Peter Fraser, Head of Partnerships & Insight in the Chief Executive's office at CBC has announced the date of the next Town & Parish Council Conference for Central Bedfordshire: 13th January 2011 at Priory House, Chicksands.
A post conference report that summarises the event on 9th June 2010, together with a response to all of the questions that were received, and the results from the feedback questionnaire, plus a copy of the presentations can be found on the Council's website using the following link:
http://www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/council-and-democracy/councillors/parish/default.aspx
Did you go? What did you think of it? What would you want out of such an event? What form should it take? Please share your views.
Tuesday, 31 August 2010
Renewable electricity: a revenue stream for CBC?
The ban on councils selling renewable electricity ended on 18 August 2010. This will open new sources of income including the full benefit of the feed in tariff which incentivises renewable electricity. It could mean up to £100 million a year in income for local authorities across England and Wales.
Currently councils are able to put any renewable electricity they generate to local use, and to benefit from the associated feed in tariff for projects smaller than 5MW. But they are restricted from selling any excess renewable electricity into the grid and also from benefiting from the additional export component of the feed in tariff. This restriction was put in place at the time of electricity privatisation to ensure the transfer of the electricity industry to the private sector.
At present only 0.01% of electricity in England is generated by local authority-owned renewables, despite the scope that exists to install projects on their land and buildings. In Germany the equivalent figure is 100 times higher.
Lifting the ban is considered a vital step to making community renewable projects commercially viable, to bring in long-term income to benefit local areas, and to secure local acceptance for low carbon energy projects.
Councils such as Woking have made strenuous efforts over the years to produce energy locally. It is at the forefront of local authorities already investing in clean energy projects, and will be able to benefit from the change in the law. Through Thameswey Limited, a company wholly owned by the council, green electricity is generated across the Borough and provided to local customers by way of private wires.
The Government is committed to encouraging community-owned renewable energy schemes where local people benefit from the power produced. It is actively working on proposals to allow communities that host renewable energy projects to keep the additional business rates they generate. An online portal, Community Energy Online, will be launched in the autumn to support the development and deployment of low carbon community-scale energy infrastructure.
What are your views on this? We have lots of school fields and other public sector sites that could well host wind turbines or similar, surely.
Currently councils are able to put any renewable electricity they generate to local use, and to benefit from the associated feed in tariff for projects smaller than 5MW. But they are restricted from selling any excess renewable electricity into the grid and also from benefiting from the additional export component of the feed in tariff. This restriction was put in place at the time of electricity privatisation to ensure the transfer of the electricity industry to the private sector.
At present only 0.01% of electricity in England is generated by local authority-owned renewables, despite the scope that exists to install projects on their land and buildings. In Germany the equivalent figure is 100 times higher.
Lifting the ban is considered a vital step to making community renewable projects commercially viable, to bring in long-term income to benefit local areas, and to secure local acceptance for low carbon energy projects.
Councils such as Woking have made strenuous efforts over the years to produce energy locally. It is at the forefront of local authorities already investing in clean energy projects, and will be able to benefit from the change in the law. Through Thameswey Limited, a company wholly owned by the council, green electricity is generated across the Borough and provided to local customers by way of private wires.
The Government is committed to encouraging community-owned renewable energy schemes where local people benefit from the power produced. It is actively working on proposals to allow communities that host renewable energy projects to keep the additional business rates they generate. An online portal, Community Energy Online, will be launched in the autumn to support the development and deployment of low carbon community-scale energy infrastructure.
What are your views on this? We have lots of school fields and other public sector sites that could well host wind turbines or similar, surely.
Deals for wheels to work, school or college
Central Bedfordshire Council is backing Wheels2Work, an initiative to help people without their own vehicle get to-and from work and college. The scheme was launched earlier this year and has proved a great success so far. So register now, take the basic training and start benefiting from this scheme for the new term.
Wheels2Work provides transport advice and support to individuals without access to alternative transport for up to a nine-month period until they can find a longer-term solution. Users are offered a 50cc Yamaha scooter loan, which is provided complete with comprehensive vehicle insurance, road tax, safety equipment and service costs.
The scheme, which is led by Bedfordshire Rural Communities Charity, is open to people who meet the following criteria:
of working age (16– 64) with priority given to those aged 16–24
living in the Central Bedfordshire area (excluding Luton)
having limited or no access to transport to their place of employment, education or training
have a provisional or full driving licence
Clients meeting all the criteria must then take the Compulsory Basic Training course and rural ride training, both of which are free. A small monthly wear and tear fee is also paid for the scooter loan.
Wheels2Work can also help businesses and employers who are struggling to recruit or keep employees because of their location or transport difficulties.
The Wheels2Work registration process begins with an interview for which applicants under 18 need to have a parent or guardian at hand, and is followed by the Co-ordinator taking up references and seeking confirmation that a clean driving licence is held.
For further information please contact Bob Hughes, Wheels2Work coordinator at Bedfordshire Rural Communities Charity on 01234 832646, text 07903 272626, e-mail bobh@bedsrcc.org.uk or visit www.bedsrcc.org.uk/Wheels2Work/wheels1.html
Wheels2Work provides transport advice and support to individuals without access to alternative transport for up to a nine-month period until they can find a longer-term solution. Users are offered a 50cc Yamaha scooter loan, which is provided complete with comprehensive vehicle insurance, road tax, safety equipment and service costs.
The scheme, which is led by Bedfordshire Rural Communities Charity, is open to people who meet the following criteria:
of working age (16– 64) with priority given to those aged 16–24
living in the Central Bedfordshire area (excluding Luton)
having limited or no access to transport to their place of employment, education or training
have a provisional or full driving licence
Clients meeting all the criteria must then take the Compulsory Basic Training course and rural ride training, both of which are free. A small monthly wear and tear fee is also paid for the scooter loan.
Wheels2Work can also help businesses and employers who are struggling to recruit or keep employees because of their location or transport difficulties.
The Wheels2Work registration process begins with an interview for which applicants under 18 need to have a parent or guardian at hand, and is followed by the Co-ordinator taking up references and seeking confirmation that a clean driving licence is held.
For further information please contact Bob Hughes, Wheels2Work coordinator at Bedfordshire Rural Communities Charity on 01234 832646, text 07903 272626, e-mail bobh@bedsrcc.org.uk or visit www.bedsrcc.org.uk/Wheels2Work/wheels1.html
Had your say on the Local Transport Plan?
I wish to apologise on behalf of Central Beds Council for the inept way it conducted its recent consultation on transport: very little and last minute.
A press release issued on 3 August gave a range of dates when an 'exhibition' would be touring the constituency, none of which were within the Barton-le-Clay, Bushmead, Sharpenhoe, Streatley, Sundon ward and the latest of which was 21 August.
Or you may e-mail comments to myjourney@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk
Meanwhile, please come along to our CBC Councillor next surgery in Barton-le-Clay library, 10-12am on the second Saturday of the month: 11 September to have your say.
A press release issued on 3 August gave a range of dates when an 'exhibition' would be touring the constituency, none of which were within the Barton-le-Clay, Bushmead, Sharpenhoe, Streatley, Sundon ward and the latest of which was 21 August.
Or you may e-mail comments to myjourney@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk
Meanwhile, please come along to our CBC Councillor next surgery in Barton-le-Clay library, 10-12am on the second Saturday of the month: 11 September to have your say.
Sunday, 22 August 2010
A6 to close Barton to Silsoe one night this week
Central Bedfordshire Council have made an Order the effect of which will be to prohibit any vehicle, except a vehicle being used for fire, police or ambulance purposes in an emergency, from proceeding along that length of A6 Silsoe to Barton which extends from the roundabout with Barton Road, Silsoe to the junction with Barton Road, Pulloxhill.
This temporary closure is required to enable carriageway patching work to be carried out in safety and shall apply to such extent as may from time to time be indicated by the appropriate traffic signs. Where possible access will be maintained to property and premises but may be restricted from time to time according to local signing.
It is expected that the works will take place for ONE NIGHT during the period between Monday 23rd and Thursday 26th August 2010 from 8:00pm to 6:00am.
The alternative routes available for vehicles affected by the Order are:-
Proceed south on the A6 and continue through Luton to the roundabout with the A505. Take the second exit and continue on the A505 through Dunstable to the junction with the A5. Turn right and continue on the A5 to the junction with the A5120. Turn right and continue on the A5120 through Houghton Regis and continuing through Toddington and Flitwick to the roundabout with the A507. Take the third exit and continue on the A507 to the roundabout with the A6. Take the third exit and continue on the A6 to site and vice versa.
The Order will come into operation on 23 August 2010 for a period of four months or until the proposed works have been completed, as detailed above, whichever is the earlier.
For further information please contact Central Bedfordshire Highways, Tel: 0300 300 8049
DATED 18 August 2010
Central Bedfordshire Council Basil Jackson
Technology House Assistant Director for Highways
239 Ampthill Road
Bedford MK42 9QQ
This temporary closure is required to enable carriageway patching work to be carried out in safety and shall apply to such extent as may from time to time be indicated by the appropriate traffic signs. Where possible access will be maintained to property and premises but may be restricted from time to time according to local signing.
It is expected that the works will take place for ONE NIGHT during the period between Monday 23rd and Thursday 26th August 2010 from 8:00pm to 6:00am.
The alternative routes available for vehicles affected by the Order are:-
Proceed south on the A6 and continue through Luton to the roundabout with the A505. Take the second exit and continue on the A505 through Dunstable to the junction with the A5. Turn right and continue on the A5 to the junction with the A5120. Turn right and continue on the A5120 through Houghton Regis and continuing through Toddington and Flitwick to the roundabout with the A507. Take the third exit and continue on the A507 to the roundabout with the A6. Take the third exit and continue on the A6 to site and vice versa.
The Order will come into operation on 23 August 2010 for a period of four months or until the proposed works have been completed, as detailed above, whichever is the earlier.
For further information please contact Central Bedfordshire Highways, Tel: 0300 300 8049
DATED 18 August 2010
Central Bedfordshire Council Basil Jackson
Technology House Assistant Director for Highways
239 Ampthill Road
Bedford MK42 9QQ
Thursday, 19 August 2010
A word for Austria: guat!
I do like Austria. It offers a super lifestyle for outdoor types, both winter and summer, with hiking, sight-seeing and swimming in lakes, my summer favourite. Plus the beer is good.
Life seems amazingly relaxed, with a high level of trust that their people will gauge any risk in their lives at the right level. There are no lifeguards keeping watch on high perches at their swimming lakes, and large slabs of cheese sit alongside salami, kaesekrainer and raw meat in the local butchers. It's all rather fun and works well and apparently very safely.
The landlords we have known have been pro European Union (EU). This year,while Pepi (a long-distance HGV driver) spoke appreciatively of how Schengen had made his job easier over the years, his wife Eva urged that Austria should group with Switzerland and Lichtenstein and pull out of the EU, to make their money by charging tolls on through traffic, for example, rather like in days of yore on the Munich-Venice trek.
How many of their 20 million people think like this? I don't know, but meeting and getting to know this kind couple gave me an interesting insight into a side of the Austrian psyche that I'd not yet had through business contacts.
I do recommend it.
Life seems amazingly relaxed, with a high level of trust that their people will gauge any risk in their lives at the right level. There are no lifeguards keeping watch on high perches at their swimming lakes, and large slabs of cheese sit alongside salami, kaesekrainer and raw meat in the local butchers. It's all rather fun and works well and apparently very safely.
The landlords we have known have been pro European Union (EU). This year,while Pepi (a long-distance HGV driver) spoke appreciatively of how Schengen had made his job easier over the years, his wife Eva urged that Austria should group with Switzerland and Lichtenstein and pull out of the EU, to make their money by charging tolls on through traffic, for example, rather like in days of yore on the Munich-Venice trek.
How many of their 20 million people think like this? I don't know, but meeting and getting to know this kind couple gave me an interesting insight into a side of the Austrian psyche that I'd not yet had through business contacts.
I do recommend it.
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