Merry Christmas, Happy New Year: looking back at 2025 and ahead in 2026

Looking back at 2025

Despite significant financial pressures, we made real progress on a major regeneration project. The Bedford River Valley Park was approved late in 2025 through a Collaboration Agreement with adjoining landowners and an Option Agreement with Bloor Homes to promote a mixed-use scheme (including homes, a primary school, water sports lakes, and improved walking/cycling links). The planning and promotion costs were funded by the developer up front, meaning the Council was protected from financial risks.

We have provided funding streams to start our ambitious programme to increase and refresh GP surgeries in vital areas of the Borough. The investment in Wixams, Wootton, Great Barford, and the potential for a health hub in Kempston are all receiving focused attention to be delivered as soon as possible.

In 2025, we also took a major step forward on the Universal Destinations & Experiences opportunity for our area as the resort was granted a Special Development Order – moving this incredible opportunity from speculation to real momentum. We will continue to work hard to we get right and unlock thousands of jobs, new opportunities for young people, a major boost for local businesses and tourism, and the infrastructure improvements our communities need.

Looking forward to 2026

I’ve always aimed to be open and honest with residents of the Borough, so I want to be clear: looking ahead to 2026, it will be a challenging financial year for the Council. We’re supporting over 800 households in temporary accommodation, children’s services are stretched by rising demand for safe placements, and Adult Social Care costs keep climbing as more residents need support. All our neighbouring councils are facing the same pressures across those three service areas.

All of this is happening while government funding has not kept pace, and the cost of delivering services continues to rise, with no easy savings left. The previous administration highlighted the risk of a funding gap on this scale; we are now facing a projected shortfall of around £32 million in 2026/27, with difficult decisions ahead.

To address these challenges and guide the Borough through this period, we have put together a Stability and Improvement Plan to bring the Council back onto a sustainable footing. This means tighter control of spending, clearer accountability for budgets, and a major programme of service reviews and transformation focused on the biggest pressure areas—so we can protect frontline services while making them more efficient and future-proof.

Alongside that, we’re strengthening how we raise and collect income (fees/charges, concessions, and debt recovery), taking a more disciplined approach to procurement, contracts, assets, and the capital programme, and ensuring decisions are backed by proper business cases.

It’s important to recognise that, during times of serious financial pressure, working together is essential. While there have been strong debates and differing views—online, in the media, and in Council meetings—I am committed to focusing on what matters most: doing the best for residents and working collaboratively, wherever possible, to deliver results and make the difficult decisions needed to protect the Council.

If you want to understand how the Council reached this position, I encourage you to read the Independent review by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) here: https://apps.bedford.gov.uk/ExecDecisions/Files/D459056801771181.pdf.

If you don’t have time to read the full report, feel free to skim it, search the key sections, or use AI tools to summarise. The important thing is to stay informed and look beyond political perspectives to what really matters.

We will continue to work through our improvement plan to get the right outcomes and ensure services are maintained and improved.

On a final note, I want to again say a big thank you to all the volunteers across our Borough, the work you do and the results you deliver to our vulnerable residents – especially at this time of year – is huge and not broadly recognised. So, to you especially thank you from the bottom of my heart, and I wish you all a peaceful and happy Christmas.