Heritage groups have voiced fears for the future of Birmingham’s “priceless” historic buildings and cultural venues as a team of government-appointed commissioners is due to start work on dealing with the city’s bankruptcy crisis.

Historic England, Arts Council England and the National Lottery Heritage Fund have joined forces to urge the commissioners, who will be led by local-government turnaround specialist Max Caller, not to sacrifice Birmingham’s heritage as part of their financial rescue measures.

Last month Birmingham City Council issued two Section 114 notices warning that the authority is unable to balance its books – the local government equivalent of declaring bankruptcy. The principal issues faced by the authority are an outstanding £760m equal pay settlement and a new IT system that has ballooned in cost to £100m.

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