MK’s council leader has explained why neighbouring Northampton has been left out of the city’s devolution bid to the government.
If the plan is successful, Milton Keynes, Bedford, and Luton will form a gigantic regional council led by an elected mayor.
As a strategic mayoral authority, it will have significantly increased powers and money delegated from the national government to make collective decisions on matters such as economic growth, transportation, housing, skills, and jobs.
This is consistent with the government’s recently stated plan for devolution, which states that every English region will have an elected mayor to supervise crucial concerns.
The government has stated that such devolution would result in “more money, more power, and easier working across council boundaries”. Ministers also see the establishment of stronger regional governments as a means of “unblocking” infrastructure and attracting additional investment.
Every regional authority would require at least 500,000 inhabitants. As a result, dozens of local councils may be eliminated.
Labour-controlled Milton Keynes City Council serves 300,000 people, thus it will need to collaborate with adjacent communities to achieve the criteria for devolution.
Initially, the intention was to merge Milton Keynes City Council, Bedford Borough Council, Central Bedfordshire Council, Luton Borough Council, West Northamptonshire Council, and North Northamptonshire Council. But there has been an eleventh-hour U-turn.
MK Council leader Pete Marland stated to the Citizen today that he plans to join forces with Bedfordshire and Luton in the attempt, although Conservative-led Northampton will not be included.
“After very carefully looking at the potential powers that are on offer, particularly around health, it’s clear that a BLMK (Beds, Luton, Milton Keynes) footprint would offer the best chance of success,” he told reporters.
“It’s really important though that any settlement with the government needs to be on a footprint that makes sense to our residents and that will bring the greatest benefits to the area.”
Pete added: “During discussions with the main opposition group on MKCC and councils within BLMK, it became clear that there would be very little appetite to include the Northamptonshire authorities at this time, as well as concerns about how other councils would be able to make the necessary decisions to approve such a bid.
“The government made it plain that any application must be supported by all of the authorities within any conceivable grouping in order to proceed.
“The reality is that BLMK is the best option for our city to ensure any future directly-elected Mayor is able to deliver the local change our residents want.”
Local Conservative councillors are not pleased, accusing the leader of “deliberately undermining” a potential South Midlands devolution pact.
MK Tory leader Shazna Muzammil warned that the move might endanger millions of pounds in investment.
She stated, “For more than a decade, we’ve worked closely with Northamptonshire, sharing transportation, health, and economic ties.” Why would someone wish to end those relationships? Breaking that alliance now would be a betrayal of MK’s potential benefits from devolution.
She added, “Cllr Marland needs to prioritize citizens. His abrupt change of heart about incorporating Northamptonshire is the lowest kind of political opportunism.
“We need to support proposals that benefit all of us, not rushed plans designed to serve narrow political interests.” “MK residents deserve better.”
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