I’ve written to the Council asking for the contractor to be held to account for the poor traffic management at Woburn cross roads. 3:30pm today the temporary lights failed and there were no workmen around to fix them, or remotely fix. Usual chaos and bad mannered driving ensued.

My thanks to the many local activists who’ve been joining me canvassing recently, listening to residents and talking about the issues that most concern them We’re out most weeks knocking on doors in addition to the regular face-to-face advice surgeries I hold for local residents

Great news as a new arts and culture centre is coming to Leighton’s High Street. The empty Wilko building is being prepared to to be workshops for the town’s artists & will be open to the public soon. I’m super supportive & although it’s not permanent it’s a start to finding one.

A pleasure to have supported MK Hospital’s staff awards tonight, recognising some of the 4,500 staff & their quality of care, compassion & team work. It’s right to celebrate NHS staff & thank & recognise them and I look forward to continuing to support them as one of MKUH’s NEDs.

What a cheek! Labour MP tries to claim credit for getting more clinical rooms and GP appointments - when in fact I had posted about my successful efforts and those of LL Health Matters - in Nov 24 and again in Jan 25. And here’s the proof: facebook.com/share/p/14HWrM…

Rewarding helping residents at my latest face-to-face surgery. Parents shared concerns about the Council’s proposal to change entitlement to a free school bus from current catchment school to nearest. It’s a bad idea & I’m fighting it. Thank you Tilsworth’s Anchor for hosting.

SAY GOODBYE to LB Garden Centre as developer’s APPEAL UPHELD and planning permission now granted for 41 homes. I want to fight on but the refusal was appealed to Govt inspector & he disagrees with CBC’s planning cttee & overturns their refusal. A much loved great community asset

CBC is proposing to change children’s free school bus our current catchment school to the nearest school and deadline for comments is this Monday 30th June. Make a comment by 5pm Monday and CBC’s Executive might change its mind when it votes in Sep. centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/consultations

Today is Armed Forces Day when we show our support. Our military can never be taken for granted nor the commitment of its men and women. Loved my days in the Royal Navy and it’s a bond and a set of values that never leave you. Thank you to all who serve and have served.

Correct number is £33.9 as LB’s leisure centre cost is not correct in the Council’s press release, of £30m. When the project & its budget was signed off by the previous Conservative administration it was £25m but that was 2019 & costs have increased since covid & war in Ukraine.

Great talking with residents as Blake came to help me knock on doors in Dunstable & LB. Thanks to local Conservatives joining me leaflet, talk & listen to local people. I’m out and about often as the Conservative Parliamentary Spokesman for Dunstable & LB & hope to see you soon!

Dunstable&LB will be getting more hi-vis police patrols which will help tackle the 4.7% rise in crime in Beds. Police Panel met last night & I had to challenge the cause of the 4.7% as was presented as a good thing: public feel able to report crime rather than crime has gone up.

A great day at the Leighton-Linslade Carnival. Well done and thank you to all the volunteers that make this happen. A positive sense of community and great to see kids and young people feeling that too.

Good meeting with Hockliffe Parish Council last night, covered a lot of local issues. A reminder that my next surgery is this Wednesday 16th July, 6-7pm at The Five Bells, Stanbridge.

A new charge on local cafes for putting tables & chairs on the pavement is absurd & hurting our high streets who are already struggling. I’m fighting the Council on it & hope they’ll not proceed with a £500 charge for something that Dunstable & LB cafes have been doing for years

I’m trying to stop the Council introducing a new charge on our struggling high street cafes - they tell me it’ll take them 7 hours to assess one cafe and so need paying - for what is an unnecessary exercise in the first place: facebook.com/share/v/1AxC3e…

A Labour Councillor has resigned from Central Bedfordshire Council and so we’ll be having a by-election. No date fixed yet but likely late August/early September.

Had to call CBC’s main 0300 300 8000 number - as staff have removed their direct dials from their email signature blocks! I had to wait 11 minutes before switchboard picked up, to then have the usual more understandable wait, while my call was directed… and not answered.

Got CBC to agree to review charging cafes for tables & chairs outside. There’s never been a problem & no need for a charge. But they can’t say if it’ll be 3 Sep meeting or 3 Dec. Surely 7 weeks notice is enough, given document already exists & they were about to start charging?

Success! CBC’s attempt to charge high street cafes for chairs on the pavements has been defeated. I made a speech against it at 17 July’s Full Council and asked it to be reviewed in a committee, which it was today, and voted down. Common sense prevails! But not without a fight