Joanne Roney, Birmingham’s new council leader, pledges to rebuild the city and improve core services swiftly.
Her family will quickly tell her what they think. They’ll complain about cuts and service problems. These issues deeply affect their communities. Roney earns a £295,000 salary and faces a very tough job.
The council is still under special supervision. It will cut £150 million in services again. Commissioners oversee the council due to past issues. Roney believes she can make positive changes.
Roney started working at the council at age 16 in the housing department. After running Manchester City Council for seven years, she returned and wants to give back to Birmingham.
She feels she owes the city a lot. The council invested in her as a teenager, giving her opportunities and a career. She wants to help Birmingham overcome difficulties.
Roney knows the city and thinks her experience will help. She aims to improve finances and services and wants to change the culture too, building on success in various places.
Roney spoke about her childhood. She grew up in Shard End with her siblings. She talked about a car crash involving a friend and values personal integrity greatly.
Roney knew the job would be hard. But, the needed changes are even bigger, requiring a pace of change that must occur faster than she thought.
The council overall has good staff and some services that work well. But, neglect has damaged core services and transformation is needed right now. They must fix finances and the organization because Birmingham has many opportunities for growth that they need to promote better.
The council was different in the 1980s. Departments were big and self-contained. Other councils changed that model, but Birmingham did not.
She’s going to do 15 years of work in 15 months. Frontline services should be great, supporting children and vulnerable adults. Residents need good homes, so why aren’t they the best?
People ask why they should trust her, because the council has had many recent leaders. That’s a fair question and she must show progress.
More tough times are coming and things will go wrong along the way. She cannot know everything about the council and mistakes will happen.
They need a culture that accepts mistakes. When errors occur, they need to be open and transparent.
The council must regain public trust. Roney opposes a public inquiry arguing it would be a distraction and would not uncover anything new.
She understands people’s anger. Past mistakes caused problems, such as pay, involving IT systems and housing schemes. This led to years of overspending.
Roney wants the commissioners to leave since they cost about £1 million per year. She wants local control again and aims to show they are ready to lead.
Roney picked a significant spot: Shard End Library, where her mom took her after school with her siblings. She learned about literature and learning there.
She remembers the old library fondly, saying it was warm and inspiring. She reads three books each week, and is a devoted reader.
Roney supports libraries and wants them, especially, in less-well-off areas. Shard End is one place facing cuts, with reducing opening hours.
The council faces tough decisions under Roney. In 2024, cuts totaled £149 million, which included job losses. Property was sold and also tax went up, but more cuts of £148 million are coming, which will affect children’s services and social care. Council tax will increase again.