Community Action Day in Biggleswade 'a massive success'

Litter picks, safety advice and high visibility patrols were all part of a Community Action Day in Biggleswade.

And residents were given the chance to see how much litter impacts the town with the 'Trash Cube' on display on the Market Square.

The cube contained litter that had been picked up from the pavement around the square in just one day - showing the levels of litter that the council and its contractors manage daily in a bid to encourage people to litter less.

The team also undertook their normal cleaning duties in the area, and the Biggleswade Good Neighbours also took part in a local litter pick.

Central Bedfordshire Council's Community Safety, Environmental Services, Road Safety and Housing Services teams worked together with Bedfordshire Police and Bedfordshire Fire Service to carry out patrols, tidy up areas, and offer helpful advice and information - as well as making improvements to the local area in response to residents' feedback.

Safer Neighbourhood and Safer Communities Partnership Officers patrolled across Biggleswade, with Grand Union Housing Group and Bedfordshire Police talking to residents, providing information about their services and how to report issues.

They shared the Safer Central Survey with residents, and one of the council’s Community Safety Officers also visited the first in-person meeting of the Rotary Club since the start of the pandemic.

The council held several stalls on the market, with teams talking to residents and businesses about a range of community safety issues, offering crime prevention advice, and asking them to fill in the Safer Central Survey.

The team also gave out dog poo bags, pens, torches, and information leaflets and gave visitors to the stalls the opportunity to talk to the council’s leisure and road safety teams.

Residents were also offered the chance to collect Covid-19 rapid test kits during the event.

The council’s parking enforcement team offered advice and guidance to residents, answering questions as well as carrying out their daily duties in the area.

Members of Street Watch patrolled with officers from Community Safety; promoting the great work they do and explaining to residents how they can join them to make a direct impact on making their local community a safer place to live.

And the Biggleswade Community Safety Group carried out a Speed Watch event on London Road, to help raise driver’s awareness of speeding.

The Highways Service also visited Biggleswade during the week to fix broken and sunken paving and slabs.

Councillor Ian Dalgarno, Executive Member for Community Services at Central Bedfordshire Council said: “Our Community Action Day in Biggleswade was a massive success.

"With a range of our officers and teams out in the community it meant we could speak to the public about a variety of topics important to them.

"We are hoping our Biggleswade residents will be able to see an improvement in the area.

“We received positive feedback from residents on the market stall, who praised the teams for their work in keeping the community safe.

"One resident said, ‘the feeling of safety in Biggleswade has improved vastly over the years, I wouldn’t live anywhere else’.”