Jubilee Wood Planned for Biggleswade

Central Bedfordshire Council and Bedfordshire Rural Communities Charity (BRCC) are working together to plant a wood in Biggleswade to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of HRH Queen Elizabeth II.

The Jubilee Wood will be located at Kennel Farm, close to Stratton Business Park and residential areas in the east of Biggleswade including the new Kings Reach development. It will cover approximately 20 acres of land and once planted, will provide a fabulous new woodland for Biggleswade residents to enjoy.

The Jubilee Wood will form an important part of the Biggleswade 'Green Wheel', a new project with the vision for a green ‘circular’ corridor around Biggleswade, which encourages walking and cycling and increases biodiversity and is currently being developed. Once archaeological surveys have been completed, the design of the woodland will be undertaken with the help of the local community.

Planting will be predominantly native woodland species, but will also include a community orchard using locally distinct varieties of fruit trees. The woodland will also incorporate a ‘Jubilee feature’ to be chosen following consultation with the local community over the summer.

The scheme will be funded by the Woodland Grant Scheme and the council's Green Infrastructure Planning Obligations Fund. It is anticipated that the first phase of tree planting will take place late in 2012.

Cllr Brian Spurr, Executive Member for Sustainable Communities, said: “We are really pleased to be able to work with BRCC to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee by providing a woodland for the whole community to enjoy. It is important to us that the community is involved in the creation of this Jubilee Wood so we hope that people will join us for the tree planting events later in the year.”

Cliff Andrews, Green Infrastructure Team Leader for BRCC said: “Through the Ivel and Ouse Countryside Project, BRCC has a long history of being actively involved in countryside management and public access in the Biggleswade area. We are very pleased to be partnering with Central Bedfordshire Council in this exciting project. As well as bringing great benefits to people and wildlife in its own right, the Diamond Jubilee Wood will be a major asset along the Biggleswade Green Wheel.”

“BRCC is looking forward to working with local residents and organisations at a number of community planting events later in 2012 and into 2013."

Lincoln Crescent Biggleswade - Vehicle theft

Bedfordshire Police Messaging

Local Crime Message

Incident Type:	Stolen Vehicle.
Location:	Lincoln Crescent, Biggleswade.
Date and Time:	Saturday 26th May, between 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.
Incident Details:	The vehicle was a Grey, T registered, Honda Motorbike. The offender has removed the chain fron the wheel and the motorbike has been taken.
Crime Reference:	J D / 1 8 3 5 3 / 2012.

Register your valuables free of charge at

http://www.immobilise.com/

If you have information about any crime or suspicious activity please call the Control Room on non-emergency: 101

Text your message to 07786 200011

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

No personal details are taken, information is not traced or recorded and you will not go to court.

Green spaces for Biggleswade

Central Bedfordshire Council, Biggleswade Town Council and Bedfordshire Rural Communities Charity (BRCC) are working together to create a vision for a ‘Green Wheel’ around Biggleswade.

The ‘Green Wheel’ concept was presented at the Biggleswade Town Annual meeting on Tuesday, 22 May. It will circuit the town, providing a ‘circular’ green corridor for Biggleswade residents to enjoy - encouraging walking and cycling both around and in and out of the town.

The local community will be invited to comment on the draft plans over the summer and, if adopted by Central Bedfordshire Council and Biggleswade Town Council in the autumn, will provide new green spaces and biodiversity for the town to enjoy.

Providing links to other routes such as the Kingfisher Way long distance walk, the Great North Cycleway, local businesses and tourist attractions, delivery of the Green Wheel would be funded by grant funding schemes and developer contributions.

Cllr Brian Spurr, Executive Member for Sustainable Communities, said: “We hope that the local community really get behind this scheme which will provide fantastic spaces for everyone to enjoy all around Biggleswade. Local residents and businesses will be able to give their views on draft plans during the public consultation over the summer and we look forward to hearing what they have to say.”

Cliff Andrews, Green Infrastructure Team Leader for BRCC, said: “Building on public consultation undertaken to produce the Biggleswade Green Infrastructure Plan in 2010, BRCC is very pleased to be a key partner in planning and delivering a 'Green Wheel' for Biggleswade. This exciting initiative will greatly enhance public access and informal recreation opportunities within a range of attractive settings around the town. We believe that the 'Green Wheel' can benefit the whole community, improving health and fitness and increasing enjoyment of the countryside around the town by people of all ages.”

Biggleswade Town Council stated that: “Successful land conservation in the 21st century needs to be proactive, less reactive and better integrated with efforts to manage growth and development. Green infrastructure planning works at national, regional and local levels and is an integral component, essential for building well designed and sustainable communities.”

Residents in the north of Central Bedfordshire will have their recycling and green waste collected separately from Monday, 28 May.

Current ‘split back‘ recycling vehicles that collect both recycling and green waste together in the same vehicle are being replaced with new vehicles that collect the waste separately.

The wheeled bins and bags residents currently use for their collections will remain the same. The day of collection is not affected, but some vehicles may change route and, as a result, collection times may vary from those which the residents are used to.

Which bin...which day?

If you need a reminder of your bin collection day, you can check this out on our website. Please remember to place bins and bags out by 7am on the usual day of collection and take them back in as soon as possible after collection.

Biggleswade Jubilee Fun Day

Last year Biggleswade Churches Together put on a popular free Fun Day for the Biggleswade Community. This year they are combining with Biggleswade Town Council to put on a Jubilee event.

Once more there will be plenty of free games and entertainment - bouncy castles, fairground rides, face painting, live music.....

Refreshments will also be on sale including a licensed bar.

This takes place on Tuesday June 5 from 2pm - 6pm on the field in Eagle farm Road.

Link to Churches together web site.

Biggleswade Town Councillors Surgery

Councillors Steve Watkins and Hazel Ramsay will be available on Saturday 26th May 2012 10.00 am to 12.00 noon at Biggleswade Library for you to meet with them and discuss any issues you may have.

Do not waste this opportunity.

The Queen's Diamond Jubilee - Road closures in Biggleswade

The list below shows the date & road which are closed over The Queen's Jubilee from 2-5 June.

If your road is listed, and you would like to contact the event organiser for more information, please get in touch with gareth.hughes@amey.co.uk (08453 656179).

To keep up to date with the latest news on road closures, you can sign up for Central Bedfordshire Council Updates.

3 June

- Lawnside,

Biggleswade

4 June -

Sage Close,

Biggleswade

4 June

- Mead End,

Biggleswade

Link to CBC Diamond Jubilee web page.

Bedfordshire’s ‘Most Wanted’ Now Online

Some of the offenders sought by Bedfordshire Police are now available to view online at Crimestoppers ‘Most Wanted’website.

The force has posted the faces of offenders wanted on warrant on the national crime fighting site to encourage the public to tell police, or Crimestoppers, where they are.

A recent posting shows a woman who has been sentenced in her absence to six years in jail for aggravated burglary – she failed to appear at court and a warrant was issued for her arrest. Another appeal shows a man charged with a burglary dating back to 2004 who has also failed to turn up to be dealt with at court.

See both appeals at http://wanted.crimestoppers-uk.org/

Sssshhh...it's noise action week

Central Bedfordshire Council is taking a quiet moment to support annual Noise Action Week.

Running between 21 and 24 May, Noise Action Week seeks to raise awareness of the problems that noise causes, as well as highlighting practical solutions to minimise disturbance.

The council’s Environmental Protection Team will be out and about in Central Bedfordshire to offer advice on everything from the risks of listening to music too loud through headphones, to barking dogs or noisy DIY.

For more information visit the council's website.

Visit them at Flitwick Tesco on Tuesday, 22 May between 11.00 and 15.00, Biggleswade Asda on Thursday 24 May between 11.00 and 15.00 and Leighton Buzzard Morrisons on Friday 25 May between 11.00 and 15.00.

The team promotes simple measures such as communication and consideration between neighbours to prevent noise issues occurring, and also helps out with serious noise disputes arising from common sources such as stereos, parties and misfiring alarms.

Police Back Walk To School Week

Bedfordshire Police will be supporting the national Walk to School Week which runs from Monday May 21 until Friday May 25.

Members of Local Policing Teams will be attending a number of schools across the county to talk to students about the importance of road safety awareness, reinforcing key personal safety messages and also assisting some schools that operate walking buses and park and stride schemes.

Richard Denton, the Children & Young People Development Officer and School Coordinator for Bedfordshire Police said: "Whilst this type of work is undertaken throughout the year we would like to use this week to ask parents, guardians and careers who need to drive their children to school to try and park away from the school in a safe place and walk the last few hundred yards as this may help stop traffic congestion and potential collisions outside schools.

"We will also be using this week to reinforce key personal safety messages to students walking to school to help them keep safe."

Personal Safety advice for students walking to school and other educational establishments

• If possible walk with a friend or group of friends.
• Stay alert – Keep an eye on everything that is happening around you.
• Avoid wearing earphones or chatting on your mobile phone, as this will distract you from your surroundings and you may not see or hear trouble approaching. The sooner you are aware of potential danger, the easier it is to avoid it.
• Keep both hands free and don’t weigh your-self down with lots of heavy bags – you need to be able to move easily.
• Trust your instincts – If you have a ‘funny feeling’ about someone or something, don’t ignore it, act on it straight away.
• Take the route you know best and stick to busy, well-lit streets.
• Avoid danger spots like deserted parks and badly-lit areas.
• Walk in the middle of the pavement, facing oncoming traffic. This will avoid any cars driving up alongside you as you walk.
• Think about your route home. Where would be a safe place to go if something went wrong? Safe places might be busy places like shops or garages, friends’ houses or a police station.
• Have your keys ready so you can get into your home quickly.

To find out more about Walk to School week visit http://www.walktoschool.org.uk/

 

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Kitelands Recreation Ground - New Play Equipment

It was in July 2010 that Biggleswade Town Council first applied for Planning Permission for the new equipment. They then "discovered" that the land was contaminated and they had not provided the required environmental study. Then they were told that they did not need Planning Permission anyway but the soil investigation still needed to be carried out.

In January 2011 the Biggleswade Town Clerk said "The Town Council are currently awaiting a test pit to be dug and a risk assessment carried out".

2011 came and went and nothing much happened, although the tenders received for the work time expired for their acceptance, as the Town Clerk was very busy.

This year it was decided that the Town Council should apply to Central Bedfordshire for Section 106 monies to pay for the work rather than out of the Biggleswade Town Council's circa £700,000 budget.

Well finally today something was happening which appears to be the soil investigation:

Kitelands Recreation Ground - "The Lights" AN UPDATE

UPDATE FRIDAY 18TH MAY 2012, 9PM,  THE LIGHT ARE ALL AGAIN TONIGHT

From 25th March 2012 (start of British Summer Time) Biggleswade Town Council have been in breach of the conditions of the Planning Consent. The lights must not be on before 7 am or after 8 pm.

This breach was brought to their attention in early April. They have previously been warned about breaching these conditions by CBC Planning Enforcement who threatened issuing an Enforcement Order on the Council.

I have recently been advised (16th May 2012), that the lights "are now off for the summer".

British Summer Time ends on 28th October 2012 and it is likely they will be switched back on before that date so Biggleswade Town Council will again be in breach of the conditions. If this happens I will then go straight to Planning Enforcement as I do not believe the Council are treating these breaches seriously.

Biggleswade Town Annual Assembly

This takes place this year on Tuesday 22nd May 2012 at 7.30pm at the offices of Biggleswade Town Council, The Old Court House, Saffron Road, Biggleswade.

The Agenda is on the Town Council web site on the "Noticeboard".
http://www.biggleswadetowncouncil.gov.uk/noticeboard.html

This is your chance to ask the Councillors any questions you may have.

Ringmaster - Do You Know Where Your Car Keys Are?

Bedfordshire Police are reminding residents to take extra measures to ensure that they don’t become the victims of car crime.

In recent week there has been a slight increase in burglaries across the county where thieves are looking for car keys to steal the homeowner’s vehicle.

For most people, a car is the most expensive possession that they own and for this reason it is important to take steps to combat car theft and reduce the chances of being a victim of crime.

Newer cars generally have a security system in place which makes it almost impossible for the vehicle to be stolen without the keys. For that reason, thieves are committing burglaries specifically to steal car keys and any other valuables that are nearby.

To help reduce the risk of car theft, Bedfordshire Police is urging motorists not to leave their car keys or valuables anywhere where they can be easily seen from outside or within range to be ‘fished’ through the letterbox.

Number plates are also a target for criminals who then attach them to their own vehicles to commit offences like the theft of fuel from filling stations that are covered by CCTV. Bedfordshire Police regularly hosts ‘Your Number’s Up’ events where tamper-proof screws can be installed to vehicles free of charge thereby reducing the threat of theft.

Residents are also 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.

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:

• 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 or vehicle crime, please 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 http://www.crimestoppers-uk.org/

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Biggleswade Ramraid - High Street Now Open

16 May 2012

Biggleswade Ramraid - High Street Now Open

Bedfordshire Police have now opened Biggleswade High Street following an attempted ram raid at the Halifax in the early hours of this morning.

The road was closed following the incident, which occurred at around 3am. Scenes of crimes officers attended to forensically examine the area and recover a stolen Nissa Terra that was abandoned at by the offenders who left empty handed. The nearby footpath remains closed to the public as the ATM machine was found damaged there.

Officers were called to the High Street at the time of the offence and carried out an area search but the offenders, who left in a black Vauxhall Corsa, could not be traced.

Anyone with information about the offence should contact Bedfordshire Police 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 www.crimestoppers-uk.org

 

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Drivers are Warned or Penalised for Using Illegal Number Plates

In a three-Force month-long campaign 278 drivers were given a formal penalty for using a misrepresented number plate on their vehicle. Depending on the circumstances, they received a fixed penalty ticket, a vehicle defect rectification notice or a police warning.

Officers from the ANPR Intercept Teams (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) and Road Policing Units of Hertfordshire Constabulary, Bedfordshire Police and Cambridgeshire Constabulary joined forces for the campaign, called Operation Dragon, which ran throughout March.

Regional results were:

Bedfordshire 60 vehicles; Cambridgeshire 62 vehicles; Hertfordshire 156 vehicles

Number plates that are difficult to read correctly are illegal and make it difficult to identify vehicles that are involved in crime, for example, tracing a stolen car or a vehicle used in a getaway after a robbery.

As part of Operation Dragon, ANPR officers looked out for motorists with number plates that:

• displayed adjusted fixings or bolts which alter spaces or obscure characters to appear as something else
• used any font that is not the standard DVLA approved ‘Charles Wright’ font
• used offensive wording
• were not easily readable or recognised by the naked eye.

Number plates should correctly be made from a reflective material. Front number plates must display black characters on a white background and rear number plate must display black characters on a yellow background.

Further information on how a number plate should be correctly displayed can be found on the DVLA website:

 www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/PersonalisedRegAndNumberPlates/DG_181503

ANPR Manager in the joint Beds & Herts Road Policing Unit, Inspector Andy Piper, said: “ANPR teams across Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire work hard to keep their counties safe and tackle criminals coming into these areas to commit crime.

“Addressing misrepresented registrations is a very important part of this on-going work. The month long crack-down across the three counties, when we specifically targeted this particular offence, will be repeated in the summer but is something we look out for on a daily basis.

“If you are displaying a number plate which is illegal, you will be pulled over and could face a fine of up to £1,000. I would therefore urge anyone using a misrepresented plate, or who is not aware of the permitted layout, to familiarise themselves with the correct format and change it as soon as possible.”

How does ANPR work?

The devices are used by police around the UK to detect and remove from the roads serious criminals (including burglars, robbers, drug dealers and fraudsters) unsafe vehicles and unsafe drivers.

ANPR instantly highlights suspicious vehicles to officers so the vehicles can be stopped and the ‘flagged’ issues investigated. The camera can read a number plate every second, and compares it against several local and national databases. It offers a more targeted approach than traditional methods, meaning fewer law-abiding motorists have their journeys interrupted and more criminals and unsafe vehicles are taken off the road.

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Let's Talk Together Meetings

The last Sandy/ Biggleswade meeting was held on  20th October 2011.

On the 22nd March 2012 I discovered that these meeting were being reviewed:

_______________________________________________________________

We’re currently reviewing Let’s Talk Together meetings, and we’d like to hear your views.

If you’ve been to a Let’s Talk Together event, please complete one of the evaluation questionnaires below by 3 February 2012.

• If you’ve attended as a member of the public click here
• If you’ve attended as a representative of a partner organisation or as a representative of a Town or Parish Council, click here
• If you’ve attended as a Ward Councillor / Member, click here

If you’ve got any questions about Let’s Talk Together, or about any other aspect of community engagement, please contact:

Sarah Hughes

Community Engagement Manager

Central Bedfordshire Council

Telephone: 0300 300 8000

 

____________________________________________________

 

I have since discovered that The Customer & Central Services Overview & Scrutiny Committee met on the 27th February 2012 to discuss the issue.

 

The Deputy Executive Member for Corporate Resources presented his report,which summarised the Member Task Force review of the Let’s Talk Together (LTT) meetings, run by the Central Bedfordshire Together Partnership. The report looked at actual delivery, attendance levels and outcomes to date and analysed the role of the meetings in the context of local and national policy, as well as feedback from partners. The report concluded with a number of options as well as a specific recommendation for future delivery frequency and format for consideration by the Committee.

 

Members of the Committee discussed the contents of the report in detail and made a number of comments and observations regarding the following issues:

·

The poor attendance by members of the public;

·

The fact that members of the public have many other opportunities to meet with ward councillors (e.g. at Town Committees & Councillor Surgeries) and that the Council regularly engages with its residents regarding specific consultations (e.g. the budget);

·

An acknowledgement that issue based meetings were more popular than the non-specific LTT format;

·

The need to consider LTT participation at Town & Parish Council Annual General Meetings (AGMs) in addition to attendance at major events such as festivals, fairs and fetes, etc;

·

The need for the Police and other partners to take a lead on face to face engagement;

·

The importance of the Council actively seeking out the public (i.e. at major events) rather than expecting the public to come to it (i.e. at LTT meetings); and

·

The fact that the Council is actively encouraging residents to help themselves via for instance website self service, which perhaps reduces the need for LTT meetings.

 

At the end of the debate, the Committee stated a preference for LTT meetings to “piggyback” existing major community events and Town & Parish Council AGMs, supplemented by a “rapid response” team to deliver ad hoc meetings when important and topical local issues arose.

RECOMMENDATION:

That the Central Bedfordshire Together partnership be advised that this Committee would prefer future LTT meetings to “piggyback” existing major community events and Town & Parish Council AGMs, supplemented by a “rapid response” team to deliver ad hoc meetings when important and topical local issues arose.

Police Seek Witnesses to School Burglaries

Bedfordshire Police are appealing for witnesses after three schools in the Central Bedfordshire area were targeted by burglars in the two days.

Raids have taken place in Blunham, Shefford and Langford with the offenders stealing a considerable amount of computer equipment.

The first raid took place at around 10.20pm on Tuesday May 8 at Samuel Whitbread Upper School in Shefford Road, Clifton when two offenders, who were wearing balaclavas, approached the school gates, broke the lock and then drove a silver Vauxhall Vectra estate up to the reception doors. The duo then tried to smash open the doors with sledgehammer but when this failed, they then kicked the doors in to gain access. After a search of three offices the pair fled the area with £8 in cash.

Ten minutes later a similar offence took place at Langford Lower School in Church Street, Langford when unknown offenders gained access to the school building by forcing a side door with a crowbar. The offenders made their way to the school office where they took money and a small safe before leaving the premises.

On Wednesday May 9 at around 11.10pm a third raid took place at John Donne Lower School in High Street, Blunham. A witness reported seeing two men wearing balaclavas pull up at the school in a silver Vauxhall Vectra before using sledgehammers to break into the location. Once inside the offenders removed a number of laptop computers and stolen loose change from an office.

If you have information relating to any of these burglaries, please contact Sergeant Gary Kidd at 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.

Residents are being urged to register with the UK National Property Register at http://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.

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

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Biggleswade Town Council, Annual Statutory Meeting, Tuesday 8th May 2012, 7pm, The Old Court House, Saffron Road, Biggleswade

This all sounds very grand but basically it is where the Town Mayor and Deputy Mayor for 2012/2013 are elected, having already been decided amongst the Councillors beforehand.

It is also where members are elected to serve on standing  committees; Planning,  Finance & General Purposes, Public Land & Open Spaces, Off Street Car Parking, Personnel & Appeals.

The Appointment of Representatives are also decided for Bedfordshire Association of Town & Parish Councils, Highways, Biggleswade Twinning Committee, Lets Talk Together, Parish Paths Partnership, Sir John Cotton Educational Foundation, Fen Reeves Meetings, Biggleswade Town PLan Steering Group, Ivel Valley Cycle Forum.

Ringmaster - Policing of Luton Protests a Success

5 May 2012

Policing of Luton Protests a Success

This afternoon’s protest in Luton involving the English Defence League and a counter protest organised by Unite Against Facism and others under the collective banner of ‘We are Luton’ has concluded peacefully.

The combined operation by Bedfordshire Police and Luton Borough Council enabled the town centre to remain protest free in order to allow the community and businesses to operate as normally as possible. Bury Park, a key neighbourhood in the town, also reported ‘business as usual’ during the day.

Two people were arrested during the policing operation for minor public order offences and remain in police custody. One was an EDL supporter and the other from the ‘We are Luton’ group.

The policing operation was mounted with the assistance of officers from around 20 police forces. The protestors themselves are thought to have numbered possibly up to 3000 for the EDL and around 1000 ‘We are Luton’ although these are not confirmed.

Isolated incidents of minor disorder occurred when a handful of smoke flares were set off and bottles were thrown towards officers policing the EDL protest, prompting them to put on their protective clothing as a precautionary measure. During the counter ‘We are Luton’ protest some of the group tried to move away from the main march but were pushed back by mounted officers. No further issues were reported.

Paramedics from the East of England Ambulance Service assisted six patients, four were generally unwell and two were injured by accident. Four have had hospital treatment.

Assistant Chief Constable Andrew Richer, who led the operation said: “Over all the policing of these protests has been a resounding success and is testament to everyone involved including the community themselves and our partners. It is disappointing that we saw disorder from some members of Unite Against Fascism, who were part of the ‘We are Luton’ march, who attempted to break out of the agreed protest route. This shows policing of these events is justified as there is such a large area to protect.”

“The policing operation has been in the planning for weeks and the professionalism of the officers was borne out today. We were assisted by 20 forces and it’s a great example of how forces can work together in difficult circumstances.”

“I’d like to thank everyone involved in the planning and execution of the operation, all our partner agencies and in particular the community mediators who volunteered to help us communicate. Their involvement really made a difference. I am confident the town is now back to normal and disruption has been minimised.”

Cllr Hazel Simmons, Leader of Luton Borough Council, said: “I’d like to thank Bedfordshire Police, all the staff at the Council and everyone in the community for coming together and again facilitating a peaceful day in Luton.”
“I was very disappointed that the EDL chose to come to Luton again today so soon after their previous protest in February last year which caused large scale disruption to the people of the town and loss of trade for its businesses.”

“The decision to keep St George’s Square free today for residents to use has proved to be exactly right. The atmosphere in Luton town centre has been positive and relaxed today and people have been able to come into The Mall and also into Bury Park and do their shopping and go about their normal daily business.”

“Initial reports from businesses are that it has been worth staying open today although of course trade was not as brisk as it would normally be. I’d like to thank all the stores for their support. We’ll be talking to everyone over the coming days and weeks to assess the full impact. Work has already well underway to get the town back to normal.

Cllr Simmons continued: “Again, I would like to stress that what happened in town today does not represent the real Luton. The Luton I know is a town where people get along well together, celebrate our diversity and work together to overcome challenges.”

“Now we can get back to planning an exciting summer in Luton, when we will be welcoming the Olympic Torch Relay and hosting the fabulous Love Luton Festival, with top artists performing in our town and our Mela and Carnival for everyone to enjoy. That will be our opportunity to show the country what Luton is really about.”

All roads that were affected by the policing operation are now open and the town is returning to normal.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Ringmaster - More & More 16 Driver Courses

Courses mean MORE skills for young drivers

Young drivers from across Central Bedfordshire will have the opportunity to take courses to improve their driving knowledge and skills as part of an initiative designed to reduce road casualties.

Taking place in May, the MORE 16 and MORE Drive courses offer real-life experience to help young drivers stay safer on the road and are funded by Central Bedfordshire Council in partnership with their Highways Service provider Amey.

Three workshops, covering driving skills, maintenance and safety, will be run by vehicle inspectors and collision investigators from Bedfordshire Police, Bedfordshire and Luton Fire and Rescue Service, Three Shires Driving School and the automotive testing and development track facilities at Millbrook in Bedfordshire.

The MORE 16 programme is aimed at 16 year-olds and their parents and gives young people their first taste of driving as well as giving guidance to parents on choosing a driving instructor and how to help their teens when practising. Parents attending even receive a high-speed passenger ride around a track with a Millbrook pro-driver with competition history in motorsport such as rallying or racing.

MORE Drive offers 17 to 24 year-olds, who have already passed their driving test, the chance to drive on a skid pan and experience ABS braking systems, as well as practising emergency stops at speed to demonstrate the distance it takes to stop at varying speeds.

Twenty-year-old Dani Page, who attended the MORE Drive course last year, said: "It was a great way to learn about real dangers on the road and how to deal with these situations when faced by them. I now have a greater knowledge of a wide range of hazards, how to control a car in a skid and in emergencies to what to do in the event of an accident.

"This knowledge was gained from hands on experience with professional drivers and demonstrations from Police collision investigators and the Fire and Rescue Service. It has changed the way I view things and given me an insight in how easily an incident can occur and what I could do to avoid any situation that I may encounter."

Dani was one of more than 170 young people from across Central Bedfordshire who took part in the MORE 16 and MORE Drive courses during the past year.

Councillor Budge Wells, Deputy Executive Member for Sustainable Communities Services, said: “In Central Bedfordshire between 2009 and 2011, 32% of drivers and 43% of passengers killed or seriously injured were aged between 17 and 24. Young drivers are therefore one of our key priorities, and it would be wonderful if as many of our young people as possible could attend."

"I am delighted that demand for the courses last year was so high. The MORE programmes are a great way for our young people to learn new skills and improve their driving ability. We will be running the courses again on the 13 May, with 72 places available.”

The courses are free and are allocated on a first come, first served basis. For more information on either the MORE 16 or MORE Drive programmes, or to attend the events in May, email roadsafety@amey.co.uk.

For more details see links to leaflets below

LINK  County_MORE_16_May_2012_poster.pdf

LINK  County_MORE_Drive_May_2012.pdf

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