Response to Government announcement about Birmingham City Council
Leader of Birmingham City Council's response to announcement made by the Secretary of State for the Department of Levelling Up, Housing & Communities in the House of Commons today (19 September).
In response to Secretary of State Michael Gove’s announcement, Birmingham City Council leader Cllr John Cotton said:
“We welcome today's announcement and will now work with DLUHC and the commissioners to get the council back on a sound financial footing.
“On becoming Leader, I was concerned that there was a lack of senior capacity at the council to deal with the issues that we face, which is why we asked Secretary of State Michael Gove and the Local Government Association to help us rebuild that capacity and support us to get the budget on track. Today's announcement is an important step in that direction.
“Although this is a challenging time, and comes after a decade of cuts totalling £1 billion, we will make the tough decisions needed to transform the council, restore financial sustainability, and deliver the services that the people of Birmingham deserve.
"A report outlining elements of our initial response will be considered and discussed by full council on Monday 25 September and we will continue to be on the side of our residents as we build a better Birmingham.”
