Houghton Regis News Desk

There are 6777 children living in 3938 families who have faced council tax debt in Central Bedfordshire.

The Children’s Society report, “The Wolf at the Door” highlights how children and teenagers are feeling sad, frightened and worried after routinely coming face to face with bailiffs in their own homes, sent by the local council to demand sudden, unrealistic council tax payments.

Last year,  The Children’s Society say that 4302 households were referred to bailiffs in  Central Bedfordshire and that would be the equivalent of 38 bailiff visits for every 1,000 households.

The Children’s Society report “The Debt Trap” highlighted how a third of families in council tax arrears who sought help from their council found it not helpful at all, whilst their latest research shows that councils are often demanding the full year’s council tax amount just 14 days after a family or young person misses their first monthly bill, pushing court summons or the threat of bailiffs soon after.

Councils ar…

Cheering Volunteering Awards 2015To say thank you to the thousands of people in Central Bedfordshire who regularly and freely give their time to help others, Central Bedfordshire Together is hosting the first Cheering Volunteering celebration awards event on Tuesday 2 June at the Grove Theatre, Dunstable from 6.30pm - 9.00pm.


The awards will be divided into six categories:

Young Volunteer of the YearVolunteer of the YearLifetime Achievement AwardUnsung Hero of the YearFundraiser of the YearOutstanding Contribution to Volunteering Award
There will also be a Panel's Choice Award, selected from all nominations received. You can find out more detailed information about the Award categories and the nomination criteria here (PDF 14KB).

Nominating an individual, group or organisation for one of the Cheering Volunteering Awards is easy.


Online
You can simply fill in and submit the online nomination form.


By email
Simply download and complete the nomination form (PDF 30KB), telling us in about 200…

Bedfordshire Police is clamping down on nuisance motorcyclists after an increase in reports in off-road motorcycles and anti-social behaviour in Houghton Regis.

The force is putting a number of measures into place to help curb the problems and bring the offenders to justice.

Chief Insp Gavin Hughes-Rowlands, who looks after policing in Central Bedfordshire, said: “We have received a number of reports of motorcycles being ridden off road and causing issues in Houghton Regis, and we would like to reassure the public that we are working hard to address this problem.

“Two off-road police motorcyclists will be provided to that specific area in the coming weeks in order to directly tackle those responsible, supported by two dedicated uniformed police officers. A number of PCSOs will also be on hand to assist with issues such as recovering seized vehicles.

“We have also been in talks with partner agencies and have agreed a number of measures that will be put in place including new signage, visit…

View from Thorn Rd towards the chalk pit ~ Photo: A D Winter

Consultation starts: March 2015

The consultation closes: 12pm Monday 27th April 2015

About the consultation: Central Bedfordshire Council is proposing to develop a waste park and highways operations hub, to the north-west of Houghton Regis on a site off Thorn Road.  

Three main uses are being proposed:

•      a waste transfer station for bulking up and transporting waste collected from residents’ homes;

•      a new Household Waste Recycling Centre - to replace the site at Frenchs Ave, Dunstable;

•       a Highways Depot providing a base for the road maintenance team and the council’s gritting fleet and salt, together with office accommodation and a vehicle maintenance depot and storage area.

The Waste Transfer Station will accept waste and recycling primarily collected at the kerbside from the Central Bedfordshire Council area. The material will then be bulked up and transported in larger vehicles so that recycling can be sent to …

There are two  meetings at HRTC next week. Members of the public are welcome. Up to 15 minutes at the start of all meetings is available for members of the public to ask questions of  up to 3 minutes each. 

All meetings take place at the Council Offices, Peel Street Houghton Regis.

Full Town Council Meeting Monday  23rd March at 7.30pm 
Link to PDF file for the Agenda.

Environment and Leisure Committee Wednesday 25th March 2015 at 7.30pm 
Link to PDF file for the Agenda. This is an additional meeting not mentioned in the Calendar of Meetings.


A report to go before the Town Council's Environment and Leisure Committee on Wednesday will set the record straight about a controversial new cycle path. The report will state that the land on which the path was built was transferred to the County Council in 1992, under Land Registry Title BD171926, so there was no need for the Town Council to be asked to give permission. Under the same Land registry title, the land for the footpath on south side …

EVERY FLOWER COUNTS – VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR  ANNUAL STOCK TAKE OF UK’s WILDFLOWERS 

Making plants a priority

The new National Plant Monitoring Scheme (NPMS), launching in spring 2015, will for the first time enable scientists to take an annual stock take of the UK’s wild plants and their habitats, but to do this we need the public’s help. We are looking for volunteers to carry out surveys of wildflowers and their habitats that will provide robust evidence of which widespread plants are increasing or declining, as well as indicating the changing state of our most valued habitats such as grassland, fenland and even road verges. Plants are nature’s building blocks and this new monitoring scheme will sit alongside existing schemes for the UK’s birds and butterflies to help us understand more about how the countryside is changing.

For more information on the NPMS and how to take part please visit www.npms.org.uk

Central Bedfordshire Council's Highways department have issued a notice saying that ​"remedial works" are due to start on Houghton Regis High Street.

"From Wednesday 25th March until Friday 24th April there will be remedial works undertaken on footway, tactile paving, kerbing and surfacing taking place on High Street/ Cemetery Road/ Bedford Road, Houghton Regis."

The notice continues, "Please be advised all works will be undertaken whilst maintaining two way traffic flow and will be off peak working hours only (0900-1530). The only impact will be on pedestrians in that footways will be closed and pedestrians diverted to next available crossing points."

"Once these works have been undertaken there will be up to four weekends of works to undertake remedial resurfacing of imprint resurfacing on tables and crossings on High Street & Bedford Road. These works will be undertaken with two way/ three way traffic lights between the hours of 0800-1800 on …

Funding E-Bulletin

NewsletterMarch 2015Voluntary and Community ActionWelcome to the March 2015 issue of the Funding E-Bulletin from Voluntary and Community Action.

ACT FoundationACT provides grants to individuals and other charities, with the aim of enhancing the quality of life for people in need, (specifically the mentally and physically disabled).Applications can be submitted at any time. The Grants Manager, The ACT Foundation (ACT), 61 Thames Street, Windsor, Berkshire, SL4 1QW, Tel: 01753 753900
E-mail: info@theactfoundation.co.uk  Website: http://www.theactfoundation.co.uk/

The Andrew Lloyd Webber FoundationFunding is available to not-for-profit organisations, including charities, companies and community trusts, for projects in the areas of culture and the arts that make a real and ongoing difference to people’s lives in the UK. Applications can be made at any time. The Foundation aims to provide a decision within five to eight months. Sarah Miller, The Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundatio…

Central Bedfordshire Council are hosting a free business continuity event which will offer information and advice about how organisations can cope with disasters and emergency situations on Tuesday, 17 March.

Read more ...

Local Crime MessageIncident Type: BurglariesLocation: Houghton Regis.Date and Time:  On Thursday the 12th of MarchIncident Details: Two incidents have been reported in this time period. The first is an attempted shed burglary on Enfield Close. The offenders have attempted to enter a shed.
The offenders have been disturbed by a resident's dog.
Entry was not gained.
The offenders made off and, nothing appears to have been taken. The second is a garage burglary, on Fenwick Road. The offenders have forced entry, using an unknown implement.
A search was made.
Tools and, two bicycles have been taken.Crime Reference: J D / 9 7 0 9 / 2015 and, J D / 9 7 2 5 / 2015.Crime Reduction Advice: Secure gates, keep fences and walls in good repair and consider defensive planting or trellis.Keep yo…

Eric Pickles has left the decision on development at Bedford Rd Houghton Regis to the local planning authority (Central Beds). This application was for 169 homes by Taylor-Wimpey. Go to http://j.mp/cbcplanning and search for CB/14/03056/FULL



reblogged from richard-stay

At a meeting of the Houghton Regis Town Council's Planning & Licensing Committee tonight,  members unanimously agreed a number of objections to the outline planning application for land at Bidwell and Thorn, after considering an expert opinion report.

Outline 'hybrid' planning application with details of main access routes, primary road network and associated drainage in detail only and layout in outline with details of landscaping, appearance and scale reserved for later determination. Development to comprise: Up to 1,850 residential (C3) dwellings (including affordable housing), 2FE Primary School (D1), employment land (Use Classes B1 , B2 & B8), local centre comprising retail (A1, A2, A3, A4 & A5) and community/leisure uses (D1 & D2), layout of public open spaces including sports pitches and changing rooms, natural wildlife area and wildlife warden building (D2) and all associated works and operations including engineering operations and earthworks

In brie…