Mayor Article for LBO - March 2026
There’s an old saying “March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb.” That may be true for the weather, but doesn’t apply to being Town Mayor! Apart from December, March has proved one of the busiest months I’ve had in nearly two years in the post.
It started with the Dunstable Town Mayor’s Civic service on St David’s Day and jumped into opening the Olive Grove Indian restaurant on Bridge Street and, no, I didn’t get the chance to sample their menu. This was followed later that week by a very fine lunch at Leighton Buzzard RFC followed by their 1st XV earning a very convincing win.
On the 8th our own Civic Service was held at All Saints Church, presided over by the Rector, my friend, Prebendary Vicar David MacGeoch. As well as the beautiful Church choir we also heard from Leighton Young Singers and the Bedfordshire Band of the Royal British Legion. During the service I, along with Deputy Lieutenant of Bedfordshire, Mark Hardy, and the High Sheriff of Bedfordshire, Camilla King, presented the Community Voluntary Service Awards to three very deserving recipients, one of which was posthumously accepted on the volunteer’s behalf by her family which was very poignant. Thank you to all of you who were able to attend this lovely annual event.
On the 14th, the Mayoress and I attended a concert by the Leighton-Linslade Concert Band in support of Keech Hospice which we really enjoyed. This was followed by the ‘Flag Off’ at the LB Narrow Gauge Railway on Mothering Sunday. The Deputy Mayor, James Emm and I were very excited to participate as the group started this year’s series of regular events.
On the 19th, I was delighted to be the joint starter and medal presenter, along with our MP, at the Leighton Linslade Schools Partnership ‘Run 4 Fun’ event at Astral Park. Sterling efforts were demonstrated by lots of Key Stage 1 and 2 children from local schools and the sun was shining!
On the 23rd, we held the Town Council’s Annual Parish meeting at the Library Theatre. As well as questions about many of the Council’s activities and plans, the highlight was a talk and presentation about the history and importance of our parks by Dr Paul Robbins which was fascinating.
A major highlight I played a small part in was the opening of the completely rebuilt Church Riverside Scout hut, now known as ‘The Ark.’ The original was completely ruined and subsequently demolished following the devastating flooding of Clipstone Brook in September 2024. The project is truly inspiring and represents how, out of adversity, our local community can come together along with support from countless volunteers, local tradespeople, businesses, councils and local benefactors to create something better. It now stands as a beacon for local residents and will be available for use by, not only, scouts and associated organisations, but also local community groups.
Along with the Rotary Club of Leighton Linslade we held a dinner at LB Golf Club on Monday, 30th to help raise funds and awareness for Yes we Can. Our guest speaker was Neil Hart, CEO of the MK Dons Group Ltd and formerly of Luton Town, Watford FC and Burnley FC, amongst others. At the time of writing I don’t know exactly how much was raised, but it felt like a really successful event.
My next event will be the Mayor’s Spring Fayre at Pages park on 25th April to help raise funds for Freddie and Friends. Entry is free and open to all, although some activities will attract a charge. A dog show, petting farm, bouncy castle, lots of stalls, plants and refreshments will be available. See the Town Council’s website or App for more details.
I hope to see you all there.