Milton Keynes committed to combined authority with Bedfordshire after motion passed at council meeting

The motion on devolution was voted through at a full council meeting on Wednesday June 18.

Under the motion, a Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes (BLMK) Strategic Mayoral Combined Authority was agreed as Milton Keynes City Council’s preferred devolution option.

It also states that the Cabinet will not enter discussions with any other combination of authorities unless the Government says so formally that a BLMK region will not be agreed.

The motion was put forward by Council leader Pete Marland who set out what he believed was “a huge opportunity” for the city in the form of a Strategic Combined Authority.

In setting out the motion Marland said that “the BLMK area comprising of Bedford Borough Council, Central Bedfordshire Council, Luton Borough Council and Milton Keynes City Council offers the best opportunity to enable the greatest potential benefits to our city and region.”

The Milton Keynes Conservative Group opposed the motion, with group leader Councillor Shazna Muzammil saying: “We are not against development - but we are absolutely against this reckless expansion without the infrastructure to match.

“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 has not been consulted upon with our residents?”

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