Media Watch – September 23
Top Birmingham City Council Stories
Hughes: reclassify sector spending (Local Government Chronicle)
Local government spending should be reclassified to allow councils to benefit from business rates growth when a retained model is introduced, says Chief Executive Stephen Hughes. Freeing councils from departmental expenditure limits (DEL) would allow them to retain the proceeds of rates growth, he said.
Trading Standards and police raid rip-off travel agents (Birmingham Mail)
Trading standards and the police have swooped in on travel agents in Birmingham on the back of complaints from customers being ripped-off when booking religious pilgrimages.
Future proofing Birmingham's highways (New Civil Engineer)
Birmingham City Council and Amey are developing asset deterioration models based on the performance of real life highway assets as part of a highway strategy.
New retirement home unveiled by city's cabinet member for housing (West Midlands Housing News)
Birmingham City Council and Housing 21 have officially opened an extra care scheme for older people in Yardley, Birmingham. Westhall Court provides options for rent or purchase, and residents are able to enjoy independent living in a safe and secure environment.
Regional Headlines:
Call for more training to improve blood tests in A&E
Scientists say doctors need better training to avoid mistakes in blood samples taken in hospital A&E departments. The warning from the Association for Clinical Biochemistry follows an audit at Birmingham City Hospital.
Edgbaston ignored for 2013 Ashes
Edgbaston will not host a 2013 Ashes Test despite its recent £32m revamp, which made it England’s second largest cricket ground.
National Headlines:
Dale Farm: High Court to rule on illegal travellers’ site
Basildon Council is hoping to overturn an injunction won by residents of Dale Farm in Essex stopping the clearance. The council said it had complied with Monday’s court ruling requiring it to give residents a plot-by-plot breakdown of how it plans to clear the site.
Dowlers back ‘no-win, no-fee’ legal system
The family of Milly Dowler says planned changes to “no win, no fee” cases would have stopped them seeking compensation from News International.
A letter from the Dowlers urges David Cameron not to take rights away from ordinary people so that large companies could print whatever they like. The government says its plans are intended to prevent “spurious cases”.
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