Houghton Regis News Desk

»Result - 1st XV - Dunstablians 20 Nuneaton Old Edwardians 12
»Result - Under 17's - Herts & Middx League Div 3 - Letchworth U17 20-16 Dunstablians U17
»Result - 3rd XV - Kempston (22) - (8) Dunstablians
»Result - Under 15's - Bedford Blues (30) - (5) Dunstablians
»Fixture - 29th September 2012 - 1st XV - Vipers vs Dunstablians
»Fixture - 30th September 2012 - Under 17's - Training vs Training
»Fixture - 29th September 2012 - 2nd XV - Dunstablians vs Peterborough 3rds
»Fixture - 29th September 2012 - 3rd XV - Old Northamptonians 4ths vs Dunstablians
»Fixture - 30th September 2012 - Under 16's - Dunstablians vs Welwyn
»Fixture - 30th September 2012 - Under 15's - training vs training
»Fixture - 30th September 2012 - Under 13's - Dunstablians vs Harpenden
»Fixture - 30th September 2012 - Under 12's - Training vs Training
»Fixture - 30th September 2012 - Under 11's - Training vs Training
»Fixture - 30th September 2012 - Under 10's - Training vs Tr…

Matters directly affecting Houghton Regis are to be discussed next week.
"Houghton Regis North Framework Plan" and "Woodside Link" are on the agenda of the Executive Meeting of Central Bedfordshire Council.
Date: Tuesday, 2 October 2012  at 9.30 a.m.
Venue  : Council Chamber, Priory House, Monks Walk, Shefford
MEMBERS OF THE PRESS AND PUBLIC ARE WELCOME TO ATTEND THIS MEETING 

Houghton Regis North Framework Plan - "To adopt the Framework Plan as technical guidance for Development Management purposes."
The documents for this can be viewed here: http://www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/modgov/ieIssueDetails.aspx?IId=27247&Opt=3
Especially read: http://www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/modgov/documents/s37987/08%20Houghton%20Regis%20North%20Framework%20Plan%20-%20Appendix%20B.pdf

It is interesting to note that the document now includes the words, "Where it can be demonstrated by means of a transport assessment for any planning application that critical inf…

A new project to get people to think less about using their cars, and more about walking or using a cycle has been launched by Central Bedfordshire Councillors who met in Grove Theatre last week for a presentation.

Councillor Angela Barker, the chairman of the Central Bedfordshire Council, said: “If it isn’t that far, why not walk? It’s free, easy and you can see more of our lovely area.”

source: http://www.dunstabletoday.co.uk/news/local/walk-this-way-to-ease-traffic-1-4285121

A Houghton Regis woman has been sentenced to six months in prison after being found guilty of falsely claiming benefits.

Christina Wincheser, 54, of Drury Lane pleaded guilty to knowingly failing to report to Central Bedfordshire Council a
nd the Department for Work and Pensions that she had started work in April 2003.

Starting work affected her entitlement to Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit from the council, and she also received overpayments of £35,400.32 from the Department for Work and Pensions.

Mrs Winchester will also have to repay the £18,771.54 Housing Benefit and £4,506.60 Council Tax Benefit she received unlawfully, as well as full repayments to the Department for Work and Pensions.
Central Bedfordshire Council have a 24 hour a day confidential fraud hotline - 0300 3005557 for anyone who suspects someone might be claiming benefits fraudulently.

For information about paying Council Tax or to find out whether you are eligible for Council Tax or Housing Benefit  call Cent…

Did you know that an SOS Bus operates in Luton? SOS Luton Bus helps to make Luton even safer by offering a 24 hour 365 day mobile health, medical and community engagement vehicle.

Driver, Rob Shimmin, pictured,  is one of the SOS team’s volunteers. Rob is also a town councillor for Parkside, Houghton Regis.

Rob told News Desk, “We’re based in the SOS bus outside St. George’s Square, Luton on a Friday and Saturday between 9:00pm and 4:00am . The team provides emergency first aid and medical care, avoiding the need to  send people to hospital, and hugely cutting down the number of  999 calls to the ambulance service.”

The presence of the SOS team helps to reduceanti-social and criminal behavior caused by alcohol/drug misuse, and is a source of comfort to anyone out on the streets and possibly in trouble of some kind.

Rob, “Our presence has definitely cut down on the violent crime and fights caused by alcohol or drug misuse. We’re a comfort to the people who are vulnerable and may have…

So, you're housebound, or you know someone who is, and they can't get to the library? Illness, frailty, or disability need not stop you enjoying the local library service.

If you are on this service, you can take out an unlimited amount of items on loan for up to 4 weeks. There are no charges for items such as CD's DVD's, spoken word, or requests.

if you are unable to come to the library yourself, or do not know someone who can come for you, then the library will arange a volunteer to do so, for you. Following a brief consultation, an arrangement can be made on a regular basis.

To find out more call the library on 0300 300 8058 to speak to a member of Houghton Regis Library staff.

Following on from the success of last year, Bedford Borough Libraries and Central Bedfordshire Libraries would like to invite you to their 3rd Bedfordshire Readers' Day.

The full and varied programme will include Judy Astley, a key note speaker, a writer of fiction and non-fiction, author of almost 20 books. Ali Knight, Rory Clements, Martin Davies, Christina Hopkinson, and Erin Kelyy will also be making an appearance. They are all authors with a tale to tell, and the event is being sponspored by publishers Hodder & Stoughton.

There will be a chance to meet the authors, buy signed copies of their books, and meet other book groups acorss the county.

DATE AND TIME: 13th October 2012, 101am to 4pm

Booking for the event closes on 29th September. The price is £8.00, including refreshments and buffet lunch. Cheques to "Central Bedfordshire Council" to Maggi Alexander, Dunstable Library, Operations Unit, Vernon Place, Dunstable, Beds, LU5 4HA

VENUE: Flitwick Village Hall,…

Would you like a better voice in society?

Bedfordshire Race and Equalities Council have organised a series of sessions open to women, older people, young people, people with disabilities, and people from Black and Ethnic Minority communities.

Lively sessions will help you to develop your self confidence, have greater choices, opportunities and skills ind ealing with others.

The sessions are being held in the Houghton Regis Library. If interested contact Tel 01234 350459 or email bedfordrec@btconnect.com

Central Bedfordshire Council are at an early stage in producing a document that seeks views on what the Gypsy and Traveller Local Plan should contain. The proposed contents for the Gypsy and Traveller Plan can be viewed on Council’s website from today.


View the consultation document

To make comments by email or in writing, you can download a comments form from the Central Bedfordshire Council website.

Copies of the document and comment forms will also be available by contacting the LDF team on 0300 300 8307 or by email to

Paper copies can also be viewed locally at:
Houghton Regis Town Council Offices (Tithe Farm Road / Peel Street)
Houghton Regis (Bedford Square, Council Customer Services Centre)

When commenting on individual sections or policies, the only matters that can be taken into account by the Council are planning related. For example, issues relating to amenity, visual impact, highways, biodiversity and other planning matters. Comments about the intended users cannot be take…

Hoardings have appeared outside the Doctors Surgery in Peel Street. Planning permission for a single storey front extension was granted last December for a new pharmacy. A new lobby entrance to the surgery will be created, and in that lobby area will be a serving hatch to the new pharmacy. View plans

OTHER STORIES FROM OUR FACEBOOK PAGE THIS WEEK ENDING 14/9/2012
This summer damage was caused to Tithe Farm Pavilion, at the recreation ground. Thieves broke down a wall, causing damage to a gas pipe, and removed equipment that had been stored there. The Town Council faced repair bills of £906.

The September edition of the "Town Crier" from Houghton Regis Town Council is now available online (pdf needs Adobe) -
http://www.houghtonregis.org.uk/downloads/TownCrierSep2012.pdf

News Central - now available online (pdf needs Adobe) http://www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/Images/NewsCentral_Autumn2012_WebSpreads_tcm6-34354.pdf
Dunstable's "New Vision" appears to include taking over Houghton Regis! News Central -

"7&8 - New family homes and new business" will hopefully be bringing new shoppers and new jobs to Houghton Regis, if you please!

BENEFIT CHEAT CAUGHT: A local woman has been found guilty of fraudulently claiming Housing Benefits and now faces repaymen…

It was "standing room only" at Monday night's Planning and Licensing Committee of the Houghton Regis Town Council, as members of the public turned out in strength to voice their disapproval of a planning application for a Petrol Filling Station on the site of the former Netto store, currently being run as a Morrison's store in Cemetery Road.

Comments from the public are added to comments from the town council to forward to the Central Bedfordshire Council who make the final decision. The earliest decision on Planning Application CB/12/02909/FULL will be taken on 16 / 09 / 2012.

Apart from the Town Council, other consultees include: Highways Team, Rights of Way Officer - Central South, Disability Discrimination Officer, Public Protection South, Bedfordshire Police.

Public comments are encouraged; Click this link and then look for "Submit A Public Online Comment".

Download this useful "Factsheet: Grounds for Objecting to Planning Applications&…

The 51st Summer Show of the Houghton Regis Horticultural Society, Memorial Hall 8 September 2012.


For information about the Society contact Mrs C Benstead, 8 Leafields, Houghton Regis, LU5 5LX

Our Facebook Page statistics show that many more people actually see the posts than "Like" the page. We had 857 Likes on 6/9/2012. The split of readership is about one third male, two thirds female, while some 60% of our readership is aged between 25 and 44. T
View Posts: The size of the purple bubbles on the bottom line is representative of the number of posts made per day. People Talking About This: The number of unique people who created a story; a story is a page like, a wall post by a visitor, a story share, a question answered, mentions the Page, checks in, or recommends the Page. Weekly Total Reach: Around the 17/18th August over 3,000 unique people had seen any content associated with the Page in the previous seven days. The weekly total reached has dropped over the summer period.

01/09/2012 - 01/10/2012 Blue September
Blue September is a nationwide awareness and fundraising initiative about all the cancers that affect men – not just prostate and testicular cancer, but also bowel, lung, liver and other cancers. The campaign aims to raise funds for more work by the Men’s Health Forum charity to raise men's awareness of cancer and help them to reduce the risk of developing and dying from cancer by making better lifestyle choices and seeking help sooner rather than later.
01/09/2012 - 30/09/2012 CMT Awareness Month (Charcot-Marie-Tooth)
An international collaboration of organisations ALL supporting people affected by Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, the UK's most common inherited neurological condition, affecting 1 in 2500 of the population. But who has heard of it?
02/09/2012 - 08/09/2012 Migraine Awareness Week
Raising awareness of migraine and offering advice to the one in eight people affected.
09/09/2012 - 09/09/2012 Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Nation…