31 July 2026
Bedford Ian has been looking at recent goings on across Bedford Borough and tells us what he thinks of it all…
Mayes ‘school’ Yard
Poor Mayor Tom Wootton (Conservative). The man simply cannot catch a break. Mind you, he does rather bring it upon himself.
Listening to him laugh his way through a local radio interview doesn’t give you the impression he’s taking things seriously.
Armed with a jolly laugh and a generous dash of Boris-esque bluster, he dishes out grand “politician’s promises”, seemingly convinced that boundless charm alone will cover up the lack of detail.
- Read: Political row erupts over Mayes Yard site £1 transfer, but Mayor says developer will fund regeneration
- Read: Debenhams row continues, but Bedford Borough mayor makes public guarantee over sale price
Meanwhile, across the aisle, the Liberal Democrat leader Cllr Henry Vann has been brandishing the official opposition poking stick with such ferocious enthusiasm that the wood must be worn down to a splintered nub by now.
Don’t get me wrong, robust scrutiny is essential for keeping public spending honest.
But at this point, one has to ask whether all this stick-waving is being done for the benefit of the taxpayer, or their own political self-interest.
The irony, of course, is thicker than the dust settling inside the old department store itself.
It was the Lib Dems who originally pushed for the council purchase of the Debenhams building in the first place.
Yet here we are, just months out from an election, and suddenly they’ve discovered that the very venture they championed is utterly fraught with peril. What a remarkable, entirely coincidental sense of timing.
Naturally, confirmation bias is having an absolute field day across Borough Hall and the comment sections of local Facebook groups.
It seems nobody is prepared to actually read the full reports; why bother when one’s assumptions let you stay comfortably furious?
Nobody wants to admit that their political rivals might, on rare occasion, actually be acting in the best interest of the Borough.
Heaven forbid anyone change their mind.
Newsflash for our elected representatives: altering your perspective when presented with fresh facts isn’t against the law.
In fact, admitting you were wrong and extending a gesture of “let’s work together” usually earns you far more respect than digging your heels into the pavement, folding your arms, and holding your breath until you turn your chosen shade of blue, orange, red or green.
What the vast majority of Bedfordians actually want isn’t complicated. They want their councillors to drop the schoolyard bickering and work together for the greater good of the Borough.
Because if this soap opera continues, all sides are going to find out that fed-up voters won’t want to put up with you anymore.
River rivalry
Huge thanks to a loyal Bedford Ian fan who spotted a lapse in my British waterways knowledge last week.
Following my recent, entirely justified rant about lazy references to our town’s river, specifically those who drop the crucial prefix “Great”, the eagle-eyed Mark emailed in to gently point out that there’s more Ouse in these British Isles than I had previously thought.
Read: Bedford Ian, 24 July 2026
They helpfully pointed out that my outrage was far too limited, as the country is practically awash with alternative, lesser-known Ouses.
The River Ouse (Sussex) is a 42-mile stretch flowing to Newhaven; Norfolk and Suffolk share a 35-mile Little Ouse; and Orkney apparently even boasts its own miniature Ouse watercourse.
While I appreciate the lesson in pedantry, let us be entirely honest with ourselves.
A southern stream and a Scottish trickle are hardly in the same league as our magnificent waterway.
Ours stretches anywhere between 143 and 160 miles; yes, it’s even great enough to have its own argument over its length. But whichever theory as to its source you believe, it’s still the fifth-longest river in the UK.
In our patch of land, it flows majestically into Bedford Borough near Turvey and then along to Carlton, Harrold and Odell.
Next, Felmersham and just below Sharnbrook before taking a sharp turn and heading back beneath Radwell and in between Milton Ernest, Pavenham, Stevington, and Oakley.
Backwards and forwards it continues, gently meandering and brushing past Clapham, Bromham, Bridge End and Biddenham.
It then comes into Kempston and flows right into Bedford and along the Embankment, bringing with it a sense of pride and a reason to have such a wonderful River Festival each year.
And then it heads on out of Bedford, to pass by the Danish Camp at Willington, reminding us all of the major part it has played in our Borough’s history, then to Great Barford, Roxton and away into Central Bedfordshire.
Sussex, Norfolk, Suffolk and Orkney can keep their modest streams; Bedford Borough’s river remains the only one that has truly earned its greatness.
Lieutenant pride
After all the political squabbling, this week it is rather refreshing to pause for a moment and focus on something genuinely uplifting.
Editor, Paul Hutchinson, bounced back into the office this afternoon practically buzzing with enthusiasm following a sit-down with HM Lord-Lieutenant of Bedfordshire, Susan Lousada.
The pair met to discuss her official role and the extensive work the Lieutenancy carries out behind the scenes to support communities right across our county.
He came away glowing, telling me that the chat was an excellent reminder that beneath the surface-level drama of council business, our varied local communities are packed with brilliant people doing extraordinary things.
“It is all too easy to overlook the tireless efforts happening day in, day out, often entirely unseen, to make Bedford Borough a warmer, stronger, and more vibrant place to live,” he said.
Read: Good news only from across Bedford Borough
The full interview with the Lord Lieutenant will be published in the coming weeks. For once, this cynical columnist is happy to put away the metaphorical poking stick. I, for one, cannot wait to read it.
See you soon,
Bedford Ian.
PS: If you see anything Bedford Ian might find amusing, let us know at news@BedfordIndependent.co.uk.
