Birmingham Post

Race-Row Inquiry Slams Council

Birmingham City Council has been ordered to pay pounds 38,000 to a member of its road safety team who was subjected to a lengthy campaign of discrimination and harassment. An employment tribunal found Christine Arnold lost the chance of promotion and effectively had her career destroyed because the council gave preferential treatment to her boss, Abdul Rashid, the head of road safety.

Brum School Among Most Debt-Ridden in the Country

Three Birmingham schools have been revealed as among the most debt-ridden in the country. The schools - two secondaries and one primary - owe a total of nearly pounds 3 million between them.

Childhood Ambition Which Endured

Roger Dickens was aged just 11 when he decided to wanted to become an accountant. The former Tipton Grammar School pupil - the second son of Bert and Gladys Dickens - became hooked after watching his father's accountant in operation.

Birmingham Business Loses a Great Friend

Business leaders yesterday paid tribute to Roger Dickens, the hugely respected Birmingham entrepreneur who helped set up medical software giant iSoft, following his death at the age of 58. Mr Dickens and his wife, Lainey, had renewed their wedding vows on the day he died followed a long illness.

Midland: Dti Writes Off Government's Rover Rescue Loans

Loans granted in the dying days of MG Rover to keep the carmaker afloat have been written off by the Department of Trade and Industry. Two loans totalling pounds 6.5 million were paid to the Longbridge firm after it collapsed in April last year.

Midland: New Law Threat to Chinese Eateries

Chinese restaurants face ruin because of new laws which could lead to a shortage of staff, a Birmingham business leader has warned. Skilled head chefs, who have been trained in China and Hong Kong, may be forced to leave the country.

Midland: Accused Dentist's Agony

A city dentist has spoken of his ten month agony after being cleared of sexually abusing the daughter of a family friend. Yesterday Nigel Whitling was found not guilty of six charges of indecent assault by a jury at Birmingham Crown Court after it was alleged he had touched and fondled the girl regularly between 1988 and 1992.

Midland: Threat of Fire Strike Remains

The West Midlands Chief Fire Officer yesterday said the spectre of industrial action still remained despite management moving into a "more agreeable relationship" with local union officials. Frank Sheehan said managers had been in constructive talks with local Fire Brigade Union officials since the region's firefighters staged a series of short strikes in November. But the threat of industrial action remained because of a national dispute over pensions, he added.

Midland: Police Chase Campaigner Dies Weeks After Tragic Anniversary

A campaigning father who forced police to stop highspeed car pursuits after his son was killed in a 100mph police chase has died just weeks after the tenth anniversary of the tragedy. Dianne Homer said husband Dennis, aged 59, never recovered after losing his 20-year-old son Neil in the crash on December 17, 1995 - two days after Neil's birthday.

Midland: 'Drug Ring Pair Living High Life'

Two Midland men detained in one of Spain's biggest police operations against British drug smugglers were living in "dream homes" and enjoying a life of total luxury, it was claimed yesterday. Ronald George Cockerill (43) from Solihull and Mark Frederick Shearer (43), from Birmingham, were among ten people named after police had seized 3.8 tonnes of cannabis resin, worth 11.4 million pounds, a fleet of up-market cars, and cash totalling pounds 68,000. Properties and bank accounts were also imp...

Midland: Driver Dies in Railings Crash

A driver was killed when her car ploughed into railings and ended up on its roof in Birmingham yesterday. Police and firefighters were called to the scene of the accident, which happened in George Street, Lozells, near the junction with Lozells Road, shortly after 3am. The blue car careered into railings outside the New Testament Church of God before ending up on its roof.

Midland: Blues Boss Waits for Brain Op

Birmingham City Football Club's chief executive Karren Brady is awaiting surgery for an aneurysm in her brain. The 36-year-old was expected to have a lengthy operation at a London hospital to stem the flow of blood through the weakened blood vessel, which had caused it to "balloon".

Midland: Pollution Risk for Many Brum Households

More than half of households in Birmingham could be at risk from industrial pollution. Data from Landmark Information Group suggests 402,942 residential properties in the area could be at risk from industrial pollutants - 59 per cent of the total surveyed.

Midland: Doorman Jailed for Killing

A doorman at Stringfellows nightclub was jailed for three years for killing a reveller who touched a lapdancer. Marcus Marriott was found guilty earlier this month of the manslaughter of George Mac-Donald, aged 34 and from Warwickshire, whose head smashed on to the pavement outside the club as he was punched.

Midland: Arctic Monkeys Return

The most talked about band for a decade are to play Wol- verhampton for the third time in ten months, it was announced yesterday. The Arctic Monkeys will play Wolverhampton Civic Hall on April 19, with tickets going on sale on Thursday at 6pm.

Midland: Man Attacked at Traffic Lights

A motorist was taken to hospital after being hit in the face with a crook lock which was thrown through the window of his car in Rugby. The victim had cuts to his nose and glass in his eye following the attack which happened as he waited at traffic lights in Bilton.

Midland: Political Row Peace Talks Planned

Peace talks are planned in an effort to defuse the row between Birmingham City Council leader Mike Whitby and Sir Digby Jones, the director general of the CBI. The two will meet for a drink shortly, a spokesman for Coun Whitby confirmed last night.

Midland: Letter Reignites Mystery Around Drake's Death

The mystery surrounding the death of a Midland music hero has been reignited following the disclosure of a letter found next to his body. Singer-guitarist Nick Drake, whose fans include Hollywood star Brad Pitt and songwriter Elton John, only rose to fame after he died at his parents' home in Warwickshire more than 30 years ago.

Midland: Police to Use Sniffer Dogs to Stop Drug Use On Buses

Police are to use sniffer dogs to clamp down on drug use on Birmingham buses after a city councillor claimed one route was so bad it had been described as the "marijuana express". West Midlands Police will use the animals to track down drug users and boost the reputation of the bus network.

Brum Patients Help to Shape Hospitals Plan

Plans for a new generation of NHS community hospitals were unveiled yesterday with help from ten Birmingham residents. Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt offered a lifeline to threatened community hospitals in Shropshire and Worcestershire as she warned local health managers would have to justify closing them.