The West Midlands is full of diversity but its leadership bodies, public and private, are dominated by white men. What should be done?

Last year the West Midlands Combined Authority set up a Leadership Commission to address the under-representation of people of all backgrounds in leadership roles in both the public and private sectors. In June this year it published a 46 page report, Leaders Like You.

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Public meeting – West Virginia teachers’ strike and Springfield primary school strike, Monday 16 July 7.30 Council House

The Council must stop the forced academisation of Springfield primary school

 A new angle on Springfield Primary has opened up. The note below follows questions asked by parents, and David Room, the Birmingham NEU general secretary, about Springfield Primary School at Tuesday’s full council meeting. Today will be strike day 18.

Dear Ian and Brigid,

  Below is the response to a parliamentary question on revoked academy orders. The attachment at the bottom of the screenshot provides a list of these (3 in Birmingham). The circumstances of each may be different to the situation at Springfield but the point holds that these orders can be revoked. This is something that the Chair of the IEB has failed to grasp, or is unwilling to accept. Thus, it appears that BCC and  the IEB at Springfield Primary, are both very keen for the school to become an academy and join Reach 2 MAT. Furthermore, with a number of representatives of Reach 2 on the Springfield IEB it appears that ‘the fix is in’ with regard to Reach 2 taking over. This is unacceptable and something which needs to be exposed.

 We therefore request an urgent moratorium on the proposed academisation of Springfield Primary School in order that all alternative school improvement options are given full consideration. Furthermore, there is evidence that Reach 2 MAT is not an appropriate sponsor for Springfield Primary School and BCC must, as part of its due diligence requirements, explore this issue without delay.

 Regards

 David Room

General Secretary, Birmingham NUT Section, National Education Union

Carillion’s collapse leaves a rotting carcass of Midland Metropolitan Hospital

The Keep NHS Public protest at the MMH hospital on the 5^th July was a major success with 100-120 people from diverse communities when the organisers had only expected 30-40 in attendance.

Birmingham’s affordable housing shortage – how developers exploit loopholes to put profit first

The Council promised that 35% of new developments would be affordable housing, but achieved less than 10%.

Springfield primary school strike update

This week will see NEU members at Springfield Primary School, Birmingham take their 14^th, 15^th and 16^th days of strike action in opposition to the proposed staffing restructure. The strike remains totally solid and the strikers are more determined than ever to make sure that the potentially damaging staffing proposals are withdrawn. More workers at the school have joined the strike of late and morale on the picket lines is extremely high.

CELEBRATE THE NHS’S 70TH BIRTHDAY – PROTEST THE PRIVATE FINANCE COLLAPSE at the Midland Metropolitan Hospital site, 5.30-6.30 Thursday 5 July