Birmingham City Council and Unite: Refuse Workers’ Pay
Debate between Baroness Taylor of Stevenage and Lord McLoughlin(1 week, 4 days ago)
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Baroness Taylor of Stevenage (Lab)
The noble Lord raises an important point about the pay of public service workers, and it is very important that they are recognised for the real value they provide in our communities. But even before the strike, Birmingham’s waste service was failing residents. For example, in 2024-25 residents registered over 120,000 missed bin collections. The council now has to press ahead with the much-needed transformation to build a waste service that is fit for purpose and delivers for the people of Birmingham. That of course includes recognising the staff as they should be recognised.
Lord McLoughlin (Con)
Bearing in mind the words of the noble Lord, Lord Woodley, on the position of the commissioners, do the Government have full confidence in the commissioners appointed to do that job?
Council Tax
Debate between Baroness Taylor of Stevenage and Lord McLoughlin(1 year, 1 month ago)
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Baroness Taylor of Stevenage (Lab)
My noble friend makes a very important point about the cost of devolution. We want to see all of England accessing that devolved power, and efficiencies will be generated in the long term. My honourable friend the Minister will be setting out the local government finance settlement later today, and I am sure he will include the details then.
Lord McLoughlin (Con)
My Lords, when the Minister says there will be winners and losers in any reform of council tax, does she not agree with the way in which the noble Lord, Lord Rooker, put it: that the winners are those who, at the moment, are living in high-value properties and the losers are those who live in low-value properties?
Baroness Taylor of Stevenage (Lab)
My Lords, the party opposite had 14 years to sort this out and did nothing about it. Council tax levels are decided by each council. We maintain the previous Government’s policy on the referendum levels. We are tackling the fair funding that was started off by the last Government but never finished. That will level the playing field for areas that need more funding support.