Updated 6:26am 26 May 2013

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Neil Elkes

Neil Elkes

Children's services and 990 jobs face the axe in Birmingham budget cuts

Services for children and young people are in the firing line and up to 990 jobs could be lost as Birmingham City Council wrestles with an expected £110 million funding cut.Read

City council forced to cut £110m from budget - £40m more than first thought

Birmingham City Council has outlined a total of £110 million cuts from next years budget - £40 million more than first expected.Read

Cable car plan for Birmingham City Centre

Birmingham could get a city centre cable car system to move passengers between three major railway stations, under bold proposals to be put before transport chiefs.Read

68 jobs under threat at Birmingham City Council window firm Shelforce

Up to 68 jobs could be lost at a Birmingham City Council owned double glazing window company which specialised in hiring disabled workers.Read

Huge increase in whooping cough cases in the West Midlands

Cases of whooping cough in the West Midlands have increased by more than 1,300 per cent (or 13 times), at their highest rate for more than 20 years regional health chiefs have revealed.Read

Birmingham kickboxer accused of stabbing hero soldier to death due in court in Thailand

A BIRMINGHAM kickboxer accused of stabbing a hero soldier to death in Thailand was due in court today after his bid to avoid extradition ended in failure.Read

Neil Elkes: Politicians desperate to gauge public opinion on wheelie bins

Just when city council activity seemed to be grinding to a halt the Government pulled a rabbit from the hat by awarding Birmingham almost £30 million to help it follow just about every other local authority in the region and adopt a wheelie bin scheme.Read

Temporary worker costs Birmingham City Council £360 per day

Cash-strapped Birmingham City Council is paying temporary agency staff up to £360 per day to cover key positions. Read

I won't be like Boss Hogg, says new Police Commissioner Bob Jones

The new man at the helm of West Midlands Police is already immersed in detailed policy just a week into his £100,000-a-year job, finds Local Government Correspondent Neil ElkesRead

Birmingham polling station visited by six voters for Police and Crime Commissioner election

A Birmingham polling station was visited by just six people in 15 hours as voters turned their back on the police and crime commissioner elections, official figures have revealed.Read

Positive response to Centro scheme to take control of London Midland services

A bid to take the under-performing London Midland rail service under local control has been boosted following a government consultation.Read

Lib Dem councillor challenges Greater Birmingham and Solihull LEP on long-term unemployment

A politician who led a review of worklessness has criticised the city council and Birmingham and Solihull Enterprise Partnership for failing to address long-term unemployment among older people.Read

Sutton Coldfield residents battle green belt housing plan

Sutton Coldfield councillors have started a petition opposing plans for up to 10,000 homes on the green belt around their town.Read

Police commissioner calls for end to 'unfair' West Midlands budget cuts

The new West Midlands police commissioner has warned that ‘unfair and unjust’ government spending cuts could have a damaging long term impact on crimefighting in the region.Read

Centro: We will step in to stop the London Midland rail chaos

West Midlands transport authority Centro is making an audacious bid to seize greater control over the running of the troubled London Midland rail franchise.Read

Birmingham hotels could foot bill for city marketing drive as council cuts budgets

Hotels in Birmingham are being urged to set up and pay into a new umbrella group to make up for cuts to multi-million pound budgets to market the city.Read

Wheelie bins confirmed for Birmingham after funding is secured from Government

Wheelie bins are coming to the streets of Birmingham after the city secured a £29 million handout from the Government.Read

Birmingham considers curb on supermarkets to boost local shopping centres

Tighter planning regulations around supermarkets and out-of-town retail parks are being considered in Birmingham as part of a council inquiry into boosting local shopping centres.Read

New Street redevelopment readies itself for passengers

Steel bars are exposed, wiring runs across the ground like spaghetti, and lift shafts sit empty – but in just five months this building site will be packed with commuters.Read

Birmingham Chamber and city council team up for event on how to win public contracts

Businesses looking to take on Birmingham City Council contracts can find out more about the authority’s new Business Charter for Social Responsibility at an open event next Wednesday.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.