from, oddly, the council’s new Facebook page.
Much amusement to be had I would imagine at this spreadsheet of ‘Celebrity’ speakers engaged by the council since 2005. Have a look online and see what you can find, I’ve spotted ‘Chico’, ‘Duncan out of Blue’…
We figure this is about arts funding in Birmingham, but frankly who can tell. If you can understand this get out of the arts now (but could you translate it first please). *shitty stock music* (via Dave Harte, title by Pete Ashton)
When it’s Birmingham City Council’s Brunel Street Car Park. Brunel Street car park “the red cage” is my favourite place to park in the city centre; the cross-hatched metal design is truly wonderful and the overall structure clearly an influence on the plans for the new Central Library. I’m the mayor of the place on Foursquare, I love it because it inspires oddness, I love it because it seems to have an odd soul of it’s own, but most of all I love it because it’s remarkably cheap for such a central place. I’m tight like that.
The count in the council elections starts at 10pm tonight, with a third of the seats up for grabs. We’ve sent columnist Danny Smith to the media centre to see what’s going on. He’s tweeting from our @BirminghamINS account, and will do a full write-up whenever he gets to it. For proper coverage there is an official council Live Blog (embeded here): Local Election Count 2011 They’re tweeting using the hashtag #brumvotes2011. More info here.
From the Mail: Council street services boss Timothy Huxtable has extended the deadline for applications to hold a bash on a public highway until April 18. The local authority has so far only received 12 firm applications, while neighbouring Solihull, has received 24, despite being a much smaller council. But Coun Huxtable (Cons, Bournville) told the full council meeting that the council has also received 17 ‘expressions of interest’ over street parties from communities. Coun Huxtable said: “We have received a further 17 requests for further information and so have extended the deadline to give those people, and anyone else who comes forward time to apply. He added that social clubs, church groups, pubs and community associations were all planning their own events.” I simply can’t think of a good reason why the Council are so desperate for Birmingham to be seen as whoopingly, 30s-style, patriotic. Can you?
In a timely warning about wheel clampers, ahead of St Patrick’s Day, the Council Birmingham Newsroom site says: “Wheel Clampers operate on private land in the Digbeth area and there are many sites where parking is prohibited. Visitors are asked to look out for signs warning of wheel clamping and vehicle towing as they may be high up or obscured. There is no such thing as a free parking space in the City Centre.” No free parking? I’m sure there is, I know a few spots. Your dad always knows where to park for nothing, now the Internet can be your dad. Please add your favourite sneaky free parking spots on this google map: View Sneaky Free Parking spots in Brum City Centre in a larger map
From Birmingham News Room: “Curators from Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery have secured funding to restore sculptor William Bloye’s 1934 statue of the Greek God Pan, which formerly had pride of place the West garden at Aston Hall. Just one problem – the statue’s head was stolen by vandals six years ago. Aston Hall & Park reopened to the public in July 2009 following a £12.75m refurbishment and restoration project. The refurbishment of the West Garden was not included in the original scheme but thanks to ongoing fundraising efforts a package of restoration and landscaping work to the garden costing some £70,000 will be carried out this year. Artists from specialist sculpture company Eura Conservation have completed an initial clay maquette (small scale model) of the missing head which will ultimately be carved in Portland stone and reunited with the rest of the figure. Unfortunately, there are no detailed images of the statue prior to the vandalism and sculptors need help to recreate an accurate copy of the missing head. That’s where Birmingham residents can help. Curators are urging members of the public to send in photographs of Bloye’s statue to assist the restoration project.” Upload photographs to http://www.flickr.com/groups/1614884@N23/ or...
Spotted on Ladywood Middleway—announcing the continuing process of “signalisation”. Or “putting up traffic lights” to you and me. Someone trying to sound clever? (Btw the Plain English Campaign call this ugly word creation “nominalization” and advise very strongly against it (p7)).
