Birmingham City Council budget cuts of up to £300mn are set to cause a big impact in the community with many much-loved spaces at risk of closure or reduced services and capacity.
Arts grants are also set to be scrapped with grants cut by 50% this year and by 100% next year. Community spaces including libraries, parks, nature spaces, theatres, museums, community hubs and youth group centres are all affected. The budget cuts are the biggest in local authority history.
Birmingham City Council causes uproar
There is uproar in the community about the significance of these cuts, caused by Birmingham City Council’s effective bankruptcy. They are set to cause problems for locals; for example, the closure of local community hubs and spaces may present a challenge for the public to access vital services. Celebrities including Joe Lycett also have commented on the situation with arts grant cuts and library closures.
Save Birmingham, the campaign to raise the profile of landmarks and spaces in the city, are helping local people to speak out about these cuts and try to stop them from having such a dire impact.
The Labour-led council is blaming a decade of Conservative rule for the money problems, while the Conservatives are saying it is Labour’s money mismanagement that has caused issues, but what is being done is to save as many vital community spaces as possible.
In an address to the Birmingham City Council chamber earlier this year leader John Cotton has “unreservedly apologised to the people of the city for the unprecedented scale of cuts” and said he is committed to putting the city council back on track.
Local community unhappy about the loss
Many people rely on these spaces, including young people and vulnerable adults in the community. When out and about in Birmingham city centre I discovered many saying these arts and community spaces make them happy. Young people are particularly concerned about the loss of services they rely on.
Ian, a local poet and fast-food worker I spoke to in Eastside Park, said he “enjoys” visiting his local library and local museum as it has “unique study spaces” for him to write his poetry.
Ann, a local pastoral education worker I spoke to in the Bull Ring, has said she has “fond memories of her local community centre”, visiting regularly with her young daughter. She said she will “miss it” when it closes due to lack of funding from the cuts.
The campaign
Save Birmingham are leading the fight to save Birmingham spaces that are of most value to people. They are protesting and campaigning against the cuts, to stop them from having major impacts on local spaces and to raise the profile of these spaces so the council is aware of their significance in the local area. They are acting as a voice for the community to help get people’s ideas and opinions across to Birmingham City Council. The campaign allows Brummies to be at the heart of solving the city’s problems.
The campaign’s latest move has been to promote a survey about Birmingham City Council’s consultation on the future of the library service to encourage people to respond with their views. Kathy Hopkin, the campaign’s coordinator, believes shared spaces like parks and libraries are really important for people: “They are really integral to local communities. It is really important that they are neighbourhood-based so people can access and use libraries and community centres. The impact of losing these community places will be huge. They’re lifelines for some people.”
Adult social care cuts
Almost £24mn will be cut from adult social care. Adult education centres are also valuable community spaces that many rely on. Pauline Desch, the Head of Faculty of ESOL and Languages at Birmingham City Council’s Adult Education Service, spoke on International Women’s Day earlier this year and confirmed that, amidst budget cuts, Birmingham’s adult education centres will still be “welcoming and supportive” of learners and giving them “a fully enriched experience of learning” and “celebrating their learners’ achievements”.
How can local people help
Birmingham residents can get involved with the campaign to help save their beloved community spaces by following Save Birmingham on social media and visiting their website.
Hopkin reiterated: “We would encourage people to go to the Save Birmingham website and nominate places that are important to them to add their voice there.” She also spoke about how locals can take a stand themselves beyond nominating on the Save Birmingham website: “We encourage people to start their own petitions.”
The campaign will continue in the coming months to remind Birmingham City Council of the importance of community and what alternative action can be taken to support the city.
Hopkin said: “The campaign has highlighted places that are of community value. It’s a message to the council about how important these places are.”
To see more about these campaigns and work, or to get involved and nominate your favourite Birmingham community space to be saved, visit savebirmingham.org or check their Instagram for updates.
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