Arguments have broken out between local political figures at Milton Keynes City Council in a row over fire service cuts.

Earlier this week, the Milton Keynes Conservative group made a claim that budget cuts would see 8 fire engines cut from Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue, and that some stations were facing outright closure.

This was disputed by the Milton Keynes Labour party, who are the largest party on MK City Council, with MK Labour later saying that the Conservatives admitted to making misleading claims about the cuts.

There then came a further row during and after a meeting at MK City Council last night (22/10), in which Council leader Cllr Pete Marland was made to apologise for swearing, with disputed claims on whether his remark was aimed at a Conservative councillor, at a 15 year old student who had made testimony against the cuts or against any particular individual.

The row began on Tuesday, when the Milton Keynes Conservative group made claims about the potential loss of fire engines from stations in the Milton Keynes area, with the group bringing a motion to a meeting of the Council held yesterday.

The statement read, “The proposals, developed by the Buckinghamshire & Milton Keynes Fire Authority (BMKFA), led by the Liberal Democrat Councillors, Impact Alliance and Labour Councillors, could see the fleet reduced from 30 to 22 engines, with some stations facing partial or full closures. Under the two options being considered, some engines at West Ashland and Broughton would be removed.”

Ahead of the meeting, MK Labour called the claims a fabrication. In their statement, they said, “Labour are also accusing the Conservatives of failing to take responsibility for decades of mismanagement of the service in the county, which led to two independent government inspections judging Bucks Fire “inadequate.””

Following the meeting, MK Labour claimed victory, saying that they said the Conservatives were forced to admit misleading the public regarding the situation.

Their statement read, “Milton Keynes Conservatives have had to admit that they have mislead the public after Milton Keynes City Council members, including Conservatives, voted to condemn the misinformation MK Conservative councillors and their Buckinghamshire MPs have been circulating to the public.

“The Conservatives were humiliated into supporting the motion which read “The Council condemns the misinformation that local Conservative councillors and MPs in MK and Buckinghamshire have been circulating which has unnecessarily concerned the public, and for misleading statements” and therefore admitting that their claims over potential cuts were false.”

As a part of the meeting, MK City Council councillors supported the need to adapt and improve fire cover across Milton Keynes and would make clear to the Fire Authority that any reduction in operational capacity could not be supported.

There has then since been a further row regarding the conduct of Council Leader Marland, after he was heard saying fuck off, but where it was disputed as to who this was aimed at.

A 15-year-old student had just given remarks in support of the motion by Cllr Peter Geary, the Conservative candidate who had sponsored the motion against the fire cuts, at which point Marland made the comment.

In a statement issued after this incident, Cllr Marland said, “At the end of a speech from a member of the public I did make a remark, off microphone, that some people in the chamber did hear.

“I immediately took responsibility for the comment and quickly apologised to the council and to the member of the public as the words were not appropriate for a public meeting, and I am sorry.

“However, I want to make clear that the remark was not directed at anyone and to claim so is untrue.”

This was followed by a response by Leader of the Conservative Group Cllr Shazna Muzammil, who said they found the marks unacceptable.

Cllr Muzammil said, “It is absolutely disgraceful behaviour for anyone, let alone the Leader of our Council, to lose their composure and swear at a young member of our City who was simply seeking to contribute to a vital debate. Cllr Marland is supposed to represent the best of us, not the worst, this behaviour is not who we are as a council or as a city, he should reflect on whether he still has the composure to lead.”