Mark Versallion

Much upset created over the Christmas break about LB Theatre closing… but it is NOT. Spent most of today in a meeting with Exec Cllrs and senior officers before today too - to get assurance it’s NOT being proposed to be closed. It was naughty of the LibDems to suggest it was!

Good fun this weekend in Leighton Buzzard as one of the happy features of Christmas is friends getting together… and on this occasion who happen to have similar political concerns! 😉 Merry Christmas everyone!

NOT TRUE! Alex Mayer MP appears to have told the LBO: “CBC now has a 16 per cent increase in spending power.” This is false - and how can she not know that? We’re actually getting a decrease of at least £17m in next year’s budget. LBO story: leightonbuzzardonline.co.uk/news/people/ps…

Great news! Planning permission has been formally granted today for the new Universal theme park in Bedfordshire. 8,000 permanent jobs and a big boost to local businesses and tourism, as well as plenty of entertainment for the people, once open in 2031.

Cheers up everyone’s day seeing this in Brewers Hill Road. I was working in Dunstable so popped into thank them for yet another great display. Makes a lot of people happy in a negative world. More to come but I wanted to say thankyou for the positive difference it makes.

Had lunch with an old friend and our former MP Andrew Selous today. He’s doing well working in the city and is in great form. After his 23 years in parliament he gave me some good advice in my new role as Parliamentary Spokesman for his old seat of Dunstable & Leighton Buzzard.

Police Commissioners are being abolished but as a member of our county’s Police Panel I expressed concern at this week’s meeting in Bedford: unlike many parts of England, we are still awaiting details from Govt on how the police will be governed from 2028.

Excellent Christmas lights switch-on festival last night in Leighton Buzzard High Street. Never seen it so busy. Try the Christmas market, street food stalls and fun fair all weekend as it runs to Sunday 6pm. Great to see the community coming together in such numbers.

Great to chat with the Police and CBC’s Community Safety Team today in their joint effort to raise engagement. Strong police presence in the high street too and reassuring to see lots of people talking with them, in the market and at the joint stand in the always busy LB Library.

Happy to support and donate to Leighton-Linslade Helpers at this morning’s fund-raising stall at LBMarket. Care home staff at Marigold House are raising money and raising awareness of this great new council care home, which also has multipurpose space for community hire!

Great chatting with Andrew Pierce of GBNews and Daily Mail fame today. Very sound journalist and some funny and intriguing anecdotes from his five decades in political journalism. Quality chap.

For anyone who banks with Barclays, their Leighton Buzzard Library drop-in ‘branch’ is open tomorrow (Tuesday). I visited last week as I’d been told by they were shut when they should have been open. I spoke to the staff who assured me they’ll be open when they should be!

The A5 will be closed from Thorn Turn to Kelly's Kitchen roundabout for important roadworks, from tomorrow night. National Highways plan to do the work from Hockliffe to Little Brickhill over five nights starting Monday 27 Oct from 8pm to 5am.

I was leaving work and found myself sat in traffic on Dunstable’s Brewers Hill Road but happily outside this brilliant display. What a great effort and positive impact this decoration is having. If anyone knows who lives there, tell them well done!

Good news! Leighton Road Surgery has a new provider of GP appointments, starting next week. Modality Partnership will join Dr Venkataram, so there will be continuity and Modality have lots of experience. Outgoing ELFT will transfer the staff over and business as usual.

I couldn’t stop 215 new homes – no one could as it was in the Local Plan years ago – I did successfully argue for a construction lorry ban through Leighton Buzzard and Heath & Reach. Known as ‘land north of Chamberlain’s Barn’, south of Shenley Hill Rd; 400m west of the tidy tip

Great fun supporting this community pop-up event of tattoo artists, vintage vinyl, craft vintage fair and artists. Collaborative community events are a rewarding experience and always enhance our sense of community and wellbeing. And you can get yourself tattooed the same time!

Great to see so many friends and neighbours at the farmers market today. Leighton Buzzard Market is on every Saturday but every third one is dedicated to farm produce direct from farmers, grown in Bedfordshire.

Good meeting with Robert Jenrick last night during his visit to Bedfordshire and to hear about the many issues related to his role as shadow Justice Secretary.

Well done to my friends in Manchester winning back a seat on Trafford Council yesterday. 1,614 Con 978 Lab 841 LibDem 723 Reform 204 Green 22 Independent