内容摘要：Mr Mumin also visited the Birdsong Garden charity, which is an open rural space where volunteers use nature, farming and gardening to support people.

Mr Mumin also visited the Birdsong Garden charity, which is an open rural space where volunteers use nature, farming and gardening to support people.

There are already ten combined authorities across England, including one for, which has worked with partners and stakeholders to open a new university.

Central Bedfordshire is one of six councils considering setting up a combined authority along with West Northamptonshire, North Northamptonshire, Bedford Borough, Luton and Milton Keynes City Council.Zerny said: "I think we are ready to say we are interested in this priority program that the Government are offering, but we want to understand exactly what it brings."He added that "we want to be inside the tent and understand what possible benefits there are, but we also have a word of caution, which is that we need to know whether there will be any negatives for our residents".

Councillors in each authority would have to vote for a formal devolution bid to be made.A devolution application would then go to central government and a public consultation would be held.

The two Northamptonshire authorities

Luton Council has said it is "looking at all options" but "the best interests of the residents of Luton will remain our priority".Canterbury Archaeological Trust, which is leading the work, said it expected to find deposits from Roman, Anglo-Saxon and medieval eras.

Dover District Council (DDC) has been awardedto transform the brownfield site on Bench Street.

Initial work, drilling bole holes to take core samples, started last week.The Dover Beacon project aims to regenerate an area of the town centre, formerly home to "derelict, eyesore buildings", says the council.