A letter to councillors at Central Bedfordshire

I am a Town councillor for Parkside, Houghton Regis.

I am very concerned for the future of young people in Houghton Regis, and more widely throughout Central Bedfordshire. I am very disappointed to learn of the decision by the Council to fully cease its Connexions Service by mid-March 2011. And I am now bitterly concerned that the council may decide to fully close down the Youth Service. The authority really is not allowing for any transition periods to build up the voluntary sector. Further, I think it is just a pretence to create a commissioning team since it will have no funds to commission.

I do fully recognise the current economic climate. But if you close down all key preventative support services to young people, this is going to lead to a failure to meet young people’s needs, as well as an increase to more expensive specialist services. Additionally, there is a total failure to recognise the greater risk young people will have to be involved in crime, becoming NEET, or homeless.

The proposals are a false economy. Initially, this proposal will make a saving, but in the long term, it actually will cost the authority more through the cost of expensive crisis services, such as social services or youth offending services, who will only get involved once problems have occurred. The estimated cost of a young person in the criminal justice system is £200,000 by the age of 16 and the estimated cost annually of each young person not in employment, education or training is £56,300.

You really should be setting up a working group to explore other options. These decisions by Central Bedfordshire Council could easily lead to young people actually needing more expensive specialist support services.

Stop protecting ‘back room’ corporate services, maintain the critical front line, and challenge this naive and rash decision urgently.

I do hope to hear from you as soon as possible.

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Take Away the Street Clutter, and Make a Shared Space?

I went in a sceptic and came out converted. That was how I would describe the presentation I attended at the Grove Theatre in Dunstable on Monday night. Central Bedfordshire put on the evening to allow parish and town councillors the opportunity to learn about shared space.

So what is shared space? Well, take the most unfriendly road junction you can think of in your locality, take away the signposts, the traffic lights, the roundabouts, the yellow lines, the railings, and let the users of that space decide how they would like to use it. The result, we were enthused to agree with, is what happens when experienced skaters converge on a skating rink. Everyone takes it easy, avoids each other, and the whole thing moves along like magic. Only the speaker didn't call it magic, more he called it taking advantage of the human skills we all possess.

Well, I have to say, my mind was constantly turning towards the lights at Bedford Road/High Street junction in Houghton Regis. If a roundabout was tried in the past and failed, and the lights are failing us now, maybe this "free-for-all" approach is worth a look?

Just as one town was persuaded to cover up its traffic lights for a couple of days, "to see what happens"; I was thinking, "Yes, let's do the same here, and see what happens." And that town's people, so we were told, would not let the officials take the bags off, because everything was working much more smoothly than ever it had before. Yes, please, I thought. Where do I sign?

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLfasxqhBNU

Footnote: still wondering how the blind and partially sighted cope with these arrangements, but am sure blind skating is a possibility... let me know.

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Family Sentenced For Drug Dealing Operation

Shades of Shameless' Maguires as Bedfordshire close down 'family business'

Six members of the same family have been sentenced for offences connected to a cocaine dealing operation in Houghton Regis and laundering the proceeds of crime.

• Steven Edward Draper, 25, of Brentwood Close, was jailed for eight years after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and becoming concerned in a money laundering arrangement.
• His partner, Christina Murphy, 23, also of Brentwood Close, was jailed for 21 months after admitting becoming concerned in a money laundering arrangement and possessing cocaine with intent to supply.
• His brother Frank Draper, 27, of Parkside Drive, was jailed for six years, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.
• His mother Pauline McIravey, 49, of Bradford Road, Toddington, was given a ten month prison sentence suspended for two year, with 200 hours unpaid work, after pleading guilty to becoming concerned in a money laundering arrangement. Her plea was on the basis that she suspected the money that was passed through her bank account was not legitimate, but did not know it came from the sale of drugs.
• Half-brother Kevin Foskett, 22, of Barleyfield Way, Dunstable, was jailed for five years after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply drugs.
• Kevin’s mother Lorraine Draper, 42, of Parkside Close, was given a 12 month prison sentence suspended for two years with 200 hours unpaid work after pleading guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine.

When the case was opened last month prosecutor Rebecca Crane said: "This case is all about drug dealing, which the prosecution say was a family business. The defendants are all related to each other and were involved to a greater or lesser extent, some were dealing, some packaging and some laundering the money made from the business."
¬ A future hearing will be held to consider confiscation of assets ¬
Thousands of street deals of cocaine wrapped in lottery entry slips were found during raids. Miss Crane said the conspiracy started to unravel when police searched the house in Brentwood Close in February 2008.

He at first used his 'barking and aggressive Rottweiler' to prevent police from getting into the house, and used the time to flush drugs down the toilet,

Police inquiries continued and in November 2008 two properties in Parkside Close were searched and the family members arrested.

Judge Jeffrey Burke QC told the family: "Dealing in Class A drugs is always treated seriously for good reason. They are dangerous and lead to serious damage and degradation to the consumers and to society as a whole.

"In some quarters cocaine is thought of as a recreational drug, but it is fact an insidious and dangerous drug."

He said the main offender, Stephen Edward Draper, had been a regular user himself and when his supplier moved away he took over dealing the drug in Houghton Regis and Dunstable in 2005. His brother and half brother later joined the conspiracy.

Draper’s barrister, Nichola Meyrick said: "He bears responsibility for bringing down his partner and his mother as well. The enormity of what he has done really weighs heavily on him."

Miss Ismet Rawal defending his partner Christina Murphy, who has a nine month old son with him, said: "She became aware he was keeping drugs at the house, but never saw more than 12 wraps at a time. She tried her best to dissuade him without success."

The prosecution said she was involved in passing more than £26,000 through his mother's bank account. A future hearing will be held to consider confiscation of assets.

 

Source: Police Oracle

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Houghton Regis Leisure Centre Facing Closure

The Sustainable Communities Overview & Scrutiny Committee at Central Bedfordshire Council met this week to discuss cost-cutting proposals amid budget shortfalls. With millions needing to be saved, closing the popular Houghton Regis Leisure Centre was on the table.

Cllr David Jones, substituting for absent Cllr Peter Williams, passionately argued against the closure, saying "this centre is a lifeline for residents and losing it will deeply impact the community." But four Conservatives supported administration arguments about difficult decisions needing to be made.

A vote was taken with two Liberal Democrats opposing the closure, hoping to change minds, but two Conservatives abstained. The motion to approve shutting the centre passed four to two. Residents vow to continue fighting the decision, seeing the centre as vital.

At the start of the meeting an e-petition, begun by Houghton Regis councillor Dr. Rita Egan, opposing the closure of the Houghton Regis Leisure Centre, was presented.  It had reached over 200 signatories. The e-petition was presented by Houghton Regis councillor Susan Goodchild, on behalf of Cllr Egan, who could not attend the meeting due to a sudden family illness. 

Susan Goodchild spoke about the demographics of the area, advocating well for local people. She reminded those present that other paper petitions continue circulating in Houghton Regis to gather support.

With only two more committee meetings remaining, there is a narrowing window before the full council endorsement that could seal the centre's fate. Residents are determined to have their voices heard.

There were minor concessions to the wide-reaching proposals, but the main thrust was to encourage the Executive Committee to carry on with their cost-cutting exercise. The committee proposed that street lights should not all be switched off between midnight and 6am; those around CCTV cameras might be saved, and where local circumstances demand lighting these areas might also be saved.

Not all school crossing patrols should be abolished; the committee argued that safety assessments of each locality should be conducted, and where possible local schools or local town and parish councils might be persuaded to pick up the expense.

In another meeting next Monday(*) at Central Bedfordshire Council, councillors will consider the cuts that could see the closure of the Day Centre at the Townsend Industrial Centre, Houghton Regis. This centre offers Day Services for Adults with Learning Disabilities. It is very much an issue of concern to Cllr Susan Goodchild, who is expected to put up a strong case in favour of keeping the Townsend Centre open.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? Next, the proposals go to CBC Executive Committee on January 11th 2011, at 9.30am. From here the Executive Committee decision will be looked at by the Customer And Central Services Overview & Scrutiny Committee on the 17th January at 10.00am, before finally being endorsed and the budget set for the coming year at the full council meeting on the 24th February at 6.30pm. 

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