130 years on – a council with lessons still to learn
This week, Birmingham has been marking 130 years as a city. It has much to celebrate – looking to both history and the future. But, as Kevin Johnson writes, the
The rising star and the professor
Politics has always been a game of snakes and ladders. One day you’re up, the next day you’re down. But there’s something of a teaching theme among a group of
Council: ‘time is running out,’ but when?
“Time is running out and we need to see real progress.” So says John Crabtree OBE, chair of the Birmingham Independent Improvement Panel (BIIP), on Birmingham city council in its
Council: this time we’re serious
Birmingham City Council today publishes an Improvement ‘Stocktake Report’ outlining the current position relating to improvements recommended by Lord Kerslake in December 2014. In effect, it says that this time
VOTE2018: Council battlegrounds on 3 May
With the Commonwealth Games baton handed to Birmingham and as schools and offices return from Easter breaks – including here at Chamberlain Files towers – Kevin Johnson looks at the
Three years – finance and culture challenges remain
Reading the latest letter to Sajid Javid, this time jointly from Panel chair John Crabtree and Council leader Ian Ward, it would be easy to forget that more than three
Council CEO: Baxendale for Birmingham
Chamberlain Files understands that Dawn Baxendale, currently chief executive of Southampton City Council, will be appointed as chief executive of Birmingham city council next week, reports Kevin Johnson. The appointment
Council CEO: Baxendale for Birmingham
Chamberlain Files understands that Dawn Baxendale, currently chief executive of Southampton City Council, will be appointed as chief executive of Birmingham city council next week, reports Kevin Johnson. The appointment
Bins dispute over, arguments far from finished
Birmingham’s bins dispute is finally over, but the arguments are far from finished, reports Kevin Johnson. An agreement was reached after Birmingham City Council’s cabinet agreed a deal on Friday,
Ian Ward elected leader of Labour group
Councillor Ian Ward has been elected Leader of Birmingham Labour group. The former deputy leader, who served under both Sir Albert Bore and John Clancy, was voted in by fellow