Content

RESOLVED:
1.            
That this Council
notes:
a)           
The Government white
paper on English devolution was published on 16th
December 2024.
b)           
That the Leader of the
Council has been in discussions with members of the South Midlands
Authorities Board (Bedford Borough, Central Bedfordshire, Luton
Borough, West Northamptonshire and North Northamptonshire) about
forming a Mayoral Strategic Authority.
c)            
That the Government
has invited the proposed South Midlands area to join the Devolution
Priority Programme with the intention to establish a Mayoral
Strategic Authority with a Mayoral election in 2026.
d)           
That all South
Midlands authorities, including this Council, were required to
notify the Government by the 10th of January if they are
minded to agree to establishing a Mayoral Strategic
Authority.
2.            
That this Council
agrees:
a)           
With the principle of
Devolution and the benefits of bringing decision making to a local
forum.
b)           
That an elected Mayor
is the most appropriate governance of this proposed
authority.
c)            
The only criteria for
deciding the makeup of any proposed authority should be what would
be in the best interests of Milton Keynes, not what would be in the
best interests of any one political party or any
individual.
3.            
That this Council
requests:
a)           
The Leader to bring
any further decisions and updates on the progress of the proposed
Mayoral Strategic Authority to Full Council.
b)           
The Leader to confirm
that this Council would not support and would actively challenge
any proposals that do not include a directly elected
Mayor.