Media Watch - April 2

Top Birmingham City Council stories:

Flagship library open just 6 hours at weekends (Birmingham Post, BBC online) new opening hours for the Library of Birmingham have been announced, including closure on Sundays

Shake-up of city’s schools (Birmingham Post)  Tim Boyes, chair of the Birmingham Education Partnership, talks about the task of driving improvement in city schools

£110k of fake goods seized in last year (Birmingham Post) Birmingham trading standards officers seized fake items worth more than £110,000 in the last 12 months. Jacqui Kennedy quoted

Lollipop wardens safe, say chiefs (Birmingham Mail) Allegation and counter allegation on the council’s plans for school crossing patrols. Cllrs Robert Alden and Ian Ward quoted

A special achievement to revive failing school (Birmingham Mail) Yardley Wood community primary school, which used to be a failing school, is now rated as good by Ofsted

Spread of ‘food deserts’ where the only choice is takeaways (Independent) Article on the increase in takeaways in poor areas, referencing Birmingham City Council’s declaration in 2012 that only one in 10 premises in a shopping area should be a takeaway.

Regional Headlines:

Rail users warned of Easter closures – Rail users are warned of major delays over Easter as a main route between London and the West Midlands is closed for maintenance

Cathedral £500k repairs windfall – Birmingham Cathedral has been given a £500,000 boost to carry out vital internal repairs

National Headlines:

Leaders prepare for election debate – The leaders of seven political parties gear up for a live televised debate

Russian trawler sinks with 54 dead – A trawler sinks off the Kamchatka peninsula with 54 confirmed dead