Hello! Weekly news from Bedford, England

Yes, I did say I was taking a break until term begins! This is a somewhat abbreviated summary of the news for this week, for the sake of continuity.

BoS leads with the report that the first task for new county councillors elected in May will be to put together a kite.

They will then be asked to add their own words to the tail of what they consider represents or should represent the county council.

Bedfordshire County Council has bought 1,000 mini kite kits which will be handed out to new employees and councillors

The kites cost about £1 each.

County councillor Nick Hills said:

"Whoever dreamt this up must have been as high as kite. I wonder if they will make the comments public. Certainly mine would not be printable.

"I think the people of Bedfordshire will be more impressed by the council addressing the failings outlined by the Audit Commission than silly ideas like this."

The scheme will be piloted on a few new employees and if successful rolled out to include all newcomers to County Hall.

Chief Executive Andrea Hill uses a model of a kite, with inspirational words on the tail, as her symbol of 'Tranforming Bedfordshire'. Despite comments that it resembles a 'pile of mashed potoato' she continues to take it around the county to demonstrate to employees what they need to do to improve the performance of the poor performing authority.

Elections for new county councillors will take place on May 5.

A Bedfordshire County Council spokesman said: "We are using the kite symbol to replicate the model used by Andrea Hill as part of the 'Transforming Bedfordshire' agenda. The model is of a figure rising from the clouds holding a kite.

The model says - 'our spirits soar as we fly higher and higher'. Upon the kite tails are written words that describe what the organisation will feel like when it is vibrant.

"We want people to emotionally engage with this symbolism by identifying what skills they can bring to improving customer services and writing them on the tails of their kites as part of their personal pledge to the improvement agenda.

"This may include councillors in the future."

Detectives are on the hunt for a man who is alleged to have posed as a bogus taxi driver and indecently assaulted his passenger.

Jaylyn Samuel, also known as Asumah Samuel, 20, of Ashburnham Road, Bedford, is accused of indecent assault and false imprisonment of April 11 last year.

In the early hours of that Sunday morning, a 21-year-old student was picked up outside the Mission nightclub in Mill Street, Bedford, by a man posing as a taxi driver.

Since December he has failed to comply with his bail conditions and failed to turn up for his trial which was due to be heard at Luton Crown Court on March 14.

The young woman claims she was indecently assaulted by the driver. At the time she told Bedfordshire on Sunday that after the car stopped in a housing estate in Elstow she escaped and hid in bushes while her attacker drove around looking for her.

Mr Samuel has also been charged with a further offence of indecently assaulting a woman on April 3.

Bedfordshire Police took the unusual step of releasing Mr Samuel's picture after he failed to turn up to court.

It is believed he is in London, but he is likely to return to Bedford to visit his partner.

Anyone with information on his whereabouts should contact DC Graham McMillan at Bedford CID on 01234 275364, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

If the Olympics committee votes the right way, the next ten years could be a boom time for the county.

Gold could be heading our way if London wins its bid to host the Olympics in 2012. Lots of it.

This is the view of Simon Eassom, of De Montfort University, Bedford.

Simon is the head of the School of Physical Education and Sport Sciences at the Lansdowne Road campus and has been preaching a message to local businessmen. It is a message he preaches with some passion.

Put simply, the Olympic Games is a fantastic opportunity for Bedfordshire if only it has the will to grab it.

Obviously this will largely depend on the Games coming to London, but the same could be true even if our capital is pipped by Paris.

There are five cities in the running, London, Paris, Madrid, New York and Moscow. At the moment London and Paris are in front, with Madrid close behind.

A decision is being made on July 6 and if either of the first two win, the rewards for this area could be huge.

The statistics are staggering.

The Sydney Olympics in 2000 generated:

- £400 in new business investment

- £200 million in new technology business

- £1.3 billion in post-Games infrastructure and service contracts

- More than £4 billion in tourism after the Games

- Enhanced business after the Games worth £4 billion.

Some of this could come to the county - if we get our act together.

We have all the right vital statisitics ourselves to attract some of this business but we need to move fast.

As Simon explained:

"There are three distinct phases to an Olympic Games. First is the pre-Games build-up. In many ways this is the critical time. This is when contracts will be handed out for construction and support services as well as sponsorship.

"Most countries send their teams to the host city six months before the Games, so will be looking for somewhere to stay. London is going to be too expensive and too crowded for many, who will be looking for good facilities within easy reach. Bedford is ideal. We have a floodlit running track, a river and many other sports pitches and facilites in and around the town.De Montfort sports department is ideally suited for this but not only us.

"The second phase is the Games itself when there will be something like ten million tickets sold, equivalent to around 500,000 spectators per day.

"They need to stay somewhere and Bedford is ideal, not just for London but also Cambridge and Oxford.As well as the athletes, there are also coaches, officials, families and media representatives, totalling nearly 50,000 people.

"The Paralympic Games follow on immediately with a new set of athletes and entourage.

"The final phase is after the Games with a permanent boost to tourism and a booming convention market.

"All in all this could be a massive boost to the area but only if we get our act together."

Of course this is dependent on the Games coming to London. Simon replies:

"Not entirely. If Paris is chosen, the benefits could be almost the same. The new terminal for the Eurostar puts us less than three hours away from Paris. We are much closer than Brisbane is to Sydney, where a lot of people stayed in 2000.

Also English speaking athletes and tourists may prefer to stay here."

Crucial are the words 'getting our act together'.

"A Bedfordshire Organising Committee will be essential. Some parts of the country have started already.

We will need to able to offer a strategy, both in organising Olympic training camps and attracting sports invesment. Five or six 50-metre swimming pools will be needed, for example and for Bedford to have a chance of one it will need to demonstrate how it would fit into the overall long-term sport and fitness strategy for the region."

The landing of the Nirah project for Bedfordshire can only boost its appeal and who knows, by then we may have a canal and CentreParcs gracing the area between the Midland mainline railway and the M1.

A word of warning, though.

For many years there have been plans for an Olympic size rowing lake to be built at minimal cost out of quarry pits near Willington. In all that time, the body responsible for taking the decision, Bedfordshire County Council has simply been unable to make up its mind.

Recycling has been branded a waste of time after orange bag collectors were spotted stuffing them into rubbish bins.

Bill Dunham from Radwell Road, Milton Ernest, put his bin and orange bag out for collection as usual on Wednesday.

Normally the refuse collectors arrive with the recycling lorry coming later but this week that was reversed and he was disgusted to see the orange bag collectors getting rid of them inside people's wheelie bins.

When challenged one of the collectors suggested this was so they did not need to empty their lorry so often. Mr Dunham said:

"I phoned the depot and was told there must have been hazardous material in them. Were the bags opened or have we a new breed of men who have x-ray eyes?

We are exhorted by local councils, national government and the European government to recycle our waste.

The council has put the council tax up once again and I assume part of this helps pay for the extra vehicle to collect recyclable waste. If what I saw is usual practice by the refuse department then it makes a mockery of recycling."

A Bedford Borough spokesman said:

"The residents' orange sacks contained non-recyclable materials, such as ceramic plant pots and corrugated cardboard, which should have been put in the normal refuse sacks.

The crews are instructed not to collect orange sacks which contain non-recyclable materials, but in this instance the crew decided to put the orange sacks in the normal refuse collection bin rather than leave them uncollected.

We have spoken to the staff involved to ensure this situation is not repeated."

Animal welfare campaigners have confronted the Mayor and council to take part in a public debate over their concerns about the Nirah development.

The project, which will see fish and other aquatic creatures housed in massive domes to be built at Stewartby, has attracted criticism from animal welfare groups who object both to the principle of using the project for research and also to keeping the animals in captivity.

A war of words has erupted in recent weeks between Bedford Mayor Frank Branston and animal welfare campaigners who say the Mayor has wrongly accused them of violence. He also branded them fascists.

Now Bedford Animal Action has called a public meeting at which it will put forward two speakers against the development. Both Bedford Borough Council and Nirah have been invited to send representatives.

The borough has declined and a Nirah spokesman said: "Nirah representatives have attended a number of public meetings across the area.

"In terms of animal welfare there is a section on our website of frequently asked questions and points raised.

"We are currently in the process of setting up an ethics committee to look at these issues and until that is established we do not feel it appropriate to meet with these people."

The meeting will be held on Wednesday at 7:30pm at the Bunyan Meeting Free Church in Mill Street, Bedford.

Why aren't there more police on the beat? Why aren't pot holes filled? Why can't I find an NHS dentist?

These are just some of the questions that you will be able to put forward to a range of councillors later this year.

Bedford Borough Council has decided that a 'State of the Borough' debate will be a perfect way to find out what residents think of the area.

It has been proposed that the debate will take place on a Saturday in either mid September or early October.

It is also expected to take place somewhere in the town centre with the Corn Exchange or Bedford High School being possible locations.

It is hoped that the debate will offer residents from across the borough the opportunity to express their views and have their questions answered.

After the debate, the council will take on board the expressed opinions and react to them or pass the matter raised onto the relevant bodies.

A sub committee has been formed to arrange the debate and report back at the next corporate and resource policy review and development committee meeting.

Councillor Ray Oliver said:

"The debate will give the people of Bedford the chance to ask questions not just about the town, but about the borough as a whole.

"The panel will more than likely be headed by the Mayor, but members from other agencies will be present to answer any questions asked."

SIR - Those who claim that the lives of animals are of little or no importance reflect deep-seated speciesism, which is a form of fascism towards non-human animals.

They defend the status quo of human supremacy as strongly as the supporters of slavery and white supremacy used to claim that the lives of slaves were of little value. Europeans called native Americans beasts and Africans sold into slavery were treated like domesticated animals. During the Second World War Americans described the Japanese as vermin to be exterminated.

Victims of the Nazis were killed in assembly-line fashion as animals are killed in slaughterhouses. The vilification of people as animals made it much easier to kill them because most humans have been brainwashed to have little or no regard for the lives of most animals.

The grim truth is our 'civilisation' is built on the exploitation of animals and it is from this cancer that all other atrocities flow.Those who advocate for animals are attacking the roots of human oppression. We must become aware of dualistic, divisive thinking as it becomes the basis for the discrimination that causes oppression and suffering.

Instead we must see the relationships between all beings, instead of a separation into higher or lower or good or evil.

More than a hundred Conservatives hopefuls have applied to become parliamentary candidate for Mid Bedfordshire - deemed the last safe Tory seat up for grabs.

The seat is now available after the current MP Jonathan Sayeed (pictured right) quit last week on grounds of ill health. He had been confronted with further allegations of misconduct by a Conservative panel.

With the general election probably only a few weeks away, Andrew Mackay, the party's deputy chairman, rather than Mid Beds Conservative Association is responsible for drawing up a shortlist of candidates.

Selection will take place on Saturday April 2.

Mr Mackay believes that divisions in the local party has had a part to play in the rows that followed Jonathan Sayeed's suspension from the Commons for his part in taking wealthy American tourists on tours around the commons.

Tory officials say that Mr Mackay has been inundated with emails from members begging to be included on the shortlist.

Many senior party figures are eager the seat should be given to a woman, but Mr MacKay has ruled out an all-female shortlist.

However, it is thought that about half the names on the shortlist will be women. On Saturday morning 30 members of the association will meet to dwindle the list down to three or four candidates. That evening all members of the association will be invited to vote for their new parliamentary hopeful under a simply majority voting system.

Chairman of the association Ashley Green said:

"Saturday is an exciting time for us. We have put behind us the events of recent months and are now concentrating on the county and general elections.

It is unfortunate things had to happen this way but Jonathan Sayeed was the author of his own downfall. His colleagues at Westminster did not feel comfortable to work alongside him and he decided to retire on ill health grounds."

Last Friday the association's Annual General Meeting Cllr Robin Younger took on the role of President from Tory grandee Sir Stanley Odell.

Since Mr Sayeed's announcement to stand down 12 members have resigned from the association but the same figure have rejoined the party since the news.

Jonathan Sayeed apologised to the House of Commons for the second time on Wednesday.

The Tory made the statement after the Commons Standards Committee threatened to bar him until he withdrew complaints about its investigation.

Last month he apologised to MPs, but said the committee's report contained 'a few errors of fact'.

He was also criticised for his use of allowances and Parliament's stationary.

In his statement to MPs, Mr Sayeed said:

"I offer my unreserved apology in respect to my conduct and accept the findings of the Committee in respect of this and my improper use of Commons's stationery.

I also accept and unreservedly apologise for inadvertent but incorrect ACA (expenses) claims.

However it occurred, the responsibility is mine and it has become apparent that I claimed for some items that I should not have.

I will repay any discrepancy. For all these mistakes I apologise."

County Hall's flagship Dart bus service has been extended into north Bedfordshire.

The North Beds Dart launched last Monday replaces most existing bus services in the area, but is designed to be more frequent and more direct. It is split into two different routes.

ND1 is an hourly walk-on service between Renhold, Wilden, Ravensden, Norse Road, Goldington Road and Harpur Street. Passengers who register and book can also be picked up from the railway station, Bedford Hospital South Wing, Tesco Goldington and Elms Farm Industry.

Passengers have to register and book to use ND2, as the route varies depending on the bookings received. It serves Colmworth, Bolnhurst, Keysoe, Little Staughton, Pertenhall, and in Bedford the railway station, Harpur Street, both Bedford Hospital sites and Sainsbury's in Clapham Road.

Although ND2 replaces the 153 service as the main public transport for the villages served, some 153 journeys will continue to serve Mark Rutherford Upper School and St Gregory's School.

The North Beds Dart is funded by money form central government and from cash previously used for other bus services.

Although it will use the same telephone number and dispatch centre as the Bedford Dart, it will be run by a different operator, Cedar Coaches, which has run services in north east Beds for many years.

Coun Richard Payne, portfolio holder for the environment said:

"The new North Beds Dart will be ideal for many journeys in the rural area for which car or taxi were the only practical options.

The service offers fares including bargain family tickets and accepts concessionary bus passes."

The three-star rated Bedford Hospital has revealed it is facing an £8m overspend on this year's £100m budget.

Bedford NHS Trust said the shortfall, which was revealed on Wednesday, could mean the loss of one of its hard-earned three stars.

That in turn would set back plans to achieve independent foundation status.

The trust is confident it can balance the books oover two years but it could involve shutting an operating theatre and the possibility of bed closures.

The trust said part of the deficit was down to treating more emergency patients than expected last year and NHS-wide changes that had increased staff costs.

The hospital, which was among 32 given the go-ahead to apply for foundation status in January 2005, was awarded three NHS stars in 2004 two years after being given a zero-star rating.

The trust shot up the NHS performance table, meeting each of the government's key targets, treating patients faster than before and cutting waiting lists.

On Wednesday chief executive Andrew Reed said the hospital was not about to let its hard-won standards slip.

The trust has commissioned an independent financial review to look at the causes of the deficit and to help ensure that it is not repeated.

Week ending 4 April 2005