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THE 2022 FESTIVAL OF SOCIAL SCIENCE
22 October - 13 November
FoSS and ESRC logos

All Our Money: How local authorities generate and spend money?

Cartoon House with the words All My Money written in block capital letters

My local area theme

What’s on offer?

The Exchange, in Birmingham City Centre, is hosting a workshop based on a play by the world-renowned theatre company Stan’s Cafe, which dramatises Birmingham City Council’s budget setting process. You are invited to watch filmed scenes from the play, a ‘comedy documentary’ depicting the constraints and prioritising dilemmas that face councils every day. Researchers from the University of Birmingham Business School will then share their findings from recent analysis of the City Council’s budget and provide an opportunity for discussion. You will be invited to share your thoughts on what you have seen and heard and help shape the next version of this play. The questions we will be looking to answer are:

  1. What do you think it is important citizens should know about the budget?
  2. What are your experiences of the budget setting process?
  3. How do you feel impacted by the decisions taken?
  4. Is a play a good means of engaging people in the process of local democracy?
     

What’s it about?

Each year Birmingham City Council spends more than £3,000,000,000. But where does all this money come from and how do they decide where it all goes? What are the constraints and prioritisation dilemmas that council’s face every day?

In November, Stan’s Cafe made a pilot version of a play addressing these questions. Now they are working with City Region Economic and Development Institute (City-REDI) at the University of Birmingham to make a full, in depth, nuanced version of this highly engaging show in an effort to bolster local democracy.

Together they are seeking advice on what should be included in the show and opportunities to share the finished production. Longer term the ambition is to adapt the show so it can address budgets set in Local Authorities around the country. This workshop will inform this process and be fun and thought provoking to attend.

Who’s leading the event?

Alice Pugh, Policy and Data Analyst, City Region Economic and Development Institute (City-REDI), University of Birmingham with James Yarker, Artistic Director of Stan’s Cafe.

Open to

Open to Everyone. Under 16s must be accompanied by an adult. This is a discussion on how our public money is spent and utilised by local government, looking at the constraints and prioritising dilemmas that face councils every day. 

Of particular interest to

This event will be of particular interest to people living and working in Birmingham.

Scheduling information

Open from 5:30pm for refreshments. Showing starts at 6pm.

Event booking deadline

Booking closes midnight 7th November 2022