Life in the community
Equality and Diversity
Equality and Diversity
Valuing Diversity in Bedford:
About Bedford
Located in the East of England region, Bedford Borough, which shares the same geographical boundaries as Bedford PCT, is located within the county of Bedfordshire.
The borough covers an area of approximately 48,000 hectares, 50 miles to the north of London. It comprises the county town of Bedford, the urban area of Kempston and 43 rural parishes.
Located 20 miles north of Luton about halfway between the M1 and A1, Bedford is the second largest town in Bedfordshire, after Luton.
The Bedford-Kempston-Northern Marston Vale area within the Borough has been identified in the Milton Keynes South Midlands Sub-Regional Spatial Strategy as a location for growth - to accommodate 15,770 dwellings by 2021. This is likely to be met by developments at The Wixams, urban extensions on the west side of Bedford and the sites at Shortstown and Wootton.
The Social Inclusion/Anti-Poverty Strategy for Bedford Borough 2006 is the outcome of a extensive research and a highly inclusive consultation exercise. Led by the Bedford Partnership Board, the Local Strategic Partnership Board for Bedford Borough, it provides it with a framework on the objectives, definitions, drivers and characteristics of Social Inclusion/Anti-Poverty. For more details on the document, contact: Yasmin Mahmood, Principal Community Strategy and Diversity Officer, Tel: 01234-221682, Email: YMahmood@bedford.gov.uk
 | Equalities Plan and Progress Report 2005-2006 - DOWNLOAD |
| Corporate Equality Plan 2008-2009 - DOWNLOAD |
| Self Assessment for Level 3 of the Equality Standard for Local Government - DOWNLOAD |
Population trends:
Mid-2003 population estimates (ONS) reveal:
- There were 150, 100 people residing in Bedford, of whom 49% were male and 50.5% female.
- Children under 5 accounted for approximately 6% of the population, which compares with almost 6% for England and Wales overall.
- 17.4 % of the resident population in Bedford were of retirement age (65 and over for males or 60 and over for females) compared with 18.5% in England and Wales.
- Between 1982 and 2002, the Borough’s population grew by 12.7%, compared with an increase of 11.2% for the East of England.
- Population density averaged 313 people per square kilometre, compared with an average of 284, for the region and 380 people per square kilometre for England overall.
- At the time of Census 2001, the average age of the population in Bedford was 37.8 years. This compared with an average age for England and Wales of 38.6 years. There are approximately 60, 000 households in the Borough and 66% of residents live in the urban area of Bedford and Kempston and 34% live in rural parishes.
SERVICES A-Z
Youth Participation
Equality and Diversity
RELATED PAGES
Councils Commitment to Equality and Diversity
Equality Standard for Local Government
Related Studies