Bedfordshire

1 August 2025: Pedal power, graffiti manifestation and Here We Go. Bedford Ian has been looking at recent goings on across Bedford Borough and tells us what he thinks of it all…

A group of Bedford councillors is pushing back against a decision to end the borough council’s lease on the Blue Peris outdoor education centre in Wales.

Bedford’s mayor has approved a £300,000 investment to build new padel tennis courts at the Mowsbury Golf and Squash Complex, marking the first publicly available facility...

Bedford’s mayor has approved a £300,000 investment to build new padel tennis courts at the Mowsbury Golf and Squash Complex, marking the first publicly available facility in the borough.

Bedford’s mayor has greenlit a £2.5 million refurbishment of Kempston Pool and Fitness Centre, with construction work scheduled to begin in April 2026.

Residents of Bedford borough are being given the opportunity to inspect the council’s accounts for the financial year ending March 31, 2025 – a month later than originally promised.

Bedfordshire Police is appealing for witnesses after a man in Bedford town centre was threatened with an axe and had his bike stolen last night (Wednesday). The victim was sitting with...

Developers have extended the deadline for public feedback on major new housing proposals at Mowbray Road in Bedford, after publicity concerns were raised by local councillors...

Restrictions on dogs in Bedford have been expanded to cover dozens of new locations in the town. Read: New three-year PSPO covering irresponsible dog ownership introduced...

Families will receive a £17.50 voucher per week, per child who is eligible for free school meals. The vouchers can spend at supermarkets including Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury's, Aldi and Waitrose.

In total, around 8,500 children in Central Bedfordshire will receive support during the break. Families who are eligible have been contacted by us directly.

The vouchers are being funded by the Household Support Fund, which was introduced by the Department for Work and Pensions in 2021 to support vulnerable households with essentials like food and energy costs.

Our Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme is also returning, offering free holiday activities to children entitled to free school meals. Funded by the Department for Education (DfE), children who attend face-to-face activities will receive a free lunch and snacks throughout the day.

Councillor Steve Owen, our Executive Member for Children’s services, said:

The summer holidays can be a difficult time for some families, especially with the rising cost of living. By providing supermarket vouchers, we hope we can help to ease some of that financial pressure and making sure children don’t miss out on meals just because schools are closed.

The HAF programme also gives children free access to fun activities, making sure they have a fun and memorable summer. This support makes a real difference, and we’re pleased to be able to offer it again this summer.

Parents whose children are eligible for the HAF programme should already have received their codes telling them how to register for activities. We'll contact any families eligible for support through the Household Support Fund directly.

Restrictions on dogs in Bedford have been expanded to cover dozens of new locations in the town.

Your weekly what’s on guide for Bedford and the surrounding area from The Bedford Clanger. Never miss a thing in Bedford ever again. From theatre to film, live music to art exhibitions, The Bedford...

Bedford Borough Council has approved a renewed three-year Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) to tackle irresponsible dog ownership, expanding restrictions to cover dozens of new locations from Sunday, 27 July 2025.

Bedford’s mayor has approved a new Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) aimed at tackling a range of antisocial behaviours in the town centre.

Three firearms and several kilograms of Class A were seized in Bedford last week, as part proactive efforts to tackle serious and organised crime in the county. Officers stopped and...

Developers have extended the deadline for public feedback on major new housing proposals at Mowbray Road in Bedford, after publicity concerns were raised by local councillors.

Green Lane in Stewartby will be the location for seven new British Powerboat champions to be crowned this Saturday (2 August) as the culmination of the British Championships comes to Bedford...

Police have released this image of a missing 14-year-old last seen on Thursday (July 24).

Paddleboarder Ant Crocker was thrilled when scuba divers were able to reunite him with his lost wedding ring last week. On Friday, 25 July, Ant was paddleboarding near Cardington Lock...

We have been taking a look at incidents in Bedford which Beds Fire and Rescue have attended over the past week.

Bedford Borough Council received 1,299 Freedom of Information (FOI) requests between April 2023 and March 2024, according to newly released figures. But despite the volume...

Plans for a major development in Bedford have come under fire from residents and councillors after complaints that the public exhibition was poorly advertised.

We have been taking a look at incidents in Bedford which Beds Fire and Rescue have attended over the past week.

Bedford Borough Council has confirmed that its new Town Centre Advisory Board has yet to be formed — more than six weeks after the deadline for applications closed and nearly...