Birmingham Budget Cuts: Ten Ways Your Street Could Be Impacted by the Changes

Birmingham City Council is still struggling financially. They declared bankruptcy in 2023 and have now released their second budget since then. This budget details about £150 million in savings, which they plan for 2025/26.

The council plans a 7.5% council tax increase that will also happen during that year. Existing plans, like waste changes, will help, and new plans aim to help them recover.

One change is collecting trash every two weeks. Bulky waste pickup will cost £45, up from £35. Street cleaning audits will stop. They want to charge for parking in some parks, and a neighborhood program won’t expand.

The city plans to dim or reduce streetlights. Handsworth Cemetery will sell reserved graves. Parks will review contracts to make more money. Street cleaning and maintenance will merge, and two plant nurseries might close.

Some officials criticize the cuts, while others say they are needed. Council leaders claim the plans are well-researched. They say the plans address social care and housing needs.

The council claims they are improving and that the government is helping them now. They say the government understands the council’s needs and they aren’t fixing everything at once. Both sides are talking, but it is unclear if the crisis is totally over.