Birmingham Local Conservatives are urgently calling on the Labour Administration to disclose the full and true cost of the ongoing bin strike, which has left the city grappling with uncollected waste, public health risks, and a battered reputation. The Birmingham Local Conservatives insist that Labour must provide a transparent account that goes beyond direct service costs to include all resources diverted from other council services, such as legal and HR support, the potential for increased equal pay liabilities, as well as the significant opportunity costs and impact on the council’s savings delivery.
The strike, the third under the current Labour Administration, has seen over 25,000 tonnes of uncollected waste pile up on Birmingham’s streets, exacerbating public health concerns and fuelling a surge in fly-tipping and vermin. Local Conservatives argue that the Labour administration’s failure to resolve the equal pay crisis, which sparked the dispute, has led to a cascade of hidden costs that residents deserve to know about.
Cllr Robert Alden (Con, Erdington), Leader of the Opposition and Birmingham Local Conservatives, said:
Birmingham’s residents are suffering under Labour’s mismanagement, with rubbish piling high and rats running rampant. The Labour council must come clean on the true cost of this strike - not just the direct hit to waste services, but all the resources pulled from other areas, and the opportunity costs of delayed projects and lost savings. Labour only admitted Equal Pay risks following pressure from Local Conservatives and auditors. Now Labour need to update residents on if any equal pay risks remain given they previously admitted it could costs up to £14m a month extra if equal pay was not resolved by 31 March. Brummies deserve transparency and accountability, not more excuses from a failing administration.
Cllr Ewan Mackey (Con, Sutton Roughley), Deputy Leader of the Opposition and Birmingham Local Conservatives, added:
Labour’s refusal to tackle the root causes of this strike has bled the council dry, diverting funds and staff from essential services to manage their self-inflicted crisis. The true cost includes not only the millions spent on agency staff and private contractors but also the damage to Birmingham’s reputation and the distraction from transformation work needed to protect our city’s future. It’s time for Labour to stop hiding and start being honest with residents.
Birmingham Local Conservatives continue to lead the campaign against financial mismanagement at Birmingham City Council highlighting that the council’s financial woes, including a £760 million equal pay liability up to March 2025 and a £90 million overspend on the Oracle IT system, have compounded the strike’s impact. They argue that resources redirected to manage the dispute - such as legal teams handling negotiations, HR staff addressing workforce issues, and external contractors brought in to mitigate the strike - have drained other departments, undermining service delivery across the city. Furthermore, the opportunity costs, including hindered savings plans, threaten Birmingham’s long-term recovery from its 2023 bankruptcy notices. Critically, the strike has contributed to the council missing its own deadline for resolving Equal Pay, with officers previously warning that failure to implement a new pay and grading structure and job evaluation process by 31 March 2025 could cost the council up to £14m a month.
Birmingham Local Conservatives are urging the Labour Administration to publish a comprehensive report detailing all costs associated with the strike, including:
- Direct costs to the waste management service, such as payments to agency staff, private contractors and other local authorities who have supported clean-up efforts.
- Indirect costs, including resources diverted from legal, HR, and other departments to manage and mitigate the dispute.
- The additional equal pay costs on top of the estimate of £760m up to 31 March 2025
- Opportunity costs, such as delayed transformation projects and missed savings targets critical to the council’s financial recovery.
- The economic and reputational impact on Birmingham, including losses to local businesses and tourism due to the city’s declining image.
The Conservatives are committed to holding Labour accountable and ensuring Birmingham residents are not left in the dark about the full extent of the crisis. They call for immediate action to resolve the strike and a public inquiry into the council’s ongoing financial and operational failures.
