Bedfordshire

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...

Kerbside glass collection is set to start in Bedford – along with weekly food waste collections.

For the first time since the 2006/07 season, Bedford Town are preparing for life at step two of the non-league football pyramid, with the fixture list for the new National League North season released...

The multi-storey car park at Lurke Street was forced to shut earlier today (Wednesday, July 9).

A political row has broken out over school crossing patrols in Bedford borough, with Conservatives and Liberal Democrats trading accusations over cuts made to the service.

Bedfordshire Police held a multi-agency conference this month, bringing together key partners from across the county for July’s Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) Awareness Week...

Work started on more new homes in Bedford earlier this year, recent figures suggest.

The chair of the East of England Ambulance Service Trust (EEAST) has defended plans to close its Bedford control centre, insisting the move will not affect emergency services in the area and will allow the trust to invest more in frontline care.

Housing association BPHA has apologised to tenants after a data breach involving 97 residents.

The M1 northbound between junction 12 at Flitwick and junction 13 at Bedford and Milton Keynes has reopened following a multiple-vehicle collision.

A groovy new bar is opening where the former Bar Citrus was in Harpur Street.

The M1 northbound between junction 12 at Flitwick and junction 13 at Bedford and Milton Keynes is closed following a multiple-vehicle collision.

Bedford Borough's mayor has proposed a new £4 charge per week for the 3,200 Bedford locals using Telecare, to combat what they call "ballooning costs" that have increased to £450,000 per year...

A groovy new bar is opening where the former Bar Citrus was in Harpur Street.

Upcoming dates: meet the Tenant Involvement team

Have a housing query? Come and meet the team!

We have set up hubs where you can chat face-to-face with housing officers on topics ranging from engagement and involvement, repairs, income management, neighbourhood management and tenancy support.

At some hubs we will also be joined by Bedfordshire Police and Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, as well as teams from within the Council including Public Health, Community Safety, Domestic Abuse and Active Streets.

The next drop-in sessions, where you can speak to a member of the team about our services and give your feedback, are:

• Tuesday 8 July from 10am to midday at Leighton Buzzard Library
• Thursday 10 July from 2pm to 4pm at Houghton Regis Fitness Centre, Parkside Drive, LU5 5PX
• Monday 28 July from 3pm to 5pm at Dunstable Library
• Tuesday 12 August from 10am to midday at Priory House, Monks Walk, Chicksands, SG17 5TQ in the foyer
• Thursday 14 August from 4pm to 6pm at Leighton Buzzard Library
• Tuesday 19 August from 10am to midday at Dunstable Library

Get involved!

If you would like to learn how you can have your voice heard and influence the way your housing service is delivered, come and talk to one of our team to find out more.

Can’t join us on one of the days?

Email: tenant.involvement@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk, visit our website, or call 0300 300 6880. We look forward to hearing from you!

Share your views on how you contact us

Help us continue to improve our housing service

We know that everyone communicates differently. Some people prefer a quick phone call, others like using email or online forms, and many value face-to-face conversations. We want to make sure you can contact us in the way that works best for you, and your views are essential to this process.

By taking our short survey and telling us how you prefer to communicate, you’ll help shape future improvements to our service. Take part in our short survey.

We’re always looking for ways to improve. If something’s not quite right or could be better, please tell us — your feedback helps us make things better for everyone.

We’ve released our latest Annual Report

We are pleased to announce the release of our 2024/2025 annual report

Focusing not only on how we spend rental income, we have also shared the latest survey results which relate to the Tenant Satisfaction Measures (or TSMs). These ensure we are giving you the service you deserve.

Read the full report on our website.

Email tenant.involvement@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk or call 0300 300 6880 to get involved.

Missing anything? Let us know what you'd like to see more of by contacting housinginfo@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk

Repairs satisfaction survey

You may get a call from Acuity, who are conducting the survey

Our new repairs satisfaction survey will be conducted by Acuity, a company specialising in social housing research. The survey begins in mid-July 2025.

Acuity will contact a random sample of 85 tenants per month who have recently had a repair carried out by Wates, our main contractor. The survey will take 5 to 10 minutes.

Calls will come from 01582 323045 between 9am and 8pm on weekdays and between 10am and 6pm on Saturdays.

The survey is confidential. Results can be shared anonymously with us if you prefer.

Acuity adheres to strict data protection and quality standards. Calls are recorded for training and quality assurance.

Questions? Email housinginfo@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk or call Acuity on 01273 287114. You can also visit Acuity’s website.

Direct Debit: a secure, trusted, convenient, reliable and flexible way to pay

Direct Debit is the hassle-free way to pay your rent

We offer monthly collections (1st to 28th) or weekly collections on Mondays. You can still benefit from rent-free weeks.

If the payment date falls on a weekend, we’ll collect on the next working day. You can use Direct Debit even if you receive housing benefit.

Call us with your bank details:

• 0300 300 6652: weekly/fortnightly/4 weekly on a Monday
• 0300 300 5186: for the 1st to 7th of each month
• 0300 300 5640: for the 8th to 14th of each month
• 0300 300 6855: for the 15th to 21st of each month
• 0300 300 8418: for the 22nd to 28th of each month

Or email your contact details to housingbusinessteam@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk and we’ll get back to you.

Direct Debit Guarantee

• if payment dates or amounts change, we’ll notify you at least 10 working days in advance
• if an error is made by us or your bank, you are entitled to a full and immediate refund
• you can cancel a Direct Debit anytime by writing to your bank. Please also notify us and arrange alternative payment if you still owe rent

Thousands of people flocked to Bedford Park as it was once again transformed into a spectacular open-air concert.

This also enables them to acquire green skills, and lead environmental initiatives in their schools.

Our Sustainability Team leads this free pilot initiative and unites students from across the region to learn from experts, participate in practical workshops and develop their own sustainability project.

The programme supports the council’s revised Sustainability Plan. Partner organisations include the University of Bedfordshire, Cranfield University, Shuttleworth College, Greensand Trust, and Whipsnade Zoo.

Students will also be supported to register for Eco-Schools, helping their schools take steps toward a greener future.

Councillor Tracey Wye, Executive Member for Sustainability and Climate Resilience, said:

This is a fantastic opportunity for young people in Central Bedfordshire who care about the environment to turn their passion into action. They’ll gain valuable skills, meet like-minded peers, and bring new ideas and energy to the work schools do to tackle climate change.

Applications open 1 September 2025. Students will need to complete a short application form and provide a teacher reference and parental consent. The window for application closes on 1 October.

The Central Bedfordshire Council’s refreshed Sustainability Plan, adopted in 2024, sets out a clear 'road map' of commitments and projects to work towards supporting the Central Bedfordshire area to be net zero carbon by 2030 and these projects are a key factor in helping us achieve that aim.

Plans for a waterway linking Milton Keynes and Bedford have been detailed after the Bedford & Milton Keynes Waterway Trust published a business case for the project.

A local bus operator has revealed it pulled out of a recent Bedford Borough Council contract tender due to a breakdown in its working relationship with the authority. Last week's Environment and...

Bedford Hockey Club boasted six participants in the International Grand Masters Hockey Festival, which took place in Nottingham, starting with an opening ceremony on Sunday 29 June...

Universal Destinations & Experiences (UDX) plans to apply for restricted airspace over its proposed Bedford resort to prevent third-party drones from flying over the theme park site – but hasn’t said when this would start.

This Community Governance Review is all about making sure town and parish councils – the most local level of government, is working effectively and fairly for the communities they serve.

The review will look at:

• creating, merging, or changing parish boundaries
• renaming parishes or changing their style (e.g., village, community)
• adjusting the number of councillors in each parish
• grouping smaller parishes together to share resources

This is your chance to have a say in how your local area is represented. Whether you live in a town, village, or parish, your views matter.

As communities grow and change, it’s important that local governance keeps up. This review will help ensure:

• fair representation for all residents
• parish boundaries reflect new housing developments
• smaller parishes get the support they need
• local councils continue to reflect the identity and needs of their communities

There are 2 stages to the review:

• we’re now in the first stage– gathering your feedback on current arrangements which opens today, 7 July 2025 and closes 1 September 2025
• later this year, we’ll consult on the draft recommendations suggested through the first stage of this review

I am writing to raise a formal complaint regarding an incident that occurred on 5 July 2025, which involved severe delays caused by the closure or obstruction of the A1 near the Black Cat Roundabout...

The Licensing Policy sets out how we manage licences for venues and activities involving alcohol, entertainment, and late-night refreshments. Following feedback from last year’s consultation, we're proposing a full update to improve clarity, enhance guidance for applicants, and address key concerns raised by the public.

Proposed changes include new sections on outdoor events, shisha provision, street trading, and how residents can comment on applications. Updates also aim to simplify the application process and provide clearer expectations for licence holders.

Councillor Tracey Wye, our Executive Member for Licensing, said:

We’ve listened carefully to what residents and businesses told us in our last consultation. This updated policy reflects those views and aims to strike the right balance between supporting a vibrant local economy and protecting the quality of life for our communities. I encourage everyone to take part in the consultation and help shape how we manage licensing in Central Bedfordshire.

Find out more and have your say – your voice matters.

Bedford Borough Council has paused green bin waste collections following a fire at Elstow Transfer Station, which broke out on Friday night (4 July). While the station is out of action, they have...