Latest news with #MiltonKeynesCouncil
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
New Hindu temple will be 'open to everyone'
A religious ceremony has been held to bless the building of a new Hindu temple. Members of the Shirdi Sai group gathered for the celebration on Friday in Tattenhoe, Milton Keynes, along with local dignitaries. Planning permission was originally refused over concerns about visitor numbers, but committee member Unni Pillai said: "It's more of a temple for the local community, not for people coming from different parts of the country. "We believe once the temple is built we'll have opportunity to engage with local residents and we hope they will connect with it." Mr Pillai, 64, is one of 12,400 Hindus living in Milton Keynes, which is 4.5% of the city's population. His religious community has been meeting since 2011 at a community hall, but is now building the temple, known as a mandir, to provide a permanent home. "For any practising Hindu, their temple is an integral part of their life journey. We badly need one here. "The main aim is self-realisation, seeking the truth, but there are many activities that go on, including charity work and food donations," he said. Although the primary beneficiaries would be followers of Hinduism, Mr Pillai said: "We would welcome everyone and want people to experience it." The Shirdi Sai Baba Temple Association was refused an application in 2020, but it was accepted in 2023 following changes to planning conditions. These included a limit of 120 people who could attend weddings. The impact of visitors who would attend the site for festival celebrations would also be reviewed after 12 months. During a consultation, 147 people contacted Milton Keynes Council to support the plans, while 158 objected. Work is due to begin over summer on the building, which will include two halls, a dining space and accommodation for priests. Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. Hindu temple approved for Milton Keynes Plans for city's first Hindu temple given go-ahead UK Hindus 'brimming with pride' at PM visit
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
New Hindu temple will be 'open to everyone'
A religious ceremony has been held to bless the building of a new Hindu temple. Members of the Shirdi Sai group gathered for the celebration on Friday in Tattenhoe, Milton Keynes, along with local dignitaries. Planning permission was originally refused over concerns about visitor numbers, but committee member Unni Pillai said: "It's more of a temple for the local community, not for people coming from different parts of the country. "We believe once the temple is built we'll have opportunity to engage with local residents and we hope they will connect with it." Mr Pillai, 64, is one of 12,400 Hindus living in Milton Keynes, which is 4.5% of the city's population. His religious community has been meeting since 2011 at a community hall, but is now building the temple, known as a mandir, to provide a permanent home. "For any practising Hindu, their temple is an integral part of their life journey. We badly need one here. "The main aim is self-realisation, seeking the truth, but there are many activities that go on, including charity work and food donations," he said. Although the primary beneficiaries would be followers of Hinduism, Mr Pillai said: "We would welcome everyone and want people to experience it." The Shirdi Sai Baba Temple Association was refused an application in 2020, but it was accepted in 2023 following changes to planning conditions. These included a limit of 120 people who could attend weddings. The impact of visitors who would attend the site for festival celebrations would also be reviewed after 12 months. During a consultation, 147 people contacted Milton Keynes Council to support the plans, while 158 objected. Work is due to begin over summer on the building, which will include two halls, a dining space and accommodation for priests. Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. Hindu temple approved for Milton Keynes Plans for city's first Hindu temple given go-ahead UK Hindus 'brimming with pride' at PM visit
BBC News
26-04-2025
- General
- BBC News
Milton Keynes Hindu temple will be 'open to everyone'
A religious ceremony has been held to bless the building of a new Hindu of the Shirdi Sai group gathered for the celebration on Friday in Tattenhoe, Milton Keynes, along with local permission was originally refused over concerns about visitor numbers, but committee member Unni Pillai said: "It's more of a temple for the local community, not for people coming from different parts of the country."We believe once the temple is built we'll have opportunity to engage with local residents and we hope they will connect with it." Mr Pillai, 64, is one of 12,400 Hindus living in Milton Keynes, which is 4.5% of the city's religious community has been meeting since 2011 at a community hall, but is now building the temple, known as a mandir, to provide a permanent home."For any practising Hindu, their temple is an integral part of their life journey. We badly need one here."The main aim is self-realisation, seeking the truth, but there are many activities that go on, including charity work and food donations," he the primary beneficiaries would be followers of Hinduism, Mr Pillai said: "We would welcome everyone and want people to experience it." The Shirdi Sai Baba Temple Association was refused an application in 2020, but it was accepted in 2023 following changes to planning included a limit of 120 people who could attend impact of visitors who would attend the site for festival celebrations would also be reviewed after 12 a consultation, 147 people contacted Milton Keynes Council to support the plans, while 158 is due to begin over summer on the building, which will include two halls, a dining space and accommodation for priests. Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Council agrees 4.99% tax rise and warns of cuts
A council leader has warned of "greater challenges ahead" after his authority agreed a council tax rise of 4.99% from April. Labour's Pete Marland confirmed Milton Keynes City Council needed to impose the maximum increase possible without a referendum "just to get anywhere close to balancing the budget". He said the authority would also have to make savings of £20m to balance its books and further cuts of "at least £32m" in the next three years. Councillors also voted through plans to cut about 100 jobs, although some staff will be redeployed into new roles in adult social care or children's services. The council has made savings of more than £200m in the last 15 years with more than two-thirds of its budget now spent on care and support for vulnerable children. The authority said it would need an extra £8m to pay for more residential placements for children with complex needs, and £6m to support vulnerable adults. The number of children being taken into care or needing support has also added over £13m to its financial pressures. The council, which has a budget of £286m, said it would continue weekly black bin collections but would introduce a charge for residents who want a second green bin. Marland said a balanced budget was "only possible because of difficult decisions taken... due to a £10m overspend in children's services and the 6% uplift in government funding from the Labour government". He said: "The cost of adult social care and children's care and temporary accommodation are rising and putting this council in a perilous financial position." He added: "We will have to rethink how many of the services are delivered by this council and the authority will not look the same in five years time, regardless of who is in charge." Liberal Democrat opposition leader Jane Carr said: "I have said many times we are in a crisis and we saw it coming. "We could have predicted it but, nevertheless, the shock when it came has derailed even our new government, leaving many councils across the country with hopes for change dashed." She added: "It is what comes next that really bothers me, for I fear it is already too late to save some of our services, particularly non-statutory." The Conservatives, lead by group leader Shazna Muzammil, voted against the budget. She claimed it "falls short of supporting our young, supporting our elderly and supporting our most vulnerable". "The financial mismanagement on display is unacceptable and comes at a significant cost to our taxpayers," she said. Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. Milton Keynes Council Draft Budget 25/26 Milton Keynes Council Budget Agenda Councils miss out on fast-track devolution deal Town 'frustrated' by delays in reopening road Residents upset over pruning of 130-year-old trees
