"Birmingham City Council's Financial Crisis: From Equal Pay Bankruptcy to Devastating Cuts"

Birmingham city council is facing significant budget cuts and asset sales, with devastating impacts on crucial services, due to a reported £700 million equal pay liability. However, investigations suggest that the council's spiraling deficit is actually linked to a disastrous implementation of a new Oracle IT system, which has led to a £131 million overspend and severe financial mismanagement. The council's decision to issue a section 114 notice on equal pay claims grounds, rather than the IT disaster, raises questions about transparency and accountability. The situation may have significant political and financial consequences, and a public inquiry into the Oracle implementation has been called for.