Price of essential services set to rise across Birmingham

Leisure and sport, bereavement services and rubbish disposal are all set to be impacted by rises coming into effect from January 1 next year.

This means higher costs of keeping fit, dying and getting rid of bulky waste for the Brummies affected.

Providing some context on the Labour-run council’s financial situation, a recently-published report said the current estimated budget gap for 2025/26 stands at around £47 million.

“There is a corporate expectation that all fees and charges will increase by ten per cent for the 2025/26 financial year to help to mitigate the council’s current and forecast future budget pressures,” it said. “Any increase should balance the needs of residents with financial imperatives.”

“Services have been encouraged to benchmark costs against other councils.”

During Tuesday's cabinet meeting, the proposed fee increases were slammed by Coun Robert Alden, the leader of the Conservatives at the council.

He said bulky waste collection charges going up by 22 per cent could have an impact on increased fly-tipping and therefore increased costs to the council.

He continued: “And perhaps the strangest or cruellest increase – spectators at swimming, so parents going to watch their kids, fees are up 25 per cent.

“They’re not even using any of the services of this council, they’re simply sitting there while their children, who have already paid, are using the pool.”

Karen McCarthy, cabinet member for finance, told the meeting that the increase in fees and charges would help “support the budgetary pressures”.

“But we never forget that these will have an impact on residents and households across the city,” she said.

She continued that one potentially positive development was forecasts showing that for 2024/25, spending against the council’s general fund budget could be around £10m less than budgeted.

“This means that the Council’s Exceptional Financial Support request will currently be £10m less than previously requested,” the report stated.

“Don’t get excited,” Coun McCarthy said however. “Things change rapidly and we will not be allocating that potential saving to any other heading.

“£10m is a huge figure, but in the context of our budgets, it is a very small proportion.

“It is a sign we’re moving in the right direction but we need to keep this up.”

On the increased bulky waste charges in particular, Coun Majid Mahmood, the cabinet member for environment, said: “Before we agreed to the increase of the charge, we did have a look at what other councils are charging.”

He added that Birmingham was “quite reasonable” compared to other local authorities.

The city council has faced worrying financial issues amid Birmingham-specific issues, such as an equal pay fiasco and the disastrous implementation of a new IT and finance system, as well as the rising demand for services and funding cuts.

Cabinet agreed to approve the proposed increases to fees and charges on Tuesday.