‘Bring West Northamptonshire back to the table’ says councillor in devolution plea to PM
West Northamptonshire should be included in a wider South Midlands strategic authority rather than being left out of current devolution proposals, a senior councillor has argued.
Shazna Muzammil, leader of the opposition on Milton Keynes City Council, has written an open letter to Prime Minister Andy Burnham setting out what she calls ‘the case for six’.
Cllr Muzammil believes a mayoral strategic authority based solely on Bedford, Luton, Central Bedfordshire and Milton Keynes – known as BLMK – would be the wrong model.
Instead, she argues West Northamptonshire and North Northamptonshire should be included alongside the four areas, creating a six-authority South Midlands partnership.
In her letter, Cllr Muzammil said: “I am appealing directly to you to look again at what is happening in the South Midlands.
“Many residents across the South Midlands remain unconvinced that another layer of governance is needed, and some local authorities have raised the same doubts.
“I understand and we respect that view. But Government has made clear this is happening, so if a strategic authority is going to be created, the geography we choose matters enormously.
“I do not believe that submission should be read as evidence of a settled regional consensus.”
She said significant questions remained over whether BLMK represented the strongest economic geography for devolution.
Cllr Muzammil added: “Central Bedfordshire Council has itself said that BLMK would be too small a footprint to carry real influence, and North and West Northamptonshire have consistently said they want to be part of a wider structure.
“We have the opportunity to build something considerably stronger by bringing them both back to the table.”
Central Bedfordshire Council was also due to debate devolution at an extraordinary meeting on Wednesday.
A motion from council leader Adam Zerny said a strategic authority covering a large part of the Oxford-Cambridge region was “likely to be far more powerful than just Bedfordshire and Milton Keynes”.
Sharing her letter on Facebook, Cllr Muzammil said Milton Keynes, Bedford, Central Bedfordshire, Luton and North and West Northamptonshire already formed an interconnected South Midlands economy.
She added: “Before we settle for BLMK, shouldn't we at least ask whether bringing all six together could make us considerably stronger?
“If we're making a decision that could shape our region for the next 30 or 40 years, surely it is worth getting it right.”
Milton Keynes City Council has been approached for comment.