Weekly news from Bedford, UK

BoS leads with what can only be a side-swipe at the police:

THE odds of a speeding police car being prosecuted are 2,519 to 1.

That number of police vehicles was caught on Bedfordshire's speed cameras last year - only one was prosecuted.

The figure includes marked and unmarked cars and those on routine patrol as well as responding to 999 emergency calls.

Under Section 87 of the Road Traffic Regulations 1984 (speeding) and Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2002, there are various exemptions available for emergency vehicles including those of the police, fire and ambulance services.

These apply if it is shown the speed was necessary for the police to be carrying out specific duties such as following a vehicle or responding to an emergency call.

(When I hear a siren or see flashing blue lights, I actually feel reassurance that the police are attending to something necessary in fulfillment of their job, not that they are late for tea! I'm not quite sure why this forms a leader, other than that perhaps the writer had been caught speeding!)

Whilst it is lovely to see thatched cottages, I'm rather relieved that I don't live in one, and shudder to guess what the insurance costs must be! And this week firefighters from two counties fought a major blaze as a thatched roof went up in flames.

The roof of a cottage was largely destroyed as a result of a chimney fire in School Lane, Great Barford.

The fire service was called out early Friday afternoon and eventually eight fire engines, including two from Cambridge, a water carrier, the aerial platform and the incident command unit were on the scene.

Firefighters fought to stop the blaze spreading to the rest of the property while clearing burning thatch from the roof.

Chief Fire Officer Paul Fuller, who joined the scene, praised the quick work of the firefighters:

"They went in fast and as a result saved the rest of the building.

"Thatch fires are always very challenging - the firefighters did an excellent job in stopping the fire from spreading."

Firefighting carried on until 6pm and thereafter checks and inspections were carried on throughout the night until Saturday morning as thatch can conceal hotspots which could reignite long after the main fire is out.

Further to last week's news, two men have died after a plane flying out of Cranfield crashed on the border of Northamptonshire.

The two-seater light aircraft went down after sending out an SOS call at around 12.45pm and pilot Paul Hanley, 35, from Northampton died at the scene.

His passenger Michael Ryan, 34, also of Northampton, was airlifted to hospital in Coventry but died in hospital on Thursday evening.

Though we all nod approvingly about change, there's a bit of us that regrets it when it comes! Littlewoods in Bedford is closing in January.

In July, Associated British Foods (ABF), which runs the Primark brand, agreed to buy all of Littlewoods' 120 stores for £409 million in cash and debt.

ABF plans to convert 41 of the Littlewoods stores into Primark and then sell off the remaining properties to other high-class retailers including BHS and New Look.

The Littlewoods store in the Harpur Centre is set to close by January and although its future is not confirmed as yet, it is strongly believed that Primark, which sells discount clothes. will open for business later in the year.

A Bedford Town Centre Company spokesman said: "If this is the case then we are really pleased that Primark are moving into Bedford. They have been one of the most successful shopping stores in recent years and their arrival will be good for the town."

MORE than a thousand children with Special Educational Needs (SEN) are having to be 're-statemented' as a result, BoS states, of a county council cock-up.

It also emerged that the council has 'no idea' what happens to the money it provides for the education of these children.

Outraged parents and their legal representative have described the situation as 'disgusting and unbelievable'.

Education Secretary Ruth Kelly recently ruled that Bedfordshire County Council's SEN policy was unlawful.

This meant that the 'Statement' originally provided for each child on the council's SEN list had to be redrafted.

The accompanying picture must not be taken as gospel! It's surprising what can be done with Photoshop!

Wind power may be used by the council to save fuel bills.

A turbine could be fitted to Bedford's Oasis Beach Pool to provide its energy needs.

Increasing energy bills have caused a council to explore new methods of saving money.

Bedford Borough Council is set to release a report from its environment committee which reviews cost saving measures in council run buildings.

One of the options being considered is fitting a micro wind turbine to the top of Oasis Beach Pool to supplement the combined heat and power facility.

The turbine is estimated to cost £200,000, but would pay for itself in just over five and a half years through the savings made.

Other plans involve:

* employing a climate change officer

* implementing motion sensors into toilet facilities for lighting
(I'll leave you to work out what they meant by that!)

* fitting solar water heating panels into the roof of the Town Hall.

Chairman of the committee Cllr Roger Rigby, said:

"The review is very important for the council and we hope that it will be accepted. It fills the gaps in the current policy where the council has been slow to address problems.

"We have taken professional advice on the ideas that we have put forward and a lot of the recommendations are feasible. County Hall already has solar panels in its roof to heat water and the Town Hall can do the same.

Bedford's Territorial Army is suffering from a manning crisis with nearly 20 per cent of soldiers quitting in the last year because of the war in Iraq.

Despite a £3m national television campaign only 24 new recruits have been attracted to join the town's two TA squadrons.

Nationally only 24,000 troops are fully trained and in practice only 12,000 TA soldiers are now available to back up the regular army on operations in Iraq, the Balkans and Afghanistan.

The Ministry of Defence has denied the TA is in trouble as a result of the war in Iraq.

Before the invasion there were 121 members but as the soldiers started coming back from the war many turned their back on the TA.

In the last 12 months 32 members have quit the TA in Bedford - five times more since the war started in March 2003.

The Iraq war also necessitated the first compulsory call-up of reservists from all three services since the Korean war in the 1950s.

The shortages come as the US commander in Iraq, General George Casey, has expressed concern at the lack of troops patrolling the border between the British sector and Iran.

Regular readers may remember the shock during a River Festival nine years ago, when a German tourist was shot.

It is reported that the killed has failed to win permission to challenge his conviction for the unrelated earlier murder of a criminal and police informer.

Alvin Roy Black, 45, formerly of Mareth Road, Bedford, was jailed for life at the Old Bailey in July 2001, for the murder of Timothy Nalty, 35, who was shot dead in his bed in the early hours of September 12, 1995.

In November 1997, he was jailed for life for the murder of German Johanna Czardebon, 56, who was shot dead in an armed robbery at Bedford's County Hotel (now the Moat House) in May 1996.

On Tuesday, London's Criminal Appeal Court refused Black permission to challenge his conviction for murdering Mr Nalty, rejecting claims it was 'unsafe'.

SIR - Over the last few weeks we have heard about the precautions that will be taken when the Asian Bird Flu arrives in this country and what will happen to the domestic poultry to try and prevent the spread of the disease to humans.

However, little or nothing has been said about it spreading through the wild bird population.

Of particular concern because of their proximity to people, are the geese along the Embankment and the feral pigeons that infest our town.

Would someone in either the town or county council inform us of their plans regarding these wild fowl should the epidemic reach this county?

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SIR - I would like to add a note of support to Colin Crane in his exchange of correspondence on the subject of refugees who are given asylum here.

It beggars belief that there are those who are afforded sanctuary and aid by a benign nation can then turn round and denigrate the country and its citizens.

To my mind the behaviour is undeserving of rational argument and I would not wish to afford it more exposure.by protracted discussion.

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SIR - We have listened with interest to the debate over wind farms recently and the more information we digest the more concerned we become.

Most people recognise that we need more renewable energy in Britain. Indeed, there is a place for wind farms - a location that is sensitive and appropriate to its surroundings.

The sites chosen in this area - Podington, (Airfield Farm), Harrold/Bozeat (Nun Wood) and Petsoe End - are for between nine and 16 125metre (407ft) turbines, which appear totally unsuitable in scale, especially in comparison to the turbines at Burton Latimer beside the A14 which are only 30 metres (98ft).

Bedford Borough Council has been inviting local councillors to attend the Bedfordshire Renewable Energy Forum entitled 'Wind Power Takes Off' taking place later this month, with three speakers all in favour of windfarms.

We are extremely concerned that local people are not being properly educated on the case against wind farms - the noise factor, television interference, wider environmental consequences, safety, the impact on tourism and house prices, the effect on birds and above all, public opinion.

In addition, we fear the Government's renewable energy strategy will result in our countryside being littered with inappropriately sited wind farms.

Instead of communities that are proud to play their part in the battle against climate change, we will have groups that resent the imposition by Ministers in Whitehall of damaging developments on their doorstep.

We must find a better way forward. Not just for the sake of our countryside - although we are determined to protect that most precious British asset - but because we will only maximise the opportunities offered by renewable energy if we build consensus not conflict.

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SIR - Contrary to Adrian Richardson's comments in Bedfordshire on Sunday, all the markets in Bedford have increased in size over the past year, including the gourmet and flower markets.

That said, we are always interested in new traders able to provide the quality we seek, particularly in the gourmet market. Specialists in beef, lamb and mutton are particularly welcome.

Frank Branston

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SIR - I read with some unease your front page article relating to the collection of people who did not attend for their respective court appearances.

I may be naive but were these persons interviewed by the police at some stage, who then determined they should go to court on their relevant charges?

As some of these people were considered to be involved in ABH and GBH I have to ask the question, why were they allowed to go home to await their court appearance?

Surely people suspected of these crimes should be held in a secure place until their court appearance is due, the seriousness of their alleged offences should be sufficient to hold on to them until their trial dates.

Now the police have a situation where a number of suspects have 'gone to ground' and to find them will take additional manpower at a high financial cost.

Is this normal practice when dealing with suspects of such crimes or have I missed something?

Can someone please explain why such a situation has been allowed to happen?

Is it a one-off 'glitch' or is it normal practice when dealing with such suspected criminals.

Derek Millham

Havelock Close, Sandy

* Editor's note: It is the courts which decide whether or not a defendant gets bail.

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SIR - How fortunate we are in having the free use of the letters pages to express individual opinion on a wide range of subjects.

Over many years, we have read the letters signed 'S Ledger'.

The 'S' was for Stan and he had the advantage of a welcoming smile for all who met with him.

His subjects were varied but mostly directed at the ongoing improvements in the quality of life for all citizens.

Sadly, Stan Ledger died on October 31 and so his contributions to the letters pages will no longer appear.

As a colleague I take this opportunity to give thanks for the wisdom of his thoughts freely given and for a friend whose comments will be sadly missed.

Back on 10th September I reported on Midland Mainline's decision to ban a train stopping at Bedford in order to ensure punctuality. Of course, if in its wisdom they decide not to stop anywhere, punctuality will be perfect!

The combined power of the press, a pressure group and an MP has ensured that the authorities see the absurdity of the situation, and that a train continues to stop at Bedford station!

Commuters are celebrating after Midland Mainline's decision not to let the 18:15 train from St Pancras stop at Bedford was overturned.

As reported by Bedfordshire on Sunday in September, the train company decided it would improve punctuality if the 18:15 service did not stop at Bedford to drop passengers off.

The move came despite the service being used by more than one hundred Bedford commuters a day and only starting three months earlier.

Following our article Bedford and Kempston MP Patrick Hall wrote a letter to the director of Midland Mainline asking for a meeting to discuss the issue.

On 27 October Mr Hall met Jamie Burles, Sales & Marketing Director of Midland Mainline to make the case for Bedford. Mr Burles said that he had also met Bedford Commuters Association (BCA) earlier that month and heard the same message which he took seriously and would seek to restore the service in the winter timetable. Mr Hall said:

"Bedfordshire on Sunday has done us all a service by raising this issue in September. I congratulate The Bedford Commuters Association for making the case so effectively.

"Midland Mainline has listened to them and me and deserves thanks also. I hope that in future it will be more careful about any plans that might disadvantage the town."

A BCA spokesman said:

"We were very unhappy with Midland Mainline's decision to cancel the service in September and lots of our members contacted us to express their dissatisfaction.

"We are pleased that Midland Mainline have now seen sense and reinstated a very popular service."

A Midland Mainline spokesman said:

"Bedford's many commuters are very important to Midland Mainline, and it has always been our intention to re-instate the Bedford stop to the 18:15 service.

"The December timetable change gave us the chance to take a fresh look at the evening departures from St. Pancras and we are pleased that our Bedford passengers will be able to use the 18:15 departure once again."

A VETERAN of one of Britain's two 'forgotten wars' has accused the Government of being insensitive for refusing to allow servicemen to accept a medal honouring their bravery.

Michael Taylor was among the thousands of British soldiers who fought against the rebels in the jungles of Malaysia and Borneo, where nearly 600 men lost their lives.

Now, the Malaysian Government has awarded medals to all the Commonwealth soldiers who took part in the fighting.

Australian and New Zealand troops have received their medals, but British veterans have been forbidden from accepting theirs after the Government said it would be breach of current regulations.

This decision has angered Mr Taylor who has accused the Government of creating an embarrassing situation.

The 65-year-old from Lovell Road, Oakley, who served as a vehicle engineer in the Royal electrical and mechanical engineers, said:

"In the current climate I think the Government should feel foolish for this ruling. The Muslim country of Malaysia is offering us a goodwill gesture but our Government is just throwing it back in their face.

"Our efforts in Borneo were played down at the time by calling the war a confrontation so it would be a wonderful gesture to be given this medal from the Malaysians themselves.

"I know there were plenty of servicemen from the 1948 conflict who wanted to wear the medal at last Sunday's remembrance service but couldn't.

"I fear that these men won't be around to enjoy its use if the Government continues to drag its heels."

Between 1948 and 1966 more than 100,000 British troops were called upon during the Malayan Emergency and the Borneo conflict.

A spokesman for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office said: "The Government policy is that you cannot accept foreign awards if the action took place more than five years ago. The policy is under review and a decision is expected in December."

An article in The Guardian last Saturday discussed the pros and cons of moving to the county town.

This is the second time in five years The Guardian has thought Bedford worthy of such an accolade.

Not much has changed since 2000.

On both occasions Bedford was damned with faint praise.

In the latest article, writer Tom Dyckhoff said:

'It sounds like dullsville.

'It's even got 'bed' in its name - why not go the whole hog and call it Zzzzzford?'

Property in Bedford, he tells his reader, 'excels in Victoriana, with big detached villas'.

Bedford: the town of villas - could become our new tourism slogan.

Not all is glitzy, though, as we have reams of terraces and a 'one bedroom bungalow close to the railway station, £85,000'.

The article mentions the 'gloriously sleepy Cecil Higgins art gallery', which is due for a major revamp if lottery money is forthcoming.

Reference is made to the Corn Exchange attracting some class acts among them 'Carpenters tribute concerts'.

By an odd coincidence, the Corn Exchange has spent this week advertising 'The Carpenters: A Celebration' - which goes on tonight.

The article also highlights an 'astonishingly cosmopolitan population - Poles, Italians, Bangladeshis and some very pretty swans'.

It could have added that we all rub along pretty nicely as well, apart from the Canada geese.

The newspaper claims there are some downs to living in Bedford, such as binge-drinking whippersnappers and some localised but nasty crime.

Fair enough but such criticisms could apply to any market town in England.

All in all we reckon Bedford sounds quite a nice place to live.

Perhaps if they return in another five years, The Guardian staff will be surprised by the new bus station, a revitalised Castle Lane and a mock Georgian development overlooking the river.

A table tennis player has gone straight into the country's under 15s top 100 - and he is only 12 years old.

Bedford Modern School (BMS) year eight pupil Dominic Wilson now looks as if he could be the next in the long list of top-ranked table tennis players produced by the school.

Dominic, from Bedford, has been playing for four years and has just competed in his first ranking event in the National Cadet League.

This week he was informed he has entered the national ranking list for the first time, being placed at number 96.

Ranking can only be achieved by playing against those already on the list and BMS table tennis coach Paul Birch is hopeful Dominic could make it into the top 20 since he has three more years in the Cadet League. He said:

"While it is unusual to go straight into the top 100 in the England lists, it is even more remarkable as the age category is under 15. Dominic has a very bright future ahead of him."

Now the youngster can look forward to travelling around the country in a bid to increase his standing and if he's good enough, there could perhaps even be a trip to the Beijing Olympics on the cards to follow in the footsteps of Bedford girl Gail Emms who won a silver medal in the badminton mixed doubles at the Athens games.

MP Nadine Dorries has warned "chaos" will result from the new Licensing Act, which took effect in the early hours of Thursday morning.
The Mid Bedfordshire MP voted in Parliament last week to try to sink the bill, which will allow pubs, clubs, off-licenses and other licensed premises to sell alcohol for up to 24 hours a day.

Mrs Dorries said: "Every member of Parliament that voted for the new drinking hours did so knowing that they will fuel even more violence and anti-social behaviour on the streets of Britain.

"Even a Government minister admitted during the debate last week that this will lead to an increase in drink-fuelled violence and anti-social behaviour. A few Government posters will not prevent the chaos that 24-hour drinking will surely bring."

The new law has also shifted decision-making powers from magistrates to councillors on local authorities such as Bedford Borough Council.

Nowhere in Bedford town centre has applied to sell alcohol around the clock, but some clubs will be able to serve until as late as 4am.

Three supermarkets have applied for 24-hour licenses - Tesco in Cardington Road and Riverfield Drive, and Sainsbury's in Clapham Road.

The police, however, were reasonably relaxed this week before the extended drinking hours took effect. John Price, secretary of the Police Federation of Bedfordshire, said

"We are going to wait and see what the effect of the law is.

"Pubs and clubs in Bedford have been open until 2 or 3am for some time now, and with the Bed:Safe project incidents seem to be on the downturn.

"There has been no change in the policing arrangements at this moment in time, but the force was already looking at moving the late shift to end an hour later at 4am. Even when clubs close at 2am, that does not mean the streets are clear an hour after that."

Bedford Borough Council was also confident the first nights of longer hours would be trouble-free. A spokesman said:

"We are in constant close contact with all our town centre licensees through the Bed:Safe project. We are not anticipating any particular problems."

One is used to "Worst county in....the country" - but not usually from the Times& Citizen, which leads with the report that Prosecutors in Bedfordshire are the worst in the country at securing convictions, according to figures published this week.

An unofficial league table ranked Bedfordshire's Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) rock bottom when compared to 41 other regions across England and Wales.

But the county's Crown lawyers, based in Luton, say the tables provide an unfair comparison as Bedfordshire has not been a priority area for national funding.

The statistics, revealed in a national newspaper, showed Bedfordshire obtained convictions in 76.6 per cent of cases. Warwickshire topped the pile with a 92.9 per cent success rate.

A breakdown of the figures, which cover September 2004 to August 2005, show that in 1,590 cases of offences against the person, only 51 per cent resulted in convictions, while nearly half of all sex offences (47 per cent) failed to produce a conviction.

But Richard Newcombe, Bedfordshire's Chief Crown Prosecutor, said: "The Government has set each area a target for the number of recorded offences brought to justice, and Beds is on trajectory to meet the target this year."

Mr Newcombe explained that a new "shadow" charging scheme, whereby a lawyer is based at a police station during office hours, had been extended to many priority areas.

The lawyer helps police decide the appropriate charge and also offers advice on evidence.

Some priority regions had also moved on to a full-blown, statutory charging scheme where a lawyer is on call 24 hours a day to offer advice to officers.

Mr Newcombe said the areas which had been allowed to introduce the schemes had seen a much improved conviction rate.

He said: "We have only just had the funding to start shadow charging and it began in June. Last week we have just had our first review for going into statutory charging and this is due to happen in January. There has been a significant improvement as a result of shadow charging, but it's got to work its way through because there is a backlog in the courts."

He pointed out that Bedfordshire CPS's figures for October and November showed a 79 per cent conviction rate – already a three per cent rise as a result of shadow charging.

May I wish you a restful week ahead

Robert

Week ending 26 November 2005