Editing Birmingham City Council (section)

== Services and facilities ==
Notable services provided and facilities managed by Birmingham City Council include:

* [[Library of Birmingham]]
* [[Public Library and Baths, Balsall Heath]]
* [[Birmingham Wholesale Markets]]
* Cemeteries
** [[Brandwood End Cemetery]]
** [[Mortuary Chapel, Handsworth Cemetery|Handsworth Cemetery]]
** [[Lodge Hill Cemetery, Birmingham|Lodge Hill Cemetery]]
** [[Witton Cemetery]]
* [[Council House, Birmingham|Council House]]
* [[Hall of Memory (Birmingham)|Hall of Memory]]
* Parks
** [[Brookvale Park Lake|Brookvale Park]]
** [[Calthorpe Park]]
** [[Handsworth Park]]
** [[Kings Heath Park]]
** [[Swanshurst Park]]
** Several [[:Category:Country parks in Birmingham, West Midlands|country parks]]

The city's museums were transferred to the independent [[Birmingham Museums Trust]] in 2012. The council sold its [[Ogwen Cottage]] Outdoor Pursuits Centre, by auction, in October 2014.

===Highways===
In 2010, Birmingham City Council agreed a 25 year deal with [[Amey plc]] to manage the city's highways, but, after allegations of sub-standard repairs to roads and pavements, the council invoked penalty clauses and entered into a prolonged legal dispute.<ref name="Elkes">{{cite news |last1=Elkes |first1=Neil |title=Gone to pot? City council in dispute with repairs contractor Amey over quality of roads |url=https://www.business-live.co.uk/economic-development/gone-pot-city-council-dispute-8535623?_ga=2.232197339.552829252.1644484003-425634795.1636358392 |access-date=10 February 2022 |work=BusinessLive |date=29 January 2015}}</ref> In December 2018, Amey parent Ferrovial put the business up for sale,<ref name="TCI-03Dec2018">{{cite news |title=Amey up for sale |url=https://www.theconstructionindex.co.uk/news/view/amey-up-for-sale |access-date=3 December 2018 |work=The Construction Index |date=3 December 2018}}</ref> after allocating €237m for losses on Amey's highway maintenance contract with the Council.<ref name="TCI-03Dec2018"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/legal-dispute-could-cost-birmingham-11609054 |title=Legal dispute could cost Birmingham roads contractor £55&nbsp;million |first=Neil |last=Elkes |work=[[Birmingham Mail]] |date=13 July 2016 |access-date=29 July 2018}}</ref> In February 2019, Amey was close to a deal to exit its Birmingham contract, liabilities from which were preventing the company's sale by Ferrovial.<ref name="Daniel-17Feb2019">{{cite news |last1=Daniel |first1=Alex |title=Amey eyes escape route from Birmingham road repair PFI contract |url=http://www.cityam.com/273359/amey-eyes-escape-route-birmingham-road-repair-pfi-contract |access-date=18 February 2019 |work=City A.M. |date=17 February 2019}}</ref> A £215m deal to terminate Amey's Birmingham contract<ref name="Morby-31May2019">{{cite news |last1=Morby |first1=Aaron |title=Amey to pay £215m to exit Brum highways PFI |url=https://www.constructionenquirer.com/2019/05/30/amey-to-pay-215m-to-quit-brum-highways-pfi/ |access-date=31 May 2019 |work=Construction Enquirer |date=31 May 2019}}</ref> was confirmed in July 2019. The council was set to receive £160m in 2019 with a further £55m paid over the next six years, with services continuing on an interim basis until September 2019, and potentially until March 2020.<ref name="Prior-01Jul2019">{{cite news |last1=Prior |first1=Grant |title=Amey agrees to pay £215m to end Birmingham roads contract |url=http://www.constructionenquirer.com/2019/07/01/amey-agrees-to-pay-215m-to-terminate-birmingham-roads-contract/ |access-date=1 July 2019 |work=Construction Enquirer |date=1 July 2019}}</ref> However, in February 2020, it was announced the Birmingham contract would end in March 2020; [[Kier Group]] was appointed as interim contractor for 15 months while the council sought a permanent replacement for Amey.<ref name="Morby-04Feb2020">{{cite news |last1=Morby |first1=Aaron |title=Kier stands in for Amey on Birmingham Highways upkeep |url=https://www.constructionenquirer.com/2020/02/04/kier-stands-in-for-amey-on-birmingham-highways-upkeep/ |access-date=4 February 2020 |work=Construction Enquirer |date=4 February 2020}}</ref> In February 2022, the city council formally began the process of identifying a contractor to deliver £2.7 billion of works over 12 years,<ref name="Morby-9Feb2022">{{cite news |last1=Morby |first1=Aaron |title=Bidding to start for rejigged £2.7bn Birmingham highways job |url=https://www.constructionenquirer.com/2022/02/09/bidding-to-start-for-rejigged-2-7bn-birmingham-highways-job/ |access-date=10 February 2022 |work=Construction Enquirer |date=9 February 2022}}</ref> and invited Kier and Canadian firm [[AtkinsRéalis|SNC-Lavalin]] to tender for the city’s restructured highways PFI contract, covering more than 2,500km of road and 5,000km of footway. However, in October 2023, the council claimed the government was preparing to "pull the plug" on £600m of highways funding.<ref name="CN-31Oct2023">{{cite news |last1=Knott |first1=Jonathan |title=£600m Birmingham roads contract set to be axed, claims council |url=https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/contracts/600m-birmingham-roads-contract-set-to-be-axed-claims-council-31-10-2023/ |access-date=31 October 2023 |work=Construction News |date=31 October 2023}}</ref> Kier were awarded the restructured contract, set to start in February 2024, but the deal was subject to government approval.<ref name="Knott-02Nov2023">{{cite news |last1=Knott |first1=Jonathan |title=Kier picked for restructured £2.7bn Birmingham roads contract |url=https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/sections/contractors/kier/kier-picked-for-restructured-2-7bn-birmingham-roads-contract-02-11-2023 |access-date=2 November 2023 |work=Construction News |date=2 November 2023}}</ref>