Houghton Regis News Desk

24th March 2013, in Houghton Regis, Bedfordshire


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This week in Funding opportunities, consider:

Tesco Charity Trust Community Awards: The application deadline for Elderly People, Adults and Children with Disabilities is Sunday 31 March 2013.

The Woodward Charitable Trust. The deadline for applications is Monday 1 April 2013. 


Community Grants Co-Financed through the European Social Fund and Skills Funding Agency. The deadline for submission is Friday 19 April 2013


The Inspired Facilities scheme, part of Sport England's Places People Play programme. The closing date for applications is deadline is Friday 29 April 2013. 

CLICK HERE For more information and links  on the above opportunities.

GET FUNDED MARCH 2013 - some hints and tips and info about various funds including Heritage lottery fund, Big Lottery Fund, Voluntary & Community Action, 


TEN TOP TIPS (from NCVO)

• Never ask for anything. Sell an investment opportunity
• Understand funders' strategic aims and objectives - that means don’t apply if you don’t qualify.
• Get very cl…

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This story has been removed from our Facebook Page as some of the comments made were indicative towards a certain individual. Those comments have been passed to police to look into. Thank You for those. If you have further information, please refer it to the Detective's number below.

Detectives in Houghton Regis are asking the public to help identify a man who assaulted a woman in her home during the early hours of this morning, March 18.

The incident happened at a property in the Drury Lane/St Andrew’s Lane area of Houghton Regis at approximately 1.15am when the 80 year old resident, who was watching TV at the time, was disturbed by a knock at her front door.

The victim asked who was at the door and a man responded asking if she was alright. The victim thought that the caller was a neighbour and opened the door before the unknown man barged in to her home, pushed her to the ground, hit her and indecently assaulted her.
It is believed the man was in the property for approximately 45 m…

Wenlok Jug SentencingA man has been sentenced to over two year’s imprisonment in connection with the theft of a 14 th century jug from Stockwood Discovery Centre in Luton.Ronald Nash, aged 23, of Pitwood Green, Tadworth, Surrey was charged with handling stolen property and being concerned in the supply of class A drugs after Bedfordshire Police launched a covert operation to retrieve the jug after it was taken from a high security display cabinet at the museum on Saturday 12 May, 2012.He had pleaded guilty at Luton Crown Court on February 11 and was sentenced to two years three months for handling stolen goods and a further 12 months in relation to the drug offence. These sentences are to be served consecutively meaning Nash will serve a total of three years three months.A second man, Louis Kybert, age 25, of Ferndale Road, Banstead, Surrey also pleaded guilty on February 11 before the same court to the possession of two stun guns and being concerned in the supply of class A drugs aft…

View this story on Facebook.

There is great concern in Houghton Regis about the state of the roundabout at High Street and Bedford Road junction. Whether it be on Facebook groups, representations made to councils, or common chatter at the supermarket checkouts, people are talking about the effect it's having on their vehicles. 





The road is certainly bumpy going on these pictures taken this morning. But "bumpy" may not constitute a pot-hole under the guidelines. Central Bedfordshire Council's criteria is that repairs are made to all potholes in the road that meet the council’s intervention level within 24 hours of inspection. The intervention level is a hole that is a minimum of 50mm deep and 150mm in diameter with vertical sides. This information comes from a Freedom of Information request available to read here.

The HRTC Highways Rep, Cllr Alan Winter, and others, have asked the Highways Authority for Central Bedfordshire to urgently review the area.

Meanwhile, the cont…

PARLIAMENT: In the wake of the "Report of the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust Public Inquiry", local MP Andrew Selous has said that GPs will be doing unannounced spot checks at the Luton and Dunstable hospital. Mr Selous was speaking in the " Accountability and Transparency in the NHS" debate in House of Commons yesterday, 14 March.

Andrew Selous, MP, said, "I am pleased that in Bedfordshire clinical commissioning group, the excellent Dr Paul Hassan has told me that there will be unannounced GP visits to the wards of the Luton and Dunstable hospital and other hospitals to which Bedfordshire sends its patients. There will be private TripAdvisor-style patient reports coming back—not report forms handed by a sister to a patient and filled in while the sister is leaning over them, but done genuinely in privacy so that GPs can get a proper report of what is happening. There will be real-time alert buttons on the keyboards of GPs and clinicians so that they ca…

Central Bedfordshire Council PR 1429 13/03/2013Recycling the past, taking care of the futureFor the last nine months Central Bedfordshire Council have been working with local company MASV Ltd to recycle unwanted electrical items at the same time as providing a valuable work experience program.Working in partnership with the council MASV Ltd refurbish used electrical items left at the councils’ four Household Waste Recycling Centres managed on the council’s behalf by Viridor Waste Management Ltd.MASV Ltd, who launched in 2012, have re-used more than 10 tonnes of electrical waste - or the equivalent of five recycling centre containers - since the project began with the council. This includes:* 800 vacuum cleaners re-used
* the refurbishment and re-use of over 5 tonnes of Hi-Fi equipment
* around 200 SKY boxes re-used in the last three months aloneAll profits are ploughed back into the project which invests in the local community through their work experience program. Damion Miller, th…

Houghton Regis Police Station, Sundon Road, Houghton Regis LU5 5LN Monday to Friday 9am – 1pm and 2pm – 5pm Closed on Saturdays and Sundays 
Dunstable, Houghton Regis and Rural Local Policing Team Dunstable Police Station, West Street, Dunstable LU6 1SJ 7am – 10pm daily
e-mail: LPT.DunstableHR&Rural@bedfordshire.pnn.police.uk www.bedfordshire.police.uk
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Selected images from the Craft Fair held at Bedford Square Community Centre, Houghton Regis on 8th March 2013.

Next Fair on 12th April. Details and Bookings: see Houghton Regis Craft Fair

This is a short round up of events in Bedfordshire, some a bit further afield than we normally look at. Certainly some interesting options for those who love the outdoors. Looking for more? Visit http://www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/leisure/whats-on/default.aspxNordic WalkingDate: Tuesdays 12,19,26 March 2013 Time: 9:30am - 10:30am
Sundays 17,24,31 March 2013 Time: 2:00pm - 3:00pmNordic Walking burns more calories than normal walking and uses all the major muscle groups in the body. Once the technique is perfected it feels easier than conventional walking.Participants join 6 x 1 hour sessions to learn the various techniques. A session or two can be missed and can be picked up quite easily.Wear clothing and footwear suitable for the ground and weather conditions.Cost: for 6 sessions £20 if paid in advance (£16 for friends of the Forest Centre) or £6 per session (£5 for friends)
Advance booking essential -contact Dennis Simpson on 07508827279 or email fortytwa@virginmedia.com
Venue: …

A new "Houghton Regis Community Safety Action Group" has been set up. The group consists of Councillor and staff representatives from the Town and Central Bedfordshire Councils, Bedfordshire Police, Anti-Social Behaviour Team, housing officers, youth workers, community workers and Street Watch. The Action Group also want local people to play their part.

Actual crime statistics show no overall increase.  In the period from 1st November 2012 to 31st January 2013 there has been a 12 per cent reduction in anti-social behaviour compared with the same period last year. But greater awareness of crime through social networking media has heightened concerns.The group aims to help reduce ASB, and ease the fear of crime.

By working together:

The Police and the ASB team have obtained an interim ASBO against a local youth and are currently evaluating evidence against another.

Five young people from the Sandringham Drive area have signed up to Acceptable Behaviour Contracts and enquires are c…

The Adoption and Fostering service is organizing special drop-in meetings this week. To help celebrate lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender week information evenings are to be held on Tuesday the 5th at Chicksands, Shefford SG17 5TQ 6.30pm to 8pm; and Thurs 7th March from 6.30 p.m. to 8 pm at Bedford Borough Council, Borough Hall, Bedford MK42 9AP.
Meetings are open to all, but if you are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender, you are particularly welcome.To find out more call the service on 0300 300 8181. fbk twt

A hit musical will play at the local theatre later this year. And local youth is invited to come and perform in it.
Auditions for a new performance of Bugsy Malone to be performed at Grove Theatre take place later this month. Any young person who is interested in performing is invited to attend one of the sessions.
Saturday 16th March at Dunstable Leisure Centre from 2pm until 3.30pm ages 8 to 12. From 3.30 to 4.30pm ages 13 to 21.
Monday 18th March at Grove Theatre Dunstable from 4.30pm until 6pm for ages 8 to 12. From 6pm until 7.30pm for ages 13 to 21.
More info email info@rareproductions.co.uk
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Central Bedfordshire Council has teamed up with www.getcomposting.com to help you beat the price increase at the start of April. Get composting this Spring and save a little more. As Spring approaches and our thoughts turn to our gardens, make sure you take advantage of a limited offer to get a discounted compost bin. Composting is a great way to help our gardens bloom and more than a third of household waste is made up of organic material which can be composted at home. Grass cuttings, hedge trimmings, unwanted plants, fruit and vegetable peelings, tea bags and even the contents of the vacuum bag are all ideal for composting.Cllr Brian Spurr, Executive Member for Sustainable Communities Services at the council said, “We want to encourage you to reduce the amount of waste that is sent to landfill. Composting selected kitchen and garden waste is an easy and effective way of recycling some of the waste we produce every day, while putting nutrients back into our gardens and the wider env…

At Sustainable Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 28th February at Central Bedfordshire Council, 7 sites were approved for recommendation for Gypsy and Traveller Sites, and 66 pitches.


The recommended sites and number of proposed pitches on each are:


Land West of A6, South of Faldo Road and West of Barton-le-Clay – 10 pitchesLand South West of Park Corner Farm and South of Dunton Lane – 10 pitchesLand East of Potton Road and South of Ram Farm – 10 pitchesLand South of Fairfield and West of Stotfold Rd – 10 pitchesLand East of M1, Tingrith – 4 pitchesLand E of Watling Street and S of Dunstable – 9 pitches1 Old Acres, Barton Road, Pulloxhill – 5 pitches (and authorisation of the current 8 unauthorised pitches already there)

Kennel Farm Holdings, to the east of Biggleswade, was recommended separately as a site for accommodation for Travelling Showpeople.

The committee also recommended to the Executive that the Council look to plan for a total 157 Gypsy and Traveller and 22 pit…