Birmingham in Crisis: Understanding the Challenge of Local Authority Budget Cuts and the Effect on Good Financial Management

Rebecca Riley and Abigail Taylor discusses the recent financial crisis to hit Birmingham City Council, and how the root of the issues facing this council and others around the UK, are a decade in the making. This week it was announced that Birmingham City Council faces a spending freeze and greater scrutiny of its budget. An … Continue reading “Birmingham in Crisis: Understanding the Challenge of Local Authority Budget Cuts and the Effect on Good Financial Management”

Insights into Birmingham City Council’s Spending Power, Revenue Funding and Spending between 2010-11 and 2019-2020

A new report by Alice Pugh, Dr Abigail Taylor, and WMREDI intern Charlotte Tomlinson examines changes in Birmingham City Council’s income and expenditure over the decade between 2010/11 and 2019/20. In this blog, Alice and Abigail summarise the aims of the report, the methodological approach adopted and they key findings. They also discuss key messages … Continue reading “Insights into Birmingham City Council’s Spending Power, Revenue Funding and Spending between 2010-11 and 2019-2020”

The Autumn Statement – The Impact on the West Midlands

Alice Pugh takes an in-depth look at the Autumn Statement and what it means for the West Midlands. For futher analysis see: The Autumn Statement – Key Announcements The Autumn Statement was finally released last week detailing government tax and spending plans. The budget comes at a time of significant political and economic turbulence. The … Continue reading “The Autumn Statement – The Impact on the West Midlands”

The Autumn Statement – Key Announcements

  Alice Pugh provides an overview of the key announcements to come out of the Autumn Statement. For futher analysis see: The Autumn Statement – The Impact on the West Midlands The Autumn Statement was finally released last week detailing government tax and spending plans. The budget comes at a time of significant political and … Continue reading “The Autumn Statement – Key Announcements”

The Need for Greater Devolution in England to Respond to COVID-19

Welcome to REDI-Updates, a bi-annual publication which will get behind the data and translate it into understandable terms. West Midlands REDI staff and guest contributors will discuss various topics, with this first publication focusing on how inclusive growth can be a tool to tackle regional imbalances across the UK. In this article, Dr Charlotte Hoole … Continue reading “The Need for Greater Devolution in England to Respond to COVID-19”

Autumn Budget 2018: Good news for Economic Growth in the West Midlands?

Since the announcement of the Autumn Budget by Philip Hammond on Monday there has been a raft of analysis at the national level regarding what the budget means. In particular, attention has focused on Hammond’s claim that the era of austerity is “finally coming to an end”, the introduction of a £1,000 increase in Universal … Continue reading “Autumn Budget 2018: Good news for Economic Growth in the West Midlands?”

Trick or treat? What will probably be in the 2018 Budget – and what ought to be

Find out what was accurate about this forecast – and what wasn’t – by tuning into Radio 4’s Today programme on Monday morning. City-REDI’s Professor Simon Collinson will be one of the guests, discussing the budget and what it means for the country in what promises to be a tumultuous year ahead. There’s been plenty … Continue reading “Trick or treat? What will probably be in the 2018 Budget – and what ought to be”