Council leaders warn region could miss out on vital new funding and investment

Following a meeting with all four council leaders earlier this week, Jim McMahon MP, Minister of State for Local Government and English Devolution, wrote to confirm that the Government believes BLMK offers the strongest basis for devolution and is the only option that could realistically achieve local consensus within the required timescales. 

He has asked all four authorities to confirm by 26 October whether they wish to proceed. 

Luton and Milton Keynes remain committed to progressing this opportunity, which would bring vital investment, greater local influence over transport and skills, and new opportunities for residents and businesses across the region. The leaders are urging all four authorities to recognise the importance of the decision and commit to working together to take the proposal forward in the interests of residents. Bedford and Central Bedfordshire have not agreed to proceed on the BLMK footprint, leaving the whole area at risk of missing out. 

Councillor Amjid Ali, Leader of Luton Council, said: “The Government has made its position clear: BLMK is the only devolution area it will consider taking forward for our region. We have a very short window to keep this opportunity alive, and we cannot afford to let it slip away.

“This would unlock vital investment and give us greater influence over the decisions that shape our future, creating opportunities for residents and businesses across all four areas. If we fail to move forward now, we risk missing out on funding and powers that could make a real difference to people’s lives, with no guarantee of when a comparable opportunity might come again.

“I urge all our colleagues to work with us to keep this moving. We do not need to have every detail agreed now, but we do need to recognise what is at stake and be prepared to take the next steps together.”

Leader of Milton Keynes City Council, Councillor Jane Carr said: “The Government has made its position clear: BLMK is the only devolution proposal being considered for our region. This is a major opportunity to bring new investment, powers and decision-making closer to our communities. 

“We can either come together and shape our own future, or risk watching other areas move ahead while we miss out. The economic case is compelling, the benefits are clear, and the cost of standing still could be enormous.

 “Milton Keynes, Bedford, Central Bedfordshire and Luton have the ambition, talent and potential to achieve far more together than we can alone. I urge all leaders to put residents first, seize this opportunity and work together to secure the investment and influence our region deserves.” 

The Government has confirmed that a new BLMK Strategic Authority would receive an investment fund and funding to establish the capacity needed to operate. 

Analysis by consultants Metro Dynamics suggests that a BLMK devolution framework could unlock around £186 million a year in funding for the region. Returning to pre-pandemic rates of economic growth could also unlock an additional £52 billion for the BLMK economy by 2035. 

A BLMK-wide approach could help connect major opportunities across the region, from the growth of London Luton Airport and the proposed Universal UK development near Bedford to future growth in Milton Keynes East and the proposed new town at Tempsford in Central Bedfordshire. 

Working together would help ensure that investment, infrastructure and skills provision support communities and businesses across all four areas. 

Luton and Milton Keynes leaders remain committed to working constructively with their counterparts and the Government to progress devolution. With the deadline for an initial response approaching, they are urging all four authorities to keep the opportunity open and avoid putting the region at risk of missing out on future investment and powers.