MKFM can exclusively reveal that MK Council budget proposals to be published on Monday will include funding to tackle unauthorised encampments.
MKFM has been leading the campaign to stop anti-social behaviour and other issues, such as burning cables, liked to unauthorised encampments set up by travellers, and has now learned the Labour-led Cabinet will propose that next year £100,000 is earmarked to tackle the issue, including court costs for obtaining court injunctions on specific trouble spots.
MK Council has already invested over £250,000 in establishing physical barriers on many sites, while clean-up costs of collecting rubbish and fly-tipping linked to unauthorised encampments are rumoured to have cost tens of thousands of pounds.
Milton Keynes Council will publish its Draft Budget for 2019/20 next week, with the Cabinet meeting in December to approve public consultation on the proposals. A final decision on the budget will be taken by all councillors in February 2019.
Cllr Peter Marland, Leader of MK Council said: “We are well aware that the lives of many residents have been made a misery by unauthorised encampments. The powers we have as a council are limited and we are facing having to make £10m in cuts to services next year. However we are seeking to be prudent and ensure we are making the right financial provision to tackle encampments, including providing for costly court fees that may occur if we seek injunctions. We are looking to provide this funding in the budget after local Labour ward councillor Anthony Brown raised it as a consideration.”
Cllr Anthony Brown, Councillor for Tattenhoe Ward said: “I have been listening to concerns of residents on this matter since the summer. I am aware that the Cabinet had undertaken a number of actions since the summer, but I also wanted to ensure not only was the issue still on their radar over the quieter winter months, but that there was enough money in the budget to deal with this issue properly. I therefore raised it with the Cabinet and I’m glad they have listened. I hope all councillors will be able to support this funding as the public will rightly want to know if they don’t.”
Cllr Pete Marland concluded: “Despite austerity the reason we are able to make this proposal is that we have been able to balance the books because we are a well-run council. The choice is obviously between a Labour-run council fighting austerity, protecting services and investing in communities, or the chaos of so many other Tory authorities who have cut services, burned their reserves and let people down.”
The Conservatives in Milton Keynes reacted by saying, this is too little too late following the campaigning from their councillors during the summer for the council and the police to be more proactive.
