This week Government Ministers confirmed their intention to pursue a Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes (BLMK) Strategic Authority rather than the alternative South Midlands proposal which would involve West Northamptonshire and North Northamptonshire as well. The Government is calling on the local authority leaders to accept a four-council devolution deal before Monday 26 October.
Locally, Bedford Mayor, Tom Wootton wrote to the minister challenging this decision. You can read his letter here.
Agreeing with Mayor Tom, Richard Fuller MP said:
Bedford Mayor, Tom Wootton, comes out strongly - and rightly in my view - against Labour’s proposal to create a sub-scale mayoral authority that excludes Northamptonshire.
The Bedford Luton Milton Keynes area (BLMK) will be subscale. We know this already because our health services - which used to be BLMK - have just been merged into a larger organisation to improve outcomes.
And BLMK would put rural areas in Bedford Borough and Central Bedfordshire at the mercy of the priorities of the sprawling urban areas of Milton Keynes and Luton - and in perpetuity.
Local Labour politicians know this which is why they are pressuring the Minister to push it through despite strong local opposition.
By including Northamptonshire, a more substantial mayoral authority will be created - one that can go head to head with the other emerging mayoral authorities to our East and West.
Earlier in the week, Richard signed a letter from Conservative MPs in the area to the Government making the case for a six-authority Strategic Authority. You can read this letter here.
