Council priorities reflect residents' priorities
Friday, 19 April 2024
Central Bedfordshire Council set out its commitments to residents in a newly adopted strategic plan.
Local elections in May 2023 saw the political leadership of the Council change. The new administration revised the Council's Strategic Plan to make the priorities more in keeping with those of residents.
While the plan is not an attempt to list everything the Council will be proposing in the coming years, it sets out the principles and values, and key strategic priorities for the next period.
The new Strategic Plan will set the direction of the Council; influencing decisions, how Council resources are allocated and the Council’s attitude to public finances.
The new priorities have been informed by the views of over 3,000 residents who took part in a survey, and the views of councillors from across Central Bedfordshire.
Council Leader, Councillor Adam Zerny said:
“This plan might not yet mean much to residents, but to us it sets out what residents and businesses can expect us to focus on.
As an Independent administration we have said from the start that residents’ views matter to us. So, we asked residents what they thought our priorities should be. Residents told us that road maintenance, caring for the elderly, protecting children at risk, supporting families and education, especially Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) support, were the most important. And these are reflected in our Strategic Plan.
Through these priorities we will create inclusive, positive and resilient communities where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. We will provide homes for the next generation, while protecting our natural environment and seeking to tackle climate change and we will provide an environment in which businesses can grow, bringing jobs for our residents.
Crucially, we want to do this through proactive engagement with our communities, by listening to, and learning from, our residents.
We haven’t waited for the plan to be adopted before getting to work on some of these priorities though. We’ve already invested in preventative treatments and resurfacing of nearly 65 miles of roads, an increase of 150% compared to the previous year, to reduce the number of potholes we would normally see appearing over the winter period. We’ve also made it easier to report potholes and made it a more transparent process.
My message to residents is we will continue to work hard for our you, on the priorities we know matter to you.”