FAQ

What is Milton Keynes South Midlands?

Milton Keynes South Midlands (mksm) is the name of the Growth Area which crosses three regions in the centre of England. It the largest Growth Area in the UK with plans to deliver over 225,000 new homes and over 200,000 new jobs by 2021. The area is made up all of Northamptonshire, Milton Keynes, Luton, Bedford, Central Bedfordshire and the Aylesbury Vale District of Buckinghamshire.

Why was the Growth Area designated?

The mksm Growth Area was established in the Government’s 2003 Communities Plan as part of its sustainable communities agenda to deliver housing growth across the UK. Since its designation, mksm developed a formal cross-regional planning framework for the area – the mksm Sub Regional Strategy – which was published in 2005. The mksm Growth Area remains an important aspect with specific spatial and policy priorities within the Regional Spatial Strategies in the South East, East Midlands and East of England.

What is mksm delivering?

The mksm Growth Area will deliver over 225,000 new homes and over 200,000 new jobs by 2021. Provisional planning assumptions also indicate scope for over 100,000 further homes 2021-31. These new homes and jobs are delivered in the main by private businesses, developers and house-builders. The public sector organisations which make up mksm deliver the planning framework and the infrastructure to support the capacity for growth on this scale.

Why was the mksm partnership formed?

The mksm partnership was formed in 2004. Its aim is to bring together the local, regional and national tiers of Government along with key infrastructure providers to plan the strategic delivery of sustainable growth across the area. The partnership is a network of cross-regional working groups headed up by the Inter Regional Board which is chaired by a CLG Minister.

How is the mksm area governed? Are there special governance arrangements?

The mksm area works as a broad partnership including local, regional and national tiers of Government along with key infrastructure providers and agencies. It is headed up by an Inter Regional Board which is chaired by a CLG Minister. Supporting that are a range of cross-regional thematic and project groups.

As a partnership, all Boards and Groups are constituted on a voluntary basis and each individual partner organisation retains its own powers and responsibilities. The partnership allows for greater and improved cross regional working, joint strategic planning and collective prioritisation and lobbying.

The partnership arrangements were subject to a consultation during summer 2008 and the new structures and arrangements have now been implemented. These are set out in full in the publication mksm Governance and Partnership Structure (December 2008) which is available from the publications section of our website at www.mksm.org.uk/publications.

Who decides who is involved on the mksm Inter Regional Board?

Ultimately, the Inter Regional Board decides its own membership. As wider changes occur, for example local government reorganisation, the Board decides how best to reflect these at Board level.

The full partnership arrangements (including IRB membership) were subject to a consultation during summer 2008 and the new structures and arrangements have now been implemented. These are set out in full in the publication mksm Governance and Partnership Structure (December 2008) which is available from our website at www.mksm.org.uk/publications.

All Board members pay an annual subscription to the mksm executive team to support the shared agenda across mksm.

Who decides who is involved with other mksm groups / projects?

Groups and Boards are largely self-governing with support from the executive team. Membership and guests are invited as wider circumstances change (e.g. local government re-organisation). All groups aim to be pragmatic and inclusive in their membership arrangements. In addition, as groups progress work, task and finish groups are formed to lead specific pieces of work.

The full partnership arrangements were subject to a consultation during summer 2008 and the new structures and arrangements have now been implemented. These are set out in full in the publication mksm Governance and Partnership Structure (December 2008) which is available from our website at www.mksm.org.uk/publications.

Is mksm a QANGO or a local delivery vehicle?

It is neither - mksm is a partnership network. It is supported by the ‘mksm executive team’. The team is hosted within Northamptonshire County Council but serves the wider partnership and reports to a representative ‘mksm executive board’. Neither the team nor the partnership has power in itself – its power and influence comes through the collective actions of its partners.

There are varied delivery arrangements with the mksm area. There are six separate local delivery vehicles (each constituted differently) and a range of government agencies, most of which are set up with a regional geographic focus. There are 14 local authorities in total and a mixture of unitary and two-tier council structures. In some cases there are joint planning teams which lead on an area’s core spatial strategy. These delivery arrangements are summarised in our mksm Business Plan and Business Plan Report (October 2008) and detailed further in our Housing and Planning Best Practice Report (December 2008). For further details of delivery arrangements, please visit our website or contact us.

What is the mksm executive team?

The mksm executive team is a small independent and dedicated team which supports the full mksm partnership, its networks and work programme. The core team consists of a Director, an Assistant Director and an Administrator.

When was the mksm executive team established?

The team was established during 2008, following a collective decision by partners in 2007 to collaboratively fund a central team budget. Hilary Chipping the mksm Director took up post in January 2008 and further staff were recruited subsequently.

How can the team function across such a large area? What is meant by ‘virtual team’?

The mksm executive team relies on the work of its partner organisations to function effectively. Representatives from these partners attend meetings, progress collaborative actions, work together on shared problems, and help advance mksm issues within their own organisations. Often, specific organisations lead on individual pieces of work with the mksm executive team facilitating.

These partner organisations include local councils (county, unitary and districts), local delivery vehicles, regional planning bodies, Regional Development Agencies, the Homes and Communities Agency, Highways Agency, Environment Agency, national Government and Government Offices.

In some cases dedicated individuals have been identified or recruited in specific organisations to lead on mksm. For example, in Cultural and Sport Agencies, Employment and Skills, Emergency Services (Northamptonshire Police), and Health and Social Care Services (Northamptonshire PCT).

Combined, the efforts of these individuals – whether a permanent mksm remit or not – is referred to as the ‘virtual team’. It is this spirit of partnership working which enables the small team to operate over such a large and diverse area.

Where is the team based? Who employs the team?

The core executive team is formally hosted by Northamptonshire County Council. Northamptonshire County Council holds the pooled budget for mksm on behalf of the full partnership. The mksm Director is formally an employee of Northamptonshire County Council, but reports to a representative mksm executive board.

The team move around daily and work alongside partners across the mksm area. They have hot desk facilities in Northampton, Milton Keynes, Bedford and London (CLG).

What does the mksm executive team deliver? How does the mksm executive add value?

The executive team adds value by facilitating cross-boundary working. The work of the team is focused on three key areas:

Profile – raise the overall profile and awareness of mksm, particularly within central government;
Partnership – support the full partnership network and facilitate cross-boundary working to solve strategic / cross-regional barriers to delivery;
Prioritising – identify, support and promote key priorities for the full mksm area through strategic studies and cross-regional business planning.

The team delivers a programme of work with partners, managing strategic studies and the functioning of the wide partnership network and supporting groups. Physical delivery occurs through the individual public and private sector partners.

What is mksm’s relationship with Government? How does it engage with Communities and Local Government? How does it engage with the Homes and Communities Agency?

The mksm partnership structures were originally established in response to the Government’s Sustainable Communities Plan (2003) and its proposals for widespread housing and economic growth. It is an entirely voluntary construct, relying on the goodwill and cooperation of its partners to continue. A CLG Minister chairs the mksm Inter Regional Board, which allows a clear strategic dialogue between central Government and other partners.

Both CLG and the Homes and Communities Agency are represented on key groups within the mksm structure, such as the mksm executive board. Full details of membership are set out in full in the publication mksm Governance and Partnership Structure (December 2008) which is available from our website at www.mksm.org.uk/publications.

The mksm executive team receives grant funding from the Homes and Communities Agency, which supplements membership subscriptions from other partners to cover the team’s core operating costs. In addition, the mksm executive team meet regularly with colleagues within CLG and the HCA, and have hot desk facilities in both organisations.

What are the delivery vehicles in the mksm area?

There are varied delivery arrangements with the mksm area. There are six separate local delivery vehicles within the mksm area - each one constituted differently. These local delivery vehicles work with local partners, particularly local authorities and private developers, in order to facilitate the delivery sustainable communities in their area. They are:

Growth Policy Area	LDV	LDV Type
Aylesbury Vale	Aylesbury Vale Advantage	Limited company
Bedford and north Central Bedfordshire	Renaissance Bedford	Informal partnership
Luton and south Central Bedfordshire	Luton Gateway	Limited company
Milton Keynes	Milton Keynes Partnership	Urban Regeneration Area (part of the HCA)
North Northamptonshire	North Northamptonshire Development Company	Urban Regeneration Company
West Northamptonshire	West Northamptonshire Development Company	Urban Development Corporation

I’ve seen Milton Keynes South Midlands written in different ways (Milton Keynes-South Midlands, Milton Keynes and South Midlands, MKSM, etc.) – which one should I use?

mksm is referenced in different ways. We consistently use ‘Milton Keynes South Midlands’ (or shortened to lowercase mksm) and ask that all partners and external references do the same.

Where can I find out more information?

Please contact us direct on 01604 236697 or getintouch@mksm.org.uk

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