Birmingham faces 7.5% council tax rise amid budget cuts. Residents express anger over declining services and increased costs.
The city wanted to raise council tax by 9.99%, but the government said no. They revealed a £148.4 million cuts package.
Council taxes will increase by 7.5%. They will sell council properties and land, aiming for £1 billion in asset sales this year.
Savings were identified last year, including £149 million in cuts, and hundreds of job losses occurred then. The council faces increased service demands, with Adult and Children’s Social Care needs rising. Temporary housing demand also adds pressure, and broader economic issues exist too.
One person thinks councilors should get small raises, matching pensioners’ increases. They also want the Perry Barr project finished, providing housing for people in need.
Another person believes councilors should take pay cuts, blaming them for the financial mess. They ask why services for children and disabled people should suffer.
Someone asks about unpaid council tax, thinking honest people pay the most while others avoid paying or become “exempt.”
Another person asks about airport shares, suggesting selling £300 million in shares to avoid burdening residents with higher taxes.
One person complains about rising costs, noting that water, gas, and food cost more. They want to know when prices will stop rising.
Someone else says they pay more and get less.
Another person asks what the higher taxes fund, noting that roads are bad and crime is high. They mentioned bin men going on strike and questions what citizens actually pay for, believing it isn’t for expected services.
One person finds the cuts confusing, thinking job losses seem inevitable; for example, biweekly bin collections save £4.5m. Fewer collections mean fewer needed workers, a situation that likely exists across the council.
One person thinks residents won’t accept the tax increase and opposes cuts to essential services. Residents have paid for past mistakes before.
