Bedford Borough Council

03/09/2026

03/09/2026

Do you have questions about the library consultation?

We're consulting on a draft Library Strategy for 2026-2031 and options for the future development of Bedford Central Library.

Come along to one of our drop-in sessions at Bedford Central Library to find out more about the consultation, ask questions and share your views.

*Saturday 5 September 11am-1pm

*Tuesday 8 September 11am-1pm and 4-6pm.

Even if you don’t have a LibraryPlus membership you will still be able to get into the building for the drop-in session.

No booking required. If you can’t make either date, there are more drop-ins taking place at other libraries in Bedford Borough. Please check your local library for dates and times.

03/09/2026

From Thursday, 1 October, we are introducing a free online vehicle registration system at the Household Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC) on Barkers Lane to protect the site from misuse by businesses and people from outside the Borough.

Residents using the HWRC for household waste will need to register their vehicle's number plate online from Thursday, 1 October (and not before). Registration is free and takes just a few minutes. A car or pickup can be registered for two years, a van for six months, and a hired vehicle for 24 hours. Residents will receive an email to remind them to renew their registration toward the end of the registration period. The existing ANPR camera at the entrance will automatically check each vehicle and alert staff if one arrives without being registered. Once registered, residents can visit during normal opening hours without an appointment.

Many neighbouring authorities now operate stronger controls at their HWRCs, and Bedford Borough has since seen a significant increase in tonnage at Barkers Lane, much of it from people outside the Borough and businesses not entitled to use the household waste service. This is placing strain on the Council's waste budget and has led to long queues, particularly during peak periods.

Residents who are less digitally able can register by contacting Customer Services. Registration allows a single-axle trailer (less than 1.8m long by 1.2m wide) with a car or pickup, but not a van. A maximum of two vehicles may be registered per address. Some vehicles are not permitted on site, including box vans, vehicles with more than four wheels, tippers and twin-axle trailers.

The current permit system is being replaced by this simpler vehicle registration. From Thursday, 1 October, you no longer need a separate permit for a fridge/freezer, car tyres, DIY waste, or for visiting in a van, pickup or flatback, or with a single-axle trailer. Simply register your number plate online before you visit.

The HWRC is a taxpayer-funded service for Bedford Borough residents to dispose of household waste produced at their own home. Registrations must not be used for trade, business, landlord, contractor or third-party waste. All businesses have a legal duty of care to dispose of their waste safely and lawfully, and misuse may lead to enforcement action, including fines and prosecution. The HWRC also accepts mixed commercial waste on a pre-booked, charged basis. For business waste services, visit the Linktree on our bio.

Councillor Nicky Gribble, Portfolio Holder for Environment, said, "This free vehicle registration system will protect a Council Tax-funded service for the people who pay for it. Residents will not need to book a time slot, and once registered, they can visit during normal opening hours. The ANPR camera checks registrations automatically. It is unfair to residents and responsible businesses if household facilities are used to avoid commercial waste costs. This system will reduce inappropriate waste, save the Council money, and improve access for residents."

03/09/2026

A benefits cheat has been ordered to pay £13,190.38 after admitting that he fraudulently claimed both Council Tax Support and a Council Tax discount for six years.

Antonio Noto, also known as Tony, of Templars Way, Sharnbrook, was sentenced at Luton Crown Court on Thursday (27 August).

This followed an investigation by Bedford Borough Council’s Investigation Service, following a tip-off that Noto and his partner had been operating a yoga/healing retreat and operating an Airbnb from their home.

Investigators found a website for the retreat which listed Noto and his partner as the hosts of the retreat. They also uncovered numerous documents linking the couple as living together at the property from Companies House, the DWP, financial institutions, school admissions records, and publicly available websites and social media entries relating to how the couple had built and created their retreat.

When interviewed by investigators, Noto denied that he had ever lived with anyone else at this property.

He also told investigators that, if he had committed fraud, they should inform the police and let them deal with it as would not be questioned about it by council officers.

When the Council moved forward with the investigation, Noto twice failed to turn up to court hearings, and warrants had to be issued for him. He finally offered a guilty plea days before the trial was due to begin, and the matter was adjourned to 27 August for sentencing.

The Judge found that money was the root cause for Noto’s offending. She ordered that he receive a three-year conditional discharge (the longest period allowed), with £5,860.38 compensation to be paid within six months, plus £7,330 in costs.

A Bedford Borough Council spokesperson said; “Council Tax fraud is not a victimless crime; it diverts vital funding away from residents who need it most and places an unfair burden on honest taxpayers.

“We will not hesitate to investigate and prosecute anyone who dishonestly claims support they are not entitled to.

“When prosecuting these matters the Council not only seeks to recover the money stolen but also have the offender pay for the costs of the investigation and legal action taken against them.”

02/09/2026

🏃‍♀️ Active Adults Autumn Programme Now Open for Booking!
📅 Courses start w/c 28 September 2026

New activities include CrossFit, Pilates, Pickleball, Adult Street Dance and Rock & Roll, alongside Yoga classes, women-only sessions and activities across Bedford Borough.
✅ 37 courses
✅ 20 activities
✅ 17 village locations
✅ 14 evening and weekend sessions
Whether you're new to sport or looking to get back into activity, Active Adults offers a friendly and welcoming environment to help you get moving.
Find out more: https://www.bedford.gov.uk/leisure-parks-and-sport/sports-and-physical-activity/activities-adults

02/09/2026

From favourite places to visit to hidden gems, Bedford Borough Council is shouting about what’s great where we all live in a regular feature.

Every councillor is being invited to answer questions about their ward, to reveal the best places to shop, socialise or spend a lazy Sunday, and to share facts that you might not know or dates that you should put in your diary.

This week it’s Councillor Sue Oliver, who represents Kempston North ward.

*Describe Kempston North in five words.

The ‘green lung’ of Kempston.

*Where is your favourite place to eat in Kempston North and why?

We only have a couple of cafes in the ward, but Mar-Chelles on Bedford Road serves tasty snacks and you can sit outside and watch the world go by.

*Where is your favourite place to go for a drink in Kempston North and why?

Our other cafe is at Project 229, also on Bedford Road. It is more of a community hub as there is always something going on there.

*Tell us a great place for a family to visit in Kempston North?

It has to be Addison Howard Park which has an extensive play area for all ages as well as plenty of space to run around or have a picnic.

*What is a hidden gem in Kempston North?

The Green Man Community Garden really is a hidden gem - a quirky and peaceful green oasis, tucked away at the rear of Addison Park near Kempston Grange. Set up and tended by volunteers, it is described as the ‘Secret Garden’ by those who have discovered it.

*What’s your favourite way to spend a lazy Sunday in Kempston North?

The River Great Ouse forms one of the ward boundaries as it meanders from Manor Drive at one end to the Slipe at the other. I love to walk my dog alongside it as a Sunday treat for both of us.

*What has been your favourite change that you have seen in Kempston North in recent years?

I’ve been pleased to see efforts to give nature a helping hand in recent years. The planting at the Library and the One Stop Shop by Kempston Climate Change Group, more street trees and less mowing in certain areas have made an already green ward even more sustainable.

*What is the highlight of the calendar year in Kempston North?

The Eid event which has taken place in Addison Howard Park in early summer over recent years is a fantastic multicultural weekend which has now established itself as one of the biggest celebrations of this festival in the country.

*Tell us something most people won’t know about Kempston North.

There is a walkway which through the centre of the ward running from the end of King Street to the playing fields on Hillgrounds Road. It’s called Willsher Walk and even most locals don’t know its name. Also, a family of foxes live in the wooded area at the northern end; they became very tame during lockdown and the cubs can often be seen playing out in the open at dusk.

*Name one thing that you’d like to see come to Kempston North.

Addison Howard Park is the largest of Bedford Borough’s parks not to have a cafe. Residents would love to have this facility, preferably as part of a refurbished Kempston Grange, which has stood empty for too many years.

I’d also like to see the return of a regular bus service to Hillgrounds Road.

01/09/2026

New set of Active Adults courses (Adult Sports Courses)
Starting w/c 28th September 2026!
37 courses, 20 different activities, 17 village courses and 14 evening and weekend sessions!!!
18 NEW or updated Activities!!!!
Bookings open Wednesday 2nd September @12:30pm.
for more information visit https://www.bedford.gov.uk/leisure-parks-and-sport/sports-and-physical-activity/activities-adults

01/09/2026

We have completed our 2026 summer surface dressing programme across multiple rural roads in the borough, with final road marking painting expected to finish very soon.

Surface dressing is a cost-effective maintenance operation that restores road surfaces and extends their service life by applying a new wearing layer. The process has four key stages: preparation (including pre-patching 6–12 months in advance and remedial patching at the time of works), spraying a bitumen binder to seal cracks and prevent water ingress, applying 10mm and 6mm stone chippings to restore surface texture, and rolling and sweeping to embed the stones. The treatment is particularly well suited to Bedford Borough's extensive rural road network, offering substantial savings compared to full carriageway resurfacing while delivering waterproofing and improved skid resistance.

Surface dressing works were carried out throughout July and August 2026 at the following locations across the borough: Village Street, Hinwick; Dungee Road; Little Staughton Road; Melchbourne Road; Felmersham Road, Chellington; A428, Turvey; and Staploe Road. Some works experienced delays due to high temperatures and plant breakdowns, with Felmersham Road reprogrammed to early August to ensure optimal conditions for the binder application.

Councillor Nicky Gribble, Portfolio Holder for Environment at Bedford Borough Council, said: " This scheme represents just one of the major investments the Council is making to upgrade Bedford Borough’s roads, enhance safety, and deliver long‑term improvements for residents and businesses across the borough. Surface dressing is a vital part of our proactive approach to maintaining the borough's road network. By sealing cracks and preventing water ingress, we significantly reduce the risk of potholes forming and extend the life of our rural roads at a fraction of the cost of full resurfacing. I appreciate residents' patience during the works, and I'd ask all road users to observe reduced speeds on newly dressed surfaces to ensure the chippings embed properly and everyone stays safe."

The programme was delivered by our Engineering Services team through its highways contractor Heidelberg Materials UK. Heidelberg Materials has held the borough's highways maintenance contract since 2013 and resecured a five-year, £30 million agreement in April 2025 to continue maintaining and improving Bedford Borough's road network.

Newly surface-dressed roads may have loose chippings for several days while the stones embed through normal traffic. Motorists are asked to drive at reduced speeds on treated sections for safety and to aid embedment. Final sweeping and re-lining of road markings is planned to be completed very soon under mobile traffic management to minimise disruption.

Find out how we are improving roads and pavements in the borough, report problems, view current and planned roadworks, and more, in the Linktree on our bio

01/09/2026

New set of Active Adults courses (Adult Sports Courses)
Starting w/c 28th September 2026!
37 courses, 20 different activities, 17 village courses and 14 evening and weekend sessions!!!
18 NEW or updated Activities!!!!
Bookings open Wednesday 2nd September @12:30pm.
for more information visit https://www.bedford.gov.uk/leisure-parks-and-sport/sports-and-physical-activity/activities-adults
Bedford Borough Council
Transition Coaching
St Hilaire Fitness & Nutrition
Great Denham Community Hall

Riverside Tennis


Mowsbury Golf & Squash Centre


Park Indoor Bowls Club bowling
Swingsters
End Village Hall
Football Bedford renegades.wf
Wootton Village Hall
Renhold Village

28/08/2026

The Council’s Country Parks team have been called to Bedford town centre following reports of an injured swan.

The bird, which was seen in Silver Street, is believed to be in some distress.

Thank you to residents who have contacted Bedford Borough Council about this.