Media Watch – July 31
Top Birmingham City Council Stories:
Travellers in 50 caravans invade park (Birmingham Mail) Large numbers of travellers in more than 50 caravans have taken over a popular Birmingham park (Sheldon Country Park). Quotes Cllr Paul Tilsley and a council spokesman both explaining the travellers are due to leave on Sunday.
Germans to create skilled jobs in Brum (Birmingham Mail, Midlands Insider Daily) Dozens of jobs are being created by a precision engineering firm expanding into a new Birmingham plant (Guhring). Quotes Cllr Tahir Ali.
Behind the scenes with the Empty Properties Team (Central News) Part of a three part series on housing, Central News accompanied the Empty Properties Team during the course of their work. Interview with Principal Enforcement Officer Matthew Smith from Private Rented Services.
Walk the Big Hoot Trail (ITV Central) Cabinet member for Health and Social Care, Cllr Paulette Hamilton, is delighted the Big Hoot Trail is encouraging walking in Birmingham.
Health officials give MERS warning to Hajj pilgrims (ITV Central) Birmingham Director of Public Health, Dr Adrian Phillips, is urging Muslims planning to travel to Saudi Arabia for the Hajj pilgrimage to check the latest health advice before booking their trips.
Why Birmingham library needs Google and language classes to keep doors open (The Guardian) Blog from Cllr Penny Holbrook explaining how BCC is rising to the transformation challenge.
Steve McCabe MP interview (BBCWM) Interview with Steve McCabe MP during which he expressed concerns about how things were going with the Improvement Panel.
Number of stray dogs in Sutton Coldfield below City average but still too high (Sutton Coldfield Local) Britain is apparently a nation of dog lovers but, according to Birmingham’s dog wardens, more than 25 strays a week are being found on the city’s streets. Quotes Vikki Allwood, BCC’s senior animal welfare officer and also links to the video interview with her.
100 not out for ‘Fighting Freda’ (Birmingham Mail) One of Birmingham’s most popular politicians who paved the way for women on the council has celebrated her 100th birthday. Freda Cocks, remembered as the Lord Mayor who welcomed the Queen to Birmingham during her 1977 Silver Jubilee tour, was visited by Lord Mayor Cllr Raymond Hassall, amongst others, on her birthday. Quotes Cllr Randal Brew.
Art in the park (The Voice) One of Birmingham’s oldest and largest parks (Handsworth Park) now has an exciting new arts trail which has turned what was once a no-go area into a wonderful green oasis. (Arts trail supported by BCC)
Regional Headlines:
West Midlands Police ticket website ‘insensitive’ – The listing of tickets to a public police misconduct hearing on an events website has been called “insensitive”.
Ken Clarke sex abuse accuser Ben Fellows is cleared – A man who claimed he was sexually assaulted by former Chancellor Kenneth Clarke has been cleared of perverting the course of justice.
Birmingham stab victim saved by passers-by – A man “left for dead” after being stabbed several times was helped by passers-by who saved his life, police said.
National Headlines:
Calais migrant crisis: MoD to discuss offering land in Kent – Ministry of Defence land could be made available to help relieve traffic problems in Kent caused by the migrant crisis in Calais, the BBC understands.
MH370 search: Reunion debris ‘very likely’ part of plane – Debris found on the Indian Ocean island of Reunion is “very likely” to be from the missing flight MH370.
Lloyds Bank payment protection claims bill tops £13bn – Lloyds Banking Group has set aside a further £1.4bn to compensate customers who were mis-sold payment protection insurance (PPI) as it reported a 38% rise in half year pre-tax profits.
