ACHILLES TENDON UPDATE

CAM BOOT



This is Boot I have been wearing for 7 weeks on my right leg to help repair the ruptured Achilles Tendon (see the diagram on the right) which I damaged at the end of my doomed June Election Campaign.

Initially diagnosed as a strain, an ultra sound scan after 4 weeks showed a rupture. My orthopaedic consultant decided not to operate but told me to wear the Boot for 8 weeks. Five weeks later I saw him again - for all of 6 minutes! - and extended the period to 11 weeks. I have to wear the Boot all day and am banned from driving, so I am largely confined to the house.

I have managed to get out quite often, thanks to family and friends and have been away twice - to visit friends in Norway and to the Isle of Wight with the granddaughters. My four walls became quite claustrophobic and besides I am a 'traveloholic' having visited or lived in 80 countries across 5 continents.

Temporary immobility concentrates the mind and has made me value my freedom and my car, living on an estate of 470 houses with no bus service. I remain cheerful and am grateful to still have 2 legs. My daughter's mother in law had a leg amputated in 2007 after a stroke due to an infection acquired in Hemel Hempstead Hospital. She is now permanently wheelchair bound so who am I to complain?

Also I am still alive! I have been to 2 funerals recently - Councillor Dave Lewis and my friend Sam Clark, Chairman of Elstow Parish Council and local farmer. Other Bedford Borough Council colleagues have died, including the Mayor of Bedford 11 days ago, Bob Elford and and Mohammed Khan. At present we hear nightly of our brave
young soldiers dying and being blown up by the Taleban bombs in Afghanistan - 204 so far - some of them barely 18 years old. What a tragedy for their grieving families.

Today I took a taxi to Bedford to sit on a 3-day DDA (Disability Discrimination) Employment Tribunal and the young Claimant has been disabled all her life. In 2006/7 I had 3 operations in one year in Bedford Hospital and Addenbrookes in Cambridge, where I met patients who had spent all their lives in and out of hospitals

Life is good - I may no longer be a Councillor but I have a wonderful family and friends, my health (apart from the injured leg!) religious and political freedom, a nice home, possessions and food on the table - benefits not enjoyed by millions of people across the world.

SUCCESS FOR MY WILSTEAD BUS CAMPAIGN

After a long campaign I have persuaded Bedford Borough Council to improve the Wilstead - Ampthill bus service so that Wilstead residents can travel to and from their doctor's surgery in Ampthill, with a long wait for a return bus. With no mid day Ampthill-Wilstead bus people were stranded people in Ampthill for hours.

Bedford Borough Council has agreed to give a special grant to Grant Palmer to run 3 more daily buses so that my Wilstead residents can travel to and from the surgery in half a day. The new bus service started on Tuesday 26 May on a 3-month trial basis. I announced the good news today at Wilstead Methodist Church's weekly coffee morning to a group of pensioners who were very pleased with the success of my long and determined campaign.

Urban residents enjoy better bus services and amenities than village residents. We have a high percentage of elderly residents in Wilstead, many without cars who suffer from mobility problems, so it is very important that they can have good access to their chosen doctor and many have doctors in Ampthill.

I am taking 24 hours off from my election campaign to spend with my 4 grandchildren Today I helped my daughter Sarah organise a cooking party in her Watford garden to celebrate Emma's 7th birthday. We made pizza, biscuits, 'chocolate aliens' and a fancy cocktail with 10 little girls who had a great time. Tomorrow I am meeting Sarah and my younger daughter Helen with all 4 grandchildren - Emma, Jessica, Oliver and Thomas - at Gulliver's Land in Milton Keynes. I worked throughout the Bank Holiday weekend, so it will make a nice change to have a family day and escape canvassing for a day.

ELSTOW ABBEY MAY FESTIVAL - SATURDAY 9 MAY

Tomorrow is our Annual Elstow Abbey May Festival 12 noon - 3.30pm on the Village Green. After the traditional procession led by the May Queen, children from Elstow Lower School will dance round the Maypole. There are lots of fun activities for all the family including fun fair rides, inflatables, face painting, Hemel Hempstead Brass Band, Cheerleaders from Milton Keynes, stalls and refreshments.

I shall be hosting the event with our Patron, Charles Whitbread and the Speaker of Bedford Borough Council, Anita Gerrard will formally open the May Festival at noon.

Come and enjoy a Fun Day with your family in Elstow, Bedford Borough's most historic village with its 11th Century Abbey Church, 15th Century Moot Hall and Bynyan Museum.

This afternoon I attended the funeral of Councillor Dave Lewis, Leader of the Labour Group on Bedford Borough Council. It was a Humanist Funeral with several tributes and poetry from friends and family, starting with Rowan, his very poised eldest grandchild. The music was mainly from the 1960's and included Buddy Holly tunes.

Dave Lewis was only 62 and died very suddenly in April of an abdominal aneurysm. He was passionately committed to his family and his Kempston residents. Dave will be sadly missed by his family of 3 children and 10 grandchildren as well as his fellow councillors and friends in Kempston where he lived for over 60 years.

BEDFORD UNITARY ELECTIONS JUNE 2009

LYNNE'S ELECTION CAMPAIGN TEAM WORKING IN WILSTEAD

Bedford Borough Council became a Unitary Council on 1 April 2009 but will retain its 54 Borough Councillors until Thursday 4 June 2009, when 36 Unitary Councillors will be elected to lead the new Council.

As the local Councillor for Elstow and Wilstead I keep in contact with residents via my Blog, emails, advice surgeries, newsletters and attendance at village events. Tonight I was persuaded to join Twitter as another modern way of communicating with voters of all ages.

Today I delivered 900 leaflets in the rain in Wilstead, ably assisted by my strong Campaign Team which includes four fellow Conservative Councillors - Mollie Foster, Peter Hand, Andrew McConnell and Jas Parmar. Afterwards we all enjoyed a well earned lunch in the newly refurbished Red Lion Pub, Elstow which provides an
excellent, fairly priced meal and good service.

With 2,100 leaflets to deliver I rely on a team of voluntary helpers in Elstow and Wilstead. The official Election Campaign starts soon and there will be a lot of hard work to prepare and distribute leaflets and canvass local residents.

During the 2007 Borough Election Campaign my team and I delivered 20,000 leaflets and won my 8th Election Campaign, so let's hope June will bring the 9th success!

MOOT HALL AND SEALED KNOT LIVING HISTORY

Sealed Knot Living History Event and Moot Hall Key Handover Ceremony




On Sunday Elstow Village Green was the setting for a Sealed Knot Living History event with people in 17th century dress and Cromwellian solders marching across the Green. In the afternoon the ownership of Elstow's 15th Century Moot Hall was formerly handed over by me, as Elstow's former County Councillor, to my Borough colleague Councillor Barry Huckle who accepted the key to Moot Hall on behalf of Bedford Borough Council. In the photograph above you can see me with Clive Arnold, the Curator of Moot Hall and Barry just before the official key handover. The Sealed Knot soldiers paraded in front of us while the ceremony took place.

Moot Hall was originally a market hall and now houses a museum dedicated to John Bunyan a fine collection of 17th Century furniture. John Bunyan lived in Elstow most of his life and was baptised and married in Elstow Abbey. In 1644 he joined Cromwell's Roundhead Army at 16 years old to fight the King so it is appropriate that the Sealed Knot held their Living History event in Elstow.

Elstow is North Bedfordshire's most historic village with its 11th Century Abbey Church, founded by William the Conqueror's niece Countess Judith, Moot Hall and the 16th Century timbered houses in the High Street. In 1950 Moot Hall was given by Sam Whitbread to Bedfordshire County Council and was restored for the 1951 Festival Britain. Also in 1951 a special stone was placed in Harrowden near Elstow, to mark the birthplace of John Bunyan in 1628.

SEALED KNOT LIVING HISTORY - SUNDAY 5 APRILl

Sealed Knot Crest

On Sunday 5 April the Sealed Knot Society are putting on a Living History Display on Elstow Green 11am - 4pm. The Society cele5brated their 40th Anniversary in 2008 and they stage Civil War enactments. John Bunyan joined Cromwell's Roundhead Army aged 16 in 1644 and fought the Cavaliers.

The Programme includes a 10am Service at Elstow Abbey, a Living History Camp starting at 11am and Sealed Knot Regimental Training Drill and Display at noon. In the afternoon there are Children's events and at 3pm a special key ceremony at Moot Hall.

Moot Hall is a medieval market house and meeting hall containing a Bunyan Museum and which was owned by Bedfordshire County Council until its demise on 31 March. As I was the County Councillor for Elstow & Wilstead and Vice Chairman of Bedfordshire County Council, I have been invited to hand over the key to Moot Hall formally to Bedford Borough Council on Sunday. My fellow Borough Councillor, Barry Huckle will receive the key.

Tea and cakes will be served in the Elstow Abbey church hall in the afternoon and there will also be a 17th Century barbecue outside the vicarage from noon onwards. .

Please bring your family to Elstow on Sunday for a great day out.

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A LOCAL COUNCILLOR

Today is a lovely Spring Day. It is also 1 April but I do not play practical jokes as suggested by Philip Archer who accused me of "celebrating" the new Bedford Unitary Council. Yes I supported the County Council Unitary 2007 bid and its efforts to improve its performance since my election four years ago. However I am also an elected Borough Councillor and a pragmatist who lives in the real world. In May 2005 I was elected to represent 5,500 residents in Elstow & Wilstead and to campaign for higher quality public services, which I did and will continue to do in the new Unitary Council.

Bedfordshire County Council improved from a Poor 0 star Council to a Good 3 star Council but now it has gone. Bedford Borough Unitary Council opened its doors today in Borough Hall and is now a single tier Council responsible for providing all the local government services for local residents.

A Day in the Life of a Local Councillor
This morning I visited Elstow Lower School where I am Vice Chair of Governors. This week is International Week and each class takes a different country and studies its language and customs. On Friday the children will dress up and show off their week's work.

Next I discussed the bus service for Wilstead residents to and from their doctor's surgery in Ampthill with the Borough Bus Transport Manager and Greensands Surgery. We have persuaded Grant Palmer to put on more buses so that pensioners do not get stranded in Ampthill for hours after visiting their doctor.

Then I attended a Princes Trust Award Ceremony to make a brief speech and present Certificates to 9 young people. The Bedford YMCA working for the The Prince's Trust and has just completed its 9th twelve week Personal Development Programme for unemployed young people aged 16-25 years, many of whom have never worked. The Programme increases their skills, raises self esteem, improves self motivation and gets young people into education, training and employemnt.

Nine young people successfully completed the course and most will take up further training eg carpentry, child care, youth work and music technology. Their Community Project was to decorate 2 rooms at the Kempston Centre for Learning Disabilities. During their Challenge Week they took disabled people to a Safari Park.

My next stop was at Borough Hall to discuss a planning issue and join a large social gathering for some of the 6,000 staff now working in the Unitary Council. Then it was
back home to deal with emails, reading and this Blog before attending an evening Conservative Group meeting.

The Prince's Trust
The Prince's Trust was started by the Prince of Wales in 1976 to help disadvantaged young people aged 14-30 who have been in care, are long term unemployed, have struggled at school or been in trouble with the law. Practical and financial support is provided including help with business start ups or courses developing workplace skills such as confidence and motivation.

Since 1976 the Prine's Trust has helped over 575,000 young peopole and supports 100 more every day. 75% of those helped in 2008 moved into work,education or training.
App 20% of young people in the UK are not in work, education or training and youth unemployment costs the UK economy £10 million a day in lost productivity, while youth crime costs £1 billion per year, so this work is vital to our economy.

Tomorrow I will take 2 days off to visit my widowed brother in Chichester, who is still adjusting to living alone and tore a calf muscle last month while playing in the garden with his 2 grandsons.

BEDFORD CELEBRATES UNITARY CREATION

Moot Hall


Today Wednesday 1 April 2009 Bedford Borough Council becomes a single Unitary Council. The new Council has published a 'One Council' booklet on all the services covered by the Council, with useful telephone numbers. Pictured above is Borough Hall, formerly County Hall, the new Bedford Borough Council HQ and the Council logo.

One of the new Council's strategies is to create a Healthy Bedford. Everyone aged 60+ is eligible for free swimming at all the Borough swimming pools. Also for one week 1-7 April free access will be provided for everyone to a range of Council run sports facilities, eg casual swimming, badminton, squash and football. For more information have a look at the Borough Council website www.bedford.gov.uk.

Bedford Borough has a history which spans over 1,000 years and I was delighted to see a photograph of Elstow village's Moot Hall in 'One Council'. On Sunday 5 April 2009 Elstow is hosting a Sealed Knot Civil War re enactment on the village green. In the afternoon at 3.00pm I will hand over the key of Moot Hall, fomerly owned by the County Council to Bedford Borough Council in a short formal ceremony. The Sealed Knot celebrated its 40th Anniversary in 2008 and this will be a real Family Fun Day from 11am - 4pm next Sunday.

THANKSGIVING SERVICE FOR BEDFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL 1889 - 2009

Today as County Council Vice Chairman I attended a Thanksgiving Service at St. Paul's Church, Bedford to celebrate 120 years of Bedfordshire County Council from 1889 until 31 March 2009 when the County Council is abolished. The Salvation Army played and we sang the famous John Bunyan hymn "He who would valiant be". The County Council motto "Constant Be" on the crest above is taken from this hymn which has a special meaning for me as I live in Elstow, home of John Bunyan. The Chief Executive gave an address on the Council's long history and the Bishop of Bedford preached the sermon.

Afterwards we had tea at County Hall before watching the Minden Band of The Queen's Division conduct a Sunset and Beating Retreat ceremony. Then the Bedfordshire County Council flag was lowered for the last time by Bedford Sea Cadets. It was an emotional occasion for County Councillors and staff, some of whom do not know if they will have a job after 1 April. Many senior staff are leaving on 31 March.

The Minden Band consists of 35 talented musicians including 3 women, and are based at Bassingbourn Barracks in Royston near Cambridge. The Band supports 3 Regiments of the Queen's Division - The Royal Anglian, The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers and The Prince of Wales Royal Regiment and perform at high profile civilian events.

Bedfordshire County Council is handing over its services to Bedford Borough Council and Central Bedfordshire in excellent order. For example, during March the Highways Department have filled over 1,000 potholes across the County caused by the recent severe weather, investing £400,000 to put the roads in good order for the new Councils. Recently I visited Hertfordshire where the local paper said that Herts County Council was still surveying its potholes so Bedfordshire was ahead of the pack once again.

On 1 April Bedford Borough Council takes on 5,5000 new staff and responsibility for many new services - Children's Services including 79 schools, fostering and adoption and the youth service, Adult Services including residential care and mental health, highways, waste management, strategic planning, archives & records, libraries, etc.

The present 54 Bedford Borough Councillors will remain in post for two months until Thursday 4 June when Unitary Elections take place. Then there will be only 36 Unitary Councillors taking over the current 72 County and Borough Council roles.

FITNESS AND HEALTH FOR THE OVER 50's

My 2009 New Year Resolution was to find time to improve my fitness and lose some weight. I have succeeded in my first aim, having joined the LA Fitness Club in Kimbolton Road 8 weeks ago. Three times a week I go to Aquacise Classes or the gym. I much prefer the Aquacise and share it with 12-14 other women of varying ages.

Also I now walk regularly between Council activities. On Thursday morning I will to to Harrold Country Park for one of 4 Health Walks organised by Bedfordshire County Council to improve people's health and enjoyment of green spaces. Research has shown that regular walking improves physical health and reduces the risk of heart disease, high blood pressures, strokes and depression.

Bedford Borough Council have just launched a series of activity classes for the Over 50's so there is no excuse for 'couch potatoes' not to drag themselves away from the TV and computer to learn line dancing, badminton, golf, swim or just go walking.

Physical exercise was never popular with me as a child. I was musical and an avid reader and was put off sport by the sporting enthusiasms of my sporty father and my 2brothers. I am a mental athlete but do not really enjoy physical exercise, although I am enjoying the Aquacise classes and healthy walks. Losing weight is a harder challenge as I love my food. In 2006 I succeeded in losing 2 stone, raising £800 for the British Heart Foundation but it is hard to keep it off long term.

Today I was saddened to see the prematurely aged face of Sean Hodgson, aged 57 years, who has just been released from prison after serving 27 years for a rape and murder he did not commit. His prison sentence lasted longer because he has always protested his innocence. We should all be grateful for our liberty and the freedom to stay healthy and enjoy the countryside as we grow older.

Tonight I will fulfil one of my last official functions as Vice Chairman of Bedfordshire County Council by attending the Kempston Schools Performing Arts Evening at the Addison Centre, raising funds for the Kempston Mayor's Charities.

As the 2008 Bedford Youth Champion and a former County Cabinet Member for Culture I am happy to support a charity function involving school children and the performing arts. My daughter Helen used to perform with the Wilstead Players and went on to gain a Stage Management degree at the Welsh College of Music & Drama in Cardiff. Later she worked at the Gateway Theatre, Chester as a sound and lighting technician before moving into the conference industry.

WOTHOLES?

Bedfordshire in the snow

Remember all that snow we had in February? It all seems like a bad dream now, but it devastated our roads and we now have large potholes everywhere. Bedfordshire County Council disappears on 31 March and the Bedfordshire roads will then become the responsiblity of Bedford Borough Council and Central Bedfordshire Council.

The public get very upset about potholes as they can cause nasty accidents. Therefore as a gesture of goodwill Beds County Council launched its "Wotholes?" campaign last week, allocating £400,000 extra funding to repair as many potholes as possible across Bedfordshire before 31 March. The photograph on the left is of my County Council colleague Tom Wootton, Cabinet Member for Highways and Waste Management, standing by one of the larger potholes created by the severe weather in February.

Already after only one week £75,000 has been spent on filling over 600 potholes in Bedford, Bromham, Harrold, Kempston, Dunstable, Leighton Buzzard, Biggleswade and other places.

If you see any dangerous potholes which need repairing, please call the Wotholes Hotline on 01234 228661.

Last night as Vice Chairman of Bedfordshire County Council I co hosted a final reception for Town and Parish Councils before handing over to the new Unitary Councils on 1 April 2009. There are 125 'settlements' in Bedfordshire, including four large towns -Bedford, Dunstable, Kemspton, Leighton Buzzard and Houghton Regis, smaller towns like Ampthill, Arlesey, Biggleswade, Flitwick, Sandy, Shefford and Stotfold, and dozens of villages. There are 20 town councils and dozens of parish councils. My Division includes just 2 villages, Elstow and Wilstead, but some councillors represent large numbers of small villages. Tom Wootton, a local farmer, represents rural North East Bedfordshire which has 24 villages and 14 parish councils.

On Monday I chaired two Personnel Appeals at County Hall, one a Grievance Appeal and the other an Appeal against Dismissal.

When Bedford Borough Council takes over County Hall on 1 April 2009, the building is to be renamed Borough Hall, although some Central Bedfordshire staff will continue to work in the building for the foreseeable future.

ELSTOW LOWER SCHOOL IS OUTSTANDING... AGAIN!

Elstow Lower School, where I am Vice Chair of Governors, was the 1st Lower School in Bedfordshire rated Outstanding by Ofsted in 2005/6. The Ofsted Inspection regime is now more rigorous and inspections are conducted at 2 days' notice to give a more genuine impression of school performance to Inspectors.

The school was inspected during the recent freezing cold, snowy weather in early February. All the staff, governors and children braved the weather when most of the Bedfordshire schools were closed and passed the inspection with flying colours. Once again Elstow Lower has been rated Outstanding and even the governors were rated outstanding! This is an exceptional school led by a dedicated Head Teacher Jenny Winder, enthusiastic staff and governors which draws its children not only from Elstow village but also from socially deprived families in South Bedford and many of our children do not speak English as their first language.

On Wednesday we had the final meeting of the County Council Children's Services Committee, of which I am Vice Chairman. Since my election as a County Councillor in 2005 a lot of effort has been put into improving Children's Services, which were in 'Special Measures' in 2004. The School Improvement Programme has produced much improved GCSE examination results and performance improvement in most of the Bedford Borough Upper Schools and we now have a number of Outstanding or Good Schools.

Remembering the horror of the recent Baby P case, it is reassuring for you to know that Bedfordshire's Child Protection Service is now one of only 17 rated Outstanding in England, its Youth Offending Service is rated No.1 in England, and our Fostering and Adoption Service is also rated Outstanding. When Bedfordshire County Council finally 'shuts up shop' on 31 March 2009 Children's Services will be handed over to the new Bedford Unitary Council in excellent order.

Tonight I was one of 100 school governors from the 79 schools in Bedford Borough invited to meet Chris Hilliard, the new Director of Children's Services in Bedford Unitary Council. Chris will have 5 Assistant Directors including 2 senior County Council Officers, John Goldsmith and Katie Theodore. Hopefully this team will continue to build on the County Council's success and provide a high class service for the people of Bedford Borough from 1 April 2009 onwards.

BEDFORDSHIRE'S BARREN LANDSCAPE HAS BEEN TRANSFORMED WITH 1 MILLION TREES

Yesterday I mentioned the work of the Forest of Marston Vale:

"Our challenge is to use trees and woodlands to transform 61 square miles between Bedford and Milton Keynes, repairing a landscape scarred by decades of clay extraction, brickmaking and landfill. We have already planted 1 million trees and by 2030 we will plant 5 million more, working with local communities, government and businesses to create new woods and other wild places for everyone to enjoy"

In 2002 the Marston Vale Trust bought Rectory Wood, 173 acres of arable farmland between Cranfield and the ancient woodland of Marston Thrift and has been planting thousands of trees there in several phases. Phase 4 is Legacy Thrift, named by Bedfordshire County Council who have financed the planting of 24,000 trees to commemorate 120 years of the Council's work 1889-2009.

Today I received this comment from a reader, Mrs Valerie Seymour:

"Dear Cllr Faulkner, thank you for this blog. As a Bedfordshire Conservation Volunteer myself, I was delighted to hear about the planting of all these new trees in the Marston Vale. I have been there many times with my family and we are delighted to have such a fantastic project on our doorsteps! Bedfordshire should be so proud of it!

However I am concerned that Bedford Borough Council opposed the planting of these trees. Is this correct? I have read that the Mayor was completely opposed to these legacy initiatives, including the planting of 20,000 trees in the Marston.

Under the new Unitary authority for Bedford Borough, will all the good work of the County in supporting the Marston Vale have been in vain? Please do all you can to ensure that Bedford lifts its eyes and supports this great initiative! Thank you for all your support in this area so far too." "

Sadly the Mayor of Bedford and the local media constantly criticise the County Council but have failed to appreciate the benefits of this important tree project. The Labour Government has forced us to accept 20,000 new houses in the Marston area, although local residents campaigned successfully to stop the proposed Eco town. Our 24,000 trees will now provide much needed green space and new wildlife habitats for local residents to enjoy.

You have my personal assurance that as a Borough Councillor, and hopefully after 4th June as a Unitary Councillor in Bedford Borough I will continue to support the excellent work of the Forest of Marston Vale in planting 4 million more trees.

SLEEPING CATS and BABIES

Last Monday I had to have my elderly female tabby cat, Spice aged 17+ years, put to sleep as she had developed kidney disease. In my sadness I was cheered up by some comical photographs of cats sleeping in strange places sent to me by a friend. Cats have an amazing ability to find cosy if eccentric places to sleep.

On Thursday we had our penultimate County Council meeting, duly reported in Beds on Sunday - I got a mention this time! Then I headed north in a flurry of snow to Staffordshire to look after 2 lively small grandchildren, Jessica, 6 and Oliver, 4 for three days, while their recently divorced mother Helen had a well earned Valentine's weekend off with her lovely new man. I was once a divorced working mother with sole responsibility for 2 young daughters after my husband went off with a younger single woman and it is hard coping 24/7 alone with two young children.

We had a flurry of nursery, swimming lessons, ballet, a visit to a Wacky Warehouse for indoor soft play, visits to the shops, walks, roller skating, Play doh, reading stories, pancake making etc. By Sunday evening I was totally exhausted. Thank goodness I am only a grandmother and not a young Mum as bringing up young children demands total commmitment, unselfishness and lots of energy.

That American single mother who chose to have 6 IVF children without a father in sight and has now produced IVF octuplets is totally selfish and irresponsible. As for the 13 year old English boy who has fathered a baby and those women who want to have babies at 60 years plus - words fail me!

Today after an early morning swim I have been sitting on a complex 3 day race discrimination employment tribunal case in Bedford - very taxing mentally but in a different way from childminding. Tonight I put up posters in Elstow village for my Advice Surgery next Saturday morning and for the Concert we are having at Elstow Abbey on the evening on Saturday 28 February at 7pm - the Luton Male Voice Choir which should be fantastic.

Finally, tonight I had to deal with all my emails and write the Foreword to the 2008/9 Annual Report of the Borough Council Corporate & Resource Committee which I chair.

Goodnight..........

CHRISTMAS IS COMING SOON!

FREE PARK & RIDE HELPS CHRISTMAS SHOPPERS FIGHT CREDIT CRUNCH

Bedfordshire County Council has announced that its Park and Ride Service will be free over the Christmas Period, starting on Monday 1st December until 31 December, to help shoppers and small businesses fight the Christmas credit crunch.

This is one of a series of initiatives where the County Council is helping residents and small businesses fight the credit crunch. Recently the Council launched its new PayPlus scheme to help its small business suppliers receive fast track payment of invoices within 20 days or less.

Bedford Borough Council has also announced that free town centre car parking will be provided for Christmas shoppers on 19, 20, 22 and 23 December.

ROAD SAFETY AWARENESS

On a more sober note, Beds CC's Road Safety Team, who recently won an International Road Safety Award, have launched a new road safety campaign "17-25 year olds - no time to die" to encourage safe driving in young motorists. Fatal crashes involving 17-25 year olds account for 40% of all road accidents nationally. Over the past 5 years, 32 men and 8 women between 17 and 25 years have died in road crashes on Bedfordshire's roads. The Road Safety Team will be handing out torch key rings, using the motto 'see the light, read the risk' to young drivers to act as a reminder.

The Road Safety Team are also carrying out free safety checks around Bedfordshire on child car seats. A recent campaign by Trading Standards and Road Advisory teams revealed that 140 child car seats were fitted incorrectly and needed adjustment.
For further advice on child car safety, please visit the following website: www.childcarseats.org.uk.

ENERGY FROM WASTE PLANT IN BEDFORDSHIRE

GOOD NEWS FOR TAXPAYERS!
Bedford Borough Council's Implementation Executive has finally agreed to back the Bedfordshire Enery and Recycling Project (BEAR) to build an Energy from Waste Plant to cut the waste going into landfill and generate electricity.

The Consortium was set up by Bedfordshire County Council to deal with strict Government and EU legislation requireing the amount of the UK's waste sent to landfill to be reduced by 65% of 1995 levels by 2020. Bedfordshire's target is to reduce landfilled waste from 131,428 tonnes in 2007/8 to 44,816. Failure to do this will result in huge Landfill Taxes (LATS) which the Council Taxpayer would have to pay. Bedfordshire has successfully increased its recycling levels to 40% but recycling is only part of the solution.

Initially Bedford Borough Council was against the EfW proposal and Liberal Democrats preferred biological recycling but this option alone would not recycle enough waste.
Central Bedfordshire and Luton Borough Council decided to back the BEAR Project and after visiting EfW Plants in London and Portsmouth I was convinced that the EfW is the solution. However I could not persuade the Mayor and other Borough colleagues.

After receiving further expert advice, Bedford Borough Council has now decided to support the project so hopefully we can avoid the dreaded LATS taxes in future.

In terms of recycling Mid and South Bedfordshire recycles much more than Bedford Borough, but with the imminent arrival of our new orange lidded bins Bedford should increase its recycling rate and meet the new Government targets.

LOCAL DEMOCRACY WEEK 2008

Next week sees the start of the run up to 2008 Local Democracy Week, encouraging young people to engage in local politics. Throughout next week I will be involved in an Internet based dialogue with young people in 9 schools across Bedford.

Make sure you visit my Blog regularly next week to find out what I am doing to engage with the young people of Bedford Borough.........

SAVE OUR ELSTOW HERITAGE

Bedford Borough Conservatives have launched a 'Save Our Green Fields' Campaign to challenge controversial proposals to build 1,400 houses on 19 areas of public land.

Elstow is one area earmarked for housing. The proposal is to build 15 houses on the narrow green strip which divides historic Elstow village from urban Bedford. It is totally unnecessary when sites are already earmarked for 16,270 houses, many of which will not be built for years due to the current credit crunch.

If housing is built on this green space Elstow village will vanish into urban Bedford, destroying an historic heritage which stretches back over 900 years to the building of Elstow Abbey as a Benedictine Monastery in 1098.

John Bunyan, author of Pilgrim's Progress and Bedford's most famous son was born in Elstow in 1628 and married in Elstow Abbey. We also have the famous 16th Century Moot Hall shown above and wonderful timbered 16th Century houses in Bunyans Mead. John Bunyan would turn in his grave at this shortsighted proposal to submerge tiny Elstow with just 300 houses into urban Bedford with a population of 80,000 people.

Bedford Borough Council is not due to commence formal public consultation on its proposals until August 2009. However Bedford Conservatives have already forced the Council to withdraw its plans to build houses on Mowsbury Golf Course and reduced the original number of land development proposals from 20 to 19.

Please join me in my campaign to stop the Council ruining our beautiful village and persuade the planners to withdraw these housing development proposals immediately.

TRAVELLERS BACK IN ELSTOW

We have been plagued by illegal traveller encampments this year. Travellers invaded the Abbeyfields park today for the 5th time in 3 months. My residents suffer anti social behaviour, thefts and flytipping. In June I persuaded the landowners David Wilson Homes to instal wooden posts at the 4 entrances but the travellers cut down 2 posts with a chainsaw, causing an ugly confrontation with residents. The land is still privately owned so DWH bring in bailiffs and move them on fast but soon the land will be transferred to Bedford Borough Council.

Under the present weak Labour Government it is hard to evict travellers fast from publicly owned land because of the need for social services and education checks and magistrates' orders. Kempston had to tolerate a large group of travellers for 6 weeks before they were finally given their marching orders.

The next Conservative Government will review the law and like the Irish Government could make illegal traveller encampments a form of criminal trespass, leading to instant eviction. Law abiding council taxpayers should not have to tolerate the mess and anti social behaviour caused by freeloading travellers.

In partnership with DWH, Bedford Borough Council, Elstow Parish Council and the Police I expect to resolve the Elstow traveller problem with permanent defensive measures in September before the land transfer takes place.

STOP PRESS There is still one day to vote for me as Bedfordshire's Sexiest Politician on Blogging for Bedford. I have 156 votes but am still only in
3rd place so I need more people to vote for me. What are you waiting for?

PS Had a great Bank Holiday weekend in Staffordshire with my daughter and small grandchildren Jessica and Oliver. On Sunday we visited Drayton Manor Theme Park which has a Zoo and lots of big rides but costs a small fortune so on Monday we opted for the simpler pleasure of walking in the National Forest.

ELSTOW MAY FAIR BENCH

Elstow May Fair is held annually on Elstow Green, bordered by our lovely 16th Century Moot Hall, 11th Century Elstow Abbey and the John Bunyan sign. We elect a May Queen and have Maypole Dancing, a tradition which goes back centuries to John Bunyan's time.

I had a smart new wooden Elstow May Fair Bench installed on Elstow Green on the day of the Elstow May Fair to provide seating for local residents and for social events on the Green. The new bench has proved very popular and is well used.

My Bedford Borough Council Ward Improvement Fund was used to buy this bench and two galvanised steel picnic benches for the Elstow Playing Field children's play area. Also I paid for a special plaque commemorating our Elstow May Fair, the major annual social event in Elstow which is organised by the Friends of Elstow Abbey.