Birmingham City Council has 'dysfunctional climate' - leaked report

A damning leaked report has found a "dysfunctional climate" at the top of Birmingham City Council.

The report into the ruling Labour group, commissioned nationally, said a divisive leadership contest and "bitter industrial disputes" had hit morale.

And it said a concerning number of members "highlighted the levels of misogyny".

Council leader Ian Ward said he retained the confidence of the city's Labour group.

He said in a statement, his successes included leading the party to two overwhelming election victories and "our city through the challenges of austerity and the pandemic".

The National Executive Committee (NEC) appointed the Birmingham Campaign Improvement Board to look at how the Labour group was running the "strategically significant" council, which it has led since May 2012.

The internal report, sent to Labour councillors and MPs in the city, has been seen by the BBC.

The report's authors looked at the culture, ways of working and group members' experiences. They spoke to about 50 people over three months, receiving supporting written submissions and data.

"We were impressed by the levels of commitment, energy and ambition of everyone that we met, and the overwhelming desire to build a better Birmingham for all," they said.

"However, it is clear that the existing culture and processes have contributed to a dysfunctional climate."

"Women councillors and BAME (black, Asian minority ethnic) councillors in particular reported that they felt disengaged and disempowered. There were a concerning number of members who highlighted the levels of misogyny," the report said.

Citing the city's long-running bin dispute and dispute with home care workers, the board said "two particularly bitter industrial disputes" as well as changes to governance had had a "detrimental impact on the mood and morale of the Labour group".

Meanwhile, the leadership contest last May had left the group divided.

The board found a culture in which briefing against colleagues and leaking to the media was commonplace, rather than people working through differences in private.

They added although the council's delivery responsibilities were beyond the board's remit they "cannot ignore the repeated complaints we heard about housing repairs, waste collection and fly-tipping, the bereavement service, and special education".

They added: "Budget cuts and the size of the city are used as reasons to explain the situation however, this does not hold up to scrutiny."

The board made more than 50 recommendations, including for a chief whip to reinforce NEC codes of conduct and for the council leadership and cabinet to strive for more openness and transparency. It recommended the council leader, deputy leader and group officers be elected annually, instead of every four years, starting in 2023.

Mr Ward said: "As the leader of Birmingham City Council I have led our city through the challenges of austerity and the pandemic, safeguarding frontline services, and delivering the best Commonwealth Games we have ever seen.

"I have led Labour to two overwhelming election victories. I retain the confidence of the Birmingham Labour group having recently won a leadership election and I hope to continue leading our group as we tackle the major challenges that our city faces.

"I fear that by reversing the Kerslake recommendations and returning to annual leadership elections, the group risks turning inwards instead of facing the city's challenges.

"We need to focus on winning the mayoral, council and general elections, and political instability from annual elections puts that all at risk."

Steve McCabe, Labour MP for Birmingham, said "annual selection would be madness". He called the report an "orchestrated" attempt to get rid of Mr Ward as council leader, adding if that happened the party risked becoming split and the city "ungovernable".

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