Labour 'arrogant' to talk of vision beyond election

BIRMINGHAM Council came under fire from opposition councillors over its vision for the city’s future as election tensions continue to build.

- ALEXANDER BROCK Local Democracy Reporter

The council's corporate plan sets out the priorities for Birmingham over the next three years and how it intends to overcome the issues which have plagued it.

The Labour-run council says it wants to make the city fairer, greener and healthier, with the plan exploring how it can tackle challenges such as housing need, health inequalities, unemployment and child poverty.

Council leader John Cotton described the plan as a “milestone”, adding it was a “clear demonstration of our ambitions for Birmingham” and their “determination to right previous wrongs.”

But the local Conservative group slammed the plan, with Cllr Deirdre Alden describing it as “arrogant” and suggesting the strategy could be seen as a “Labour election pitch”.

She said the council should instead work on a long-term strategy based on the mandate to be delivered through the council elections in May 2026.

“The normal practice at elections is for each political party to produce a manifesto setting out their priorities and policies,” she said.