Labour’s Savage Budget Cuts

Car drivers, bus users, young, old, those with disabilities
– all will pay the price in Labour’s proposed budget cuts!

What are they proposing?
Parking charges up to £2 an hour. More spaces, but much higher car parking charges.
Some night time and Sunday bus services will disappear. Young people and pensioners face higher bus fares.
Even fewer people eligible for Council housing as they want to change the rules.
MK Citizens Advice Bureau faced with closure. Local charities, like those that help the blind and help the young homeless may vanish for ever.
Children’s Centres, Youth Clubs, Community Centres – all are on Labour’s ‘hit list’.
No more black bin bags, and higher charges for special collections.

And what are they proposing spending money on?
Spending millions on new furniture and new computers for their offices.
More money on senior staff and “away days” for staff.

The Liberal Democrats want to save our crucial services for the disadvantaged and disabled. Keep critical voluntary services that help all. And not hit car drivers or bus users.

Cutting the Cost of Housing

Home buyers in Milton Keynes will pay on average £392 less in Stamp Duty.  The new system – announced in the Coalition Government’s Autumn Statement – is based on a long-standing Liberal Democrat policy and will reduce the cost of moving house, especially for 1st time buyers.

Weeds Don’t Stop!

Jenni Ferrans and Vanessa McPake are trying to get Queensbury Lane completed and the weeds cut!

Jenni Ferrans and Vanessa McPake are trying to get Queensbury Lane, Monkston Park completed and the weeds cut!

Your Focus team is still working to get the grass verge sorted out in Queensbury Lane, Monkston Park where the developers left the job half done.

 

 

 

Jenni Ferrans with the land in Finsbury Chase, Monkston Park that no-one wants to own.

Jenni Ferrans on the land in Finsbury Chase, Monkston Park that no-one wants to own.

Meanwhile, in Finsbury Chase, Monkston Park, Jenni has asked MK Council to trace the owners of this land. It’s not clear which of two developers and HCA own it!

H9 Closure

Roadworks close the H9 till Spring 2015The H9 will be closed near Kingston roundabout until spring 2015 while a new underpass is constructed underneath it. The underpass will serve new housing beyond the roundabout.
The road is still open from the V11 as far as the entrances to the houses in Wavendon Gate, and the businesses in Brinklow.

The roadworks are causing queues on the V11.  Please remember to leave room for people to cross the V11 into and out of estates.  Thank you.

Self-Build at Monkston Park

Vacant plots at Queensbury Lane go up for sale

Jenni Ferrans writes:the first three of the vacant plots on the even numbered side of Queensbury Lane, Monkston Park are being advertised for sale for single self-build houses. Please contact us if you want more details.

If there is enough interest, the remaining plots will follow soon.  If not, they will be held until next year.  The end plots have been deemed big enough to hold two houses, but we wait to see what buyers propose.

Once buyers have the land, they will put planning applications in, and residents will be able to comment at that stage.

Top Class Apprenticeships in MK

Since 2009 the Lib Dems have been encouraging apprenticeships – first in Milton Keynes, and then after 2010, across the country.  Modern apprenticeships provide flexible training while you earn, giving students between one and seven years of high quality training backed up by practical experience.

Now one of our local companies has contacted us asking for help publicising vacancies in Kingston.  Please contact them if you are interested.

 

Milton Keynes’ top young people needed for unique vacancy

Remit Training is offering two lucky young people in Milton Keynes an amazing opportunity to get into the automotive sector.

Remit is working alongside Sytner Mercedes Benz, based on Grey Friars Court in Kingston, to offer two young people the chance to be Sales Apprentices with the biggest retailer of prestige cars in the UK.

The roles offer the candidates a chance to gain nationally recognised qualifications and be fully-employed from day one, as well as a chance to get valuable work experience.

But this is no ordinary apprenticeship. Sytner is offering the young people who take up the opportunity the chance to earn £12,000 per year with a further earning potential of up to £3,000 bonus paid on achievement of the qualification after two years.

This is one of the highest-paid available apprenticeships in the country, and the high quality training delivered by Remit Training, Sytner, and Mercedes-Benz, will provide any young person with a CV to be proud of.

Steve Barker, Sales and Marketing Director for Remit, said: “An apprenticeship is always a fantastic route into work, not only providing you with employment, but the opportunity to build your skills, knowledge and experience, while achieving nationally recognised qualifications.

“This apprenticeship of course offers even more, with an excellent starting salary rarely seen in apprenticeship circles, and the opportunity to work for a multi-national company, with fantastic opportunities for career progression.”

This is one of the more elite apprenticeships available. Those applying for the Milton Keynes positions must have a valid UK driving licence and grades A-C in GCSE Maths and English and be educated to A Level standard which may include an NVQ, BTEC National or Diploma level qualification.

Steve added: “There will be a lot of young people in Milton Keynes thinking about their future right now, and I would encourage those who might be interested to contact us straight away to find out more.”

Remit works with more than 4,000 apprentices across the country, the majority in the automotive industry. It also works with young people in the IT, hospitality, health and social care, customer service and business administration sectors.

To apply, please contact Remit on 0845 8399 200 or visit the website: http://www.remit.co.uk/vacancies/.

 

Landscaping Must be Improved

Cllr Jenni Ferrans is pressing MKDP to prune their trees on Monkston Park

Cllr Jenni Ferrans is pressing MKDP to prune their trees on Monkston Park

The Focus team has been walking the streets to check on the bushes, grass cutting and the weeds after a number of residents have complained.

On Kents Hill, Cllr Vanessa McPake disappeared under the weeds in Tunbridge Grove!
On Monkston Park, Cllr Jenni Ferrans could not walk down Queensbury Lane because of the overhanging trees and shrubs.

They have now asked that MK Council sort out the problems.  Cllr Vanessa McPake will be pushing the new Labour-run MK Council to get the weeding done and Cllr Jenni Ferrans will be pressing MK Development Partnership to maintain their reserved sites.

Vanessa disappears under weeds in Kents Hill

Vanessa disappears under weeds in Kents Hill

Graffiti Blitz

Residents have complained about graffiti being left for months at a time.
The Lib Dem Focus team reported a lot of graffiti a few weeks ago for Tory-run MK Council to remove – and finally, it has been cleared! “Why do they leave it so long?” asked the Lib Dems campaigners. These are some of the worst examples in Monkston Park and Kents Hill, now cleared.

All-Graffiti-KHParkAll-graffiti-MP-underpass