Brum Up The Spout

[securespark]

Britain’s largest council declares itself effectively bankrupt

Birmingham City Council- The largest local authority in Europe- revealed it had an £87m gap in its budget.

metro.co.uk

 

[blup]

Councillors used to be surcharged for that back in the early 80's IIRC.

Blup

 

[mattylad]

Now is the time for anyone in brum who just had planning refused to appeal it

 

[Odds]

The Tories blame a Labour run council and Labour say the Tories austerity has brought about the collapse but the cost of hosting the Commonwealth Games must've been a major factor. They'll be paying off those events for decades. I think it took about 50 years for Montreal to pay for the 1976 Olympics.
The next hosts, Brisbane, have pulled out of hosting the Commonwealth Games in 2026 and Alberta from the 2030 event.
And Birmingham only stepped in to host them after Durban pulled out citing the huge costs - maybe it's time a Games was shared betweeen cities?

 

[securespark]

More financial difficulties at Councils mentioned in the news this morning.

Residents of these areas seem to be blaming the Councils for wasting money on various unnecessary things.

Regarding Birmingham, the story goes that they were told several times (by who I don't know) to control their spending to no avail.

Some Councils are planning to make deep cuts to child services and adult social care, which will mean that two of the most vulnerable groups in society will be deprived of services.

So, on the one hand, the accusations are that struggling Councils have been frittering money.

On the other, Councils complain that central Government are limiting Council Tax increases to a maximum of 5%.

My Council is proposing a 5% increase for 24/25.

Anybody else facing CT increases?

 

[Mottie]

Anybody else facing CT increases?

Probably everybody! I’d be more surprised if anybody is NOT facing increases.

 

[ajohn]

The council said ‘it does not have the resources’ to fund its equal pay liability,

Biggest council, biggest debt.

 

[Brigadier]

As sure as night follows day, Brum council will be in the shoite.

It's a story / situation that repeats every few years.

 

[gas112]

Career council employees with no idea of the real world and no accountability for the mistakes they make wasting money everyday

 

[Brigadier]

Career council employees with no idea of the real world and no accountability for the mistakes they make wasting money everyday

Alternative viewpoint :

Councils have little power to make all-but-inconsequential changes to their revenues.
Councils have little power to make all-but-inconsequential changes to the services they're required to provide.

In other words, and in terms of balancing the books, they're set up to fail.

If nothing changes, nothing will change.

 

[IT Minion]

Alternative viewpoint :

Councils have little power to make all-but-inconsequential changes to their revenues.
Councils have little power to make all-but-inconsequential changes to the services they're required to provide.

In other words, and in terms of balancing the books, they're set up to fail.

If nothing changes, nothing will change.

Nonsense! There's loads of councils that are in great financial shape and aren't struggling at all

Aren't there? No? Damn.

 

[gas112]

Alternative viewpoint :

Councils have little power to make all-but-inconsequential changes to their revenues.
Councils have little power to make all-but-inconsequential changes to the services they're required to provide.

In other words, and in terms of balancing the books, they're set up to fail.

If nothing changes, nothing will change.

They have every power to spend the money they have wisely and not just waste it with people making mistakes that cost tens if not hundreds of thousands of pounds with little to no consequences . Or not even mistakes they are in a position that they basically are not qualified to be in and do not know how to do their job properly . That money soon adds up and cant be spent in places were its really needed

 

[denso13]

Career council employees with no idea of the real world and no accountability for the mistakes they make wasting money everyday

Nonsense. You can only work with what you have.

Good and bad across all walks of life.

 

[JonathanM]

All large organisations make mistakes at times and waste money. That's just life. I doubt most councils are any worse than central government or most FTSE 100 companies in this respect. The main reason for both council tax rises, and councils financial difficulties, is the cuts in central government funding.

 

[Brigadier]

They have every power to spend the money they have wisely and not just waste it with people making mistakes that cost tens if not hundreds of thousands of pounds with little to no consequences . Or not even mistakes they are in a position that they basically are not qualified to be in and do not know how to do their job properly . That money soon adds up and cant be spent in places were its really needed

And what does that say for the many businesses that fail every year in the UK?

Businesses that have full control over their revenue, and service / product provision.