Explosive report blasts Birmingham City Council over findings
It's revealed the issues that led to the council's financial woes.
A report into Birmingham City Council has highlighted major failings within the local authority with issues including a "deep-seated blame culture" and lack of trust between staff.
The findings suggested the lack of culture and behaviours at the council led to poor conduct not being highlighted and a lack of understanding when it came to risk.
The report also went on to criticise the council for having "little sense of its expenditure or its overall financial position".
The report by the Centre for Governance and Scrutiny, commissioned by the council, also showed the issues which plunged the council into their financial woes.
It's found the issues which had contributed to the council's crisis included a decade of funding cuts, the authorities size, equal pay liabilities, the failure to effectively implement the Oracle IT programme and the hosting of the Commonwealth Games.
Council Leader, John Cotton, has hinted that tough choices are on the horizon as they look to put the council back on a sustainable basis.
Councillor John Cotton answered a lot of the questions being batted at him with that "the council must change" and "be transparent".
He said: "Work is already underway to transform the council, but it is clear that we must work harder than ever before to bring about the changes that we need to see."
He's also assured that the leadership team "remain focussed" and are working with commissioners to the council back to where it's meant to be.
This has been met with backlash from the Conservatives.
Councillor Robert Alden Leader of the Opposition, & Birmingham Local Conservatives said: “The picture painted in this damming report will have a very familiar feel to anyone involved with Birmingham City Council over the last decade. In a way, that is what makes it so tragic. There are no surprises here, all the issues raised are things we have been warning about for years, and were highlighted by Lord Kerslake in 2014 as well as by numerous external reviews since.
"Labour’s refusal to heed those lessons and make meaningful and sustainable improvements has failed the residents of this great city, who now face inflation-busting increases to council tax and fees, and drastically diminished service levels.
"Time and again, Labour have put protecting their political brand ahead of the interests of residents.
"They sought to blame everyone but themselves for the mess they have created. They have focused on vanity projects and internal squabbles rather than delivering the basic services Brummies deserve."
The council meeting on December 12, will reveal where Europe's largest authority will be making the cuts and how that's set to affect residents.