Our Bumper Spring 2013 Edition Ezine!
We are very pleased to have received a record number of stories for our Spring 2013 ezine – so much so that we can hardly fit them all in!
We don’t want you to miss out though, so below is a list of all of our news stories in this edition. All you have to do is click on the title of the article listed below that you’d like to read.
Please note – for stories you access through links below in this article, you will need to close each story down, and come back to this article to return to the full list of stories.
We’re sorry that some of our articles might not appear down the side of the page as normal. Please use the article links below on this page to access all of the stories in this edition.
Please have a look around the rest of our pages while you’re here – and remember – if you’d like to contact us or you have a story you’d like to share you can email us here.
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Local news
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In this edition, we feature a report from Leighton Linslade Partnership Committee on the first meeting of their new Community Forum…
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If this is you – Age UK Bedfordshire can help!
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26th AGM, Planning Guide and a summer evening walk…
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A Travel Choices Hub in Ashton Square, Dunstable has opened its doors to the public, and is generating local interest in encouraging people to use sustainable transport methods…
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A 5-year project to refurbish the disused, Grade II listed Ridgmont rail station building as a centre for heritage and enterprise is due for completion by May 2013…
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An update from the Toddington Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group…
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Sandy Town Councillor Mr Ken Lynch has received a prestigious award after he was commended for his voluntary work across the county…
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Six new circular cycle rides including Sandy and Potton are being launched at 11am on Saturday 30 March at The Lodge, RSPB in Sandy…
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Board news
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Are you part of a group or organisation that provides information and/or advice in Central Bedfordshire?
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The final draft of the new Community Engagement Strategy 2013-16 was considered by the CBT Board on 7 March…
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An update on our Troubled Families Programme…
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There will be no rise in Central Bedfordshire Council’s tax for the third year running, after councillors agreed the council’s budget for 2013/14 at their Council meeting on 21 February…
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Safety news
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Dog owners are being urged to bag and bin their dogs’ waste to keep the area clean…
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Do you have a working smoke alarm? When was the last time you checked it?
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National news
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Do you love dinner parties? Are you a great cook? Would you like to be on the telly?
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Information on the Legacy Trust and the County Sports Partnership funding…
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What will you bring to the table for your neighbours on 2 June 2013?
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Change4Life’s latest alcohol campaign aims to raise awareness of the health risks associated
with drinking too much and urges people to check their drinking and take steps to cut down…
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Did you know that free NHS Health Checks are available in Central Bedfordshire to anyone aged between 40 and 74 years old who has not already had a stroke, heart disease, chronic kidney disease or diabetes?
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Business and training news
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Great news for aspiring entrepreneurs in Central Bedfordshire. A programme that supports the unemployed in becoming self-employed has been extended…
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Exemplas, in collaboration with Central Bedfordshire and Bedford Borough councils, is helping the local economy beat the recession by working to support local people into self-employment…
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Children and Young People news
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Last summer, Central Bedfordshire Council decided it was time to increase the involvement of young people in the decisions that the council made…
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Safe Network and Children Matter East are holding a free event for those who work with children, young people and families…
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Professionals and practitioners involved in working with parents are being invited to get involved with a ‘Positive Parenting Network’ event…
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The Way in Association with Houghton Regis Town Council are bringing Easter fun to Houghton Regis Pavilion from 8 to 11 April…
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Watch this space!
We’re working very hard to make our ezine bigger, so it can easily hold all of your news and stories.
If you have any problems accessing any of the stories in this bumper Spring 2013 edition, please contact us here.
Central Bedfordshire Council tax frozen for a third year running
There will be no rise in Central Bedfordshire
Council’s tax for the third year running, after councillors agreed the council’s budget for
2013/14 at their Council meeting on 21 February.
The budget sets out plans for spending the £189m
of available funding on services for local people, including
waste and recycling, looking after roads, running libraries,
children’s centres, leisure centres and theatres and providing
social care for disabled children, adults and for older people.
Councillors also approved a capital programme of £84m, which
will provide major investment in road maintenance – something
which residents have said is really important to them, as well
as street lighting and new high quality accommodation for older
residents.
The council tax freeze means that the average Central
Bedfordshire Council part of Band D Council Tax will be
£1,308.33, with all residents now paying the same, wherever
they live in Central Bedfordshire.
Positive Parenting Network
Professionals and practitioners involved in working with parents are being invited to get involved with a ‘Positive Parenting Network’ event.
The event offers the chance to gain an integrated understanding of the support being offered to parents and carers across our area. Presentations include:
Ormiston – Understanding the Difficulties of Children with a Loved-One in Prison
Linda Mason-Slynn, Senior Practitioner, Outreach Ormiston Children and Families Trust
Working with Troubled Families in Central Bedfordshire
Claire Dan, Troubled Families Coordinator, Central Bedfordshire Council
Much more than a diagnosis! Hidden information on Autism / ADHD
Helen Child and Debbie Savage, Outside-in
Want to get involved?
The event is being held on 21 March from 10am – 12.30pm at Flitwick Baptist Church, Kings Road, Flitwick.
Parking is available behind the church or on Station Road. Refreshments and networking from 9.30am, and during the break.
Please send confirmation of planned attendance by 18 March to Peter Barras, Senior Parenting Advisor on 0300 300 6780.
Did you know…?
Just before the Positive Parenting Network event, there is a Fathers Champion Meeting from 8.45 – 9.45am on 21 March at Flitwick Baptist Church.
The group supports practice and sharing of ideas to better engage fathers and male carers.
Contact Peter Barras (above) if you’d like to get involved.
Safeguarding our Futures in Times of Austerity
Safe Network and Children Matter East are holding a free event for those who work with children, young people and families.
The aim of the ‘Safeguarding our Futures in Times of Austerity’ event is to highlight the challenges and opportunities in a both commissioning and safeguarding environment.
It will also enable participants to learn from outstanding good practice, and to keep abreast of changes to policy and guidance.
Want to get involved?
The event will be held on Tuesday 26 March, from 10am – 3.30pm at Orchard Park Community Centre, Central Avenue, Orchard Park, Cambridge CB4 2EZ
Free NHS Health Checks
Did you know that free NHS Health Checks are available in Central Bedfordshire to anyone aged between 40 and 74 years old who has not already had a stroke, heart disease, chronic kidney disease
or diabetes?
The checks only take 20-30 minutes, during which time a few questions will be asked and a few measurements taken – such as blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol.
Craig Lister, Head of Preventative Health Commissioning for Public Health, NHS Bedfordshire, explains: ‘Many of today’s diseases are driven by our increasingly sedentary lifestyles, with most work being office-based, and difficulties in eating a healthy diet.’
‘These lifestyle changes have led to much higher numbers of people with high blood pressure, poor blood sugar and / or cholesterol levels which can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and kidney disease.’
‘The biggest challenge is that many of these changes are internal, meaning it can be difficult to become aware of them.’
‘Silent’ issues
An NHS Health Check is probably the best and easiest way to check for these ‘silent’ issues. If anything is discovered during an NHS Health Check, advice and support is given about the best course of action – such as lifestyle changes, medicine, or a combination of both.
Craig added: ‘We’ve already found hundreds of people across Bedfordshire who had previously unknown risks, and even established conditions such as type 2 diabetes, and improved their health.’
Want to find out more?
If you are eligible for a Health Check, look out for your letter of invitation or contact your local GP.
Troubled Families update
Launched by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) in December 2011, the Troubled Families programme aims to improve life for an estimated 12,000 families nationwide who are identified as having the greatest need.
In Central Bedfordshire, Troubled Families seeks to help more than 300 families who experience multiple problems and difficulties, to turn their lives around.
The three-year programme aims to get involved with families early, in order to provide the appropriate support that will enable them to have a better life.
Clare Dan, newly appointed Troubled Families Coordinator said: ‘When we refer to a ‘troubled family’ we are talking about families who exhibit two of the following concerns – involvement in crime or antisocial behaviour (ASB), persistant non-school attendance or exclusion from school, and / or adult unemployment.’
‘Our message to these families is that their future doesn’t have to be like this. Ultimately this is about helping families to live independently.’
Progress in Central Bedfordshire
Significant progress has been made in establishing the operational structures and governance arrangements to deliver the programme in Central Bedfordshire.
A Troubled Families Programme Board has been established and meets monthly to drive a programme plan that covers areas including data, operations, workforce, budget, governance and media / communications.
Troubled Families Coordinator Clare Dan leads the operational work stream of our Troubled Families Programme plan.
This includes facilitating operational groups and presenting the programme at quarterly head teachers meetings.
Partnership working
CBC Councillor Richard Stay, who is lead Member for the programme, has made presentations to the Health & Wellbeing Board and School Governors detailing progress on the programme.
Dialogue with both health partners and schools will be followed up to identify individuals from both health and education to engage on strategic and operational levels, which will focus on support for families.
To date, 98 families have been identified to work with out of our three year target of 305.
Want to find out more?
For more information, contact Clare Dan, Troubled Families Coordinator on 0300 300 7480.
Community Engagement Strategy update
The final draft of the new Community Engagement Strategy (CES) 2013-16 was considered by the Central Bedfordshire Together Board on 7 March.
Building on the success of the 2010-13 CES, the new strategy will take forward the achievements of the current strategy, and ensure that engagement with local communities is at the heart of our various business strategies; delivering positive outcomes for our residents.
Want to find out more?
You can download a copy of the draft CES 2013-16, our timescales for implementation, the evidence base and issues and options report by visiting our Community Engagement pages here.
We’d love to hear your feedback on our CES 2013-16.
Contact us here and tell us what you think!
Advice provision review
Are you part of a group or organisation that provides information and / or advice in Central Bedfordshire?
If so, we need your help.
Prior to developing our Advice Strategy in 2010/11, Bedfordshire Advice Forum (BAF) conducted a survey of members to get a snapshot of advice provision and needs in Central Bedfordshire.
The results of this survey can be found in the report ‘Developing an Advice Strategy (June 2011) which you can view here.
However, some of the information from this survey is now out of date. To enable us to make plans for future provision of advice services, we need to undertake another short survey of local information and advice providers.
How to get involved
Please download the questionnaire at the top of this article and return to BAF, 28 Bushmead Avenue, Bedford MK40 3QN, or by email to Len Simkins, BAF Secretary by 19 April 2013.
Want to find out more?
Visit our Advice Strategy page here.
PCC’s Community Safety Fund
CSF Application Form March 2013 BEDS FINAL FORM
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Central Bedfordshire Together’s Community Safety Partnership are looking for local groups and organisations that might need funding support for projects, services or activities.
The Bedfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Olly Martins is promoting a Community Safety Fund (CSF) of
£941,000 for Bedfordshire, to help support local intiatives that will help to contribute towards building a safer Bedfordshire.
Initiatives must meet the priorities set out in the Police and Crime Plan:
- Protecting the Public – Cutting crime and anti-social behaviour to reduce harm and improve quality of life;
- Partnership Working – Working together to provide quality services and develop confident communities who trust and value their services; and
- Preventing Crime – Tackling the underlying causes of crime to reduce the number of victims and break the cycle of reoffending.
The fund will support partnerships and organisations that are seeking or have secured match funding from other sources, and those who have a proven track record of performing and delivering against their objectives. The minimum application is £10,000.
Want to find out more?
If you think that your organisation, with others or on its own, can help the PCC build a safer Bedfordshire and would like to submit a bid, then the PCC would like to hear from you.
You can get in touch by emailing here, or by writing to Deputy Chief Executive, Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Bedfordshire, Bridgebury House, Woburn Road, Kempston, Beds MK43 9AX. The deadline for applications is midday on 29 March 2013.
***STOP PRESS***
If you are considering submitting a bid, then the Community Safety Partnership would like to hear from you, to ensure we can provide relevant support, effective services and have a joint community awareness.
Contact Joy Craven, Community Safety Partnership Manager on 0300 300 4649.
You will find an application form and a guide to completing it at the top of this article.
Victim Support Services Review
A review and mapping exercise of Victim Support services has recently been completed,
mapping victim services across the whole of Bedfordshire.
Commissioned by Louise Casey, the then Victim Commissioner, funds were made available nationally for every Victim Support to employ a Victim Service Advocate to conduct a review in their county.
The review was commissioned in order to provide both understanding and acknowledgement of what is working well and what else needs to be done to support victims.
Victim Champion
This information will inform the work of the new Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs)across England and Wales. PCCs were elected on on November 15th 2012, and each PCC will be the Victim Champion in their respective county.
The Central Bedfordshire Victim Support Review raised five recommendations which were reviewed across the partnerships of Children’s Trust, Healthier Communities and Older People and the Community Safety Partnership (CSP). They are:
- PCC should oversee co-ordination & collection of county-wide victim need data, service provisions and gaps in service; so steps can be taken to address unmet need;
- With other commissioners, PCC to ensure that appropriate services are available to victims. Services need to support the prevention in an escalation of severity (not just support high risk victims). Recognising multiple needs will ensure specialist services are not lost;
- PCC should ensure Bedfordshire Police engage with the whole community including young people; building trust and a rapport with local officers and the community;
- PCC to ensure a victim centred approach is taken by services, so all aspects of support offered, including communication, meet victims’ needs, rather than simply addressing the crime committed; and
- PCC should champion the development of a joined-up county-wide approach to needs assessment and handovers between services as victim’s individual needs change.
Want to find out more?
You can download the current Victim Services that are available to you at the top of this page.
For further information contact Joy Craven, Community Safety Partnerships Manager on 0300 300 4649.
PTA-UK Gold Star Awards 2013 are now open
Applications for PTA-UK’s Gold Star Awards 2013
are now being accepted.
The Awards recognise and reward outstanding PTA
achievement in a number of categories:
- PTA Fundraising Achievement
- Changing the Life of the School
- Achievement in Parental Involvement
- Working with your Local Community
Local winners will be selected in each category, in the following areas:
- England, Central
- England, North
- England, South
- Northern Ireland
- Wales
Each local winner will win £500 for their PTA and will proceed to the national finals to be held in June 2013 in central London, where the overall category winner will be announced. The winning PTAs will each receive a further £1,000.
New PTA of the Year
PTA-UK is also looking for three new PTAs of the Year, one from England, one from Wales and one from Northern Ireland. A number of finalists will be selected, from which the winners will be chosen, each winning £500 for their PTA.
PTA Volunteer of the Year
Now in its third Year, PTAs and schools are being asked to put forward their nominations for this prestigious award.
‘The PTA-UK Gold Star Awards have an outstanding track record’ said Jane Galbraith PTA-UK Membership Development Manager.
‘Each year the judges are truly amazed at the fantastic achievements of PTAs up and down the country. We know that PTA volunteers deliver amazing things and the Gold Star Awards give PTA-UK the opportunity to showcase this achievement.’
‘The application process is as short as we can make it as we know PTA volunteers are busy people. We also recognise good PTA practice and last year we made over 100 Good Practice Awards in addition to announcing our local and national winners.’
Want to find out more?
Click here for more information, including an application form and guidance notes. The closing date for the receipt of applications is 5pm, Friday 15 March 2013.
(EditorTogetherNote: PTA-UK are currently experiencing technical difficulties with their website – please check back later if you are unsuccessful this time)
Want to get involved in our local Healthwatch?
Could you lead a ground-breaking independent organisation that will put the voice of local people at the heart of public services in Central Bedfordshire?
We are looking for a dynamic Chair and a Board of Directors to
lead the successful launch and ongoing work of Healthwatch
Central Bedfordshire; a powerful new consumer champion organisation for public services.
Healthwatch Central Bedfordshire will support local people to influence and make informed choices about local health and
social care services.
The new organisation will work in partnership with the voluntary and community sector to gather views on all health and social care services.
Help inform and influence service delivery
It will create a holistic picture of health and social care based on the experiences of people locally to inform and influence service development and quality.
As the commissioner of Healthwatch, Central Bedfordshire Council is supporting the establishment of the organisation, which will be a fully independent.
Do you have what it takes…?
We are interested in receiving applications from those who have proven experience gained in a professional, personal or voluntary capacity in one or more of the following areas:
- Finance
- Communities
- Business Development
- Market Research
- Patient and Public Engagement
To fill these high profile roles you will have Board level leadership experience in a voluntary and community sector, public sector or business environment, a passion for improving health and social care services and a genuine commitment to engaging all sections of the community.
The Chair and Directors will have legal responsibilities as directors of a limited company and as charity trustees, and will be accountable for the discharge of Healthwatch Central Bedfordshire’s statutory responsibilities.
Voluntary opportunity
The post of Chair and the Director posts will be voluntary roles with reasonable expenses paid.
Applications must be received by 5:00pm on Friday 1 March 2013, with interviews by an independent panel the week commencing date 11 March 2013 at a location in Central Bedfordshire.
Appointed Directors will take up their roles as soon as possible after this date, and certainly by 1 April 2013, which is when the new organisation will be operational.
Think this could be you…?
For an application pack and further information please visit the Central Bedfordshire Council website here.
For an informal discussion of the role please contact James Robinson-Morley, Lead Commissioner Carers Service User Engagement on 0300 300 6681. This will play no part in the selection process.
CBC Budget Update 2013 / 14
A message from Councillor James Jamieson, Leader of Central Bedfordshire Council.
Dear Partners,
I would like to update you on our budget for 2013/2014.
We have published our spending plans for next year and we are now seeking your views on our proposals which include freezing our share of council tax for the third year and making £14m of savings.
We’ve constructed a robust budget that reflects the feedback residents gave us in our budget survey this time last year.
We got strong feedback that any savings should come from the back office to protect frontline services. Most of the £14m savings will come from efficiency measures such as renegotiating contracts, merging teams and sharing resources in order to protect our services.
Capital programme
We have also published our draft capital programme of £81m which outlines investments in road maintenance – an area which residents highlighted as important in a last year’s survey, as well as street lighting and new residential care facilities.
Other priorities for the 2013/14 budget include equalising Council Tax rates so that residents in the south of the area pay the same slightly lower rate as those in the north. In effect this means a reduction in Council Tax for residents in the south of Central Bedfordshire for the second year.
Both draft budgets will be formally discussed by the council’s Executive on 8 January.
We have been waiting for confirmation of our funding for next year from the Government; we still have not received this. However, this has not stopped us carefully scrutinising every area of spend to look at where savings can be made.
Every Penny Counts…
We remain determined to drive out every penny of unnecessary cost. We have a proven track record of delivering savings, having reduced our operating costs by £40m since the council came into existence around four years ago.
Obviously, we may need to update our budget when we receive confirmation of our financial settlement; if this is the case I will contact you to update you on our plans.
People can view our budget proposals online and submit their feedback by emailing comments to consultations@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk or writing to us at FREEPOST RSJS GBB2 SRZT, Budget Consultation, Central Bedfordshire Council, Priory House, Monks Walk, Chicksands SG17 5TQ.
The consultation is open until 31 January 2013.
Councillors will then use feedback to review the draft budget options, before full Council announces the final budget in February 2013.
Best regards.
James
Councillor James Jamieson, Leader of the Council
Life in the Armed Forces
‘If you want to express your thanks to servicemen
and women on the street – don’t be shy – just do it!’
This was one of the messages from Lt Col Andy Brown, Commanding Officer of 100 (Yeomanry) Regiment RA(V), who presented to the CBT Board on 13 December.
His presentation explored how our Armed Forces Community Covenant (AFCC) could improve provision and support for local Armed Forces personnel, their families and veterans in the Central Bedfordshire area.
Mutual support…
The presentation explored how local authorities, businesses and the local community can support the Armed Forces, but also looked at how the Armed Forces Community can give support back.
Lt Col Brown has been instrumental in helping the Stronger Communities Thematic Partnership progress work on the AFCC for Central Bedfordshire.
It was agreed that a member of the Armed Forces will now be invited to sit on the Stronger Communities Thematic Partnership (SCTP), to ensure improved strategic emphasis and commitment to ensuring Armed Forces personnel and their families are included in
policy across partner organisations.
Funding
Our pilot AFCC Grants Panel sat at the end of November, to consider bids for funding for submission to the £30M AFCC Grant Scheme. Bids come to the panel for approval before they can go onto the next stage of the process at the Ministry of Defence.
Although no bids were approved this time, two were returned
with recommendations for resubmission at the next panel in the
new year.
Want to find out more?
Why not visit our AFCC pages here and see what we’ve been doing…
Community Safety Partnership Plan endorsed
Our Community Safety Partnership (CSP) Plan has been refreshed and has identified three priorities for 2013 – 2014.
These are:
- Reduce Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) – emphasis on
nuisance and personal ASB; - Reduce Offending – emphasis on substance users and
young people; and - Reduce Violent Offences – emphasis on domestic abuse and night time economy.
The CSP Plan provides information on the role and aims of Community Safety, the CSP Priorities, and information on what the CSP will do and how they will review their progress.
Want to find out more?
You can view the CSP Plan below.
Volunteering Strategy
Our Volunteering Strategy for Central Bedfordshire has now been published.
To take a look at what we’ve committed to, visit our Volunteering Strategy page here.
Guidance on voluntary and community sector spending
The Local Government Authority (LGA) is consulting on practical guidance for publishing voluntary and community sector (VCS) spending.
The publication of grants to the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector is recommended in the code of practice on transparency.
The LGA is proposing to extend its existing guidance on publishing spending data more generally to include reference to VCS grants.
This will allow those authorities who choose to use it to compare their VCS spending with that of other authorities more meaningfully.
Want to get involved?
Comments on the guidance can be submitted here by 14 December.
To read the consultation, visit the LGA website here.
To read the current LGA guidance, click here.
Warm Homes, Healthy People
Local authorities are being invited to bid for funds to support the most vulnerable in their communities during the winter.
The warm homes, healthy people fund aims to protect individuals and communities from the effects of severe winter weather due to cold housing.
The funds are for local initiatives that demonstrate how local authorities will reduce deaths over the winter months.
It will provide funding to:
- deliver energy efficiency and heating improvements to the most vulnerable people
- provide residents with benefits advice
- ensure better public awareness of the impacts of cold weather
- provide staff and volunteers with fuel poverty/cold weather awareness training
Want to find out more?
For more information contact Diana Blackmun, Service User Engagement Officer, Central Bedfordshire Council on 0300 300 6647
Our Community Engagement Strategy 2013-16
Our current Community Engagement Strategy (CES) 2010 -2013 was developed by Central Bedfordshire Together (CBT) following a formal consultation with Ward Councillors, partners and stakeholders.
It was approved by the Board in May 2010.
The aim of our CES is to deliver greater added value to our citizens by understanding their needs and issues, and giving them greater involvement in the decision-making process and access to services.
The Stronger Communities Thematic Partnership (SCTP) is leading on the preparation of a new CES for 2013-16 on behalf of the CBT Board.
Processes, timetables and key actions have been identified to ensure completion and approval by March 2013. We will engage with both partners and communities and hold one-to-one discussions and workshops with partners, Town and Parish Councils, Members and the Third Sector Assembly to capture their views on the way forward.
Building on our strengths…
The process will enable partners to build on the strengths of the current strategy and address weaknesses such as enabling and facilitating communities to do more for themselves. It will explore new approaches to community engagement such as co- production.
A delivery and action plan will be developed seperately, and the new strategy will be ready for approval and sign off by Central Bedfordshire Together at the end of March 2013.
Central Bedfordshire Council, as the Accountable Body for CBT, will formally sign off the Strategy in June 2013 and will take the process through its own governance arrangements.
Want to find out more?
Contact Sarah Hughes, Community Engagement Manager, Central Bedfordshire Council on 0300 300 6166.
You can also visit our Community Engagement pages here.
Volunteer for an ‘emergency’?
Residents forced to abandon their homes in Shefford after reports of an unexploded bomb have praised the members of Bedfordshire and Luton Emergency Volunteers (BLEVEC) for providing them with hot food and bedding at what they described as the ‘safe haven’ of Central Bedfordshire Council’s Priory House.
The scenario above is entirely fictional – however, the response is an example of the sort of action BLEVEC would take to assist the public in the event of an emergency.
Testing out plans
To practice this response, Bedfordshire and Luton Local Resilience Forum (BLLRF) will be transforming Central Bedfordshire Council offices at Priory House, Chicksands into a working emergency assistance centre on Saturday, 20 October 2012.
Just as if the incident were for real, the centre will provide a one-stop shop for shelter, help and information for residents.
BLLRF need as many people as possible to volunteer to help test out the plans.
Want to get involved?
If you think you might be able to spare an hour of your time to assist between 10am-12noon on Saturday 20 October, please register your interest by contacting Richard Cooper on 0300 300 4556 for further information.