Cllr Mark Versallion

Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service AGM today and good to be back in Dunstable Fire Station in my role as a member of the board. Met with the Chief and several FRS personnel as well as ambulance service crews who are co-located.

Great to see these blue light services well integrated in their critical work. My thanks to all of them.

Leighton Buzzard Theatre has just issued its new brochure for the year and it’s packed with great events. Everyone Active, who runs CBC’s theatres and leisure centres, has a new marketing strategy and a new programme.

I spent some time with the management and CBC officers after the false news over Christmas that it was threatened with closure. And so I have every confidence that the theatre will do well this year.

A good mix of national productions and local talent. Here’s the link to the new brochure:
https://www.flipsnack.com/EBC6D977C6F/leighton-buzzard-library-theatre-highlights-2026

You can also pick up a hard copy in the Library Theatre.

Beautiful sunset as I entered Stanbridge & Tilsworth Community Hall recently and worthy of capturing I hope you’ll agree.

A busy time in the last few days and three parish council meetings in quick succession. Continuing to work on various issues that concern all of us local residents.

Well done to volunteers and staff at today’s public engagement. Healthwatch does great work and has my support so I’m sorry the Govt is planning to abolish it.

The decision has faced significant backlash from county councils, charities and patient advocates as moving patient feedback in-house will remove its independence and the NHS and Councils will effectively be marking their own homework.

Govt intends for feedback about healthcare to go to the Integrated Care Board (ICB). And social care feedback to Central Beds Council.

To top it off, a new Patient Experience function will then be created within the Department of Health and Social Care!

Now that there’s a new Secretary of State, and soon a new PM, perhaps this plan will be dropped?