Media Watch - August 4

Top Birmingham City Council Stories

6,000 homes threaten town (Daily Mail) Royal Town of Sutton Coldfield is just one area where the Green Belt is under attack, with Birmingham City Council set to build up to 6,000 new homes there despite local opposition. The CPRE is urging the Government to call for a rethink.

City faced by invasion of travellers at 7 illegal sites (Birmingham Mail, BBC) Reports of seven illegal travellers’ sites across the city.

Danger warning after life rings are thrown in pool at Sutton Park (Sutton Coldfield Observer) Sutton Park users are being reminded not to use life rings as ‘toys’ after three were found floating in one of its pools. Birmingham City Council has said that the potentially life-saving equipment is ‘regularly’ thrown into the water and may not have happened recently, stressing that park rangers check the holders each morning to make sure they are stocked.

Regional Headlines

Birmingham Facebook video girl given referral order
A teenage girl seen bullying two schoolgirls in a video posted on Facebook has been given a referral order to supervise her behaviour.

Wolverhampton mosque attack suspect images released
CCTV images of a man suspected of committing a hate crime against a mosque have been released by police.

National Headlines

Islamic State crisis: UK to extend Tornado strikes in Iraq
The RAF Tornado mission against Islamic State militants in Iraq is to be extended by an extra year, Defence Secretary Michael Fallon has said.

RBS: Government sells £2.1bn of shares in bank
The government has begun its sell-off of shares in part-nationalised lender Royal Bank of Scotland, raising £2.1bn, a third below the price it paid.