These cuts must be resisted to preserve the cultural identity and vital services in the city. Image credit: Shutterstock.
Birmingham City Council has been advised that it must save £300 million after declaring itself effectively bankrupt last year. As a result, it has announced that over the next two years £3.2million of funding is being cut to cultural organisations in the city.
In response, unions representing workers in the creative sector (BECTU, Equity, and the MU - who make up the Midlands TUC Creative and Leisure Industries Committee), have issued the below joint statement.
“The council is in deep financial trouble, we all know this, but it now appears it’s dumping its own troubles on to the cultural organisations it funds, and who are the cultural heartbeat of the city.
“Has any other city in the UK, let alone Europe, faced cultural cuts of the magnitude of £3.2million? It’s unprecedented. Once again, our sector is the easy target for cuts with a savage 50% this year and 100% next year, leaving the city’s world class organisations in financial peril.
“We understand that statutory services have to be provided and are prioritised, but it’s our residents, creative sector and other workers, who will be left footing the bill as jobs go and opportunities disappear.
“The wellbeing of residents and the city’s identity is being sacrificed on the altar of cuts and will only cost everyone more in the long run. Yes, we've had years of maladministration here but let’s be clear, the root of this lies in the culmination of 14 years of ideological government austerity the likes of which we have never seen before.
“We’d urge the council and in turn the commissioners to revisit this and protect the cultural budgets, for the sake of the good name and cultural legacy of our city. We also urge all interested parties to come together and campaign against these cuts which will be devastating if they happen. We are ready to fight alongside you. Once we lose our cultural icons, they are gone forever.”
For more information please contact Stephen Brown, MU Midlands Regional Organiser and Midlands TUC Creative and Leisure Industries Committee Chairperson via 07976 121753 or stephen.brown@themu.org.
Nottingham Council: cuts must be resisted to preserve the cultural identity and vital services in the city
Meanwhile in the East Midlands,the MU is also standing alongside other campaign groups and unions to prevent Nottingham City Council imposing 100% cuts to its cultural budget.
Stephen Brown, MU Midlands Regional Organiser said: “We have been working with sister unions, campaign groups, and Notts Trades Council to fight what can only be described as devastating cuts for the residents and creative sector of Nottingham.
“One such campaign group ‘Resolve’ has launched a petition to be handed in to 10 Downing Street calling for more money from the Government to support Nottingham City Council in order to stop these cuts. I’d urge the people of Nottingham and surrounding county to sign this petition and have your voice heard at the highest level of Government. These cuts must be resisted to preserve the cultural identity and vital services in the city.”
Sign the petition.