Updated 5:01am 21 November 2009:

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Paul Dale

Paul Dale

Plans for a Brum 'Fifth Avenue' in Digbeth

DIGBETH High Street could be turned into a permanent events area capable of staging concerts attended by 50,000 people, according to a senior Birmingham City Council member.Read

Councillor wants to see 'Birmingham’s version of New York’s Fifth Avenue'

Digbeth High Street could be turned into a permanent events area capable of staging concerts attended by 50,000 people, if a senior city councillor gets his way.Read

Inquiry launched into Birmingham Christmas lights switch-on chaos

AN INQUIRY has been ordered into Birmingham’s Christmas Lights switch-on fiasco, which was cancelled after an hour as locked-out fans tried to storm a free pop concert by chart toppers JLS.Read

Inquiry ordered into Birmingham Christmas Lights switch-on

AN inquiry has been ordered into Birmingham’s Christmas Lights switch-on fiasco, which was cancelled after an hour as locked-out fans tried to storm a free pop concert by X Factor favourites JLS.Read

George Osborne hits out at grounded BIA runway extension

TOP Tory George Osborne has entered the row over Birmingham International Airport’s mothballed runway extension, accusing government officials of failing to do their jobs properly by refusing to hand over a £25 million grant to start the project.Read

Call for probe into city council's handling of £115m fund to cut unemployment

MPs MAY order an inquiry into allegations that Birmingham City Council is mishandling a £115 million fund to cut unemployment.Read

National search planned by council to find new regeneration chief

A NATIONAL advertising campaign to find a replacement for former Birmingham City Council regeneration boss Clive Dutton is expected to get under way before Christmas.Read

£500m Arena Central project facing a finish date of 2030

THE property market slump means that Birmingham’s £500 million Arena Central project might not be completed until 2030.Read

Minister attacks Birmingham for not spending more on tackling unemployment

THE Government launched an outspoken attack on Birmingham City Council today, accusing the local authority of not moving quickly enough to help 50,000 unemployed people.Read

£37m Kickstart funding for house-building in West Midlands

HOUSE-building schemes across the West Midlands hit by the recession will be able to go ahead after the Government stepped in with a £37 million handout.Read

West Midlands losing £15bn a year in economic output

THE West Midlands, scarred by high unemployment and hampered by an unskilled workforce, is losing more than £15 billion a year in economic output, a shock report has confirmed.Read

West Midlands losing £15bn a year in economic output

THE West Midlands, scarred by high unemployment and hampered by an unskilled workforce, is losing more than £15 billion a year in economic output, a shock report has confirmed.Read

Council gets tough on collection abuse

Residents using Birmingham City Council’s free bulky waste collection service to dispose of old sofas and fridges will soon have to pay if they want to get rid of too many large items.Read

Staff turnover high in Birmingham's criticised children's services

ALMOST a quarter of staff at Birmingham’s much-criticised children’s social services department are quitting their jobs each year, new figures show.Read

Council £73.5m adrift in swimming provision

PLANS for Birmingham’s biggest sports investment for decades, including a 50m Olympic-size pool, were struggling to remain afloat today after council leaders admitted they were £73.5 million short of the money needed.Read

Double Deutsch! Solihull to host rival to Birmingham’s Christmas German market

By Paul DaleRead

Birmingham social services report: MP calls care bosses to account

THE bosses of Birmingham’s damned social services department were today challenged to consider their positions by an angry MP.Read

THE bosses of Birmingham’s damned social services department were today challenged to consider their positions by an angry MP.

Khalid Mahmood threw down the gauntlet to Tony Howell, the strategic director for children, young people and families, and Tory cabinet member Les Lawrence.Read

THE bosses of Birmingham’s damned social services department were today challenged to consider their positions by an angry MP.

Khalid Mahmood threw down the gauntlet to Tony Howell, the strategic director for children, young people and families, and Tory cabinet member Les Lawrence.Read

CHILDREN’S social services in Birmingham are riddled with poor practice, unfit for purpose and failing youngsters most in need of help, a damning report revealed today.

A hard-hitting city council scrutiny inquiry exposed poor management, a lack of accurate information about children in care and the use of “unqualified staff” to screen referrals of young people at risk of sexual or physical abuse.Read

Author Profile

Paul Dale has been writing about local government in the West Midlands for more than 20 years. The Post's public affairs editor, he is a previous political editor of the Coventry Evening Telegraph and Local Government Correspondent of the Oxford Mail.

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