Birmingham City Council Building

Iron:Man statue by Antony Gormley outside the Birmingham City Council Town Hall building in Victoria Square on 13th August 2024 in Birmingham, United Kingdom. Birmingham City Council is set to approve devastating council cuts, which currently stand to be approximately £376m to services which is likely to have a major impact on residents. Those areas cited as to be subject to cuts include youth services, transport, refuse collection, libraries and arts organisations. The Labour-run council has had long-standing financial issues due to equal pay compensation claims where women were paid less than men on the same pay grade and the implementation of a problematic IT system, which has resulted in a financial black hole of approximately £650m and £100m respectively. (photo by Mike Kemp/In Pictures via Getty Images)