News

Bringing Empty Homes Back Into Use

6/28/2018 9:05:00 AM

In August 2014 there were 143 properties in Bedford Borough that had been empty for five years or more. By February 2018 this had been reduced to 97 - a reduction of 32%. Bedford Borough Council is working hard to reduce the number of empty homes in the borough. Empty flats and houses are a wasted resource and can have a negative impact on the environment and local community when they could be providing a home for a local person or family.

Between 2006 / 2007 and ...

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Help Bedford Borough Council identify privately fostered children

6/26/2018 9:15:00 AM

Private Fostering Week takes place from the 9th- 13th July and is an initiative that aims to reduce the number of children in un-notified private fostering arrangements in England. Bedford Borough Council is asking for help to identity any children who are being cared for by someone who is not a direct relative.

Private Fostering is an arrangement where someone, who is not a close relative, cares for another person’s child for 28 days or more. Although, a private arrangement, the p...

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Mayor announces Major Expansion in Bedford for Electric Vehicle Charging

6/15/2018 9:17:00 AM

Mayor Dave Hodgson has announced the introduction of 300 electric vehicle charging points, on 150 posts, across Bedford and Kempston for electric cars over the next 3 years, a massive increase on the existing number.

Working in partnership with Chargemaster, the UK’s largest charge point manufacturer, the Council will install the stations on street and within car parks. Both fast and rapid chargers will be installed as part of the project and installation...

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Just One Month To Go Until Bedford River Festival 2018!

6/14/2018 9:21:00 AM

This year’s River Festival is fast approaching with the event taking place on Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th July, celebrating its 40th Anniversary.

2016’s Festival saw over a quarter of a million people come to Bedford’s beautiful riverside, with events expanding down the river this year with St Mary’s Gardens opposite Riverside Bedford getting in on the action.

With just one month to go there is still time to get involved in the Parade which this year ...

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New Car Park for Bedford Town Centre - Now Open

6/13/2018 9:26:00 AM

Following improvement works, a new public car park has now opened south of the river at St Mary’s Gardens.

This investment has seen an existing car park between Borough Hall and Bedford College greatly improved and now open to the public creating more parking, including 3 disabled spaces, just over the river from our town centre.

St Mary’s Gardens is a lovely and underused stretch of our riverside, and with the new footbridge linking to Riverside Bedford this car park will ...

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Shared Lives Week 2018

6/13/2018 9:24:00 AM

Shared Lives Week is taking place from Friday 15th to Sunday 24th June 2018. The focus of this year’s Shared Lives Week is to raise awareness and support for our valued Shared Lives carers across the Borough.

The Shared Lives service works with people aged 16 years and over who have learning disabilities to assist them to access greater everyday life opportunities within the local community. Shared Lives carers share their home and family life with a person who has support nee...

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Come and Adopt with Bedford Borough Council

6/12/2018 9:28:00 AM

Bedford Borough Council is asking people from black and ethnic minority communities to consider adoption.

Facts and figures from adoption agencies across the country have shown that children from black and ethnic minority backgrounds often wait longer to be adopted and find their forever family. While these children may wait longer, black adopters often find a match with their child or children sooner.

Adoption can offer children who may have had a difficult start the oppor...

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Bedford’s Big High Street Showcase Brings Biggest Footfall to Town Centre

6/11/2018 9:33:00 AM

Bedford’s Big High Street Showcase took place on the 2nd June, 2018 along High Street, Mill Street and in the Arcade bringing in the largest footfall of any Saturday so far this year.

Over 40 different businesses and local organisation traded outside on the day with many offering services and goods at special event prices.

Further attractions included children’s entertainment such as face painting, a climbing wall and funfair rides. The Lady K stage welcomed local tale...

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2018 River Festival Bigger Than Ever Before

6/4/2018 9:38:00 AM

2018’s Bedford River Festival will be bigger than ever before, with the Festival expanding further down the River to include St Marys’ Gardens.

St Mary’s Gardens will host a stage, an arts and crafts marquee as well as a marquee for The Higgins Bedford. There will also be giant games and circus skills area, as well as an Adventure Village with a low rope course, bushcraft activities, and canoe trail.

This year the River Festival marks its 40th anniversary on Saturday 1...

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ECP Bedford second birthday celebrations

6/4/2018 9:34:00 AM

Early Childhood Partnership (ECP) is celebrating their second birthday on Tuesday 5th June by holding an event at Cherry Trees Children Centre. ECP delivers activities and services for families across all the children’s centres in Bedford Borough.

The event will run from 9am to 11.30am and will celebrate two great years of providing services to families with young children including ante natal (Bumps, Births and Baby; Ready Steady Baby; and Baby Brasserie), play and learn (0 –...

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