#BrumBudget20: have your say
Birmingham City Council is set to launch a public consultation into its 2020/21 budget proposals later this month.
The council has already saved approximately £730 million since 2010 with plans to deliver further cumulative savings of £81 million by 2023/24. The consultation for the 2020/21 budget is focussed on savings totalling £5.5 million, rising to £17.7m in 2023/24. This will leave a gap to be addressed of £26m in 2023/24 including identifying opportunities to modernise service delivery.
Councillor Ian Ward, Leader of Birmingham City Council, said: “This continues to be the most challenging period in Birmingham City Council's history with the unprecedented reduction in funding from central government due to last for at least another four years.
“Over the years funding cuts to the council and across the public services have inevitably had an impact on some of the most vulnerable people in our city – a point highlighted by the growing numbers of homeless people and families living in poverty within Birmingham. A total of 20.5 per cent of our annual budget is spent on providing services to adults and children in need of support.
“In this budget we are seeking to protect services to those that need them most, whilst at the same time ensuring that the city is ready to meet the challenges and grasp the opportunities of the future.
“There is a climate emergency so we must adapt to changing circumstances and seize new opportunities to power our economy as Birmingham becomes a cleaner, greener and healthier place to live and work. The next ten years have the potential to be a golden decade for the people of Birmingham: we are experiencing record levels of investment and the Commonwealth Games will help boost the international reputation of our city. Our focus is on making sure that the benefits from this economic growth and the Games are felt by every citizen of Birmingham, no matter where they live and we will use this budget to help deliver that.
“We really want to hear the views of local residents on the proposals that have been put forward for the budget so that together we can help shape the future of the city.”
Subject to approval, the consultation is due to start on 18 November and run until 31 December. More details about the budget proposals can be found on our committee papers website.
Join the conversation by using the hashtag #BrumBudget20.
