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IF IT’S BROKEN --WHO BROKE IT?
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IF IT’S BROKEN -- WHO FIXES IT?
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The Same Hands on the Wheel: Cabinet, Continuity — and Collective Responsibility in Solihull
No Local Authority drifts toward the language of Section 151 notices or Exceptional Financial Support (EFS) because of a single meeting.
It happens over time.
Through:
It happens over time.
Through:
- repeated financial choices
- consistent policy positions
- decisions taken — and decisions avoided
The Prelection Cabinet
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Councillor Wazma Qais
Cabinet Portfolio Holder - Communities Silhill Ward |
Not One Decision — A Direction of Travel
Councillor Bob Sleigh OBE
Cabinet Portfolio Holder - Resources Bickenhill Ward Not Standing in 2026
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Councillor Heather Delaney
Cabinet Portfolio Holder - Economy, Business & Skills Meriden Ward / Balsall and Berkswell Ward in 2026 |
Not Standing in 2026
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The decisions were not isolated. The direction was not accidental.
So who owns the outcome?
There is a tendency in local government to treat decisions as isolated moments — a meeting here, a vote there, a policy decision taken in good faith.
But governance does not work like that.
It is cumulative.
It is directional.
And above all — it is collective.
While questions are often raised in committees such as Governance, the reality is simpler:
The direction of a council is set elsewhere.
It is set by Cabinet.
Where Decisions Really Sit
Cabinet is not an observing body.
It is not advisory.
It is where:
And for years, that wheel has been held by the same governing group.
Not One Decision — A Direction of Travel
No council reaches the edge of financial pressure overnight.
No authority drifts toward the language of Section 151 notices or Exceptional Financial Support (EFS) because of a single meeting.
It happens over time.
Through:
But together?
They form a direction of travel.
Experience Brings Ownership
Continuity in leadership is often presented as stability.
And sometimes it is.
But continuity also brings something else:
ownership of outcomes.
Those who have held decision-making power over time:
They were decision-makers.
The Financial Reality
Solihull is not formally in crisis -yet.
But the language surrounding its finances has shifted.
Independent commentary has pointed to:
Across the country, councils facing similar patterns have found themselves forced into difficult territory — including formal financial interventions.
Which raises a simple, unavoidable question:
Cabinet is not an observing body.
It is not advisory.
It is where:
- financial strategy is set
- budgets are shaped
- policy direction is determined
And for years, that wheel has been held by the same governing group.
Not One Decision — A Direction of Travel
No council reaches the edge of financial pressure overnight.
No authority drifts toward the language of Section 151 notices or Exceptional Financial Support (EFS) because of a single meeting.
It happens over time.
Through:
- repeated financial choices
- consistent policy positions
- decisions taken — and decisions avoided
But together?
They form a direction of travel.
Experience Brings Ownership
Continuity in leadership is often presented as stability.
And sometimes it is.
But continuity also brings something else:
ownership of outcomes.
Those who have held decision-making power over time:
- cannot reasonably separate themselves from results
- cannot attribute long-term direction solely to external pressures
They were decision-makers.
The Financial Reality
Solihull is not formally in crisis -yet.
But the language surrounding its finances has shifted.
Independent commentary has pointed to:
- pressures on long-term sustainability
- reliance on reserves
- uncertainty in future planning
Across the country, councils facing similar patterns have found themselves forced into difficult territory — including formal financial interventions.
Which raises a simple, unavoidable question:
How did we get here?
Collective Responsibility
This is not about one decision.
It is not about one councillor.
And it is not about one moment in time.
It is about collective responsibility at the point where decisions are made.
Because good governance is not simply about:
The Election Context
With elections approaching, many familiar figures will step aside.
But not all.
Some of those who have shaped the council’s direction over recent years will remain on the ballot.
That matters.
Because elections are not just about future promises.
They are also about past decisions.
If the same hands set the course.
It is only reasonable to ask them to account for where it leads.
Collective Responsibility
This is not about one decision.
It is not about one councillor.
And it is not about one moment in time.
It is about collective responsibility at the point where decisions are made.
Because good governance is not simply about:
- what is legal
- what is permitted
- what is sustainable
- what is prudent
- what is in the long-term interest of residents
The Election Context
With elections approaching, many familiar figures will step aside.
But not all.
Some of those who have shaped the council’s direction over recent years will remain on the ballot.
That matters.
Because elections are not just about future promises.
They are also about past decisions.
If the same hands set the course.
It is only reasonable to ask them to account for where it leads.