With the school summer holidays almost upon us, and more drivers using its roads, the Highways Agency is urging road users in East region to check and maintain their vehicles this summer – as figures reveal that 1,315 of incidents on the region’s roads last summer were potentially preventable.

It is also using data from previous years to analyse popular routes and times in the East – allowing drivers to better plan their journeys.

Agency figures show that out of 22,461 incidents in the East last year during the summer months, 1,315 of them were potentially preventable – with 1,265 tyre-related breakdowns and 50 out-of-fuel breakdowns.

Simon Sheldon-Wilson, Director of Traffic Management, said:

“We’ll be doing all we can during the summer to ensure road users get to their destinations smoothly and safely. Our traffic officers will also be on hand to clear incidents from the roads and get traffic moving as soon as possible.

“It’s vital that people check and maintain their vehicles before setting off. A single preventable breakdown can cause chaos for thousands of people – and congestion costs the economy an estimated £3bn every year.”

“Inevitably there will be times where routes become congested, and many people will be driving on unfamiliar roads, so we ask road users to help themselves by planning ahead to avoid peak times, using our journey planning tools and allowing enough time for their journeys.”

Chief examiner of the Institute of Advanced Motorists, Peter Rodger adds:

“A major cause of breakdown is running out of fuel. Check that – and while you’re doing it, water, oil and tyres – and you will be well on the way to preventing a breakdown that could make your summer getaway an unpleasant experience instead of the brilliant one you hoped for.”

The Agency is publishing a list of potential hotspots on its roads, which – along with its summer travel advice – will help people as they travel this summer.

The Agency has analysed traffic information from the last three years for two key summer periods – the first weekend of the school holidays for many areas (18 to 20 July) and the August bank holiday weekend (22 to 25 August). For each of these periods, they have identified routes that can become busy.

Journeys to Cambridge, Great Yarmouth and Stansted Airport can become busy at specific peak times on 18-20 July and 22-25 August. The Agency will be suspending or completing the as many roadworks as possible during the bank holiday period to help road users.

Drivers can check planned roadworks on motorways and major A roads in advance on the Agency’s website. Just before they set out they can get up-to-date information about incidents and congestion hotspots on the road network by calling the Agency’s helpline on 0300 123 5000 or by checking Twitter.

Information about the Agency’s road network is available on the Traffic England website and drivers can download a live traffic info app to their smartphone so they can check on current road and traffic conditions while en-route. But remember it is illegal to use a mobile phone while driving.

Families United Network charity is holding a Fundraising Barn Dance on Friday, July 25, from 7.30pm at the Brooklands Residents Association. All money raised will go to the FUN projects. Tickets are £13.50 and it’s for over 18’s only, call 01582 470999.

All 160 Buckinghamshire infant and combined schools will be ready to receive a nutritious school lunch from the beginning of the new school year in September.

And Buckinghamshire County Council has achieved this within the Government’s £1.1 million capital grant.

Eighty Buckinghamshire infant and combined schools already serve meals every day thanks to an innovative ‘hub and satellite’ arrangement: seven hub kitchens, strategically placed around the county, serve 80 satellite schools with a 45 per cent pupil take-up. These have been given extra capacity to handle additional demand.

Martin Grant Homes has submitted an outline planning application to Aylesbury Vale District Council to develop new homes on Land off Meadow Way, to the north of Wing.

The proposed development, located off Meadow Way, provides for up to 52 high quality new homes, a children’s play area, significant areas of open space and an important direct connection to the amenity and wildlife site, Long Spinney.

Thed plans can be seen at council offices.

Children across Central Bedfordshire can spend their summers with fantastical creatures from the world of legend and mythology thanks to this year’s Summer Reading Challenge.

Libraries across the area are gearing up for the annual Challenge, which encourages children to read six or more books over the summer to collect prizes.

This year the theme is Mythical Maze created by top illustrator Sarah McIntyre. It challenges children to find their way around a labyrinth that introduces them to creatures from the world of legend and mythology, collecting stickers of each character along the way.

The Post Office is modernising Stanbridge Road Post Office, Leighton Buzzard, to create a new local-style open-plan branch with significantly longer opening hours for customers.

Post Office local is a new concept for delivering Post Office services and the new Stanbridge Road Post Office will have two open plan tills at the retail counter where Post Office products and services will be available alongside retail transactions during shop opening hours, instead of from separate screened counter.

Post Office customers will benefit from opening hours being extended to 90 hours a week as the new branch will be open Monday to Friday: 06:00 – 20:00; Saturday and Sunday: 08:00-18:00. This offers customers and extra 43.5 hours of Post Office service a week including all day Sunday and Saturday afternoon.

The branch also opens significantly earlier every day and will close much later.Stanbridge Road Post Office will close for refurbishment on Monday 21 July at 17:30 with the new look branch scheduled to open on Tuesday 29 July at 13:00.

The summer holidays are fast approaching and fortunately for parents concerned about how to occupy their children, Central Bedfordshire Council has put together a handy guide to the holiday schemes in the area.

The ‘School’s out’ booklet 2014/15 contains information on a variety of holiday schemes and activities, including those for children and young people with additional needs, enabling families to balance work commitments with the school holidays.

You can pick up a copy of the ‘School’s out’ booklet at any library or find it on the council website - www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/schoolholidayschemes. For more information and top tips of how to have a great Central Bedfordshire summer go to www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/summer

Work on the first solar farm in Central Bedfordshire started on Friday. The 11-hectare site will generate enough electricity to power 1500 homes in the Parish of Caddington.

The beginning of this project was marked by a ground-breaking ceremony, attended by the Chairman of Central Bedfordshire Council, Cllr Caroline Maudlin.

The solar farm is expected to start generating electricity from September 2014. The 5 megawatts of power that will be generated by the 11-hectare site will be fed into the National Grid via the sub station in Caddington, providing enough electricity to supply 60 per cent of households in the two parishes.

Over 25 years, operating at capacity, the solar farm will contribute £437,000 for the two Parish Councils, which equates to a potential £17,500 a year. Some of this income could help fund domestic solar panel installations and other energy efficiency measures, making these communities even more sustainable.

The solar farm is within the emerging Neighbourhood Plan for the Parishes of Caddington and Slip End which has an ambition to be technically self-sufficient in green energy by expanding provision to include other technologies and measures over time.

Cllr Kevin Collins, Vice-Chairman of Caddington Parish Council, said: “This solar farm is another example of the two Parishes working closely together within the framework of the Neighbourhood Plan. Not only does this development send a signal of our concerns for the environment but it will help both Parishes to provide new, better and of course greener services and amenities for our residents.”

Central Bedfordshire Council has advised on the planning aspects of the farm, and pledged their support in light of the social, economic and environmental benefits.

Cllr Richard Stay, local Central Bedfordshire Councillor said: “Renewable energy is the future and it is fantastic to see this come to Central Bedfordshire. Solar farms like this are clean, safe and easy to maintain, and have little to no impact on the landscape. When we put first spade in the ground at the site on 11 July, we will be making the first step towards making Caddington and Slip End truly green communities.

“The solar farm is also a powerful educational tool—having it close at hand will enable residents to learn about environmentally friendly, clean, and renewable forms of energy at a time when this is an increasingly important issue. Developing sources of sustainable energy will preserve our world for generations to come.”

International charity Meningitis Research Foundation (MRF) is warning students they must get a vital meningitis vaccine before they head off to university and ensure they know the signs and symptoms, as some kinds of meningitis can’t be prevented. Meningitis and septicaemia can kill in hours and leave many survivors with serious disability.

MRF is sending thousands of new posters entitled ‘Protect Yourself Against Meningitis’ to universities and colleges throughout the UK and has symptoms information available in print and online.

Currently all children in the UK are vaccinated against Meningococcal C (MenC) infection. Since the MenC vaccine was introduced in the UK in 1999, an estimated 150 lives have been saved each year and cases are now very rare. But we now know that protection offered by the vaccine does not last as long as expected, so the UK Government has launched a booster campaign for students entering university for the first time.

Christopher Head, Chief Executive of Meningitis Research Foundation said: “Vaccine research to ensure effective protection against this deadly disease has long been a top funding priority for MRF, and we welcome the Government’s new MenC booster campaign. New students are at increased risk of encountering the bacteria that cause meningococcal disease because they are often living in busy halls of residence and in close contact with other new students during fresher’s week.

The MenC booster is available to any student entering university who was born after September 1995 and has only received Men C vaccine under the age of ten years or any student of any age entering or being at university who is unvaccinated against Men C disease. Students should get immunised at least two weeks before they go away to study.

Those who start the term without the booster should arrange to get it as soon as possible either through their university or college health centre or with their new GP. The vaccine is also important for students coming to study from abroad who are unable to get the vaccine at home. Again they should obtain it as soon as possible.

MenB vaccine was recommended for infants in the UK in March 2014 but the timetable for implementation is yet to be confirmed . The vaccine is available privately but not everyone can afford it, and some other kinds of meningitis can’t be prevented. This is why MRF encourages everyone to learn the symptoms of meningitis and septicaemia and be prepared to act fast if they or their friends become ill.”

Dr. Shamez Ladhani, an expert on meningococcal disease for Public Health England said:

“The addition of the adolescent Men C immunisation programme will contribute to the highly successful vaccination programme we have in the UK. Although Men C disease is now rare, it can be life threatening. Because the protection offered by the infant Men C immunisation programme wanes over time, a booster is recommended for students before they begin university, even if they’ve had the Men C vaccine as a young child.”

Next week the PALS team from Bedfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group (BCCG) alongside other local PALS teams in Bedfordshire will be hosting a number of events throughout the county to help raise awareness of PALS.

Advisors will be on hand to help answer your questions about local health services at Leighton Buzzard market from 9am – 3pm on Tuesday 15 July. There will also be a number of events from NHS providers in Bedfordshire including:

· The PALS team at Bedford Hospital will have a stand outside the Swannery restaurant on site during the week.

· The PALS team at Luton and Dunstable Hospital will be in the hospital’s main reception from Monday to Friday.

South Essex Partnership Trust (SEPT) will be hosting a number of events across the week, including:

· Monday 14 July - 10-12 am – Crombie house

· Tuesday 15 July - 10-12 am – The Lawns (adult clinic)

· Wednesday 16 July - 1.30-2.30 pm - London Road Health Centre

· Thursday 17 July - 10-12 am - Charter House reception and Weller Wing reception 1-3pm

· Friday 18 July - 1-3 pm -The Lawns (OPMH Clinic)

To finish of the awareness week BCCG PALS team will be at the Bedford River Festival on the 19 and 20 July. Members of the team will be on hand at the Your Health in Bedfordshire marquee, to help raise awareness of the helpful service they provide to the community.

PALS works closely with staff within Bedfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group (BCCG) and other local NHS organisations to resolve concerns quickly and efficiently, provide information on NHS services and enable patients and the public to get involved in shaping local NHS services. They also offer information about local and national support agencies.

Peter Howard, BCCG’s Head of PALS, Complaints and FOI, said:

“Our PALS team are here to help. We offer free, confidential advice and support to relatives, carers and patients about their local healthcare system. We resolve concerns quickly and efficiently, provide important information on NHS services and ultimately enable people to get involved in shaping their local NHS.”

To contact BCCG PALS:

Phone: 01525 864405 (8.30am - 5.00pm, Monday to Friday).

(A voicemail system operates at busy times and out of normal office hours; and PALS will try to return your call by the next working day).

Boyhood is something unique. A film that takes the everyday experiences of growing up and tracks one young man over 12 years, shooting scenes from each of his years from age six to 18.

It’s an incredible feat of cinematography that will resonate with every parent on the planet and invoke memories of their childhood for every male.

Director Richard Linklater uses four core actors led by the titular ‘boy’ Mason (Ellar Coltrane), Mason’s Mom (Patricia Arquette), Mason’s estranged Dad (Ethan Hawke) and Mason’s sister Samantha (Lorelei Linklater, the director’s daughter).

It’s a long film at almost three hours, but instead of dulling your senses like the overblown Transformers: Age of Extinction, Boyhood feels like an inside peek into a life worth investing some time in to see how it turns out.

Covering some harsh realities of life for many – including an abusive stepdad, a father who simply isn’t able to commit to his family, another stepdad that never quite bonds with Mason – be prepared for a heart-rending experience.

The way each of the father figures in Mason’s young life lets him down in one way or another is painful to watch – and leaves you intensely rooting for the young man.

Mason’s school life is caught in condensed snapshots – dealing with the widely experienced clichés of homework, crushes on female classmates, run-ins with bullies etc – but somehow they don’t feel overly contrived.

As the teenage years kick in we get ringside seats as Mason experiments with drugs, struggles with peer pressure and dabbles in first love as well as finding a passion for photography. There are often hints of danger and threat as Mason’s young naivety makes parents watching cringe, but the plot never gets too dark to bear.

There are some interesting interactions with religious step-grandparents (who buy Mason a shotgun and a bible for his 15th birthday) although this feels a bit tacked on.

Arquette and Hawke are consistently excellent and Coltrane gives a memorable lead performance. There is just so much to Boyhood – laughs, pain, romance and grief which you’ll get to empathise with and probably leave reminiscing over.

A family are holding a fundraising event to raise money to send their two-year-old to a specialised pre-school.

Katie and Matt Gray, of Gemini close, are holding a fishing world record attempt at Alders Farm Fishery and a family fun day in Brickhill, on Saturday, September 13.

PACE is a family-centred charity which provides an education for children with sensory motor disorders.

The pre-school is based in Aylesbury and the family believe it is important their son, who has cerebral palsy, goes there.

Katie, 31, said: “We wanted to hold an event to raise money to send Freddie to their pre-school, they do a lot of good things for the children. The centre specialises in the care that Freddie needs and it will help him.”

Kristel Flitton, a family friend, said: “PACE offer an environment for Freddie and his parents where they can meet new people and he can make friends. Since he has been going to groups, he has tried new activities and he is learning how to walk as well.”

The parents, who also have 12 week old twins, will be hosting the fun day at Great Brickhill Cricket Club.

Mrs Gray added: “We did not expect the event to be as big as it is, people have been so generous and everyone wants to help, we are so grateful.”

Morrisons staff raised £500 for Sue Ryder with an in-store bike ride on Saturday, July 12.

Staff took part in 30 minute slots of cycling between 10am and 4pm, to help raise money for their charity of the year.

The national charity provide hospice and neurological care to people with life-changing illnesses.

The bikes were loaned to the supermarket by Energie gym, Leighton Buzzard.

Leighton Buzzard put on a show in the sun last week for the Anglia In Bloom judges .

They arrived on Wednesday to assess the town, taking in a two hour tour of the main parts of the town and then to three places of special interest which have particularly added to this year’s In Bloom campaign.

The tour started at the Woodcraft folk area. The Cottage Garden once again impressed the judges and Suzy Hammond from the LB Garden Centre was there to explain their role in this and to commend the inclusion of bee hotels made by the pupils of Leighton Middle School.

The Citizens Advice Bureau garden and Parsons Close were clearly very popular as the beach and splash and play area were being enjoyed in the sunshine.

Victoria Harvey from South Beds Friends of the Earth also showed the importance of Clipstone Brook as it is maintained for many forms of wildlife.

Roger Jordan and other members of the Old Cedarians Freemasons Lodge were at the Flypast Monument to show off their work in maintaining this peaceful area on the edge of the High Street.

Another such area is Tiddenfoot Waterside Park where Dave Ayers and his team explained their vital role in conserving this valuable resource.

Also shown was Cedars Upper School and Mentmore Memorial Garden.

Rowan Hastwell explained the new community garden project at Pages Park and Su Sloman the various community groups which now take part in the “It’s Your Neighbourhood” scheme.

All this work is tirelessly supported by Debbie Marsh and John Connew of the Town Council.

The judges are expected to make a decision about the competition in early September.

So the Leighton-Linslade In Bloom campaign continues to thrive and we will await the judges award decision in early September. It is always hoped that the award shows improvement but it is not really about the colour of the award but more the involvement, commitment and appreciation of so many people in the town who support the campaign.

A “prank” with a fake gun bought in a pound shop did not amuse a Judge, who said it had terrified two 12-year-old boys when it was pointed at them in a dark alleyway.

Holding the imitation weapon was 22-year-old Gregory Lathwell, Luton Crown Court was told on Friday.

Lathwell, from Johnson Drive, Leighton Buzzard pleaded guilty to possessing an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear. He was jailed for 22 months.

Claudette Elliott, prosecuting, said the two boys were walking home on October 12 last year along an alleyway near West Side, Leighton.

“The defendant and another man came towards them and they saw him pull a gun out of his bag and point it towards them. They were really scared.

“He said ‘do you want some of this?’ and the boys ran off, but were able to identify Lathwell to police.”

She said they had described it as a ‘cowboy style’ revolver, but it has never been recovered.

Carl Woolf, defending, said Lathwell and a friend had been celebrating a birthday that afternoon and were ‘tipsy’.

“He bought the toy gun in a pound shop and stupidly thought it would be fun to pull it out of his bag when he saw the boys.

“It was a stupid, drunken joke which has massively backfired. He now knows it caused them to be scared.

“He categorically refutes that it was a real firearm, but in a dark alleyway it may have looked realistic.”

Judge Michael Kay QC said: “Those boys had the great misfortune to come across you and what you did was reckless in the extreme.

“You have sought to suggest it was just a plastic imitation but they believed it was a real gun and were extremely frightened. You knew they were only boys.

“To me this is a serious matter which could have caused really deep psychological harm.”

Clerk’s Corner by Leighton town clerk Mark Saccoccio...

The Grand Union Canal, the lifeblood of our industrial heritage is being celebrated on Saturday, July 26 (11am-5pm).

Organised by Leighton-Linslade Town Council, the event is important in showcasing yet another quality asset that the parish has to offer. In the dozen years that the event has been running, it never fails to amaze as to its increasing popularity. Last year for example, we had over 9,000 visitors to the event which is held in Tiddenfoot Waterside Park.

As the organisers, the town council is conscious that the focus should remain around celebrating our industrial heritage and the importance that the canal has played in helping shape the parish. Therefore, many of the attractions have a conservation and heritage slant in the hope that we can promote and maintain skills and crafts that would otherwise be consigned to the annuls of history. For example, visitors will also have the opportunity to see first-hand the diverse skills still practiced by traditional rural crafters such as Bee Skep, Besom Brooms, Love spoons, Lace making and Wool Spinning.

We anticipate welcoming a large collection of working, trade and pleasure narrow boats to the event which will provide a visually stunning attraction as well as contribute to the vibrant atmosphere. Visitors will also have the opportunity to buy anything from cheese, hand craft products, pottery, paintings, rag rugs to wooden sculptures.

A programme of music and entertainment include performances from local musicians Halfmoon Drum Circle and Barn Rat Ceilidh Band. Attractions also include pony rides, climbing wall, crazy golf, face painting and storytelling. If this all becomes a bit too much, then why not take a pleasure boat trip along the canal or enjoy a picturesque walk around the lake.

Pedestrian admission to the festival is free and car parking is available a short walk from the site at £3.50 per vehicle. For a charge of £2 per person per trip, water taxis will be operating from the town centre to the park. Get further details from the council on 01525 631916/631915. Details can also be found on www.leightonlinslade-tc.gov.uk

A nationwide crackdown on suspected paedophiles has led to 14 arrests across the county since April.

Officers from Beds Police joined police forces across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland in the operation– which has safeguarded more than 400 children.

One man detained by Beds Police has been charged, while 13 others are on police bail with no current charges.

County officers have also seized and are examining the contents of 250 electronic devices.

In total 660 suspected paedophiles were arrested during the siix-month operation involving 45 police forces.

Some of those detained had unsupervised access to children in the course of their work.

They include doctors, teachers, scout leaders, care workers and former police officers.

Of the 660, 39 people were registered sex offenders but the majority of those arrested had not previously come to law enforcement’s attention.

The operation targeted people accessing indecent images of children online.

Operation Notarise remained under wraps until yesterday in order to protect children, identify offenders and secure evidence.

The National Crime Agency and its partners are not revealing the methods they used to track down suspects so that they can use the same tactics again in the future.

Charging decisions are awaited in most cases but so far charges brought range from possessing indecent images of children to serious sexual assault.

Detective inspector Jerry Waite, of Bedfordshire Police Public Protection Unit, said: “We are currently in the process of examining the contents of 250 electronic devices connected with our local cases in Operation Notarise.

“We’re pleased to have been able to help with such a significant and wide-ranging enquiry which has resulted in six joint investigations with Social Services into potential hands-on child abuse offences.

“Of course we are continually taking new cases and will always want to hear from anyone who has abuse, or suspicions of abuse, of any kind to report.”

NCA deputy director Phil Gormley added: “Our aim was to protect children who were victims of, or might be at risk of, sexual exploitation.

“A child is victimised not only when they are abused and an image is taken, they are re-victimised every time that image is viewed by someone.

“Some of the people who start by accessing indecent images online go on to abuse children directly. 
“So the operation is not only about catching people who have already offended– it is about influencing potential offenders before they cross that line.”

Opponents to a proposed wind farm in LBO land say they are confident of a favourably outcome to the public inquiry held earlier this month.

The eight-day hearing into the Dorcas Lane turbines planned for Stoke Hammond followed an appeal by Force 9 Energy and EDF against Aylesbury Vale District Council’s refusal of planning permission.

Government inspector, Ms Jessica Graham, will now submit a report and recommendations to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Eric Pickles, who will announce his decision, expected early in 2015.

Joseph Cresswell, vice chairman of Stop Dorcas Lane Turbines, said : “Completion of this public inquiry will mark the end of a three-year fight to stop this inappropriate development by thousands of local people across the eight settlements blighted by it. SDLT was pleased to challenge the Appeal alongside AVDC and we believe all the competing arguments have been thoroughly examined.”

“Some 50 SDLT members and other public speakers presented powerful evidence of the real harm it would cause. We trust that, as required by the Government, the Inspector will attach significant weight not only to the many valid planning objections but also to the thousands of petition signatures and letters of opposition submitted.”

“We were delighted that our constituency MP, the Rt Hon John Bercow MP, also made time to attend the inquiry, where he defended the democratic rights of his constituents in a powerful speech.

“The shadow of this development will hang over us all for several more months. But we remain confident that all those who have united in opposition to it will finally be vindicated.”

Debate over three large scale planning applications for east Leighton will take part in the town at 10am on Monday, LBO can confirm.

Central Beds Council has moved its development management committee meeting from its base in Chicksands to Astral Park due to the interest it holds for residents.

Up for discussion are two plans for large scale housing developments– one for 950 homes on Chamberlains Barn Quarry, Heath Road, and another for 270 homes on land known as the The Stearn, Clipstone Lane.

An application for a link road from Heath Road to Vandyke Road, which would act as the main artery for the proposed quarry development, will also be on the table.

All three applications have been recommended for approval by Central Beds Council’s planning department and were submitted by Vimy Court based developer Arnold White Estates Ltd.

For more information on the meeting contact Martha Clampitt on 0300 300 4032.

> To read more on each application read Tuesday’s Leighton Buzzard Observer

Residents are being warned by Central Bedfordshire Council that the area may experience ‘heatwave’ conditions over the next few days, according to Met Office forecasts.

Warnings that a heatwave may be imminent are triggered when the Met Office forecasts that there is a 60% chance of temperatures being high enough on at least two consecutive days and the intervening night to have a significant effect on health.

This will normally happen two or three days before a heatwave is expected to occur. This is a critical stage to ensure readiness and swift action to reduce harm from a potential heatwave. During hot spells vulnerable groups, such as the older people, feel the acute effects of heat more than others and it’s long been recognised that death rates rise in the early stages of heatwaves.

Even if temperatures do not hit extreme levels, Public Health England (PHE) still advises people to keep safe in the sun, seek shade to cool down and keep hydrated with plenty of cool fluids.

Top advice for being sun safe:

> Try to keep out of the sun between 11am to 3pm

> Wear UV sunglasses, preferably wraparound, to reduce UV exposure to the eyes, walk in the shade, apply sunscreen of at least SPF15 with UVA protection, wear a hat and light scarf. Wear light, loose-fitting cotton clothes. This should minimise the risk of sunburn.

> Drink lots of cool drinks

> Look out for others especially vulnerable groups such as the older people, young children and babies and those with serious illnesses

> Never leave anyone in a closed, parked vehicle, especially infants, young children or animals

> Remember that it can get uncomfortably hot indoors too. Try to keep your bedroom and living space cool, by closing the curtains on windows that receive the sun and opening your windows at cooler times of the day and overnight when you can. Turn off non-essential lights and electrical items as these generate heat.

For more information go to www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/weather where you can download a ‘Heatwave’ advice leaflet.