A newly-elected council is looking to the people of Arlesey to shape the town’s future.

The make-up of Arlesey Town Council looked decidedly different at Tuesday evening’s council meeting, after the whirlwind election of 14 members of The Independents for Arlesey group to the 15-seat council in the local elections.

A chief aim of the council is to give the people of Arlesey their voice and the opportunity to make a genuine difference in the town.

The group hope the embodiment of this is the Neighbourhood Plan, a project run by a steering group of residents and councillors to influence future development within Arlesey’s parish boundary.

To this end the council is asking people to complete a survey by May 31 to register what they like about the town, what they don’t like and what they would like to change.

Town council chairman Mick Holloway – who also took on the role of chairman of the planning committee on Tuesday night – said: “The council will be a learning process at the start because we have so many new people.

“But there are lots of ideas flying around and we want the community to be at the heart of the discussion.

“We want to hear what people have to say, and we made sure that we had residents as part of the Neighbourhood Plan steering group.”

The group has also made clear its aim to secure more funding for the future of the town from Central Bedfordshire Council through a community infrastructure levy.

Surveys will be available to pick up and drop off at the town council offices, Arlesey Resource Centre, Besta, Londis, and Tidy Time.

The survey can also be completed online at www.surveymonkey.com/r/5YXVPMV.

For more information go to www.arleseynp.org.uk or email projectteam@arleseynp.org.uk.