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John Baker: In touch with Aspley & Woburn

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News & views from the Aspley & Woburn, Bedfordshire. Views expressed are not representative of CBC.

Your Independent Central Beds Councillor for Aspley & Woburn, representing Aspley Guise, Aspley Heath, Husborne Crawley, Woburn, Eversholt, Milton Bryan, Potsgrove and Battlesden. Unless otherwise stated, commentary on this page is formed from my own personal views and is not representative of Central Bedfordshire Council.

07/11/2026

TERRIFIC FIREWORKS AT ASPLEY GUISE VILLAGE SCHOOL
Local pyrotechnic, Darren Shore once again filled the sky with a dazzling array of fireworks at the annual Aspley Guise Village School fireworks event. Each year I wonder if his display will exceed the last, and this was by far the best yet.

As hopefully the attached video will show you in particular the last 15 seconds!

With an array of hot food, cakes, drinks and face painting, coupled with a playlist ranging from music I can’t name to the 1970s (Boney M!), everyone was entertained until the main event commences with the winner of draw to push the Big Red Button.

The Big Red Button is rumoured to be the most exciting event in the school calendar, and kicks off the display. I’ve not yet been allowed to press it.

There is a huge list of parents who were involved in putting on the event, so thank you to them all.

This event also marks the end of Greg Pounds & Tanya Baldwin’s time as Chair & Vice Chair of the Parent Teacher Association, with the reigns now handed over to Lara & Heather.

So thank you to Greg & Tanya, who with numerous other parents over the last 5 years, have worked with the council’s Safety Advisory Board and embraced the requirements of H&S to ensure it’s run safely.

As for me, I mostly do what I’m told, which includes moving barriers, cones, picking up litter and feeding chips & curry sauce to Darren as he wires up the explosives.

AND THANK YOU TO LION PRESTIGE!

It costs a massive amount of money to put on this event and ideally the PTA wish to make money to invest in facilities for the children, so we’re very grateful to Dominic and colleagues from Lion Prestige for their generous sponsorship.

03/11/2026

MK MP’S RIDICULOUS £1BN FUNDING LOSS CLAIM
Why should you care about “devolution”? To some, it’s an abstract concept that should only excite councillors and MPs. But put it this way:

“Strategic planning powers stripped from councils and handed to an elected Mayor, diluting your voice over massive development plans in Bedfordshire, south and east of Milton Keynes. That means significant development around Leighton Buzzard, Aspley Guise & Husborne Crawley, and east of the M1 between J13 and J14.”

The government has spent months trying to impose this on you, and almost got its way last week. It told CBC, “you must agree to our plan, with no detail, before the budget”.

MEET CHRIS CURTIS MP

Curtis is the newly elected MP for MK North, with little life experience outside politics. After studying politics at university, he worked for polling companies before becoming Labour’s candidate in the 2024 General Election.

Over the last 10 days, Curtis has become increasingly frustrated, almost crying on BBC Three Counties Radio, that CBC’s Leader won’t agree to hand powers to a new Mayor covering Bedfordshire and Milton Keynes.

Listen to this one-minute clip of his extraordinary interview, where he claims (entirely fictitiously) that the decision has cost “almost £1bn”.

CBC councillors overwhelmingly rejected the government's devolution proposal just six weeks earlier.

Does Curtis really believe he can tell us what to do?

ALMOST ONE BILLION POUNDS IS AT STAKE, APPARENTLY

At the weekend, The Times published a story by Curtis, in which he continued to claim that refusing a new Mayor had cost almost £1bn.

I've included some comments from The Times website, the vast majority of which were unsupportive.

Last week's government Budget contained no such announcement. In fact, the government had offered £23m a year to a new Mayor - not money for CBC, but funding for a Mayor to spend as they please. It could (and probably would!) go to Milton Keynes, Bedford and Luton.

To date, the government has offered nothing else.

SO WHERE'S THE BILLION POUNDS?

That's the question Curtis needs to answer. If he has repeatedly made false statements, he should level with the public.

Independent councillors do what's right for residents, not simply regurgitate a political party position. Hopefully, the government will soon accept that CBC as a whole (minus a handful) rejected its initial proposal, as did Bedford Borough. CBC wanted to see a greater range of options from government, with a decent amount of funding attached.

Not a blank sheet of paper with the word "deal" written on it.

With the Liberal Democrat Leader of MK Council calling debate “irrelevant”, and Labour MPs continuing to make disparaging remarks about councillors, is it any wonder there is growing scepticism that this isn't a match made in heaven?

29/10/2026

BLOCKED ANGLIAN WATER DRAIN, WOBURN LANE
A couple of residents reported this Anglian Water (AW) drain to me on Woburn Lane, Aspley Guise. I believe it’s a sewer that is also used for surface water drainage and seems to block downstream every few years. Given the risk to public health, AW acted quickly after I escalated the case and it was dealt with the following day.

Thank you to Phil for the video.

I’m still chasing down some of the outstanding AW leaks, including the mains water leak on the grass triangle adjacent to Weathercock Close and Swallowfield.

If there are other unresolved leaks, do add a comment with any details you have and I’ll take it up with AW.

27/10/2026

ALL ABOARD THE DEVOLUTION BUS?
Last week, the government set an artificial deadline of Monday (yesterday) for Milton Keynes, Central Bedfordshire, Luton and Bedford Borough councils to agree to form a new “strategic authority”.

This would mean passing important powers, like strategic planning, to a new body for which you’d elect a Mayor at a cost of approaching £2m every four years.

Two councils, Milton Keynes and Luton, are very keen to go ahead, yet both seem unclear what they’ll get out of it. For example, Milton Keynes Council (MKC) reckons:

“The nearly £1 billion figure highlighted by the council’s leadership represents a potential investment opportunity, rather than money already secured or guaranteed for Milton Keynes.”

Yet during meetings with Civil Servants, the Leader of Central Bedfordshire Council was told that the new Authority (not each council!) would receive funding of just £23m a year.

So once a quarter of the £23m is spent on staff and bureaucracy (etc), the remaining £18m (or so) may get spent on projects across the four council areas, and after the new Mayor has prioritised large urban areas, Central Bedfordshire could be left with perhaps £2-3m of investment. That’s less than 1% of the council’s annual budget.

The four councils model has a population of one million residents. The Greater Manchester Authority has a population of three million residents. So whilst the government offered a new four council Mayoral Authority £23m, Greater Manchester Mayor received a settlement of circa £630m.

A poor deal, I’m sure you will agree.

NUMERICAL CHALLENGES

Of course, this hasn’t stopped some Central Bedfordshire Councillors making extraordinary claims.

One reckons that the £23m figure offered by Civil Servants is actually £185m, but can’t point to a government source confirming this inflated figure.

And aside from numerical challenges, we have no idea how this Mayoral Authority will work. Will the Mayor have the final say on decisions (I expect so!), can a council Leader veto a decision (I expect not!), and what role will councillors play if any?

WHERE ARE WE NOW?

Yesterday, the Independent Leader of Central Bedfordshire Council received a telephone call from the Secretary of State for Housing and Local Government, Rt Hon Angela Rayner MP. After a constructive conversation, the Leader explained that our door remained open to further discussion.

However, at this stage, the four council approach does not receive our support.

It’s astonishing that after 18 months of discussion about Mayoral Authorities, the government still can’t set out a detailed proposal for councillors to consider, with an appropriate level of funding.

Central Bedfordshire Councillors recently voiced their support for a government funded vote on a new Mayoral Authority. Such a change would mean you pay more in Council Tax, with the Mayor able to increase tax by more than 5% each year.

There has been no commitment from government to giving you a say.

23/10/2026

MK COUNCIL LEADER DECLARES OUR VIEWS “IRRELEVANT”
The Liberal Democrat Leader of MK Council (MKC) declared genuine debate on a proposed Strategic Authority “irrelevant”, having already made up her mind.

This followed a week of spin and chaos within the “MK Business Council”, after its Chair wrote to council leaders supporting Bedfordshire and Milton Keynes forming this new layer of government. It later emerged that businesses within the group either disagreed or had not been consulted.

I’ve suggested that the Chair of the Business Council considers her position.

Strategic Authorities introduce another layer of local government, led by an elected Mayor, funded by taxpayers and transferring powers such as regional planning from local councils.

This week, I attended an MKC meeting to outline the conclusions of Central Bedfordshire Council’s (CBC) recent devolution debate.

Sadly there wasn’t a lot of time, because MK Labour and Liberal Democrat councillors voted against allowing more time, restricting discussion to 15 minutes despite a special meeting intended to allow plenty of time for debate.

I supported the principle of a regional authority capable of attracting substantial government funding, arguing that Bedfordshire and Milton Keynes alone could hardly compete with Manchester, Birmingham or London.

I also highlighted CBC councillors’ desire for a government funded public vote on any new arrangement. The government wants you to pay more, so you should have a say!

ULTERIOR MOTIVES

MKC’s Leader twice described further debate as “irrelevant”, seemingly dismissing the views of CBC councillors and residents.

The Deputy Leader complained that a larger authority would reduce MKC’s influence. Heaven forbid other councils should have a meaningful say over housing and growth.

The reaction of Labour and Liberal Democrat councillors was telling. Some appeared reluctant to speak, while others seemed irritated by the suggestion that councillors and residents outside of MK deserved consideration.

DEVOLUTION CAN’T BE DICTATED BY GOVERNMENT

It is increasingly clear that MK’s MPs have made up their minds and are lobbying the government to dictate the outcome.

The irony is that devolution should transfer decision making away from Whitehall, yet the government now appears determined to force a decision upon us!

When MKC gets its act together and organises a meeting with plenty of time for debate, to consider all of the options, I’ll be back to share my views!

16/10/2026

SALFORD ROAD WATER LEAK EATING ROAD
Last week, Anglian Water (AW) told me that it had sorted the Salford Road (Aspley Guise) water leak. It’s not sorted and the leak has turned into a stream.

With so much water running down the road, pouring into a public highway gully, grass has started to grow across the well watered gully grill!

I’ve written to AW (again) to express what I’m sure is all of our disappointment and this outrageous waste of tap water.

I will also involve the council’s highways team to assess the road edge once the leak is repaired, and if the three months of running water has damaged the road (which was only resurfaced a few years ago), I’ll seek repairs at the expense of AW.

13/10/2026

BATTLESDEN HARVEST SUPPER
It was lovely to be invited to the annual Battlesden harvest supper, held at Milton Bryan village hall. This wonderful event has been running for decades, and raises money to maintain Saint Peter’s church, Battlesden, with some proceedings going to a charity.

During a hearty soup, traditional ploughman’s dinner and apple crumble (with cream) for dessert, it was lovely to chat with local residents and Rev’d Rachel Snow.

Following dinner, Evan ran the annual auction of produce, where I obtained some parsnips for my son (who loves to roast them). A variety of other choices were available including cabbages, beetroot, carrots, onions, pumpkin, and sacks of spuds. And if anyone fancied some beef, tea loaf, gin & tonic cake or a bunch of flowers, Evan could help with that too.

It’s events like this that raise funds to maintain rural buildings such as Saint Peter’s church, whilst also celebrating the farming community that put food on our tables all year long.

09/10/2026

COMPANIES PROFIT FROM INSECURE HOUSING IN OLD COUNCIL BUILDINGS
In early 2025, the Lowe Group (see [1]) approached Central Bedfordshire Council (CBC) seeking to occupy a former council care home and rent rooms on 30-day tenancies, paying nothing to the council whilst retaining the rental income. The council remains responsible for the building fabric, health and safety, and so on.

This is known as “guardianship”, where a company “looks after” an empty council building such as a care home, before it is demolished or sold.

It can be a lucrative arrangement for a company, which effectively operates an unlicensed House in Multiple Occupation (HMO), but is less attractive for tenants and taxpayers. For example, there's no need to protect deposits, or bother with secure rental contracts.

The company was promoted to CBC by a councillor representing Linslade, who wrote in September 2025: “The Lowe Group are a successful company who can invest money and have a good track record of providing accommodation for young professionals, key workers …”.

The BBC has recently looked at companies such as the Lowe Group following complaints from tenants including anti-social behaviour [2]. CBC did not proceed with the Lowe Group’s proposal.

WHAT’S THE DEAL?

Guardianship companies seek occupation of empty council buildings, paying no rent to the council while renting rooms to occupants on short-term “licences”, typically 30 days. The council would remain responsible for maintaining the building’s structure.
As the BBC notes:

“Guardianship companies are not obliged to protect their deposits or carry out repairs not specifically provided for in the agreement. Landlords can also visit at any time, without warning, and evict residents without giving a reason.”

Companies claim to provide “affordable accommodation for key workers”, which might suggest significant investment in the building. Not quite.

The Lowe Group wanted to occupy the former Westlands care home in Leighton Buzzard, proposing 47 rentable rooms for an investment of just £90k. The (now demolished) building was in a poor state of repair and former residents had moved to a brand new and brilliant care home.

When I asked whether the company would apply for planning permission for HMO use, the representative declined. When I checked with planning officers, it was unclear why the company would be exempt from the rules that apply to everyone else.

IT SEEMS TO BE A GOOD EARNER

The company (or rather, the holding company) is now holding £5.8m in shareholder funds, an increase of £1.2m at December 2025, following a £1m increase in 2024.

If councils provide empty buildings rent free until they are sold, while continuing to maintain the structure, and companies invest relatively little before renting rooms, the profits can be considerable.

In Leighton Buzzard, Housing Benefit will pay £115 per week to rent a room in an HMO. With 47 rooms, that produces £5,405 per week, with no rent paid to the council for use of the building.

That is around £281k a year. Even allowing for heating, hot water and electricity costs, it represents a substantial return.

AND IF THE COUNCIL NEEDS THE BUILDING BACK?

If a council required possession of the building, the company could swiftly evict tenants (who essentially have few rights), potentially making them eligible for council-funded temporary accommodation elsewhere. Meanwhile, the company, having collected the rental income, can simply hand back the keys.

CBC prides itself on investing millions each year improving its social housing stock. Guardianship does not offer quality accommodation or secure tenancy.

Appendices:

[1] “The Lowe Group”: https://thelowegroupltd.com/
[2] BBC story: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cj4kvge1pyvo

07/10/2026

WHY OUR ROADS NEED MAJOR FUNDING AND WHAT WE CAN DO ABOUT IT
There is no doubt our roads need more attention. Years of underinvestment by successive governments have created a major maintenance backlog that cannot be solved without significant investment. Although Central Bedfordshire Council (CBC) has increased funding in recent years, many roads remain below the standard residents rightly expect.

This is not unique to Central Bedfordshire. Similar, and sometimes more severe, problems exist across neighbouring counties and the country.

So, what can we do about it?

CBC collects just over £220m a year in Council Tax. However, well over half goes on Children's Services and Adult Social Care, 'mandatory services' the government requires councils to provide. This money therefore has to be prioritised before spending on roads.

Just over 10% of the council's budget goes on debt interest, borrowing used in the past to pay for schools, leisure centres, health centres and care homes.

Around 12% goes on waste and recycling, with smaller amounts spent on leisure and libraries. Planning is also expensive because the government dictates what councils must do while restricting the fees they can charge developers.

After significant savings elsewhere, CBC increased the Highways budget to £16m this year. Government funding takes the total to around £30m. But this also has to cover footpaths, signage, bridges, cycle lanes, traffic lights and drainage. What remains for road repairs is barely enough to keep roads safe.

This £30m cannot address the historic underspending that has allowed the network to deteriorate. After tough winters and long dry summers, deterioration accelerates. In January and February we saw around four times as many potholes as in other months. The problem is simply that the money available is insufficient.

Highways knows that properly repairing a road is more effective than repeatedly carrying out minor repairs, but the money is not available to do this.

Furthermore, last winter the government reduced CBC's overall funding by £40m over three years.

Council officers estimate that a one off government investment of around £30m is needed to halt further deterioration. This would need to be sustained over subsequent years to progressively bring the network up to the standard residents and businesses require.

The government has previously suggested councils should increase Council Tax further to pay for this. We don't believe that is right. Years of government underfunding has created this situation, and local residents, many already struggling with the cost of living, should not have to pay for it.

After all, when fuel prices go up, where does all that extra VAT on each litre go? ... To the government!

We have written to the Transport Secretary asking for the £30m needed now to prevent further deterioration.

I encourage you to write to your MP, explain what is happening and ask for their support in Parliament.

Meanwhile, councillors are working with CBC's Highways department to prepare for the forthcoming winter. If the government does not provide the funding we have requested, we must be prepared to do our best with what we have.

03/10/2026

FUNDING SPEED CAMERAS
Every month I chair the Central Bedfordshire Council Traffic Management Meeting. Whilst it is largely an avenue for addressing objections to parking restrictions, traffic calming, disabled bays and so on, it also offers the public an opportunity to petition the council for road safety measures.

These requests often request average speed cameras, and a number of petitions with significant support have been made for enforcement in various parts of Central Bedfordshire.

Unfortunately, such cameras are both expensive to install and maintain due to service contracts.

Also, the council can not retain any income from the cameras to fund the expenditure and service.

This has become even more difficult in the light of the Government's damaging £40m cut to the council's budget, coupled with the continued risk of rising interest rates on the council's borrowing. You will no doubt be aware that the cost of government 10 year borrowing hit a new high of 5.5% this week.

Council meetings usually result in Officers taking actions, but sometimes it is up to councillors to do the spade work.

In September, I took an action to write to the Chief Constable and Police Crime Commissioner of Bedfordshire Police to seek potential funding solutions for cameras, such as spreading the expenditure and income between the council and the Police Force.

The letter is attached.

Address

Aspley Guise

Telephone

+443003008566

Website

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