22 July 2009                                              Conservatives Slam U-Turn On Lorry Ban

It has been announced today that long-awaited vehicle weight restrictions in North East Bedfordshire have stalled 

This follows a decision by the Liberal Democrat Portfolio Holder for Environment, Cllr Royden, who has asked for the scheme to be put on hold until later this year, despite extensive public consultation and a decision by the former County Council approving the ban earlier this year.

A Traffic Regulation Order had been approved by Bedfordshire County Council banning heavy goods vehicles over 7.5 tonnes from using various roads in a large area of Great Barford, Chawston, Colmworth, Ravensden, Renhold, Roxton, Wilden, Willington & Wyboston.

Conservative Borough Councillor for Great Barford Ward, Carole Ellis, who has been campaigning for these restrictions to be introduced to improve road safety, confirmed:

“I was assured by the Council that the signs informing lorry drivers of the restrictions would be put up very soon.”

“I am appalled that the Liberal Democrat Portfolio Holder is stalling on this long-awaited proposal, without any consultation with Ward Councillors, and I do hope that party politics are not entering into this.”

“I have told my villagers to expect the signs to be put up at any time, after making enquiries with officers about their whereabouts and a decision approving this in February. It would have been ideal to have put these signs up and had the weight limits in place before the schools holidays, when our children are out cycling and are at their most vulnerable.”

“I am totally shocked that I have not had any consultation whatsoever about this, as I know my village better than Cllr Royden does. Traffic problems in

                                                   Great Barford Ward have been getting steadily worse for years, with lorries driving through our narrow villages on roads                                                       that were simply never designed for them.”

                                                    Councillor Tom Wootton, Conservative Borough Councillor for Roxton Ward, added:

                                                    “For the Very Reverend Royden & the Lib Dems to stall on this issue, despite strong resident support, shows how out of                                                     touch the Lib Dems are with rural opinion and proves they cannot offer any solution to the traffic problems that our rural                                                      areas so desperately need.”

                                                    “Parish Councils have campaigned strongly for this, residents have been petitioning for this and we have been consulting                                                     and talking about this for years. For them now to stall on it with the threat of cancellation, when they have spent all that                                                     money and have already made the signs, it’s a sin and muppetry of the first order.”

 

21 July 2009                                              Conservatives Call For A Green Level Playing Field

Borough Conservatives are calling on the Government to change the rules to allow Bedford to apply for funding from a new £29m pot to fund sustainable travel.

Last week, the Government unveiled its latest strategy to tackle climate change in the form of a “Low Carbon Transport: A Greener Future Strategy”, which outlined how it intends to reduce carbon emissions by 34% by 2020.

However, Borough Conservatives say the Government, which has excluded Councils from the East & South East of England from applying, should allow all Councils to bid for these new funds.

Conservative Vice-Chairman of the Environment, Regeneration & Corporate Services Committee, Councillor Roger Rigby, said:

“The Government must seize the moment and fully fund its new ‘Greener Future Strategy’ if we are to get anywhere near reducing carbon emissions by 34% by 2020.”

“What I do object to is Labour turning the battle against climate change into a covert operation to shore up its northern heartlands ahead of a General Election. In May this year, the Department for Transport announced plans for new ‘Sustainable Travel Cities’, with 9 areas across England being invited to apply for up to £29m.”

“If we are serious about cutting transport emissions in Bedford Borough, the Government needs to bear its share of responsibility and help this Council with funding.”

“Conservatives have already called on the new unitary authority to make tackling climate change a top priority by installing a network of charging points in Council car parks for electric vehicles, setting the highest possible energy performance targets for Council buildings, increasing investment to improve public transport and using innovate new technologies to carbon emissions.”

“However, the Council can only operate within its means. It’s time Labour came clean if it wants to be green, and gave the Council the funding it needs to make a difference, otherwise this latest strategy will end up in the recycling bin.”

“To be the leading green Council in this area, we need Government support, not a kicking, and I will be writing to the Energy & Climate Change Secretary, Ed Miliband, urging him to change the rules and allow Bedford to bid for this money.”

 

6 August 2009                                          Controversial Mill Redevelopment Approved 

 

An application to redevelop the historic Bromham Mill was approved this week despite overwhelming opposition from local residents.

Bedford Borough Council’s Planning Committee approved the controversial application on Monday and the Mill, which is a Grade II listed building, will now be refurbished and extended as a visitor and education attraction.

It is a training facility for people with learning difficulties as well as a retail bakery, café and a number of other uses.

Opinion at the Planning Committee was divided, but the application from Bromham Millers CIC Ltd went through on a narrow vote.

Conservative Councillor for Bromham, Councillor Roger Rigby, who spoke at the meeting, said:

“I am appalled that this development on this site in Bromham was approved. While helping people with learning difficulties is

a great cause, this clearly is the wrong site.”

“Should the proposals meet their objectives, the impact on the residents of Bromham, particularly those living nearby, will be

very bad. The site is too small, it lacks sufficient car parking to meet all the needs of the project and the new build on the site

plus the numbers of people using the site, visiting the bakery and the tea room, constitute overuse and overdevelopment.”

“We have to bear in mind that most of the site will operate 7 days a week, including some late nights, and a total of 296 residents

opposed the application with only 26 in support.”

“Finally, but very importantly, this application does not compliment the Mill and does not promise to use it to grind the flour for the

bakery, and swamps the historic Mill feature completely.”

“I, and a representative of Bromham Parish Council voiced objections at the meeting, but they were ignored by Labour and Liberal Democrats, who forced the application through despite all the evidence of it being the wrong site for an operation of this size.”

 

23 October 2009                            Borough Conservatives Elect New Unitary Team

 

Following a meeting last night, Bedford Borough Conservatives have elected a new team to make a fresh start on the Borough Council.

 Councillor Carole Ellis was elected as Group Leader with experienced Councillor Tom Wootton as her Deputy.

 In a strong statement of intent for the fledgling authority, Councillor Ellis set out her stall as Group Leader by announcing that the Borough Conservative Group would not be joining the new Lib Dem Cabinet.

 Cllr Ellis announced:

 “We do not believe in dodging difficult decisions and we have taken our first one tonight, which is not to join the Lib Dem Cabinet.”

 “Cutting Council Tax is a key public priority and we have sat for years at Council meetings and watched as the Lib Dems tried to scupper budget after budget, trying to make policy on the hoof and putting forward financial proposals that could have been very hard to justify to residents. That is no way to run a Council.”

 “We know the Lib Dems are a high tax party and we do not believe we can achieve our own priorities to cut Council Tax by working with a party who want to see a whole new raft of taxes introduced to hit local residents.”

 “The Conservative vision for the year ahead is very simple. We will leave no stone unturned to cut Council Tax and deliver what Conservative Councils are renowned for – value for money and excellent services.”

 

4 September 2009                          Call To Slash Car Parking Charges

 

Parking fees could soon be slashed by 40% in all Council car parks.

Borough Conservatives will be tabling new proposals at a meeting of the newly-formed Parking Advisory Group on 7 September to attract more shoppers to Bedford and help businesses.

These proposals include:               Cutting the cost of 0-3 hour parking fees in all Council-owned car parks by 40%.

                                     Freezing all 0-2 hour parking tariffs in Council-owned car parks for 2 years.

                                     Launching a number of free car parking days in Bedford to showcase the town’s retail assets.

                                     Promoting the free Sunday car parking that the Council subsidises in its car parks.

Conservative Borough Councillor, Councillor Rigby, announced:

“We have conducted research into how Bedford’s parking charges compare to our neighbouring competitors and it appears that Bedford is somewhat overpriced on 0-3 hour parking in our multi-storey and surface car parks.”

If Bedford is serious about winning the retail war with towns such as Milton Keynes, Northampton & Luton, the Council needs to ensure its short-stay parking prices are competitive, and this is why Conservatives on the Committee are calling for this to be reviewed.”  

“We’re in the midst of the worst recession for 80 years, and we believe the Council needs to prioritise shoppers in its parking pricing policy to make Bedford more competitive & give our local economy the boost it needs to weather this recession.”

 

4 September 2009                          Conservatives Slam Shady Dithering Over Lorry Ban

 

Borough Conservatives are calling on the Council to give a long-awaited lorry ban the green light after months of delay.

Five months have now passed since a Traffic Regulation Order was approved by Bedfordshire County Council banning heavy goods vehicles over 7.5 tonnes from using various roads in a large area of Great Barford, Chawston, Colmworth, Ravensden, Renhold, Roxton, Wilden, Willington & Wyboston.

Now, Borough Conservative Councillor for Great Barford, Cllr Carole Ellis, is calling on the Liberal Democrat Portfolio Holder, who in July asked for the scheme to be put on hold until later this year, to take a decision on the matter one way or the other. 

Councillor Ellis, commented:

“The Lib Dems asked for this decision to be put on hold in July, much to the frustration of many local residents and Councillors who had supported the ban and the TRO that was passed many months ago in April.”

“I have nothing against an area-wide investigation of the traffic problems in Bedford being undertaken but this could take many months. Surely, it would be more practical to allow the HGV ban to proceed now, and then any revisions could be made at a later date if need be.”

“Rural residents have been waiting years for this ban to be enforced, as much for safety reasons as anything else, and we thought the new unitary era would bring us stronger leadership, not dithering by the Lib Dems.”

“The whole saga is turning into a real dog’s breakfast and most worryingly of all, it seems the Lib Dems are conducting their investigations on it behind closed doors, without any reports going to committee and without any engagement with local residents.”

 

19 August 2009                               Conservatives Call On Council To Make Christmas Parking Free

 

 It may be months away, but Borough Conservatives already have one eye on the all-important Christmas trading period.

 Conservative Councillor from Bromham, Councillor Roger Rigby, is calling on the Council to make parking free in all Council-owned car parks on 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 & 24 December so shoppers won’t have to pay a penny.

 The Council introduced a similar scheme last Christmas following calls from Borough Conservatives, and Cllr Rigby believes the Council should do the same again this year to give shoppers and traders a much-needed boost.  

 Councillor Rigby said,

 “Only last month, the Council signed off nearly £42,000 worth of funds to provide Christmas lights and decorations in Bedford Town Centre. If bulbs and tinsel are worth investing in, I believe our local businesses are too.”

 “Many businesses rely on Christmas sales to stay afloat and Conservatives believe the Council needs to do all it can to make Bedford stand out as a retail destination. One way it can do this is by using financial incentives to attract shoppers, as other Councils have done.”

 “I was pleased that the Council agreed with us last year when we successfully funded free Christmas parking. I now hope the new Unitary authority, with its vastly expanded budget, can take similar action to help businesses during the recession.”