A Liberal Democrat councillor in Milton Keynes has hit out at what he considers to be misguided lobbying by Conservative councillors over grants for small businesses.
Milton Keynes Liberal Democrat Council Group Finance Spokesperson, Councillor Robin Bradburn, has hit back at lobbying by Conservative councillors on business support grants.
Cllr Bradburn commented: "Conservative councillors are pressuring Milton Keynes Council to use their reserves to supplement a Central Government grant for small businesses – this is the job of the Conservative Government, not of struggling local councils."
"Milton Keynes Council has been given just under £2 million to support small businesses that fell through the net of the first rounds of government funding."
"There are over 13,000 small business who fall into this category, so the Council will have to make some hard decisions as to who will receive this funding."
The Bradwell councillor continued: "To suggest the use of Council reserves to supplement the fund is pure folly. Fundamentally, the reserves are for protecting the Council’s front line services."
"Unfortunately, the problems facing Milton Keynes’ small businesses are a national problem, and require national support from the Government."
He concluded: "We have two Conservative MPs in Milton Keynes – the Conservative Group on the Council should be lobbying them to increase the amount that Central Government should be supplying to Local Government."
