More money for potholes, pest control and fly-tipping in Progressive Alliance budget

The Progressive Alliance Cabinet is set to recommend the draft budget to Council this evening, where it will be debated by all councillors later this month.

No services cuts are being proposed in the 'people and services first' budget, which includes proposals such as:

• A provisional £100,000 to fix 10,000 more potholes
• Extra spending to stamp out fly-tipping, rates of which are currently at their lowest in four years
• Doubling investment on pest control to tackle rats, and working in a cost-efficient partnership with Luton Council's specialist pest control team

Council Leader Peter Marland said: "I'm proud of this budget. It's a value for money budget that delivers high-quality essential services well, and puts the people of Milton Keynes first."

"We listen to our residents and what they want - we're increasing our funding to repair 10,000 potholes across the city, and delivering extra spending on tackling fly-tipping."

The Council needs to find £5 million to balance the books, and is facing huge social care demands and soaring inflation rates. Milton Keynes Council has on average increased council tax less over the past two years than neighbouring authorities, including North Northamptonshire, West Northamptonshire and Central Bedfordshire.

A below inflation council tax rise of 3.75%, along with using £3 million of reserves to fund one-off and short-term pressures, and making £2 million in efficiency savings, will help the Council balance the books while delivering good-quality, value for money services for the residents of Milton Keynes.

Liberal Democrat Councillor Robin Bradburn, Deputy Leader of the Council, said:

"This budget invests in what our residents care about - stamping out fly-tipping and litter, maintaining weekly residual waste collections, tackling rats and other pests, supporting economic recovery, fixing more potholes and spending more on highways."

"The Progressive Alliance is committed to putting people before politics, and delivering essential services well for our residents, and that is exactly what this budget does."

Labour Councillor Rob Middleton, Cabinet Member for Resources, said:

"I'm proud to recommend this budget to Council. It was certainly a difficult budget, as councils across the country are facing soaring social care, energy, and inflation costs.

However, the below-inflation council tax rise, combined with our investment in the needs and priorities of our residents, means that this budget delivers for the people of Milton Keynes."