Lib Dems Call for New Era of High Quality, Good Value Council Services after Election as Largest Party

7.06.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 9th Jun 2009

Cllr Dave Hodgson, pictured with new Councillors (from l-r) Sarah Holland, Sylvia Gillard and Wendy Rider, has called for a 'new era of high quality, good value local services''

Bedford Borough Liberal Democrats have called for a new era of high quality, good value local services after becoming the largest party on the new unitary council in last week's local elections. The Lib Dems won thirteen seats, overhauling the Tories, who took nine, in the process with Labour and the Independents taking seven seats each. The result saw the Lib Dems record a series of victories in urban and rural wards across the Borough as the party increased its proportion of seats on the council.

Commenting on the results, Bedford Borough Liberal Democrat Group Leader Cllr Dave Hodgson said: "This result is thanks to a huge amount of hard work by many people who helped to run a positive campaign for real improvements for Bedford Borough residents. The hard work does not end here, however. In fact, it has only just begun. The new unitary authority faces a massive task in turning around years of Tory misrule at County Hall, during which council tax spiralled to the second highest county council level in the country.'

"While the scale of the task facing the new authority is vast, it also provides a real opportunity. The advent of a unitary council must be seen as a chance to usher in a new era of high quality, good value local services that residents deserve and have a right to expect. As the largest group on the council, we are committed to helping bring this about. Liberal Democrat ward councillors also retain their total commitment to working hard for local residents all year round, not just at election time. We look forward to the challenges ahead."