Latest news with #BBCRadioWM
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Calls for police to maintain bin strike presence
Calls have been made for the police to maintain their presence at Birmingham bin strike picket lines as collections continued to be affected. Roger Harmer, Lib Dem leader on the city council, urged police not to wait until the city reached crisis point before stepping in. His comments came after the number of officers sent to police the picket lines were cut and amid reports of bin lorries being blocked by striking workers at depots. On Monday lorries were seen driving up to depot gates in Tyseley but parking up inside as striking workers stood outside. West Midlands Police said it would continue to assess the situation and ensure its presence is in line with its core policing responsibilities. Why are Birmingham's bin workers on strike? Bin strike exposes divide between rich and poor I haven't had my recycling collected since January Harmer urged West Midlands Police to have a "consistent presence" at picket lines and not to wait "until the city reaches crisis point again". "Human-height mounds of black bags" became commonplace in the city and Harmer described it as "a national embarrassment and terrible for the city's reputation". "The police have powers to stop strikers from obstructing working crews – they should not wait for the city to reach crisis point again before acting," he added. However some people in the city said a crisis point had already been reached for them. Judith Whalley told BBC Radio WM that the strike was starting to affect her ability to leave her home in Hockley. "As it's not been collected, people are just putting more rubbish and more rubbish out," she said. "Once again, I'm about to be trapped because it's spreading across the pavement but I can't get down the pavement on my mobility scooter. "With the weather the way it is, [it is] really getting smelly." However, Ms Whalley said she sympathised with those on strike: "Nobody could afford to lose that sort of money." Lorraine Boyce, from West Heath, said her hallway was full of recycling but some people had stopped separating it. "Probably they've got sheds or halls, full of recycling," she said. "They've started putting that in bags so a lot more black bags have appeared. "It's very, very depressing." Police patrols had previously helped secure the smooth exit of trucks from depots in recent weeks by using powers under Section 14 of the Public Order Act, a law used around public gatherings. But a force spokesperson confirmed those powers were no longer in place as the issue "does not currently meet the threshold". It came after waste collections were disrupted on Thursday when bin lorries were blocked from leaving two depots by striking refuse workers, leading to reports of rubbish piling up in parts of the city again. Police were parked nearby and were seen getting out of their patrol cars but they remained a distance away. The council said it was not safe for their trucks to leave the depot due to the police no longer using their Section 14 powers. "The gates had been locked for safety reasons, and we had already attempted to get lorries out of the depot. The gates were reopened at 8 am," it said. Union Unite, which organised the strike, has been approached for a comment on Monday's picket lines. The all-out strike began on 11 March in a dispute with the council over plans to downgrade the roles of drivers, which the union said would see pay cuts of up to £8,000. This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations. Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. Why are Birmingham bin workers on strike? PM living in 'la-la land', striking bin worker says Bin strike policing cut as waste builds up again Striking bin workers block depot lorries again Bin collections not back to normal - politicians Birmingham City Council Unite West Midlands Police
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Cifuentes 'not on Baggies shortlist'
QPR boss Marti Cifuentes is not on West Bromwich Albion's shortlist for their head coach vacancy, reports BBC Radio WM. The Spaniard, who was put on gardening leave by Rangers last night, has been linked with The Hawthorns - replacing Tony Mowbray - and also the job at Norwich City. Advertisement According to BBC Radio WM, West Brom have not offered the job to anyone and are "continuing with their recruitment process". Cifuentes was appointed as QPR boss in October 2023, replacing Gareth Ainsworth, and led them to Championship safety, having taken over when they were second from bottom. After another slow start this season, the Londoners are 15th in the table and will have assistant coaches Kevin Betsy and Xavi Calm in charge for their final game of the campaign at Sunderland on Saturday. "This is naturally a disappointing situation for everyone concerned," said QPR chief executive Christian Nourry. Advertisement "As a club, we are working to ensure this matter is resolved as swiftly as possible so we can start preparations in earnest for the future." Tony Mowbray was sacked by West Brom last week after getting only five wins in 18 league games, ending their play-off hopes. James Morrison remains as interim head coach for their last game of the season at home against Luton on Saturday.
BBC News
30-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Cifuentes 'not on Baggies shortlist'
QPR boss Marti Cifuentes is not on West Bromwich Albion's shortlist for their head coach vacancy, reports BBC Radio WM, Spaniard, who was put on gardening leave by Rangers last night, has been linked with The Hawthorns - replacing Tony Mowbray - and also the job at Norwich to BBC Radio WM, West Brom have not offered the job to anyone and are "continuing with their recruitment process".Cifuentes was appointed as QPR boss in October 2023, replacing Gareth Ainsworth, and led them to Championship safety, having taken over when they were second from another slow start this season, the Londoners are 15th in the table and will have assistant coaches Kevin Betsy and Xavi Calm in charge for their final game of the campaign at Sunderland on Saturday."This is naturally a disappointing situation for everyone concerned," said QPR chief executive Christian Nourry."As a club, we are working to ensure this matter is resolved as swiftly as possible so we can start preparations in earnest for the future."Tony Mowbray was sacked by West Brom last week after getting only five wins in 18 league games, ending their play-off Morrison remains as interim head coach for their last game of the season at home against Luton on Saturday.
BBC News
26-04-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Joe Lycett invites bulger to create Birmingham anthem
A ceremonial bugler said when he received a call from comedian Joe Lycett to create a Birmingham anthem he thought it was a "wind-up".Antonio Socci, a trumpeter from Perry Bar, Birmingham, was asked by the Brummie comedian to create a "fanfare tune" for Lycett's TV show, the United States of new series follows him travelling across the US and other countries to bring 18 different Birminghams together in a signed friendship agreement with the West Midlands city. Mr Socci, 43, said he did not realise the song he created for the show would end up as something similar to a "national anthem". He said the programme makers requested "a little fanfare", but that "it kind of grew and grew, and then all of a sudden it is now the United States of Birmingham national anthem," he said. The tune, which will feature on the fourth episode of the Sky series, was played for the first time on BBC Radio WM on Socci said the 30-second song contains the lyrics "Birmingham, 18 states together, friendships now forever, Birmingham united." He has performed professionally on stage since he was five years old, after learning from his father, Antoine Socci who played in the Band of the Royal Regiment of fusiliers of Warwickshire."My father was pretty famous around the West Midlands for playing in a ballroom dance band for 60 years and he did all the big functions," he added."I learnt trumpet on the job, so I was probably one of the last generation to be out every night on a school night with my father's ballroom dance band, learning tunes."Having studied Jazz at Birmingham Conservatoire and previously been a guest conductor with West Midlands Police Brass Band, Mr Socci was appointed Bandmaster of the Band of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, Warwickshire in 2019 and conducts them at engagements all over the has also appeared on BBC's Songs of Praise and CBeebies, as well as performing as a ceremonial bugler for the National Memorial Arboretum and the City of Birmingham. Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
26-04-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Birmingham poet says city is 'still amazing' despite bin strike
People should not lose sight of what they love about Birmingham during the ongoing bin strike, says the city's former poet Bailey, who was Birmingham's poet laureate from 2020 to 2024, said the city "doesn't look beautiful" at the moment, but it was "still amazing".His comments came during the seventh week of the union Unite's all-out bin workers' strike, which led to thousands of tonnes of uncollected waste piling up on the city's streets."We sometimes have an ability to focus on one negative and lose sight of everything else," Mr Bailey told BBC Radio WM. "Of course, the city doesn't look beautiful with the bin strikes at the moment, but it's still Birmingham, it's still amazing, and we can't lose sight of that."Mr Bailey is known for writing the poem Dear Brum – structured in the form of a love letter to the city – a number of years updated the poem in 2022 ahead of the Commonwealth Games in a bid to inspire civic pride in Birmingham. The poet said he has never been embarrassed to be from Birmingham, although he admitted there were times he thought the city was "rubbish, even when it didn't have rubbish in it".He said the things people loved everywhere else sounded nicer in the city "because it's got a Brummie accent"."I never shy away from the fact it's not perfect, but I love it, and I always talk about both of those things," he former West Midlands mayor Sir Andy Street echoed Mr Bailey's call for residents to be more positive about the city."Our reputation has taken one hell of a hammering in the last few weeks but the underlying points are still there and we have to get out there and sell the story very positively," he added. Sir Andy pointed to recent sporting successes in the West Midlands like hosting the 2025 Kabaddi World Cup and described Birmingham's art scene as the best outside of London."We all need to understand that Birmingham and the West Midlands is a hell of a lot more than the city council and its difficulties," he said this week that a deal could be "in touching distance" and agreed it would attend mediation talks with conciliation service Acas to resolve the dispute with the City Council confirmed there had been an agreement to hold further discussions at the end of next week "under the auspices of Acas".The all-out industrial action started on 11 March, with more than 300 workers walking out in a dispute over pay, centred on a decision to remove the Waste Recycling and Collection Officer role. Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
