Birmingham, 25 March 2026 – Last night’s Full Council meeting delivered a historic blow to Labour’s grip on power when a resolution of no confidence in the Leader of the Council was passed by simple majority.
The motion stated: “This Council believes that the Administration has broken Birmingham City Council, but we believe it can be repaired. The continuing bin strike, the Oracle mismanagement and the financial woes which have placed a heavy burden on Birmingham’s council taxpayers have cumulatively destroyed the trust and reputation of Birmingham nationally and internationally.
Confidence in Birmingham City Council has been seriously undermined, and the only conclusion is for a change of the administration’s leadership at the May 7 council elections and therefore the Council has no confidence in the Leader of the Council.”
Under the terms of the city council’s constitution, a resolution of no confidence in the Leader results in their removal from post. Section 1.4(ii)(d) of Part B of the Council’s Constitution, which states unequivocally that the Leader holds office until removed “by a resolution of no confidence passed by a simple majority resolution of the Council.”
As such Councillor John Cotton ceased to hold the office of Leader of the Council with immediate effect from the close of the meeting on 24 March 2026.
In a letter sent this morning to Managing Director Joanne Roney and Monitoring Officer Tony Cox, Councillor Robert Alden (Con, Erdington), Leader of the Conservative Group, has asked for action to ensure that the vote of council is respected and that no decisions that could bind a future administration after May are taken in the next six weeks without agreement of all political groups.
Councillor Alden said:
If even Labour councillors can’t turn up to express confidence in their leader, then how can Birmingham residents have confidence in them?
The current administration no longer commands the confidence of the Council. With just six weeks until the all-out local elections on 7 May, the city is now effectively in a caretaker period. No key decisions, significant policy initiatives or long-term commitments, including major contracts or procurement, should be taken without the explicit agreement of the leaders of all political groups.
The letter demands that:
- No irreversible or long-term decisions are made without cross-party agreement.
- Any urgent decisions are brought to all group leaders in advance for consensus.
- The council website and all communications immediately stop stating or implying that Councillor John Cotton remains Leader of the Council.
Councillor Alden has requested urgent written confirmation from the Managing Director and Monitoring Officer that these arrangements will be put in place and communicated to all officers and Cabinet members. He has also proposed an immediate all-group leaders’ meeting to discuss the practical implications and seek cross party consensus.
He added:
Birmingham’s residents deserve certainty that no irreversible decisions will be taken by an administration that has lost the confidence of the full Council so close to an election. It is also vital that no decisions are taken that could be open to legal challenge, due to a binding vote of Full Council and cost taxpayers even more money after the hundreds of millions Labour have already cost the city.
