The Liberal Democrats want to know your views on plans to build a waste incinerator near Stewartby. The project has been driven to date by the Tory-run Bedfordshire County Council. With the County Council being abolished on 1 April 2009 it is down to Bedford Borough, Central Beds and Luton Councils to decide whether to progress with the plans.

Bedford Borough Lib Dems have consistently opposed the plans for the giant incinerator, believing that it will work against the goals of reducing waste and increasing recycling and arguing that there are better waste disposal options for the environment. The options include Mechanical and Biological Treatment, which is a process whereby as many useful materials are extracted from the waste as possible before any sort of treatment of the remaining waste takes place.

We want to know what your views are. Do you want think that burning the County’s domestic rubbish in an incinerator near Stewartby is the right thing to do, or do you think that local councils should be pursuing a different option? Please let us know by using the on-line poll on the Bedford Liberal Democrats web site at http://www.bedfordlibdems.org.uk/.

I met with several Parish Councillors, the local beat bobby Jamie Quinney and the new Area Inspector Mark Everett for an on-site meeting on this issue on Tuesday night. I’m very pleased to report that we agreed a way forward.We will be approaching the Town Hall for a temporary Mobile CCTV camera to be placed for a few weeks to cover most of the lay-by with suitable signs placed nearby.

If this is agreed and it has the desired effect, the Parish Cllrs present agreed the Acting Chair should propose to the Parish Council that is should set up 2 permanent CCTV cameras to cover all of the lay-by with suitable signs placed nearby. 

If it doesn’t have the desired effect, various options will be discussed that could include setting up Gates or laying temporary blocks. 

I promised all those present at the on-site meeting that I would approach County Hall to discuss the urgent need for some work on Stewartby Way to slow down the majority of drivers who speed along Stewartby Way. The local Police Constable confirmed on Tuesday night that he is regularly catching people speeding and giving out tickets. Action is required before someone is fatally injured.

Just to let you know that I recently received a letter from Bedfordshire County Council.  It relates to the temporary closure of Keeley Lane , Wootton for:

-        2 days during the period Mon 6^th Oct 08 to Wed 31^st Dec 08.

-        One day during the period Fri 1^st May 09 to Tues 30^th June 09.

-        One day during the period Tues 1^st July 09 to Sun 31^st Aug 09.

Why they cannot be more precise on the dates involved beggars belief! 

I would very much appreciate it if you could give me your feedback on the following issues:

a)    Did you receive a copy of the enclosed letter yourself?

b)    If you did, did you think it was enough notice?

My current view is that the County Council does not give enough notice to a large enough number of local residents on such issues. However, I would like your views before I can lobby the County Council to improve the way they do this. Please let me know by either e-mail, letter or phone what your views. I look forward to hearing from you.

You may remember my article in July advising why the County Council contractors made such a “botch” of their attempt to meet my request for Bourne End Road to be resurfaced and that they will be back on site in Sept 08. 

Just to let you know that I have today asked the County Council contractors exactly when in Sept 08 they will be returning to do the proper job that they originally promised to do. 

I will let you know their reply as soon as I can.

I’ve posted several articles about the cruising cars causing problems to local residents near the lay by outside

Some local residents have been in touch with us regarding the ongoing problem of the overgrown bushes in Neale Way.   The County Council have advised that:

1. A letter has been written to the farmer concerned requesting that the bushes be cut back.
2. This will be followed up by another inspection.
3. If the farmer does not comply, he will be further advised of an expected completion date.
4. If the work is not done as expected, County Highways will carry out the work and charge him.

You also need to know that the Parish Council have been working very hard to investigate how they can best address this issue. This may include taking on the ownership of the bushes and being responsible for their maintenance programme. The Parish Council’s hard work is not helped by the farmer disputing that he is responsible for the bushes and the nearby ditch. I will keep you up to date with any further news as soon as I can.

Proposed housing style - The proposed housing styles are totally out of character with the houses in the Stewartby “Model Village”. Stewartby houses need to keep their distinct character to help Stewartby maintain its distinct identity. New development should respond to its context and create or reinforce local distinctiveness. This application does none of those.

Number of houses - The application proposes 1,200 additional homes in Stewartby. This is on top of the over 600 already approved in Outline pending a Section 106 agreement for the “New Stewartby” development and the potential 15,000 in the Eco Town application. This application on its own would treble the size of the existing village. Stewartby “Model Village” has a long history with a distinct identity that should be retained as much as is possible.

English Heritage listing - The four chimneys and the 10 kilns were listed as sites of heritage importance by English Heritage in Feb 08. The applications seek to ignore the listings by demolishing all the chimneys and kilns. They are representative of a history of brick-making in the Marston Vale and at least one chimney and other related properties should be preserved to recognise that history.The site is large enough not to be commercially prejudiced by the retention of a kiln and chimney.

Railway line - The provision within the application for safe crossings for the potentially busy railway line is minimal at best. The principle of residential use extending across the railway line is highly questionable.

Road infrastructure - The access may well be from Green Lane and/or Broadmead Road. Both these roads are typical of the area in that they are only just wide enough in a majority of their lengths for 2 vehicles to pass each other. They are also poorly maintained. It is difficult to imagine either or both coping with the projected tripling of traffic along them. 

Alleged Chimney movements and deteriation - There are many local residents in Wootton, Stewartby and Kempston who have past employment connections with the Stewartby brickworks. I have anecdotal evidence from these residents that the chimney with “Stewartby” written on it was the chimney used for the boiler until about 20 years ago. It has never had a brick fire up it. There is no apparent movement from that chimney despite it not being used fore 20 years. The need to demolish the chimneys even on health and safety grounds is therefore not proven.

Change of use of land from employment to residential - The applications do not give sufficient reasons to approve the change of use of land from employment to residential. The justification for the amount of retained employment land has not been made.It is also difficult to believe in today’s housebuilding recession that approx 300 houses next to a landfill site would sell.

Gypsy and traveller site provision - The original proposals in Oct 07 certainly contained suggestions for a 15 pitch traveller site. There is anecdotal evidence that this suggestion did not form any part of the limited consultation done with local residents some time ago. Stewartby already has a clean and well maintained gypsy site for approx 15 permanent pitches. An additional site within the village of Stewartby therefore would be out of proportion to the pitch requirements of the immediate locality.

Potters Cross residents have been left fuming after the County Council’s road contractor left road maintenance works unfinished after striking two water mains, one of which continued to spew out water over a week after being burst.  The works on Potters Cross remain incomplete despite the legal notice for the works stating that they would be finished by July 7^th.  The legal notice for the works also stated that the entire road would be resurfaced, when in fact just a few metres have been repaired. 

The long overdue resurfacing of Potters Cross has become an absolute farce.  It beggars belief that with no improvement works having been done on the road for over thirty years, nobody thought to check if there were any obstructions such as water mains.  For one of the burst mains to then be left unrepaired for over a week is utterly inexcusable.

As the different parties squabble over who should take responsibility for mistakes, the interests of local residents seem to be the very last consideration.

For residents to be told by the County Council that the entire paved road would be resurfaced, only to find that the contractors are working on just a short stretch is simply unacceptable.

Details of the proposed post office closures have been announced. This will be followed by a six week period of consultation with the local community.

The loss of the post office will hit Stewartby hard. It is a vital asset for many local people and closing it will cause many difficulties for older people and others with mobility problems, in particular.

Despite the decision of Labour MP’s to help the Government press ahead with closures, Liberal Democrats are continuing to fight the demolition of the post office network.

Our plan would give a real investment of £2 billion in the post office, would increase the services offered at local post office branches and improve the network so that every community that needs a post office gets one.

We are the only party with a fully-funded plan to save the post office, give it a long-term future and not just manage its decline.

Our plan would see:
· £2 billion invested in post office network;
· New branches opening where needed;
· Government services continuing to be available at the Post Office;
· The Post Office freed from Royal Mail restrictions to let it develop new business;
· A new legal requirement for the Government to maintain the local Post Office network.

We will keep you posted