Columns

The Bedford Independent carries regular columns submitted by various political leaders and organisations that work within Bedford Borough.

For 2026, columns will be each month as follows:

Week one*

  • Monday: Bedford Borough Mayor’s office (Conservative)**
  • Tuesday: Bedford Borough Council opposition (shared between Labour and Liberal Democrats)**
  • Wednesday: Bedford Borough Council opposition (shared between Greens and Independents)**
  • Thursday: Bedford Borough charitable organisations arranged by Pritti Sagi, Creating Memories
  • Friday: Bedfordshire PCC (Labour)

Week two

  • Monday: Bedford & Kempston MP (Labour)
  • Tuesday: North Bedfordshire MP (Conservative) – offered but no response
  • Wednesday: Bedford Borough communities arranged by Queen’s Park Community Organisation
  • Thursday: Mid Bedfordshire MP (Conservative)
  • Friday: Beds GOVET (Environmental).

 

These columns are published unedited and do not reflect the views of Progress Publishing, its staff or its publications.

If you have an idea for a regular column, please email news@BedfordIndependent.co.uk.

*From the first full week of the month
**So that the number of columns reflects the size of each party on Bedford Borough Council, the number of columns per party is as follows: Conservative (current council leadership) x 12, Liberal Democrats x 6, Labour x 6, Green Party x 4, Independents x 1 (each).

Legal advice: Talking transport at Woodfines Solicitors’ 16th annual conference

The Woodfines Solicitors Road Transport team were delighted to host their 16th Transport Conference at the Imperial War Museum Duxford on Thursday 25 November...

Monthly column: Christmas shopping and physical disabilities

In the last column, I talked about Purple Tuesday and the importance of disability awareness in the retail sector. This month I would like to explore a bit further what that actually means...

Monthly Column: Have a happy and safe Christmas

Christmas is coming and by the time you read this, the festivities will be well underway across Bedford Borough with Christmas Lights throughout the Borough. Father Christmas has been...

Legal advice: New laws introduced to resolve COVID rent debts

Commercial tenants have been protected against eviction due to non-payment of rent since April 2020. Originally due to end in September that same year, the moratorium has...

Monthly column: Britain deserves better than political corruption

Chaos, cronyism and corruption stories continue to engulf the Conservative Government as the lobbying scandal continues with new stories each day of MPs making vast...

Monthly column: Bedford Disability Awareness Week does Purple Tuesday

Between 21 to 25 September, Bedford Disability Awareness Week (BDAW) was held at The Higgin’s. The week was a long time in the planning and considering the challenges of Covid-19 it...

Monthly column: Climate Emergency – we need actions not words

Prior to COP26, I wrote to the Prime Minister to express how important tackling the climate emergency was and how we needed joined-up government to achieve net-zero. I have committed the...

What was it like to start a Training Contract in a global pandemic? Top tips for new trainees

Having been awarded a Training Contract, I was overjoyed and a little apprehensive about beginning at Woodfines, like all people starting a new job. The global pandemic was not...

Monthly column: The Mayor’s village tour

Over the last month, I have been visiting villages across the Borough as part of my 2021 Village Tour and have met with several hundred residents. I have been to 44 villages so far and...

Legal advice: Difficult decisions facing employers as furlough scheme ends

With the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme drawing to a close at the end of September, many employers are facing some difficult decisions, writes Natasha Moore of Woodfines Solicitors...

Get the latest Bedford news first

Subscribe to our free daily email for our lead story each morning before we publish it anywhere else, plus the key Bedford Borough headlines from the last 24 hours – without having to log into social media.