Birmingham bankrupt

[Jack74]

Not the first council doing this , am sure the line of work am in doesn't help but surely everyone who pays there rent on time should not live in property with damp and mould etc...

 

[Tuearts right boot]

The areas either side of the M6 need to look better too. It’s the only view some people get of Birmingham and it looks like it did in the 1970s.

Unfortunately that's true but it is what it is, it's like getting a train into any city, you dont go through the nice areas heaven forbid.

 

[TinFoilHat]

We live in a very complex society that has to be governed and run otherwise we descend into chaos and anarchy, if you cut funding to public services this is what you get.

Little things we take for granted like having rubbish collected, keepin the streets clean educating our children, sports and recreation (very important for the wellbeing of society) to run well it all costs money and a lot of money at that, and that's not including our health services which are failing massively because of reduced funding

The debate that's needed is not who can provide cut just enough to keep the country running, but are we willing to pay for world class services?

Were paying the highest taxes since WW2. Where's that money going?

It certainly isn't going into council budgets.

I don't begrudge paying into a system that benefits all and reflects a decent standard of public services. I feel like I'm currently paying straight to Serco/Mitie/Carlyle directors and shareholders rather than services my taxes are supposed to pay for.

 

[TinFoilHat]

I'm pissed off it's being blamed on workers pay as well.

What about the overpriced contracts subcontracted out with very little return apart from basics the council is probably locked into?

 

[threespires]

It’s as much about the cuts as it is equal pay. Plenty of well run councils are pretty much screwed too, wouldn’t be surprised to see quite a few having to do this over the coming months.

Think I read somewhere there's twenty odd at near term risk, a lot been propping things up with their reserves but those are now exhausted.

 

[Xhavenjoe]

one claimant will be dealing with many claims,a bit like no win no fee

Something on the lines of" class action" ?

 

[Ifwecouldjust.......]

The country seems to be in a bit of a pickle

To say it mildly ...

 

[Jimmieblue]

Mention of the EU lol.

Ooops thought that was risky.

 

[Ducado]

Another big issue is whether the structures and staff within Local Government are up to the job. Same applies to the Civil Service. The inevitable restructuring will be a massive, massive task. Everything has been allowed to drift while we’ve been members of EU, ticking off their mandates. We have been lazy big time. It will need a lot of debates, money and new thinking.

Its funny that up to this government things were running quite well, hardly any waiting lists investment in public services running at an acceptable level, it's took time but if you consistently under invest in public services they start to fall apart and that is exactly what is happening he country is falling apart and then add in the Brexit catastrophe you could say we are in a bit of a mess

 

[Alan Harper's Tash]

Its funny that up to this government things were running quite well, hardly any waiting lists investment in public services running at an acceptable level, it's took time but if you consistently under invest in public services they start to fall apart and that is exactly what is happening he country is falling apart and then add in the Brexit catastrophe you could say we are in a bit of a mess

At least we’ve got our debt and deficit under control though, so investing more money to boost services should be a doddle.