News in brief

This and that....

I'm still receiving messages from expats saying that they wished I could get back to the once weekly newsletter for expats. Whilst I am very flattered by this, I'm a one-man band, and it was getting to be a bit of a strain! But readers can access either the weekly Times&Citizen or Bedfordshire on Sunday. In addition, there's Three counties Radio. And I promise to put up ocasional news items.

 

 

 

It's a curious time of year, and as I write, the temperature in Bedford is about 18 degrees, well above the normal. It is confusing the trees and plants; some trees show the lovely brown and green coloured leaves beginning to shed, others are hanging on as if it were summer! The picture on the right is Russell Park.

Tomorrow marks an important day for the town, with the fate of the Nirah project still to be resolved. Hundreds were busily signing a petition on behalf otthe project at the rugby ground on Saturday. Meanwhile, two ten-year-old  school girls from Ampthill have helped Nirah reach its target of 10,000 signatures in support of the fresh water conservation park. And at 10 am they will  present the whole petition of 10,000 signatures to members of the Bedfordshire County Council who will be meeting to decide Nirah's fate. Well done to Conny Joy and her thirteen year old sister Eleanor, who embarked upon this project!

There are also signs that the County Council, perhaps because of the furore, are beginning to bend somewhat, as they are being advised to give the project another £200,000.

It is also being recommended that Nirah bosses should have the top secret report on their business plan by Price Waterhouse Cooper(PWC). I should jolly well think so! To commission, at our expense, a report on Nirah and not inform the ratye-payers or even allow the directors of Nirah to see it was a disgraceful decision, and both Price Waterhouse Cooper and the County Council members ought to have hung their heads in shame!

However, it does seem that the Councillors are beginning to get their act together, on this issue at least.

May I wish you a good week!

 

PS (Tuesday) The Council agreed today to loan a further £250,000 to Nirah.