Media Watch - Feb 5
Top Birmingham City Council Stories:
Snow Hill reborn (Birmingham Post, BBC online, BBC WM, BBC Midlands Today, ITV Central) The city’s business district is set for a dramatic transformation under plans to turn it into Birmingham’s Canary Wharf. Sir Albert Bore quoted and interviewed
Threats? I’m too busy to care (Birmingham Post) Sir Albert Bore dismisses leadership challenge as he overhauls troubled authority
Save our lollipop wardens (Birmingham Mail, BBC WM) The city council is consulting on the future of this role as part of proposed savings, including asking schools to pay. Cllr Ian Ward interviewed
City tries to scupper top free school months before opening (Birmingham Mail and Post) Plans for a new free school have been thrown into doubt after the city council ‘withdrew its support’. Cllr Brigid Jones said opening the school on the site at this time is not in the best interests of children in east Birmingham and discussions with the DfE had been about opening the school elsewhere in the city. The city council had not supported the opening on this site in 2015. Full council response here: /2015/02/dfe-decision-to-open-free-school-wrong-place-wrong-time/
City rejects call to open up bus lanes to ease jams (Birmingham Post Transport chiefs have rejected calls to suspend bus lanes in a bid to get the city moving during roadworks. Cllr Robert Alden and Cllr Tahir Ali quoted
New Lord Mayor wants city fit for purpose (Birmingham Mail) Cllr Ray Hassell has pledged to be the ‘jogging Lord Mayor’ and use his profile to promote fitness
Summer Row facelift on ice over ‘building site’ worries (Birmingham Post and Mail) A £2m facelift of the city’s Summer Row has been put on hold amid fears that 100 jobs could be at risk due to the Paradise Circus redevelopment
Cash-strapped council spends £1,100 a day on consultant (Birmingham Mail) Conservative leader Robert Alden has hit out at the decision to spend £1,100 a day on a consultant. A city council spokesperson said the need for strengthened management to support the chief executive was a key point raised in the recent Kerslake Review
Regional Headlines:
Arrest after ‘carjack’ cctv release - A man is arrested on suspicion of robbery after CCTV of an apparent carjack, which shows a woman being dragged alongside her own vehicle, is released
Airport chiefs back Gatwick expansion – Birmingham airport chiefs have backed plans to expand Gatwick, saying another runway at Heathrow would harm growth in the regions
National Headlines:
Tesco investigated by new regulator - Tesco is to face another investigation into its relations with suppliers, amid concerns that it breached the Groceries Supply Code of Practice
MPs urge Britain to step up IS fight - MPs call for the UK to do more in the battle against Islamic State, voicing “surprise and deep concern” at its level of involvement so far
BT to buy mobile firm EE for £12.5bn - UK phone giant BT agrees to buy the British mobile operator EE for £12.5bn, it says
