Explore the vast range of titles available.

Council legal officials have looked into liability for the fault, but can find no trace of the safety certificate guarantee that should have come with the glass panels. The city's cabinet has been warned that if more panesshatter, they may all have to be replaced, with the pounds 2.5 million bill being passed on to Birmingham's taxpayers. Millennium Point, which houses the Thinktank Science exhibition and Imax theatre, was today announcing the opening of a pounds 2 million Planetarium attraction, launched with afanfare only four years ago. The council's man on the board, Coun Len Clark, admitted there was concern about the condition of the glass covered building.

BIRMINGHAM City Council's deputy leader today shocked his Labour colleagues by abruptly ending his 27-year career in city politics. Councillor Bryan Bird, the leading moderate on the increasingly left-wing dominated local authority, announced: \"I have been proud and privileged to represent the city of my birth for such a long time. Coun Bird, seen here admiring one of the city's Britain In Bloom trophies, refused to expand on his statement. But friends say his reasons mirror those of two other disillusioned moderates - Martin Brooks and Clare Bradley - who announced last year theywere resigning as Labour councillors.

BIRMINGHAM Council's former race relations boss is celebrating Christmas with a pounds 56,000 cash present from city ratepayers, it was revealed today. Khurshid Ahmed, who ran the city's race empire for more than ten years, was given the money to drop an industrial tribunal case claiming he had lost his job because of the council's racial discrimination. City leaders authorised the pay off in exchange for Mr Ahmed withdrawing his case and promising not to comment in future on either the details of it or the cash settlement.

THIRTY of the worst slum homes in Birmingham are to be bulldozed by the city council - at a cost of pounds 40,000 each. Owners of the 110-year old houses on one side of Clodeshall Road, Saltley will even share a special pounds 208,000 cash payout to help them buy new ones. Tory spokesman Coun John Lines pointed out that pounds 400,000 of taxpayers' money could be saved by repairing the homes instead of buying and bulldozing them.

Despite representing the working class ward of Stockland Green from her picturesque cottage in a Northumberland beauty spot, Coun Wells is refusing to budgeLabour Chief Whip Coun Anita Ward, who wrote to Coun [Margaret Wells] asking for her resignation, said: 'Coun Wells has refused to go gracefullyToday Coun Wells insisted her absence was down to a broken leg suffered as she walked her dog in a Northumbrian beauty spot. Labour officials say that when Coun Wells bought her home in Blyth, Northumberland, she made an agreement to:

Despite representing the working class ward of Stockland Green from her picturesque cottage in a Northumberland beauty spot, Coun Wells is refusing to budge. Labour Chief Whip Coun Anita Ward, who wrote to Coun [Margaret Wells] asking for her resignation, said: 'CounWells has refused to go gracefully.' 'People believe she has abused the system. It is reflecting really badly on other Labour councillors who are being brought into disrepute and accused of only being in public service for the moneyLabour officials say that when Coun Wells bought her home in Blyth, Northumberland, she made an agreement to:

The outfit has been given its marching orders after an investigation revealed Birmingham City Council was grossly overpaying for repair work. Evening Mail inquiries revealed it was costing pounds 17 to change a light bulb, pounds 60 to fit a new tap washer and pounds 610 to fit a bath - a job being carried out for nearly half the price in nearby Castle Vale. The jobs of Accord employees will transfer to a new contractor successful in tendering for the repair jobs in the Hall Green, Edgbaston, and Selly Oak areas.

The council has been meekly handing over pounds 7.5 million a year to settle the claims instead of investigating and contesting them. Lawyers have pocketed pounds 4.5 million, with the rest going on tenants' compensation and repairs. Scrutiny chief Coun Frank Coyne, whose investigation uncovered the scandal, said: 'The seven agency staff were employed to go out and examine properties involved in disrepair claims.

John Hemming, who became Yardley's Lib Dem MP in May, said that Emily Cox, herself a city councillor as well as his researcher and personal assistant, was expecting their child in November. Devon born Coun Cox, who represents Moseley, said she was keen to have Mr Hemming's baby. Speaking for the first time about their affair, she said: 'Obviously I want to keep the baby and I don't think John would have tried to have influenced me not to. I am very happy about it. ANGRY: Wife Christine today; LOVERS: John Hemming and Emily Cox; LOVER: Emily Cox, who is having a baby with John Hemming; DISTRESSED: Christine Hemming talks to Lisa McCarthy today