After 4 years of constant campaigning to reduce the number of scrap metal lorries travelling to Williams yard through Bearton ward, Cllr Lisa Courts like other local residents was left shocked when the public inquiry decided in June that it would not impose any restrictions on the movement of lorries supplying the yard. The news was a major blow to everyone's efforts.
This week I met the CEO of bakers Lantmannen Unibake at Cambridge Road, to the South of Bedford, to turn the first sod at the site where they are building a brand new bakery. Up to 280 people will be employed at the site, with only six coming over from Lantmannen's existing bakery in Milton Keynes. In fact, Lantmannen had originally wanted to locate this new bakery in Milton Keynes, but after they were unable to secure planning permission at a particular site there, Bedford Borough Council moved quickly when we alerted to their interest in expanding and building a major new bakery.
Salisbury Liberal Democrat Councillor Paul Sample has welcomed Wiltshire Council's review of the Real Time Passenger Information System - to be discussed at the Council's Environment Committee on 7th September.
Last week I wrote in the Times and Citizen newspaper about my cautious optimism over one or two emerging sings for the local economy. Clearly, with households struggling in the very difficult economic climate, there is a long way to go before we can talk of a significant recovery, but the unemployment figures over the last year or so do give cause for some cautious optimism. Even though there is only so much the Council can do, I am determined that it will do all it can to help foster conditions in the local economy which help create and retain jobs in this Borough. In case you missed it, here's the article from the paper:
At the start of Manchester Pride's big weekend, Withington MP John Leech sent a message of support to the event and its attendees.
Very soon the Leas Cliff Hall will not be big enough for all the young performers to fit onto! During whole cast songs, the youngsters packed the space and the sound filled the auditorium.
