Houghton Regis News Desk

Ten departments from Bedfordshire Police took part in the first schools road show trial last week which proved to be an instant hit with pupils and teachers alike. The project, aimed at 11 to 15 year olds, reached 3000 young people as members of the  force were welcomed by students and staff at the Barnfield South Academy, Cardinal Newman School, Putteridge High School and Lea Manor. Members of the Local Policing Team were be joined by Roads Policing, Scenes of Crime Officers, Recruitment and other specialised departments from the force. There was also a helping hand thanks to colleagues from Cambridge and Hertfordshire who supported the week by sending officers form the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Firearms Unit. The aim of the initiative was to allow young people an insight in to the daily work of the police service, dispel any rumours or myths about how officers work, introduce young people to different areas of policing incl

Work is due to start to install new CCTV cameras along Dunstable’s Dog Kennel Walk.  The improvements, funded by Central Bedfordshire’s Travel Choices, are designed to improve safety and drive out crime and antisocial behaviour along the path, which forms part of National Cycle Network Route 6. Seven cameras will be installed, which should be fully operational by the end of February 2015, providing a solution which will use  a combination of existing circuits and secure wireless technology to send images to the control room. Dog Kennel Walk  will remain open while the work takes place  but there may be some disruption  for a short period when the poles are erected. Cllr Nigel Young, Executive Member for Strategic Planning and Economic Development at Central Bedfordshire Council, said: “‘The addition of CCTV to Dog Kennel Walk should help to make the route safer and more pleasant for residents to use, improving connectivity between Dunstable and Houghton Regis and the countryside beyond

On Friday 24th October 2014, The Council submitted the development plan for Central Bedfordshire and all of its supporting documents to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government. The plan sets out plans for delivering 31,000 new homes over the next 20 years and 27,000 jobs to meet local needs up to 2031. The Council received more than 1600 individual comments to the most recent consultation which ran for eight weeks from 30th June to 26th August.  All of these responses will now be considered by an independent Planning Inspector appointed by the Secretary of State to determine whether the Plan is ‘sound’ and legally compliant. What Happens Next? It is expected that the Inspector will hold a Public Examination in spring 2015. Individuals who made objections and sought changes to the document during the formal consultation over the summer and requested to attend the hearings will be invited to attend the hearing sessions to present their argument to the Planning

Tickets from All Saints Church, Houghton Regis Library, or Houghton Regis Town Council Offices

It has been agreed that all nine Children Centres in Central Bedfordshire should stay open and should have a greater focus on helping new mums and dads during the critical first 12 months of their child's life when positive parenting support can make the most difference. Central Bedfordshire Councillors made this decision at their Executive meeting this week. The new model service will include: A universal service up until a baby’s first birthday. Access to valued services such as breast feeding, weaning and health advice. A parenting course will be offered to all families during the first year. Signposting and access to other community groups and services. A universal service for families with children up to five including health Visitor Clinics, two year old checks, advice on diet and oral hygiene and speech and language drop in. Targeted work for families with specific identified needs. For more information about support for families in Central Bedfordshire, visit: http://www.ce

A report to Houghton Regis Partnership Committee this week revealed that from June to September 2014 there were 5 recorded CCTV incidents that resulted in one arrest being made. On July 8th male youths followed and assaulted another male near Bedford Road. On July 11th 3 camper vans and vehicles failed to gain access to the cemetery. On August 5th a sexual assault resulted in an arrest. On September 29th 2 young males damaged a late night pharmacy in Tithe Farm Road and made off. On September 29th details of a vehicle involved in a GBH incident at Morrisons were captured. A report to the committee also looked at crime figures for the past year ( October 2013 and September 2014). Total recorded crimes fell by 14 to 1527, serious acquisitive crimes increased by 5% to 407, while domestic burglaries increased by 25% to 114. The Houghton Regis Partnership Committee is a meeting of Houghton Regis Town Councillors, Central Bedfordshire Councillors, and officers from both councils.

​ New Dog Order Controls come into force from tomorrow (19 October)​. ​ It will be an offence not to pick up dog mess from all land in Central Bedfordshire which the public can access, rather than just in towns and villages. Anyone in charge of a dog will be offending if they:  Fail to remove dog mess on any open land in Central Bedfordshire. ​ ​Allow ​a dog off a lead on any land to which a ‘dogs on leads’ order is in place – laws already apply to A and B roads and adjoining footpaths and verges, but are being extended to cover cemeteries, marked sports pitches, and the car parks of some country parks.  Fail to put it on a lead when ordered to do so by an authorised council officer, dog warden, site manager or park ranger, if the dog is not under proper control and is causing a nuisance to others.  Allow their animal to enter or remain in an area from which dogs are excluded, such as enclosed children’s playgrounds and multi-use games areas. Anyone who fails to do so

The East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust (EEAST) has received confirmation from trade unions that members will be taking part in industrial action starting at 7am on Monday (13th October). The action will take the form of a strike between 7-11am and is part of a national dispute over NHS pay. At the moment, the Trust does not know how many staff will take industrial action but it is likely that the service will experience a reduction in its available workforce during these hours on Monday. Steve Wheaton, Assistant Chief Ambulance Officer for Resilience and Specialist Operations said: “A considerable amount of contingency planning has taken place in preparation for this strike.  We have been working closely with our union colleagues to ensure that those who need an emergency ambulance response get one.” He continued: “However, there is likely to be some disruption to the 999 service and as always we are urging the public to think about using alternative services especially

A fresh application for a "proposed development of 12 x 1 bedroom flats arranged in 3 blocks of 2 storeys with parking and all ancillary works" goes before Houghton Regis Town Council tomorrow evening (Monday) evening for local councillors to make their comments. The applicant's site is at The Dog And Duck, Parkside Drive, which is currently undergoing major refurbishment of the commercial premises downstairs, and 1 large upstairs flat is being converted to three smaller flats. The 12 new flats would be built on the present car parking area. 21 parking spaces for visitors to the commercial premises would be provided on land at the northern side. Local people have long regarded the northern side as public amenity land, but it does in fact form part of the applicants site. On the southern edge of the applicant's site is a car park owned by the Town Council which is heavily used at weekends by visiting football teams. The application can be viewed online at   http:

New Work Clubs launched to boost employment and skills New Work Clubs for adults who are looking for jobs, training, further learning or volunteering, have launched. The free clubs, run by Voluntary and Community Action in partnership with Central Bedfordshire Council have qualified advisers at every session to help with job searches, preparing a CV or job application, interview preparation, and exploring career options or volunteering as a way of getting into work, changing career or developing skills and interests. The Work Clubs are open from 9.30 to 12.00pm and 1.00pm to 3.00pm at the following local locations:  *   Houghton Regis Kingsland – every Tuesday morning at the Kingsland Skills and Enterprise Centre, Parkside Drive LU5 5PY  *   Houghton Regis Town Centre – every Monday afternoon at Houghton Regis Library (Meeting Room), Bedford Square, Tithe Farm Road LU5 5ES  *   Dunstable Town Centre – every Tuesday at Grove Corner, 76a High Street North LU6 1NF            

Bedfordshire Police launched a major crackdown on burglary across the South of the county this week. Working with local authorities and partners Operation Albiorix, which runs throughout October and November, aims to prevent and reduce the seasonal increase in burglaries during this period. The Police will be focusing on South Bedfordshire’s burglary hotspots to detect crimes, deter and arrest offenders and reassure residents they are fighting crime, and protecting the public. Chief Inspector Tania Coulson explains: “It is well known that burglary increases each autumn as the nights draw in, with offences peaking in November just as people prepare for Christmas. Operation Albiorix aims to improve intelligence, increase the detection and deterrence of already identified offenders, step up support for victims and inform residents of the best ways to protect their home and property. “With Operation Albiorix we are trying something different, both with our partners and with our approach; u

Houghton Regis Town Council's Pride of Houghton Awards were held at All Saints Academy on Wednesday. Pictured here are the three award winners. The Right Track Community Café for "Always putting 100% effort to make the café work every week, with a huge smile on their face". Sally Langford for "A ray of sunshine, always ready to help give her time and energy to making everyone feel special". Adeyinka Akinrinade for "Invaluable member of Art Town, always showing a keen interest to learn, always wanting to lend a hand". Making the presentations was Town Mayor, Councillor Laura Ellaway. Guests were welcomed by Town Clerk, Clare Evans, followed by a speech by the Town Mayor. Cllr Ellaway told the audience that her nomination in 2008, before she was a councillor, was a winner, and never thought that she would one day be in a position to present the awards to local people herself. Mr. Hunt, a long term resident of the town, gave a talk of the '

There was a burglary at Westminster Gardens on Sunday the 5th of October, between 3:30 p.m. and, 8:15 p.m. The offenders have gained entry by smashing glass in the rear door, and have made a messy search. Various items were taken. Crime Reference : J D / 3 8 6 3 7 / 2014.  There was an attempted burglary at Enfield Close. Offenders have attempted to forced open the garage shutter. No entry was gained, damage has been caused. Crime Reference: J D / 3 8 6 0 4 / 2014. Crime Reduction Advice Check that all doors, windows and side gates are locked at all times. Ensure that security lighting covers the building. Make sure that any connecting doors in the house are secure at all times. Consider fitting a garage alarm; valuable property can be secured in a cage or bolted to the ground. Make your boundaries difficult or impossible to climb over. Keep doors and windows locked at all times. Remove all keys from the locks and keep them in a safe place out of view.

T he Bedfordshire and Luton Casualty Reduction Partnership is going to be running a free winter skills training event to help riders feel confident on the roads throughout the colder months. The event takes place  on Sunday 19 October at Dunstable Community Fire Station . Riders will learn about the hazards of  riding in the winter months , suitable clothing,  and what to do if you are first on the scene of a collision. R ider s will have the chance of  a slow riding skills training session from a qualified instructor . A  Senior Observer at the Herts and Beds Advanced Motorcyclists organisation will attend. Chief Inspector Hann of the Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire Road Policing Unit, said: “Winter presents a number of new challenges to motorcyclists, particularly when the weather is poor and the temperature drops. This course will really help to give riders confidence and teach them skills that will help to ensure they are safe. “We want to help local people and mot

Please find link below for this weeks’ projects and opportunities :-   https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0ByQBCAHt4M8scVF4RHU0UWlWa0k&usp=sharing