Shadow Council Chairman Appointed

Chairman

Councillor David McVicar has been elected as the chairman of Central Bedfordshire Shadow Council.

Councillor McVicar has sat on South Bedfordshire District Council for the last 21 years as a Conservative representing the Icknield Ward in Dunstable for every year but two since 1987.

Some highlights of Councillor McVicar’s career include:

  • Moving to Dunstable in 1977 to set up his own hardware store business.
  • Joined campaigners to keep open Queensbury Upper School where his children attended and which was threatened with closure; the school remains open to this day.
  • Was elected as Councillor for the Icknield Ward in the 1987 by-election.
  • Served as Chairman of South Bedfordshire District Council in 1992/93.
  • Elected to sit on South Bedfordshire District Council's Executive in 1998.
  • Helped transform the way sports were funded in South Bedfordshire and the rest of the county by helping to evolve the then Beds Sports Partnership so it now draws funding from Sport England to help provide first class sports projects in the district.
  • Instrumental in ensuring delivery of South Bedfordshire's Grove Theatre, which opened in 2007.

He accepted the position at last night’s inaugural Central Bedfordshire Shadow Council meeting which saw 124 councillors from South Bedfordshire District Council, Mid Beds District Council and Bedfordshire County Council meet at Priory House in Mid Beds to get the business of creating Central Bedfordshire officially started.

Councillor David McVicar says: "I am looking forward to overseeing the creation of a council that will work closer with all residents in Central Bedfordshire to improve services while reducing costs. As Central Bedfordshire will have control of all services currently provided by the District and County Councils in our area we will now be able to respond more quickly and effectively to the local issues that matter such as the Dunstable Northern Bypass and the improvements to the A421"

Vice-Chairman

At the meeting Councillor Anthony Duggan, a Conservative Councillor at Bedfordshire County Council was voted in as the Vice Chairman.

Councillor Duggan has also been involved in local politics for 21 years and has served as a Parish, District and County councillor in Mid Bedfordshire:His career highlights include:

  • Moving to Mid Bedfordshire in 1984 when his job with the BBC brought him to the BBC Open University Production Centre at Milton Keynes.
  • Becoming a Parish Councillor for Eversholt in 1987, serving for seven years as its chairman and being elected as a District Councillor for the Woburn Ward in 1991.
  • Remaining a District Councillor while joining the County Council in 1993 serving the Woburn and Harlington Division.
  • Being elected Chairman of Mid Beds District Council for two years between 2005 and 2007.
  • Stepped down from the District Council in 2007.
  • Serving as Chairman of the Bedfordshire and Luton Combined Fire Authority for seven years.
  • Strong advocate of preserving local rural schools.
  • Campaigned successfully for the new Fire Station at Woburn and the Ridgmont by-pass.

Councillor Duggan says: “Now that the decision has been made to create Central Bedfordshire I look forward to working with my colleagues on the shadow council to develop an authority that works for the greater good of all people living and working in Central Bedfordshire”
ENDS
For further information contact: Central Bedfordshire Media Office - 01462 611014 (office), 07967474285 (mobile), or e-mail mark.hustwitt@midbeds.gov.uk