More thoughts from Brummies…
Our next set of voxpops from Brummies on their thoughts about what’s great in Brum, what could be improved and how a directly elected Mayor might benefit this great city.
Our next set of voxpops from Brummies on their thoughts about what’s great in Brum, what could be improved and how a directly elected Mayor might benefit this great city.
It strikes me that Birmingham gets a raw deal from the lumbering public sector which its size has generated. Decisions are made behind closed doors by leaders and managers who seem to be clueless about the city in which they work.
Too often outside agencies are appointed to do work for which Birmingham suppliers could compete. So rarely is the passion of Birmingham people taken into account when decisions are made. Events happen that seem wildly out of touch with what’s happening in the City. Areas outside of the city centre are left to rot.
One only has to think about Capita’s since-overturned intention to take jobs out of the city; the furore of the Council budget consultation; the cultural weakness of ArtsFest; the plush new Eastside park and the inequality in the outer suburbs.
The leaders and managers making these decisions and manage these budgets seem invisible and unaccountable, yet hold the fate of the city in their hands.
It is time to say enough is enough. It is time they stop paying lip service to the city. It is time to ensure that the people who run Birmingham are committed to the best interests of Birmingham.
They are cordially invited to sign the Brummie pledge.
The Brummie pledge – Birmingham’s not shit – it’s bleedin’ brilliant
All senior public sector leaders and managers (applying to anyone with a budget over £250k to be spent in the city?) in Birmingham are invited to take the pledge – some simple promises that show you are committed to the city in which you work.
1/ I will ensure that Birmingham suppliers are considered and/or notified in a timely fashion for work as part of the procurement for budgets which I hold and for which I am ultimately responsible, subject to European competition law. I will provide evidence of this on request. [Aggregate relevant tenders please!] (Buy Brummie at corporate level I guess)
2/ I will hold public, open surgeries with a range of community members and leaders at least twice a year at which I will spend at least one hour taking questions. I will feedback on the points made to attendees and online within six weeks of each event.
3/ I will attend a minimum of four cultural and/or sporting events in each calendar year.
4/ I will stray out of the City Centre at least four times a year.
What else? Live in Birmingham? Blog and tweet – low cost training provided?
The aim is to keep more work for Brummie firms, address organisational deafness issues, try to ensure a much more inclusive approach to cultural activities, and get the city centre bias out of decision making. Life on Birmingham’s margins won’t get better from HS2, FFS.
I think five max. Get Gisela and Bounder to team up on the back of the #campaignforgisela tweet/shitstorm (sheetstorm?).