Archived News
February 2011
Closure of the Mobile Library Service
On the 24th February 2011, Central Bedfordshire Council made the difficult decision to close the Mobile Library service as part of the Council's savings proposals for 2011-12.
The arrangements for the service are as follows:
24th February – 2nd April
The mobile library service will continue to provide lending services and will follow the published timetable of stops.
From Monday 28th February mobile library staff will only be able to accept requests for items that will be subsequently collected from a branch library.
Any books due for return after the 2nd April should be returned to a branch library.
Registered Housebound Readers
Registered housebound readers with the mobile library will be transferred to the Library Link Service.
Further Information
For more information please contact Central Bedfordshire Customer Services on 0300 300 800.
Parish Council Minutes - February 2011
Minutes of Parish Council Meeting: Monday 7th February 2011
The next Parish Council meeting will be on Monday 7th March 2011, 7.30pm, in the Coffee Tavern.
Changes to Bus Services from 28 March 2011
Changes are being made to a number of bus services in Central Bedfordshire on 28th March 2011. Many of these changes are a result of a spending review on bus services financially supported by Central Bedfordshire Council. Bus operators are also making some changes to their commercial services from the same date.
The following changes affect Eaton Bray:
- 73 (Red Kite): Totternhoe, Eaton Bray, Billington, Leighton Buzzard.
This service is reduced to provide one return journey on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
These changes were agreed as part of a savings package that was discussed at the 7 December Executive meeting.
For more information, see the Central Bedfordshire website.
Pupils will lose out in music cuts
Musical students in Bedford Borough will still be able to hone their skills, but those living in areas governed by Central Beds Council, such as Eaton Bray, could miss out.
Bedfordshire Music provides instrumental tuition and other music opportunities in the county and is a shared service between Central Beds Council and Bedford Borough Council.
While Bedford Borough Council has protected access to music tuition for local school children, Central Beds Council is considering plans to cut all its funding for the shared service.
The Mayor of Bedford Dave Hodgson said: “I will simply not allow Central Beds Council's unilateral decision to cut all its funding for the music service to damage access to this excellent service in Bedford Borough.
"We are protecting music tuition in the borough, giving all children and young people the chance to enjoy music and the positive impact it can have.
"Access to high quality music tuition and further opportunities in music must not only be for the children of the very well off."
On a weekly basis, it provides lessons and area music centre activities for children, young people and adults.
Councillor Anita Lewis, portfolio holder for children's services at Central Bedfordshire Council, said: “Bedfordshire Music is currently a shared service between Central Beds Council and Bedford Borough Council.
"The shared service agreement is due to expire at the end of March and we are moving forward with a proposal to disaggregate the service from Bedford Borough at the end of the summer term.
"The future provision of a music service in Central Beds is subject to review and consultation. The consultation will be undertaken with schools and interested parties and will consider alternative ways of delivering a music service provision to the children and young people in Central Beds."
Read the full article on the Bedford Today website.
The Friends of Bedfordshire Youth Music website has further information about the proposed cuts by Central Bedfordshire, along with details of how you can show your support to keep Bedfordshire Music supplying services to both councils.
Source: Bedford Today
Overpaid bank / credit charges scam
A local resident has reported receiving a telephone call from an Asian sounding male, claiming that the resident was owed £2165 in overpaid bank / credit charges. They told the resident to attend their local Post Office in order that a money order could be sent for £125 administration fee.
The resident was asked to phone a telephone number whilst at the Post Office and details of where the admin fee was to be paid would be given.
The male stated that as soon as the fee was paid the Post Office would be able to pay the £2165 immediately (and if they couldn't then the caller would personally drive to the residents address and drop off a cheque or deposit the money in their bank account).
Please be on your guard and ensure that any elderly or vulnerable relatives, friends or neighbours know how to deal with any unwanted / unsolicited phone calls. Never divulge personal information / bank details to anyone on the phone and do not make immediate money transfers to unknown companies.
Further information about scams and consumer information can be obtained from Consumer Direct at www.consumerdirect.gov.uk or by calling them on 08454 040506
Source: Ringmaster Bedfordshire
Burglary in Harling Road
A theft took place in Harling Road, in Eaton Bray, between 8:45 p.m. on the 8th and 9:00 a.m. on the 9th of February.
The offender has gained access to a fuel tank in the grounds.
The fuel pipe has been broken and a large amount of heating oil has been taken.
Bedfordshire Police ask local residents to be vigilant, and to report anything suspicious immediately.
For more information on reducing crime visit Safer Bedfordshire.
If you have any information about this crime or other suspicious incidents, please call the Police Control Centre on (01234) 841212, and quote crime reference, J,D,/,6,0,7,9,/2011.
Alternatively text your message to (07786) 200011 or email your message to [email protected]
Or call Crime stoppers in confidence on (0800)555111.
Thank you for your support.
Source: Ringmaster Bedfordshire
Residents slam village housing plan
A former parish councillor has slammed absentee landowners for trying to push through a massive housing plan for Eaton Bray which he says will blight the village.
Rick Brand has launched a campaign to try and halt potential moves to turn more than 20 acres of open space into housing.
The idea is in its infancy but residents fear that the chance to boost housing stock will lead to Central Beds Council looking favourably on the scheme.
It would mean the loss of former orchards and grazing land which stretch from Bower Lane/ Harling Road behind homes in Orchard Way, Moor End Lane and Mill End Close and down towards the Edlesborough border.
Mr Brand, a former EB parish councillor, moved to Mill End Close, because of the outlook over open fields which attracts a wealth of wildlife.
But he fears he may soon be looking at a new housing estate if the landowners get their way.
The site is owned by a former local woman now retired to Florida and farmers who live out of the village. Last year CBC asked landowners to notify them if they had any areas that may be suitable for housing development.
The Bower Lane site was offered as it is unsuitable as farmland. Moves were made in the 1980s to build on the land but the then South Beds Council threw out the idea because it was in Green Belt and would extend the village's natural boundary.
Now CBC must find room for more than 600 homes in rural areas and Eaton Bray has been identified as one area which could take some development.
Read more of this story on Leighton Buzzard Online and see tomorrow's Leighton Buzzard Observer for the full story.
For the latest news from Eaton Bray and beyond, get the Leighton Buzzard Observer every Tuesday and make a daily date with Leighton Buzzard Online.
Source: Leighton Buzzard Online
Let's Talk Together
Community Meeting for the Leighton Rural area
Let's Talk Together community meetings are for local residents to come along and speak to the organisations who supply public services, share views on local issues and help shape community safety priorities.
Please come along and tell us what matters to you.
Tuesday 22nd March 2011
Toddington Fire Station, Dunstable Road, Toddington, Beds. LU5 6DR 7pm - 9pm
Meeting will be chaired by Councillor Tom Nicols, Central Bedfordshire Council.
There's no need to book, just drop in when you can. For the first half of the meeting public service providers will be on hand to answer your questions. In the second half of the meeting we will set the local community safety priorities for the area together.