Dunstable News Desk

        (Image of purpose-built cable channel laid in the footway) Do you have an electric vehicle that is parked in the road and that is a challenge to charge? Central Bedfordshire Council (CBC) are taking part in a pilot scheme to trial new technology for electric vehicle users who want to charge at home but do not have off-street parking. The Council is well aware that there are lots of homes in Central Bedfordshire that do not have their own off-street parking. This makes it difficult to charge an electric vehicle at home and installing a charge point is often feasible, however, running a cable from the charge point to the car can be tricky as trailing cables create a hazard.  To find a solution to the problem, the Council is taking part in a pilot scheme where a purpose-built cable channel is laid in the footway. A brush similar to those in letterboxes keeps the cable in place when in use. The channel has been developed by a company called ODS, using funding from the governmen

Escape the hubbub and get back to nature this Christmas, at the wild, winter wonderland that is Whipsnade Zoo.   While shoppers swarm through crowded malls, visitors to the UK’s largest Zoo can give the most precious gift to their loved ones: family fun together in the great outdoors.    Kids will love tracking down Rudolph’s cousins, real reindeer Flora and Heidi, as they graze on top of the beautiful Chiltern hills. At daily Reindeer Talks, families can find out the reasons why reindeer are the best choice to pull Santa’s sleigh, and prepare for Christmas eve, by learning what Whipsnade’s spirited duo most enjoy as a tasty snack.    Families can also find out why penguins like the cold, what the Zoo’s otters would like in their Christmas stockings, and watch red pandas nibble on their breakfast while learning why the chestnut-furred creatures thrive in the chilly Himalayan mountains.    At Storytime at the Farm, younger children can take part in Hullabazoo Farm’s interactive tale

CAN YOU COME UP WITH A GREAT IMAGE OF DUNSTABLE IN WINTER? Art trail and competition.  This competition is on the theme of Dunstable in Winter . It closes on the 10th December and all entries will be displayed in shop fronts around Dunstable's historic high streets.  There will be two winners in each age category, chosen by public vote, and prizes.  Entrants just need to drop by the Workhouse in Ashton Square which is open 10-3 Weds-Sat and pick up a canvass and form and then drop their completed entry back there before 10th December. There is no entry fee.

Bedfordshire Rural Communities Charity is delighted to have been awarded a £92,572 grant from Historic England as part of the Dunstable High Street Heritage Action Zone (HSHAZ) to create and deliver community-led cultural activities on the high street over the next three years. In addition to this grant, Historic England is also funding a role within Bedfordshire Rural Communities Charity to co-ordinate and assist in the delivery of the cultural programme.  The programme will be designed and delivered by the Dunstable Cultural Consortium in partnership with and led by Bedfordshire Rural Communities Charity (BRCC) , the leading community development agency working across Bedfordshire. Ongoing support will also be provided by the Dunstable HSHAZ team at Dunstable Town Council. Dunstable HSHAZ is one of more than 60 high streets to receive a share of £6 million for their cultural programme. The Dunstable HSHAZ cultural programme will include: They Came to the Crossroads : the makers

A social work student has been shortlisted for a prestigious award in recognition of her outstanding achievements.  Carrie Evans , who has spent the last year working with Central Bedfordshire Council’s Children’s Services team, has been selected as a finalist for Student Social Worker of the Year*  in the annual Social Worker of the Year Awards .  Carrie has been with the team on a placement while training to be a social worker. She is taking part in a ‘fast track’ programme with Frontline, which involves balancing a demanding academic schedule with hands on experience.  She was nominated by her Practice Educator, social worker Ben Feasmen, who noted that her work was regularly exceeding the high standards set for student social workers. All the families that Carrie has worked with during the past year supported her nomination, as did many of the teachers, psychologists, and nurses who she worked with daily.  Of her achievement, Carrie said: “It’s been a steep learning curve being

The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has awarded a ‘ Dunstable in Bloom ’ entry with a Certificate of Achievement in The Green Solutions category, recognising the importance of the rain gardens and other sustainable interventions that have been built into the High Street improvements. The project has been commended for mitigating traffic pollution, alleviating pluvial (rainwater) flooding, and improving the High Street for residents and visitors, as well as improved water quality from run-off, increased biodiversity, and shade provision from trees. In making their decision, the RHS highlighted the following accomplishments: ‘’The implementation of rain gardens in an impermeable urban landscape can be complicated, particularly when excavating the sites - these technical considerations require careful planning. The plants chosen for the rain gardens and for an urban setting also require careful selection. The decision made to proceed with constructing rain gardens over other draina

Driving uninsured is not an invisible crime Over 4,000 letters have been sent by the Road Policing Unit so far this year to motorists who have been detected driving without insurance in Bedfordshire.   The figure has been shared as part of a national  Drive Insured  campaign this month to highlight that driving without insurance is not an invisible crime. In total, 4,094 letters have been issued by the force as part of Operation Tutelage since the start of the year with 62% of recipients subsequently taking out insurance. Acting Detective Sergeant Justin Smyth, from the Road Policing Unit, said, “For some people, insuring their vehicle has slipped their mind and we thank everyone who has taken the right steps to insure their vehicle after receiving a letter. "Driving without insurance is not a matter of out of sight, out of mind. It is a crime we can easily detect and we will take action. “Contacting motorists in this way is a positive and proactive way to help improve the saf

A serious health and safety breach at the Holiday Inn Express in Dunstable has seen the responsible parties have to pay fines and costs totalling £16,830. Fryer at the Holiday Inn, Dunstable Central Bedfordshire Council has prosecuted The Gateway Hotel, Dunstable (known as The Holiday Inn Express) and RBH Hospitality Management for failings under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, sections 2(1) and 3(1), following a breach in their legal duty of care towards a member of staff. Both companies pleaded guilty at Peterborough Magistrates' Court yesterday (Monday 8 November 2021). On Sunday 11 November 2018, a Holiday Inn Express employee was instructed by a manager to empty and clean the commercial oil fryer in the kitchen. The member of staff picked up the filled container and was immediately burned from oil melting through the thin plastic container that had been provided for the job. The individual dropped the container onto the floor, slipped and fell into the hot oil

Central Bedfordshire to receive £586,335 from the Adult Social Care Workforce Recruitment and Retention Fund South West Bedfordshire MP, Andrew Selous is delighted that Central Bedfordshire will receive £586,335 from the new Workforce Recruitment and Retention Fund for adult social care. This £162.5 million fund will bolster the capacity of the adult social care workforce over winter, helping to ensure care workers across the country can continue to deliver high quality care for the most vulnerable in our society. This funding comes on top of the additional £388 million infection control funding that we announced for adult social care in September 2021. Over the course of the pandemic, the Government will have made available over £6 billion in funding for local authorities to address pressures on their services, including for adult social care. The Workforce Recruitment and Retention Fund will enable local authorities to work closely with providers to consider innovative measures to bo

Central Bedfordshire Council proposes change to social housing tenancies to give tenants more stability. Central Bedfordshire Council has reviewed its Tenancy Strategy and has today launched a consultation on changing the length of the housing tenancies it offers. The key proposal is to end the use of five-year fixed-term tenancies and offer secure tenancies often referred to as ‘lifetime’ tenancies. This change will offer tenants greater security and stability rather than worrying that they may need to move every five years. This is particularly important for families with young children attending school and those who work locally. The proposal will also enable the council to reduce the administrative burden of reviewing all tenancies every five years freeing up officer time to better manage social housing stock and focus on other important issues such as anti-social behaviour and tenancy fraud. Executive Member for Housing & Assets, Cllr Eugene Ghent said, “Whilst previous th

Andrew Selous, MP for South West Bedfordshire, took part in a debate on 1 November, Food Standards in Schools Education – in the House of Commons. Andrew Selous,The Second Church Estates Commissioner: What plans he has to introduce a mechanism to help enforce food standards in schools. Will Quince, The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education: We already have robust regulation in place around food standards in schools, established by the Requirements for School Food Regulations 2014. The regulations apply to all food provided in schools, making compliance mandatory for all maintained schools, including academies and free schools. Andrew Selous: Children’s health is so important to their life chances, so the research of the young people at Jamie Oliver’s Bite Back 2030 foundation is very concerning: it shows that school food standards are routinely not maintained. What can we do to ensure that they are upheld? Will Quince: School governors have a responsibility to ensu

A Canadian fast-food chain is to set up a new outlet at White Lion Retail Park in Dunstable. Today, 1 Nov, the company tweeted , “That's right, we've got another two brand new drive thru restaurants coming soon! Milton Keynes, you're getting another location in Westcroft, and Dunstable this will be your first!  "We will announce the opening dates nearer the time so keep an eye out for more!" The company has also tweeted that they are recruiting now: "we are hiring now! You can view more here: https://joinourteam.timhortons.co.uk ". So who are they, what do they serve, and what's their history? Among the chain's savoury dishes it lists: Signature Burger Bacon Double Burger  Classic Burger Double Classic Burger,  Hot Dog Lattice Fries In 1964 Tim Horton, a National Hockey League Legend, opened the first store in Hamilton, Ontario Canada. In 1976 the Timbit is introduced and a Canadian icon is created. In 1999 Tim Hortons Iced Capp hits the scen