£320m bill for taxpayers — a Commonwealth Games legacy
£320m bill for taxpayers — a Commonwealth Games legacy
Plus, Snoop Dogg weighs in on Brum culture
Dear Patchers — here is your Monday briefing.
Aside from a deafening crack of thunder this morning, this week is set to be a bit more peaceful than the last few. We tried to unpack the events that led to nationwide rioting in our weekend read — a first for us as we teamed up with our sister titles in Manchester, Liverpool and Sheffield. Thanks for all the lovely comments. Barbara Bojang said it was an “excellent thought-provoking article” and Alan Taman said: “Outstanding — perfect example of why good local journalism is worth paying for!” We couldn’t agree more. You can read it here.
Coming up: Tomorrow we have a fantastic members-only essay, written by the award-winning poet and novelist Luke Kennard, exploring the late poet Roy Fisher’s intense relationship with Birmingham while reflecting on his own.
Then on Thursday, Kate delves into the (surprisingly) fractious world of classical music in the city with another members-only article.
Finally, at the weekend, we’ve got a sweat-soaked read all about the city’s competitive arm wrestling community. Because, while debates about who ranks as the UK’s second (or even first) city may rage on for time immemorial, if it came down to the simple matter of who has the most powerful arms no one beats Brum…
Editor’s note: I think these middle weeks of August are a brilliant example of the range you can expect from The Dispatch. When I started this newsletter, I knew we weren’t going to cover absolutely everything that happens in Birmingham and the wider West Midlands. That was never the point. What I wanted to do was bring readers quality, not quantity — writing that provides texture.
Our challenge is to make sure we are bringing you vital reporting on big issues and events — like the riots — while not forgetting all of the quirky, exciting and funny things that make Birmingham the city we know and love. Hopefully, we are succeeding — 838 paying members in eight months suggests we are. If you agree but haven’t signed up yet, please do so today and help us make The Dispatch sustainable for the long term.
“It's great to see actual journalism being done in Birmingham, getting the truth out there rather than whatever prejudice Murdoch wants to spread." — Maz, Dispatch member.
Goodbye thunderstorms
🌥️Tuesday: After a briefly thundery and hot Monday, a survivable lower twenties returns. Sunny all day. Max 23°C.
🌥️Wednesday: Still warm. Sun and cloud cover all day. Some breeze as respite. Max 23°C.
🌦️Thursday: Starts off bright but then evolves into consistent light rain as the day continues. Max 22°C.
🌥️Friday: A return to form with consistent sun with some consistent cloud cover. Max 21°C.
🌥️Weekend: Another great weekend. Breezy, sunny and with some cloud cover. Max 21°C.
We get our weather from the Met Office.
Big story: £320m bill for taxpayers — a Commonwealth Games legacy
Top line: As the Olympic Games wraps up in Paris, the true cost of Birmingham’s Commonwealth Games is only just becoming known. The city council has agreed to sell most of Perry Barr Athletes Village to a private investor — for less money than the authority has spent on the project. As a result, the sale will cost the taxpayer at least £320m.
Context: Perry Barr Athletes Village was meant to accommodate competitors during the Commonwealth Games. Unfortunately, construction was delayed due to the pandemic and the athletes were put up in student digs instead. Since building works completed in April 2023, almost a year after the games, the homes have sat empty.
The big plan: The development was supposed to be a positive legacy of the games and a hallmark project in the great Perry Barr regeneration, alongside the creation of Alexander Stadium and £30.9m of transport improvements. The idea was to provide lots of new homes for local people.
Of the 968 properties, 312 were set to be available at affordable prices, with an additional 99 available at a government-funded 30% discount for first-time buyers.
A nasty surprise: The project faced a blow last year when it emerged that surveyors were valuing the flats at 30% less than the council, throwing those with mortgage agreements into jeopardy. Then, earlier this year, it was revealed that the council was instead negotiating with private investors looking to bulk-buy the homes. Last Thursday, the council agreed to sell 755 of the properties to a private bidder. The remaining 213 will be kept as council homes.
A risky business: The commissioners who were appointed last autumn by Michael Gove and who continue to run the council have backed the sale. However, they had stern words for the councillors in a report published last week. They said a “rigorous analysis” must be undertaken to learn lessons and improve risk awareness for future proposals. They described how the project has led to a “significant loss to the public purse”.
How much exactly? The same report, to the council’s property committee, estimates that the money made from the sale won’t be enough to pay back borrowing of £142-152m. The cost of repaying this debt over a 40-year period is expected to be £8-9m per year, including interest. That’s a cost of at least £320m to the taxpayer with cuts made elsewhere to compensate — not quite the glorious Commonwealth legacy the council intended. Speaking to the BBC, Shadow Cabinet Member for Finance, Councillor Meirion Jenkins wasn’t mincing words:
“It’s certainly a legacy. It’s a disastrous financial legacy. All we have now is a disastrous state-sponsored construction project that is going to cost the population of Birmingham very dearly, bearing in mind we’re talking about £2,000 per household in Birmingham as being the cost of this construction.”
However, Labour Councillor Sharon Thompson, deputy leader for the council and cabinet member for Economy and Skills has continued to defend the project. In a statement on the council’s website, she said:
“As someone who visits Perry Barr regularly, I know the area has been transformed in recent years and is now a destination of choice for visitors or for those wishing to relocate.
“The investment in Perry Barr has brought massive benefits locally with upgraded public transport links, the stunning redevelopment of the Alexander Stadium and this deal will now deliver better housing choices for local people."
Is the project an important jigsaw piece in the redevelopment of Perry Barr? Or is it just the latest in a long line of financial howlers for the council? Let us know.
Photo of the week
Damien Walmsley has taken this photo of the thoroughfare that splits the two sides of the Bullring shopping centre.
Brum in brief
🧑🏻🤝🧑🏿 Marches and protests update: An anti-racism march took place in Birmingham City Centre on Saturday in response to widespread riots and disorder in the preceding weeks. Organised by Stand Up To Racism, it followed a counter-protest that took place in the Jewellery Quarter on 7 August after there were fears of disorder outside a migrant centre. Phil Davis, director at Hope Projects, a local asylum seeker housing charity, told The Dispatch that “it’s been a very frightening week” for the asylum seekers his organisation supports and the staff there have been having to “work hard to reassure them and keep them safe”.
Elsewhere, a rumoured far-right protest in Walsall town centre did not take place on Saturday. Police had pre-emptively put in place a dispersal order for the area. And in Solihull, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer visited faith and law enforcement leaders after disruption in the area over the previous week. He told the Solihull Observer: “We’ve been discussing how together we reassure our communities they will be safe. That’s our number one priority.” More here.
🍻 Pub gong: The Bailey Head pub in Oswestry has won the West Midlands Regional Pub of the Year 2024, beating competition from The Tamworth Tap (which has topped regional awards for the past two years but has finally been knocked from its perch). The accolade, awarded by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) means the husband-and-wife-owned drinking establishment is one of 17 pubs in with a chance of winning the National Pub of the Year award. Co-owner Duncan Borrowman said: “It has been quite a journey since we opened in March 2016, not knowing at first if Oswestry would be receptive to our Real Ale and Craft Beer focus.” Full story.
🎤 Snoop Dogg ❤️’s Brum: With tensions across the West Midlands ratcheting up over the last couple of weeks, lighter news is very welcome. So, when we found out that Snoop Dogg — rapper, entrepreneur and, latterly, darling of the Paris Olympics — was a fan of Peaky Blinders we had to share. Steven Knight, the show’s creator, broke the news on a recent episode of Desert Islands Discs, revealing the rapper told him that the series reminded him of his gangster background. “Hearing about Snoop Dogg's life was really interesting,” Knight said. "He was such a great bloke [and] he was so nice to talk to.” Full details.
Home of the week
This three-bed semi in Sheldon has wood floors, white walls and lets in plenty of light. Plus, it’s near not one, not two but three big parks. It’s available for £250,000.
Media picks
📰 The fitness industry’s biggest success story of the 21st Century so far, Bromsgrove-born Ben Francis, has given an in-depth interview to The Athletic. The 32-year-old and UK’s youngest billionaire started his training wear brand Gym Shark in his parents’ garage, and continues to run the business locally, in Solihull. But this interview focuses on his other big passion — Aston Villa FC. He’s a lifelong fan: “My dad and grandparents wouldn’t let me be anything else,” he says.
📺 Let’s balance out the claret-and-blue coverage with a little more, well, blues, shall we? This ITV documentary about Birmingham City FC aired last Thursday. It traces the last turbulent 12-months for the club, from an all-American takeover to several changes in management, the short-lived Rooney years and a painful relegation. The fans are, however, as faithful as ever.
Things to do
Tuesday
🎟️ For those lucky enough to live in the hyper-desirable Jewellery Quarter you can get 25% off food at Rajdoots on ‘Locals Day’. I’m looking at Zoopla as we speak. More here.
📷 Fans of photorealism and artistic depictions of American deprivation should head to RBSA for the opening day of their short John Salt exhibition (born and trained in Birmingham). Full details.
Wednesday
🌼 Patchers with a conservationist bent can head to the Botanical Gardens for a guided walk detailing Birmingham’s natural flora and how to look after it. Suncream is probably wise. Full event details.
🌳 Another outdoor-leaning event (might as well take advantage of the summer weather) is a whittling class at Cotteridge Park from 6 pm onwards. Meet at The Shed. Details here.
Thursday
🎨 Readers with children looking for calming summer holiday activities should head to The Herbert in Coventry for an all-day painting masterclass. Suitable for up to 16-yr-olds. Details at a click.
🏃♀️Want to get fitter and make friends? The Sutton Park social running club are meeting at 7pm. It's £3.50 and the scenery alone means it should be a winner. More here.
So about £320,000 loss per property. It sounds fraudent.
“I know the area has been transformed in recent years and is now a destination of choice for visitors or for those wishing to relocate.”
I would love to know how Cllr Thompson can back up this (what at least I perceive as) pretty generic political rhetoric.
I’m not knocking Perry Barr, not but a long stretch - more the grandstanding insanity that has ripped it to pieces in recent years - knock on any door and ask the residents of Perry Barr how they feel.
Great article though.