Milton Keynes City Council have approved a multi-million pound funding package for Milton Keynes College to accommodate a growing student population.

Funds of £6.1million have been approved in order to enable the college to increase capacity at both the Chaffron Way and Bletchley campuses.

Initial proposals include the addition of 300 new teaching spaces, improved motor vehicle workshops, upgrading IT rooms and introducing high-tech engineering spaces.

In a statement, MK City Council said, “The investment will allow Milton Keynes College to continue providing excellent education and training to meet the needs of growing industries, including expanding its apprenticeship offer.”

The City Council also said that funds will also be used for energy efficiency upgrades to enable the College to meet the city’s sustainability goals and reduce energy costs.

Milton Keynes College has seen a rapid rise in student numbers, with an increase of 806 students since the 2022/23 academic year. The investment which has been made available through tariff funding will give the College the financial backing it needs to expand and take on more students.

Tariff funding is collected from developers by local authorities which is invested into local infrastructure such as education and healthcare.

Deputy Leader of Milton Keynes City Council, Cllr Lauren Townsend, said, “We’re really proud to be awarding this significant funding to Milton Keynes College, which means they can continue investing in our city’s future. Expansion and modernisation are critical to ensure we produce the best and brightest minds through our local education system to support our future economic prosperity.”

Chief Operating Officer of Milton Keynes College Group, Jason Mansell, added, “We’re delighted to have received this funding from Milton Keynes City Council. At Milton Keynes College Group, we’re committed to delivering Fairer Futures for all and this funding will support us in doing just that. By expanding our current campuses to enable us to welcome more learners into the Milton Keynes College community, we will be able to support the exciting growth of our city.

“We’re very much looking forward to supporting our learners and local communities of the future and would like to say a huge thank you to Milton Keynes City Council for their support in this.”

MK Dons were beaten 2-1 in their re-arranged match at Fleetwood Town, seeing them lose for a third straight match.

Ryan Broom and Shaun Rooney scored a goal in each half for the Cod Army, and although Dons substitute Tommi O’Reilly grabbed a goal back on his debut, there was no preventing a reverse for the side from Milton Keynes.

Defeat means the Dons have won just one of their last 8 League Two games, in a slump that has seen them fall to 12th in the table and sit 8 points off the play-offs.

The Dons will be seeking improvements on Saturday, when they welcome rivals AFC Wimbledon to Stadium MK for their third meeting of the campaign with the side from South London, with MK Dons having lost their first two meetings with them this year.

A reshuffled Dons outfit were seeking better times in the North West after their recent rough patch, with the game being played 2 months later than planned after a storm lead to the cancellation of the original game.

Although MK Dons began with a lot of possession, they were struggling to find it easy to create shooting opportunities.

Fleetwood had the earliest best chances, with Matty Virtue firing wide when well placed before Rooney had a strike deflected on target that recalled goalkeeper Craig MacGillivray had to tip wide.

The home side would score the opening goal just after the half hour mark, as Broom picked up the loose ball from a half-cleared free-kick and duly dispatched a strike through a crowd, past MacGillivray and in.

Scott Hogan had a chance to make it two goals in as many games from a similar scenario to his goal at Walsall in the Dons’ previous game, but his strike this time lacked power and was held by Jay Lynch.

Broom was denied by MacGillivray just before half-time, before an even second half saw half-chances if any being the best either side could manufacture.

With just over 20 minutes to go, Fleetwood grabbed their second. Rooney rose highest to meet Phoenix Patterson’s corner and his header duly ended up in the back of the net to make it 2-0.

MK Dons would grab a goal back with just under ten to play. Jay Williams fed through substitute O’Reilly, and the January signing from Aston Villa was able to evade challenges before thumping a strike home.

Fellow sub Callum Hendry had a shot denied by Lynch a few moments later, but that was it for great chances for MK Dons, who were unable to fashion an equaliser and drifted to defeat.

Luton Town suffered yet another away defeat as they lost 3-2 against Oxford United at the Kassam Stadium.

A topsy-turvy game had seen Luton take the lead twice, with the visitors initially opening the scoring through Tom Krauss and although Oxford’s Michal Helik equalised, Mark McGuinness put the visitors back ahead four minutes after the Oxford equaliser.

But two goals in ten minutes by Ciaron Brown and Greg Leigh tilted the balance in the home side’s favour, and Luton couldn’t find a way through to equalise.

Defeat was Luton’s 11th consecutive away loss, with the Hatters now on a run of achieving just one point from the last 18 available. The result means Luton remain 23rd in the Championship table, although they are in the relegation zone on goal difference.

Matt Bloomfield’s first attempt to end Luton’s troublesome away form came in the form of a tricky test, with the Hatters facing an Oxford side unbeaten under recently appointed boss Gary Rowett.

But it was Luton that got the opener after 11 minutes. After Oxford couldn’t fully clear a Luton free-kick, McGuinness slipped a pass through to Krauss, who drilled a shot beyond home goalkeeper Jamie Cumming and into the top corner.

Oxford would equalise just over ten minutes later. From a Cameron Brannigan cross, defender Helik beat a marker to the ball and prodded past Thomas Kaminski to grab his first goal since joining the U’s.

Four minutes after losing their lead, however, Luton re-took the advantage. McGuinness was able to get space at the back post to meet Jordan Clark’s free-kick and although Cumming got a firm hand to his header, the home keeper did so behind the line, with goal-line technology deeming a valid goal for the visitors.

Siriki Dembele saw a pair of shots denied by Kaminski as the hosts probed to try and find a second equaliser, but one would not come before half time.

One did come for the Hatters after the break, however, with Oxford equalising just before the hour mark. Defender Brown met Brannigan’s corner and got in ahead of two Luton defenders to flick a shot into the bottom corner.

Ten minutes later, Oxford completed the turnaround. Will Vaulks’ cross picked out Leigh, who had a free header and took advantage by burying his header into the bottom corner.

Luton tried to rally but an Oxford blockade frustrated their attempts to create chances, with the visitors ultimately running out of time to prevent another away defeat.

For Bloomfield, his attempts to get a first win in charge will see focus turn to Saturday, when Luton welcome Millwall to Kenilworth Road.

MK Dons youngster Callum Tripp has joined National League outfit Gateshead on loan.

The 18-year-old, who can play in defence or midfield, will spend the remainder of the season with the side from North East England.

Tripp had made 7 first team appearances for MK Dons this season, although only one of them came after the departure of Mike Williamson in September, with that appearance coming in the EFL Trophy in early October.

The defender has made 12 first team appearances overall for MK Dons, having made his first team debut in an EFL Trophy tie in 2022.

The move sees Tripp join a side currently sat 4th in the National League. The Heed are currently managed by Carl Magnay, who worked as part of Williamson’s coaching staff at MK Dons and briefly had a spell at Carlisle before being offered the Gateshead job in October when Rob Elliot left to take the Crawley job vacated by Scott Lindsey after he took the MK Dons job as a replacement Williamson.

MK Dons Sporting Director Liam Sweeting told the club’s official website that the move was intended to give Tripp more regular first team game time.

He said, “We have already seen first-hand the potential in Trippy when he comfortably stepped in and played at the start of the season, and we hope this loan opportunity will give him a run of games to further develop and showcase what he can do. 

“Gateshead is a club we know well, and we have a lot of trust in the people there, not least Carl Magnay who was with us as part of Mike’s backroom team and knows Callum well. 

“It is an excellent opportunity for Callum to join a National League side well in the hunt for promotion and we will be sure to closely monitor his progress”.