Content

1.      That this Council notes:

a)           
Milton Keynes is a
city known for its diversity, innovation, green spaces, welcoming
communities, and ambitious outlook.

b)           
Signs of neglect and
vandalism including graffiti, litter, overgrown vegetation, dirty
and broken street signage, poorly maintained underpasses and
roundabouts and other declining infrastructure in public spaces are
a growing concern for residents.

c)            
These issues impact
how our residents feel about the place they call home —
undermine civic pride, contribute to a sense of decline, and can
make communities feel unsafe or forgotten.

2.      That this Council
believes:

a)           
Civic pride is about
more than just appearances — it’s about respect,
safety, and local identity.

b)           
Small signs of neglect
can have a large impact and reversing that trend must be a shared
ambition.

c)            
By working together,
we can help to restore pride in Milton Keynes and support residents
to be part of the solution — from dog owners picking up after
their pets to businesses supporting clean-up efforts, from
supporting community litter picks to residents and parish councils
helping with cleaning up graffiti, all of which the City Council
already plays a role in.

d)           
While community
involvement has a role to play, civic pride must be backed by
properly funded services – not left to the good will of
local residents and businesses
alone.

3.      That this Council
acknowledges:

a)           
The continued work of
Council teams, The Parks Trust, and local Parish and Town Councils
in maintaining public spaces across Milton Keynes. Their
contribution is vital to the appearance and health of our city,
especially the 12 Parishes who have taken on devolved landscaping
responsibilities.

b)           
For over a decade
under the last Conservative government local authorities suffered
the largest cuts to any single government department, and therefore
Milton Keynes City Council now lacks the financial resources to
deliver discretionary services at levels the public may wish to
see.

c)            
As a financially
responsible authority with a challenging medium-term budget
position, it is important to manage the expectations of the public,
not seek to make promises we cannot keep or make resources
commitments without clearly explaining how they would be
financed.

4.      However, sustaining a clean and
welcoming environment is not a job for public services alone. It
requires all of us — residents, businesses, and organisations — to take pride in our
surroundings and play an active role in protecting them and that
consideration should be given on how best wider civic society can
play a role in delivering sustainable improvements to our
communities.

5.      That this Council resolves to
ask Cabinet to:

a)           
Continue to empower
parish councils, community organisations businesses and individuals to help
improve our public areas.

b)           
Share good practice
from Parish Councils that have successfully taken on devolved
landscaping responsibilities through the Parishes Forum,
Councillors News, and the City Council’s communication
channels.

c)            
Continue to work with
Thames Valley Police to strengthen visibilityof enforcement against
persistent offenders who vandalize, fly tip or litter in public
areas, including a summary of current activity and public reporting
processes, and for the outcome to be reviewed by the Environment
and Place Scrutiny Committee.

d)           
Include how the VCS
sector and other parts of civic society can play a role in
continuing sustainable service delivery as part of the review into
the future operational model of the council taking place through
the “Changing because we have to” programme.

e)           
Publish a clear,
accessible summary for residents on how Conservative-imposed
funding cuts over the past 14 years have impacted the City
Council’s ability to maintain public spaces — so
residents understand where responsibility truly lies and why
national investment is essential.