Video: British Cities are Going Bankrupt

Hey all!

Here it is! My big documentary about why British cities are going bankrupt.

This has been a big undertaking. We've thrown aside the usual video essay format for a four-day road trip, interviews, vox pops and more.

The hope was not only to be able to dig a bit deeper into the topic at hand, but also to make the piece slightly more engaging than it otherwise might've been.

I really hope you enjoy it! And I can't wait to hear what you think!

Lastly, it's worth saying that taking a big risk on massive projects like this would never be possible without support from yourselves here on Patreon. So, thank you for giving us that bit of runway to be able to try and push the boundaries of what we're capable of!

Thanks so much,

Tom

Bibliography

Abreu, Laura, Rachel Harker, Francis Hobson, and Siobhan Wilson. ‘Trends in Funding Levels for Youth Services’. Commons Debate Pack. House of Commons Library, 26 February 2024. https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CDP-2024-0040/CDP-2024-0040.pdf.

‘All about Parish and Town Councils’. National Association of Local Councils, 2016. https://cdalc.info/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/AllAboutParishandTownCouncils.pdf.

Aston Villa Football Club. ‘Aston Villa Timeline’. Accessed 19 March 2024. https://www.avfc.co.uk/history/timeline.

Atkins, Graham, and Stuart Hoddinott. ‘Local Government Funding in England’. Explainer. Institute for Government, 21 July 2023. https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainer/local-government-funding-england.

Bakare, Lanre. ‘Lycett, Acosta and Duran Duran Condemn Birmingham’s 100% Arts Budget Cut’. The Guardian, 23 February 2024, sec. UK news. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/feb/23/joe-lycett-others-condemn-100-budget-cut-birmingham-arts.

Barker, Anna, and Jose Oina-Sánchez. ‘Charitable Giving to Parks and Green Spaces’. Leeds: University of Leeds, 2019. https://futureofparks.leeds.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2019/07/Final-report-Charitable-Giving-to-Parks-and-Green-Spaces.pdf.

Benn, Dan. ‘New Greater Manchester Education Path Launches This Year’. Public Sector Executive, 3 January 2024. https://www.publicsectorexecutive.com/articles/new-greater-manchester-education-path-launches-year.

Birmingham Alexander Stadium. ‘Birmingham Alexander Stadium’. Accessed 20 March 2024. https://www.alexander-stadium.co.uk/.

‘Birmingham City Council’. London: Hansard, 19 September 2023. https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2023-09-19/debates/6ED1706F-3B05-464C-AA7B-7D28AFEF149D/BirminghamCityCouncil.

Birmingham City Council. ‘Birmingham City Council Statement on Equal Pay Update’. Birmingham City Council, 28 June 2023. https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/news/article/1353/birmingham_city_council_statement_on_equal_pay_update.

Black Sabbath Bench & Bridge. ‘Black Sabbath Bench & Bridge’. Accessed 19 March 2024. https://blacksabbathbench.co.uk/.

Blunt, Rosie, Lucinda Adam, and PA Media. ‘Council Funding: Leaders Warn of the End of Local Government’. BBC News, 23 January 2024, sec. Sussex. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-sussex-68069729.

Booth, Samantha. ‘Schools Face Struggle to Plug Gaps in “Bankrupt” Birmingham’. Schools Week, 23 February 2024. https://schoolsweek.co.uk/schools-face-struggle-to-plug-the-gaps-in-bankrupt-birmingham/.

Brackley, James. ‘How Birmingham City Council’s “Equal Pay” Bankruptcy Provided Cover for Ongoing Oracle IT Disaster’. The Conversation, 5 March 2024. http://theconversation.com/how-birmingham-city-councils-equal-pay-bankruptcy-provided-cover-for-ongoing-oracle-it-disaster-224416.

Brock, Alexander. ‘Birmingham “Will See Golden Decade for Rats and Gangsters”’. Birmingham Live, 6 March 2024, sec. News. https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/birmingham-will-see-golden-decade-28766929.

Brown, Matthew, and Rhian E. Jones. Paint Your Town Red: How Preston Took Back Control and How Your Town Can Too. London: Repeater, 2021.

Butler, Patrick. ‘Tory County Council Runs out of Cash to Meet Obligations’. The Guardian, 3 February 2018, sec. Society. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/feb/02/tory-run-council-runs-out-of-money-to-meet-obligations.

Cadbury World UK. ‘Cadbury World’. Accessed 19 March 2024. https://www.cadburyworld.co.uk/.

Cameron, David. ‘A Radical Power Shift’. The Guardian, 17 February 2009, sec. Opinion. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2009/feb/17/cameron-decentralisation-local-government.

Campaign for the Arts. ‘What Did the 2024 Spring Budget Mean for the Arts?’, 6 March 2024. https://www.campaignforthearts.org/news/what-did-the-2024-spring-budget-mean-for-the-arts/.

Centre for Cities. ‘Everything You Need to Know about Metro Mayors’, 29 February 2024. https://www.centreforcities.org/publication/everything-need-know-metro-mayors/.

Centre for Local Economic Strategies. ‘Community Wealth Building through Anchor Institutions’. Manchester: Centre for Local Economic Strategies, February 2017. https://www.investprestoncity.com/media/818/Community-Wealth-Building-through-Anchor-Institutions/pdf/Community-Wealth-Building-through-Anchor-Institutions-01-02-17.pdf?m=1557843053643.

Citizens Advice. ‘Check How Council Tax Works and If You Have to Pay’, 6 January 2020. http://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/housing/council-tax/council-tax/council-tax/paying-council-tax/.

City of London. ‘Council Tax Bands and Charges’, 29 January 2024. https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/services/council-tax/www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/services/council-tax/council-tax-bands-and-charges.

‘Clarifying the Specific Grant and Ring-Fenced Status of the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG): Government Consultation Response’. Department for Education, January 2020. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/861859/Clarifying_status_of_DSG_consultation_response.pdf.

Copestake, Emma. ‘Love, Laughter and Solidarity on the Docks in Liverpool, c.1950s–1990s’. The Sociological Review 71, no. 2 (March 2023): 441–57. https://doi.org/10.1177/00380261221150340.

Cotton, John. ‘Why Birmingham’s Super-Diversity Is a Strength, and Not a Surprise - The Birmingham Blog’. Birmingham City Council, 29 November 2022. https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/blog/birmingham-blog/post/1205/why-birmingham%E2%80%99s-super-diversity-is-a-strength-and-not-a-surprise.

Danechi, Shadi, and Richard Tunnicliffe. ‘PCC Elections 2021’. Research Briefing. London: House of Commons Library, 28 May 2021. https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-9244/CBP-9244.pdf.

Denmead Parish Council. ‘MP, County and District Councillors’. Accessed 21 March 2024. https://denmead-pc.gov.uk/county-and-district-councillors/.

Duggan, Keith. ‘“We Are Not English, We Are Scouse” – Why Liverpool Boo the Anthem’. The Irish Times, 21 May 2022, sec. Soccer. https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/english-soccer/we-are-not-english-we-are-scouse-why-liverpool-boo-the-anthem-1.4883966.

Elledge, Jonn. ‘American Cities Are Much More Powerful than British Ones – and That’s Not Always a Good Thing’. City Monitor (blog), 22 April 2016. https://citymonitor.ai/government/american-cities-are-much-more-powerful-british-ones-and-thats-not-always-good-thing-2022.

Exeter City Council. ‘Council Tax Discounts: Who Isn’t Counted?’, 8 December 2023. https://exeter.gov.uk/council-tax/reduce-your-council-tax/council-tax-discounts/who-isn-t-counted/.

Francis-Devine, Brigid. ‘Average Earnings by Age and Region’, 18 December 2023. https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-8456/.

Freedland, Jonathan. Bring Home the Revolution: The Case for a British Republic. London: Fourth Estate, 2008.

Glenister, Sarah. ‘Public Sector Privatisation Leads to Increased Exploitation of Workers’. Institute of Employment Rights, 8 April 2013. https://www.ier.org.uk/comments/public-sector-privatisation-leads-increased-exploitation-workers/.

Goodier, Michael. ‘England Has Lost Almost 400 Swimming Pools since 2010’. The Guardian, 12 March 2023, sec. Society. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/mar/12/england-has-lost-almost-400-swimming-pools-since-2010.

Goodson, Kevin. ‘Pothole Claims: How to Claim for Pothole Damage’. MoneySavingExpert, 16 January 2024. https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/reclaim/pothole-claims/.

GOV.UK. ‘Business Rates’. Accessed 26 March 2024. https://www.gov.uk/introduction-to-business-rates.

GOV.UK. ‘Business Rates Relief’. Accessed 26 March 2024. https://www.gov.uk/apply-for-business-rate-relief/small-business-rate-relief.

GOV.UK. ‘Understand How Your Council Works’. Accessed 22 March 2024. https://www.gov.uk/understand-how-your-council-works.

Greater Manchester: Doing Things Differently. ‘A Bed Every Night’. Accessed 4 April 2024. https://aboutgreatermanchester.com/fairer/a-bed-every-night/.

Greenway, Fiona. ‘Report to All Elected Members of Birmingham City Council Under Section 114 (3) of the Local Government Finance Act 1988’, 5 September 2023. https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/download/downloads/id/27684/section_114_notice.pdf.

Gregory, Andy. ‘Birmingham City Council Signs off 21% Tax Hike and “Devastating” Cuts’. The Independent, 6 March 2024, sec. News. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/birmingham-council-tax-vote-latest-b2507136.html.

Hewison, Fergus, and Adrian Goldberg. ‘Bankrupt Birmingham: Why the Council Went Bust’. BBC News, 10 October 2023, sec. Birmingham & Black Country. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-birmingham-67053587.

HM Revenue & Customs. ‘HMRC UK Freeports Induction Pack’. HM Revenue & Customs, November 2023. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65705e7b7391350013b03bc7/UK_Freeports_induction_pack.pdf.

Hobbs, Cat. ‘Manchester’s Buses Are Back under Public Control: This Is How to Run Local Transport’. The Guardian, 22 September 2023, sec. Opinion. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/sep/22/andy-burnham-manchester-buses-public-control-local-transport.

Hoddinott, Stuart. ‘Local Government Section 114 (Bankruptcy) Notices’. Explainer. Institute for Government, 9 October 2023. https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainer/local-authority-section-114-notices.

Jolly, Jasper. ‘UK Government Rejects Royal Mail Request to End Saturday Deliveries’. The Guardian, 8 June 2023, sec. Business. https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/jun/08/uk-government-reject-royal-mail-request-end-saturday-deliveries.

Kenyon, Megan, and Harry Clarke-Ezzidio. ‘Council Bankruptcy Tracker: Authorities under Increasing Financial Strain’. New Statesman, 25 January 2024, sec. Spotlight on Policy. https://www.newstatesman.com/spotlight/economic-growth/regional-development/2024/01/council-bankruptcy-tracker-local-government-authorities-finances.

Levelling Up. ‘Levelling Up’. Accessed 5 April 2024. https://levellingup.campaign.gov.uk/.

Local Government & Social Care Ombudsman. ‘Waste and Refuse’, July 2022. https://www.lgo.org.uk/make-a-complaint/fact-sheets/environment-and-waste/waste-and-refuse.

Local Government Association. ‘Safeguarding Roles and Responsibilities: Safeguarding Is Everybody’s Business’, 23 May 2023. https://www.local.gov.uk/publications/safeguarding-roles-and-responsibilities-safeguarding-everybodys-business.

Local Government Association. ‘Section 114 Fear for Almost 1 in 5 Council Leaders and Chief Executives after Cashless Autumn Statement’, 6 December 2023. https://www.local.gov.uk/about/news/section-114-fear-almost-1-5-council-leaders-and-chief-executives-after-cashless-autumn.

London Councils. ‘The Essential Guide to London Local Government’. Accessed 21 March 2024. https://www.londoncouncils.gov.uk/who-runs-london/essential-guide-london-local-government.

Martin, Daniel. ‘First £5,000 Council Tax Bills to Arrive next Week’. The Telegraph, 21 March 2024, sec. Politics. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2024/03/21/first-5000-council-tax-bills-to-arrive-next-week/.

Martinsson, Karl, Damien Gayle, and Niamh McIntyre. ‘Funding for England’s Parks down £330m a Year in Real Terms since 2010’. The Guardian, 23 August 2022, sec. Environment. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/aug/23/funding-for-englands-parks-down-330m-a-year-in-real-terms-since-2010.

McRae, Isabella. ‘“I Urinated Myself in the Opticians”: UK’s Public Toilet Crisis Makes Disabled People Feel like “Prisoners”’. The Big Issue, 19 November 2023. https://www.bigissue.com/news/social-justice/public-toilets-uk-disabled-people/.

Murray, Jessica. ‘“It’s Going to Cost Billions”: UK Councils Face Huge Bills over Equal Pay Claims’. The Guardian, 9 September 2023, sec. Society. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/sep/09/going-to-cost-billions-uk-councils-huge-bills-equal-pay-claims.

Northamptonshire Commissioners. ‘Lessons Learned Report from the Intervention at Northamptonshire County Council’. Northampton: Northamptonshire Commissioners. Accessed 21 March 2024. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/60a66aaa8fa8f520c3cef5ae/Lessons_Learned_from_Northamptonshire_Intervention.pdf.

Northumberland County Council. ‘Statement of Accounts: 2022-23; Draft - Subject to Audit’. Northumberland County Council, 2023. https://www.northumberland.gov.uk/NorthumberlandCountyCouncil/media/About-the-Council/Finance/Statement-of-Accounts-2022-23-Draft-subject-to-Audit.pdf.

OECD. OECD Employment Outlook 2021: Navigating the COVID-19 Crisis and Recovery. OECD Employment Outlook. OECD, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1787/5a700c4b-en.

Office for National Statistics. ‘England’. Accessed 25 March 2024. https://www.ons.gov.uk/methodology/geography/ukgeographies/administrativegeography/england.

Office for National Statistics. ‘How Life Has Changed in Preston: Census 2021’, 19 January 2023. http://sveltekit-prerender/visualisations/censusareachanges/E07000123/.

Ogden, Kate, and David Phillips. ‘How Is Coronavirus Affecting Local Government Finances?’ Economics Observatory (blog), 7 September 2020. https://www.economicsobservatory.com/how-coronavirus-affecting-local-government-finances.

Palese, Michela. ‘What Is a Combined Authority and What Is a Metro Mayor?’ Electoral Reform Society, 24 March 2022. https://www.electoral-reform.org.uk/what-is-a-combined-authority-and-what-is-a-metro-mayor/.

Plymouth City Council. ‘Counting the Cost of COVID on Council Finances’. Plymouth City Council, 11 January 2021. https://www.plymouth.gov.uk/counting-cost-covid-council-finances.

Plymouth City Council. ‘PLYMOUTH.GOV.UK’. Accessed 21 March 2024. https://www.plymouth.gov.uk/.

Popkin, Jeremy David, Eugen Weber, Isser Eugen, John N. Tuppen, John Frederick Drinkwater, François Bernard, T.N. Bisson, et al. ‘France’. In Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 March 2024. https://www.britannica.com/place/France.

Rayner, Jay. ‘The Worst Run Place in Britain?’ The Guardian, 13 November 2000, sec. Society. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2000/nov/13/lifeandhealth.foodanddrink.

‘Road Safety: A Guide for Councillors in England’. Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, February 2019. https://www.rospa.com/media/documents/road-safety/factsheets/road-safety-guide-for-councillors.pdf.

Romeo, Nick. ‘How Mondragon Became the World’s Largest Co-Op’. The New Yorker, 27 August 2022. https://www.newyorker.com/business/currency/how-mondragon-became-the-worlds-largest-co-op.

Seddon, Paul. ‘Nineteen Councils Allowed to Sell Assets to Pay for Services’. BBC News, 29 February 2024, sec. UK Politics. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-68439624.

Sheffield, Hazel. ‘“Poverty Was Entrenched in Preston. So We Became More Self-Sufficient”’. The Guardian, 14 February 2017, sec. Society. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/feb/14/poverty-was-entrenched-in-preston-so-we-became-more-self-sufficient.

———. ‘The Preston Model: UK Takes Lessons in Recovery from Rust-Belt Cleveland’. The Guardian, 11 April 2017, sec. Cities. https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2017/apr/11/preston-cleveland-model-lessons-recovery-rust-belt.

Simpson, Fiona. ‘Birmingham Councillors Approve £100m Cuts to Children and Families Services’. Children & Young People Now, 6 March 2024. https://www.cypnow.co.uk/news/article/birmingham-councillors-approve-100m-cuts-to-children-and-families-services.

Studdert, Jessica. ‘Local Government Explained Part 2: What Do Councils Do?’ New Local (blog), 27 May 2021. https://www.newlocal.org.uk/articles/local-government-explained-part-2-what-do-councils-do/.

———. ‘Local Government Explained Part 3: How Are Councils Funded?’ New Local (blog), 23 July 2021. https://www.newlocal.org.uk/articles/council-finance-explained/.

The Democracy Collaborative. ‘The Democracy Collaborative’, 6 November 2023. https://democracycollaborative.org.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. ‘Birmingham’. In Encyclopaedia Britannica, 17 March 2024. https://www.britannica.com/place/Birmingham-England.

Tomas, Pilar, and Paul Lynch. ‘Councils in Crisis: Town Hall Debt Levels Staggering, MPs Warn’. BBC News, 16 January 2024, sec. UK. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-67707156.

Toney, James. ‘Commonwealth Games 2022: A Raging Bull and Quirky Opening Ceremony Prove There’s Life Left yet in Birmingham Games’. The Independent, 28 July 2022, sec. Sport. https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/commonwealth-games/2022-opening-ceremony-birmingham-bull-tom-daley-b2133643.html.

Torrance, David. ‘Introduction to Devolution in the United Kingdom’. Research Briefing. London: House of Commons Library, 15 November 2023. https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-8599/CBP-8599.pdf.

Townsend, Sarah. ‘Trio of Lettings for Preston’s Animate’. Place North West, 1 November 2022. https://www.placenorthwest.co.uk/trio-of-lettings-for-prestons-animate/.

Tripadvisor. ‘Pen Museum’. Accessed 19 March 2024. https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g186402-d1475163-Reviews-Pen_Museum-Birmingham_West_Midlands_England.html.

Uberoi, Elise. ‘Turnout at Elections’. Research Briefing. London: House of Commons Library, 10 January 2023. https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-8060/CBP-8060.pdf.

UK Parliament. ‘Baroness Thatcher’. Accessed 28 March 2024. https://www.parliament.uk/about/parliament-and-women/the-vote-and-beyond-a-history/margaret-thatcher/.

Walton, Adele. ‘The Quiet Disappearance of Britain’s Public Libraries’. Tribune Magazine, 17 January 2021. https://tribunemag.co.uk/2021/01/the-quiet-disappearance-of-britains-public-libraries.

Ward, Ian. ‘A Golden Decade of Opportunity for Birmingham Begins’. Birmingham City Council, 14 January 2022. https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/blog/birmingham-blog/post/1025/a-golden-decade-of-opportunity-for-birmingham-begins.

Wolman, Harold. ‘Comparing Local Government Systems across Countries: Conceptual and Methodological Challenges to Building a Field of Comparative Local Government Studies’. Environment and Planning C: Government and Policy 26, no. 1 (February 2008): 87–103. https://doi.org/10.1068/cav5.

Woodhouse, John, and Yago Zayed. ‘Public Libraries’. Briefing Paper. London: House of Commons Library, 13 January 2021. https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN05875/SN05875.pdf.

Zeffman, Henry, and Kate Whannel. ‘Budget: Cut Consultants and Diversity Schemes to Save Cash, Hunt to Tell Councils’. BBC News, 5 March 2024, sec. UK Politics. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-68477450.