Announcement over new SEND school was premature says Bedford mayor

An announcement about a new SEND school in Kempston was premature as the council hasn’t signed the paperwork, Bedford’s mayor has said.

Councillor Lucy Bywater (Green, Castle) tried to ask a question about the environmental standards that will be used at the former Robert Bruce school in Kempston.

This was following a report on Bedford Borough Council’s Heat Decarbonisation Plan presented during yesterday’s Climate Change Committee (March 20).

“Obviously we had the really good news this week, or was it last week, about the new school in Kempston, the SEND school which is really brilliant news,” she said.

Bedford mayor, Dave Hodgson cut in: “We have had that in for two years now, it’s not exactly new, we’ve had it in the budget.

“We’ve just agreed on the price at the moment, that’s all we agreed,” he said.

Councillor Bywater said: “Exactly the funding and the price was announced last week, wasn’t it, publicly.

“I just wondered what environmental standards that’s going to be built on, I mean there.”

The mayor cut in again: “Actually we haven’t announced it publicly, the press did do it, but there’s not been an announcement from the council for the school yet.

“We haven’t signed the paperwork, so it’s a bit previous.

“Everything else is public, our money is available but we haven’t signed the paperwork yet,” he said.