Birmingham City Council is out of cash and they’ve just shared their budget plans – with £150million in cuts this year and the same next year.
They’re going to stop picking up bins every week soon. They want to try collecting them every two weeks after testing it in some places, reports Birmingham Live.
People will have to pay more council tax too, a lot more – it’s going up by 9.99 percent this year and again next year. Places where people go during the day, services for young people, and some libraries might have to close. They’re all being looked at to save money.
Disabled children and young people won’t get as much help getting around because there’s going to be a big cut of £25million there. And they’re planning to spend £5.7million less on helping disabled and older people at home.
The leader of the council, Councillor John Cotton, said it’s a really tough time. He explained that Birmingham isn’t the only place struggling to pay for care services, which cost a lot. “I will be presenting this budget with a heavy heart,” he shared.
Here’s everything that’s going to be cut in 2024-25 for adult care:
* Day centres and care centres, as well as the city’s enablement service – which helps adults leave hospital and regain independence – are set to be ‘reviewed’. With the level of cuts proposed, closures are very likely. The total saving from this would be £4million.
* Care packages will also be reviewed – this is likely to mean that the thresholds to qualify for care are raised. This could save a total of £5.7million.
* There will be a review of social work, a review and recommission of ‘third sector contracts’, and a review of third sector inflationary uplifts. This could result in a total saving of £7.5million.
* The transformation of Neighbourhood Advice and Community Libraries could save a total of £1.26million.
CHILDREN and FAMILIES
* Cuts to youth and careers services, and support for young people not in education, employment or training (NEET) could save a total of £1.26million.
* Cutting the early help services contract for children, young people and families could save a total of £8.378million.
* Children’s assisted transport packages are set to be cut, potentially saving a total of £21million.
* Reducing the grant to Birmingham Children’s Trust could save a total of £9million.
* Reducing jobs in children and families services could save a total of £2.74million.
CITY HOUSING
* Reducing the workforce, negotiating down BandB costs, and increasing property purchases through the housing fund could save £6.24million.
CITY OPERATIONS
* Dimming streetlights could save £900,000.
* Funding school crossing patrols through Clean Air Zone funds could save £750,000.
* Reducing spending on highways maintenance could save up to £12million.
* Additional income from bulky and garden waste and increased fees could save £1.64million.
* The council plans to move to fortnightly bin collections in 2025-26, with a pilot scheme in selected areas this year, to save up to £4million a year. They also plan to introduce new food waste collections.
* Grounds maintenance will be reduced to save £1million.
* The award-winning mobile rubbish and recycling lorries will be cut back, saving £723,000.
* Bereavement fees will be increased to save £880,000.
* Cultural grants will be reduced by £630,000.
* A pilot project for neighbourhood action coordinators will be abandoned to save £1.95million.
* Wellbeing leisure centres will be funded through the Public Health Grant to save £500,000.
COUNCIL MANAGEMENT
* Trading standards will be reduced, saving £2.29million.
* Tax collection will be increased to save £3.8million.
* Some council tax, business rates and Business Improvement District bids enforcement work will be brought in-house to save £1.1million.
* The corporate procurement service will be restructured to save £240,000.
