23/05/2014 Midlands Today

If colada and the today. The headlines tonight. UKIP make gains

across a series of councils in our region and there is an increase in

support for the Green party. We knew that people were behind us, you can

never take that for granted, but we are excited, thrilled and grant ``

delighted. Children are left at risk for two young too long. Ofsted 's

damning report into child protection services. I will be asking the chief

executive of Birmingham City Council what they are going to do to put it

right. Also tonight. Preparing for the big day out. 10,000 Burton

Albion fans expected to make the trip to Wembley for the play`off

final. Seven long`distance races in seven months. A novel way of

Celbridge in a 70th birthday. And what a difference a week makes. Last

weekend we were talking about climbing temperatures and the sun

was out. This weekend it is a different picture and it is a bank

holiday. How is it looking? I will have the details later.

Good evening, UKIP and the Green Party have increased the number of

their councillors at the expense of the three main parties here in the

Midlands. UKIP have made significant gains, and the Green Party are now

the major opposition party at Solihull council.

The final results mean that Labour held on to Birmingham, Cannock

Chase, Coventry, Dudley, Newcastle under Lyme, Nuneaton and Bedworth,

Redditch, Sandwell and Wolverhampton. The Conservatives

remain in control in Rugby, Solihull, Stratford`on`Avon and

Tamworth. The Liberal Democrats have held Cheltenham and there's 'No

Overall Control' in Gloucester, Walsall, Worcester and the Wyre

Forest. Our Political Editor, Patrick Burns is in Dudley tonight,

a significant result there Patrick ` UKIP's results in the Black Country

have to be among their best ever, anywhere.

Certainly do. Dudley Castle have is quite a history and 11 UKIP gains

right across the Black Country certainly sends a powerful message

to the biggest parties. So Phil is this area of parliamentary

constituencies, Dudley North, for example, as a whispered then Labour

majority. Dudley South is a Conservative marginal seat, and now

we know that UKIP can pick up seats in Conservative and Labour areas

alike. They predicted they'd do well. But

in Dudley UKIP's gains surpassed their own expectations. The smiles

and cheers said it all. We knew that our share of the vote

would go. We knew that people were behind us. You can never take

anything for granted, but we are delighted, we are excited, we are

thrilled and we are honoured. Labour retain control in Dudley, but the

UKIP surge has unsettled the main Westminster parties.

I think, quite frankly, I was shocked at the size of the their

vote. I think we knew that they would take votes from all the other

parties but the magnitude of those votes is a surprise, to say the

least. And there was a surprise in Solihull at the expense of the three

mainstream parties. Here it was the Greens doing well. They now have ten

councillors here and are the main opposition to the Convervatives.

People want something fresh, something different, and for the way

we present ourselves and not just our positive policies, people are

choosing the Green party. Any predictions of a Lib Dem collapse in

Solihull were unfounded. Where we have got Liberal Democrat

MPs, where we work the seats, we tend to be more successful. There

are honourable exceptions, of course. People who have worked

exceptionally hard. But never the less, that has been the general

principle. And in Cheltenham, the only council in the Midlands run by

the Lib Dems, they held onto control there too ` the party successfully

kept all the seats it was defending. In Staffordshire, as the ballot

boxes arrived, the weight of expectation was heavy. Voting in

Tamworth is always watched closely by commentators ` this is seen as

bellwether town ` indicating electoral trends. In the event, the

Conservatives held onto control. We were led to believe it was the

year the Conservatives were going to be taken out. I never believed

that. We fought hard. We focused on the right issues. And we lead a very

honest campaign about all the issues. It was a disappointing night

for Labour in the West Midlands, the party failed to make ground in

Walsall, Worcester and Gloucester. And the Labour leader of Newcastle

Borough Council lost his seat to UKIP. But in Wolverhampton, Labour

did increase its majority. All eyes now will be on the results of the

Euro elections ` counting's on Sunday. And of course, in England,

this is the last major test of opinion before the General Election.

Liz Copper, BBC Midlands Today. And with European election results

due on Sunday, have the council elections answered the question of

which if the bigger parties suffers most from the UKIP effect?

If you simply way the vote themselves then clearly the

Conservatives supper at the bigger hit, but if you actually apply those

numbers to real council areas and real parliamentary constituencies,

you can see why certainly here in the Midlands it is Labour who are

being held back from making these sorts of strides into places like

Tamworth, where the Conservatives remain in overall control, Labour

failed to get overall majorities in Walsall, in Worcester and in

Gloucester, not getting the sort of momentum that they need. So very

serious issues for Labour, the UKIP effect. This man is number three on

UKIP's ticket for the European elections. These figures, this

extraordinary level of support, is it suggesting that as number three

candidate you can start to bridge a plane ticket to Brussels.

I would like to think so, we don't like to take anything for granted,

but it is looking very positive. Is it anything more than a and when we

talk the talk the same line which. `` this in language. What was your

campaign for those European elections in terms of local

government? Here in Dudley, the main part of our campaign was that we

wanted to get more free parking spaces in the shopping areas. We

also want to get into this council area and look at the spending, not

to look at cuts but to make sure the money is spent more wisely and more

efficiently. There is a lot of waste going on and we want a common`sense

approach to this. What is your message that the bigger parties

should take from what you have achieved here? The message they

should understand is that smears and understands that Iraq attacks on as

an impersonal bases do not work on us, and people are ready for a

change. Thank you very much. Thank you, Patrick.

And Patrick will be back with Sunday Politics, ahead of the Euro Election

count live at the ICC in Birmingham, at the usual time of 11 o'clock on

Sunday. You're watching Midlands Today,

coming up later in the programme: A new national song commissioned to

commemorate the centenary of World War One, we give you a sneak

preview. Inadequate: Birmingham Children's

services has once again been rated inadequate by Ofsted. The government

watchdog found that as of April this year, more than 400 children thought

to be 'in need' had still not had their cases looked at by a social

worker. The council department has been failing for more than ten

years. Giles Latcham reports. Their names are a litany, their

faces a gallery that shames Birmingham. Khyra Ishaq and Keanu

Williams just two of the vulnerable children the city's

Services failed to protect, killed by members of their own family. For

the sixth year running Ofsted have rated the department inadequate. The

council concedes, yes it's still failing but says it won't be forced

into a kneejerk reaction. What we don't want to be dragged back into

is another change of management, and other restructuring of the service,

because for years and years that is what we focus on rather than

focusing on the basics of what our social workers do day in, day out

with the children. Key findings include that as of last month, more

than 400 children referred to the department still hadn't had their

case looked at by a social worker. Because of a shortage of social

workers more than 140 children without assessing them for risk And

after years of reorganisations and restructuring, the work of managers

overseeing front line staff is said to be "generally poor" . In March

the government appointed Lord Norman Warner as an Independent

Commissioner to oversee a three year improvement plan and in a letter to

the Education Secretary Michael Gove has been made on the difficult task

of turning round Birmingham's Children's

coming into Birmingham. This former Birmingham social worker accepts

improvements are being made but says too few staff are still trying to

juggle too many cases. Social workers and their managers and

senior people know that there are still too many children and families

being left without the necessary support. That gives a lot of us

nights. The council's put an extra ?10 million pounds into the

department this year. But in one of the youngest cities in Europe, with

high levels of children living in poverty the battle to put things

right is all uphill. sufficiently robust and whether

there were other things that we might do even if children didn't

move into the child protection arena. Councillor Jones is right to

say what she said, but we have a say what she said, but we have a

answer is that there was. There is a IT question in there and the

workforce question, and some of the procedural arrangements weren't

bold. The report also says, and this is significant, that children are

left at risk of significant harm for too long. Do you accept that? Yes we

do. We know that in Birmingham we have a long history of failure.

Although it grieves me to see it, there are children out there for

whom we should be acting pastor. That remains the case. We have

spoken to social workers who didn't want to go on record for fear of

losing their job. They have said that their caseload is unacceptable

and the cases aren't been allocated quickly enough. What are you going

to do to address the situation quickly? We are continuing to

recruit quality staff. The week to get cases down is to have a

workforce that is capable at its job and wants to stay and work for

Birmingham City Council. That is the bottom line. The government stepped

in and stripped Doncaster of its responsibility. Would that be the

right way to go in Birmingham. You would expect me to say no, but I

don't think it is. But it has been failing and it is inadequate for the

sixth year running. Indeed. I have recently joined the council, and I

think that is between the leader and the councillors. The city council

now has the team, if it is given a good run. A good run. That is the

point, isn't it? What does that mean? Let me be honest. That means

we need to take up to three years to get everything right. It is a very

difficult message and I don't like to have to give it. The truth of the

matter is that so many things need to be addressed that if you try and

bite them all off in one go, we will not succeed, so we need to do the

most important things first and that will take time. Thank you.

Detectives in Staffordshire are appealing for help to trace a man

wanted in connection with an attempted murder in Shelton.They've

released a poster showing twenty four year old Akeem Thames from

Blurton, who they want to question about an incident outside a takeaway

on College Road on Monday. A legal challenge against plans to

downgrade Stafford Hospital has been launched today. Labour's

Parliamentary Candidate for the town, Kate Godfrey, lodged papers at

Birmingham High Court calling for a judicial review. She's hoping to

overturn plans to reduce the paediatric and critical care units

at the hospital, as well permanently shutting A overnight.

We have one chance to say that the process isn't good enough at

Stafford Hospital. We know that the administrators have made a number of

serious errors, and people in Stafford really value the services

at hospital. The deadline applies today at 4pm.

The company which operates the car hire scheme 'Car`2`Go' in Birmingham

has announced it's pulling out of the city. Members had access to any

one of 250 cars parked in the centre for short journeys. The company says

it's withdrawing because the idea hasn't caught on in the UK.

Thousands of visitors are expected in Birmingham this weekend for the

city's annual gay pride festival. The event will focus on freedom and

equality in countries across the world that criminalise

homosexuality.There will be over fifty floats and the parade and will

begin in Victoria square from noon. Dan's here with the sport and part

of Staffordshire is preparing for a big weekend.Burton Albion on their

way to Wembley. A grand day out indeed. Around 10,000 Burton Albion

fans are expected to make the trip to Wembley on Monday, to watch the

leap to final. The victory will mean promotion to league one for the

first time in their history. It's the biggest game of their lives

` but they won't kick a ball. Yes don't be fooled by the kit. This is

Burton Albion Supporters Football Club. They play Saturday mornings

and watch the team Saturday afternoons. We have all got tickets

for Monday. I don't think there is a word for it. It is huge. It is

Burton Albion at Wembley, it is something you dream of. I have a

friend who refuse to go to Wembley until they made it there. For former

player Aaron Webster ` there's a sense of relief. 12 months ago while

still a player he had this t`shirt made after the semifinal first leg.

But Burton didn't make it to Wembley ` and the t`shirt has been stored

away for 12 months. Until now. Unfortunately they didn't go for us

on the day, and I wasn't able to show it off after the game, and I

suppose it has been on top of my wardrobe electing cobwebs for 12

months and obviously last week, they have finally got to Wembley and it

is good that I have got the chance to win it again. The busiest place

in Burton this week has been the club shop. With fans buying tickets

and souvenirs. It's also been quite a week for the players. The players

will only enjoy it if they are Wembley winners. It is not going to

be a great day, it is not going to be a great occasion. It will be for

the fans, but for the players it is a great opportunity, and I think it

is really important that they are ready to embrace that. Could striker

Adam McGurk be the match winner? He scored in both legs of the

semifinal. And he's not bothered about Burton being the underdogs. It

is going to be a tight game, but I don't know if you could call anyone

favourites. I think it is who handles it best on the day. I think

who produces that little bit of quality. So the class of 2014 are

Wembley bound. And determined to make history. And BBC Radio Derby

will have all the build up to Burton's trip to Wembley, as well as

full match commentary. West Brom fans, prick up your ears. We have

been hearing from this man today. Basically, it is in response to

Albion's for a season. He put out a statement on the website, because

they had finished just one point above the relegation zone. He says

the buck stops with him. He says the appointment of former first`team

coach Terry Burton will help in finding a new coach and better

players for next season. I think most fans would say that should be

his priority is finding a new head coach. What is his priority? He says

it is simple, it is simply saying in the Premier League. He says that for

a club of their size it will always be their number one objective, and

they hope they can achieve it. Although we are talking football, it

is supposed to be the cricket season. Rain I am afraid. Delayed

start. Now if you think at the age of 70,

you should be taking things a little easier, then you've not met Kathy

Ling. Because she decided to celebrate her 70th birthday by

running 70 long distance races ` a feat she completed in just seven

months. In the process, she's also raised hundreds of pounds ` in

memory of a close friend who died from cancer.

Kathy Ling is used to surprising people, not least Graham Norton. It

is better than watching television. I have two days off before running

When she's turned 70, she was only interested in one thing. A big race.

Getting her trainers on. Kathy, who once competed for Great Britain at

Judo, began with mile runs, and progressed to half marathons. My

husband is 100% supportive and behind me, for which I thank him

very much, and my daughter thinks I am a first`class nutter, but is very

proud of me. Kathy's a member of the Wrekin Road Runners club. She is a

legend, everybody loves her. ` and she's raised seven hundred pounds

for charity after her friend Pat Adams died from Cancer. We used to

go to a lot of races together, and get lost together, but she always

waited for me. She was a good friend and I miss her dearly. Every day,

Kathy runs from Broseley to Ironbridge. A three mile run where

she's constantly stopped by admiring motorists. Kathy's competed all over

the World. Here she is crossing the line in Berlin, and here in Norway.

But her first marathon in Wolverhampton was pretty memorable.

I ended up at the racecourse, eventually doing 29 miles. And Kathy

has a few tips for novice runners. A very good pair of trainers, and

ladies, you must wear a very strong sports bra. So Cathy has completed

and 70 races to hit her 70th birthday, but she is not content

with that. Ben Godfrey, BBC Midlands Today, Ironbridge.

A new national song has been created in Birmingham to commemorate the

centenary of the First World War. It's the work of the city's Bach

choir, who were approached by the Royal British legion. It's also led

to the creation of a new Midlands Military choir. Lindsay Doyle has

been to rehearsals. For many the country's national song

written in 1916. Fade to new one Now a new national song written for the

multi cultural age.to be performed at the Birmingham Symphony Hall in

September to celebrate the centenary of the first world war. The nation

has changed so much in the last 100 years. It is not know about wiring

should boundaries be set, it is about a national song very very

diverse nation. The Birmingham Bach Choir will be performing a specially

commissioned symphony Unfinished Remembering at the September

concert. The national song came from a request from a fledgling choir,

the brainchild of the British legion. I was very conscious that we

don't have a garrison in Birmingham. There is no central base

were everybody meets, so we don't have the lives that they have in

other places. I was very keen to see if we could perhaps start a military

community choir that involves people from all walks of life. Members who

completed their national service. We used to go on route marches and sing

well we were marching, and then we would sing along with other people

when the day was over, forming a community, so I have always been a

singer. A military nurse who served in Afganistan in 2012. It is the

real unity to get everybody singing together, and it is very exciting

and it is a fantastic opportunity. The aim of the new choir is to

teacher 's members musical skills and reach out to the civilian

population of the West Midlands. They believe that music Blacks cut

`` relaxes, rewards, and affirms. This whole idea has burgeoned into a

huge project, it will be an extraordinary evening, I think. And

of course the new choir will be joining the professionals for the

new national song in September. Dare I even mention it's a bank holiday

weekend ` the weather's not looking too clever Rebecca.

This time last week, I was talking about it being the warmest day of

the year so far, and today we were 10 degrees below that. It has

certainly not been a very good day for our weather. As we head into

tomorrow, we keep that heavy rain. It will get better as we head

through the bank holiday weekend. We have this deep area of low pressure

sitting over us at the moment, spiralling around throughout the

day. As we head through this evening, though, they will

eventually clear away. Still some heavy showers to come, and the odd

rumble of thunder behind that. Then it will start to clear away. Then we

started the cloud filling in as we head into the early hours of

tomorrow morning and some drizzle as well. All that cloud cover will keep

it a mild night tonight. We start off tomorrow and we do have heavy

rain on the way, we have a yellow warning for that rain, 20 to 30

millilitres possible. It could cause some disruption to travel. Be aware

of that. We see this heavy band of rain working its way through, the

odd rumble of thunder possible. Once that is clear, we keep some heavy

showers. The best of any brightness will be to the east, but with all

that cloud and rain are temperatures will struggle. Only 15 Celsius.

Those showers will not clear away on Saturday night. They are never too

far away. It does mean it will be mild, though. This band of rain

starts to work its way northwards into Sunday, and once that has

cleared we will get some spells of sunshine and cabbage start to

recover, up to 17 Celsius. Sunday is better. By Monday, we start off OK,

but cloud service to fill in. We will then see some heavy showers

again, and it doesn't improve as we head through the working week.

Staying unsettled, hopefully better by the end of it.

Now the headlines. UKIP and Labour are still great gains in the local

elections in England. Children are left at risk of significant harm for

too long. Ofsted's damning report into Birmingham 's children

services. I will be back at 10pm. Goodbye for now.

Let's look at the history of BBC TWO with me, Simon Schama.

'Harry And Paul's Story Of The 2s - part of

'the Big Bumper Bank Holiday Comedy 50th Birthday Weekend.'

Ted, I wondered if... I'm not interested

part of the big bumper bank holiday comedy 50th birthday weekend.