When we first meet, Birmingham City Council's leader Cllr John Clancy is about to be interviewed on the relegation of local football team, Aston Villa, from the Premier League. Sitting in his bright office in the authority's historic town hall, he confesses that discussing subjects like the downfall of a local sporting institution isn't really something he has much experience in.

As a city, Birmingham seems on an opposite trajectory to its claret wearing footballers. Improvement and growth are high on the agenda and the city feels like it is on the ascendancy. But those helming the authority recognise serious challenges remain.