HomeAuthorsNeil Elkes

Neil Elkes

Neil Elkes

Tony Curtis

Brum's so polite - film legend Tony Curtis

HOLLYWOOD legend Tony Curtis made his first visit to Birmingham at the ripe old age of 82 and described Brummies as "polite and ever so well-behaved". Read

Rennae Smith

Band needs cash to march on

YOUNG musicians have issued an SOS to keep their band marching into the future. Read

Hunting for history beneath library car park

A CITY centre car park set to become the site of the new £193 million Library of Birmingham, is to be dug up by archaologists. Read

OAPs helped with repairs

BIRMINGHAM'S elderly homeowners will get new help to bring their property up to scratch under a new council-backed loan scheme. Read

A Tuk Tuk

Testing time for Tuk-Tuks

TUK-TUK taxis will be put through a series of rigorous safety checks before they are passed fit for the streets of Birmingham. Read

Win £1,000 with the Birmingham Mail.

I've won a grand with The Birmingham Mail!

IT was double celebration time for a city family as their proud son's first night as a scout was rounded off with a £1,000 win in the Birmingham Mail's Money Mania competition. Read

Root and branch call to be greener

TREE trunks and timber from Birmingham's parks and open spaces are being recycled at huge cost to the environment, it has emerged. Read

The Red Route on Stratford Road.

Praise heaped on red route

THE controversial A34 Stratford Road red route has been a huge success in speeding up bus times and traffic, a council inquiry has concluded. Read

Weoley Castle ruins

New life for Weoley Castle ruins

THE 700-year-old Weoley Castle ruins labelled 'at risk' by English Heritage are to be given a new lease of life in a £1.1 million overhaul. Read

The strike rally in Victoria Square

Two further council strikes planned

FAMILIES in Birmingham are facing the prospect of school closures as council and teaching unions join forces for a walkout in two week’s time. Read

New strike threat over school pay

FAMILIES in Birmingham are facing the prospect of school closures as council unions and a teaching union join forces for a walkout in two weeks' time. Read

City books in final chapter

UP to 200,000 books, journals, documents, photographs and other archive items will have to be ditched by the Central Library when it moves to a new building in 2012 it was revealed today. Read

The flats at Lillington Grove

Birmingham 'slum' flats rise again

A CITY estate, written off as a "third world slum" just a few months ago is now recovering following a £376,000 revamp. Read

It's farewell to Ian Coghill, Birmingham's Mr Clean

BIRMINGHAM'S Mr Clean is hanging up his broom and recycling after 34 years with the City Council. Read

Council Tax rise warning on cost of new Birmingham library

BUILDING a £193 million landmark Library of Birmingham could put another £17.50 on the average family's council tax bill. Read

Lucky 7 bid for new Birmingham library

BIRMINGHAM'S iconic Selfridges building could soon have competition from a landmark structure dreamt up by the architect responsible for London's controversial Gherkin tower and Wembley Stadium. Read

The speed protest on Eachelhurst Road, Walmley.

Birmingham road protesters witness a fresh smash

FAMILIES gathering to protest about safety on a Birmingham road where a teenage boy was seriously injured were caught up in a new road smash. Read

The Red Route on Stratford Road.

Extra time over red route row

CITY transport chiefs have until mid-May to make the controversial Stratford Road red route permanent, it emerged today. Read

Birmingham Council House

Fresh council strike fears in Birmingham

BIRMINGHAM is again facing the prospect of school closures and uncollected rubbish with council unions gearing up for walkouts in the run-up to the May 1 local elections. Read

£850,000 for up to par greens

BIRMINGHAM’S seven rundown and poorly attended municipal golf courses are to get new fairways, greens, paths and facilities under a new £850,000 improvement programme announced today. Council leisure boss Ray Hassall has stumped up the cash in a bid to bring the city’s under-used courses up to scratch. 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.

Get involved

We want your local stories, videos & pics.