Mental health of Birmingham City Council workers hits rock bottom due to budget uncertainty

Youth workers and employees who work with children are bearing the brunt of the budget cuts with centres under threat and an impending reorganisation of departments which work with vulnerable youngsters.

All 10,000-plus council employees were offered voluntary redundancy under a mutually agreed resignation scheme last August and then after agonising over their future had the offer withdrawn in November.

Now, workers in departments targeted for savings have been offered voluntary redundancies again, many complaining with lower settlements this time, leaving many not believing a word the authority tells them.

The council emailed workers in January confirming hundreds of jobs will have to go to help the authority balance its books.

Three departments which cater for young people are being merged but workers have been told different details on different days by senior staff.

A group called Save Birmingham Youth Service has written to council bosses detailing how the current working environment is affecting employees. With the city in the grip of a teenage knife epidemic, fears about how children will be hit by the cuts also weighs heavy on youth workers.

It said: "It cannot be stated strongly enough the severe effect that this process is having on the mental and physical wellbeing of staff. The lack of communication, not sharing accurate (or giving wrong) information is very disturbing and stressful and is contributing to the decline in the mental health of staff.

"You will have observed for yourself during our meeting on February 28 the emotional turmoil that the current situation is placing upon youth workers. Whilst some see these budget savings as rows of numbers on a spreadsheet, youth workers are seeing the real-world effects of these actions and the highly vulnerable young people and their families who will be put in jeopardy as a result.

"The lack of accurate information being shared with staff is only adding to this stress and mental fatigue. It shows complete disregard and a lack of respect to workers who have, in many cases given their entire careers to the growth and development of young people through their dedication to Birmingham Youth Service and Birmingham City Council."

Birmingham City Council confirmed measures to help employees struggling to cope have been put in place.

A council spokesman told the Express & Star: "A range of measures are in place across the council, including corporate policies and procedures with guidance on the intranet, a comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme which affected staff can self-refer themselves to for support, as well as frequent webinars on various topics to support their mental health, which also points toward external support services.

"Managers are also able to perform risk assessments through employees’ one-to-ones and can also refer individuals to our SEQOHS-accredited Occupational Health Service."

An exclusive documentary airing tonight reveals how Europe's biggest local authority, Birmingham City Council, went bust.

Bankrupt Birmingham: The story behind Europe's biggest council financial crisis is airing on Freeview tonight.

The documentary has been made by Birmingham World, the Express & Star's sister title, and TV viewers can tune into watch on Shots, channel 276, at 9.10pm.

However, the documentary is available on demand and can be watched now at shotstv.com/watch/vod/52396480.