▁was ▁the ▁leader ▁of ▁B irmingham ▁City ▁Council ▁from ▁ 1 ▁December ▁ 2 0 1 5 ▁until ▁ 1 1 ▁September ▁ 2 0 1 7 . ▁ ▁West ▁Mid lands ▁Local ▁Government ▁P ension ▁Fund ▁and ▁Cap ita ▁re - neg oti ations ▁ ▁Util ising ▁the ▁wealth ▁of ▁the ▁West ▁Mid lands ▁Local ▁Government ▁P ension ▁Fund ▁to ▁invest ▁in ▁the ▁city ▁and ▁its ▁region ▁was ▁also ▁a ▁frequent ▁policy ▁call ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁local ▁economy ▁re w iring . ▁▁▁ ▁He ▁identified ▁the ▁Fund ▁as ▁dra ining ▁assets ▁and ▁resources ▁away ▁from ▁the ▁region ▁and ▁in ▁particular ▁challeng ed ▁its ▁calls ▁to ▁local ▁government ▁in ▁the ▁region ▁for ▁extra ▁fund ing ▁to ▁pay ▁down ▁what ▁he ▁term ed ▁ill us ory ▁def ic its ▁whilst ▁they ▁were ▁making ▁cut s ▁to ▁services ▁due ▁to ▁central ▁government ▁cut s . ▁He ▁demanded ▁cut s ▁to ▁the ▁fund ’ s ▁b ills ▁to ▁the ▁city ▁council , ▁and ▁managed ▁to ▁negoti ate ▁them ▁down ▁consider ably ▁by ▁£ 2 4 ▁million ▁in ▁one ▁year ▁according ▁to ▁local ▁media . ▁▁▁ ▁After ▁critic ising ▁the ▁size ▁of ▁the ▁budget ▁pay - outs ▁to ▁out s our cing ▁giant ▁Cap ita ▁through ▁the ▁City ▁Council ’ s ▁out s our cing ▁J oint ▁vent ure ▁Service ▁B irmingham ▁for ▁many ▁years , ▁Cl ancy ▁announced ▁the ▁ending ▁of ▁the ▁joint ▁vent ure ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁and ▁a ▁wind - down ▁of ▁the ▁relationship ▁saving ▁the ▁City ▁Council ▁£ 4 3