City council faces fresh scrutiny over spending decisions

National World - LocalTV

Birmingham City Council is under fire as the cost of a school expansion in Handsworth rises by £5 million. Government commissioners warn of poor financial planning, linking it to past failures. Council leaders insist improvements are being made.

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00:00Hamilford School in Handsworth is set for expansion to meet growing demand for send

00:05places, but the cost has now climbed by over £5m, bringing the total to more than £25.6m.

00:13The increase comes after changes to the design aimed at securing planning permission. The

00:18revised allow to move the primary extension further from nearby homes, improving flow

00:23for staff and students. But these adjustments add a year to the project timeline, pushing

00:28completion to September 2026.

00:32The council, already in deep financial trouble, insists the project still offers value for

00:36money. It says the new design will create space for 160 secondary pupils while maintaining

00:42primary school capacity. To avoid losing space at the primary school, a nearby council centre

00:48will be used as part of the site.

00:50Government appointed commissioners say this is another example of poor financial planning.

00:55They argue that delays and cost hikes could have been avoided with better management and

01:00clearer reporting. They've warned that the council must change its culture to prevent

01:05more costly mistakes.

01:06This follows major failings in other council projects, including the Oracle IT system and

01:11the Perry Bar Athletes' Village. External auditors have also highlighted a series of

01:17financial missteps that contributed to Birmingham's current crisis. Issues such as equal pay disputes,

01:23poor budgeting and demand pressures have all played a role. Council leader John Cotton

01:28says they are working to fix deep-rooted issues. He claims the council is now in a stronger

01:33position with an improvement plan in place. But with the rising costs and mounting scrutiny,

01:39residents may wonder how many more expensive mistakes can Birmingham afford?

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