Media Watch - May 26
Top Birmingham City Council Stories:
Exploitation report up for two awards (Birmingham Mail, Monday) A Birmingham City Council committee inquiry into child sexual exploitation in the city has been shortlisted for two national awards. The report, ‘We Need To Get It Right’, is up for two Centre for Public Scrutiny Awards. Quotes Cllr Anita Ward (as former education and vulnerable children scrutiny committee chairman), as well as Cllr Matt Bennett.
Sutton Coldfield to be polled on town council plans (Birmingham Mail, Saturday, also Sutton Observer) Birmingham City Council is to give Sutton Coldfield residents a say on whether or not they want the area to have its own town council by conducting a consultative ballot. Quotes Cllr Rob Pocock, as well as Ifor Jones, the council’s head of homes and neighbourhoods.
Graduates get the chance to shine at Hub (Birmingham Mail, Saturday) The Birmingham Graduate Hub, the largest local government graduate scheme for planning and regeneration professionals, has been approved by Birmingham City Council. The scheme will offer two-year paid positions within the council’s planning and regeneration department, with opportunities for 10 graduates this year and potentially a further 10 in 2016. Quotes Cllr Tahir Ali.
Vision of future for Centenary Square go on display (Birmingham Mail, Saturday) Rival designs for the future of Birmingham’s iconic Centenary Square go on display at the Library of Birmingham this week, with visitors being asked for their views. Quotes Cllr Ian Ward.
Call for referendum on combined authority (BBC WM – Monday, Birmingham Mail – Saturday) More than 3,000 people have signed a petition calling for a referendum on whether Coventry should join a West Midlands combined authority with Birmingham and the Black Country.
Blind father’s upset as son, 4, fails to get school place (Sutton Observer) A family from Boldmere have spoken of their despair after being told their four-year-old son has not been offered a place at a Sutton school for September, meaning his blind father will have to travel with him to Erdington. Quotes council spokesperson explaining that children who better met the admission criteria were offered places at the school in question and that the admissions procedure could not take into account the father’s blindness, although the family could appeal.
Lord Mayor reopens new-look Acorns store (Birmingham Mail, Tuesday) Birmingham’s new Lord Mayor Cllr Ray Hassall has reopened a refurbished charity shop in Castle Bromwich – one of his first official engagements in office.
Regional Headlines:
Police will attempt to interview former IRA chief Kieran Conway about claims in his memoirs over the Birmingham pub bombings, West Midlands Chief Constable Chris Sims has revealed.
Coverage of the weekend’s Birmingham Pride event.
National Headlines:
David Cameron has told European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker that “British people are not happy with the status quo” in Europe. The prime minister hosted Mr Juncker at Chequers ahead of a week of efforts to renegotiate Britain’s EU membership.
More than half a million pre-payment energy meters have been forcibly installed in people’s homes over the last six years, according to new figures. The energy watchdog Ofgem has said it will investigate the practice saying it should only be used as a last resort.
