Shortstown Parish Council

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09/10/2026

Join us for our upcoming council meeting on 12th October at 7:00 PM at Bedford Academy.
The meeting will kick off with an Open Session for residents. This is your chance to voice concerns, ask questions, and speak directly with the council about local matters.
📍 Location: Bedford Academy
⏰ Time: 7:00 PM
https://shortstown-pc.gov.uk/agendas-2/?eeFolder=Agenda/Agendas-26-27&eeFront=1&eeListID=1&ee=1

22/09/2026

⚠️ A421 Cardington overnight closure

The A421 westbound entry slip road at Cardington will be closed overnight for road marking works on:

Monday 5 October 2026
8pm to 6am

During the closure, traffic will be diverted via the A421 eastbound to Renhold Interchange (Water End), where drivers can turn around and continue westbound.

Please note that emergency vehicles will not be able to pass through the works.

The works are weather dependent.

20/09/2026

Join us for our upcoming council meeting on 23rd September at 7:00 PM at Bedford Academy.

The meeting will kick off with an Open Session for residents. This is your chance to voice concerns, ask questions, and speak directly with the council about local matters.

📍 Location: Bedford Academy
⏰ Time: 7:00 PM

📄 Full Agenda: Please see the attached images for the complete meeting agenda.

All residents are welcome to attend.

If you're unable to make it in person but have a topic you'd like to discuss, feel free to leave a comment below or send us a message.

12/09/2026

📢 DATE CHANGE: Shortstown Parish Council Meeting

We are moving our September meeting to Wednesday 23rd September.

Why the change?
Our original date clashed with the Bedford Borough Planning Committee, where key discussions around the cycleway at the back of New Cardington are taking place.

Shifting our meeting allows Councillors and members of the public to attend the Borough planning committee and have a say on this important application.

New Date: Wednesday 23rd September
Time: 7pm
Location: Bedford Academy, Mile Road

Please share this update with neighbors! We look forward to seeing you on the 23rd to discuss this and other local matters.

31/08/2026

📢 Business Opportunity in Shortstown

Shortstown Parish Council, as freeholder of the historic Shorts Building, is pleased to offer a commercial suite for let.

The self-contained unit provides approximately 1,004 sq ft (93.27 sq m) of flexible accommodation, suitable for a range of business, professional, community or creative uses.

The suite includes:
• Two separate rooms that can be configured to suit different needs
• Dedicated kitchen and WC facilities
• Bright, modern accommodation with plenty of natural light
• Excellent transport links to Bedford, the A421, M1 and surrounding areas

Whether you're looking for office space, a training venue, a studio, meeting space, or a base for your organisation, this versatile unit could be worth exploring.

📍 Shorts Building, Shortstown
📧 [email protected]

For further information or to arrange a viewing, please contact the Parish Council.

🔗 Full property details: https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/769411911321057 #/?channel=COM_BUY

Please feel free to share this post with anyone who may be interested.

15/08/2026

📢Have Your Say: Shortstown Community Governance Review 📢

Bedford Borough Council is currently holding a public consultation on a Community Governance Review for Shortstown.

The review is looking into a proposal to increase the number of Parish Councillors from 12 to 15 to ensure local representation effectively reflects our growing community.

Whether you support the proposal or have comments to share, your voice matters!

🗓️ Closing Date: Friday, 11 September 2026 at 12:00 PM (noon)

🔗 Take the survey: You can complete the Shortstown Public Consultation Survey directly online https://online1.snapsurveys.com/Interview/0bdcda0b-1505-42f3-80cd-8c4cfcf492d8

For further details and consultation documents, visit the Bedford Borough Council Review Hub https://www.bedford.gov.uk/your-council/elections-and-voting/community-governance-review?hl=en-GB

You can also submit feedback via email at [email protected] or post written comments to:

Community Governance Review, Electoral Registration, Bedford Borough Council, Borough Hall, Cauldwell Street, Bedford, MK42 9AP

22/06/2026

Please be aware that bin collections may start earlier this week
Due to the predicted high temperatures and the amber heat health alert in place for our area, some of our bin collection crews may be starting rounds from 5.30am this week to give them more time to collect while it's a little cooler.
We usually ask you to have your bins out by 6am on the day of collection, but please make sure your bins are out by 5.30am this week so they are ready for collection.
We appreciate that not everyone uses social media, so please pass this message on to any friends, neighbours or relatives who may need to know.
Thank you for your support and understanding.

12/06/2026

Historic Shorts Building secured for the community as Parish Council completes purchase

Shortstown Parish Council is proud to announce that it has completed the purchase of the Shorts Building, the historic landmark at the heart of the village, securing its future in community ownership for generations to come.

The building, previously owned by Bellway, now belongs to the people of Shortstown through the Parish Council.

Built in 1917 as the headquarters of the Short Brothers airship works, the Shorts Building is the very reason Shortstown exists. It is the building that gave the village its name. From its offices, Short Brothers oversaw the construction of the giant airship sheds at Cardington and the Garden City style housing built for their workers, which became the village we know today. It later served as the headquarters of the Royal Airship Works during the era of the R100 and R101, and then RAF Cardington, before being restored in 2011.

For more than a century the Shorts Building has stood as the gateway to Shortstown and a proud symbol of the village's unique place in British aviation history. The purchase means that this heritage is no longer in private hands but is owned and protected by the community it has always served.

Cllr Tom Middleton, Chair of Shortstown Parish Council, said:

"This is a landmark day for Shortstown in every sense. The Shorts Building is not just bricks and mortar; it is the birthplace of our village and the keeper of its story. From the day the Short Brothers opened its doors in 1917 to the great airship era of the R100 and R101, this building has watched Shortstown grow up around it.

"Securing it for the community has been a long journey, and I want to thank everyone who worked so hard to get us here. The building now belongs to the people of Shortstown, and the Parish Council will be its proud custodian."

The Parish Council will share further details in the coming weeks about its plans for the building and how residents can get involved in shaping its future.

31/05/2026

Residents have repeatedly raised concerns with the Parish Council about dangerous parking at junctions in Shortstown.

As a result, the Parish Council has now written to all relevant authorities requesting action.

Our full letter, signed by the Chair, can be read below.

28/05/2026

If you haven't completed the survey yet you still have a couple of days to complete it and be entered into the draw to win one of three great prizes. The survey will still be live after the 30th of May but if you complete it after this date you will not be entered into the draw.

Address

Shortstown

Website

http://www.shortstown-pc.gov.uk/

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