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RESOLVED:

1.      That this
Council:

a)           
recognises the huge opportunity for the city that a
Strategic Combined Authority with a directly elected Mayor could
create, and believes that the devolution of powers, funding, and
flexibilities from central government to the local region would
bring significant benefits to Milton Keynes and the surrounding
areas;

b)           
agrees that by working with partners and central
government there is a significant potential for devolution across
several strategically important functions such as strategic
planning, infrastructure funding, affordable housing, public
transport, skills, health, employment, welfare, service integration
and flexible funding which would enable the region to be more
responsive to the specific economic and social needs of our
population, ensure significant additional capacity for delivery and
improve the lives of our residents; and

c)            
understands that our unique geographical location
means that there are a number of different potential local
authorities combinations our council could work with to form a
Strategic Mayoral Combined Authority, but that the Bedfordshire,
Luton and Milton Keynes (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.

2.            
That this Council notes:

a)           
the BLMK region is one of the most exciting economic
areas in the country, at the heart of the Oxford to Cambridge
Corridor;

b)           
Milton Keynes is already the fastest growing city in
the country with the 7th largest economy in England but has the
potential to grow even faster with the right level of
infrastructure investment over the coming decades to become the
pivotal hub of the OxCam Corridor and deliver growth that will
benefit local residents and the whole country;

c)            
the BLMK region has many nationally significant
projects, including Universal Studios UK, the expansion of London
Luton airport and a number of potential next generation New Towns
that will require local authorities to work together to deliver
their full potential, but a Strategic Mayoral Combined Authority
would help deliver powers, funding and capacity to support delivery
that would not be otherwise available;

d)           
the BLMK region has the highest level of overlap and
alignment with the Milton Keynes economy and the greatest potential
to ensure a more cohesive footprint to enhance local
growth;

e)           
the BLMK region has the best alignment with our
travel to work area and provides the greatest opportunity to
deliver a functioning Integrated Public Transport
Network;

f)             
that the local NHS Integrated Care Board currently
covers the BLMK area and has strong, well established, working
relationships with the four local authorities creating a
significant potential to better integrate health and social care
services, but that there is a risk that the potential merger of
ICBs to create fewer, larger, sub-national ICB footprints means
that the specific needs of BLMK and opportunities will be harder to
articulate without a powerful Combined Authority voice;

g)           
that the BLMK region has the greatest level of
alignment on issues such as planning, housing, affordability and
infrastructure requirements and a Strategic Mayoral Combined
Authority would ensure the regional is best placed to deliver
greater levels of co-ordinated strategic infrastructure and
funding;

h)           
that the BLMK region offers the greatest potential
for future service reconfiguration, such as fire and policing,
which could improve service delivery and benefit Milton Keynes;
and

i)             
that the existing local authorities in the BLMK
region will continue to function as separate sovereign unitary
local councils with their existing statutory functions, and
devolution should bring new or enhanced powers, freedoms and
flexibilities drawn down from central government to enhance and
improve the capacity and capability to deliver local change as
constituent parts of a Combined Authority.

3.            
That this Council therefore believes
that:

a)           
a Strategic Mayoral Combined Authority (SMCA) on the
BLMK footprint is the best current option to deliver the greatest
level of benefit to the residents and businesses of Milton
Keynes;

b)           
an SMCA on the BLMK footprint would deliver the
highest level of synergy and benefit for Milton Keynes;

c)            
the BLMK region offers the best combination of local
authorities to deliver an economic, social and geographically
cohesive, sustainable and well-functioning devolved
authority;

d)           
the scale and ambition of the BLMK region requires a
specific and focussed SMCA to ensure cohesive alignment and
delivery, which would not be possible with other combinations due
to the higher risk of a more polycentric, less well defined,
geographic, economic and social focus; and

e)           
the current BLMK footprint already provides the
scale required to form a functioning SMCA but existing planned
growth, and the additional potential of the area, provides one of
the most exciting opportunities to deliver a devolved regional
government of national and international significance.

4.            
That this Council agrees:

a)           
a Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes (BLMK)
Strategic Mayoral Combined Authority is Milton Keynes City
Council’s preferred devolution option;

b)           
that Cabinet should seek a devolution settlement
with partners and government on this footprint at the earliest
opportunity;

c)            
that Cabinet should not seek to enter discussions
for an SMCA with any other combination of authorities unless told
formally by government that a BLMK region would not be
agreed;

d)           
that Cabinet ensure current working arrangements on
functions that may transition to an SMCA align, as best as
possible, with a BLMK footprint, for example by reviewing the
functions currently operated by the South Midlands
Authorities;

e)           
that Cabinet works with the government and partners
to ensure that there is a clear and strategic operational framework
of how existing and new SMCAs will work together on delivering the
Oxford to Cambridge Corridor;

f)             
that Cabinet ensures that appropriate and timely
updates on progress be made to the Communities and Partnerships
Scrutiny Committee;

g)           
to engage with local residents, businesses and other
stakeholders to communicate the potential benefits of a BLMK SMCA
and help avoid misunderstanding and misinformation; and

h)           
that the Chief Executive, in consultation with the
Leader, notify all partners of the content of this
motion.