Out of the red, but at what cost? Birmingham council asset sales have left city reeling, say residents

As council declares it's no longer bankrupt', people say closure of services have added to social isolation and crime

When Birmingham city council announced last week it was no longer bankrupt", after years of budget cuts and asset sales, one retired police officer was left feeling despondent.

Wendy Collymore had experienced first-hand the impact of the council's cost-cutting drive on the UK's second largest city when the adult day centre her elderly father attended was forced to close in 2024.