Brexit crisis poses a big risk to Solihull, report warns

Disruption from Brexit remains one of the single biggest risks facing Solihull Council, a report reveals.

Earlier this year, the possible turmoil for business and impact on council services was ranked as ‘Red 9’ – the highest level of risk.

And a dossier presented to councillors on Monday confirmed that, following a review by senior officers last month, the issue remained in the most critical category.

The warning comes amid continuing uncertainty over Britain’s future relationship with the EU and question marks over whether we could yet leave without a deal on 31 October.

According to papers prepared for the audit committee, the council is liaising with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and was also looking at the issue within its own departments.

The council’s risk summary is designed to keep tabs on around a dozen issues which have the potential to cause problems for the local authority.

In the most recent update, Brexit was one of just three graded ‘Red 9’, alongside the pressure on Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) services and the possibility of Solihull failing to “maximise” its potential as part of the Combined Authority.

Risks are ranked based on both the severity of problems they could cause and the likelihood of these problems emerging.

Opposition councillors have repeatedly warned that a No-Deal Brexit would have grave consequences for Solihull.

Speaking in July, during the Tory leadership campaign, Green group leader James Burn said: “That would have ginormous implications for all of us in all our wards and for this council too, particularly when I think about demand for services and in terms of business rate retention.”

And this week Cllr Mark Wilson (Green, Smith’s Wood) told a meeting that the looming Halloween deadline was only the beginning of the uncertainty.

We don’t know what’s going to happen do we? On October 31 [are] we leaving with a deal or without? We still don’t know.

“That is the start of the maelstrom isn’t it, that is just the beginning not the end of it.”

The Leader of the Council, Cllr Ian Courts, has stressed that Solihull is working closely with both businesses and partners and that “positive action” is being taken.

“The economic performance of the borough, factors underlying our economy, probably put us in a better place than many others,” he had said a couple of months ago.

Read more: https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/brexit-crisis-poses-big-risk-16901102