Media Watch - Sept 13
Top Birmingham City Council Stories
Continued widespread coverage of the Papal visit.
Birmingham City Council to review staff terms and conditions (Personnel Today, BBC WM, Birmingham Mail) Birmingham City Council has announced that it is reviewing all terms and conditions of employees as part of measures aimed at cutting costs by £330 million over the next three to four years.
10,000 enter half marathon (Birmingham Mail, PA Newswire and various regional publications) The EDF Energy Birmingham Half Marathon remains on course for another record breaking year, with entries now past the 10,000 mark.
Court row over false debt claim (Birmingham Mail) Thousands of people are thought to have been wrongly hauled before Birmingham magistrates accused of not paying their council tax - when they haven’t owed a penny.
Legionnaires man ‘infected at work’ (Birmingham Mail) Claims that a Birmingham City Council caretaker contracted legionnaires’ disease while on annual leave from work have been dismissed by his family and friends.
Treasures go on show (Birmingham Mail) Rarely seen items from the life of Cardinal John Henry Newman have gone on display at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery.
Arty Brum embrace for ‘Big City Culture’ (Birmingham Mail, BBC, ITV Central) Birmingham might have missed out on its UK City of Culture bid but 270,000 judges proved the judges wrong when they turned up to Britain’s biggest free arts festival over the weekend.
City boss faces ‘no confidence’ claim (Birmingham Mail, Birmingham Post.net) Labour politicians launched an outspoken attack on Birmingham City Council chief executive Stephen Hughes, suggesting that he had ‘lost the confidence of the dressing room’ and should consider resigning.
Get on yer bikes (Birmingham Mail) Cars and drivers were banned from large parts of Birmingham as cyclists used pedal power to reclaim the streets - if only for a few hours. Around 15,000 cyclists took part in the city’s first ever Sky Ride event.
Council to hire library PR team (Birmingham Mail) City bosses have come under fire for advertising to hire a team of PR consultants to promote the new Library of Birmingham at a time when staff cutbacks are set to hit the in-house marketing and communications department.
Birmingham Council to generate own power (www.edie.net) The largest local authority in Europe, Birmingham City Council, is planning to generate its own power. /?p=12588
New hope for Moseley power from the heavens (aboutmyarea) Campaigners wanting to install solar panels on a Moseley church roof have won their appeal against a Birmingham City Council decision which seemed destined to pull the plug on the ambitious plans in February this year.
Regional Headlines
Wolverhampton care-home solicitor fears bankruptcy
The solicitor who fought to keep a Wolverhampton care home open for the life of its residents says she may lose her own home to pay legal costs.
Crews tackle blaze at Hylton Street, Birmingham, gym
A fire has started at a gymnasium in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter.
Caroline Lucas in call to West Midlands car plants
The leader of the Green Party said she wanted to see the West Midlands at the forefront of green automotive design.
National Headlines
Unions at TUC to demand all-out attack on cuts
The UK’s trade unions are to demand an all-out assault on the government’s spending cuts programme when they gather for the TUC’s annual meeting.
FTSE 100 executive bonuses close to pre-crisis levels
Executive bonuses are close to their level before the financial crisis, a survey by business advisory firm Deloitte says.
Andy Burnham urges Labour leadership rules changes
Labour leadership candidate Andy Burnham is calling for a review of the leadership election rules.
