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Neil Elkes

Neil Elkes

Family bowled over by success

A BIRMINGHAM family is following in the footsteps of their record-breaking teenage son by starting their very own bowls team. Read

Anger at 'lazy' police parking

TRAFFIC cops are routinely flouting the rules of the road when they park out-side a city centre police station. Read

As the petitions flood in, we ask - who could lead Birmingham?

IT is a dream job for someone big enough to cope with it. Read

Sacked councillor to fight for Labour seat

ONE of the six Labour councillors sacked in the inner city vote rigging scandal of 2004 hopes to bounce back at the polls next month. Read

Caring salon owners are in the pink

CANCER patients struggling to come to terms with the loss of their hair have been given their own dedicated salon - the first of its kind in Birmingham. Read

Shoppers support mayor campaign

SHOPPERS and residents are enthusiastically backing the Birmingham Mail's referendum petition according to a city MP. Read

Minister - illegals 'must be deported'

IMMIGRATION minister and Birmingham MP Liam Byrne today ruled out an amnesty for the UK's hidden army of failed asylum seekers. Read

Casino: NEC to fight on

SOLIHULL'S casino should not be held up because of rows between Manchester and Blackpool. Read

Thousands demanding mayor referendum

HUNDREDS of completed petition forms have piled in from readers of the Birmingham Mail since a campaign for an elected mayor referendum was launched two weeks ago. Read

Students: We want our vote!

AN army of city students are calling for the right to vote on an elected mayor for Birmingham. Read

Singer reveals childhood race hate hell

QUEEN of British soul Beverley Knight today told of the racial abuse she and her family suffered while growing up in Wolverhampton. Read

Police deny Woolmer murder arrest

JAMAICAN police have confirmed that former Warwickshire cricket coach Bob Woolmer was murdered at the Cricket World Cup, but they have denied reports from Indian television that an arrest had been made. Read

City future rests on people power

DEMANDS for democracy has seen an army of activists take to the streets to sign up voters for the Birmingham Mail's referendum petition. In a landmark vote at the University of Birmingham, more than 850 members of the Birmingham Citizens backed the petition. Read

Hundreds in 'overwhelming' vote to demand ballot

MORE than 850 members of the public have voted to throw their weight behind the call for an elected mayor referendum in Birmingham. Read

Row over £1.7m cut in special school transport

BIRMINGHAM education chiefs were today condemned for forcing through a £1.7 million cut in special school transport. Read

Citizens unite to press for a referendum

A LEADING city campaign group is set to back the Mail's referendum petition for an elected mayor tonight. Read

A good sign for Mail's mayor petition

BRUMMIES are throwing their weight behind the Mail's petition to force a referendum on an elected mayor. Read

Crash pair pulled from blazing car

TWO young men were dragged from the blazing wreckage of their car after it ploughed into a row of houses in a Birmingham street. Read

Grave repairs bid suffers setback

(with ragout to sats splash) Read

Couch potato fear over price rise

CITY leisure bosses were today slammed for creating a city of couch potatoes after raising the costs of tennis, golf, badminton and sport in Birmingham by 15 per cent. 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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