Houghton Regis News Desk

At 16:34 on 25 August Roger Guigno posted this picture to his "Stop the Destruction of the Kingsland Wildlife Site" Facebook Group, stating, "Sorry Houghton Regis but sometimes direct action is the only way. If CBC cant arrange to pick a few bags of rubbish up from the Woodside Link then maybe they will collect it from Town Council"

At 17:25 On February 25th, Houghton Regis Town Council posted the picture (top) to their Facebook Page, saying, "Houghton Regis Town Council is sad to report that a number of pink and black refuse bags were 'flytipped' on our forecourt this afternoon. Not only has this caused disruption to our neighbours in Peel Street, but there is a financial cost to the Town Council of having this refuse removed by a professional company (please note that refuse collection and environmental services in the town are managed by Central Bedfordshire Council, and not the Town Council)."

"The refuse was dumped at 4.08pm on the back…

Houghton Regis News Desk - fly-tipping

The key behaviours to help you improve your online security are:
Install the latest software and app updates
• They contain vital security updates which help protect your device from viruses and hackers • Security updates are designed to fix weaknesses in software and apps which could be used by hackers to attack your device. Installing them as soon as possible helps to keep your device secure • You can choose to install updates at night when you are asleep and your device is plugged in or set your mobile or tablet to automatically update your apps when you are connected to Wi-Fi and an update is available • You can also set laptops and desktops to automatically install software updates when an update is available
Use a strong, separate password for your email account (you can use three random words or numbers to create a strong password). • Hackers can use your email to access many of your personal accounts, by asking for you password to be reset, and find out personal information, such as …

Police-recorded crime has risen by 10% across England and Wales – the largest annual rise for ten years - according to the very latest Office for National Statistics figures.
The figures show almost 5 million crimes in England and Wales were recorded by the police for the 12 months to March this year – up 10% on the same period in 2015/16.
Police recorded 458,021 more offences compared with the previous year, which the ONS said was driven by an increase in violence – police recorded an 18% rise in violent crime, including a 20% surge in gun and knife crime.
Jayne Pascoe, Strategic Partnerships Director for Neighbourhood Watch, said: "We have also seen a rise in burglary and robbery but we do need to be mindful that these recent increases should be seen in the context of substantial falls in such crimes over the last 20 years.


"However it's timely to remind supporters of the importance of staying vigilant and looking out for each other and being aware of what's happening…

Dog theft is on the rise, and as such, Neighbourhood Watch and Dogs Trust are urging the public to be vigilant and report any suspicious activity. In 2016 alone, nearly 1,800 instances of dog theft were reported to police forces across England and Wales. 
Information obtained by Dogs Trust through a Freedom of Information request also reveals that gardens, closely followed by the home, are the most common areas from which dogs were reported stolen. Lee Paris, Campaigns Officer at Dogs Trust, told Our News : "It is a sad day when we have to issue these types of warnings, but with instances of dog theft becoming more prevalent, we want to ensure that dog owners are aware of the dangers so that they can help keep their beloved pets safe. Theft of any item is distressing, but when a dog is stolen, who many consider a part of the family; the experience can be even more distressing." 
The most common breed of dog reported as stolen was the Staffordshire Bull-terrier, followed then b…

An application to redevelop an area that includes parkland and a county wildlife woodland site with a scheduled monument, and a house that is being considered for a formal listing with a Building Preservation Notice, has been turned down.

A decision notice has appeared on the Central Bedfordshire Council Planning website today, as decided on 28 July 2017, delegated to council officers.

A campaign was launched by Alan Winter, editor at Houghton Regis News Desk, in January 2017, and gained 350 supporters in the first week, with 523 supporters at the end of July 2017.

Of particular note to the "Save the Building" campaign, the refusal of the outline planning permission states, "The proposed development would also necessitate the demolition of the existing house at Oakwell Park and its associated buildings which comprise heritage assets with both intrinsic and regional significance which are currently being considered for formal listing and subject to a Building Preservati…

Central Bedfordshire Council is pleased to announce the contract for the Visitor Centre café at Houghton Hall Park has been awarded to Fresh Start Catering.

The café will serve a variety of local produce, coffees, hot food and refreshments for park users, and will also have the potential for hospitality catering and event opportunities.

Staff are currently being recruited for particular role opportunities and a small focus group will meet on August 31st to provide feedback for pricing and menu options.

Andrew Howarth, Business Development Director at Fresh Start Catering said, “Our philosophy is based around serving fresh, locally sourced healthy menus for all age ranges. Some of our fruit and vegetables will be grown in the kitchen garden at Houghton Park thanks to the Head Gardener.

We want the Park Café to be part of the local community supporting local suppliers and employing from the Houghton Regis area.

We look forward to meeting all our new customers in this beautiful new café…

A traineeship could be your first step to your dream career


If you are looking to work in childcare but have no work experience, a traineeship could be perfect for you.


It’s just one of the opportunities that the Central Bedfordshire Academy of Social Work and Early Intervention is offering learners over the coming months.


Traineeships give people with no work experience the chance to gain vital skills both in a classroom setting and in a local nursery or pre-school.


Megan Rump started her dream of working in childcare by doing a traineeship and is now a year and a half into a two-year Advanced Childcare Apprenticeship at Downside Pre-School, in Dunstable where she will achieve a Level 3 Diploma in Early Years Education.


She said: “When I finished college I was finding it very difficult to find work. So, I went to 4YP, who are a charity, and the lady there was really helpful and got me on to a traineeship.


“I really enjoyed the traineeship – you get lots of support when you are doing …

When the snow falls, will you be able to get to work? And will the wheels of local business be able to carry on turning?

Central Bedfordshire Council is seeking the public’s views on the planned routes that the council (and its emergency services partners) have identified as a priority in the event of extreme weather.

A 'Resilient Highways Network' identifies the particular roads that would be given priority during adverse events, such as extreme weather. When extreme weather occurs (floods, storms, ice, snow etc), the main concern for Central Bedfordshire Council will be to keep these roads open in order to maintain economic activity to town centres, industrial estates and business parks, and access to key services such as schools, railway stations, key food shops, petrol stations, hospitals, police, fire services etc.

These are the main roads around Dunstable and Houghton Regis that they will aim to keep open:
The consultation is open from 7 August 2017 until 30 October 201…

By Alan Winter
Ridge tiles off, and clay roof tiles missing. This was the sorry state of the roof of a Grade II Listed Building in Houghton Regis this morning. The building, known as The Red House, is owned by Central Bedfordshire Council who say they will be erecting scaffolding "this summer".


Concern was raised on social media at the end of July by a former town councillor, Deborah Hamill, who wrote, "Went to the bottle bank this afternoon, tiles off the roof in places, fence down looks completely run down. The next thing you will be telling us it has to come down because it hasnt been protected!!! For goodness sake we let planners ruin our village years ago, lets look after what we have left!!!"



Central Bedfordshire Council issued a statement at the end of July saying, "Over the summer scaffolding will be going up around the Grade II listed Red House. This will allow us to carry out a full structural survey of the property to work out what needs to be done …