Birmingham City Council Leader, John Cotton, backed out of meeting protesters trying to save the city’s youth services this morning, GB News has been told.
As hundreds of young people and members of Unite the Union gave speeches about the importance of retaining the youth services budget, Council Leader, Cotton, was described as ‘locking himself’ in the council chambers.
Birmingham City Council are in the process of drafting up the budget for 2024/25, set to be announced on March 5.
The bankrupt local authority have been told by government commissioners they have to find £300million worth of savings over the next two years.
Birmingham City Council Leader, John Cotton, backed out of meeting protesters
GB News
It’s reported £2.3million is set to be cut from youth services with £55.5million drafted to be axed from the Children and Families department.
This morning, protesters from Save Birmingham’s Youth Services marched from the city’s Library to Council House, demanding funding wasn’t cut and handed in letters from young people describing the impact the loss of services would have.
Speaking to GB News, Hamaam Shire, a young person at the protest, described how Leader of Birmingham City Council, John Cotton, u-turned on his promise to meet protesters this morning.
He said: “I received a personal email from John Cotton and others that they would be here to collect the young people’s letters, but they’ve lied to us and now locked themselves in the council chambers.
“They’re not coming out and not facing us because they’re too scared.”
He added: “We’re deeply upset by what’s just happened, how can they do this to us? They’re trying to close our youth centres and they’re giving us false promises. It’s insulting and upsetting.”
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Birmingham City Council have been told by government commissioners they have to find £300million worth of savings over the next two years
GB News
Ivan Brosnan and Nishika Aggarwal have both benefitted from youth services growing up in the city.
Ivan told GB News: “I’ve seen what the service has done for me and I want every young person to have that same opportunity.
“I’ve got these life skills that will stay with me, it’s not just about preventing crime but it also creates good.”
Nishika added: “For some people their only hot meal is at these youth centres.
“Youth services are at the heart of Birmingham for my peers and me, and they’ve changed lives.”
Twelve of the city’s youth centres are located in the top 20 per cent of the most deprived wards in the country.
Unite claim youth work saves £500 million on public spending just through crime reduction and that there is a clear correlation between a reduction in funding and an increase in the crime rate.
Unite regional officer, Lee Wiggetts-Clinton, told GB News: “The services are already diminished, if they continue to cut in that area all I can see is a rise in crime and a rise in people becoming part of gangs.
“I think it will be devastating for the city, for the families in the city and these areas (youth centres) are safe spaces for these people, safe havens where they can go and speak to people.”
Leader of the Opposition at Birmingham City Council, Councillor Robert Alden, met with protesters outside the council building.
He said: “The council should’ve been open and honest with the people of Birmingham about this months ago.
“What they’re failing to do is have a conversation about what the other alternatives are, about what changes to the back office in the council that could be done to protect frontline services like these.”
A Birmingham City Council spokesperson said: “An invitation was sent by Councillor Cotton and Councillor McCarthy to the young people offering the chance for a meeting to discuss their concerns.
"Whilst the young people did not take up this offer today, it remains open to them. The Council is grateful to the young people for their letters which have been safely received and will be responded to.”