Two Bedford Labour councillors to stand down next year

Two Bedford Labour councillors will stand down at the next local election in May 2023.

Harpur Ward councillor Louise Jackson and Kempston Central and East councillor Kay Burley have both decided not to continue.

Cllr Jackson, currently the portfolio holder for health and wellbeing, has served on the council for 11 years.

She said: “It has been a privilege to serve as a councillor for over a decade. The Covid-19 pandemic has been particularly challenging time.”

She decided now is the time for her to stand aside from public service and focus on her day job and family.

Labour have selected Zara Layne, Harpur resident and organiser of the Black Tom ‘Big Lunch’ to stand as a Harpur Ward council candidate alongside Colleen Atkins.

During the last 50 years Cllr Burley has served on several local authorities. Her first experience was election to Kempston Urban District Council.

She also spent 25 years on Bedfordshire County Council and is a past mayor of Kempston.

She said: “It has been a privilege to serve at all tiers of local government. I am proud to have represented a diversity of Kempston residents with different views and opinions."

She added she felt it was now time to ‘retire gracefully’ and to ‘move over’ and allow her successor the same chances.

Labour has selected Caroline White to run alongside councillor Mohammed Nawaz in Kempston Central & East.

Cllr Sue Oliver, leader of Bedford Borough Labour Group, said: “Residents have been well represented by both, and we will miss working with them.”