Media Watch - November 19
Top Birmingham City Council stories
Council hid Asian cabbies’ child sex links for 23 years (Birmingham Mail): Details a report prepared by Dr Jill Jesson in 1991, who claims the council didn’t want to acknowledge its findings. Peter Hay dismissed the claims, saying the report was published in full.
High Court judge orders two men to stay away from girls (Birmingham Mail): Coverage of the ‘innovative’ case brought by Birmingham City Council to protect vulnerable children from potential sexual exploitation.
Report shows failures to protect kids from sexual exploitation (Birmingham Mail): Story on Birmingham Children’s Safeguarding Board report, published in September 2013, which stated that partnership arrangements are failing to protect children in the city from sexual exploitation.
Chief’s outburst over child services (Birmingham Mail): Story on Cllr Brigid Jones’ response after constant questioning by Conservative leader Cllr Robert Alden, who suggested children’s services were getting worse rather than improving. Cllr Jones quoted.
Ofsted chief calls for more urgency over Trojan Horse (Birmingham Mail): Report on Sir Michael Wilshaw’s comments that he’s astonished that the council’s action plan is not yet in place and that “greater urgency†is needed to deal with these issues in Birmingham.
Green light for 20mph zones (Birmingham Mail): City leaders approve 20mph zones in Moseley, Kings Heath, Sparkhill, Balsall Heath, and Sparkbrook from March 2015. Cllr Lisa Trickett quoted.
Parking fees and congestion charging for Birmingham ‘highly unlikely’ says city cabinet member (Birmingham Post online): A council cabinet member has privately admitted that the introduction of workplace parking fees or congestion charging is “highly unlikely” and would be political suicide for any administration.
Rugby World Cup 2015 to boost Birmingham by £56m (BBC WM and Birmingham Post online): Story based on figures released by Visit Birmingham show how the city’s economy will be boosted by hosting two matches and three teams in next year’s Rugby World Cup.
Regional headlines
Neurosurgeon Nafees Hamid, 51, has been jailed for 16 years after being found guilty of nine indecent assaults against female patients at two Birmingham hospitals.
West Midlands Police has announced 27 of its 41 front desks are to close across the force area, putting about 90 jobs at risk.
National headlines
Vulnerable children in England are at risk of sexual exploitation and abuse because of failings by councils, Ofsted has warned in a new report.
Performance data for almost 5,000 surgeons in England is to be released by the NHS in a move towards greater transparency.
