As your Mayor, I believe in keeping things honest, transparent, and grounded in reality. This update is about keeping you in the loop, celebrating progress and being upfront about the financial mismanagement we have uncovered.
Let’s dive in.
The good
It’s official – Bedford Borough has done it! We’ve landed a game-changing win that puts us firmly on the global map.
For the past two years, I’ve worked alongside an incredible team whose passion and belief in our Town helped convince Universal that Bedford is the perfect spot for their new resort.
Opening in 2031 on the historic brickworks site at Kempston Hardwick, the project is set to create around 28,000 jobs – 20,000 during construction and 8,000 permanent roles in hospitality and the creative industries. It’s a huge boost for our local economy and a once-in-a-generation opportunity for growth.
I’m looking forward to working with public and private sector partners to make sure the benefits reach every corner of our Borough – from the resort site to our Town Centre.
Speaking of the Town Centre, we’ve just secured a fantastic £750,000 investment from Europe’s biggest shoe retailer, Deichmann, who are moving into the old Next building.
Bit by bit, our vision for Bedford is becoming a reality. These aren’t just developments – we’re building a Town to be proud of.
The Bad
For over a decade, the Liberal Democrats chipped away at budgets and services, pushing us toward financial crisis. I won’t repeat those mistakes – the cycle of constant cuts ends here.
That said, the challenges are real.
Like councils nationwide, Bedford is under pressure from rising demand in adult social care, housing, and temporary accommodation. Our spending power has dropped 7% in real terms over the last ten years, and we’re facing a £33 million funding gap by 2030.
It’s tough – and that’s exactly why we’ve launched our new Stability Plan.
This isn’t about doing more with less. It’s about doing better with what we’ve got: stronger financial management, smarter services, and investing in what really matters.
To help us stay on track, we’ve brought in Theresa Grant OBE to review our plans and make sure we’re breaking the cycle of short-term cuts and reactive budgeting.
We’re changing how we work, how we spend, and how we protect the services that matter most to you.
The ugly
It’s incredibly frustrating to report that Bedford Borough taxpayers are now footing a £300,000 bill thanks to a botched property deal by the former Liberal Democrat Administration.
In 2022, they signed a five-year lease on the old Paddington Pub on Midland Road, planning to use it for homelessness support. But here’s the problem – the building was never safe and within a year, it had to be abandoned.
Serious safety concerns were raised before the lease was signed – and again afterward – but they were ignored.
I decided walking away from the lease was the least damaging option. Fixing the place would’ve cost nearly £900,000 – money we couldn’t justify spending.
It’s time for a reset. We’re bringing honesty, responsibility, and proper oversight back to Bedford Borough Council – and making sure costly mistakes like this don’t happen again.
This is a monthly guest column provided by elected
Mayor Tom Wootton (Conservative). It is published unedited and
does not reflect the views of the Bedford Independent.
