Community bobbies facing the chop were promised protection by their police chief and to match his words with action, he joined them on a walkabout through Leighton yesterday.

Community bobbies facing the chop were promised protection by their police chief and to match his words with action, he joined them on a walkabout through Leighton today.

Beds Police and Crime Commissioner Olly Martins met Leighton’s Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) to talk first-hand about local policing needs and how their work is helping to combat crime and anti-social behaviour. Ahead of the visit, Mr Martins said: “It has become abundantly clear to me just how valued PCSOs are in the communities they serve and how their presence contributes to feelings of safety and wellbeing for residents, particularly in rural areas.

“Public confidence is as important to policing as reducing offences and has a positive effect on quality of life. It is clear PCSOs are playing a key role in reassurance and reducing the fear of crime.”

Government cuts to the main policing grant means Beds Police face a funding gap of about £7m over the next three years, but saving the PCSOs will come at a cost to the council tax payer.

Mr Martins said: “This small rise will help protect this highly respected element of local policing, while helping to ensure that we continue to make residents feel safe.”

> Full reaction to Mr Martins’ visit in next week’s LBO.

A controversial scheme for two retail parks in Leighton, which have split the community, are being backed by planners, it is revealed this week.

The news is a major blow to High Street traders who have led a vigorous campaign to block the adjoining Grovebury Road developments for fear that the shopping malls will destroy town centre shopping.

The plans - by rival developers Claymore and Barwoods - go before Central Beds Council’s development management committee on February 13.

Both outline schemes are being recommended for approval but councillors do not have to follow their lead.

If the plans are pushed through they will still have to go up to Secretary of State, Eric Pickles, for a final decision.

At present national guidelines state that town centres must be put first before allowing out of town developments.

But both developers argue that future plans for Leighton town centre - at Bridge Meadow and behind the High Street, will not allow for large units selling bulky goods.

A planner’s report to the committee says: “In general terms the Retail Impact Assessments submitted in support of the applications indicate that Leighton continues to perform well and overall is a vibrant and healthy centre. These conclusions are in line with the council’s own retail studies.”

The report added that the retail parks would complement planned development in the town which is aimed at smaller units, specialist, fashion and eating destinations.

“The proposals, on their own or together, would be unlikely to impact on planned town centre investment given that they have different target markets.”

But it is recommended that if the schemes go ahead then there would be strict controls as to what goods could be sold - in order to minimise damage to existing town centre traders. The developers will also have to come up with substantial Section 106 payments totalling nearly £1million - which will be used to improve the High Street.

Claymore’s outline scheme includes an anchor DIY unit, four smaller units plus a food unit. Names which have already expressed an interest include Starbucks, Burger King, Wickes, Pets at Home and Benson for Beds.

Barwoods’ scheme also includes a DIY anchor unit plus eight further units and space for a pub/restaurant and a drive-thru.

Both plans have met opposition from the town council, neighbours and Friends of the Earth. A protest petition with 72 signatures has been submitted along with 144 forms from a poll conducted by traders, with 136 against the plan. Two letters of support have been submitted to the council along with a supporting petition signed by 115 people.

The LBO’s own poll came down 55 per cent against the retail parks.

Traders’ campaigner Tom Shattock said this week: “It’s absolute madness. They are intending to ignore all these people who are opposed to it - whatever happened to localism? Community involvement is supposed to be taken on board.

“This will have a terrible adverse effect on the town centre.” Mr Shattock, who runs T & K Furniture, in Hockliffe Street, urged people to write to MP Andrew Selous in protest.

For more on this story see next week’s great new look LBO.

An ambitious runner from Linslade is determined to achieve his largest fundraising total to date when he takes part in the London Marathon in aid of visually impaired children.

An ambitious runner from Linslade is determined to achieve his largest fundraising total to date when he takes part in the London Marathon in aid of visually impaired children.

Carmelo Bonaccolta, 50, of Wing Road, who is about to embark on his seventh London Marathon, said: “I started jogging in the late 90s as a means of getting fitter, but never imagined at the time that I would get the opportunity of participating in the London Marathon.”

After catching the ‘running bug’ Carmelo has run the marathon ever since 2008, training for half a year and running five times a week to make sure he is in tip top condition. Carmelo has previously totalled donations of £1,800, but is aiming to raise even more this year for VICTA, a MK charity that provides support to visually impaired children and their families.

“I thought it would be good to try to help a charity based close to home , whose profile may not be as prominent as some of the larger charitable organisations, but their work is of equal merit.”

VICTA is looking for more fundraisers.

Visit www.victa.org.uk or to donate to Carmelo, visit http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/MELBONACCOLTA

When I said I wanted to dive head first into this experience, I don’t think I was fully prepared for how difficult that would actually be; going head first in I mean.

As silly as it may sound, trying to convince myself that I would survive if I tried a pike fall dive was a tall order.

I couldn’t face plunging head first and keeping a straight body without screaming, much to the amusement of my coaches Dave Jenkins and Harry Glover at Luton’s Inspire Sports Village.

After going back to basics by practising the fall at the poolside, it became mind over matter and by sheer determination I finally mastered it.

But, of course, as luck would have it, the lightbulb moment happened when the video camera had stopped recording!

Something I hadn’t envisioned before getting involved in this unique sport was how frustrated I would get when your mind is saying one thing, but your body decides to do another.

Regardless, at the end of my lesson, Dave and Harry both said I had made a huge improvement, before joking they could see me performing alongside them and a host of Olympic divers at next year’s Splash!

The show, which is set to make a return for a second series, won over a peak audience of 6.5m on Saturday night and celebrated the series champion Eddie ‘the Eagle’ Edwards.

I was lucky enough to meet everyone after the show who had nothing but praise for the show that saw celebrities battle it out to become a talented diver under the instruction of Olympian, Tom Daley.

The 18-year-old has faced intense pressure and scrutiny already at such a young age, but it is clear to see he remains to be the lovely boy millions fell for in his plight to become a gold-medal champion.

Perhaps I won’t be joining him in that goal, but I have felt extremely inspired by being local to the sports centre that was chosen to be aired to millions of people.

And as I continue my ten-week course to diving superstardom, it’s great to see the children and adults who have dared to try something new and have been inspired.

@LBOamanda

A music festival that has been designed to raise to money for Oxfam will be celebrating its fifth annual event next month and is looking for more of Leighton’s muscians to get involved.

Leighton Buzzard’s Oxjam music festival is scheduled to run for three weeks in March and organisers hope the amount raised for Oxfam will top last year’s total of £5,168.

Preparations are already in full swing, with a website and new poster now launched, and a schedule of musical events that includes concerts, pub gigs, and open rehearsals taking shape.

But organisers are still on the lookout for musicians and acts who’d like to take part and need people who are happy to organise their own event, or join with other groups and individuals to put something together.

Organiser Edmund Flach said: “Things are coming together well. We have already got a fantastic range of events lined up, but are keen to get even more, and particularly to cover as many musical tastes as possible during the festival.”

If you would like to take part or help out, you can email Edmund at Edmund.Flach@btopenworld.com.

To see what is lined up so far, and find out more about the festival generally, vist the new website at www.oxjamleightonbuzzard.org.uk.

And for regular information about events and news updates, follow them on Facebook, search for OxjamLeightonBuzzard.

A writing workshop in Heath and Reach is welcoming along a fantasy adventure author to lead the talk.

Barbara Dean will join the Writing Room Writers Group, and is encouraging attendees to bring some of their own work to read out, which could be accepted as part of a longer term project.

Based on Barbara’s Workshop, The Writing Room plans possible inclusion of attendees stories or chapters in an E-Book on Amazon Kindle.

This will be a chance to see people’s work offered to a world-wide readership, giving a shop window for writing skills, character and story construction.

Barbara’s plan is that her Workshop will continue under the auspices of The Writing Room through the stages of acceptance, editing and inclusion in a professionally produced E-book at no cost to you.

The workshop will be held at The Barn, Heath and Reach and starts at 7.30pm on Monday, but arrive early.

Two men charged with grievous bodily harm after a stabbing incident at a bedsit in Linslade have been remanded in custody.

Catalin Paduraru, 23, and Andrei Paduraru, 24, appeared at Luton Magistrates Court today and both of their cases have been sent to Luton Crown Court on a date to be decided.

The incident happened on New Road, at 5.35am on Sunday.

Sometimes you know it’s not worth letting something gnaw away at your vitals and boost your blood pressure towards the red line, but you just can’t help it.

And the issue that has cornered my goat and is poking it with a pointed stick is trivial enough, to be sure. It’s concerned with TV, and what could be more trivial than that? Well, TV commercial breaks, since you ask, but let’s not get too complicated.

So here we go: Please, could somebody somewhere take everyone concerned to one side and gently inform them of the facts of life.

People, those pathetic little bite-sized dramas which are expensively designed to highlight your client’s sponsorship of a particular programme don’t work. In fact, they do more harm than good and you should give them up as a bad job.

You’re all aware of the phenomenon, I’m sure. A big brand slaps down a serious wedge to have their name associated with a TV hit, and wants to get value for money.

A mere name check isn’t enough. The creative types convince them that little scenes, themed to the parent programme but featuring those core brand values that everyone is so concerned about, are just what the doctor ordered.

But they’re not. More often than not, the creative concept is duffer than a Shake’N’Vac campaign, the jokes are poor and the brand plugging risible.

Usually they are designed to make you chuckle in some way, but they leave me stone-faced and seething the more often I am subjected to them – and we all know that hit programmes crowbar in even more ad breaks, don’t we?

Usually the budget will only stretch to four of five sketches – all created with production values which sometimes put the programme being sponsored to shame, so heaven knows the cost involved – so that by the end of the first episode of the series you’ve seen them all at least once and are well on the way to being heartily sick of the sight of them.

And remind me, how are most people watching programmes these days?

That’s right, using series record and catch-up services which mean they can zip through the ads and save themselves 15 minutes of their lives on each instalment.

There is only one benefit from these pathetic snatches of flummery, and that’s giving those of us sprinting through the commercial messages at x32 fast forward a visual alert when they should press the button in a bid to seamlessly rejoin the story without having to fiddle around with the rewind.

Just sticking the word STOP in large letters on the screen for five seconds would do that job just as well, and be a sight cheaper, don’t you think?

“I am the president of the United States of America, clothed in immense power!”

1865,I remember it well… The American Civil War was moving towards its end and US president ‘Honest Abe’ Lincoln – another brilliant turn from Daniel Day-Lewis – was battling to get the landmark constitutional amendment which would forever ban slavery from the United States passed. It seemed an almost hopeless task.

Time was very much against him as it looked like peace was about to be brokered by the Southern states. If that came before the amendment was sealed, those same slave- loving states could stop it becoming law.

It was down to Lincoln to walk a fine line – holding the peace delegation at arm’s length in secret while trying to get enough votes from Congress to get the amendment through.

But at what cost? Would thousands more have to die in the bitter conflict, or could one man make the difference and force his nation to confront its conscience and live with the consequences?

Lincoln is a powerful, epic and soul-searing dramatisation of one of history’s most important men.

The issue of slavery is one that has proved a rich mine of cinematic inspiration but whereas the recent Django Unchained tackles it all guns blazing and with tongue in cheek, Lincoln delves into the political battle for hearts and minds, moral dilemmas and crises of conscience.

Day-Lewis is mesmerising in the lead – but the film packs quality actors in just about every role including John Hawkes and James Spader as lobbyists and some great ‘boo, hiss’ Democrats who oppose the amendment, led by Fernando Wood (Lee Pace).

Tommy Lee Jones is fantastic as the spirited Thaddeus Stevens whose deeply personal motivation to fight to end slavery becomes apparent at the end of the film.

Spielberg is a master craftsman and he plunges deep into Lincoln’s tragic personal life and pulls no punches in exploring his marriage to the wife Mary Todd Lincoln (Sally Field), whose life was blighted by the death of their son Willie, who died of typhoid.

Everything works from the engaging dialogue and incredible cinematography, through to the well judged pacing over the almost three hours.

History never looked so good as it does here and world-changing justice such as Lincoln achieved is well honoured with a truly epic film which deserves your attention.

Armed police are believed to have successfully brought to an end a siege in the centre of Leighton Buzzard tonight.

Officers were called to the Bridge Street area at about 5pm tonight after receiving a call about a man’s safety. They spent five hours outside the flat, believed to be in the Ropa Court area, negotiating with a man who was believed to be in possession of a firearm.

Bridge Street, West Street and Friday Street have all be cordoned off by police.

It was reported on Twitter at 10.30pm tonight that a 42-year-old man in a blood stained tee shirt was led away in handcuffs after first receiving treatment at the scene by paramedics.

There were unconfirmed reports that someone was shot in the street before the alleged gunman retreated to a nearby building.

The siege is now believed to have ended. Bomb experts were on standby throughout.

More follows.

A man who was believed to be in possession of a firearm has been arrested after five hours of negotiations with police officers outside at flat in Leighton last night.

This follows a concerned call made to Beds police for a man’s safety at a flat above Making The Best on Bridge Street at 5pm yesterday evening.

The offender has been taken into police custody after he being arrested in the hallway of his property at 11pm and an imitation firearm was discovered nearby.

Bridge Street, West Street and Friday Street were all be cordoned off by police, but have since been reopened.

@LBOamanda

Leighton Buzzard hit the headlines last night after reports of a man in possession of a firearm on Bridge Street.

Beds Police received the call at 5pm and arrived shortly after alongside emergency services and the bomb disposal unit.

Negotiations with the 42-year-old man took place over five hours until he was taken into police custody after being arrested in the hallway of his property at 11pm.

An imitation firearm was discovered nearby.

> For more pictures of last night’s incident, {http://premiernewspapers.newsprints.co.uk/slideshow/bykwr/p/u/0/1/06%2F02%2F2013.06%2F02%2F2013/leighton|click here to visit Photo Gallery|Photo Gallery} and for further updates follow @LBOamanda

Bedfordshire MPs have been talking about their views on gay marriage after a pivotal House of Commons vote last night.

Andrew Selous, Conservative MP for South West Beds, voted against proposals giving same-sex couples the right to marry..

He said: “I was doing what the overwhelming majority of my constituents asked me to do. My belief is that all the rights and privileges of marriage are fully available within civil partnership.

“I wasn’t happy about changing the meaning of marriage, which has been the same for thousands of years.”

Luton South MP Gavin Shuker did not take part in the vote. He wrote on his blog that he remained concerned that legal challenges to new legislation could be brought, which could see clergy forced to conduct same sex marriages.

Luton North MP Kelvin Hopkins voted in favour of the bill. He said: “Couples who love each other and want to make a long-term commitment to each other, should be able to marry, regardless of their gender or sexuality.”

Mid Beds Conservative MP Nadine Dorries voted against, saying she thought the bill had been “shoddy” and “patronising” towards gay people.

A new watchdog is being launched to monitor health and social care and represent the voice of local residents and patients.

Healthwatch Central Bedfordshire (HCB) will seek and gather the views of patients and social care service users from April as part of changes taking place nationally to put people who use services at the heart of decisions about services.

HCB will be run by as a new independent charity formed by existing local community and voluntary groups who were confirmed as the preferred provider at a meeting of Central Bedfordshire Council’s Executive yesterday (Tuesday).

The new organization will replace the former Local Involvement Network (LINk). It will have three key functions:

Gathering evidence about what health and social care services are actually like. Healthwatch will have statutory powers to enter providers’ premises to see at first hand how services are being delivered. It will then be able to make recommendations to providers who will have to respond.

Informing Central Bedfordshire about what’s on offer locally in terms of health and social care services and how to access them.

Representing local residents at the Health and Wellbeing board, the group that makes the decisions about which health and social care services are provided locally.

All publically funded health services, including hospitals, doctors surgeries and dentists come under Healthwatch’s remit – as do adult and children’s social services.

Councillor Carole Hegley, at Central Beds Council, said: “The creation of Healthwatch Central Bedfordshire is great news for us all. The quality of health and social care services matters a great deal to everyone, and by having an organization with real teeth and the backing of local people we can work together to make sure we’re delivering great services for everyone.

John Gelder, of Healthwatch Central Bedfordshire, said: “Healthwatch is a really great opportunity for residents and carers from across Central Bedfordshire to get involved in the development of local health and social care services. Once established, Healthwatch Central Bedfordshire will work with local voluntary organisations, community groups, providers and residents to ‘tell the story’ of their experiences, identify gaps and work with Central Bedfordshire Council, the NHS and others to improve and promote local services.

“At this stage we are looking to recruit and appoint volunteers prepared to sit on the Board of Healthwatch and contribute to the strategic development and oversight of Healthwatch services locally.”

Wreck-It Ralph

John C. Reilly voices a bullish video game villain unhappy with his lot in Disney’s latest attempt to regain top dog status in the animated film game.

He wanders off to be a hero, dealing with the fallout he leaves in his wake. Decent tale elevated by a real love for nostalgic gaming, animation and design that flows beautifully.

This is a real tongue in cheek reference/homage fest, the animation is wonderful, and the voices are perfect.

At the heart is a great character, full of warmth and empathy thanks to love in his creation, and the presence and humanity of Reilly. Slight, but definitely enjoyable.

Hitchcock

The opposite of enjoyable, tawdry tosh that manages to render a pivotal moment in the career of the most singularly cinematic mainstream film-maker of all time as an embarrassing dud.

The infamous circumstances that brought Alfred Hitchcock’s biggest hit and most notorious work Psycho to the screen are the focus of this film, which makes movie history as engaging as an old soap opera.

There is no mystery, no sense of daring, no suspense and the casting is right off the mark – all mistakes which Hitchcock never made.

There is the potential for a fantastic yarn and treatise on the creative process, but instead it’s a mawkish, black and white marriage and madness fable. Hopkins is poor in the lead role, and indeed only Scarlett Johansson, wonderful as the muse of the day, Janet Leigh, comes away with any real credit.

Warm Bodies

Curious and loveable take on the seemingly undead zombie subgenre. Nicholas Hoult, who first hit the screen in About A Boy but grew up in TV’s Skins, is a zombie. He gets by, just, and has little to look forward to, when he falls in love.

Yep, zombies fall in love, but alas, he doesn’t fall for his ‘own kind’ but a real life breathing flesh and blood still human girl.

played by Teresa Palmer. Directed by Jonathan Levine, who brings the same juggling of genre and tone he managed so successfully in his previous film 50/50 to bear here.

A Night of Wrestling - A Lilly Macglashan Benefit

Total Action Wrestling are putting on a spectacular show on Friday (February 8)to raise funds for brave Dunstable toddler Lilly Macglashan.
The show is at Century House, off Skimpot Road, Luton, with proceeds going towards three-year-old Lilly’s essential neuroblastoma treatment in New York.
Doors open at 7pm. Tickets: £5 (u-16s £2.50), available from www.wegottickets.com/event/199770.

Bedfordshire Police have charged a man in relation to the armed siege which took place in Bridge Street, Leighton Buzzard on Tuesday evening.

Marc McLees, 42, of Bridge Street, Leighton Buzzard has been charged with one count of possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence and one count of communicating false information about a bomb hoax.

McLees has been remanded in custody and is due to appear at Luton Magistrates Court this morning (Thursday).

The man involved in a five hour armed siege with police at a Leighton flat has been remanded in custody after appearing at Luton Magistrates Court this morning.

Marc McLees, 42, of Bridge Street, has been charged with one count of possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence and one count of communicating false information about a bomb hoax.

The incident happened at his home on Tuesday evening at 5pm.

Mr McLees only spoke to confirm his name, address and date of birth.

He will now remain in police custody until his court hearing at Luton Crown Court on February 19.

@LBOamanda

Throughout December Buzzard Sports in North Street were running a promotion to celebrate their first birthday.

Any customer spending a minimum of £10 was entered into a Grand Prize Draw with prizes donated by various suppliers and Buzzard Sports themselves.

Allan Whatmore, chairman of Leighton Linslade District Sports Council selected the winners who were all notified and invited along to Buzzard Sports last month to choose their prizes.

Helen Nottingham, of Buzzard Sports, said: “It was a great success and all the winners were delighted with their prizes.”

The windows of Buzzard Sports are still available for local clubs to promote themselves. Pop in and see Helen for more details.

A person has died following a collision with a vehicle between Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard yesterday evening (February 7).

The incident happened at about 6.30pm, 700m east of the Stanbridge Turn junction of the A505.

Police attended, but the pedestrian was declared dead at the scene. Investigations are ongoing.