First, a big thank you from your recently elected new and returning Labour Borough Councillors for your support which gained us three extra councillors, making Labour the largest group on the council.
Labour has a good reputation for working all year round, every year, and not just at election time and this showed in our excellent results of fourteen councillors being elected in Kempston, Cauldwell, Kingsbrook, Harpur and Queen’s Park.
The election was just over a month ago and it’s been non-stop since then, with induction training nearly every night and at weekends which has proved very useful for new members and an important refresher for long-standing councillors.
We now move into the committee cycle with scrutiny and regulatory meetings. These we take seriously and we are determined to serve our residents well throughout Bedford and Kempston, and will fight for the best for all residents of the Borough.
I’m honoured to have been selected to lead Bedford Borough Labour Group, with former Group Leader Sue Oliver as my Deputy on hand with her vast experience and sound advice.
As I am a Kempston Borough and Town Councillor, I will touch on some Kempston issues on this occasion.
For years, Kempston Labour Borough Councillors have also served as councillors on Kempston Town Council and work tirelessly in their duties. This year, Labour was elected unopposed for all seats on Kempston Town Council. The other parties showed no interest, despite having been critical of the Town Council during the election campaign, they failed to put forward any candidates at all.
Kempston Labour Borough and Town Councillors will continue to work hard to raise issues at Borough level and make sure the new Conservative Mayor and his Tory cabinet listen to what the people of Kempston want and need – funds to rejuvenate the Saxon Centre, the long-needed Health Hub, better bus services, improved road and pavement surfaces with dropped kerbs where needed for pushchairs and mobility scooters, and maintenance of our parks.
Despite it being denied us twice so far, we will insist on the Council applying for Levelling Up funding for Kempston again, if the Government continues with this scheme.
Your Labour councillors are always available to give help and advice and to seek improvements in their wards. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have a problem and we’ll do our best to help resolve it.
We all want our borough to be a great place to live, work and visit.
This is a monthly guest column provided by Cllr Carl Meader,
leader of the Bedford Borough Labour Group and leader of the Opposition.
It is published unedited and does not reflect
the views of the Bedford Independent.
