Budget is a 'missed opportunity' for Milton Keynes, says council leader

The Labour leader of MK Council Pete Marland has slammed the 2018 Budget as '˜a missed opportunity for Milton Keynes'.
Pete MarlandPete Marland
Pete Marland

Pete claims the budget highlights that ‘austerity’ policies of the past 10 years have done little to tackle the challenges that city residents and businesses see every day.

He said: “Milton Keynes Council has faced £150m of cuts since 2010, and our services have suffered. Other public services such as our schools, our hospital and our police have been starved of cash too. People are not stupid; they know the damage austerity has done to services, to our city and to our country.”

He added: “Last month Theresa May promised an end to austerity. Today she had a chance to prove it was not just an empty slogan, yet the Chancellor delivered another £1.5bn of cuts to local government - cuts that will impact on services such as bin collections, road repairs, help to our older people and service to vulnerable children.

Chancellor Philip Hammond announced the 2018 Budget on MondayChancellor Philip Hammond announced the 2018 Budget on Monday
Chancellor Philip Hammond announced the 2018 Budget on Monday

“Yes, there was a small amount of good news in extra money for roads and some extra cash for social care, but it is short term funding and is not enough to meet the massive gap as the cost of delivering social care in the face of rising demand.”

Pete said he had expected to hear how the Chancellor and the Government would work with MK Council to deliver the tens of thousands of affordable homes, help the homeless, and ensure MK grows in a planned and properly resourced way.

“They failed,” he said. “No mention was made at all about ending the government ban on council’s building houses in significant numbers. Despite Milton Keynes standing ready to deliver the affordable homes people need for the right deal – our MPs and the Tory Government have proved they are happy to let that opportunity pass them by.

He also accused the chancellor of failing to tackle low paid work and poor working conditions and ending austerity for the NHS, police and schools.

Chancellor Philip Hammond announced the 2018 Budget on MondayChancellor Philip Hammond announced the 2018 Budget on Monday
Chancellor Philip Hammond announced the 2018 Budget on Monday

“Instead he offered paltry shorty term funding. Our NHS is now one of the most poorly resourced health care systems in the western world. Our schools are being forced to choose between cleaning, teaching assistants or roof repairs. Our police are cut to the bone and community policing is paying the price,” he said.

“This budget is a missed opportunity. It was a chance for the Tories to end austerity. People in Milton Keynes want change, yet this budget delivered more of the same polices that have delivered 10 years of collapsing living standards.”

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Chancellor Philip Hammond announced the 2018 Budget on MondayChancellor Philip Hammond announced the 2018 Budget on Monday
Chancellor Philip Hammond announced the 2018 Budget on Monday