The council’s Labour leadership has come under increasing pressure over its budget proposals in recent weeks with the library closures and the cutting of park keepers and rangers attracting the most outrage.
Having batted responsibility for community library closures to their colleagues running the ten beleaguered district committees, much in the same way national government passes cuts to local, the parks remained the key issue.
But on the day the budget was announced, along with a near two per cent council tax increase, we discover Sir Albert Bore has found another few million down the back of the council’s sofa and piled another £2 million into the parks budget.
and the cuts to parks reduced to more manageable ‘efficiencies’. Sir Albert said that they concluded ‘cuts in park services would impact unduly on communities, given the value that people place on our parks’.
It is perhaps worth noting at this point that the dozens of Friends of Parks groups and their umbrella organisation Birmingham Open Spaces Forum mounted a huge lobby campaign.
They are well organised and represent hundreds of highly motivated volunteers – attending meetings, firing off emails, press releases and letters and generally piling the pressure on councillors. Other interest groups take note.
Perhaps the biggest awakening for the leadership was the realisation that these volunteers would not step in to replace the full time park staff, that managing a park is not something they would do.
In fact they have also come to realise that their volunteering is dependent on having a recognisable full-time member of staff on and that if the park keeper goes so will they.
There are two lessons here. It pays to be organised and vocal.
And volunteers are a complement to professional staff, not a cheap replacement.
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Those with long memories will recall the long, hot, dry summer of 1976 when the water ran out and people queued at standpipes in the street.
Perhaps destined for that place in our shared heritage are the great floods of 2014.
So it is, remarks one councillor, surprising that the Government has not gone back to 1976 to find the solution to the extreme weather – send in a Howell.
Dennis Howell, the Birmingham MP, was of course made minister for drought by Prime Minister James Callaghan on August 24 after Britain had been dry for nine weeks.
Within 48 hours the heavens opened and normality was restored. He quickly earned the nickname ‘minister for floods’.
Labour councillor Carl Rice believes that some of that luck with the elements will have rubbed off on Howell junior, a former councillor.
He joked: “Dennis Howell proved he was a man for all seasons, and I am sure Andy has inherited this rare talent.
David Cameron, Eric Pickles and co would have this disaster solved if they get on the phone and bring in Andy.”
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Coun leader Sir Albert Bore was gushing in his praise for cabinet member Stewart Stacey at the launch of the Birmingham Business Charter for Social Responsibility.
In fact I cannot recall such a public ringing-endorsement from the leader. Sir Albert said that Coun Stacey’s job as cabinet member for commissioning, contracts and improvement was ‘a bit of a novelty’ when it was created two years ago, but has proven its value in driving down the costs and increasing the returns from council contracts.
He said: “The added value Stewart has brought to the council has been invaluable.” (Of course Sir Albert created the role for Stewart so can share the glory).
“But such warm words were welcomed with a nervous edge as Coun Stacey recalled the frequent support given to endangered football managers.
“Oh to have a vote of confidence from the chairman,” he laughed.
