Advice is on hand for residents looking to organise a street party or event to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee thanks to Central Bedfordshire Council and its partners in the Emergency Services.
The Central Bedfordshire Safety Advisory Group (SAG) - formed by Central Bedfordshire Council, Bedfordshire Police, Bedfordshire Fire & Rescue and Ambulance services - will be running a number of local Road Shows to offer free guidance on planning and organising street parties or other community events to celebrate 60 years of the Queen being on the throne.
Cllr Brian Spurr, executive member for Sustainable Communities Services said: "Residents up and down Central Bedfordshire are looking forward to celebrating the Jubilee and the Council and its partner agencies will do all it can to help them arrange a safe and fun event.
"Already we have waived our fees regarding road closures and this service is yet another way we can help."
The SAG Road shows will be taking place in March at a range of locations across Central Bedfordshire, where residents and event organisers can come and discuss their proposed events for some free advice and guidance on organising and running their event safely .
Road Shows will be taking place in Biggleswade, Shefford, Flitwick, Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard from the 14th to the 16th March 2012.
Members of the public are welcome to drop in to any of these sessions, or they can ring in advance to book a time slot to avoid having to wait. For more information on times and dates contact Guy Quint on 0300 300 4386 or Nicola Preston on 0300 300 4256.
Information from Central Bedfordshire Council 28/02/12
Tuesday, 28 February 2012
Congratulations to Elaine Sullivan Child Hair & Beauty, who last night WON Afro Salon of the year, at the Hair Awards 2012
Lorraine proudly holding the Award
Grant Boost For Street Watch Schemes
Three new Street Watch schemes are set to be launched in Dunstable and Houghton Regis thanks to a £7,700 Home Office grant.
The money has been awarded by the Community Action against Crime Innovation Fund which encourages creative new approaches to tackling crime. Grants are offered to local projects to encourage greater community activism and enable communities to develop innovative approaches to tackling the local crime issues that matter to them.
The money will be used by volunteers to start up new Street Watch schemes in the Downside area of Dunstable, as well as the Tithe Farm and Sandringham Drive areas of Houghton Regis where higher levels of Anti-Social Behaviour, Serious Acquisitive Crime and domestic burglary have been identified
Street Watch - which has been rolled out at various locations in Central Bedfordshire since April 2010 – is about local residents helping to build stronger and safer neighbourhoods by patrolling their own streets, identifying and resolving low levels of nuisance and anti-social behaviour, increasing the feeling of safety and to increase a sense of community cohesion within their local area.
It is emphasised that Street Watch members are not doing the job of police officers or PCSOs and have no more power than ordinary citizens. Instead the purpose of Street Watch is to prevent crime by increasing visibility, maintaining effective communication and reporting to police and increasing feelings of safety and community spirit.
Each scheme relies on Street Watch finding coordinators and volunteers prepared to give two hours each month and keep the national web site up to date with what they are doing and where. They also have to be vetted at the same level as police volunteers.
John Plummer, who applied for the grant and is Coordinator of Bedfordshire Street Watch, said: “Street Watch is about local residents working together to improve the quality of life for everyone in our communities. I am eternally grateful to all the local coordinators and volunteers who have made Street Watch such a success, and to Bedfordshire Police for their support. Residents, especially the elderly and vulnerable members of our communities, appreciate what we do, and feel comforted when they see Street Watch out on patrol as it gives them a sense of well being and reduces their fear of crime.”
Sergeant Clare Thomas, of the Local Policing Team in Houghton Regis, added: “Street Watch is a classic example of the community and police working in partnership to reduce crime and increase feelings of safety.
“Fear of crime and feelings of intimidation, often created by young people, can sometimes place significant demands on the local police and cause people to have unrealistic expectations of what police can achieve unless communities are willing to stand up and do their bit working alongside us”.
“The ethos of Street Watch is to give residents the opportunity to get to know their communities better. We would urge anyone interested in setting up a similar scheme in their area to get in touch.”
Anyone who is interested in joining up to the Street Watch scheme can contact Bedfordshire Police on the non emergency 101 number or visit www.street-watch.org.uk for details
Holiday Inn ~ Dunstable ~ opening soon!
"This is a gateway development that will bring new life and job opportunities to the town and will form a key part of the overall development of the London Road," said project spokesman Rod (passage taken from this link) Lovell.
Monday, 27 February 2012
Saturday, 25 February 2012
Formal consultation on changes to age range at Houghton Regis Lower schools
Formal consultation is to begin on proposals to extend the age range of four Houghton Regis Lower schools, to cater for 3 to 11 year-olds, in a bid to improve education standards.
Hawthorn Park, Thornhill and Tithe Farm Lower Schools received approval from Central Bedfordshire Council to move to statutory consultation after an informal consultation by the schools showed solid support.
Thomas Whitehead Lower School, which had also canvassed views on the issue, will also go to formal consultation following a decision by its governing body.
Speaking about the decision Cllr Mark Versallion, Executive Member for Children's Services, says: "The Council supports the drive by our schools to raise standards and results for all our pupils. This consultation, initiated by the schools concerned, is about giving power to parents, governors, and teachers to shape the future of their own schools.
"I have committed the Council to consider any proposals by schools providing they could show support from parents, that the proposed arrangements will meet the needs of all pupils, and that the changes can be achieved within existing resources.
"Initial consultation undertaken at the start of the year has shown that many parents within the area are fully supportive of the proposed changes and there is a clear desire to move ahead with the proposals.
"The Council is publishing statutory notices for the schools concerned. These will also be on the Council's website and at Houghton Regis library, as well as the local town council and local press. This is the start of formal six week statutory consultation, ending 2 April 2012. This will give parents and other interested parties a further opportunity to put forward their views."
Following the statutory consultation and careful consideration of the responses, Councillor Versallion will make the final decision on whether this change will happen for any of the schools in April. This will be made in a public meeting so that head teachers, governors and parents can attend if they wish. The proposed changes would be implemented from September 2013 at which time year 4 pupils would have the opportunity to remain at their current lower school for a further two years or transfer to a middle school.
Central Bedfordshire Council New Release 24/02/2012
Hawthorn Park, Thornhill and Tithe Farm Lower Schools received approval from Central Bedfordshire Council to move to statutory consultation after an informal consultation by the schools showed solid support.
Thomas Whitehead Lower School, which had also canvassed views on the issue, will also go to formal consultation following a decision by its governing body.
Speaking about the decision Cllr Mark Versallion, Executive Member for Children's Services, says: "The Council supports the drive by our schools to raise standards and results for all our pupils. This consultation, initiated by the schools concerned, is about giving power to parents, governors, and teachers to shape the future of their own schools.
"I have committed the Council to consider any proposals by schools providing they could show support from parents, that the proposed arrangements will meet the needs of all pupils, and that the changes can be achieved within existing resources.
"Initial consultation undertaken at the start of the year has shown that many parents within the area are fully supportive of the proposed changes and there is a clear desire to move ahead with the proposals.
"The Council is publishing statutory notices for the schools concerned. These will also be on the Council's website and at Houghton Regis library, as well as the local town council and local press. This is the start of formal six week statutory consultation, ending 2 April 2012. This will give parents and other interested parties a further opportunity to put forward their views."
Following the statutory consultation and careful consideration of the responses, Councillor Versallion will make the final decision on whether this change will happen for any of the schools in April. This will be made in a public meeting so that head teachers, governors and parents can attend if they wish. The proposed changes would be implemented from September 2013 at which time year 4 pupils would have the opportunity to remain at their current lower school for a further two years or transfer to a middle school.
Central Bedfordshire Council New Release 24/02/2012
Friday, 24 February 2012
Watling Lower School Dunstable ~ Has fabulous makeover ~ Helping to make the children feel more safe and secure in their learning environment.
Watling Lower School continues to see improvements as their 'makeover' continues. From recycled play equipment, to new windows, doors and roof. New wooden gates along with new Watling Lower School signs. A larger play area for the children,... all made safe and secure with new fencing. All helping to make the children feel safe and secure and wanting to learn in this great environment. There are still improvements being made and the coloured fence on the front of the school is to be painted very soon. Take a look at the improvements next time you pass as you go along Bull Pond Lane.
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