24/09/2014 Midlands Today

Friday to discuss joining the US air strikes against Islamic State in

The headlines tonight: Iraq.

A former Head of Ofsted's been named as a special

commissioner to tackle problems in Birmingham schools, following

We speak exclusively to the Secretary of State for Educ`tion.

A bitter fall out between neighbours leaves a couple

Surely what I do with it is my business.

Scientists open a pioneering new laboratory `

to find out exactly what happens to our brains when we go to sldep.

Black Sabbath guitarist Tonx Iommi shares some musical magic whth

And one step closer to the weekend, prospects are improving all the

BBC Midlands Today can excltsively reveal that Sir Mike Tomlinson has

been named as the Education Commissioner for Birmingham.

The Government has appointed him to oversee the city's schools

in the wake of the Trojan Horse controversy.

Sir Mike helped turn around failing schools in H`ckney

in London and he's widely rdgarded as a safe pair of hands.

His job now is to address criticisms faced by Birmingham City Cotncil

for its delayed response to the Trojan Horse allegations.

The authority's said to havd ducked claims of efforts to introdtce an

Islamic ethos into several schools ` for fear of being branded r`cist.

It started with a letter, purportedly a step by step guide

on how to kick out headteachers and introduce an Islamic ethos

The letter was sent to Birmingham City Council anonymously

The former counter terrorisl police officer Peter Clarke found dvidence

to back the claims and accused the council of being more worried

In the wake of his report the Education Secretary said

Birmingham would get its own Education Commissioner and he's

named today as Sir Mike Tomlinson, former inspector of schools.

I certainly hope there is greater scrutiny into academies but also

into all schools in Birmingham. To ensure we keep the standards up and

serve the children who need that education in Birmingham.

Separately, another Commisshoner is already looking into the city

council's Children's Servicds, rated inadequate for years ` and the

former head of the Civil Service Sir Bob Kerslake is due to report in

December on the future of the council as a whole. One

option could be to break up the largest council in Europe into

Earlier I spoke to the secrdtary of state for education and askdd her to

explain what his main focus would be.

He is appointed Education Commissioner to

Birmingham City Council and he's going to report to me and also

He will be looking at the improvement plan that the council

has put in place as a result of the incidents examined in the rdports,

and he will be looking at how the council supports schools and also if

there are any systems or ch`nges that they need to make

when headteachers or other teachers make complains to the attention

It is clear that the City Council failed to react to very serhous

allegations they had known `bout for some considerable time?

And that is what the report showed and what Peter Clarke in particular

And headteachers and teachers need to know

and governors that if they bring serious concerns to the attdntion

of the council, those concerns will be followed up and that is dxactly

As well as looking at the wider education department

The council is obviously worried about appearing racist, will he

And I think what the report showed is while we obviously remain very

clear that this was a small number of people in a small number of

schools, and that we're also very clear, as I said in the House of

Commons in July, that the vast majority of Mtslim

parents want the best possible education for their children.

We must not be afraid to ch`llenge and to follow up concerns,

Four individuals were actually named in the Commons weren't they?

For what they did or did not do over the Trojan Horse Affair.

Have you followed it up, will Sir Mike look at that detail?

And there are some individu`ls who are no longer members of governing

bodies and trustees that have resigned from various schools that

were involved and there are still some other procedures to be followed

so yes there are certainly individuals who are no longdr

involved in schools who werd involved in schools in Birmhngham.

Birmingham is said to have the youngest population in Europe yet

children's services have bedn branded inadequate the past four

years, there is the controvdrsy over schools, do you feel that Bhrmingham

That is why obviously we have had people looking at children's

services departments and thd other new education commission and also

on the same day the Communities and Local Government Secretary, Eric

Pickles, is announcing a wider view of governance

So there are clearly concerns but my conversations with Birmingh`m City

Council leadership have shown a real willingness to change, to work with

people such as Sir Mike Tomlinson as well as the Department for Dducation

in identifying problems that have arisen and how we can avoid them

arising in the future so I think we need now to see some serious work by

Birmingham City Council to deal with the problems identified but, as I

say, there is a serious willingndss to do

A couple from Walsall say they've bedn made

prisoners in their own home after their neighbours erected a six

It blocks direct access to their front door.

It's the latest twist in an increasingly bitter dhspute

although both sides insist they ve acted reasonably.

Nothing can get out, and I think I'm going to have trouble getting in.

Best way is over here and onto the ladder.

The restricted access is proving to be inconvenient for everxone

Even the postlady can't get in because obviously this is not

the right way to go to somebody s front door.

Wendy has been able to walk out of her gate for the past 26 ye`rs but

How did you feel when you saw this fence going up?

My first thought was I was absolutely terrified.

I was aware that I had no other access at the time

since my back gate was lockdd and I had not got the key because

This car park and the flats behind me are managed by thd company

who owns land and gave authorisation for the fence to be built.

Wendy says a few months ago the management company sent her

a letter warning they would put up a fence if she did not clear up

a garden and remove her car because they felt it was an eyesore.

It is my garden, it is my property, surely what I do with it is

My garden is no worse than hundreds across the country.

And why I should be denied `ccess to my front door

because I don't do gardening very well I don't understand at `ll.

Over the weekend she said she tried to talk to the director of

the management company who lives in one of the flats but he would only

We also tried to contact hil for a comment but have had no stccess.

The Labour Leader Ed Miliband has told Midlands Today the citx region

around Birmingham must have significantly more political power.

It's Mr Miliband's first direct response to the implications here,

He was talking to our Political Editor, Patrick Btrns

who's now returned from the Labour Party conference in Manchester.

So is this Ed Miliband's answer to what's become known as 'The

We announced our plans to ddvolve power over really important areas

like skills, economic development, transport, to city regions such as

Birmingham and other places because we are far too centralised ` country

and we need councils like Bhrmingham but also other councils to

in the area to have those powers, to come together and exercise those

In tough times in terms of public spending that can also

Seven months to the general election. Any clues from thd

conference about strategy? Ht is double`edged because he has some

very slender Labour majorithes to worry about and on the other hand he

needs to target Tory margin`ls including Stafford and Reddhtch

where as we know there are liberal hospital issues raging which could

become all`consuming but I pointed out to him that two and a h`lf

billion pound pledge in his conference speech would not really

go very far in the face of ` projected ?30 billion shortfall in

health funding over the next five years so really an incoming Labour

government would still have to do some pretty drastic things htself.

The most important thing th`t needs to change is we need to improve

If you improve the services in the community, GP servicds,

services for the elderly, that is what is going to take the

pressure off hospitals, and actually spend resources at hospitals better

That is the plan we unveiled this wdek

and it makes for a better hdalth service, more doctors, more nurses

Detectives investigating the murder of a woman at a block

of flats in Shropshire have arrested a fifth person.

The 34`year old man, from Wellington, was detained last night.

A man aged 35 and a 21 year`old woman remain in custody.

Two other men have been reldased on police bail.

17 people were forced to le`ve their homes in Coventry overnight

as fire crews tackled a blaze involving gas canisters

One of them exploded in a shed at the back of a house in Tile Hill.

Crews spent the night cooling down ten cylinders of acetylene

oxygen and liquid petroleum gas in a workshop.

Thanks for joining us here on Midlands Today.

The remarkable Shropshire rtnner on the verge

of completing an astonishing on 53 marathons in 53 days.

It's taken two years to deshgn and build and now the University

of Warwick's new sleep laboratory is ready to start work.

They're looking for volunteer subjects to try it out

and help the scientists learn more about what happens to our brains

So we sent Science Correspondent David Gregory`Kumar off

Just right for a night away from home.

You might think this is an ordinary business hotel but look agahn.

There is in`room CCTV camer`s, one thing which is a bit untsual.

In fact people who stay the night here are helping

In particular how people in pain sleep or not.

By studying the sleep here overnight we will be able to see the sleep

architecture, the sleep pattern of people with chronic pain and by

understanding more about thd sleep pattern hopefully we will bd able to

come up with better ideas of how to treat sleep disturbance

Getting ready for bed here hnvolves more than just brushing your teeth

There are sensors, an awful lot of sensors.

after a while you don't really feel it.

I think you stop paying attdntion to it you sleep normally.

Ready for bed ` it is time to try to get to sleep.

All night my brain activity, my breathing, position,

leg movement, heart rate and more will be monitored.

I had a lot of dreams about being wired up to be a lot of cables.

Do I have to keep them on or can I take them off now?

After a shower and some tests it is time for my results.

Quite a few awakenings throtghout the night suggesting that pdrhaps

you have been having quite a few tossings and turning `rounds

What this laboratory is all about is very fundamental rdsearch

trying to pull apart the reasons why some of us can sleep

And if that hasn't put you off, you can find details

of how to volunteer for Warwick s sleep lab and read more abott

David's experiences on his blog at bbc.co.uk davidgregorykular.

Last night it was Shrewsburx Town, tonight Burton Albion hope to upset

the odds and make it through to the fourth round of the League Cup.

Well, Nick Clitheroe is at the Pirelli Stadium now.

What are the chances of another cup shock Nick?

Well, these two clubs have made a habit

Both have already beaten a Premier League team

in the competition and last night Shrewsbury knocked their second

They've already beaten Blackpool from the Championship and Ldicester

City from the Premier Leagud, now Norwich are the latest team to feel

James Collins got the only goal early

in the second half to put the Shrews into the last 16 of the League Cup

And we'll enjoy this evening. We got it down and we passed it. Something

has to `` something has to give young players. The former Arsenal

player was delighted to stake his claim for a place `` a formdr

Barcelona player. All the tdam played well and I hope to place him

in the league but I have two keep going like always. The goalkeeper

was on fine form and we'll be watching tonight's draw with great

interest. So why is it so important

for these League Two clubs to have Well there's no doubt modern

football is dominated by thd And as I've been finding out Burton

are always looking for ways to inspire young f`ns to

support their local club instead. They are dreaming of lifting

the league cup for Burton Albion Because the League Two side have

already knocked Premier teal QPR out, and their young fans bdlieve

in the Brewers. I think

their chances are quite good because they have already knocked ott two

of the best teams in the cotntry. I'm really proud of them and I'm

actually quite amazed that they have So when Captain Lee Bell popped

into the primary school ahe`d of the game, there was plenty

the children wanted to know. I have had three red cards

and quite a few yellows. Like many football league shdes

Burton Albion in the import`nce Pupils get regular training sessions

from the club's community coaches, and with the team second

in the league, their cup run will A football club

in a small town can be the heartbeat ` it can provide so much especially

when the club is doing well. Especially to get the kids

down to the games, would be great, when you do come to the school,

and I've been to a couple now, and you see people beginning to

know more about the players etc If you think this is as close

as Burton Albion will get to the trophy, remember it is only two

seasons since another Leagud Two side, Bradford City,

reached to the final. Clearly a good cup run is ilportant

to Burton then but what about a Premier League club

like West Bromwich Albion who are You only have to look at thhs

competition in recent seasons. Some teams have got to the final

therefore you know it is a real chance. Already we have seen seven

Premier League teams go out and another two are guaranteed to go out

tonight so there is a real chance. Burton Albion have not been beyond

the third round more than once in the past eight seasons and their

fans are desperate to see them have a bit of success and see thdm back

at Wembley. You can follow the game tonight. I will be back at 00:2 pm

with the reaction to what wd hope will be another League Cup tpset.

Her record breaking challenge has taken her all over the country,

from Chester to Glasgow, from Liverpool to Taunton, and now Amy

She's running 53 marathons in 53 days ` today is day 50.

Joanne Writtle caught up with her as she ran around Oswestry.

A warm welcome in her hometown. She is on track to smash a world record

by the weekend for her back`to`back marathons along the UK. I h`ve done

1200 miles. It is really exciting and it is good to have such a good

turnout. Well`wishers were lining the streets. 100 teenagers joined

her. In 53 days she is hoping to raise ?53,000 for charity btt more

on what inspired her later. Amy s next stop is here at this primary

school which is her old school. She is leading an army of marathon

runners of the future around her old playing field. Amy's former teacher

revealed a surprise about hdr schooldays. Hard`working, lovely,

pleasant, helpful, just the sort of child you love to have but not

exceptionally sporty. And w`iting to complete the last few metres of the

day, three`year`old Isabel. The family friend who inspired @my. She

is raising money for the ch`rity named after the youngster to help

children with brain tumours. In May she was diagnosed with a cancerous

tumour. That led onto almost 12 months of treatment but thankfully

we are on the other side of it now and she is currently cancer free. In

no time she was off. 12 months ago she could not walk so to silply

watch her walk let alone take part in something like this is jtst

amazing. I feel like I am crying but I am too tired. It is amazing. Today

has been... Unbelievable. Rock legend Tony Iommi,

the lead guitarist of Black Sabbath has been sharing his musical

knowledge with students tod`y. He went back to Coventry Unhversity

where he was awarded with Our arts reporter Satnam

Rana joined the lesson. Sell`out concerts, huge arenas,

thousands of fans. That is what Black Sabbath's Tony

Iommi is normally used to but today the sound he created was

played right back at him. Some of us would be

a bit too paranoid to do thhs but for this young man coming f`ce to

face with the pioneer of he`vy metal music and the founding membdr of

Black Sabbath, how can you say no? Tony Iommi is now

a visiting lecturer at Coventry University sharing 50 years of

experience in the music indtstry. They are into the music,

they want to learn, and I think if they can talk to

somebody who's been there and done And it helps me to be able

to talk about it with them. I remember things by talking to

them that I normally forget. He spent an hour taking

questions and answering thel. Writing the songs and hearing

them way want to hear them. Meeting a living legend is

a dream come true for many of us and for these music students, well,

this was one lecture they wdre Black Sabbath was one

of the first bands I really got into and hearing it

from the horse's mouth, the guy who made that album that changed your

life, that became the soundtrack to I think it is just fantastic to able

to ask him questions and to be able to ask him in such

a relaxed manner that he's not. . he doesn't think that he's

a lot better than you, you don't get that feeling `t all,

so it's just easy to talk to him. It was quite simply a lesson

like no other. A chill in the air at the moment,

don't you think, Shefali? You will see an alteration hn the

wind direction in the days `head and that may bring in milder conditions.

It will turn breezy before the weekend and then things settle down.

Largely dry conditions. Morning showers are the biggest hurdle to

overcome this week. It has been very dry decently and we do need to rent.

You can see why those winds are going to be picking up before the

weekend. We get a knock`on dffect. There is a lot of interference from

frontal systems from the Atlantic but because of the presence of this

height I sure they're going to be significantly weekend and that high

pressure is dominant over the weekend so much better condhtions by

that state. For this evening, overnight it is looking dry and

bright. It is clear throughout the southern half of the region in

particular the stop here we will see the lowest temperatures. Lows around

seven degrees. Even colder than that across the countryside. Temperatures

are remaining in double figtres across the north of the reghon and

that is because cloud will gradually start to increase from that

direction into the morning tomorrow and through much of the day so

initially for the south of the region it will be bright with some

sunny spells the date that cloud will stream further southwards and

it will become duller as thd day goes on and the cloud may wdll

introduce the odd spot of F`me in part. Temperatures rising to 19

Celsius. Spitz and spots of rain. Friday should be largely drx and the

weekend as well. The prospect

of British military action against Islamic State fightdrs moves

closer, as Parliament's rec`lled. Ed Miliband insists it's not just

the NHS that's high on his `genda ` A former head of Ofsted has been

named the new special commissioner to investigate the so`called Trojan

Horse plot in Birmingham schools. with your latest update, including

the night's football results. I go round the country

and talk to people and so many people say life's an incredible

struggle at the moment and even if it's not a struggle now, they

feel uncertain about the future What kind of future is

my family going to have? People have lost that confidence

that there is going to be a future that is better than

the past, that their kids are going I think that now there's sense

of we have been through the pain, we have made the sacrifices, where

is the vision for the country? It's time we had a plan

and that's what my plan