Weekly news from Bedford, UK

Though there was a minor flood a couple of years back, the main one in my memory was in April 1998. The Embankment was flooded, and the water on the road leading towards the Aspects cinema was pretty onimous. I rmember this in particular because Jill and I had gone to see "Titanic" - and it seemed quite appropriate that we had to pick our way around to get to the cinema!

There was a major flood early last century, but this was thought to be a freak one.

However, as more and more buildings are erected, some near areas that are prone to flooding, one wonders whether sufficient thought has been given to this problem, and whether buildings have been built to withstand a flood. This forms the headline in this week's Bedfordshire on Sunday:

Hundreds of houses across the county are at risk from flooding and the owners probably don't know it.

The Environment Agency warns that people could face 'climate change negative equity' as the sea-level rises and the value of their homes plummets.

The agency an arm of central Goverrnment has recently unveiled maps showing the extent of flood risk across the country.

The agency's forecasts, based on global warming studies, show that huge swathes of Bedfordshire could be submerged by rising water in the next few decades.

There has not been a huge amount of publicity about the maps, which can be examined at the agency's website.

Some of these are pictured and show the extent of flooding anticipated as dark blue and light blue areas.

According to these, dark blue indicates 'moderate' flooding of the Great Ouse.

This 'moderate flooding' would inundate most of the south of Bedford town, swamping County Hall, Kingsway, and most of Cardington Road.

'Severe' flood represented at the larger light blue areas would see the swollen waterway submerge Midland Road west, the new 'Britannia Wharf' housing development near Prebend Street and the Kingsway area as far south as the hospital.

Rural areas such as Beeston, Sandy, Stewartby, Chicksands and Pavenham are also among those at risk.

Bedfordshire County Council is the authority with responsibility for preparing for and responding to flooding in the county. A spokesman said:

"While we can't do anything to prevent prolonged, heavy rainfall, we are part of a carefully planned response - developed with other agencies including the Environment Agency, emergency services and health services."

Here's something I have been battling on about for ages - the elimination of a tier of government.

Local government would be more efficient and cheaper if there were fewer councils. This is the view of our industrious MP Patrick Hall, who is addressing this issue.

Patrick Hall has followed up his proposal for a radical shake-up of our local councils by launching a petition to the Government calling for action.

The Bedford and Kempston MP has suggested that instead of the existing system of two councils in any part of Bedfordshire being responsible for services, there should be one in charge of them all.

He believes that the 'two-tier' arrangement is expensive and inefficient and that a better deal is more likely to be gained from 'unitary' councils. Mr Hall said:

"Since raising this in BoS a few weeks ago, I have received many encouraging comments from local residents and organisations.

"The next step is to gather evidence of support for change and a petition is one way of doing that.

"Copies have already been sent to more than 200 people who have contacted me expressing interest in the idea.

"This is a great start but much more is needed if enough momentum is to be built."

The petition reads:

'We the undersigned, being residents of Bedfordshire, believe that the current two tier arrangement of local government comprising three districts and one county council does not serve us well.

'We believe that replacing this with a unitary council based upon Bedford and another based upon Dunstable would best deliver cost effective and efficient services tailored to local needs.

'We therefore call upon the Government to support this aim and to introduce the measures needed to achieve reform as soon as possible'.

• Copies can be obtained from Patrick Hall MP at Broadway House, 4-6 The Broadway, Bedford, MK40 2TE, telephone 01234 262699, or by e-mailing hallp@parliament.uk"

If, as I hope, Bedford people would like a streamlining if local government, please feel free to email me to this effect, or pop a message in the guestbook, and I will pass this on to Patrick.

The bypass that won't has driven the affected town's MP into a rage.

Alistair Burt has reacted angrily to last week's decision by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) which will see a bypass run through the middle of a housing expansion.

As reported in last week's Bedfordshire on Sunday, a long-desired 'traffic relief' road will now run through the middle of a proposed 1,200-house development in Shortstown

Mr Burt, North-East Bedfordshire MP, has supported campaigners throughout their decade-long fight for a bypass. An angry Mr Burt said:

"This is a chance missed. Shortstown deserved better.

"So many Shortstown residents worked hard to make a good and sensible case, and brought together local political representatives of all parties to support them.

"The Government cannot have it both ways.

"It cannot encourage local community participation in a matter of no real interest to any Inspector or Government Department, but of huge importance to that community, and then treat the views of the community so lightly.

"Where there is no fundamental objection to a building proposal, perhaps it is time for local views to be given more weight.

"Government wonders why no one bothers to be interested in politics these days.

"Perhaps this decision explains why. What is the point of all that hard work?"

Jobs in the county could be lost as a multi-national giant admits it is looking to sell part of its company.

As exclusively reported in Bedfordshire on Sunday last month, Unilever may be selling its frozen foods division, which includes household names such as Findus and Birds Eye.

At the time Unilever refused to comment but last Friday issued a statement confirming the rumours.

The global company said that it was conducting a review of its western European frozen foods business that could lead to a sale of the operation.

The announcement encouraged investors, who have been looking for a turnround at the company and its shares rose as a result of the statement.

According to analysts, sale of the frozen foods division could raise several hundred million pounds.

Want a little assistance with your shopping? Or advice on where it is best to go?

Now help is at hand. Bluecaps are at your disposal.

They are being funded by the Bedford Business Improvement District (BID), which uses money given by local companies to improve the town in the hope of making it more attractive to shop here.

As well as offering help and advice, the Bluecaps were giving away forms on Friday for people to fill in, which go into a draw and the winner gets £1,000 of shopping vouchers.

The first people to approach them came from Milton Keynes. Mo Aswat, executive director of Bedford BID, said:

"They much prefer shopping in Bedford as it is more interesting and has a much greater range of different shops.

"It is also a much prettier setting with its historic buildings and Embankment."

From Friday subsidised parking was introduced at Lurke Street, River Street and Allhallows multi-storey car parks. It will cost £1 to park from 10.30am to 4.30pm.

A sad story that will disgust and enrage those who have elderly relatives:

An elderly woman has died three weeks after being robbed in her own home.

Pat Wilson, 70, died on Thursday after an ulcer in her stomach burst. She was a resident at the Lodge in Clapham and had been burgled in her flat on August 25.

Two men had entered her flat at 9.50pm and started to search for valuables. Mrs Wilson got out of her bed to confront the burglars in the living room but was pushed into an armchair.

The burglars escaped with 50 that was on the living room table and 30 that was in the kitchen.

Mrs Wilson's family believe that the burglary contributed immensely to her death and that she never got over the attack. Her son, Terry Cooke, said:

"I hope that the scum who burgled my mum are happy with what they've done. They made her last three weeks an absolute misery.

"After the attack she just gave up. She was so stressed by the whole ordeal and was really frightened. She just couldn't go on."

The two burglars were both white with mousy hair. One wore a grey bomber jacket and the other wore a black coat and also had a pair of white gloves on.

Smoking could be banned in Bedford within the next five years.

Lighting up is set to be outlawed at all public and work places.

That would mean no smoking in pubs, restaurants and nightclubs as Bedford follows in the footsteps of New York, Dublin and Liverpool.

On Thursday night members of Bedford Borough Council's community and culture policy review and development committee heard a presentation from Bedford Primary Care Trust (PCT) calling for a smoke ban in Bedford workplaces.

The PCT is keen for the council to become partners in its attempt at pushing the ban through and Thursday's presentation revealed many startling facts about smoking in Bedford and the UK.

Statistics revealed that there are 43,000 smokers in Bedford and half of those will die as a direct result of their habit. The presentation also revealed that three million workers in the UK breathe second-hand smoke and one will die every week because of this. More research showed that over 80 per cent of Bedfordians are for the ban. Cass Golumbina from Bedford PCT said:

"Smokers suffer more illness, more days off, they have less productivity and they cost companies the most amount of money. There is also clear evidence that second-hand smoking is harmful."

"When you look at Dublin, the amount of smokers has dropped significantly since the ban came into place as have the amount of cigarettes and tobacco that are being sold.

"People don't want to stand outside in the wind and rain to smoke and they don't want to keep getting up out of their seats to do so."

The committee agreed with the proposed ban and voted to recommend it to the executive committee at its next meeting. Cllr John Mingay said:

"I feel very strongly about this as smoking killed my father. Some people may see this as another nail in the coffin of free choice, but on balance I would like to see a smoking ban come into operation on a trial basis so we can see how the people of Bedford react to it."

A spokesman for Bedford PCT added:

"Bedford Primary Care Trust is committed to helping local people quit smoking and promoting smoke free environments to improve everyone's health.

"Seven out of 10 smokers say they want to stop and four in five wish they had never started smoking."

Anticipating this move, the Bedford Rygby club recently banned all smoking in its bars. Whilst one sympathises with those who are addicted, I have to say that sitting in the bar is now much more pleasurable. One has only to have one smoker in a room, and everybody else suffers (in my case athsma) or goes home with clothes smelling. Increasingly no smoking is becoming the norm; Jill and I had a pleasant time at the Marina restaurant, where the ban already exists.

BoS reports that hundreds of thousands of pounds has been spent by the council in knocking down old lavatories and tarting up Bedford's most prestigious square.

New walls and iron railings have been built around St Paul's Church, and the area where the lavatories once stood has been paved.

Over the road the old tourist information centre next to the Corn Exchange has been converted into a new toilet block. One part is to be exclusively for market traders.

But just as the work on St Paul's Square is about to be finished, health and safety officers are now insisting there must be a lavatory on the square itself so the traders do not have to cross the road if they want to take a natural break.

A planning appication has been submitted to build a new lavatory where the old toilet block stood. It will only be open for traders and not for general use.

Frank Branston, Mayor of Bedford borough, said:

"I would have thought the traffic was slow enough and the traders quick enough for there not to be a problem. I will be looking at this again."

A Bedford Borough Council spokesman said:

"We are required to provide appropriate facilities for market traders and this includes toilet and hand wash facilities. We regard the health, safety and welfare of stallholders, and their customers, as being of paramount importance. The trading area covers both Harpur Square and St. Paul's Square.

"The environmental improvements currently taking place have included the demolition of poor quality public conveniences and the provision of new public facilities in the rear part of the former Tourist Information Centre.

"In order to ensure that traders on St. Paul's Square are also provided with appropriate facilities a small single cubicle unit is to be provided on St. Paul's Square."

Cllr Apu Bagchi said:

"This seems like a complete waste of money and will spoil all the work that has been done."

I have just come back from an interesting exhibition put on by the Bedford Museum, with all sorts of items used during the second world war. Sadly the exhibition closes this Wednesday, but I have a few photographs to show in the near future.

Wishing you a good week ahead

Week ending 1 October 2005