Birmingham City Council has approved a budget that raises council tax by 7.5% while making deep cuts to services, including adult social care, libraries, and bin collections. Striking bin workers and protesters gathered outside the council house to voice their anger. The council says the cuts are necessary to stabilise its finances, but critics warn they will hit residents hard. Here’s what this budget means for Birmingham.
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00:00Birmingham's lightest budget brings more financial strain for residents.
00:08Council tax will rise by 7.5% adding to last year's near 10% hike.
00:12Meanwhile, major cuts will hit services including a £43m reduction in adult social care and
00:18£39m less for children's services.
00:21The Labour-run council says these measures are essential after it declared itself effectively
00:25bankrupt in 2023.
00:27The authority must take at least £300m in savings and sell £750m in assets by 2026.
00:35Council leader John Cotton says the authority is on the road to recovery but residents will
00:39feel the impact of these decisions for years to come.
00:42Bin collections are already disrupted due to ongoing strike action.
00:46Over 350 refuse workers have been protesting since January over job cuts and pay reductions
00:52with no agreement reached.
00:54They now plan an all-out strike which could see rubbish pile up across the city.
00:58The budget confirms that four adult social day centres will close while funding for local
01:03arts organisations will be scrapped entirely.
01:06Libraries, parks and street lighting all face reductions and parking charges will be introduced
01:11at three more locations.
01:14Opposition parties argue that cuts go too far, warning they will damage Birmingham's
01:18reputation and a drive-away investment.
01:21Some say the crisis was years in the making, blaming mismanagement and financial mistakes.
01:27Others point to long-term government funding cuts.
01:30The council insists there was no alternative, saying Birmingham is now on the path to stability
01:35but with local elections near, the fallout from the city's financial crisis is far from
01:41over.