Yahoo News Birmingham City Council told 'this will cost lives' as it axes transport and road safety chief
Road safety activists have urged the Labour leaders of Birmingham City Council to rethink a decision to axe the separate transport and highways brief as part of a Cabinet reshuffle, warning it could 'cost lives'.
Cllr John Cotton, council leader, and deputy leader Cllr Sharon Thompson have opted to get rid of the role that was held for the last year by Liz Clements, a fierce advocate of active travel and public transport. Instead her role will be reintegrated back into a general transport and environment brief that also includes waste and parks, held by Cllr Majid Mahmood, who as well as being a cabinet member is also a solicitor and law firm partner.
Cyclist Cllr Clements was approached to switch to the finance brief but, in light of the decision to do away with her portfolio, chose to return to the back benches instead. The move comes as the region's specialist walking and cycling commissioner Adam Tranter announced he would not be continuing in his role under new Labour mayor Richard Parker.
READ MORE: Labour to impose leaders on troubled Birmingham City Council 'for at least another year'
The role was introduced by Conservative mayor Andy Street to promote road safety projects. In a statement, Mr Tranter said he had decided to 'step aside for the new administration to be able to develop their own active travel plans.'
Better Streets for Birmingham lobbying group on road safety said they were 'deeply concerned' by the simultaneous loss of two strong advocates for road safety and the city council's decision. "The role is too big. This misstep jeopardises delivery of the vital transport plan and will cost lives," they said in a statement.
Cllr Clements, asked about her resignation, said: "I was offered a different role in Cabinet which I didn't want, so I resigned. I've given my all to the transport and highways brief and wanted to continue, but it's the Leader's job to pick his Cabinet and assign roles. I will carry on campaigning for the London-style public transport network and safe walking and cycling routes Birmingham so urgently needs. It's what I've spent my political life doing and it's my passion."
The finance brief was given to Cllr Karen McCarthy, who has switched from her brief overseeing Children and Families. New to the Cabinet is Cllr Mick Brown (Lab, Gravelly Hill), who takes over from McCarthy.
READ MORE: Labour to impose leaders on troubled Birmingham City Council 'for at least another year'
Cllr Rob Pocock, who has been standing in as Cabinet member for health and social care during his colleague Mariam Khan's maternity leave, has been kept in the Cabinet permanently with a new transformation and governance portfolio, leading on the overarching financially motivated changes under way.
Labour group members met on Saturday for their annual general meeting and were informed about the new roles and asked to vote in group members to some positions. They were not allowed to have their democratic say on who takes the most senior group roles including leader, deputy leader and chief whip after Labour chiefs ruled their group remained in 'special measures'. It means leader Cllr Cotton and deputy leader Cllr Thompson still do not have a local mandate from their own councillors.
Martin Price, who represents lobbying group Better Streets for Birmingham, said it was hugely disappointing to see the council subsume the highways and transport brief back into the huge environment and waste brief at a critical time, when road safety issues and the city's Transport Plan needed full attention and ownership to stay on track.
"Three strong advocates for positive action on our streets - former mayor Andy Street, cycling and walking commissioner Adam Tranter, and now Cllr Liz Clements - are gone just as their joint collaborative efforts have started to show real progress. The scale of action required to deliver the Transport Plan for the city needs real focus. We hope to hear soon how that can be achieved."
The group has now pressed for a rethink. They said: "We urgently need the council leader to pivot on this error of judgement and reinstate a separate transport cabinet member; and for the new mayor of the West Midlands to appoint a new regional cycling and walking commissioner as a matter of urgency."
The Transport Plan for Birmingham, published in 2021, includes measures to:
Reduce transport’s damaging impact on the environment, supporting Birmingham’s commitment to becoming a carbon neutral city by 2030
Eliminate road danger particularly in residential areas
Connect people with new job and training opportunities
Reconnect communities by prioritising people over cars
Revitalise the city centre and local centres.
One Labour insider said it was frustrating that there was little room for debate on the decision. "This reshuffle sends absolutely the wrong message about our transport agenda and our desire to offer people the good public transport and active travel alternatives that will get them out of cars." They said the decision suggests the council is 'backing down' in the face of the pro-car lobby rather than pushing on with the vital behavioural change needed to transform the city.
UPDATE: In a statement this afternoon Cllr John Cotton, council leader, said: "As we work to give Birmingham the council it deserves, we are creating a new cabinet portfolio focussed on transformation, early intervention and prevention, which means we need a different balance of responsibilities across portfolios.
"After discussing this essential change with colleagues, Liz Clements decided to return to the backbenches. I'm grateful for Liz's leadership of the transport agenda over the last two years and I know she will continue to be an influential and tireless campaigner for active travel. The decision to merge the Environment and Transport roles is a natural fit and I am confident that Majid Mahmood will build on Liz's hard work in this area."
He added: "Cllr Karen McCarthy has done an outstanding job in children’s and her leadership has had a positive impact across the directorate. Now, the very skills she demonstrated in her previous portfolio are the very qualities we need in the finance brief, given the council’s current challenges."
The Cabinet will be announced at the annual meeting of the full council next Tuesday (May 21) for ratification by all members.
