Borough Council Report to Turvey Parish Council May 2021
Turvey House
Turvey House have applied for a premises licence for events within the grounds and parkland area. The way the application reads, you have to specify a start time and an end time for events and serving alcohol. As some of the events throughout the year will need to have a licence until 3am, every day has to be shown accordingly. As it is not possible to specify on which days any particular event may take place all 7 days in the week have been checked. This does not mean that there will be an event 7 days per week until 3am! Some correspondence I have received expresses that fear. Turvey house have confirmed that this is not their intention.
East West Rail- Public Meetings
Bedford Borough Council is holding two virtual meetings to hear views from residents and businesses on what they wish to see in the Council’s response to the current East West Rail Company consultation.
During the meeting, there will be a presentation and a question-and-answer session with the Mayor.
These meetings will take place on Wednesday 12 May from 12pm- 2pm and Thursday 13 May from 6.30pm-8.30pm.
Due to ongoing COVID-19 restrictions these meetings will be held virtually via the Council’s virtual committee meeting system and they will be streamed live on YouTube.
Due to the nature of virtual meetings, questions and comments will need to be submitted in advance of the meeting- via email to EWRpublicmeetings@bedford.gov.uk . All questions and comments will need to be submitted by 8am on Friday 7 May.
Due to the level of interest anticipated, it is unlikely that everyone that submits a question will be able to take part. All the questions and comments received by the deadline will be collated and a selection of people will be invited to speak at the meeting, with a time limit of three minutes each, to ensure as many points are covered as possible, in an organised and efficient way.
Any questions that aren’t addressed due to time restrictions will receive a written response.
People watching live on YouTube will also be able to submit comments via EWRpublicmeetings@bedford.gov.uk and via an online form at www.bedford.gov.uk/eastwestrailconsultation
The virtual meetings will not form a consultation response in themselves but will be a listening exercise on behalf of the Council.
If you are not able to attend the meeting, there is also a form available on the Council website where you can let the Council know your views at www.bedford.gov.uk/eastwestrailconsultation
You can view all documents and respond on their website found below. There are also some dates for virtual events. We strongly urge you to respond before it closes on 9 June: https://eastwestrail.co.uk/consultation
Fusion facilities now open
All Fusion facilities apart from Oasis are now open.
Bookings can be made up to seven days in advance, via download of the Fusion Lifestyle app or visit www.fusion-lifestyle.com to register and use the booking facility.
For centre opening times and timetables please visit www.fusion-lifestyle.com/centres/mowsbury-golf-and-squash-centre
Boundary Commission update
The Boundary Commission has changed its timetable for its recommendations. There will now be more draft recommendations released on 11 May for 8 weeks of further consultation. The final recommendations will then be released on 31 August.
Bedford Borough libraries reopen.
Bedford Central and Kempston libraries reopened from 12th April 2021, with Putnoe Library opening on 19th April 2021. Bromham and Wootton libraries opened on 26th April 2021. You can check the website for opening hours and further service updates on the Virtual Library website.
Initially the libraries will be open for managed browsing, allowing you to select your own books. Essential computer use will also be available, and people are encouraged to book a session in advance if they can, as fewer computers are available due to social distancing. You can book a 45-minute session at https://bedford.imil.uk/
Please wear a face covering when you visit the libraries, unless you have a legitimate reason not to, and remember to make space between yourself and other people and to regularly wash or sanitise your hands. Customers will also be asked to use the NHS Test and Trace app, or if you are not able to your contact details will be taken for the same purpose.
With libraries opening, the current Select and Collect service will reduce. Staff selected bundles will no longer be available, but you can request individual titles for free using the library app or by calling the library. The books will be issued to your card when they are ready, so all you need to do is pick them up from the collection shelves in the relevant library.
During this initial period of reopening, please don’t worry if you are unable to visit a library – loans have been extended for a further period plus you can renew your books online or by telephone.
The Mobile Library also returned from the week beginning 12th April 2021. Due to the small space, customers will not be able to browse the shelves on the vehicle but will be able to request books using the Select and Collect service and collect them from a Mobile Library stop. A temporary change to routes will be in place and details will be available shortly via the Virtual Library.
Bedford Borough takes action on fly-tipping.
At an Environment Scrutiny Committee on April 22, the officer in charge for waste management announced that Bedford Borough Council has started taken against fly-tipping.
In fly-tipping hotspots the Council have put up cameras and those caught face prosecution and fines.
COVID-19 Update
The Government has now set a roadmap out of lockdown, we are now in step 2.
Borough COVID Information
As of the 25th of April, in Bedford there have been 13,491 cases since the start of the Pandemic and there have been 44 registered cases in Bedford in the last 7 days.
If you would like the latest COVID snapshot (as of 25th April) please find it below: https://bbcdevwebfiles.blob.core.windows.net/webfiles/Social%20Care%20Health%20and%20Community/Covid19/Covid19-weekly-statistics-28April2021.pdf
More information available at: https://www.bedford.gov.uk/social-care-health-and-community/public-health/coronavirus/
COVID test centres in Bedford
There is continued tested in Bedford at Borough Hall and Prebend Street car parks as well as University of Bedfordshire’s Polhill Campus
Test results from these sites should come back with 24-72 hours.
The government has updated its advice on testing. If you have any of the symptoms of Coronavirus, you can ask for a test through the NHS website or phone 119.
There are two walk through testing centres in Bedford for residents showing symptoms of Coronavirus.
Drive-through testing is available 6 days/week at Gilbert Hitchcock House, Bedford Hospital and 5 days/week at Borough Hall. Both can be booked through the national testing website.
If you’re an essential worker (see list here) you can apply for priority testing through GOV.UK by following the guidance for essential workers on the government website.
You can also get tested through this route if you have symptoms of coronavirus and live with an essential worker.
If you are unable to get to a testing centre, you can order a home testing kit through the national testing website.
You can find further details on testing on the government webpages.
More information is available here: https://www.bedford.gov.uk/social-care-health-and-community/public-health/coronavirus/covid-19-testing/
Launch of free rapid Covid testing around the borough.
Bedford residents who are in contact with other members of the public as part of their work are now able to access free, rapid Covid-19 (coronavirus) tests and are encouraged to take a test twice a week.
This includes retail workers, childminders, bus and taxi drivers, construction workers and tradespeople like plumbers or electricians. Testing is also available for pregnant women and their partners prior to attending key maternity appointments.
Bedford Borough Council, in partnership with the Department of Health and Social Care, has launched the free community testing initiative for workers without symptoms.
The self-administered test takes 10 minutes, and the results are usually sent by text message within an hour. A negative rapid test does not completely rule out infection, so it is important that individuals and business continue to follow COVID-secure guidelines.
Whilst free testing was originally available at the Bunyan Centre, Bedford Borough Council have now spread this service around the borough so that residents are able to get tests more locally to them.
COVID-19: Increased Support If You Need to Self-Isolate
Bedford Borough Council is making the Test and Trace Support Payment available to more people and has increased the Support Payment to £700. This means this payment will cover the earnings of someone working full time on the Living Wage.
In Bedford Borough, an individual is eligible for a Test and Trace Support Payment if:
- they have been told to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace, and
- have responded to the Test and Trace messages about their contacts, and
- are unable to work from home, and
Either:
- are currently receiving Universal Credit, Working Tax Credit, income-based Employment and Support Allowance, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Income Support, Housing Benefit and/or Pension Credit, or
- are on a low income (household earns less than £25,000 per year) and can show that self-isolation will result in financial hardship.
If anyone has any symptoms of coronavirus: high temperature, new continuous cough, loss or change to your sense of smell or taste, it is really important that they self-isolate and book at test at www.nhs.uk/coronavirus.
Also, anyone contacted by NHS Test and Trace and asked to self-isolate, must do so for the full amount of time they are told. Someone may not test positive or show symptoms straight away, but you could still be infectious and spread the virus to others, as it can take 10 days to develop the symptoms.
You can apply for this payment and find out more via our website by visiting www.bedford.gov.uk/TTSP adversely impacted- will receive this further grant automatically.