The borough will commemorate the 80th anniversary of VE (Victory in Europe) Day on Thursday with lots of events taking place throughout the day with wreaths laid at the Riversley Park War Memorial the VE Day flag will be raised and town crier The area outside the building has recently undergone a major makeover which saw the planting areas to the frontage refurbished, with statement hard landscaping along with reinstatement of the floodlighting Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council has secured funding to install an Armed Forces memorial bench This bench will provide a welcome place for rest and reflection for the people of the borough and further confirms the Council’s commitment to the Armed Forces Covenant From 1:30pm to 3:30pm at the Town Hall, there will be a meet and greet with 30 Signal Regiment and Royal British Legion There will be silhouettes of solders on display and the building will be decorated with bunting People can also see a Nuneaton Memories photo display of local VE Day celebrations as well as listen to a performance from the Well Songs singers Artefacts from 1945 will be on display and people can find out about the Home Front in Nuneaton and Bedworth and see drawings and pictures celebrating VE80 from school children there will be free mechanical ponycycles and 1940s music in the Market Place which will be decked with bunting Free all-day parking will be offered at the Harefield Road multi-storey car park. Bedworth will see around 150 soldiers from the 30 Signal and Queens Gurkha Signals regiments exercise their right to parade through the borough.  They will form up and fall out at the Almshouses, with the route similar to the Armistice parade route but not going into the cemetery. The inspection will be in front of the Peace Podium on Sergeant Simon Valentine Way with the parade starting at 9:40am and ending at 11:50am. Tim Cox, the Lord Lieutenant of Warwickshire and Karen Lynch, High Sheriff of Warwickshire will be in attendance, along with Nuneaton and Bedworth Mayor Cllr Bill Hancox. After the parade, Bedworth Armistice Day Parade committee will unveil their latest feature in the 'town that never forgets'. The bespoke remembrance benches will stand either side of the poignant peace podium on Sergeant Simon Valentine Way.  There will be road closures in the town in place from 9:30am until 12:00pm at High Street, Sergeant Simon Valentine Way, part of Coventry Road and King Street. 2025 © Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council who has led the council for almost 12 years The Lib Dems are the second largest party with 14 seats Conservatives had a strong majority before the election Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingWho would Reform join forces with?published at 17:09 British Summer Time 2 May17:09 BST 2 MaySimon GilbertPolitical Reporter The Conservatives would be the obvious choice A joint Reform and Conservative administration would surely be the focus of widespread attention with the recurring incessant chatter around a possible future merging of the two parties The coming days and weeks of political manoeuvring will decide who leads the county But it could significant for the country - depending on the partnerships formed and their success or failure Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingCounty set for a 'completely new broom' - Lib Demspublished at 16:57 British Summer Time 2 May16:57 BST 2 MayDan SambellBBC Radio CWR Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingStratford-upon-Avon is being painted yellowpublished at 16:48 British Summer Time 2 May16:48 BST 2 MaySimon GilbertPolitical Reporter While today has been a huge success for Reform in the north of the county the failure of the Conservative leader Izzi Seccombe to hold on to her seat in Stour & The Vale is more to do with the surge of the Liberal Democrats in Stratford-upon-Avon That’s a town now under Liberal Democrat control after the last district council election when they dethroned the Tories The Liberal Democrats also ousted the Tory MP at the General Election Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingReform happy to work with Tories at a local levelpublished at 16:38 British Summer Time 2 May16:38 BST 2 MayJames BovillBBC News chairman of the Warwick and Leamington branch of Reform has said his party is happy to work with the Conservatives on a local level He said meetings were already planned in terms of working with other parties and Reform was "happy to talk with anyone who thinks they can add value to what we offer" "Reform is a lot more of a centrist party than people expect," he said "They attract just as much from Labour heartlands as Conservative heartlands We’re now at a stage where we understand that Britain is broken Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingA number of coalition options over coming dayspublished at 16:28 British Summer Time 2 May16:28 BST 2 MaySimon GilbertPolitical Reporter It’s not impossible that the other parties could attempt to stifle Reform Tory and Green coalition would have the numbers to keep Reform out of power Perhaps Whitnash Residents Association could become the kingmaker in that scenario Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingFinal result declared with a Liberal Democrat winpublished at 16:13 British Summer Time 2 May16:13 BST 2 MayDan SambellBBC Radio CWR The final result has been declared in Stoneleigh The county council make up is now - nine seats for the Tories 23 Reform and one for the Whitnash Residents Association Election Results, external Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingHow are Labour performing in Warwickshire?published at 16:02 British Summer Time 2 May16:02 BST 2 MaySo far the Labour Party has won seats in: said she would look at provisions for social care We are now waiting to find out who the final four will be Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingReform gains see Tory seat go to Lib Demspublished at 15:18 British Summer Time 2 May15:18 BST 2 MayIn former council leader Izzi Seccombe's Stour & The Vale ward Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingCouncil slips to no overall controlpublished at 15:10 British Summer Time 2 May15:10 BST 2 MaySimon GilbertPolitical Reporter No party will have overall control of Warwickshire County Council Exactly 29 seats are needed for an overall majority and no one party is now able to reach that number Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingReform will be biggest party in Warwickshirepublished at 14:57 British Summer Time 2 May14:57 BST 2 MaySimon GilbertPolitical Reporter The party has currently won 22 seats in the county A further seven are needed for a majority and overall control of the council Reform is likely to look to form a joint administration and create a partnership that will allow it to govern and push the changes members want through council votes Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingWhat does the county council do?published at 14:48 British Summer Time 2 May14:48 BST 2 MaySo what does the county council do for you Other public services in the county council area are controlled by the more local district council Thank you to Michele for this week’s run report Saturday was ‘Let’s Walk’ day at Bedworth parkrun It was fantastic to see so many people walking the course and realising that you don’t have to be super speedy to take part in parkrun Walking is great exercise too and you can probably chat more along the route 30 people came along to Bedworth parkrun for the first time – we hope you enjoyed yourselves and want to come back for more especially the 14 people for whom it was their first taste of a parkrun My Saturday started with a cycle ride to Bedworth – the first time I have managed to cycle there since October It’s a good warm up and no worries about parking Starting Saturday with parkrun is always a good start and my Saturday also finished well when I saw the summary report on Facebook in the evening Once for my 25th volunteer and once in the list of volunteers but the icing on the cake was being the highest age-graded female That certainly came as a lovely surprise and now I have the goal of trying to make that happen again I know there was a lot of controversy last year about the removal of some of the stats by parkrun but I think most people will have their own personal stats and things they aim for I am never going to come first – I started running far too late in life for that – but I do use my age grade as a weathervane for my running and I hope others will continue to chase for their own goals; be that a PB or a higher age-grade or so well done to all of you and also well done to Deepra Sinha parkrun wouldn’t happen and it’s fun to see things from the other side too © parkrun Limited (Company Number: 07289574) No part of this site may be reproduced in whole or in part in any manner without the permission of the copyright owner Unsung heroes making a difference across Nuneaton and Bedworth are being urged to step forward for a groundbreaking new scheme offering free access to local leisure facilities Everyone Active, which runs Pingles Leisure Centre, Bedworth Leisure Centre and Jubilee Sports Centre in partnership with Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council wants to support projects which are tackling local issues and changing lives The award-winning operator has launched its Community Champions scheme today with the aim of building stronger communities and recognising the dedication of those who go above and beyond supporting inclusivity or leading environmental or cultural projects are being encouraged to apply It can be a charitable initiative or a project that is small or targeted Successful applicants will secure valuable use of facilities within their local leisure centres Everyone Active will raise awareness of this work to strengthen connections encourage civic engagement and foster a culture of giving back Those selected for the Community Champions scheme are also in with a chance of being shortlisted for the Champions Awards in autumn of this year Everyone Active is also poised to launch its all-new Colleague Champions scheme which will recognise and reward Everyone Active employees who consistently go above and beyond in their roles.  It will celebrate the provision of exceptional customer service leadership and dedication to Everyone Active’s values.  Applications for both Community Champions and Colleague Champions opens today and closes on June 2 Applications can be submitted via the Champions website at www.ea-champions.com Everyone Active’s area contract manager “We are hugely excited to launch the Community Champions scheme which we hope will make a real difference in Nuneaton and Bedworth “We want to highlight the work of everyday heroes who are changing people’s lives and inspiring others to make a positive impact in their communities community projects and charitable initiatives to get their applications in so we can support the fantastic work that you do.” Everyone Active also runs the Sporting Champions scheme which empowers aspiring athletes to achieve their full potential through access to state-of-the-art training facilities and invaluable mentoring support from Olympians and Paralympians Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council (NBBC) reached a significant milestone today on its new Physical Activity Hub as stakeholders gathered to celebrate completion of the superstructure Work has been progressing well at the Hub since it commenced in September last year with the steel works for the entire Hub now fully erected The next phase of the project will focus on advancing the pool structure featuring a colour scheme and design which will honour the historical ribbon weaving heritage of Bedworth if all the building work continues to run as planned the facility will be completed and fully operational from Autumn 2026 Taking place alongside the main Hub construction a new toucan crossing point leading into Miners’ Welfare Park will be created with future works focusing on the formation of a cycling and permanent walking footpath The project has been financed using Levelling Up funds provided by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government Pathfinder Programme, along with funding from Sport England and the Council itself “I am tremendously pleased with the progress that the Activity Hub is making “Our construction team BAM are doing an excellent job of keeping the project on track whilst delivering it to an extremely high standard.  “Not only are we progressing well with the Hub construction but are simultaneously seeing the new pathways and access routes to the centre also take shape “I am looking forward to seeing further exciting advancements on this new facility as it moves to completion.” Executive Director for Place at Sport England “Construction of the Bedworth Physical Activity Hub is making great progress – this is exciting to see.  This is so much more than a sport and physical activity facility.  “ The Hub is being cleverly designed and built to connect communities linking users into the active environment on their doorstep so they can make full use of the nearby green spaces “We know that the investment we have made will have a huge impact on the residents of Nuneaton and Bedworth changing their lives for the better by creating places and spaces – indoor and outdoor - for them to be active.” Minister for Local Growth and Building Safety “I am pleased that work is progressing on the Activity Hub in Bedworth which promises to be a brilliant focal point for local people “We are committed to supporting communities up and down the country and it’s projects like this one that we want to see The Hub will bring people together while boosting exercise opportunities for people of all ages.” who is responsible for the construction of the new facility added: “BAM is thrilled to be involved in the delivery of Bedworth Physical Activity Hub for NBBC which will provide a new standard of leisure and recreation services in the area “We’re currently involved in a number of projects across Nuneaton and Bedworth including Higham Lane North Academy and the ‘Grayson Place’ leisure development on Abbey Street “BAM is also engaged in numerous social sustainability initiatives encouraging future generations into the industry and widening awareness of potential employment opportunities across Nuneaton and Bedworth “The significant investment involved in creating new education and leisure facilities will support growth in the area leaving a legacy of BAMs commitment to the helping NBBC achieve its transformative ambition of ‘Building a Better Borough.” The ad-free version is ready for purchase on iOS mobile app today we couldn't find that page";var n=e.querySelector("h2");return n&&n.remove(),{staticContent:e,title:t}},d=function(e){var t=document.createElement("button");return t.innerText=e,t.classList.add("error-page-button"),t},f=function(e){var t=document.createElement("div");t.id="recirculation-404",t.classList.add("brand-hint-bg");var n="\n \n \n Tick here if you would like us to send you the author’s response Our free email updates are the best way to get headlines direct to your inbox Thank you for subscribing!We have more newsletters West Midlands Ambulance Service and local police officers also attended The fire is said to have started in the kitchen of a house All people living their had already evacuated when fire crews arrived which is understood to have happened around Hayes Lane in Bedworth was shared online by Nuneaton Fire Station's social media accounts Read more: Three boys have gone missing from Coventry A post on Facebook states: "Two crews from Nuneaton Green Watch attended a house fire reported this afternoon with one fire crew from Foleshill Station, West Midlands Ambulance Service and Nuneaton and Bedworth Police The Fire investigation is ongoing at present all persons were out of the property at the time of the kitchen fire "Crews used four firefighters in breathing apparatus to search the property with high pressure hose reel jets to extinguish the kitchen fire and then positive pressure ventilation to clear the heavily smoke logged home of heat and smoke "Green Watch Fire Crews will be making an attendance in the morning around Hayes Lane Exhall Bedworth to offer support and advice around fire safety to the residents in the local area you can come talk to Green Watch and book a safe and well check - we will offer smoke detectors and equipment - it's free "Takes about 20 mins to give you advice on how to keep yourself and your family safe from fire and how to escape safety if a fire occurred." Warwickshire Police attended and said there was there was "nothing suspicious" so there is no further police involvement West Midlands Ambulance Service have been approached for more information Story SavedYou can find this story in  My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right Plans for the Bedworth Christmas Lights switch-on event on Saturday have been scaled back due to safety concerns with the forecasted weather This decision has been made alongside event partners who agreed that operations would not be safe in the expcted 50mph winds and heavy rain Alternative dates were considered with a view to rescheduling the event but without promise the weather will improve and the availability of traders means the event will go ahead but with changes for safety reasons there will be plenty of crafts and stall traders throughout the day Bedworth Covered Market will be open in the daytime between 8:00am and 2:00pm with Bedworth Methodist Church next door opening from 10:00am until 1:00pm with its craft and church fair you can find the Civic Hall’s Christmas Fayre from 11:00am until 4:00pm D&K Christmas market traders have found a new home in All Saints Church from 2:00pm until 8:00pm with D&K Bedworth Covered Christmas Market open from 4:00pm to 8:00pm The Covered Market will be filled with traders Bedworth’s Christmas lights will be switched on Candidates in Nuneaton and Bedworth have been confirmed for the upcoming Warwickshire County Council Election with all 57 divisions across the county electing one councillor to each division on a four-year term in office Voters in Nuneaton and Bedworth will elect 13 councillors from the confirmed candidates in as many divisions The divisions to be elected to in the borough are: The electoral divisions remain the same as those used at the previous election in 2021 If you are voting in person, remember to bring your photo ID. You can find out more about the accepted forms of photo ID Voters have several key dates to remember: County Council elections are administered by borough and district councils on behalf of Warwickshire County Council A big step forward in improving links to and from Bedworth town centre and the new Bedworth Physical Activity Hub will start being put in place this month Warwickshire County Council Highways Directorate will install a new crossing point on Sergeant Simon Valentine Way and a cycle path leading into Miners’ Welfare Park The works are financed using Levelling Up funds secured by Nuneaton and Bedworth Council and provided by the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government Pathfinder Programme along with funding from Sport England and the Council itself The crossing works are planned to start the week commencing Monday Some traffic management controls will need to be in place at times during the work and both Councils are asking for the public’s tolerance and understanding of any inconvenience that results during the project Additional path works will also separately be being undertaken by NBBC’s Activity Hub construction contractors BAM near the mountain bike trail skills area to start to create some of the new and wider permanent tarmac paths leading to the hub This work will involve a very short path diversion being put in place during two working weeks but Parkrun routing at the weekend will be unaffected That Activity Hub path work is scheduled to start on Monday Warwickshire County Council Portfolio Holder for Transport and Planning “This new crossing and cycle path represent a significant step forward in connecting Bedworth town centre with the exciting new Physical Activity Hub “These improvements will not only promote active travel and healthier lifestyles but also future-proof further planned active travel connections and play a vital role in the wider regeneration of Bedworth supporting economic growth and enhancing connectivity for residents." Communities and Health at Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council “We apologise for any inconvenience that the additional path works near the Physical Activity Hub cause but have worked closely with BAM as our Activity Hub construction contractor to absolutely minimise any impacts on park users “Can we please ask people visiting the park during that time to follow any signage and any directions given by construction site staff  “We have tried to keep a path circuit open and available at all times around the park for residents during the construction period and doing that necessitates occasional minor adjustments to the route that the temporary path circuit takes “The alternative would have been to close off the circuit around the park fully for much longer periods so we ask for your understanding while we work towards a new Physical Activity Hub for Bedworth fully fit for the 21st century and towards the enhanced park facilities.’’ A series of updates to car park facilities in the borough designed to improve user experience and streamline the parking process for residents and visitors will be introduced shortly A major update includes the installation of new backlit These machines address the common issue of faded keypads making it difficult to enter a registration number and ensures that the process can be made quickly and easily regardless of the time of day but particularly during the evening and winter months when visibility is reduced a £1 for one hour fee has been reintroduced replacing the £1.50 for three hours previously available The revised pricing tariffs is designed to be fair and simple while still offering affordable parking options cashless payment methods have been introduced across all car parks with new machines that exclusively accept Contactless payments This measure improves the overall reliability of the parking machines as coin jams and damage caused by vandals attempting to gain access to them has been negated The Contactless payment approach also ensures that motorists no longer need to carry coinage for the correct denominations to pay for their parking and do not need to pay more than the board price as the previous machines were unable to dispense change The new parking machines also provide real-time feedback on usage for example the time periods motorists are parking An Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) system will also be introduced at the Rope Walk car park This cutting-edge technology will eliminate the need for paper tickets reducing the risk of lost or damaged tickets and associated fees Leisure centres across the borough will still benefit from three hours of free parking which allows visitors to enjoy the facilities without worrying about parking costs. Leisure centre car park users will still need to enter their registration number on the parking machines to ensure their session is timed for the free parking and display a ticket The car parking improvements will reduce waste and time spent emptying parking machines RingGo the mobile parking provider to Council-owned car parks Users are reminded to check any additional fees when paying for parking using this method Portfolio Holder for Business and Regeneration “These new initiatives are part of our ongoing effort to modernise and improve the parking experience in Nuneaton and Bedworth “By introducing backlit touch machines we are making parking more convenient and efficient for everyone “The changes are designed to reduce waste and ensure our car parks remain easy to use for years to come.” short stay and leisure centre car parks across the borough remain free to use between the hours of 6:00pm and 8:00am Our new Wellbeing Arts Walks are a tremendous mixture blending walking and local arts and culture and then a chat with the opportunity for coffee afterwards The walks starts and ends inside Abbey Theatre They consist of an arts talk about artwork and sculpture which were created by local artists and groups Assistant Director for Recreation and Culture at Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council “Each week has a different art focus and it is fantastic to learn more about the area it is a great way to engage children with their local community and art.’’ Work is set to get under way to repair two steel columns at Pingles Leisure Centre in Nuneaton Contractors have this week started on works at Pingles Leisure Centre with internal mating protection of the leisure water pool tank and at the area where steel work will take place Specialist steel contractors will start the work at the Avenue Road building at the beginning of May equipment will then be returned to the health and fitness suite so it can reopen as soon as possible an ultrasound test will be undertaken to confirm the exact remedial works required on the steel columns and a time scale will then be agreed to complete all the steel works painting of all the steel works will be undertaken in this area the whole area will have a high-level clean and the leisure water pool will be refilled and water treated to allow access again “Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council and Everyone Active would like to thank centre users and borough residents for their patience during this time.’’ Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council has served notice to Bedworth Civic Hall CIO following its inability to sign the lease agreement to continue operating Bedworth Civic Hall Bedworth Civic Hall CIO was the chosen bidder to operate the Bedworth town centre venue after a public engagement exercise was opened in November 2022 to allow for viable expressions of interest to be submitted to the Council for consideration This submission included contributions from the Council towards insurance and the authority paying three months’ worth of utility costs along with a 12-month rent-free period before payments toward the rental fee would start A considerable amount of time and effort has gone into reaching the position that a lease agreement could be signed including 300 hours’ worth of officer time and additional costs in legal expenses Discussions with Bedworth Civic Hall CIO continued following a pre-agreement which saw the Council spend significant funds on repair works in addition to regular maintenance required from the authority as a competent and established landlord These costs were invested into the building to ensure the venue was operational and Bedworth Civic Hall reopened its doors to audiences for its return show on Friday was communicated to Bedworth Civic Hall CIO as the deadline for the lease agreement to be signed and the Council can confirm this was not completed Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council will now consider its options to ensure Bedworth Civic Hall is operational again for the people of Bedworth and surrounding areas Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council has bucked the national upward trend in fly tipping with a reduction in its borough of over 10 per cent Fly tipping statistics from the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) for the year 23/24 shows that the total reported incidents for the borough of Nuneaton and Bedworth have fallen by 200 from the previous year and that there has been an increase in actions taken by the Council in tackling the issue With every other Council in Warwickshire seeing an increase in fly-tipping and NBBC being the largest borough Council Portfolio Holder for Planning and Enforcement "The latest figures show that our continued focus on enforcement and rapid response is making a real difference “We are committed to keeping our borough clean and ensuring that those who dump waste illegally are held accountable and we will continue working to improve further." Portfolio Holder for Environment and Public Services “While there has been reported increase in incidents of six per cent nationally in fly-tipping I’m pleased that we have bucked the national trend with a reduction in Nuneaton and Bedworth of over 10% “We will continue to work hard to keep the borough clean taking action against those who choose to blight the lives of others through their actions.” the Government published the English Devolution White Paper This review would result in the abolition of the remaining two-tier local government across the country and establishing unitary government in their place This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to review the local government structures within our area and in our opinion businesses and staff to ensure that this be considered properly the Minister of State for Local Government and English Devolution also received on 16 December 2024 further details were provided on how this Local Government Review would be achieved “My intention is to formally invite unitary proposals in January 2025 from all councils in two-tier areas I will set out further detail on the criteria I will consider when taking decisions on the proposals that are submitted to Government I intend to ask for interim plans by March 2025.” Whilst we as Leaders of four District and Boroughs from across Warwickshire collectively welcome the opportunities that devolution may bring to our communities we are concerned about the haste in relation to Local Government Review which is being taken by Warwickshire County Council The County Council informed the Warwickshire District and Borough Councils at a meeting on Thursday 19 December 2024 (just three days after the publication of the White Paper) that a submission will be made from the County Council to Government by 10 January 2025 This submission will not only be seeking the deferral of the scheduled May 2025 elections but will also propose without any debate with the District and Borough Councils that a single Warwickshire Unitary Authority be formed as soon as possible and that when formed this authority would then become a member of the West Midlands Combined Authority The White Paper suggests that Government will consider postponing Local Elections scheduled in May 2025 (such as the Warwickshire County Council elections) where this would either help “unlock devolution arrangements” or if the area is included in the “Devolution Priority Programme.” We do not believe that either of the situations are relevant to Warwickshire it is far from clear as to whether a Warwickshire Unitary Authority would be allowed to join the West Midlands Combined Authority On this point Richard Parker in a recent BBC interview is reported to have stated: “I think the Warwickshire issue was dealt with at that time and is now in another place So I do not envisage the boundaries of this combined authority being extended." In response to the stated position from the County Council we have written to Councillor Isobel Seccombe “We urge you withhold from requesting the deferral of the May 2025 elections we would all wish to urgently enter meaningful and constructive discussions with the existing principal authorities within the County of Warwickshire to help properly consider the options that exist.” We therefore look forward to a positive response from the County Council on this matter If the County Council do proceed with their planned submission then we will be making it clear to the Minister of State for Local Government and English Devolution that we do not support the proposal from the County Council Leader of North Warwickshire Borough Council: Cllr David Wright Leader of Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council: Cllr Chris Watkins Leader of Stratford-on-Avon District Council: Cllr Susan Juned Leader of Warwick District Council: Cllr Ian Davison Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council is delighted to announce additional market days to help residents and visitors make the most of the festive season The extra market days provide the perfect opportunity for shoppers to pick up last-minute Christmas gifts and enjoy the vibrant atmosphere of Nuneaton and Bedworth’s markets Market days in the borough will take place on: The additional market days will be welcomed following the cancellation of markets in recent weeks because of poor weather conditions “These extra market days are a wonderful opportunity for traders to showcase their unique and wide range of goods during the busy festive period “Many traders are familiar faces to the communities of Nuneaton and Bedworth and bring plenty of enthusiasm to the borough on market days “We encourage market visitors to come along and soak up the holiday spirit while supporting market traders and small businesses.” You can now sign up to the 2025-2026 green bin collection service If you sign up before Friday you will receive your permit sticker in time for the start of the new service on Monday The service costs £40 per bin per year Residents can sign up for the service at any point throughout the year however there are no discounts if residents sign up at a later date If you are subscribed to the current 2024/25 service you will continue to receive collections until Friday There are no green bin collections for the last two weeks of January 2025 (Monday Portfolio holder for Environment and Public Services “If you would like to sign up for the 2025/26 green bin service we suggest you sign up by 17 January so that you don’t miss the start of the service “You can use the green bin service for all your garden waste so it really is a useful service that I would encourage everyone to sign up for.” Works to provide a new Toucan crossing facility and a shared use path into Miners’ Welfare Park in Bedworth is due to commence next week which will be installed on Sergeant Simon Valentine Way will greatly improve access between the park and the town centre.  The works are expected to take approximately six weeks and are likely to cause some disruption with traffic management controls needing to be in place at times during the work.  Central Government Levelling Up Fund (LUF) Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) Warwickshire County Council is supporting the Borough Council in the design We kindly ask the public for their tolerance and understanding of any inconvenience that results during these works as we look to bring you this brand-new facility “The Toucan crossing will not only allow for easier access between the town centre and the park but it will also encourage active travel as well as providing a specific area where cyclists and pedestrians can cross the road safely.” “We apologise for any inconvenience that these works will cause and continue to work closely with our construction contractor to minimise the impact as much as possible.” Our free Nuneaton & Bedworth email updates are the best way to get headlines direct to your inbox Council officials have said that the Easter Bank Holidays will not impact bin collections in Nuneaton and Bedworth The local authority has said that there will be no changes to refuse collections over Easter the council itself will closed the doors to the Town Hall for several days "Nuneaton Town Hall and Customer Services will close at 5pm on Thursday, 17 April," the council has said. "The phones lines will reopen at 9am and Nuneaton Town Hall will reopen to those with pre-booked appointments from 10am on Tuesday There will be no changes to refuse collections." READ MORE: 'I'm going out with a bang' - Nuneaton breast care champion's unusual retirement READ MORE: Council response to rough sleepers outside Nuneaton's old Woolworths Easter activities are being held at the nearby Nuneaton Art Gallery and Museum in Riversley Park there will be a 'make a moving Easter bunny;' session followed by make a chick egg holder on Good Friday Both sessions will run from 11am until 3pm To celebrate National Pet Month on Thursday visitors can make their own caged bird thaumatrope and a pet mouse on Friday Activities are free but donations are welcomed and all children must be accompanied by an adult Councillors of Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council have agreed budgeted spending plans of £109.8m at their meeting on Wednesday The £109.8m expenditure is broken down below as: The budget sets out its detailed spending and funding which was ratified at the Full Council meeting the same evening After a draft budget deficit for 2025/26 of £2.96m was forecast in December 2024 The Council made careful decisions to balance the budget for 2025/26 with a projected underspend of around £73,000 for the 2024/25 financial year Alongside previous years the budget was able to contain some growth with particular attention being paid to maintenance issues and IT systems to improve efficiencies and enable works to begin on a planned maintenance programme a Council Tax increase by the maximum limit of 2.99% was agreed equating to a £7.88 a year increase in the Borough Council’s share to a band D property The remainder of the increase is received by Warwickshire County Council and the Office of the Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner The Borough Council’s share equates to 11.32% Increases in fees and charges were agreed at 2.5%, although a flat £5 increase has been introduced to the green bin scheme subscription This is the first time the green bin scheme has seen an increase in price since the £40 charge was introduced in 2018 Council housing rents will increase by 2.7% which adheres to the formula allowed by government of 1% plus September’s Consumer Price Index The Housing Revenue Account for the current year is projected to balance at a net zero position Total income projections for 2025/26 are set at £32.1million Car Park charges have been revised to reintroduce the £1 for the first hour rate with reduced rates for town centre parking being available at Harefield Road multi-storey all the ticket machines are being modernised to take contactless payments and to provide real-time feedback on usage Portfolio Holder for Resources and Customer Service "I am delighted we have been able to produce a balanced budget which includes an improved approach to proper planning and maintenance “We have allocated resources to enable significant element of service delivery reviews such as waste services and street cleaning “Listening to our residents we are hearing loud and clear that they want a tidy borough and that is what we intend to deliver.” Leader of Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council "We are concentrating our efforts to ensure that empty properties in the borough are brought back into use or the benefit of everybody “Money has been allocated in our budget to employ an officer to collate all the facts about the empty properties so that these can be brough back on to the valuation list “Funds have been included in the budget to continue building new Council properties which is one of the main concerns of the residents who contact me “I am proud of Nuneaton and Bedworth and this budget presents a first move towards making the borough a great place to live and work." BAM Construction has now enclosed a limited area of Miners' Welfare Park to create the working area for the creation of the new Bedworth Physical Activity Hub the Coventry Road footpath entrance to the park near Rectory Drive has been closed for the duration of the works but a temporary tarmac path instead runs into the park from only a few metres away at an entrance next to the Black Bank pub The Leisure Centre access road off Coventry Road and footways are fully open The Leisure Centre, including car parking, will remain fully open until the new Activity Hub is opened for use.  The rest of the park also remains fully open The only facilities affected or withdrawn are some parts of the disc golf provision and the green gym equipment The skatepark had also been withdrawn previously due to structural issues A new skatepark will be provided as part of the Activity Hub Most of the green gym equipment will also be reinstalled later in the Activity Hub works and will become available again when the new Hub is opened while some unavoidable changes must be made to one park entrance point and to some pathways the Leisure Centre and its car parking will remain fully open and accessible until the new Activity Hub is here the majority of Miners’ Welfare Park and all its key recreational facilities are fully open still and will remain so while the Activity Hub is under construction “Once the new Hub building itself opens and a new children’s ‘Learn to Ride’ area.” Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council is pleased to announce the start of building works on the new Physical Activity Hub The Hub will replace the existing 1970’s-built leisure centre and will serve the community for the next 40 plus years significantly helping to increase active recreation opportunities for both children and adults As well as offering improved access for those with physical disabilities, the new Hub boasts several impressive facilities including a new 25-metre eight-lane community pool and learner pool 100-station fitness suite and a fitness studio there will also be many opportunities for people to take part in physical activity including a green gym area an all wheels skate park and a learn to ride facility - adding to the already popular new mountain bike trail This exciting project has been brought to fruition with the help of £2.5 million funding from Sport England and £14.95 million pounds worth of funding from the Ministry of Housing “From the pool in which you learn to swim to the all-weather pitch on which you might first kick or throw a ball the role of your local places is instrumental in helping people to be physically active “Sport England is therefore delighted to be funding and supporting the creation of a new community-focused Physical Activity Hub in Bedworth and we look forward to seeing the plans become a reality.” “The new sports centre in Bedworth will be an amazing asset to the local community and I am delighted that work is getting underway at the site “The centre will provide brilliant new opportunities for local children and adults to get active and have fun helping bring the community together in the process.” who is responsible for the construction of the new facility “It’s truly exciting that BAM gets to play a leading role in bringing this project to life Building this cutting-edge facility should inspire generations to come community-centred space that helps people get active through diverse sports and leisure activities “We look forward to working with our client and supplier network to deliver this outstanding physical activity hub.” Communities and Health was delighted with the news “I am extremely pleased to see us break ground on this fantastic new facility It hasn’t been without its challenges The project had to be paused and revised due to the world economic situation and very significant inflation “We are very proud of this project; it will be an impressive state-of-the-art facility which will offer so much to the people of the borough and their families helping to improve health and wellbeing for many generations to come “We are very grateful to Sport England and the MHCLG for their ongoing support and funding we couldn’t have achieved this without their help I’m very much looking forward to seeing the facility grow and flourish.” Signing up to the green bin service by Friday ensures you will receive your permit sticker in time for the start of the new service on Monday The service costs £40 per bin, per year. Residents can sign up for a green bin online quickly and easily “If you sign up to the service by 17 January “It makes sense to sign up now and ensure you can take advantage of the full year’s service.” This year the Festival of Arts Art Exhibition is back at the Museum this is the largest number of submissions ever filling the White and Yellow Galleries Visitors will be amazed by the number and quality of the work currently on display and includes work from children The Festival of Arts takes place each year in the borough and is organised by a team of volunteers It includes not only visual arts but also speech Local artists have been hard at work creating the selections and subject matter includes portraits With artworks often for sale at reasonable prices there’s also a chance visitors can take their favourite home and as with all shows currently on display is Take 3 is our craft show Claire Fell has brought her textile creations including pictures Jo Lovell's jewellery features Tibetan silver and unusual stones and John Freeman has brought his framed prints of local landmarks While at the Museum why not check out our temporary exhibitions For opening hours visit the Nuneaton Museum & Art Gallery webpage Warwickshire residents are invited to learn more about Warwickshire County Council’s Kind Communities Kind Food events Warwickshire residents who would like to find out how to eat more healthily and contribute to the environment in more sustainable ways are invited to learn more about Warwickshire County Council’s (WCC) Kind Communities Kind Food events Kind Communities Kind Food is a County Council-led community engagement programme that provides live cooking demonstrations and free information about how to adopt healthier lifestyles as well as other food-related community support At least seven of these types of events have already been delivered within the past year The most recent Kind Communities Kind Food event took place on Saturday 21 September at The Harbour Centre in Bedworth organised by WCC’s Community Partnerships Service and the Equality & Inclusion Partnership (EQuIP) in collaboration with Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council At the event, over fifty visitors enjoyed three cooking demonstrations by Sheela Hammond and James Morrison, who are both Warwickshire Food Champions volunteers and Dominika Stockham from WCC’s Community Partnerships Service team The demonstrations showed how to prepare easy-to-make and affordable dishes and provided the opportunity for attendees to pick-up free recipe cards and sample some of the meals created CEO of the Equality and Inclusion Partnership (EQuIP) also delivered a talk to explain the benefits of using slow cookers At the end of the event sixteen slow cookers the Store Manager at Argos (Gallagher Retail Park branch) were given out for free to attendees who wished to start slow-cooking meals themselves Notable visitors at this event included the Leader of Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council The Kind Communities Kind Food events are also a great opportunity for organisations working across the county to share useful information with residents Organisations in attendance this time included Think Active who provided free sports clothing and kit to attendees; representatives from the Harbour Centre team; Warwickshire Community and Voluntary Action (WCAVA); Warwickshire Rural Community Council (WRCC); Warwickshire Police; and WCC’s Community Partnership Service and Food Champion volunteers Warwickshire County Council Portfolio Holder for Environment “The Kind Communities Kind Food events are a great initiative that support the wider work of the Warwickshire Food Strategy providing free cooking demonstrations as well as support and resources to create opportunities for people to live happier “It's great to see so many people coming together to learn more about healthy food and well-being changes and I encourage residents to attend these free events which promote ways to enjoy healthier diets across the county which are affordable and sustainable” The Kind Communities Kind Food events contribute towards the wider work of the Warwickshire Food Strategy 2023-26 which has been developed by the Warwickshire Food Forum partnership The Strategy focuses on providing better access to affordable and healthy food raising awareness and education about healthy food choices and promoting sustainable food to help reduce carbon emissions and support biodiversity To learn more, visit the Warwickshire Food Strategy webpages on SearchOut Warwickshire For residents in need of food or other cost-of-living support, visit www.costoflivingwarwickshire.co.uk First photo (from left to right): Cllr Tim Jenkins Sheela Hammond and James Morrison (both Food Champions) and Mike Slemensek the next steps to repair the steel columns in the leisure water area at Pingles Leisure Centre have begun the leisure pool will be drained in order for a contractor to undertake a propping solution and arrange for an ultrasound to be carried out on the steel columns to assess the level of repair work required Pool draining is a necessary requirement in preparation for the propping works to be undertaken the relevant repair works to the steel columns will commence along with any additional maintenance repairs required to the pool In order to carry out the repair work safely temporary propping will be erected to support the area It is estimated that the temporary propping will be installed in late March or early April foundation investigation works will also be carried out externally to the leisure pool area which will involve some digging into the ground to assess the foundations The smaller leisure pool area will remain closed and access will remain restricted as it is currently to part of the gym space until this work has been completed Working with Everyone Active, the main pool, gym and studio services will continue exactly how they are currently running, all of which are available to book online It is not anticipated that there will be any further disruption to these facilities during the time of these ongoing works “We are doing our utmost to carry out the investigation and repair works as swiftly as possible whilst trying to minimise disruption for Pingles users “We apologise for any inconvenience caused I’m sure the public will understand the necessary requirement that this work is carried out with efficiency and accuracy to ensure the safety of everyone working at or using the centre and for that we thank you for your patience whilst we carry out these repairs.” Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council is reminding residents of the changes to dates and times that services will operate during the festive period Customer Services will be unavailable during the festive period with phone lines closing at 3:00pm on Tuesday The Town Hall will also be closed during this time However, information can still be found on the website along with further details of changes to our services and out of hours emergencies can be notified on 02476 382 153 Changes to bin collection dates will be necessary to ensure that households still have their waste collected during the Christmas and New Year period Only households whose regular refuse collections fall on Wednesday and Thursday will notice the change with rescheduled collections taking place on either the Saturday before or following Households with a rescheduled collection will receive a postcard confirming the new date, and can view their bin calendar online To guarantee you do not miss out on having your waste or recycling collected bins should be presented by the usual time of 7:00am on the rescheduled collection date Remember, only additional recycling or household waste that can fit inside an empty bin with the lid closed can safely be collected by refuse crews The easiest way to sign up for the green bin service is online and is priced at £40 Subscribers to the 2024/25 Green Bin service should note that collections will be suspended for the last two weeks of January from Monday for those who have signed up to the 2025/2026 green bin service Residents should ensure they are signed up to the 2025/2026 green bin service by Friday and to avoid missing out on collections when the new service begins The Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) has been actioned as temperatures go below freezing In line with national guidance, the Protocol aims to help rough sleepers during periods of extreme weather SWEP comes into force when the forecast predicts temperatures will drop to zero degrees Celsius or below for three consecutive nights and will end when the temperature is no longer freezing SWEP is a national initiative that gives Local Housing Authorities the responsibility to temporarily accommodate anyone homeless in severe weather conditions regardless of the usual restrictive criteria that would apply under normal weather conditions Councils will accommodate homeless people regardless of priority need The Council’s Housing Solutions Team will arrange the most appropriate accommodation available at the time homeless individuals will be given advice and assistance to assist them to secure alternative accommodation where possible or anyone worried about someone sleeping on the streets can phone either of these numbers to report where the individual is Housing Solutions Service at the Town Hall on 024 7637 6376 during office hours or the Out of Hours service on 024 7638 2153 at other times Council Leader and Portfolio Holder for Housing “We know that rough sleepers are particularly at risk of harm when temperatures drop and we are committed to helping them get the support they need please get in touch as soon as possible using the above contact details.” Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council is aware of rumours circulating on social media alleging that the new Hampton-by-Hilton Hotel is being used to accommodate illegal migrants The Council would like to make it clear that these claims are entirely false The Hampton-by-Hilton Hotel, which is part of the first phase of the Abbey Street development in Nuneaton is a commercial venture designed to support local businesses and visitors and is the initial part of the regeneration of Nuneaton town centre The Council understands that misinformation can be worrying and encourages the community to rely on verified sources for accurate updates on developments within the borough Hate crimes can be reported to Warwickshire Police through their website or by calling 101 Equip runs Report a Hate Crime - Warwickshire Hate Crime Partnership where Hate incidents can be reported and shared with Warwickshire Police if the option is chosen The next few months will see changes to car parking charges across the borough with more flexible ways to pay and reductions in long-stay fees We are also delighted to reintroduce the £1 for the first hour charge which will benefit those who just want to pop into town for a quick errand The revised car parking fees will provide flexibility of stay for users and increase the turnover of spaces in the most popular car parks to provide more availability through the day Long stay fees will be reduced in leisure centre car parks to enable users to increase their usage at leisure facilities and green spaces A discounted fee option in Harefield Road car park will benefit those working in Nuneaton town centre commuting to work or those who wish to stay in the town centre longer The introduction of up-to-date car park payment machines also means contactless payments and Apple Pay will be accepted ensuring ease of use for customers and providing a significant saving for the Council on the cost of collecting the cash from the machines It will also be possible for the Borough Council to view car park use in real time and track trends over a period so that charges can be altered depending on demand reducing long-stay charges on less well used car parks Portfolio holder for Business and Regeneration “This is a really positive move for car parking in the borough There are many benefits and lots of increased flexibility giving people options for how they use the car parks “As well as a reduction in costs for people popping into the town for a quick visit the revised fees will also benefit commuters working in the town centre and those using the leisure facilities “I hope residents and visitors can see the advantages and benefit from the ease in which they will be able use and pay for their parking.” XFASTINDEX Bedworth’s new sports centre – the Physical Activity Hub – will replace an existing leisure centre built in the 1970s Bam is main contractor for Nuneaton & Bedworth Borough Council Inside the new facility will be a 25-metre a 100-station fitness suite and a fitness studio Outside there will also be a green gym area a skate park and a learn to ride bicycles facility The project is backed by £2.5m from Sport England and £14.95m from the Ministry of Housing Bam regional director Adam Harding said: “It’s truly exciting that Bam gets to play a leading role in bringing this project to life community-centred space that helps people get active through diverse sports and leisure activities.” Got a story? Email news@theconstructionindex.co.uk 16 hours Following a recent expansion into North America, Murphy Group has now entered Australia. 3 days A Devon housing development has emerged as the centre of a web of corruption. 45 minutes MTX Contracts has been selected as the preferred bidder to build a diagnostic centre in Pitsea, Essex. 45 minutes House-builder Springfield Properties has promoted Darren Thomson to construction director for its north of Scotland operations. 16 hours Controversial government plans to allow developers to pay into a central nature levy to offset local environmental harms are generating increasing opposition. 3 days Dolphin Living has appointed The Hill Group to deliver the redevelopment of the New Era housing estate in Hackney. © 2025 The Construction Index [Company No ' + response[i].created_nice + ' ' + response[i].description + ' Up-and-coming athletes in Nuneaton and Bedworth have the chance to take their sporting careers to the next level with Everyone Active's Sporting Champions scheme Relaunched this month for the ninth consecutive year the programme empowers aspiring athletes to achieve their full potential through access to state-of-the-art training facilities and mentoring support from Olympians and Paralympians it has elevated the sporting careers of more than 6,000 athletes by providing them free access to Everyone Active's 240-plus leisure centres nationwide These include Pingles Leisure Centre, Bedworth Leisure Centre and Jubilee Sports Centre, run in partnership with Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council Olympic silver medallist and former world record holder Colin Jackson will return as the scheme’s Ambassador for 2025-2026 He will work alongside a line-up of inspiring Elite athletes who have starred on the Olympic and Paralympic stage – Lauren Steadman Maisie Summers-Newton and Harry Aikines-Aryeetey in mentoring sessions guiding rising athletes through every milestone of their sporting journeys the scheme supported 26 Sporting Champions who competed in the Paris Olympics and Paralympics An incredible 14 of these athletes made their debuts at Paris 2024 coming home with 11 medals between them.  "After a summer of monumental success in 2024 I am more excited than ever to support athletes of all ages and from all disciplines to achieve their dreams “I’m passionate about nurturing young talent and the Sporting Champions scheme goes above and beyond in this mission.” the Sporting Champions scheme has poured more than £2million into young athletes proving its commitment to grassroots sporting excellence Lloyd Barraclough, Everyone Active's Area Contract Manager “We are delighted to support up-and-coming athletes from Nuneaton and Bedworth on their journey to success “As a leisure provider working in partnership with Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council we feel it is important to cater for all sections of the community to ensure all budding athletes have access to the same facilities and opportunities “The Sporting Champions scheme has supported thousands of athletes over the years and we are proud to be continuing this again in 2025 “We hope to continue making a real difference to our athletes’ success.” “This is a fantastic opportunity for budding local athletic stars to further their aspirations “Successful applicants will have the amazing opportunity to be mentored by world class athletes and Everyone Active are offering free access to their facilities in our borough and country wide “For the right people this could be a springboard to future Paralympian or Olympian success so make sure your application is submitted before 11 March.’’ Applications run until Tuesday, 11 March 2025, via the Everyone Active Sporting Champions website Warwickshire Police are appealing for information about a missing teenager from Bedworth has been missing from her home in Bedworth since 3:30pm on 16 January She is described as a slim 5ft 4in white female with very long blonde hair and blue eyes Warwickshire Police said: "Tiffany is believed to be wearing a black blazer "If you know where Tiffany is or can help us find her contact us using our web reporting portal or by calling 101 birthdays after 8 and the Test of Time after 9 Nuneaton Museum & Art Gallery will be taking a trip down memory lane on Saturday aims to bring to life past industries and celebrate the people who worked for them Visitors can get hands-on with tactile memorabilia and photographs from the coal mining The Hands-on History events represent a unique opportunity to handle some of the wonderful artefacts from the Museum’s collections The sessions are free and there is no need to book Drop in anytime between 11:00am and 3:15pm in the Picture Gallery.  “The Museum’s handling sessions enable visitors to feel the excitement of real history in their hands.” Admission is free though donations are always welcome Home   News   Article WARWICKSHIRE County Council election results are starting to be declared with Reform UK taking early victories in the north of the county Reform UK had won Coleshill North & Water Orton Labour had secured one seat - the Benn ward Just 10 minutes later (12.40pm) and Reform UK added another five seats: Kingsbury All the action is in the north of Warwickshire at the moment 12.45pm: Bedworth Central is declared for… yes And that result is quickly followed by another win for Reform UK in Bedworth East 12.50pm: It’s currently 10 for Reform UK and one for Labour with the other parties yet to hit their stride Camp Hill (again in the north) brings up Reform’s 11th seat Another 18 and Reform would have a majority at Shire Hall the voting patterns have always been very different in the north of Warwickshire to the south… will that change today 12.55pm: Labour get their second victory of the day at Brownsover & Coton Park 1pm: The Reform train steams onwards with two more wards: Hartshill & Mancetter and Coleshill South & Arley 1.05pm A few to add - and all for Reform: Arbury Conservatives are on the board: Hillmorton is the first seat for the Conservative Party there were 400 votes between the two candidates 1.10pm: Another Bedworth seat goes to Reform; this time it’s Bedworth North making it 17 seats for the party with just three for the others… so far 1.15pm: The Lib Dems will be at Shire Hall - the experienced Jerry Roodhouse wins Eastlands 1.20pm: There’s going to a lot of new faces - Reform win New Bilton & Overslade Currently all seven seats have been declared in North Warwickshire Nine of the 13 seats have been declared in Nuneaton & Bedworth The Rugby district is a bit more competitive - Two each for Reform and Labour and one each for the Lib Dems and Conservatives The first result in the Stratford district is a win for the Lib Dems in Alcester James Michael Norris Liberal Democrats (1196 votes) Sarah Gail Hession Conservative Party (820 votes) Andrew Mark Foster Labour Party (381 votes) 1.45pm:The Conservatives strike back… sort of They’ve added another two seats - Fosse and Dunsmore & Leam Valley - which brings them to three Meanwhile Bulkington & Whitestone goes to Reform while the Lib Dems continue their good run of support in the Stratford area with Stratford West under their belts Reform have 20 seats (another nine needed for a majority) while Lib Dems have four 1.50pm: The Conservatives get another two seats: Kineton & Red Horse and Shipston (Greens had high hopes in Shipston but were short by 400 votes and finished second) Whitnash goes to the Whitnash Residents’ Association - one more them and they’re level with Labour 1.55pm: Twenty-one seats for Reform… Nuneaton East And the Greens make their mark with victory in Weddington - a resounding win with 1,715 votes against Reform’s 1,070 votes Back to the results: The Conservatives cannot get an outright majority There’s 23 seats left to declare which when added to the five already won by the Conservatives will give them 28 So what we are left with is either a Reform majority or a shared power structure of some sort First Reform victory in Stratford district who stood in the general election and has become a spokesperson for Reform UK in the Stratford area He collected 1,273 votes with the Conservatives in second on 988 2.15pm: Kate Rolfe is back at Shire Hall for the Lib Dems after winning Stratford South 2.20pm A wave of results have just come in: We’ll start with the Lib Dems who have won Stour & the Vale Cubbington & Leek Wootton and Leamington North That first result means the former leader of the county council Izzi Seccombe has lost her seat to the Lib Dems David Curtis 2.25pm: Elsewhere the Greens get another seat (Lapworth & West Kenilworth) and Labour bring their total to three with victory in Warwick West Admirals & Cawston provide the Conservatives with their sixth seat while the Greens get their third seat in Leamington Brunswick things have slowed for Reform but they still lead by a long way with 14 seats still to be declared 2.35pm: Watch the Greens go - the victory in Warwick North is their fourth of the day and moves them ahead of Labour I hope so - they’ve just added another two seats - Kenilworth Park Hill and Leamington Willes Kenilworth St John's and Leamington Milverton were both taken by the Lib Dems 2.50pm: Seven for the Conservatives - Budbrooke & Bishop's Tachbrook is the latest Reform would need to win seven of those to get a majority (29 seats) but that seems unlikely the Conservatives had 41 councillors before the election but Reform strike again - seat number 23 is Studley This is because the Greens just added seat number seven at Warwick South The most Reform can now get is 28 seats - they needed 29 I’d expect these to be a mixture of Lib Dems 3.15pm Stratford North goes from Conservative to Lib Dem - Tim Sinclair did work hard for the town (although we still don’t see the point of the bike path on the Warwick Road) Lorraine Grocott takes over that ward after beating Tim by about 90 votes 3.25pm Feldon is retained by the Conservatives in a very close contest Chris Kettle was elected with 1,133 votes with the Lib Dems’ Louis William McMaster Adam second on 1,126 votes Bidford & Welford are declared with the Lib Dems winning Reform have the most number of seats with 23 There could be coalition deal to form a majority involving Reform - or there would be an alliance of the other parties… All that effort and the picture is rather cloudy What is clear is that the Conservatives have been left bruised by this election Reform has taken a lot of votes away from Tory candidates and it has allowed other parties to win the poll A lot of experience has been lost from the county council so expect some new thinking and new policies A Ramblers Wellbeing Walk will be taking place at Ensor’s Pool The walk will start at Ensor’s Pool car park at 10:30am in what should be a lovely time of year to see in the start of Spring and an engaging and knowledgeable Walk Leader in Sue Tonks it will be a relaxing morning out while enjoying some exercise made easy Walker Leader Sue has a wealth of information about Ensor’s Pool Sue loves to share this information as part of the interest walk "Ensor's Pool Ramblers Wellbeing Walks are a great way to improve your both your heart and mental health in a wonderful little oasis just a few minutes from Nuneaton town centre “Ensor's Pool is also great for wildlife too and with Spring on its way there will always be plenty to see on the walks “Best of all the walks are completely free of charge Those who take part in the walk will also be able to view a brand-new information board that has been installed around the pool There is no need to book to take part in the walk simply turn up on the day ensuring you arrive at least five minutes before the start of the walk and away you go Those who do participate in the walks can also send in their photos of the day, and these could feature on Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council’s social media pages To submit your photos, or if you have any questions or would like further details, email walking@nuneatonandbedworth.gov.uk Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council is pleased to announce the completion of a 20-year lease for Bedworth Civic Hall The Bedworth Civic Hall Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) finalised the lease today (18 September) which authorises them to be the new operators of the venue This follows a lengthy consultation period to find a suitable operator and action taken by the Council to ensure an efficient and viable takeover Careful negotiations have taken place between the Council and the CIO over several months including a rent-free grace period which allowed the CIO to secure funding and utilise the building to conduct vital pre-opening works “I am delighted to see the Civic Hall lease officially completed “Well done to everyone at the Council for their perseverance and dedication in ensuring this process has come to a successful end “This 20-year agreement now ensures a bright future for an entertainment venue that is much loved by local people “I wish the CIO every success and look forward to seeing how they lead this venue forward.” The CIO have already staged several shows at the venue with more in the pipeline including, the Funhouse Comedy Club Warwickshire Police are appealing for witnesses or information following a fatal collision that happened in Bedworth in the early hours of Saturday morning (22/02) a pedestrian was hit by a white Mercedes artic lorry travelling northbound on the A444 Bedworth bypass sustained serious injuries and was pronounced deceased at the scene If anyone witnessed the collision or has any dashcam footage, please get in touch either via our website Home | Warwickshire Police or by calling 101 quoting incident number 15 of 22 February 2025 Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council and NHS Talking Therapies are delighted to launch the mental health awareness campaign 'Bin Feeling Down' The Council will be working in collaboration with the Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust (CWPT) and Talking Therapies to launch the Bin Feeling Down campaign on 10 September through 10 October to coincide with World Suicide Prevention Day and World Mental Health Day also run in partnership with Warwickshire County Council and Wellbeing for Warwickshire, will highlight issues such as financial debt and poor mental health and the support available for those who need it residents will see refuse vehicles around the borough with new livery inspired by the campaign “We are delighted to be working with Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Partnership Trust to promote the Bin Feeling Down campaign “We want our residents to know that there is always someone to talk to not only during the campaign period but all year round “Having our refuse vehicles promote the campaign as they make their way around the borough is an effective way to spread the word.” “The Bin Feeling Down campaign is a crucial step in promoting mental health awareness and it is an honour that Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council is standing alongside us to get the word out “Our relaunch as NHS Talking Therapies for anxiety and depression in early 2023 marked a commitment to providing recommended psychological therapies and ensuring well-trained therapists for our community.” Warwickshire and Solihull Talking Therapies “This campaign will prove that Talking Therapies and the Council are here to support individuals facing a range of challenges long-term health conditions and perinatal struggles throughout this period and beyond “We hope individuals will look to us to help with these concerns.” Financial stress can have a big impact on mental health, and residents feeling anxious about money can access find further information on the Council’s cost of living support website pages Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council is determined to encourage people to enter into conversations and engage with support organisations to improve mental health and prevent suicide Warwickshire and Solihull Talking Therapies is part of Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust and more for those 16 years and older registered with a GP For anyone feeling down or anxious, please visit the NHS Talking Therapies website at www.talkingtherapies.covwarkpt.nhs.uk, call 024 7667 1090, Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 4:30pm, or email talkingtherapies@covwarkpt.nhs.uk to self-refer and find more information