Media Watch - Oct 23
Top Birmingham City Council Stories:
Arts are ‘still a priority’ for cash-strapped city council (Birmingham Post, Birmingham Mail and BBC WM) Support for culture, museums and the arts will remain a priority for Birmingham City Council despite its ongoing budget crisis and unprecedented levels of cuts. Quotes Sir Albert Bore.
Lord Warner on Birmingham children’s services (BBC WM) Live interview on Pete Morgan show about progress being made and challenges ahead.
Anger at £9k council trip to Chicago (Birmingham Mail and Birmingham Post) Birmingham social services chiefs spent thousands of pounds to send staff to Chicago for a week as the under-fire department battled to cope with crushing caseloads. Refers to Cllr Brigid Jones and quotes Cllr Robert Alden.
Centenary Square set for £8m transformation (Birmingham Post) Birmingham’s Centenary Square is set for a major transformation by 2017 after a competition to redesign it was launched. Quotes Cllr Ian Ward.
Troubleshooter’s ‘talk to me’ plea (Birmingham Mail) Sir Bob Kerslake, the Government troubleshooter sent to Birmingham to investigate how well the city is run is calling on members of the public to have their say at a meeting. References fact Sir Bob will be looking at whether Birmingham City Council is too large.
City kids get on their bikes (Birmingham Mail) A bike safety scheme, Bikeability, has been rolled out to schoolchildren as Birmingham bids to shed its tag as the UK city with the lowest cycling participation. Quotes Cllr James McKay.
1,000 flats on cards after new courts plan shelved (Birmingham Post) Plans have been submitted for 1,000 new homes after major changes to a Birmingham city centre development were unveiled. References Birmingham City Council.
Create solar farm on old landfill site – councillor (Birmingham Post) Calls for a former landfill site at Queslett, which is too dangerous to build on, to be used for solar panels. Quotes Cllr Keith Linnecor.
Safe and sound (Birmingham Post) Work on the Grade II*-listed Red Lion pub in Handsworth has been given the green light after Birmingham City Council visited the site and confirmed that protected features like its Minton wall tiles were untouched. There had been fears that the historic building’s interior had been gutted.
Green belt centre stage in town’s housing battle (Birmingham Post) The battle for Sutton Coldfield’s green belt looks set to dominate a four-week public inquiry into Birmingham’s 17-year development plan. Quotes Councillors Ewan Mackey and Rob Pocock.
New blow as care boss quits (Birmingham Post) Further coverage of Bernie McNally’s decision not to take up her role at Birmingham City Council. Quotes council spokesperson.
Parade marks Nelson’s Trafalgar battle victory (Birmingham Mail) Short piece on Birmingham’s Trafalgar Day celebrations, referencing Lord Mayor’s involvement.
Regional Headlines:
Safety fears over ‘smart motorways’ after £360m investment Labour’s shadow transport secretary has questioned the safety of a £360m traffic management scheme which has been installed on the M42 and M6 motorways in West Midlands.
What a hoot! Birmingham is host a parliament of giant owls to rival Berlin’s bears, Liverpool’s Superlambbananas, Bristol’s Gromits and Milton Keynes’s famous concrete cows.
National Headlines:
NHS needs extra cash and overhaul, say health bosses A five-year plan for the NHS, unveiled by six national bodies, has highlighted that an annual £30bn shortfall will open up by 2020.
Code of practice for religious schools shelved The Department of Education has shelved plans for a code of practice for some religious schools which operate outside of mainstream education.
