to have an emergency kit with water, non-perishable food and basic medical essentials at home or in the car to help make your first few hours in emergency situation more comfortable. Obviously in a fire we recommend you evacuate immediately but in some situations it might be possible for you to take your kit with you.”

As the harsh winter weather approaches, BLLRF is embarking on a winter weather campaign to help residents stay warm and safe through the cold weather. ‘A preparing for winter section’ has been added to the http://www.whatwouldyoudoif.co.uk/. BLLRF will also be tweeting emergency planning advice on @what_would and posting advice on http://www.facebook.com/whatwouldyoudoif

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Ringmaster - Woman Robbed at Biggleswade

Police in Biggleswade are appealing for information after a girl was attacked by two men last Wednesday (December 14.)

The victim was walking down an alleyway between a residential estate, near Dells Lane, and Biggleswade train station between 1.20pm and 1.30pm when she was approached by two men.

One of the men asked the victim for a cigarette however, she ignored them. One offender tried to grab her bag and after a struggle the victim was pushed to the ground. The offenders then ran off in the direction of the train station.

The offenders are described as white men aged between 16 and 20. They were wearing black hooded jumpers.

If you have any information relating to the incident contact Det Con Guy Steel-Jessop on 01234 275351, or text police on 07786 200011, or call independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555111. You do not have to give your name but you could still receive a cash reward.

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Ringmaster - Dont let Jack Frost Assist Car Thieves

Bedfordshire Police are urging vehicle owners across the county to think twice about leaving their cars running outside their homes while unattended.

With the weather starting to turn a bit nippier, it is tempting for motorists to start their vehicles to warm them up before heading off on their journey. This means that vehicles are often left unattended which offers easy pickings for opportunist thieves.

This week there have been two incident in the Leighton Buzzard area where motorists have been left car-less after leaving their running vehicles unattended. The first happened at 8am on Monday December 19 when a Vauxhall Astra was stolen from outside a property in Bideford Green, Linslade as the owner cleared frost form the windscreen. About 20 minutes later, a similar incident occurred in North Court, Leighton Buzzard, when a Nissan Qashqai was taken.

Chief Inspector Neill Waring of Bedfordshire Police, said: “I know that it can be very tempting for people to wait in nice, warm houses as their cars defrost but thieves have become wise. You have to ask yourself whether it is really worth the risk of losing your vehicle.

“The last thing that we want is for people to make things easy for criminals - there are plenty of products on the market to prevent frost or remove it quickly but the best way, by far, is to stay with your vehicle while it is being defrosted, and it’s free.”

For more advice about how to secure your vehicles and property, please visit the ‘crime info’ section of our website.

If you have information relating to these incidents, contact Bedfordshire Police, in confidence, on 01234 841212, the non emergency number 101, or text information to 07786 200011.

Alternatively contact independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111, or online at crimestoppers-uk.org.

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Ringmaster - Make Sure You Stay Safe This Christmas + New Year

It’s that time of year again…..Christmas parties, office functions and so much food you don’t know which way to turn and of course ALCOHOL.

Bedfordshire Police would like to wish everyone a merry Christmas and happy New Year but would also like to take the opportunity to warn party goers about the dangers of excess alcohol.

“Many of us don’t really indulge during the year as much as we do during the festive season and the consequences of drinking excessive amounts of alcohol can be severe”, warns Superintendent Dave Boyle, who is heading this year’s Christmas and New Year safety campaign.

“I would like to remind members of the public not only to consider the drink drive laws and driving the day after a night out, but to take extra precautions about their personal safety when they are out enjoying themselves,” he added.

Here are some easy safety tips that members of the public can follow to help keep them safe over the festive period:

• We all like to plan a night out but make sure you also plan how to get home safely.
• When out with friend’s stay with them, stay together and stay safe.
• Watch what you are drinking – keep an eye on how much and what you are drinking.
• Always use a reputable taxi service and never get into a taxi which has not been ordered by you or is not displaying the Hackney licence details.
• And don’t forget a good night out deserves remembering, have fun, be safe, hold on to your smile and walk away from any trouble.

Bedfordshire Police will be running Christmas initiatives throughout the festive season in the towns and busy areas throughout the county and together with their partners will crackdown on those being anti social whilst keeping an eye out for anyone who has over indulged and needs help.

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Give Your Unwanted Gadgets a new home this Christmas

PRESS RELEASE

Central Bedfordshire Council is encouraging everyone to recycle or donate their unwanted electronic items during the Christmas and New Year period.

Now the council's Waste Awareness team will be visiting markets throughout the area to answer your questions about electrical recycling.

In Christmas Week they will be in Biggleswade at the town's market on Wednesday 21 December from 8am to 2pm

If the items is still in good working order there might be someone else who could get more use out of it. Charity shops or reuse organisations like Preen in Biggleswade take old electrical items for reuse. Otherwise, residents can take any waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) items to one of Central Bedfordshire's four Household Waste Recycling Centres, which are open 9am to 5pm, seven days a week (sites will be closed Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Years Day and will close early at 1pm Christmas Eve and New Years Eve)

Biggleswade Town Council Accounts, 31st March 2011, Notice of objection - an update

Further to my post of 29th October 2011:

http://biggleswadeonline.blogspot.com/2011/10/biggleswade-town-council-accounts-year.html

I have now received a letter from the external Auditors dated 29th November 2011:

_______________________________________________________

Dear Mr Mason,

Thank you for your objection dated 22nd September 2011 into the accounts of Biggleswade Town Council for the years ended 31 March 2011 and 31 March 2012. We have now concluded our investigation and now write to you with our conclusions.

Your objection is that the council did not have a full and proper financial plan and feasibility study in place before it embarked on a major project. It did not wait for the full results of the consultation being undertaken as part of the Town Plan and it did not communicate its own plans. It did not consider all of the relevant facts and acted unlawfully ultra vires by applying for planning permission for the health centre.You have requested a public interest report and a Declaration under Section 17 of the Audit Commission Act that the item is contrary to law.

In undertaking our investigation, we can only investigate items of account and decisions relating to the years ended 31 March 2011 and 31 March 2012.

Year ended 31 March 2011

We have confirmed with the council that during the year to 31st March 2011 the council expensed £5,876.70 on costs relating to the plans for the Saxon Sports Village. We have reviewed the invoices relating to these costs and have concluded that all these costs are genuine cost relating to the project. We concur elements of these costs do relate to the building of a Health Centre, but none of the costs relate sole to the Health Centre. As a consequence we will be raising an issue with the audit to note this fact to the reader of the accounts. We do not believe it is appropriate to apply to the courts under Section 17 to declare the items contrary to law in this instance.

We have decided it would not be appropriate to issue a public interest report under Section 8 of the Audit Commission Act in this instance. We have considered it is not in the public interest to incur additional costs to the council in carrying out further investigations into the project as these would be likely to outweigh both the costs incurred during the year and any future public benefit which would be obtained by issuing such a report. The majority of the decisions made, as noted in the objection above, and expenditure are outside of our audit year so would not be reported on in relation to the year ended 31 March 2011.

Year ended 31 March 2012

We have confirmed with the council that up to the time of writing and during the year to 31 March 2012 the council incurred £3,213.30 on the appeal process for the planning application which was originally rejected. We have reviewed the invoice for these costs and the advice provided with regards to the decision to appeal. We have also viewed the minute confirming the decision to appeal. We are satisfied that the council have given due consideration to the reasons for the appeal, the processes and the costs. We are satisfied with the council's actions in this process. Whilst the plans submitted for appeal included the health centre, we again do not believe it appropriate in this instance to apply to the courts under Section 17 of the Audit Commission Act 1998 to declare the amounts contrary to law. The notes and recommendations being made in the opinion for the 2011 audit are deemed appropriate for purpose.

We have decided it would not be appropriate to issue a public interest report under Section 8 of the Audit Commission Act 1998 as there are no matters which need to be addressed in such a report as highlighted as part of our investigation.

We have now concluded our audit and will look to close the audit for the year ended 31 March 2011 shortly.

If you have any queries regarding the content of this letter, please do not hesitate to contact me.

______________________________________________________________

The auditors have concurred that there are costs relating to the building of a Health Centre and a note will be added to the accounts. It appears that since the costs incurred during the years in question (31 March 2011 and 31 March 2012) are relatively small and the majority of the decisions and expenditure were made in the previous year, for which the audit is closed, it is not cost effective or in the public interest to investigate further.

This project was discussed at the Public Land & Open Spaces Committee on 16th June 2009 and described as Sports, Leisure and Community Village, with no mention of a health centre. It later became know as Saxon Sports Village. I cannot find any mention of it again in any minutes prior to the Planning Application which was made in May 2010.

The bulk of the expenditure went through in year ended 31 March 2010, and I did not manage to get what I was told was a copy of the accounts, until February 2011, by which time it was too late to object to the accounts for that year.

It would appear the Auditors have had sight of "the minute confirming the decision to appeal" and they are satisfied that the council gave due consideration to the reasons for the appeal, the processes and the costs. This was discussed under Exempt Items ("pink papers") and are not available to the public.

Bedfordshire Police Authority Survey

Bedfordshire Survey seeking local views on policing

Bedfordshire Police Authority is an organisation responsible for overseeing Bedfordshire Police. It is made up from elected councillors and independent members. The Police Authority appoints the chief police officers, sets the long term strategy and budget and scrutinises issues that concern local people.

The survey invites residents to outline their policing priorities to help shape service delivery over the next three years.

Please complete the following survey: BPA Survey

If you would like a paper copy of the survey please email us at

pat.brown@bedfordshire.pnn.police.uk

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Damaged railings Shortmead St/ St Andrews St/ High St roundabout - an update

Further to my post of 1st July 2011:

http://biggleswadeonline.blogspot.com/2011/07/damaged-railings-shortmead-st-st.html

email 26th August 2011 from Steve Thomas, Senior Engineer, Development Management, CBC.

I am arranging for the damaged railings at the roundabout to be removed. The problem with these railings is that they were constructed to a particular radius rather than made up of a series of straight panels which would have been far easier to maintain. I think the uprights can be salvaged but not the panels.

 

I am also arranging for a number of damaged bollards (like the one in your picture) to be removed and for the paving to be reinstated.

 

My email of 21st October 2011 to Steve Thomas:

 

It is now nearly a couple of months since I last heard from you.

The damaged railings are still in place at the roundabout as are the damaged bollards in Market Square.

Can you tell when / if anything is going to done to resolve these problems??

email 25th October 2011 from Steve Thomas, Senior Engineer, Development Management, CBC.

I'm sorry it's taking so long - I'll chase the contractors.

 

My email of 7th December 2011 to Steve Thomas:

 

I have not yet looked closely at the bollards in the Market Square but some have been cemented back in, one is laying in the road and another is black so does not match the others.

The barriers up to the gap have been removed. It would have made sense to have removed the next damaged barrier that has the top rail missing, is bent and has a piece missing at the base.

Pictures attached.

Parking Management Proposals for Central Bedfordshire

The following press release was issued by Central Bedfordshire Council on the 12th July 2011 :

"Public to be consulted on parking management proposals."

A proposal to consult the wider community on measures to improve parking in towns and villages across Central Bedfordshire has been approved today (July 12) by Executive councillors.

The draft approach sets out guiding principles that will inform how the Council develops and operates its parking service and facilities in the future - in keeping with the objectives of the Local Transport Plan and in the interests of residents, workers, businesses and visitors alike.

"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," says Cllr Brian Spurr, Executive Member for Sustainable Communities Services.

"By managing our parking better we want to make our town centres more vibrant, safer places where people want to spend time. This means ensuring good short term provision for shoppers, good access for disabled people and a reduction in illegally parked vehicles."

"The rural nature of Central Bedfordshire means that motor vehicles play an important role in transport journeys for many residents and businesses. As well as addressing parking management we need to look at improving journey times by tackling congestion. We want to look at how we can encourage more people onto public transport and review long stay parking, particularly for commuters."

The new proposals suggest prioritising short stay parking on sites within an acceptable walking distance of shops, including an appropriate level of disabled parking bays. At the same time the Council is looking to encourage more long stay parking for commuters on the outskirts of town centres and close to train stations.

The proposals will also seek to meet competing demands for on street parking and particularly residents’ needs to be able to park near their homes. This could see the creation of more Residents' Parking Zones and will also include parking standards to ensure appropriate provision for new developments.

To develop a complete picture of parking needs the council will carry out parking studies in towns and villages across the area. These will assess the demand, availability and quality of parking provision - both on street and in car parks - and will supplement those previously undertaken in Dunstable, Leighton Buzzard, Flitwick and Ampthill.

Local councillors, including parish councils, and key stakeholder groups such as the Chamber of Commerce are to be consulted on the proposals over a three month period. Exhibitions will be held at key locations across Central Bedfordshire as part of the consultation. Details of this will be announced soon.

ENDS

On the 26th August 2011 I wrote:

Basil Jackson,

Assistant Director for Highways and Transportation

Central Bedfordshire Council

On the 12th July 2011, a press release was issued on the above subject and the concluding paragraph said:

“Local councillors, including parish councils, and key stakeholder groups such as the Chamber of Commerce are to be consulted on the proposals over a three month period. Exhibitions will be held at key locations across Central Bedfordshire as part of the consultation. Details of this will be announced soon.”

As it is now over six weeks since this press release are the details of the consultation to be announced soon??

Again on 21st September 2011:

Basil Jackson,

Assistant Director for Highways and Transportation

Central Bedfordshire Council

I would appreciate a response from someone to my email.

Response 22nd September 2011.

David/Paul, could one of you provide an outline of the consultation process for Mr Mason?

Many thanks.

Basil.

29th September 2011

Basil Jackson,

Assistant Director for Highways and Transportation

Central Bedfordshire Council

I’m sorry to bother you again but I have not heard anything from “David or Paul”.

As it is well over a month since I first asked, I would appreciate the information now please.

4th October 2011

I most sincerely apologise for the delay in our response. I have spoken to David and he will be in touch in the next day or two.

Kind regards,

Basil.

12th October 2011 response:

Firstly, I wish to apologise for the delay in responding to your request. David has been very busy with the parking consultation and prioritising it amongst his other daily duties as Head of Service. Nevertheless, this has still taken longer to deal with than I would expect.

In the first instance, David had requested from some local companies to prepare a presentation for consultation purposes. This included a road show type approach, which would have been heavily advertised allowing capture of as many residents in one go as possible. The quotes for this piece of work have just recently come back to David and we have been very surprised at the extraordinarily high prices we have received. The sums of money discussed are not justified and it would be irresponsible for the authority to spend council tax payers' money to that extent.

This has of course led David to think of another approach and he has since written a consultation paper which is going to be delivered at the Central Bedfordshire Lets Talk Together Meetings through this year and in to next. Between David and I, we agreed that this was the best approach to deliver to as many residents in Central Bedfordshire as possible as the meetings are well advertised through our website, council publications and locally.

My response 14th October 2011:

If a consultation paper has been written would it not be a good idea to get better community involvement by doing a consultation exercise through the CBC web site consultation system. You could cover the same period as the Lets Talk meetings October 2011 to end of March 2012.

Could I have a copy of the document ?

Response 20th October 2011:

Thank you for you response, and apologies I have not come back to you sooner. I have made additional enquiries and David is currently in the process of preparing the document in the correct format to be published on the Central Bedfordshire Website, under "Consultations". This indeed has the potential to capture a wider audience than that at the Lets Talk Together meetings, which of course the consultation will still be presented. At this stage I do not have a date as to when the paper will be on the website. Once the document is uploaded, you will be able to download a copy for your information and comment.

Further to this, David will also be holding two, Business Partner/Stakeholder workshops during November/December, which will cover the majority of the relevant businesses and our elected members, along with other stakeholders.

If you do not find the document before I can inform you it is on the website, then I will contact you when it will published,

My response 1st November 2011:

I do check the CBC consultations page from time to time, but if it does not appear on the main page, there is problem with the search facility on the web site. which I have reported. So if you could let me know when it is available I would be grateful.

Could you tell me when and where the workshops will be held in November / December and who would be included under relevant businesses and our elected members, along with other stakeholders. Will invitations for example be going out to our Town Council ?

CBC response 2nd November 2011:

I will indeed let you know when the document is on the website, or perhaps if appropriate David could send you copy direct?

David is a better place to answer your questions regarding who will be invited to the workshops and when they will take place as he is running them, hence copying David in to this email. David or I will reply to you regarding these points as soon as possible,

My email 22nd November 2011 to David Bowie, Head of Traffic Management

Following Paul Salmon’s email of 2nd November 2011 (shown below) I have not received any response.

I understand it was agreed that a consultation exercise would be carried out and for Members to receive the outcomes of consultation report prior to the Executive. Exec: TBC (suggested November or December 2011)

On the 12th July 2011, a press release was issued on the above subject and the concluding paragraph said:

“Local councillors, including parish councils, and key stakeholder groups such as the Chamber of Commerce are to be consulted on the proposals over a three month period. Exhibitions will be held at key locations across Central Bedfordshire as part of the consultation. Details of this will be announced soon.”

I understand the delay in the programme because of the excessive costings that the tendering exercise revealed.

On the 12th October I was told that you had written a Consultation paper to be delivered to the Lets Talk meetings.

On the 20th October 2011 I was told that you were preparing a document in the correct format to be published under “Consultations”.

I now understand that there are “Car Parking Strategy Engagement Workshops” to be held on 30th November and 9 December 2011 and local Councillors have been invited.

As of today there is nothing published on the “Consultations” page current or future.

Can I now have a copy of one of the consultation papers you have produced please?

Email 6th December 2011 from David Bowie, Head of Traffic Management

As promised please find the link below to the parking strategy consultation:-

http://www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/council-and-democracy/have-your-say/Current-online-consultations.aspx

The document is very much a working draft to give opportunity to not only comment on its content so far but also to influence the further content of the document.

The document appears to be the same one produced in March 2011, that was considered by The Executive in July 2011. You have until 24th February 2012 to complete the questionnaire.