Milton Keynes Labour Party

92% of Milton Keynes schools have been judged good or outstanding by OFSTED. This is highest ever and one of the highest in south east England.  But now the Government plans to cut funding and teachers.

Cllr Zoe Nolan, Cabinet Member for schools said, “Our schools are performing very well. I would like to congratulate the schools, their staff, head teachers and of course the school pupils. But this terrific progress is being threatened by austerity driven Government cuts.

Last week (21.06.17) School Head teachers from across the Country warned in a letter to the Prime Minister that "cash-starved" schools will impact on the lives almost two million families.

These cuts to budgets and staff have been identified as hitting Milton Keynes schools. In Milton Keynes 25,000 more children have come into schools over the last 6 years. So schools face funding cuts at a time of pupil growth. No extra money has been made available to fund pressure on schools. In fact funding is set to be reduced.

Funding Cuts

From the autumn Milton Keynes schools face funding cuts of hundreds of pounds per pupil across many schools. Schools with high free school meals are badly affected. (See table 1) and at least 113 teaching posts will be lost (See table 2) in the 10 worst hit schools.

Cllr Zoe Nolan said “Cuts to school budgets from September of half a per cent show the Conservatives won't fund schools properly and Milton Keynes Council are calling upon the new Conservative Government to fund them fully and invest in our city's future.”

Follow Zoe on Twitter @ZoeNolan3 or https://www.facebook.com/ZoeForLoughton/

Cllr Nolan added, “I share the view of Head teachers and the many parents I talk to that local cuts to budgets and jobs are deeply worrying. That is not fair on the many young people entering or progressing through schools.”

Cllr Nolan concluded, “Labour led Milton Keynes has worked well with schools to improve standards locally. Yet, at every turn, we face a Government cutting funding. That has to be short sighted as well as deeply unfair. The Government must abandon austerity and out our children first.”

Table 1 - Percentage of Free School Meals and lot income per school:

Fire safety is a priority for Labour led Milton Keynes Council. Following the truly dreadful fire at the Grenfell Tower, Kensington, all blocks of flats owned by Milton Keynes Council, will have new inspections and Fire Safety Assessments to ensure there can be no risk to the residents safety. The Council has also been liaising with the Fire and Rescue Service.

But fire safety is not simply about inspections. It is about listening to those residents.

Cllr Nigel Long, Cabinet member for Adult Social Care and Housing said, “15 years ago I was responsible for resident involvement in the London Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. I worked with the residents on the Lancaster West estate where Grenfell Tower is. It seems to me that the Conservative Council stopped listening to its poorer residents. I am committed in Milton Keynes to residents determining what happens where they live. This will be vital as we move to regenerate many of the original estates in Milton Keynes.”

Council Leader Pete Marland added, “My heart goes out to the families of those who have died or lost their homes in the dreadful fire. That is why I have made sure the Council is revisiting all its fire inspections and looking closely at its two tower blocks in Bletchley and Wolverton and at six storey Serpentine Court on the Lakes estate. I am also asking other owners of blocks of flats like Stephenson House and Ambassador House to check fire safety. I have also ensured properties on the Lakes estate with cladding are safe. I have further asked for a check on Unity House, in Luton, that we use as temporary accommodation. Fire safety is a priority.”

Once the immediate safety of blocks of flats is guaranteed the Council will start to look at a range of changes. These include:

· Should sprinklers be installed?

· Are smoke detectors and alarms in need of upgrading?

· Is the evacuation policy of staying in a flat right?

· Reviewing evacuation policy for sheltered housing.

Cllr Nigel Long concluded, “We will be holding in depth discussions with the residents of the two Tower blocks and other blocks of flats including Serpentine and the many 5 storey Reema blocks in West Bletchley. We will also be reviewing evacuation policy at our 26 sheltered housing schemes and at special dementia centres at Courtney’s Lodge, Kilkenny and Flowers houses. We will work with residents, and their families. We will not make the same mistake as Kensington and Chelsea. We value all residents and their views.”

Over 100 people attended a picnic at Willen Lake on Saturday 17 June.  The event, hosted by Milton Keynes Labour Party, was part of the UK-wide Great Get Together in honour of murdered politician Jo Cox MP.

Jo Cox was killed by a “well of hatred”, Jeremy Corbyn said in his tribute to the Labour MP in her constituency town of Birstall, West Yorkshire last year, but since her death her friends, family and supporters have generated a huge amount of good for Britain and the world in her name.

Jo Cox

Paul Day Chair of Milton Keynes Labour Party said: “A number of our members in Milton Keynes knew Jo personally. We already had plans for a picnic this year as part of our centenary celebrations and it seemed natural to open it to the public and run it as part of the Great Get Together."

The Jo Cox Foundation: https://www.jocoxfoundation.org/