Media Watch - October 8
Top Birmingham City Council Stories
Sir Albert Bore: I’m not going anywhere (Birmingham Post page 1 and page 5 lead) Council Leader Sir Albert Bore defends his record and highlights progress made in the city following the resignation of Cllr James McKay from his Cabinet. Similar article is page 5 lead in the Birmingham Mail and Sir Albert also interviewed on BBC WM breakfast show.
MP calls for new law to stop rogue landlords destroying city suburbs (Birmingham Post page 3 lead) Selly Oak MP Steve McCabe is set to use a speech in the Commons to demand changes in the law to stop builders and landlords flouting planning regulations. In a pre-speech interview he is quoted as saying the problem has been exacerbated by the fact that the city council cannot afford to investigate cases.
Shops at Grand Central smash their targets (Birmingham Mail page 4) Grand Central has already welcomed its millionth customer, despite opening just a fortnight ago. Council Leader Sir Albert Bore quoted as welcoming the success, saying it justified the council’s decision to purchase the former Pallasades complex.
Osborne to give councils powers over business tax (Birmingham Post page 8 lead) Council Leader Sir Albert Bore has given what the Post describes as a cautious welcome to Chancellor George Osborne’s plans to reform business rates. Sir Albert quoted as saying fuller details are needed before being able to judge if the proposals will be to Birmingham’s advantage.
PM highlights city in madrassa crackdown (Birmingham Post page 8 lead and Birmingham Mail page 8 lead) David Cameron used his speech at the Conservative Party conference to vow that he would “defeat extremism for once and for all”. During the speech in Manchester he said extremist ideology was “infecting minds from the mosques of Mogadishu to the bedrooms of Birmingham.”
Shops could be fined if they flout bag charge (Birmingham Post page 21 lead) Coverage of a recent blog from Jacqui Kennedy, the council’s Acting Strategic Director for Place, in which she outlines the enforcement powers that now rest with the local authority after the introduction of new laws that require certain stores to charge 5p for plastic carrier bags.
Super-head appointed to improve city schools (Birmingham Post page 22) Tracy Ruddle, who has worked at a number of schools in the Black Country has been appointed as director of continuous school improvement by the Birmingham Education Partnership.
Getting up to speed with city’s Superprix (Birmingham Post – Post Life supplement page 3 and Birmingham Mail pages 44/45) A film is set to be released next year to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the first Birmingham Superprix.
Lamppost fixed after 4 years (Birmingham Post page 34 lead) An “orphan” lamppost in Quinton that was not handed over to contractor Amey when they took over maintenance of the city’s highways in 2010 has been repaired. Local councillor John Clancy, who supported residents in their efforts to get the column fixed said it was “symptomatic of a ‘not me guv’ culture at the council” and that the local authority should have repaired it and worried about the cost later.
Regional Headlines
West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner David Jamieson has said the priority must be officers and not the buildings they work in after receiving criticism for a plan to close 28 buildings used by the service.
UKIP councillors in Dudley have called for all schools in the borough to fly the Union flag and sing the national anthem daily.
National Headlines
Volkswagen’s US boss has admitted he was aware early last year of the emissions cheating affecting millions of the company’s vehicles.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn will not be attending a meeting of the Privy Council due to “prior commitments”, his spokesman has said. It would have been the first chance for Mr Corbyn to be sworn in to the ceremonial group of advisors.
Eight people a day were referred to the government’s deradicalisation scheme known as “Channel” this summer. Between June and August, 796 people in England and Wales were reported to the programme for possible intervention. National Police Chiefs’ Council figures reveal more than a third, 312, were aged under 18.
