At last night’s Full Council meeting, the Leader of Milton Keynes City Council confirmed that the “devolution” plans being pushed by Labour are, in fact, about building new towns and expanding cities along the M1— a revelation that, according to the Conservatives, confirms what many residents have feared all along.
Milton Keynes Conservative Group Leader, Cllr Shazna Muzammil, called out the plan as a ‘political land-grab’, warning that our green spaces, rural character, and already-stretched infrastructure are under serious threat.
She said:
“Tonight, we heard it clearly: this is about building new cities along the M1. And Milton Keynes is being used as a pawn in that plan. We are not against development — but we are absolutely against this reckless expansion without the infrastructure to match.”
The motion passed by Labour and Lib Dem councillors commits Milton Keynes to a Combined Authority with Bedford, Luton, and Central Bedfordshire — despite the fact that some of those partners are not even on board. What is more, the motion goes even further to prevent the Council’s Cabinet from exploring any other devolution models unless explicitly told to by central government — a move the Conservative Group has described as short-sighted and damaging.
“The Cabinet isn’t even allowed to consider other options — that’s what we feared, and now it’s out in the open. Central Bedfordshire is actively looking at other options. Many in Bedford Borough aren’t supportive either, so why are we locking ourselves into a model that is not universally supported by the authorities themselves and that has not been consulted upon with our residents”
Cllr Peter Geary, Deputy Leader of the Conservative Group, added:
“This is a rushed deal that benefits only one person in Milton Keynes and his political ambitions. Whilst the Leader of the Council talks about the potential of the economy here in Milton Keynes, residents are worried about what their communities will look like after Labour’s push for growth at all costs.
It is time that this administration thinks again about what is in the best interests of our residents. It’s time for the Leader to put his personal ambitions aside and finally prioritise the people he serves”
The Conservative Group opposed the motion, warning that Milton Keynes risks losing out once again, just as it did last time when the city missed out on millions in funding due to a failed devolution plan.
Cllr Muzammil finished
“We have to build strategic partnerships that work for our residents, and we have to be open to getting the best strategic growth deal for Milton Keynes, not the best political deal for the Labour Party. Our responsibility to the residents of Milton Keynes must remain steadfast”
How can we stand back and watch Milton Keynes unique green heritage being ripped apart to accommodate the Labour government's housing targets to enable new cities to accommodate around 10,000 new homes? We just cannot do it.”
