Lib Dem Spokesperson Responds to Misguided Conservative Lobbying

MK Liberal Democrat Council Group Finance Spokesperson, Cllr Robin Bradburn, has hit back at recent misguided lobbying by Conservative councillors on business support grants.

Councillor Bradburn said: "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."

The Bradwell councillor continued: "Milton Keynes Council has been given just under £2 million to support to small businesses that fell through the net of the first rounds of government funding. There 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."

Councillor Bradburn concluded: "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. 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."