Top Birmingham City Council Stories
Strike action by binmen and cleaners (BBC, Birmingham Mail) Binmen and street cleaners in Birmingham are to hold two days of industrial action.
NEC Group set for sale after strong performance (Times) Birmingham city council will sell its conference arena operator by the end of this year after NEC Group reported a sharp rise in profits.
First building approved on £400m Arena Central site (BBC) Plans have been approved for the first building on a £400m development in Birmingham city centre.
Eid Mela Birmingham chairman Majid Mahmood ditched weeks before event takes place (Birmingham Mail) The chairman of one of Birmingham’s biggest outdoor public events has been replaced just three weeks before it takes place.
City joy after winning HS2 concessions (Birmingham Mail) City bosses have won a series of major concessions from Government to ensure that Birmingham gets the best deal possible from HS2, it has been announced.
Flagship skills baccalaureate ‘under review’ (Birmingham Mail) The future of Birmingham City Council’s flagship education policy is hanging in the balance just a month before youngsters return to school. A Birmingham City Council spokesperson said: “The city council is strongly committed to continuing with the Birmingham Baccalaureate (BBacc), which aims to bring businesses and schools together to provide young people with greater access to good quality careers advice and gain the skills they need for further education, training and employment. However, we are reviewing what has worked well in BBacc’s pilot year and are in discussions with Skills for Birmingham, our current delivery partner, as to the future model and our ambition to reach more young people in more schools.”
Council eyes plan to charge drivers in pollution fight (Birmingham Mail) Congestion charges are back on the agenda in Birmingham with the council under pressure to cut pollution.
Nicky Morgan: toddlers must learn ‘British values’ (Guardian, Telegraph, Daily Mail, Daily Express, Times) Children still in nappies will be taught “fundamental British values,” according to a policy announcement to be made by the new education secretary, Nicky Morgan. The news follows on from the actions taken by Morgan’s predecessor in the wake of the “Trojan horse” affair involving a group of schools in Birmingham.
Regional Headlines
Simmonds breaks own world record
Walsall swimmer Ellie Simmonds breaks her own world record at the IPC Swimming European Championships.
Woman quizzed over housing complex illness
A woman has been taken to a mental health unit after 16 residents and staff at a sheltered housing complex were taken ill with symptoms similar to food poisoning. Officers were called to Goldfield Court in West Bromwich in the West Midlands, on Tuesday evening.
National Headlines
NHS says no to breast cancer drug
A pioneering new breast cancer treatment will not be routinely available on the NHS in England, the official drugs advisory body is proposing.
Cameron backs US action in Iraq
UK Prime Minister David Cameron welcomes US President Barack Obama’s decision to authorise air strikes against Islamic militants in Iraq.