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

We’ve launched some new ideas on tackling youth crime that call for sensible action rather than try to talk tough. The ideas outlined in the document A Life Away From Crime also highlight how to stop children who have been found guilty of minor offences from committing more serious crimes.  The main proposals include: 

-          Making young people pay back the damage caused to communities without involving the criminal justice system

-          The formation of a Youth Volunteer Force to engage young people in activities that benefit local people

-          Running nationwide restorative justice programmes, with a particular emphasis on early intervention in schools and care homes

-          Creating a dedicated PCSO youth officer in every area to work with teenagers most at risk of offending

-          Targeting guns and knives through intelligence-led stop and search, hot-spot policing and action in schools 

If we want to tackle the problem of youth crime, we need to take action early to stop kids from embarking on a life of crime before it’s too late.  

The old parties are falling over each other trying to be tough on crime, but nothing is being done do stop young people getting sucked in to a cycle of crime.  Ministers know that programmes to divert kids away from crime work, and are even happy to promote such projects. However, they have failed to fund them properly in favour of punitive policies that grab headlines but achieve little. 

It is time for a new approach to youth justice which both prevents crime and confronts young people with their actions if they do break the law.

Just come back from a 2.5 weeks family summer holiday. First we went to a caravan site near the New Forest for 13 days. Unfortunately the weather was terrible. We only got onto the beach for one day. Keeping two teenagers amused in crap weather on my own is not much fun  Mandy being at work for 5 of those 12 days. Also, trust me to book the 2 weeks of the Olympics on a site with a poor TV signal  Then we met up with the wider Hill Clan at our annual bank holiday gathering – this time on a site near Hereford right on the River Wye. Lovely beer, bbq, catching up with family gossip and 2 long country walks. A nice finish to the summer hols. Shame I missed Obama’s nomination of Joe Biden as VP running mate Now back at work and also catching up with casework.

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.