Media Watch - Dec 19
Top Birmingham City Council Stories
Local government cuts: the ‘Jaws of Doom’ are ready to bite (Guardian) A new catastrophe graph, the “Jaws of Doom”, is doing the rounds in local government (following on from the Barnet Graph of Doom). It is a simple illustration that shows a “budget pressures” line rising steeply to the top right of the grid, and a “grant reductions” line crashing to the bottom right. It could be a child’s depiction of a shark, or a crocodile, about to bite its prey. Lunch, in this case, appears to be local government itself. The creator of the jaws graph is Birmingham council. The UK’s biggest local authority will see its grant reduce by £332m by 2016-17. Over that period costs will rise by an estimated £273m. That means £600m of savings, a cut of nearly half of the council’s controllable spending. “It’s the end of local government as we know it,” says the city’s leader, Sir Albert Bore.
It's morally wrong to raise council tax, town halls told (Daily Telegraph) Local authorities will be warned by ministers that it is “morally” unacceptable to increase council tax next year. Liverpool city council has claimed there will be “riots on the streets” if council tax is frozen again, as it will lead to cuts in key services. Birmingham city council has also indicated that further restraint is not possible, with the authority's leader describing the financial situation as “the end of local government as we know it”.
Staffordshire hoard site yields further 90 fragments (BBC, ITV, Guardian, Daily Telegraph, Birmingham Mail) More gold and silver, including a gold and garnet cross, an eagle-shaped mount, and what could be a helmet cheek piece, have been churned up by ploughing in Staffordshire in the same field which three years ago yielded one of the most spectacular Anglo Saxon hauls.
Birmingham’s obesity battle (Free Radio) Director of Public Health Dr Adrian Phillips talking about BCC and NHS efforts to combat obesity in Birmingham.
Cabinet meeting to be screened live on net (Birmingham Mail) Birmingham City Council’s committee and cabinet meetings will be screened live on the internet from next February.
Sabbath Day is black on the agenda (Birmingham Mail) Story that contradicts Monday’s claims that plans for an official Birmingham Black Sabbath Day had been shelved. Council leader Sir Albert Bore has written to the rock legends’ management who have said they are interested in looking at an event next year.
‘We can’t afford to lose youth clubs’ (Birmingham Mail) Council bosses have been urged to think again over fresh cuts which could lead to the closure of up to 30 youth clubs and the loss of 85 jobs.
Regional Headlines
Mitchell claim is serious - No 10
Former Chief Whip and Sutton Coldfield MP Andrew Mitchell calls for a “full inquiry” into the row with Downing Street police officers that cost him his job.
Domestic abuse plea on tickets
More than 4.5 million bus tickets will be printed over the next few weeks in the West Midlands to encourage domestic abuse victims to report attackers.
National Headlines
Fewer Twitter prosecutions likely
New guidelines could result in fewer people being charged for offensive messages on social networks such as Twitter, prosecutors say.
Savile Newsnight probe to report
The BBC Trust is to publish the findings of an inquiry into Newsnight’s shelving of a report on sexual abuse by the late entertainer Jimmy Savile.
