Media Watch - May 11

Top Birmingham City Council Stories:

Extensive coverage of local election results (Birmingham Mail, Saturday) Includes quotes from Sir Albert Bore saying he would wait with interest to see if Birmingham City Council would get a fairer funding deal once David Cameron unveils his new cabinet, plus an interview with Cllr Alex Yip, Birmingham’s first Chinese councillor.

Snooker club shut after being used for underage sex (Birmingham Mail, Saturday) Big Break Snooker Club, in Digbeth, has been forced to close its doors after police discovered rooms were being hired out by men to have sex with underage girls and being used by drug dealers. References fact police consulted with Birmingham City Council to compile a portfolio of evidence to ensure the venue’s management were temporarily removed.

Flypast launches VE Day celebration (Birmingham Mail, Saturday, plus Sunday Mercury) Double-page spread in Mail on VE Day celebrations organised by Birmingham City Council. Page lead in Sunday Mercury.

Paradise Circus works bring six more months of road hell (Birmingham Mail, Monday) Motorists face another six months of city centre disruption after new, temporary road measures came into force yesterday as part of the £500m Paradise Circus development. References fact Birmingham City Council is urging people to use public transport to avoid the worst congestion.

Police support head in Trojan Horse threats (Birmingham Mail, Sunday Mercury, Daily Mail) Police are offering support to the head teacher of a Birmingham school allegedly targeted by Trojan Horse Islamists after a dead dog was dumped in the playground. Staff at Anderton Park School, in Sparkhill, discovered the strung-up carcass which was accompanied by threats to head Sarah Hewitt-Clarkson.

Easy as ABC – children’s care chiefs cashing in (Sunday Times) Article on the salaries of children’s care bosses at councils across the country. References Eleanor Brazil, who worked for Birmingham City Council between 2010 and 2012. Quotes council spokesperson pointing out that she was self-employed.

Boys should be allowed to put on school skirt (Birmingham Mail, Monday) Boys should be permitted to wear skirts to school of they want to, according to Elly Barnes, an education adviser with Birmingham City Council.

Regional Headlines:

Police have warned that hate crimes will be “relentlessly” pursued after the leader of far-right group Britain First threatened to bury a pig at a mosque construction site in Dudley during a rally in the town at the weekend.

A surgical ward at Heartlands Hospital has been deep cleaned after a visitor spotted a “horror film size” cockroach.

National Headlines:

The European Commission is to propose that EU member countries should take in refugees under a quota scheme. The UN estimates that 60,000 people have already tried to cross the Mediterranean this year.

Children as young as 10 are smoking cigarettes, eating junk food and drinking energy drinks for breakfast before sitting exams, a study says. A survey of more than 1,000 children who sat key stage two tests last year found eight smoked on the morning of their tests, while 37 ate chocolate.


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