London.by our correspondent..Christmas in Birmingham saw celebrations outside the council headquarters despite the authority’s most challenging year in modern times
The new year is often seen as a fresh start but, while there is some sign of that in Birmingham, there’s often also a severe hangover to deal with.
The city council’s financial ghosts, past and present, heralded the worst of times in its recent history. But it’s hoped the best, or at least better, times lie in the not too distant future.
The council is still effectively bankrupt, and Scrooge-like savings are being made, with £300m targeted this financial year and in the coming one.
No Christmas miracle is expected, but there is a flicker of holiday hope. The season of goodwill appears to have resonated with council and union bosses who, at last, agreed a deal to settle equal pay claims.
Members of the GMB Union celebrate with banners and flags outside Birmingham Council House. The flags read “GMB MIDLANDS FIGHTING FOR EQUAL PAY”.
The GMB Union said on X the settlement was “a significant step towards pay justice”
However, more service cuts lie ahead and, it’s predicted, a successive 10 per cent council tax rise for people living in the city.
The lengthy equal pay dispute came as workers in female-dominated roles, like teaching assistants and social workers, said they had been historically underpaid compared to colleagues in male-dominated roles, such as waste collection.
But now we have a settlement agreement, and it’s arguably the most significant piece of news to come out of the city this year.
Impact on morale ‘immeasurable‘
The cost of the long-running dispute snowballed with every day, hour and minute that passed – adding to the council’s financial woes at a disturbing pace.
It was feared it could cost as much as £760m, but it seems to have been settled for around half that.
At last, some relief for the council and the people who rely on its services. But relief also for the thousands, mainly women, who have spent years feeling undervalued while battling for money they believed they were owed.
The financial value of such a settlement can be calculated in pounds and pence. But the value of it to these workers, in terms of the impact on their morale and productivity, is immeasurable.
