MK Labour's Blog
Friday 15th February
It's been a few days since I turned my attention to this column. My only excuse is one of being busy. Not a good one I know, but its the best I can offer.
Having said that its been a fairly quiet week on the political front. With Parliament not sitting this week the news has been extremely diverse and often quite shallow. It wil not be like that for much longer of course.
Next week the Cabinet in MK announce their final budget plans, which we will fully scrutinise before deciding what amendments to table on the 26th when the full Council meets to agree the budget for the year ahead. The test for us will be the extent to which the proposals address a number fo key issues. Top of the list is the growing divide in the city between the well offf and the deprived areas. This is still wideneing and tackling it is a key priority. Supporting public transport is another, as is the need to ensure that the city becomes cleaner and greener. We will keep you posted on this site.
Saturday 8th February
Its a national campaigning day so hopefully we will be out in force meeting and speaking to as many voters as possible this morning. Should be fun, and the weather looks good. Just hope the voters are ready for us.
Big match at Stadium MK today when the Dons take on Rotherham in a top of the table clash. A crowd close to 10,000 is expected, which is just amazing for a Division 2 match.
Oh dear. Milton Keynes Council has dropped significantly in this years Comprehensive Performance Assesment produced by the Audit Commission. Scores on environment, finance, housing, culture and the direction fo traval all down. Could this be why Council Leader Isobel McCall is in hiding.
Thursday 6th February
The lift at the Councils Civic Offices very helpfully has a button to press if the lift gets stuck so that you can speak to someone. Well it appears that someone is in Chelmsford. Very helpful they are too I imagine.. but Chelmsford when the people who may be able to help you are just yards away.
Every autumn Milton Keynes Coucnil conducts a residents survey on opinions and satisfaction with the Council. So where are the results from last years survey. They are not yet available. It appears to be another outsourcing failure and the Council are now in dispute with the opinion polling company. Less charitable people than me might want to suggest that the Council does not want you to see the results this year, but I am sure that cannot possibly be true. Can it?
Has anyone seen our esteemed Council Leader Isobel McCall recently? Our invisible leader seems to have all but vanished from the public domain recently. Report any sitings as soon as you can. This is an endangered species. Perhaps she in the lift talking to a man from Chelmsford?
Wednesday 5th February 2008
When it comes to saving the environment we can all do our bit. Everything from energy saving light bulbs, to ensuring our tyres are inflated to the right pressure, recycling more, buying less packaged goods, reusable bags, and if you wish sharing a bath or shower. All useful, but none in the league necessary to make a real difference. Here in Milton Keynes the most obvious matter that needs adressing is public transport. We have one of the leats well used public transport services of any major city in Europe, and a highly car dependent city. Of all the priorities for the local authority none is as important as improving the local bus services, to provide a real and meaningful alternative to using the car. Until that happens we may just have to keep sharing the shower.
On the theme of climate change the Environment Secretary Hilary Benn is anxious to hear from people and answer questions about the recent international agreement reached in Bali before recently, You can do this here.
Yesterday was Super Tuesday of course. The race for the democratic nomination is certainly hotting up. Whoever wins will surely have a good chance of winning the main contest in November. And returning to the environment theme even the main republican candidate is saying that he will sign up to international climate change targets. Now that is a breath fo fresh air.
Monday 4th February
Welcome to the start of a new week. The story about Labour MP Sadiq Khan who, it is alleged was bugged whilst at the Woodhill Prison in Milton Keynes gets even more confusing as the Tories make an amazing claim that they wrote to Downing Street last month warning about this, Downing Street refute this saying they did not receive any letter. Jack Straw has ordered an enquiry. Perhaps we should await this before speculating further. Who would have thought that Milton Keynes would be at the centre of such a storm.
Milton Keynes is famous for its roundabouts. It is said that the motto of the Development Corporation was 'If in doubt build a roundabout'. Well at least it rhymes. The other story is that the planners had no where to put their coffee cups other than on the large maps they had draped across big tables, and that this created off cup rings, which the builders then assumed were roundabouts. Either way what a lot of fuss is being made about a couple of traffic lights being proposed for the V4. Talk about head in sand. All the evidence and traffic modelling shows emphatically that if these are not put in then traffic in the west of MK will simply come to a halt with major congestion. Some people I am afraid see every effort aimed at improving our transport system as being anti car and anti motorist. Most sensible people however understand that we have to avoid congestion and this means changes, not least in favour of better, quicker public transport. Of all the majpr cities in England none have a public transport system as poor as Milton Keynes. It really is tie for action. Milton Keynes might have been built as the city of the car, but its future must be something different.
Oh dear. The Government have just released an extra £10million in Disabled facilities grants. Nothimg for Milton Keynes. Is the Government letting us down. No it can now be revealed that the Council did not respond to a consultation on the matter, did not ask and did not make a case. Oh dear, another Lib Dem let down then?
Sunday 3rd February
It's a fact that most good news goes unreported. Just take two local health stories for example. First there is now no difficulty wnatsoever in finding a local NHS Dentist. The problems of two years ago have simply dissapeared, due in no short measure to more dental practices being set up the Primary Care Trust. Secondly MK Hospital is recruiting 18 more midwifes for the Hospital's maternity unit. Much of this is down to a £1.9million investment in local health services by the Primary Care Trust
Milton Keynes Councils Cabinet meets on Tuesday to discuss next years budget for the Council. The Lob Dems are under pressure to reverse a number of damaging cuts that they had been proposing, particular to the local Music Service and a slash in the grant to Shelter, the Housing Advice Agency. Milton Keynes Council received a 5.9% increase in government gran this year, and along with a 3.9% Council Tax increase there is no justification for decisions which will adversly affect local people and local services.
Colleagues will be out campaigning again this morning. There are now less than 3 months to the important local elections, and campaigning is beginnin got hot up around many parts of the city
Saturday 2nd February
It's funny how just one day can change everything.
Yesterday we were left wondering if the Dons could ever score. 5 Goals and a brilliant win today. What a difference a day makes. Come on you Dons.
Yesterday it was cold wet and damp (with a little snow), but today its been lovely after the early morning frost.
Yesterday few of the world troubled regions looked as though things were getting better. Today Tony Blair pops up as Middle East Envoy sounding really hopeful of a Middle East deal by the end of the year. Now what a difference to the world that woud make. See his words here
And finally as things look so much better today than they did yesterday lets wish everyone a great week ahead. I am sure it will be for me.
Peter Skinner MEP
