Useful Contacts

Emergency  999

Crime in progress  999

Non emergency police  101

Police Headquarters  01234 841212

Crime Stoppers  0800 555 111

Abandoned Vehicles  01234 221768

Borough Councillor, Graeme Coombes  07815 302318

Neighbourhood Watch Central Office  01234 842043

Wilstead Good Neighbours  07807 408928

Tree Warden - Frances Maynard

Allotment Warden - Russell Adams 



 

COUNCIL MEETINGS

Residents are welcome to attend meetings and raise any matters they wish during the open forum at the start of each meeting. 

Recent planning applications received by the Parish Council will be available to view from 7pm. Full details are available on the Bedford Borough Council website, link below to search planning applications. 
 

Bedford Borough Council

Search Planning Applications

Bedford talking newspaper for the blind

Carers in Bedfordshire

Police

Flooding and Drainage

Neighbourhood Plan representatives are Mark Brooks and Eric Benton 

Parish Paths contact is Nigel Jacobs

Tree Warden is Frances Maynard

Allottment Warden is Russell Adams

Village Hall Management Committee Representative - please contact our Office

If there are any links you'd like to see here or content that would be useful, please get in touch.

Burial Services 

The Parish Council manages the Parish Burial Ground which is next to All Saints Church. Full details of the fees and conditions for the burial ground are available here, or from the office, but in brief are as follows.

Residents of Wilstead have a right to be buried in the burial ground. Former residents must have lived in the parish for more than 5 years and moved out of the Parish within 5 years of the date of death. 

Burial of non-residents is allowed.

Plots may be purchased for 100 years, reserved plots may be reallocated after 50 years unless the Parish Council are advised that the plot is still required. 

No trees or bushes may be planted on the plot. Spring bulbs and small annual flowers may be planted within 300mm of the headstone. 

Artificial flowers, toys or other ornaments are not permitted on plots.

Only headstones are permitted on burial plots. Kerbing, fencing, edging, chippings and other ornaments are not permitted. A flower holder may be included in the base stone of the headstone, but no other ornament should be included.

A flat stone incorporating a flower vase can be placed over a small plot containing cremated remains, or small headstones may be erected over a larger plot.

Much of the churchyard is closed to new burials, but anyone wishing to purchase any remaining plots or inter cremated remains should contact the vicar on 01234 740423. For burials within the Parish Burial Ground please contact the office on 01234 743152 or email burials@wilsteadparishcouncil.org. 

Q. What does the Parish Council do?

The Parish Council looks after issues of direct concern to parishioners and is responsible for a variety of services, including:

Grass cutting
Benches
Bus shelters
Litter bins and litter picking
Dog waste bins 
Play areas and equipment
The burial ground and churchyard maintenance
Jubilee playing field
Allotments
Responding on planning applications and other matters that effect parishoners
The introduction of CCTV
Speed calming and additional average speed cameras 
Village Hall 
and lots more. 


Q. Who pays?

The cost of the services provided by the Parish Council is funded by the Parish Precept, a small element of Council Tax. In addition, the Council receives some grant funding and a levy on new build property.

All Parish Councillors carry out their duties at no cost to local residents.

Q. Where does my Borough Councillor fit in?

Local Government is organised in tiers. The Borough look after education, social services, roads, housing, some street lighting and environmental health. The Borough Councillor attends Parish Council meetings regularly to keep the Parish Council informed about what they are doing and to deal with any issues we might raise. 

Q. How often does the Parish Council meet?

The Parish Council meets 10 times a year, with no meeting in August or December. Dates of the meetings are posted on this website, outside the venue and in the Home Watch newsletter. The meetings are usually in the small village hall at 7.30pm, planning issues are discussed from 7pm.

Q. Can I attend the meetings?

Parishioners are entitled to attend the meetings and raise matters of interest to them in the 'Open Forum' part of the agenda. If anyone has any particular concerns that they would like to raise and put on the agenda please contact the office in the first instance. If you are unable to attend a meeting you can find the minutes and public documents on this web site once they are agreed, usually at the following meeting.