Scrutinising the £1.5m SAFE Birmingham Taskforce: Will It Deliver for Erdington?

What's happened

Birmingham City Council has been provisionally allocated £1.51 million in extension funding from the Department for Education for the SAFE (Support, Attend, Fulfil, Exceed) Birmingham Taskforce. According to the SAFE Birmingham Grant Fund report submitted to Cabinet, this initiative aims to reach approximately 1,000 young people across the city. The core objective is to promote inclusion, prevent the exclusion of vulnerable children, and ultimately improve school attendance and future employability outcomes.

The portfolio is led by Cllr Mick Brown, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Families. The taskforce is designed to intervene early, providing targeted support to those most at risk of falling out of the education system and into potential hardship or anti-social behaviour.

What it means for Erdington and Pype Hayes

For our community, the stakes are incredibly high. When young people in Erdington and Pype Hayes fall out of mainstream education, the ripple effects are felt across our high streets, parks, and neighbourhoods. School exclusions are a known catalyst for youth crime and long-term unemployment.

With 1,000 young people targeted city-wide, it is vital that Erdington and Pype Hayes receive a proportionate share of this £1.51 million. If this money is spent effectively on frontline interventions—such as mentoring, mental health support, and vocational training—it could genuinely change lives and make our streets safer. However, if it is swallowed by administrative overheads at the Council House, our local schools and families will see absolutely no benefit.

Where I stand

I completely support the principle of the SAFE Taskforce. Keeping our kids in school and giving them the tools to succeed is the most fundamental duty we have to the next generation. As your Reform UK councillor, I want to see every penny of this funding put to work on the ground.

Some will argue that we should simply welcome this £1.51 million government grant and let the council administration get on with spending it without interference.

But history shows us that without strict, evidence-led oversight, central funding often gets lost in bureaucracy before it ever reaches the frontline. We cannot afford for this to be another well-meaning council project that produces glossy reports but fails to move the dial on school exclusions in Erdington. I respect Cllr Brown's commitment to this portfolio, but it is my job to ensure this money delivers measurable results for our ward, not just administrative exercises.

Questions we're asking

As the Reform UK opposition, I am putting these specific questions to the decision-maker on behalf of our residents to ensure full transparency and delivery:

• To Cllr Mick Brown (Children, Young People and Families): Of the £1.51 million provisionally allocated, exactly what percentage is ring-fenced for direct frontline intervention versus council administrative and management costs?
• To Cllr Mick Brown: How many of the targeted 1,000 young people are located within the Erdington constituency, and what specific metrics will be used to measure success in our area?
• To Cllr Mick Brown: The report highlights preventing exclusions; what is the target reduction in permanent exclusions for the 2025/2026 academic year as a direct result of this funding?
• To Cllr Mick Brown: If the taskforce fails to meet its attendance and employability targets by the time of the scheduled March 2026 workshop, what financial or operational contingencies are in place to correct the course?

What happens next

The delivery of the SAFE Birmingham Taskforce will be closely monitored over the coming months. A dedicated workshop is already scheduled for the Education and Children's Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee in March 2026 to review progress. My office will be tracking the local exclusion and attendance data for Erdington and Pype Hayes schools to ensure this funding is actually making a difference. I will report back to you as soon as the first performance metrics are published.

Have your say

Do you think this funding will make a real difference to our young people? I want to hear your views. Please register on the site to leave a comment below, vote in our ward forum poll, or start a petition if you feel our local schools need more direct support. Your voice helps me hold the council to account.

Source: Birmingham City Council