There are days when I question the role of a councillor and the real impact we can have, especially when the council is run by a Labour administration that refuses to prioritise the needs of residents over balancing the books. Today is one of those days.
Last night's meeting to scrutinise the parking hike left me deeply frustrated. Despite a petition signed by nearly 1000 members of the public, and heartfelt testimonies from a resident and a business owner on how these increases will affect them, Labour and the Liberal Democrats seemed more concerned with accusing us of wasting their time than addressing the actual issue.
The Labour council’s decision to increase car parking charges was based on an assumption that higher fees would encourage more people to use buses. However, this assumption was not supported by any evidence or data. As Conservative councillors, we felt it was our duty to challenge this decision and called it in for further scrutiny.
We called it in because businesses will be affected, as evidenced by the business owner who shared how this would impact his livelihood. We called it in because residents will be burdened by a new £675 parking permit. A local medical student movingly explained how this added cost would stretch his already tight budget to breaking point. We called it in because the council’s plan relies on unreliable public transport and does not provide any data to show this change will lead to the desired behavioural shift.
Labour’s response? They claimed we had no evidence for the call-in and dismissed our concerns as mere opinions. They presented letters from bus companies supporting their decision but failed to conduct a pilot test, produce data, or consult the very residents and businesses affected by this policy. Instead, they relied on partnerships to justify squeezing more money out of residents.
This dismissive attitude was particularly hurtful because my fellow councillors and I worked tirelessly to speak directly to residents, shoppers, and businesses. We listened to their concerns, and within a single weekend, our petition against the hikes gathered nearly 1,000 signatures. That’s nearly 1,000 voices saying, “This is not right.” Voices Labour chose to ignore.
According to the Labour council, living in the city centre comes with a premium. They argue that residents can simply walk to where they need to go. But what about those who work outside CMK? What about the medical student trying to make ends meet? What about the small business owner who just wants a fair chance to keep his business alive? Their pleas fell on deaf ears.
Labour claims footfall in the city centre has increased and parking surpluses are up. But they ignore the struggles of small businesses, shared workspaces, and hospitality venues outside the core shopping areas. Their refusal to consult or engage with the people most affected shows how out of touch they are.
I’m proud of the work we did—standing shoulder to shoulder with residents, business owners, and shoppers. Their support and the petition we built together show the strength of our community. But I am also deeply disheartened by the Labour council’s refusal to listen. This dictatorial leadership style—making decisions in isolation and ignoring the people they’re supposed to serve—is not what Milton Keynes deserves.
Thank you to everyone who signed the petition, shared their stories, and supported us. We will continue to fight for what’s right, even when it feels like we’re up against a brick wall. Your voices matter, and we will keep working to make them heard.
The petition can be found here:
