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Neil Elkes

Neil Elkes

Clock is ticking on elected mayor vote

THE clock today started ticking for council leader Mike Whitby to tell the people of Birmingham if he will allow them to decide how the city is run. Read

Outrage as Tolkien statue is approved

A GIANT Lord of the Rings tribute statue has been given the go-ahead despite angry scenes at the Council House. Read

Shock at cash cut to Irish Welfare Centre

A FREE advice centre which has served Birmingham's Irish community for 50 years is under threat after its £60,000 council grant was axed. Read

Council leader blasted over mental illness jibe

BIRMINGHAM'S embattled Tory leader Mike Whitby was under fire today amid accusations he poked fun at mentally ill people. Read

Nuisance neighbour is silenced

A NOISY neighbour who blasted his street with loud thumping music has been given a suspended prison sentence and ordered to hand over his hi-fi equipment. Read

Council leader 'ties himself up in knots'

CITY leader Mike Whitby has "tied himself up in knots" by attempting to hide from calls for a people's poll on a directly elected mayor for Birmingham. Read

Uproar as city sets tax rise figure

BIRMINGHAM'S city leaders have approved a below-inflation council tax rise. Read

Galloway to speak at anti-war rally

OUTSPOKEN MP George Galloway was set to speak at a rally of anti-Iraq war protesters in Birmingham tonight. Read

Citizens - we need to have our say

A MAJOR community and inter-faith pressure group today gave its backing to the Birmingham Mail's call for an elected mayor referendum. Read

Time to let the people decide

FIFTY nine per cent of Birmingham's councillors who took part in a new poll want a public referendum on elected mayors for the city. Read

D-Day for greyhound sanctuary

A BIRMINGHAM rescue centre for retired greyhounds will today be told if it has to close, forcing unwanted racing dogs onto the scrapheap. Read

Doing his civic duty - aged just 17

LIKE any other residents association chairman Gary Sambrook holds meetings, patrols the streets, lobbies councillors and organises public events. Read

Elected mayor is wrong for our city - MP

AN elected Mayor would not be a panacea for all Birmingham's problems, warned MP Khalid Mahmood. Read

Bid to create eco-village on city estate

SOLAR power and green energy measures will be installed in 300 Birmingham homes in the first project of its kind in Britain. Read

How many tragedies will it take

A BIRMINGHAM road which has seen six deaths in six years has missed out on the latest round of speed cameras. Read

Delight as cycle club is rescued

BIRMINGHAM'S oldest cycling club has been saved from closure at the eleventh hour. Read

Brum is the place to be for comic artists

COMIC strips used to be a solitary pursuit for the artists and writers beavering away in their bedrooms and studios. Read

You decide who governs Brum

CLEANER streets, more police, buses running on time and a personality to sell Birmingham to investors and tourists as a global brand. Read

Cash probe on charities

TWO Winson Green community projects for jobless and the elderly have had their council grants stopped following allegations of financial mismanagement. Read

Victory for Fred in fight to save home

BATTLING pensioner Fred Grove is celebrating after overturning the compulsory purchase order hanging over his canalside cottage. 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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