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Neil Elkes

Neil Elkes

Green light for taxi fares rise

BLACK cab drivers have been given the go ahead to increase fares for late night revellers. Read

Tory anger at strike pledge

CITY housing staff have been sent an e-mail slamming Labour Party support for strike action over pay and grading. Read

Gym fee rise 'deters kids'

TEENAGERS could be priced out of keeping fit after city councillors backed a raft of inflation-busting price rises at gyms, it was claimed today. Read

Final glitch on station 'cleared'

CITY leader Mike Whitby today claimed the final hurdle holding up the £550 million rebuilding of New Street Station has been cleared. Read

Takeaway wins fight with hotels

BUFFALO Bills has won a showdown with two of the hotel world's big guns over late night opening. Read

Pay storm rivals in cash plea to Brown

UNION bosses and city human resources chief Alan Rudge, now locked in a bitter row over council salaries, are to join forces in a desperate plea to No.10. Read

We'll back you if you strike

THOUSANDS of Birmingham council workers threatening strike action have been told by the city's Labour boss: "We will support you." Read

Takeaway hours plan under fire

TWO smart city centre hotels are battling plans by a late night takeaway to extend its opening hours following complaints about noisy binge drinking yobs from guests. The new Radisson Hotel and Holiday Inn claim they losing trade due to rowdy crowds gathering outside the Buffalo Bills takeaway on Smallbrook Queensway. Read

Second reader scoops £1,000

DANIEL Thompson is used to dealing with large sums of cash but not usually his own. Read

We've a fare idea of the future of Brum

BRUMMIES are being asked to come up with their ideas for the future of their city -by their cab drivers. Read

Council worker increases just £1.50 a week

MORE than 3,000 "winners" in the new Birmingham City Council pay deal would need a Lottery win for their rise to make a difference to their lives, it was claimed today. Read

Birmingham Lord Mayor "would have quit"

BIRMINGHAM'S next Lord Mayor today revealed how he would have quit local politics years ago if it was not for his devoted wife. Read

Staff fail to agree terms

ALMOST six in ten city council staff have failed to agree new contracts under controversial new pay and grading system. Read

Ex Birmingham councillor Martin Brooks is awarded the OBE

FORMER Birmingham city councillor Martin Brooks has been awarded an OBE for his peace-keeping work in Serbia. Read

£160m plan for Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter

A MAJOR £160 million hotel, office, flats, bars and workshop complex in the Jewellery Quarter has been backed by city planners. Read

Birmingham New Year revellers see police and ambulance at full stretch

BOOZY revellers in Birmingham kept police and ambulance staff busy with thousands of emergency calls during the New Year celebrations. Read

Designs for new coach station criticised

DESIGNS for the new Digbeth Coach Station have been likened to a "car junk yard" by city conservationists. Read

Tesco warned over adverts for Birmingham shopping centre

SUPERSTORE giant Tesco has been warned not to display huge, garish posters under its revised plans for the Swan shopping centre in Yardley. Read

Brummies facing noise setback

BIRMINGHAM Brummies speedway bosses face a nail-biting Christmas wait to see if they can have extra races and more Sunday meetings. Read

Moseley Road swimming baths.

Birmingham Council may replace historic old baths with new facilities

BIRMINGHAM'S historic swimming pools and leisure centres may be replaced with modern state-of-the-art sports centres under a new masterplan. 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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