00:00Birmingham's lightest budget brings more financial strain for residents.
00:08Council tax will rise by 7.5% adding to last year's near 10% hike.
00:12Meanwhile, major cuts will hit services including a £43m reduction in adult social care and
00:18£39m less for children's services.
00:21The Labour-run council says these measures are essential after it declared itself effectively
00:25bankrupt in 2023.
00:27The authority must take at least £300m in savings and sell £750m in assets by 2026.
00:35Council leader John Cotton says the authority is on the road to recovery but residents will
00:39feel the impact of these decisions for years to come.
00:42Bin collections are already disrupted due to ongoing strike action.
00:46Over 350 refuse workers have been protesting since January over job cuts and pay reductions
00:52with no agreement reached.
00:54They now plan an all-out strike which could see rubbish pile up across the city.
00:58The budget confirms that four adult social day centres will close while funding for local
01:03arts organisations will be scrapped entirely.
01:06Libraries, parks and street lighting all face reductions and parking charges will be introduced
01:11at three more locations.
01:14Opposition parties argue that cuts go too far, warning they will damage Birmingham's
01:18reputation and a drive-away investment.
01:21Some say the crisis was years in the making, blaming mismanagement and financial mistakes.
01:27Others point to long-term government funding cuts.
01:30The council insists there was no alternative, saying Birmingham is now on the path to stability
01:35but with local elections near, the fallout from the city's financial crisis is far from
01:41over.
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