Birmingham City Council accused of ‘undermining local democracy’

The Labour-run council had to make an enormous wave of cuts during the past year and a half as it battled a huge black hole in its finances.

One of the ‘savings’ included in this year’s budget was to reduce ward forum meetings, which provide a platform for residents to gather and focus on issues important to people in their local area.

It’s also one of the ways that they can get involved in the decisions that affect their neighbourhood.

The choice to cut the number of meetings was therefore raised by frustrated opposition councillors at a finance scrutiny meeting on Friday, May 2.

“It just undermines local democracy,” Conservative councillor Alex Yip (Sutton Wylde Green) said. “I think all councillors will stand opposed to that.”

“It’s absolutely ridiculous,” Councillor Deirdre Alden (Conservative, Edgbaston) added. “We’re doing less [for people] and everybody can see that, no matter how you try and dress it up.”

But Councillor Rob Pocock (Labour, Sutton Vesey), the cabinet member overseeing the council’s transformation, said there is a programme being developed to improve the council’s engagement with residents.

“There’s a whole package of work that needs to be done here to make sure the council is pursuing its work at neighbourhood level more effectively,” he said.

“This is a rebuilding of this council’s work at neighbourhood level and the ward forum work is part and parcel of this package.”

Councillor Ewan Mackey (Conservative, Sutton Roughley) responded: “When you talk about local democracy and engaging more – there’s some wonderful words you used but the actual outcome is that ward forums are being cut down.”

He went on to argue that the council’s “footprint had been cut back” when it came to interacting with residents.

The consequences of the council’s turmoil have been far-reaching, impacting bin collections, libraries, parks, street lighting, adult social care day centres, culture, pest control charges for rats and much more.

One particularly divisive proposal to introduce parking charges at three popular Birmingham parks will be considered at a cabinet meeting next Tuesday, May 13.

Providing insight on the city council’s financial position, external auditors recently highlighted several issues including the equal pay debacle, inadequate budget setting, poor service management, demand led pressures and the disastrous implementation of a new IT system.

Labour politicians have also pointed to the impact of funding cuts over the past decade or so.