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Neil Elkes

Neil Elkes

Revamp on right track

THE bid for a £550 million upgrade to New Street Station is "in better shape to succeed" today following top level Government talks. Read

Final bid on New Street

THE city's top politicians will today make a final push for Government funding to secure the £550 million revamp of New Street Station. Read

Welcome for mayor debate

THE Birmingham Mail's campaign for a referendum on a London-style elected mayor for Birmingham comes to Sutton Coldfield next week. Read

From palace to jungle

A ROYAL guardsman from Northfield has swapped his traditional bearskin for a bush hat after branching out into the jungle. Read

Industrial heritage sites are targeted

FORMER industrial giants, including the HP Sauce factory, Alstom trains and MG Rover are among prime sites included in a new shopping list for developers. Read

Home plans fight blow

CITY planning chiefs have been advised to back a new housing estate despite fears the land could be contaminated. Read

Byrne and Whitby on same track

CITY leaders were today a step nearer securing the extra £220 million Government cash needed towards the long-awaited revamp of New Street Station. Read

Council business trips cost £53,000

CITY council bosses and staff have been slammed for enjoying a jet-set lifestyle at the taxpayers' expense. Read

Come back next year

BIRMINGHAM'S conservation champion today hailed the city's beach as a huge success and called for its return next year. Read

Come back next year

BIRMINGHAM'S conservation champion today hailed the city's beach as a huge success and called for its return next year. Read

Brum's hidden treasure

HIDDEN away in a dusty Birmingham warehouse lies an Aladdin's Cave of half a million hidden treasures, each with a tale of the city's past to tell. Read

Brum's hidden treasures

HIDDEN away in a dusty Birmingham warehouse lies an Aladdin's Cave of half a million hidden treasures, each with a tale of the city's past to tell. Read

'Village' poised to curry favour

BIRMINGHAM is set to get a new curry academy to confirm the city's status as home of the balti. Read

Fundraisers Alison Stevens and Lisa Foster.

Club run is from the heart

KEEP fit fanatics from Birmingham and the Black Country took to the streets to help combat heart disease. Read

Birmingham Council House

Brum residents owe £80m council tax

BIRMINGHAM residents owe a whopping £80 million in council tax arrears, according to new city council figures. Read

Birmingham Council House

Staff targeted in wages fight

CITY council workers are being targeted by a no-win no-fee legal firm taking millions of pounds worth of equal pay claims. Read

Artsfest.

Top star lined up for Artsfest

A TOP mystery pop star is being lined up to headline the UK's biggest free arts festival in Birmingham next month. Read

Birmingham Council House

Council salary switch D-Day looms

MORE than 40,000 city council staff will find out the winners and losers in a salary shake up next month. Read

The big screen in Chamberlain Square.

Group 'shunned' over big screen 'carbuncle'

BIRMINGHAM'S conservation champion today slammed city council planners after being ignored over plans for a big screen in Victoria Square. Read

Circus Spectacular

All the fun of the circus for Brum

ROLL up, roll up for the seaside spectacular of the year - right here in the heart of Birmingham. Read

Author Profile

A local news reporter in the Birmingham, Sutton Coldfield and south Staffordshire area since 1995, Neil Elkes is the local government correspondent covering the activities of Birmingham CIty Council - Europe's largest local authority. An avid reader and collector of comics Neil is writing a column on this for the Birmingham Mail website.

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