News from the Archives and Records Service

As those of you who live locally will be aware, on 1st April 2009 Bedfordshire County Council ceased to exist. Its functions and services will now be shared between three Unitary Councils: Bedford Borough, Central Bedfordshire and Luton Borough.

The service will now be hosted by Bedford Borough Council but jointly funded by all three Unitary Councils. We will remain in the purpose-built Riverside Building adjacent to Borough Hall (formerly known as County Hall).

After 23 years with the service Kevin Ward (pictured above left assisting a searcher in 1988), County Archivist since September 1998, will be leaving us to taking up a post as Head of Countryside Access with Central Bedfordshire. This means that at present we have no County Archivist. The service will continue to run as normal with County Archivist duties divided between the Operations Managers Nigel Lutt and Martin Deacon.

 The Archives Service is now part of the Registration & Records Group managed by Keith Simmons, in the Corporate Administration Group of the Chief Executive’s Directorate.