Birmingham City Council has been awarded a £4.37m grant to speed up work on its improvement programme.

The money, from the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG), will support the delivery of the city’s Future Council change programme.

It will complement funds already identified by both the council and the Local Government Association to implement recommendations in Birmingham’s improvement plan.

Specifically, it will be used to fund additional staff capacity to ensure regular council business can continue as usual, provide specialist know-how and fund extra improvement activity.

Birmingham leader, Sir Albert Bore, said: ‘I am committed to delivering the improvements expected of us and I am pleased that the Government has agreed to provide funds that will give even more impetus to the achievement of ambitions in our Future Council.

‘While we are making progress, these extra funds will undoubtedly help us to accelerate the delivery of the changes in organisational governance and capability that are required.

‘It is encouraging that the DCLG has acknowledged this is something we were not able to do wholly within the council’s own limited resources, and that it has endorsed our plans to modernise and create a council that is both fit and sustainable for the future.’

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