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Paul Dale

Paul Dale

Birmingham City Council pays union officials £1m a year

Trade union officials at Birmingham City Council are costing taxpayers more than £1 million a year in wages. Read

Charities face funding axe in Birmingham shake-up

Some of the country’s best known support services for elderly and mentally handicapped people face losing a financial lifeline following changes to the way Birmingham City Council distributes money to voluntary organisations. Read

Car-sharing lane flop just what the council ordered

Birmingham’s car sharing scheme on the A47 Heartlands Spine Road has been a disaster. Read

Calls to save Birmingham's former Bank of England building

English Heritage is calling for the former Bank of England building in Birmingham city centre to be saved from demolition. Read

Cameron creates a Conservative Party in his own image

Public Affairs Editor Paul Dale looks back on the Conservatives' visit to Birmingham and considers what, if any, progress they have made. Read

Iron Angle at the Tory conference - Tuesday

Horror of horrors, it was suggested that Dave might issue his emergency statement and then cancel the rest of the conference due to the seriousness of the global financial mayhem. Read

Council tax bills could be cut in Birmingham under Tory Government

Council tax bills in Birmingham could be reduced under a Conservative Government, shadow chancellor George Osborne said. Read

Birmingham-London rail link pledge under threat from skills shortage

A shortage of apprenticeships could make it difficult for a Conservative Government to fulfil a pledge to build a high speed rail link between Birmingham and London. Read

Iron Angle at the Tory conference - Monday

“I expect you are wondering what this Czech person is doing here?” asked the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic. Read

Abolition of empty property rate relief crippling business, says Whitby

The scrapping of rate relief on empty buildings is costing Birmingham businesses £22 million a year and threatening regeneration projects, city council leader Mike Whitby has warned. Read

Iron Angle at the Tory conference - Sunday

Public Affairs Editor Paul Dale senses the shadow of history behind the Conservative conference. Read

Worcestershire blacksmith highlights plight of small businesses

A Worcestershire blacksmith was the surprise star turn of an emergency debate on the economy at the Conservative Party Conference on Sunday. Read

Mike Whitby ready to bask in Birmingham's glory

City Council leader Mike Whitby tells Public Affairs Editor Paul Dale how the next Conservative government can learn from Birmingham. Read

John Alden mission set to cost the council millions

The unexploded bomb that is Tory councillor John Alden has been put in charge of Birmingham City Council’s trusts and charities sub-committee. Read

Kuwaitis set to sign up for £150m Birmingham project

The leader of Birmingham City Council is to visit Kuwait next month in an attempt to tie up the final details on funding for a £150 million Digbeth regeneration scheme. Read

British Land wins approval for £150 million Birmingham city centre tower

Public Affairs Editor Read

British Land wins approval for £150m Birmingham tower

A bitterly-contested proposal to build a 35-storey tower in the historic heart of Birmingham city centre has been approved. Read

Moseley tram offices win planning approval

Birmingham council officials have been accused of surrender after failing to prosecute the owner of a listed building who carried out demolition and refurbishment work without permission. Read

Friends Institute in Birmingham given 18-month reprieve

A Birmingham community centre under threat of closure has been given an 18-month breathing space to put its tangled finances in order. Read

Birmingham trails Manchester as a business destination

An influential study has shown Manchester retaining a clear lead over Birmingham as a favourite business destination. 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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