Updated 7:37pm 21 November 2009:

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Neil Elkes

Neil Elkes

Birmingham disaster movie advice on how to deal with catastrophes

SCENES of panic-stricken Birmingham residents being evacuated from their homes following a major catastrophe feature in a new public information film being released today.Read

Raising the Council House roof to tell the story of Birmingham's history

AN EIGHT-year project to repair the corroded, leaky roof of Birmingham’s landmark Council House will be completed to win almost £5 million of Lottery funding for a new ‘history of Birmingham’ exhibition.Read

Cash boost for a comics showcase

AN ESTIMATED 4,000 comic writers, artists, publishers and fans will be coming Birmingham this autumn when the UK’s largest comic convention returns to the city.Read

BIRMINGHAM could have a 25,000-capacity athletics stadium in a massive boost for the economy if the city wins the right to stage the Commonwealth Games, it emerged today.

The city is considering bidding for the 2022 or 2026 Games and leisure boss Coun Martin Mullaney said the size of the city’s Alexander Stadium would have to be massively increased to accommodate the thousands of athletes and support teams who would flood in.Read

BIRMINGHAM could have a 25,000-capacity athletics stadium in a massive boost for the economy if the city wins the right to stage the Commonwealth Games, it emerged today.

The city is considering bidding for the 2022 or 2026 Games and leisure boss Coun Martin Mullaney said the size of the city’s Alexander Stadium would have to be massively increased to accommodate the thousands of athletes and support teams who would flood in.Read

Birmingham Conservation Panel urges King Edwards VI High School to draw up a masterplan before building a £10m arts centre

ONE of Birmingham’s top independent schools has been urged to draw up a development masterplan for its historic site before ploughing ahead with plans for a £10 million arts centre.Read

Online battle to protect city’s municipal golf courses

PLANS to downgrade or sell off Birmingham’s municipal golf courses are being fought with an online petition.Read

Four bailed as police probe 'rogue car clamping'

FOUR people arrested on suspicion of running a rogue car clamping operation have been released on bail.Read

Council chief executive Stephen Hughes urges staff to make paper butterflies

The three high-concept origami emails were designed to drum up interest in the council’s business transformation initiative by encouraging staff to transform a humble piece of paper into a butterfly – but instead left the £200,000-a-year boss wide open to ridicule.Read

Birmingham City Council finally set to award £2.2billion roads contract

SIX years of delays, legal wrangles, bidding wars and political manoeuvring are set to end later this month when Birmingham City Council finally awards a £2.2 billion contract to repair and maintain its roads over the next 25 years.Read

Aston Hall reopens after £12.5m renovation

LEGENDARY figures from King Charles I to Ozzy Osbourne will be out and about when historic Aston Hall opens its doors for the first time following its £12.5 million renovation.Read

Methodist Central Hall plan is criticised by Birmingham conservationists

A CITY conservation watchdog has slammed plans to renovate an iconic Birmingham building.Read

Site back on track

BIRMINGHAM City Council’s new website will be up and running within a few weeks despite development difficulties, including not recognising pound signs.Read

Waste firm 'continuing without planning permission' sparks outrage

A WASTE disposal company has been slammed by city councillors for continuing to break rocks and rubble without planning permission.Read

Trees for Life scheme in parks for bereaved relatives

BEREAVED relatives are being urged to plant trees as a tribute to loved ones in Birmingham’s parks.Read

Blundering bus bosses re-route Great Barr service twice in one month

BLUNDERING transport bosses have been forced to re-route a popular bus route for the second time in a month after sending double deckers weaving between parked cars down a narrow crescent.Read

Council’s Clive Dutton’s £10,500 expenses in two years selling city

CITY council official Clive Dutton is Birmingham’s global salesman picking up the air miles as he wows overseas investors with the opportunities here in the city.Read

Green light for Erdington day nursery extension

A PRE-SCHOOL children’s nursery on a busy dual carriageway can be extended despite fears for the safety of toddlers, city planners have ruled.Read

Would-be Birmingham council candidate left angry in racism row

A WOULD-be council candidate has refused to back down after her complaint of racism against a former Labour Lord Mayor was thrown out by Birmingham City Council.Read

Dojo Community Project plan to save Muhammed Ali centre in Hockley

A COMMUNITY group was today “optimistic” it could restore Birmingham’s much-loved Muhammed Ali Community Centre and bring it back into use.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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