Bedford Borough Council has a history of making many cuts – but the new budget will “build services back up”, according to the councillor overseeing the council’s finances.
Councillor Jim Weir, the portfolio holder for finance, said he understood why past cuts were necessary. “Because you’ve got to save money, and there’s less and less money coming from the government,” he said.
“But there was an aversion to borrowing in the past, and to build services back up, you need funding.”
Cllr Weir said the budget aims to deliver tangible benefits for residents, such as investment in community centres, which he said have suffered from lack of support.
“Some are deteriorating, so we’ve allocated funding to hire staff who will support these centres and their volunteers by establishing management committees,” he added.
Beyond local services, cllr Weir said the budget prioritises healthcare improvements.
“We’ve identified £20 million for doctor surgeries in the capital programme,” he said. “Previous plans mentioned funding, but it was never allocated, we’ve put that money in place.”
He pledged to push for a new doctor’s surgery to be built this year.
“Even if we have to beg, borrow, steal, fight, or make a fuss nationally, we have to get it built.”
People will come
Cllr Weir also defended the council’s decision to borrow £24 million for the new River Tree SEND school, arguing that previous administrations delayed progress by refusing to take on debt.
“The former administration had the idea, but they didn’t act because they were waiting for the Department for Education (DfE) to fund it, which never happened,” he said.
“So we borrowed the money, brokered a deal with the DfE to reimburse us once it was built, and they will pay us back in April. Look what that borrowing delivered—the first 60 kids have started at the school. It’s brilliant, absolutely brilliant,” he said.
The revitalisation of Bedford town centre is another key focus.
“We’ve put £10 million into regeneration and are in discussions with 12 developers about projects, including Mayes Yard and the former Debenhams building,” cllr Weir said.
“We need to move quickly to make Bedford — the county town of Bedfordshire— a place worth visiting again. People will come if there’s something to come in for, and that’s what we’re working to bring back,” he said.
By John Guinn
Local Democracy Reporter
