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Neil Elkes

Neil Elkes

Dorothy Thornhill

Female mayor backs referendum call

BIG cities like Birmingham need an elected mayor to unite the people behind a recognisable leader. Read

Liam Byrne

Powerful role for Gordon's 'mayor'

PRIME Minister Gordon Brown has effectively appointed an 'elected mayor' for Birmingham and the West Midlands, it was revealed today. Read

Lorraine MacKay

Farewell to city sports supremo

THE dedicated council officer credited with making the European Indoor Athletics Championships one of Birmingham's most successful international events has died from cancer. Read

Police officers arrested in drugs probe

FIVE Birmingham police officers were arrested and suspended from duty on suspicion of a Class A drugs offence it emerged today. Read

Carl Chinn

Praise for Chinn's mayor vote call

POLITICIANS, business leaders and community groups battling for an elected mayor referendum have hailed popular historian Carl Chinn's intervention as a major boost for their campaign. Read

Carl Chinn

Chinn calls for vote on elected mayor

THE debate about whether Birmingham should be run by the present leader and cabinet system or by an elected mayor is an important one about the governance of the city. Read

£20m windfall as city lands convention

BIRMINGHAM'S hotels and restaurants will be packed to the rafters when 25,000 Rotarians come to the city for their international convention. Read

Community groups urged to join mayor debate

COMMUNITY groups across the city are being urged to take up the debate over whether Birmingham should be run by an elected mayor. Read

A vehicle tries to move along a flooded street

Drivers urged to stay away from floods

MOTORISTS were warned to steer clear of several roads today unless essential as the swollen Rivern Severn continued to rise. Read

Lord Coe

Coe sells Brum the Olympic dream

OLYMPIC supremo Seb Coe arrives in Birmingham today on a major charm offensive to sell the 2012 London Games to the West Midlands. Read

City artists in battle to save studio

BIRMINGHAM'S claims to be a city of culture and creativity have been branded hollow after council bosses pulled the plug on studios used by 150 artists. Read

A wheel clamper at work

Crackdown on wheel clampers

THE tables have been turned on Birmingham's army of rogue car clampers following a crackdown by police and trading standards officers. Read

The Grand Hotel building

Landmark city hotel 'in danger'

AN HISTORIC Birmingham hotel has been named as one of the ten most endangered buildings in Britain, prompting renewed calls for its restoration. Read

Residents call for elected mayor referendum

BIRMINGHAM'S network of residents' groups have called for a massive shake-up of local government in the city. Read

Nostalgia & Comics frontage

Comic store celebrates 30 years in business

WHAT started as a racket for dealing cut price US army surplus comics and became a Birmingham institution celebrates its 30th anniversary this month. Read

Donnington House in Stechford

City tower blocks facing the axe

FIVE city tower blocks branded 'obsolete' by city housing bosses are to be demolished. Read

Blues fans want any new owner to invest

BLUES fans today welcomed the interest from a Far East billionaire - but only if it will mean investment in players and a new stadium. Read

'Bouncer' causes staff big offence

TOWN hall staff are up in arms over "offensive bully boy" posters put up to enforce strict new security measures. Read

Relief over NEC pensions scheme

HUNDREDS of NEC group pension scheme members will face a more secure future as city councillors are set to plug a £16.4 million funding deficit. Read

Ex-mayor says let the people decide

A FORMER Lord Mayor of Birmingham today joined calls for a referendum on the way the city council is run. 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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