Milton Keynes - The One to Watch!

9.20.00pm GMT Sat 6th Feb 2010

Just weeks after being named a Candidate Host City in England's bid to host the FIFA World Cup™ in 2018, Milton Keynes is in the national spotlight again, being praised for coping with the credit crunch in a new report from independent thinktank Centre for Cities.

Milton Keynes, the UK's fastest growing city, is featured prominently in the Centre's City Outlook 2010 report for its high employment rate and the quality of its workforce.

Liberal Democrat councillor Jenni Ferrans, the Council's cabinet member with responsibility for the economy, said: "We have always had unshaken faith that Milton Keynes could ride out the recession and these figures from Centre for Cities confirm that. One of the key strengths we have is partnership working, with the Council, MK Partnership and the MK Economy and Learning Partnership working closely together and cutting through red tape to get things moving very quickly.

"This means when the recession hit we were able to use existing resources and relationships rather than spending time setting up new ones. In these tight times we're not only weathering the storm, we have been able to shake off the inertia of the credit crunch to make headway and positive gains."

Council Leader Sam Crooks added: "Milton Keynes is a burgeoning city in many ways, not least on the economic front, and this report confirms what we have known for some time - we really are up there with the big boys. Employment remains high, despite the recession, as is the quality of the workforce, and we are attracting thousands of people from all over the country to live and work here each year, as well nurturing our own home-grown talent."