Central Bedfordshire
Encyclopedia
Central Bedfordshire is a unitary authority
in the ceremonial county of Bedfordshire
, England
. It was created from the merger of Bedfordshire County Council
, Mid Bedfordshire and South Bedfordshire
on 1 April 2009. The unitary council provides over a hundred services to 120,000 homes and over a quarter of a million people.
had been governed as a shire county
, mostly under the control of Bedfordshire County Council
. It was divided into three local government districts, Bedford Borough
, Mid Bedfordshire, and South Bedfordshire. Luton Borough
became a unitary authority in 1997.
In 2006 the Department for Communities and Local Government
considered reorganising Bedfordshire's administrative structure as part of the 2009 structural changes to local government in England
. The four proposals considered were:
On 6 March 2008 the DCLG decided to implement Proposal 2. This meant that from 1 April 2009 there would be three unitary authorities in Bedfordshire - Bedford, Luton and the new Central Bedfordshire. Bedfordshire County Council initially challenged this decision in the High Court, but on 4 April 2008 it was announced the Judicial Review in the High Court had been unsuccessful, and the County Council declared they would not be appealing the decision.
Subsequently, a shadow council for Central Bedfordshire was formed from all the members of Mid Bedfordshire and South Bedfordshire councils, as well as all Bedfordshire County Council members from the Central Bedfordshire area. The inaugural meeting of the shadow council was held on 10 April 2008. A shadow Executive for the council was also formed consisting of 4 members of each council. The shadow Executive (and council) were led by Tricia Turner (former leader of Mid Bedfordshire District).
The first elections for the new Central Bedfordshire Council were held on 4 June 2009 when 66 councillors were elected from 28 wards. Since significant boundary changes in 2011 Central Bedfordshire has since had 59 councillors.
Since May 2011 the Council has been led by James Jamieson with a cabinet of six portfolio holders.,.
The Central Bedfordshire area includes the following towns and villages which were previously located in Mid and South Bedfordshire.
Central Bedfordshire is an area of mostly small towns and villages.
However, the towns of Dunstable and Houghton Regis
form part of the Bedfordshire's largest conurbation with neighbours Luton
.
Unitary authority
A unitary authority is a type of local authority that has a single tier and is responsible for all local government functions within its area or performs additional functions which elsewhere in the relevant country are usually performed by national government or a higher level of sub-national...
in the ceremonial county of Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire is a ceremonial county of historic origin in England that forms part of the East of England region.It borders Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Northamptonshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the west and Hertfordshire to the south-east....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It was created from the merger of Bedfordshire County Council
Bedfordshire County Council
Bedfordshire County Council was the county council of the non-metropolitan county of Bedfordshire in England. It was established in 1889 and was abolished on 1 April 2009. The county council was based in Bedford. It was replaced with three unitary authorities: Bedford Borough Council, Central...
, Mid Bedfordshire and South Bedfordshire
South Bedfordshire
South Bedfordshire was, from 1974 to 2009, a non-metropolitan district of Bedfordshire, in the East of England. Its main towns were Dunstable, Houghton Regis and Leighton Buzzard.-Creation:...
on 1 April 2009. The unitary council provides over a hundred services to 120,000 homes and over a quarter of a million people.
Administrative history
Since 1974, BedfordshireBedfordshire
Bedfordshire is a ceremonial county of historic origin in England that forms part of the East of England region.It borders Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Northamptonshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the west and Hertfordshire to the south-east....
had been governed as a shire county
Shire county
A non-metropolitan county, or shire county, is a county-level entity in England that is not a metropolitan county. The counties typically have populations of 300,000 to 1.4 million. The term shire county is, however, an unofficial usage. Many of the non-metropolitan counties bear historic names...
, mostly under the control of Bedfordshire County Council
Bedfordshire County Council
Bedfordshire County Council was the county council of the non-metropolitan county of Bedfordshire in England. It was established in 1889 and was abolished on 1 April 2009. The county council was based in Bedford. It was replaced with three unitary authorities: Bedford Borough Council, Central...
. It was divided into three local government districts, Bedford Borough
Bedford (borough)
Bedford is a unitary authority with the status of a borough in the ceremonial county of Bedfordshire, England. Its council is based at Bedford, which is also the county town of Bedfordshire. The borough contains a single urban area, the 69th largest in the United Kingdom that comprises Bedford and...
, Mid Bedfordshire, and South Bedfordshire. Luton Borough
Luton
Luton is a large town and unitary authority of Bedfordshire, England, 30 miles north of London. Luton and its near neighbours, Dunstable and Houghton Regis, form the Luton/Dunstable Urban Area with a population of about 250,000....
became a unitary authority in 1997.
In 2006 the Department for Communities and Local Government
Department for Communities and Local Government
The Department for Communities and Local Government is the UK Government department for communities and local government in England. It was established in May 2006 and is the successor to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, established in 2001...
considered reorganising Bedfordshire's administrative structure as part of the 2009 structural changes to local government in England
2009 structural changes to local government in England
Structural changes to local government in England were effected on 1 April 2009, whereby a number of new unitary authorities were created in parts of the country which previously operated a 'two-tier' system of counties and districts...
. The four proposals considered were:
- Proposal 1, To abolish the three districts within the county to create a Bedfordshire unitary authority. (Luton would remain a separate unitary authority.)
- Proposal 2, To create two unitary authorities: one based on the existing Bedford Borough, and the other, to be known as Central Bedfordshire, a combination of Mid Bedfordshire and South Bedfordshire Districts. (Luton would remain a separate unitary authority.)
- Proposal 3, To create two unitary authorities: one a combination of Bedford Borough and Mid Bedfordshire District, and one a combination of Luton Borough and South Bedfordshire District.
- Proposal 4, To form an "enhanced two-tier" authority, with the four local councils under the control of the county council, but with different responsibilities.
On 6 March 2008 the DCLG decided to implement Proposal 2. This meant that from 1 April 2009 there would be three unitary authorities in Bedfordshire - Bedford, Luton and the new Central Bedfordshire. Bedfordshire County Council initially challenged this decision in the High Court, but on 4 April 2008 it was announced the Judicial Review in the High Court had been unsuccessful, and the County Council declared they would not be appealing the decision.
Subsequently, a shadow council for Central Bedfordshire was formed from all the members of Mid Bedfordshire and South Bedfordshire councils, as well as all Bedfordshire County Council members from the Central Bedfordshire area. The inaugural meeting of the shadow council was held on 10 April 2008. A shadow Executive for the council was also formed consisting of 4 members of each council. The shadow Executive (and council) were led by Tricia Turner (former leader of Mid Bedfordshire District).
Elections
Before the creation of Central Bedfordshire Council in 2009 the three former authorities had a total of 139 Councillors between them. As a result of the merger this was reduced to 59 in 2011.The first elections for the new Central Bedfordshire Council were held on 4 June 2009 when 66 councillors were elected from 28 wards. Since significant boundary changes in 2011 Central Bedfordshire has since had 59 councillors.
| Year | Conservative | Labour | Liberal Democrat | Independent | Other | Control | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 54 | 0 | 11 | 1 | 0 | Conservative win | |
| 2011 | 49 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 1 | Conservative win | |
Since May 2011 the Council has been led by James Jamieson with a cabinet of six portfolio holders.,.
Towns and villages
Central Bedfordshire is an area of mostly small towns and villages.
However, the towns of Dunstable and Houghton Regis
Luton/Dunstable Urban Area
The Luton/Dunstable Urban Area according to the Office for National Statistics is the conurbation including the settlements of Luton, Dunstable and Houghton Regis....
form part of the Bedfordshire's largest conurbation with neighbours Luton
Luton
Luton is a large town and unitary authority of Bedfordshire, England, 30 miles north of London. Luton and its near neighbours, Dunstable and Houghton Regis, form the Luton/Dunstable Urban Area with a population of about 250,000....
.
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Flitwick Flitwick, pronounced , is a small town and civil parish in Central Bedfordshire, England. The nearby River Flit runs through Flitwick Moor, a nature reserve and a Site of Special Scientific Interest.-Location:... Greenfield, Bedfordshire Greenfield is a small village about from the town of Flitwick in Bedfordshire, England.It lies across Flitwick Moor from the larger town and is on the opposite side of the River Flit. It forms part of the parish of Flitton and Greenfield. Due to closures, there is now only one public house in... Harlington, Bedfordshire Harlington is a village and civil parish located in Bedfordshire, England, near the M1 motorway. The nearest town is Flitwick about three miles to the north... Haynes - Persons with the surname Haynes :* Alex Haynes , American football player* Abner Haynes , American football player* Arden Haynes , Canadian former CEO of Imperial Oil and former Chancellor of York University... Heath and Reach Heath and Reach is a village, civil parish, and political ward near the Chiltern Hills in Bedfordshire. It is about two miles north of Leighton Buzzard and three miles south of Woburn and adjoins the county boundary with Buckinghamshire.... Henlow Henlow is a village and civil parish in the district of Central Bedfordshire in Bedfordshire, England.RAF Henlow, is located nearby, but is in fact nearer to the village of Stondon... Higham Gobion Higham Gobion is a hamlet in the hundred of Flitt, in the English county of Bedfordshire. The hamlet is now part of the civil parish of Shillington... Houghton Conquest Houghton Conquest is a village and civil parish located in the Central Bedfordshire district of Bedfordshire, England. The parish also includes the hamlet of How End.-History:... Houghton Regis Houghton Regis is a town and civil parish sandwiched between the major towns of Luton to the east and Dunstable to the west. The parish includes the ancient hamlets of Bidwell, Thorn and Sewell... Langford -Canada:* Langford, British Columbia - Canadian municipality on Vancouver Island* Langford, Manitoba-England:* Langford, Bedfordshire* Langford, Essex* Langford, Norfolk* Langford, Nottinghamshire* Langford, Oxfordshire* Langford Budville, Somerset... Leighton Buzzard -Lower schools:*Beaudesert Lower School - Apennine Way*Clipstone Brook Lower School - Brooklands Drive*Greenleas Lower School - Derwent Road*Dovery Down Lower School - Heath Road*Heathwood Lower School - Heath Road*Leedon Lower School - Highfield Road... Lidlington Lidlington is a small Central Bedfordshire village and civil parish surrounded by farmland, in the Marston Vale. The hamlets of Boughton End and Thrupp End are also part of the parish.... Linslade Linslade is an English town, located on the Bedfordshire side of the Bedfordshire-Buckinghamshire border . It abuts onto the town of Leighton Buzzard with which it forms the civil parish of Leighton-Linslade. Linslade was transferred from Buckinghamshire in 1965, and was previously a separate... Marston Moretaine Marston Moretaine is a large village and civil parish located on the A421 between Bedford and Milton Keynes. It has a population of 3,684, and is served by Millbrook railway station, which is about a mile away, on the Marston Vale Line.... Maulden Maulden is a small village and civil parish located in the county of Bedfordshire, in the administrative area of Central Bedfordshire, in the newly created Maulden And Houghton Conquest Ward. An active Parish Council meets monthly- the clerk is Lynda Galler . The village is located 1.5 miles east... Millbrook, Bedfordshire Millbrook is a small village and civil parish near Bedford. It has a population of 130. Millbrook railway station, on the Marston Vale Line is about two miles from the village.... Northill Northill is a village and civil parish in the county of Bedfordshire, England. It falls under the Northill and Blunham ward in the Central Bedfordshire local authority. As of 2001 Northill had a population of about 900 people. The village is also the administrative centre of the civil parish of... Old Warden Old Warden is a village and civil parish in Bedfordshire, England, just west of the town of Biggleswade. It has a population of 275. The village grew up under the protection of the Cistercian Wardon or Warden Abbey nearby.... Pepperstock Pepperstock is a small village located in Central Bedfordshire, England. The village itself mostly consists of residential caravan parks. However, Pepperstock displays an interesting range of vernacular buildings, most notably in the form of 16th and 17th century timber framing with brick infill... |
Potton Potton is a town and civil parish in Bedfordshire, England. It is 10 miles from Bedford and the population in 2001 was 4,473 people. In 1783 the 'Great Fire of Potton' destroyed a large part of the town. The parish church dates from the 13th Century and is dedicated to St Mary... Pulloxhill Pulloxhill is a small village and civil parish in Bedfordshire, England 342ft above sea level with a population of 850 at the 2001 Census.Pulloxhill has a church, a school and two public houses. The village shop and post office have closed. The Chequers Public House runs a shop selling basic... Sandy, Bedfordshire Sandy is a small market town and civil parish in Bedfordshire, England. It is between Cambridge and Bedford, and on the A1 road from London to Edinburgh. The area is dominated by a range of hills known as the Sand Hills. The River Ivel runs through Sandy. The dedication of the Anglican church is to... Shefford, Bedfordshire Shefford is a small town and civil parish located in the Central Bedfordshire district of Bedfordshire, England. At the 2001 census it had a population of 4,928, although this was estimated to have grown to 5,770 by 2007.-History:... Silsoe Silsoe is a village and civil parish in Bedfordshire, England.-Origin:The village name is derived from the Danish word ‘hoh’, in "Sifels hoh", meaning "Sifel’s hill". The Danes were thought to have been the earliest settlers here... Shillington, Bedfordshire Shillington is an English village and civil parish located in the county of Bedfordshire. In the south of the parish, the hamlet of Pegsdon is almost encircled by Hertfordshire, and since 1985 the parish has included the village of Higham Gobion to the west... Slip End Slip End is a village and civil parish in Central Bedfordshire, near Luton. As well as the village of Slip End, the parish contains the hamlets of Lower Woodside, Woodside and Pepperstock... Southill, Bedfordshire Southill is a village and civil parish in Bedfordshire, England, about from Biggleswade.The principal residence, Southill Park, was formerly the home of the Viscounts Torrington, but was bought at the end of the 18th century by Samuel Whitbread.... Stanford, Bedfordshire Stanford is a hamlet in the English county of Bedfordshire. It is part of the that also contains the villages of Southill, Broom and Ireland.... Steppingley Steppingley is a rural village and civil parish in Bedfordshire, England. It stands on high ground in the centre of a small parish of about 562 ha on the Greensand Ridge and is mentioned in the Domesday Book... Stotfold Stotfold is a small town and civil parish in the county of Bedfordshire.In the 19th century, Stotfold was regarded as a wealthy place. The saying was that to live in Stotfold, one has to have £100 and a pig. The town is divided by a long road, High Street, which separates the north side from the... Sutton, Bedfordshire Sutton, Bedfordshire, is a small village and civil parish located to the south of Potton, England. Sutton falls under the postal town of Sandy and is also near the market town of Biggleswade.- History :... Tebworth Tebworth is a hamlet located in the Central Bedfordshire district of Bedfordshire, England.The settlement is close to Wingfield and Hockliffe, with the nearest town being Houghton Regis. Amenities in Tebworth include "The Queens Head" pub.... Toddington, Bedfordshire Toddington is a large village and civil parish in the county of Bedfordshire, England which is situated 5 miles NNW of Luton, north of Dunstable, south west of Woburn and 35 miles NNW of London on the A5120 and B579. It is 0.5 miles from Junction 12 of the M1 motorway and lends its... Westoning Westoning is a village and civil parish in Bedfordshire located about a mile south of the town of Flitwick. It is about two miles north-east of junction 12 of the M1 motorway, and beside the First Capital Connect railway line to London and beyond... Wingfield Wingfield could be:People* Sir Charles John Wingfield, MP* Edward Maria Wingfield, first President of the Jamestown colony, Virginia, US* Sir John de Wingfield, aide to Edward the Black Prince* Peter Wingfield, an actor famous as Methos... Wixams Wixams is a new town in Bedfordshire, England, which has been under construction since early 2007. It is expected to become the third largest settlement in the Borough of Bedford after Bedford itself and Kempston, and one of the largest new settlements founded in England since the British new towns... (partially) Woburn, Bedfordshire Woburn is a small Saxon village and civil parish in Bedfordshire, England. It is situated about southeast of the centre of Milton Keynes, and about south of junction 13 of the M1 motorway and is a popular tourist attraction.-History:... Woodside, Bedfordshire Woodside is a hamlet located in the Central Bedfordshire district of Bedfordshire, England.It is probable that the settlement was established in the early Middle Ages by the northern end of Caddington Wood... |