Birmingham City Council considers NEC sale

Birmingham City Council is considering selling landmarks such as the National Exhibition Centre, the LG Arena, the National Indoor Arena (NIA) and the International Convention Centre to pay legal claims totalling more than £1bn.

The council has agreed settlements with thousands of women over equal pay disputes. Almost £500m has already been paid out by the council after they were allowed to borrow the money but the Department of Communities and Local Government will not allow it to borrow any more, leaving a shortfall of £550m.

As a result, the authority has said it is reviewing all assets in its portfolio to ensure that the best value is obtained by the taxpayer.

A spokesperson from the NEC Group said: "Birmingham City Council is actively reviewing the opportunity to realise the strategic potential of the NEC Group, which is wholly-owned by Birmingham City Council. 

"No decision has yet been taken regarding a potential sale. The NEC Group team remains focussed on working with its customers to deliver the fantastic schedule of live events across all of its venues."

Contact our team