Row over boat loan

THE Mayor of Bedford, Dave Hodgson, is in trouble for making a low interest loan for a boat, without informing fellow councillors.

He signed a contract to give a loan of up to £40,000 of taxpayers money to build a community boat at an interest of just two per cent APR, Alan Tilbury reveals.

Learn about river

The loan was to the Bedford and Milton Keynes Waterways Trust, that is behind the scheme to build the 'missing link' between the River Great Ouse at Bedford and the Grand Union Canal at Milton Keynes. The boat would be used to get young people to learn about the river and get residents outdoors.

This has upset some councillors who believe the decision should not have been made in private, and with the council cutting-back on its schemes through lack of funds, the loan is not a good idea.

No debate

One councillor pointed out there had been no debate, and the first the council knew about it the whole thing had been done, with others asking why only two per cent?

Councillor Caroline Fensome wanted to know why they needed a boat when the waterway hadn't even been built, adding:

"We are closing essential services like public loos and now we are funding a boat, it sounds like a midlife crisis to me."

However, the council's Finance Portfolio Holder, Michael Headley, thought the loan a 'sound investment'.