Houghton Regis News Desk

Posts

Time to Have Your Say on the Proposed New Houghton Regis Leisure Centre

Consultation opened: Wednesday, 19 January 2022 Consultation closes: Wednesday, 16 February 2022 Central Bedfordshire Council is asking residents to look through detailed information on a new community facility at Kingsland, Parkside, Houghton Regis and to provide their opinions by answering questions and leaving comments on an online feedback form. Residents can also make suggestions for a name for the new facility. >> Look at the information and respond here. A consultation and engagement event will take place on: Saturday 29th January between 11 am and 4 pm in Bedford Square close to the community library. The event will allow residents to meet members of the project team, look at the plans, ask questions and provide feedback. Given the ongoing pandemic, the event will be in the concourse to enable better ventilation and will observe the latest COVID-19 guidance. People planning to visit are kindly asked to take a lateral flow test beforehand and not to attend if they have

Read on ...

Selous on Levelling Up Fund - What about GPs for South Bedfordshire?

- 19.1.22

Levelling Up: East of England — [Esther McVey in the Chair] – in Westminster Hall at 9:30 am on 18th January 2022. Andrew Selous The Second Church Estates Commissioner 10:07 am, 18th January 2022 It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Ms McVey. I congratulate my hon. Friend Peter Aldous on bringing this much-needed debate. Sometimes gratitude is in slightly short supply where the Government are concerned, so I start with a thanks before I come on to my shopping list, because the town of Houghton Regis in my constituency received £19.9 million for a new community wellbeing centre hub, which I am very pleased about . It is much needed. We have a new one in Dunstable, and the local authority just committed to a new one in Leighton Buzzard, so this completes the piece. I am extremely grateful. An enormous number of new homes are being built in my area. Around 14,000 are going up—about 8,000 north of Houghton Regis and around 6,000 to the east of Leighton Buzzard. My partic

Read on ...

£100 fine and 3 penalty points if your windscreen is obscured

- 18.1.22

Motorists risk their vehicles being stolen if they leave them running and unattended while their windscreens defrost. The warning has been issued by the tri-force Road Policing Unit (RPU) for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire, as overnight temperatures continue to dip below zero. PC Grant Duke, from the RPU, said, “No-one looks forward to defrosting their windscreen on a cold morning but everyone must stay with their vehicle while they do so. If you leave your vehicle running and unattended, you make it an easy target for criminals. Unfortunately, there are unscrupulous individuals out there who will be on the lookout for these opportunities on icy mornings.” It is also important that motorists defrost their windscreens fully before setting out on a journey. A frozen or partially defrosted windscreen makes it difficult to see properly, putting lives at risk. Motorists caught driving with obscured vision can receive a £100 fine and three penalty points for careless dr

Read on ...

Residents encouraged to join RSPB Birdwatch as part of wider wildlife drive

- 17.1.22

The first residents of Linmere in Houghton Regis, Bedfordshire, are being encouraged to take part in the RSPB's annual Big Garden Birdwatch later this month as part of the development's wider focus on enhancing the natural environment across the new village. The annual event asks householders to record the number and type of birds visiting their gardens or local park, with more than a million taking part across the UK last year. The Linmere initiative is part of its month-long ‘Love Garden Visitors' drive aimed at highlighting the numerous natural attractions of the new development and its surroundings. Linmere's community ranger Richard Eltringham from national charity the Land Trust is responsible for looking after more than 190 acres of natural habitat and green space across Linmere. And he will be distributing information about the Birdwatch through letterboxes as part of his campaign to involve the community in engaging with the nature on their doorstep. As well

Read on ...

Beds Fire and Rescue Service Priorities and Budget Consultation 2022/23

- 12.1.22

Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service (BFRS) has launched a consultation on its proposals for Service delivery and its Budget and Council Tax requirements for 2022/23. BFRS is engaging with the local community to seek views on its priorities and proposals to increase contributions to its funding from council tax. You can view the full consultation document here. If you haven't already responded they would really appreciate your feedback. You can take part in the consultation here. The Community Risk Management Plan (CRMP) which you can view here , sets out how BFRS propose to focus its efforts on delivering next year. The Fire and Rescue Authority is currently considering a council tax increase of 1.99% , increasing the Band D charge to £104.45 per annum or an increase for a Band D property of £2.04 per year or just under 4 pence per week . BFRS would like your views on whether this increase is reasonable or not. They would also like to hear any ideas you have for future savings