Media Watch – May 13
Top Birmingham City Council stories
School academy bid sparks teacher strike (extensive local coverage): Report on the strike at Small Heath School today, where members of three teachers’ unions – NUT, NASUWT and ATL – are staging a protest against plans to turn the school into an academy. A council spokesperson said neither the school nor council had been approached by the DfE about turning the school into an academy.
Outrage as school fire drill halts A-level biology exam (Birmingham Mail): Report that pupils had to walk out of a practical biology A-level exam for 30 minutes during a planned fire drill at Kings Norton School.
Birmingham visitor information centre (BBC WM - Adrian Goldberg Breakfast Show): Piece on how Coventry’s tourist information centre is being overwhelmed by calls for information about Birmingham from tourists, as a result of the Library of Birmingham’s reduced opening hours. Cllr Penny Holbrook interviewed. For clarification, BCC has checked with Coventry Info Office who said they have only received one or two calls for Birmingham tourist information.
Trojan Horse radicals still free to preach from the sidelines (Education Journal): Short report based on comments by Khalid Mahmood, MP for Perry Barr, that no action had been taken against school governors linked to the Trojan Horse plot. He adds that while many have resigned or been removed, some still remain in post.
GBP3m cycling revamp (Birmingham Mail): Short piece stating that a £3m investment to improve the city’s cycle paths, as part of the Birmingham Cycle Revolution initiative, is due to be approved by the city council on May 18. Cllr Trickett quoted.
Harry’s mum opens cancer centre (Birmingham Mail): Coverage of the official opening of a cancer centre, funded by the Help Harry Help Others charity, in Stechford. Lord Mayor Cllr Shafique Shah quoted.
Regional headlines
Former Birmingham City FC chairman Carson Yeung has lost an appeal against his conviction for money laundering.
Two Midland women – from Birmingham and Walsall – have been killed in a road accident in Romney Marsh, Kent, which happened on Sunday afternoon.
National headlines
David Cameron is due tell the National Security Council that a counter-terrorism bill will be included in the Queen’s Speech on 27 May.
UK unemployment fell by 35,000 between January and March to 1.83 million, according to new figures published this morning.
