28 February 2025
Bedford Ian has been looking at recent goings on across Bedford Borough and has told us what he thinks of it all.
Tax facts
Good news for council taxpayers – and it’s all thanks to me.
Yes, that’s right. I, Bedford Ian, single-handedly halved the council tax increase. You’re welcome.
It all started when The Sun (loathe it or hate it) reported that Bedford Borough Council was planning a nearly 10% council tax hike, making it one of the highest increases in the country.
Naturally, I was outraged. I like paying for schools and road repairs as much as the next person, but this? Unacceptable. So, I did what any responsible Bedfordian would do: I sprang into action.
“Hello, council? What on earth is going on?”
“Yeah. Yeah, we know. The Sun got it wrong. They confused us with Bradford. It’s Bradford Council. No, they didn’t call us to check. Yeah, the reporter is just inept and has confused us with some place in Yorkshire, I guess.”
Ah. Right then. So Bedford wasn’t facing the highest council tax rise in the country, just another example of national newspapers getting things wrong about places they’ve never visited.
The Birmingham Mail also ran with the story, as did some random website in France (because naturally, the French are deeply invested in Bedford’s council tax rates).
So, what’s the moral of the story? Some might say it’s ‘always trust the Bedford Independent over national tabloids’. Others might suggest it’s a reminder to double-check facts before running wild with them.
But personally? I think the real lesson here is that my personal intervention halved the council tax rise.
Once again, you’re welcome.
Put brew on
You may have heard of Yorkshire Tea. You may have even heard of the Yorkshire Dales. But have you ever heard of Bedford’s very own riverside venue… in Yorkshire?
No? Well, neither had I, until I recently spotted a local hotel wedding venue proudly advertising itself as being ‘on the banks of the River Ouse’, which is a river in Yorkshire.
For those unfamiliar, it’s the River Great Ouse that runs through Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, and Norfolk.
Now, call me old-fashioned, but last time I checked, Bedford hadn’t been annexed by the North. I know the cost of living is bad, but I didn’t realise we’d started outsourcing our geography.
I wouldn’t normally be that bothered, but this particular hotel has been a Bedford landmark for centuries, welcoming guests since the 18th century, or so they tell us.
But apparently, it sounds more glamorous to be in ‘God’s Own Country’, so suddenly we’ve moved 160 miles up the road.
Of course, we could just chalk this up to an innocent mistake. But then again, given that national newspapers already think we’re Bradford, maybe Bedford has finally given up and decided to embrace its new northern identity.
So from now on, we’ll expect this local hotel to replace its afternoon tea with a proper brew and a slice of Parkin, and the Bedford weddings it hosts to now come with a mandatory brass band and a flat cap dress code.
Naughty criminals
In the latest episode of ‘Bedford Politics or a Children’s Storybook?’, the mayor has described the ongoing pollution of the River Great Ouse as “naughtiness.”
Yes, naughtiness. Like a toddler sneaking biscuits before dinner. Like a cat knocking a glass off the table while maintaining unbroken eye contact. Like someone parking ever so slightly over two spaces at Aldi.
But not, apparently, like repeatedly pumping raw sewage into our river, which is what’s actually happening.
The mayor’s ‘stern’ rebuke came as Bedford Borough Council launched the Bedford Borough Water Management Alliance, which aims to track down the polluters.
That’s good. But what’s not so good is that instead of calling these corporate river despoilers what they really are – environmental criminals – we’re being treated to a soft-play level telling-off.
Read: New Water Management Alliance to monitor river pollution across Bedford Borough
One can only assume that when the Alliance finally identifies the culprits, they will be met with the full force of local government… by being sent to the naughty step. Perhaps with a strongly worded letter that tells them how “very, very disappointed” we all are.
This is not just a bit of naughtiness. It’s illegal, it’s damaging to wildlife, and it’s actively ruining our waterways.
If someone walked into the mayor’s office and chucked a bucket of sewage on the floor, I doubt he’d shake his head and say, “Oh, you little rascal!” before handing them a mop.
Meanwhile, the good people at BedsGOVET, who have been doggedly exposing pollution in the River Great Ouse for years, must be rolling their eyes so hard they can see the back of their own skulls.
Read: Don’t Lose the Ouse
They’ve already been doing the heavy lifting, gathering evidence, asking difficult questions, and making sure the people in power can’t just wave this away with a vague promise to “look into it.” If anyone is taking real action, it’s them.
So, perhaps it’s time for the mayor and council leaders to toughen up their language and their actions. Because, while “naughtiness” might work on a naughty step, it’s a little weak when facing down companies that treat our river like an open sewer.
See you soon, Bedford Ian.
PS: If you see anything Bedford Ian might find amusing, let us know at news@BedfordIndependent.co.uk.
