Budget loss that threatens their future
cil’s ‘short sightedness’, saying the move puts the city’s world-class reputation at risk.
“In the lead up to the Commonwealth Games it seems incredibly short sighted to be targeting the city’s arts and culture,” he said.
“We are renowned across the world for the quality of our institutions and this should be celebrated. It’s extremely hard to build a reputation like this and it can be lost very quickly.”
It’s the third consecutive year of major reductions to the city’s arts budget.
Organisations directly impacted by the cuts also include Birmingham Royal Ballet, Town Hall, Ex Cathedra, The Ikon Gallery, Birmingham Opera Company, Dance Xchange and Sampad.
Community programmes focusing on promoting arts in areas of high deprivation and among black and minority groups are also facing 33 per cent cuts.
Conservative councillor Ewan Mackey criticised the plans, adding there was a “real sense of betrayal” in the city’s arts sector because the last round of funding cuts had been agreed amid a pledge not to make further cuts for two years.
The call for a rethink is backed by local unions representing artists and performers.
Stephen Brown, Midlands regional organiser for the Musicians’ Union (MU), said: “We are deeply concerned at the continuing level of cuts being directed at the city’s cultural organisations. For some years, we have seen serious retractions in work opportunities here, with our members pay eroded. What’s happening makes it harder for our members to earn a living and pay their bills, let alone sustain a music career in the city. “If we are not careful, the city’s once-famous orchestras and cultural organisations will become a mere satellite station for players based elsewhere. “The current imbalance in public cultural funding means that Birmingham receives £4.58 per head of population, whilst London receives £69 and that highlights the scale of the problem we face. “We need to secure the longterm future of our city’s great cultural institutions, which, be under no illusions, are under threat. “The MU is happy to work with the council to try and achieve the objective of improved cultural funding, and pleased that they have agreed to meet us in early January. It is vital that musicians and their representatives have a voice in this debate.”
The arts is not the only sector to face cuts. The proposals also include:
All of the city’s remaining lollipop wardens are to be axed.
The existing lollipop men and women will stay in post until they retire or move on, but then they won’t be replaced. Any current vacancies are expected to go unfilled.
All of Birmingham’s councilfunded nurseries are to be sold off to private providers. The 14 nurseries, all rated good or outstanding, are going up for sale, with the council hoping all of them will remain open.
Householders are to be charged £25 a time for the council’s pest controllers to see off rats in homes and gardens.