Funding agreed for European Athletics Championships

Losing the event would have a detrimental impact on the region, councillors heard

The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) has committed a further £600,000 towards the hosting of the 2026 European Athletics Championships in Birmingham.

Financing for the games came into question, after Birmingham City Council declared effective bankruptcy in September.

At a meeting on Friday, the combined authority agreed the money, thanks to an underspend from the building of the Sandwell Aquatics Centre.

Councillor Bob Sleigh, portfolio lead for finance at the authority, said losing the event would have a "detrimental impact on the city, region and UK as a whole".

Birmingham City Council had originally agreed to underwrite the full cost of staging the championships at the Alexander Stadium as part of a joint bid with UK Athletics and UK Sport.

However commissioners brought in to make £300m of savings at the authority over the next two years have outlined it as a "non-essential", Mr Sleigh told the WMCA board meeting.

This had led to a £2.2m shortfall in funding for the event, which would be the first time it had been held in the UK.

Andy Street, pictured with Theresa May at the Commonwealth Games, said the authority would also look to reallocate funds towards grassroots sport

Addressing the meeting, the leader of Birmingham City Council, Councillor John Cotton said it was "disappointing" it was no longer able to resource the shortfall, and appreciated the financial challenges local authorities were under.

"We are all facing real difficulties now, notwithstanding that, we cannot allow an event of this magnitude slip through our fingers," he said.

Without agreeing the new financial plan, he said, there was a real prospect that Birmingham could lose the event.

European Athletics, he said, were due to meet on 16 January to formally consider the new plan.

Birmingham council leader John Cotton said without the funding package there was a chance the city could lose the event

As well as £600,000 from the WMCA, the meeting heard, UK Athletics had assigned £250,000 towards the event, with the Department of Culture, Media and Sport agreeing to put forward £680,000 conditional on the authority's contribution.

Birmingham City Council will provide £670,000, which has been saved from works on Alexander Stadium.

Two amendments to the report were also agreed, that the involvement of the WMCA be recognised and, from Mayor Andy Street, that the authority itself looks into the possibility of adding £3m from its finances towards grassroots sports initiatives, to cover that lost from the refinancing of the championships.

Mr Street said: “It’s really important that major events like this leave a lasting legacy for residents.

"That’s why I’ve asked my team to ensure they strain every sinew to protect grassroots and community funding.

"My support for the European Athletics Championships still going ahead was contingent on this amendment.”