Threat to Barton from UKIP family

Lib Dem PPC Linda Jack on hustings panel (4th from left)

Barton-le-Clay is threatened with massive new development on the Green Belt if a local UKIP candidate MP's sister-in-law gets her way.

Tim Smyth, husband of north-east Beds UKIP candidate MP Adrianne Smyth, let slip last night that his sister plans to build a whole new village on the north-east edge of Barton. He and his wife were talking to me after the first hustings for Bedfordshire parliamentary candidates yesterday.

I'd asked Adrianne Smyth to clarify a remark she'd made earlier. She had said that, if elected, UKIP would “take villages out of over-washed Green Belt status”. She confirmed her intention was to keep Green Belt around villages, but to allow building and extensions within villages themselves once their Green Belt status was removed.

But then her husband pointed out that Bedfordshire was “rather better” at this than Hertfordshire and as Lib Dem candidate MP Linda Jack joined our group, Mr Smyth announced his sister's building plans with (momentary hesitation and clicking of fingers while he searched for the name) 'Kilroy'.

The hustings, hosted by the Country Landowners' Association (CLA) at Shuttleworth manor house early yesterday evening, were well attended by CLA members.

The next hustings will be in Shefford at the St. Michael & All Angels Parish Church hall, Shefford, SG17 5DD from 7.30pm on Thursday 16 April. All are welcome to attend to question MP candidates on their views and local issues.

What do you think? Please email me at janet.nunn@ntlworld.com or call 01582 882799
Janet Nunn - Lib Dem candidate for Central Beds Council 2015

To go safely

This month's Focus newsletter hit a few raw nerves. The poor state of roads and footpaths at various points around the village was flagged up also by:

• Jackie who's concern at the faded marking on the zebra crossing between Gale Court and the surgery. This is used especially by schoolchildren and the elderly on this busy east-west rat-run between the A1 and M1. See photo below. 

I reported it to highways@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk and urge you to do the same if you share the concern. And is this enough or is there a need for a lollipop person (school crossing patrol person) or a traffic light controlled crossing to ensure motorists stop at busy schooltimes? Do let me know your experience.

• Bob who welcomed support for his long running campaign to have the pavement on the northern side of the Sharpenhoe Road outside number 4 repaired.
• Ken, who was pleased to hear I'd reported the sunken drains on the southern side of Sharpenhoe Road as one leaves the village going west, then added his own observations of more sunken drains on the bridge crossing the A6 into the village. And I've since been made aware of how deep the drain cover has sunk on the east side of Bedford Road next to the bollard crossing at the village centre end of Manor Road. Clearly motorists keep clear of the bollards but have caused the drain cover to sink, which a (motor) cyclist might not see outside daylight hours.

Email highways@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk or call 0300 300 8049 to report highways problems to Central Beds Council. And please, keep me in the loop with how you get on or for my support.

Janet Nunn
tel: 882799 or e-mail janet.nunn@ntlworld.com

March 2015 edition of FOCUS newsletter

The latest edition of FOCUS for Barton-le-Clay is available to download here.

The latest edition of the Barton-le-Clay FOCUS is available to download

Please click this link to download the Barton FOCUS.