Media Watch - August 11
Top Birmingham City Council Stories
Ex-minister Morris takes charge of education improvement (Birmingham Mail) Respected former education secretary Estelle Morris has revealed Birmingham schools face “exciting times” as she prepares to take the helm of a body set-up to improve standards in the city’s classrooms.
Peer claims £15k for speaking three times in House of Lords (Daily Mail) Parliamentary documents show that Tory peer Mike Whitby, former leader of Birmingham City Council, has claimed £15,300 in attendance fees in the 12 months up to February, even though he spoke only three times in this period.
Birmingham Council to cut recycling target (Waste Planning) Birmingham City Council is to cut its recycling target by 5% this year to 30% after service problems and issues around green waste, wood and paper. NB: This story was based on a report to Cabinet on June 29. However, as the following webcast clip shows, the report recommendation was amended and the recycling rate has not been reduced. https://www.birmingham.public-i.tv/core/share/open/webcast/0/0/560/181406/181406/webcast/start_time/2811000
From concrete bunker to temple of light, New Street station is reborn (Local Transport Today) It may not be the most complex city centre rail project in the UK – that honour probably goes to London’s Crossrail scheme – but the modernisation of Birmingham’s New Street station could take the prize for the most logistically challenging.
Regional Headlines
Birmingham mosque teachers admit beatings
Two Islamic school teachers have admitted beating a child at a mosque in Birmingham. Mohammed Siddique, 60, and his 23-year-old son Mohammed Waqar had previously denied slapping and hitting a boy with a stick at Sparkbrook’s Jamia Mosque.
Second girl charged over Northfield filmed attack
A second teenage girl has been charged over an attack on two schoolgirls which was filmed and went viral on social media.
National Headlines
EU migrant tax credit plan ‘could hit thousands of young Britons’
Thousands of young British people could lose the right to claim benefits for four years as part of government plans to tighten the rules for EU migrants.
Farmers to meet Morrisons supermarket over milk prices
Farming industry leaders are due to meet bosses of the supermarket chain Morrisons to discuss the price of milk.
