Area Of Operation
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As the name implies the Central Bedfordshire Canine Trust is concerned with the complete and entire unitary area of Central Bedfordshire. Any grants and funding we provide are either for groups based in Central Bedfordshire or to groups based in other areas, for the specific and/ or significant purpose and benefit of dogs and residents in Central Bedfordshire. The trusts weekly and training activities are in Kensworth; however one of the trusts strategic objectives is to ensure it works throughout its area of operation which is of course the whole of Central Bedfordshire.
Central Bedfordshire is a unitary authority in the ceremonial county of Bedfordshire, England. It was created from the merger of Mid Bedfordshire and South Bedfordshire on 1 April 2009. In addition to taking over the powers of the two district councils, it has also taken over the powers previously exercised by Bedfordshire County Council in the two districts. A map of Central Bedfordshire (our area of operation) is shown below, along with an administrative history of the new unitary authority. The trust was set up in June 2008 specifically to serve this new unitary area, ready for when the official boundary changes happened in June 2009. |
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Forming The New Unitary Authority
Since 1974, Bedfordshire had been governed as a shire county, mostly under the control of Bedfordshire County Council. It was divided into three local government districts, Bedford Borough, Mid Bedfordshire, and South Bedfordshire. Luton Borough became a unitary authority in 1997.
In 2006 the Department for Communities and Local Government considered reorganising Bedfordshire's administrative structure as part of the 2009 structural changes to local government in England. On 6 March 2008 the DCLG decided to implement creating two unitary authorities: one based on the existing Bedford Borough, and the other, to be known as Central Bedfordshire, a combination of Mid Bedfordshire and South Bedfordshire Districts. (Luton would remain a separate unitary authority.). This meant that from 1 April 2009 there would be three unitary authorities in Bedfordshire - Bedford, Luton and the new Central Bedfordshire. Bedfordshire County Council initially challenged this decision in the High Court, but on 4 April 2008 it was announced the Judicial Review in the High Court had been unsuccessful, and the County Council declared they would not be appealing the decision. Subsequently, a shadow council for Central Bedfordshire was formed from all the members of Mid Bedfordshire and South Bedfordshire councils, as well as all Bedfordshire County Council members from the Central Bedfordshire area. The inaugural meeting of the shadow council was held on 10 April 2008.The first elections were held to the new Central Bedfordshire Council on 4 June 2009.
In 2006 the Department for Communities and Local Government considered reorganising Bedfordshire's administrative structure as part of the 2009 structural changes to local government in England. On 6 March 2008 the DCLG decided to implement creating two unitary authorities: one based on the existing Bedford Borough, and the other, to be known as Central Bedfordshire, a combination of Mid Bedfordshire and South Bedfordshire Districts. (Luton would remain a separate unitary authority.). This meant that from 1 April 2009 there would be three unitary authorities in Bedfordshire - Bedford, Luton and the new Central Bedfordshire. Bedfordshire County Council initially challenged this decision in the High Court, but on 4 April 2008 it was announced the Judicial Review in the High Court had been unsuccessful, and the County Council declared they would not be appealing the decision. Subsequently, a shadow council for Central Bedfordshire was formed from all the members of Mid Bedfordshire and South Bedfordshire councils, as well as all Bedfordshire County Council members from the Central Bedfordshire area. The inaugural meeting of the shadow council was held on 10 April 2008.The first elections were held to the new Central Bedfordshire Council on 4 June 2009.
