Milton Keynes City Council is calling on local businesses to seize the opportunity to cut costs, boost efficiency and lead the way on sustainability through two fully funded programmes.
The initiative is supported by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, administered by Milton Keynes City Council, which invests in projects that strengthen communities, create jobs and grow local economies. As part of this commitment, £35,000 has been allocated to Green Lark, a local sustainability consultancy dedicated to helping businesses reduce energy use and prepare for a low-carbon future.
Green Lark is delivering two schemes:
- Sustainable Business provides practical tools and expert guidance to help businesses measure their carbon footprint and identify emissions sources and then take action to reduce them. Cutting energy and resource use doesn’t just benefit the environment – it saves money and improves efficiency, and helps build resilience for the future.
- Carbon Literacy for Business is an accredited training course which equips businesses and their teams with the knowledge and confidence to act on climate change, while earning an internationally recognised Carbon Literacy certification. This training helps organisations understand climate impacts and implement solutions that reduce costs and demonstrate leadership.
Both programmes are completely free for Milton Keynes businesses and form part of a city-wide ambition to make the city a leader in sustainability.
These free programmes give local businesses the chance to future-proof their operations and lead the way on sustainability. By helping firms cut energy and resource costs, we’re not only supporting greener practices, but we’re also creating opportunities for savings to be shared with customers; building a stronger and fairer local economy for everyone.
Comments help shape MK City Plan 2050
Milton Keynes City Council has published the next stage of its long-term vision for growth, the Milton Keynes City Plan 2050, following thousands of comments from residents, businesses and community groups that have helped shape the plan so far.
The MK City Plan sets out how Milton Keynes can deliver new homes, attract investment and create well-connected communities with access to schools, health services, shops and green spaces, while protecting the environment and ensuring infrastructure is in place from the start.
Since 2023, the city council has run a wide-ranging engagement programme, including in-person events and an online campaign, which attracted around 7,000 comments. This stage allowed people to share views on how the city should grow, and their feedback has been instrumental in shaping the policies now included in the plan.
The process is now moving into a formal and technical stage. Before the plan is submitted to government for independent examination, the city council is inviting comments specifically on whether it is legally sound, based on robust evidence and consistent with national planning policy.
Thousands of voices have helped shape this plan and we’re grateful to everyone who took the time to share their views. Milton Keynes is growing, and this plan is about making sure that growth works for everyone, delivering homes, jobs and infrastructure in a way that protects our environment and strengthens our communities.
For further information about the sustainability programmes, click here.
