Looking to the future: Parish and Town Councils could deliver more local services

At last week’s Budget Council meeting, Lib Dem councillors were successful in pushing the Labour-led City Council to agree to a faster and larger scale transfer of assets and services to local councils.

The amendment put forward by Councillor Sam Crooks was accepted by the Labour Group who run Milton Keynes City Council.

This means the City Council will now review how more buildings and services can be transferred more locally as the city moves towards its plan for 2050.

Milton Keynes is home to 48 parish and town councils that already play an active role in delivering services and improving their communities for local people. But now with the city expanding, local councils could have greater control over the services that matter the most to their residents.

The City Council already has a Community Asset Transfer programme in place which saw 15 leisure and community buildings transferred to town and parish councils last year, allowing full control over the future management and investment into these spaces based on their area’s needs.

Councillor Sam Crooks, who proposed the amendment, said:

“As Milton Keynes continues to grow, we need to ensure services are managed in the most effective way. Luckily, our city is home to dozens of parish and town councils who are already at the heart of their communities and well-placed to take on more responsibilities. This will not only put more power into the hands of local people, but it will also help the City Council to free up resources for other services.”

Councillor Saleena Raja, who represents Shenley Brook End Ward and chairs Shenley Brook End and Tattenhoe Parish Council, added:

“I welcome the news that the City Council has agreed to look into this, as I know from experience that parish councils are more than capable of taking on these responsibilities. Our parish council took over the ownership of the community centre, and since we have taken on landscaping, half of the playparks and almost all of the local facilities. I hope this is a step in the right direction to speed up the process and give us the tools and resources we need to continue to deliver services for our communities.”

The City Council will now consider how the transfer of assets and services can be implemented further ensuring that communities remain at the forefront of decision making.

Milton Keynes City Council’s 25/26 budget that was debated last Wednesday saw Labour councillors accept two amendments put forward by the Liberal Democrat Group.