Birmingham City Council Bankrupt

Largely down to lawsuits apparently.

Infrastructural development in this country outside of London is stagnant but there's a lot of lawyers making a lot of money at every level.
 
Can't understand why and how.......it's as though 13 years of chronic underfunding have finally done for it.......🤔🤔

But it's okay, the services will all be divvied out to Serco etc, public will get amazing value for money. Win / win eh?
 
I wouldnt put it past the current shower of a Government to be purposefully driving local councils into liquidation then handing over control to private companies.

Very concerning indeed.
 
GibbosEmpire said:
I don't think I've ever heard of a council being bankrupt before.

Who's next to fall?
Click to expand...
There have been a number of councils, more than I can ever remember previously, issuing s114 notices over the last 5 years. Northamptonshire, Thurrock, Croydon (who have issued 3 or 4 if my memory serves me right), Woking, Slough. It's just Birmingham is the big one so gets the press.
 
GibbosEmpire said:
The largest city council in all of Europe has been declared bankrupt after they got hit with a bill of £760 mill.

I don't think I've ever heard of a council being bankrupt before.

Who's next to fall?

www.bbc.com

Vital services safe - leader of 'bankrupt' Birmingham council

John Cotton says "tough decisions" are needed as Birmingham City Council cannot balance its books.
www.bbc.com
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The article itself says two have done so. Croydon and Thurrock.

www.theguardian.com

Croydon council declares effective bankruptcy for third time in two years

South London authority says it faces ‘existential question’ after asking ministers to write off £1.3bn of debt
www.theguardian.com www.theguardian.com
 
My local social media platforms are full of angry footstamping red faced moaners complaining about services and yet are the first to wail on when the council tries to increase parking charges or ups the council tax. They blame the sitting council and not the Government who have effectively starved them of cash particularly non Tory councils (a fact).

Too many people want first class services but not prepared to pay.
 
h_m_boro said:
Can't understand why and how.......it's as though 13 years of chronic underfunding have finally done for it.......🤔🤔

But it's okay, the services will all be divvied out to Serco etc, public will get amazing value for money. Win / win eh?
Click to expand...
Its a Labour ran council
 
h_m_boro said:
Can't understand why and how.......it's as though 13 years of chronic underfunding have finally done for it.......🤔🤔

But it's okay, the services will all be divvied out to Serco etc, public will get amazing value for money. Win / win eh?
Click to expand...
And cost a lot more to provide, despite paying lower wages.
 
I miss the old style councils. When they were the biggest employers in the area with decent wages and pensions. when a job with the council was a good job and appreciated by the workers. When employees had rights and unions with reasonable hours with sick pay and plenty of holidays.
when we had councils holding 1000s of houses available for rent to people at very affordable rates - houses that people called home for decades. Houses that were maintained to high standards by a large maintenance service where people worked from school to retirement.
When we had old people taken care of by in well run nursing homes with well paid workers who enjoyed their jobs and could look forward to a decent pension in retirement. well stocked libraries in every part of town open to every member of the public. bin men who would go down the drive to get your bins. pristine parks full of amenities. community centres where we played five a side in all parts of the town. swimming baths with lots of workers looking after it and keeping it clean and tidy.
Not councils contracting out just about every job to be filled by people on minimum wages who couldn't care less about their job because they could lose it at any moment.
The same problem has been ravaging every service in this country since the old tory b1tch had her presidency. may she rot in hell for all eternity.
 
Energy prices and increases in wages out of current budgets without an increase in funding from central gocernment have impacted massively on local authorities budgets. Loads of local authorities are using up their reserves at alarming speeds.
 
A few local councils are very close to this, Scarborough were very close until they joined forces to create North Yorkshire council, Durham and Stockton are on the brink too.
 
Cardiffdaffs said:
Too many people want first class services but not prepared to pay.
Click to expand...

Or vote for government who will properly fund them.

The psyche of a lot of people in this country beggars belief. People willing to spend astronomical sums on new cars, holidays, houses. Happy to get into eye watering debt.

But as soon as as someone mentions raising taxes.........

Of course the crux of the matter is selfishness. But it's a stupid blinkered selfishness as it's in everyone's interest, including their own, to have properly funded public services.

Unbelievably frustrating.
 
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