The family of a mother and daughter who died in the Bahrain boat tragedy said losing them both was "unbearable". Patricia Doyle and her daughter Roslyn, from Hagley, Worcestershire, were among the 58 people who died in the boat accident last Thursday. Investigations into the accident continued yesterday with the owner of the boat questioned by local police. Mrs Doyle's family said she had arrived in Bahrain on the morning of the tragedy to see her 35-year-old daughter Roslyn, who was working as an English language teacher with the British Council.
The row over Birmingham's refusal to help fund an Elan Valley community museum has taken a new twist after city council leader Mike Whitby suggested the matter was the responsibility of Severn Trent. Coun Whitby (Con Harborne) said he hoped the water company would make a "very generous donation" since it owned the pipe line which for more than a century has brought millions of gallons of water a year from the Welsh valley to Birmingham. He denied being party to a decision not to make a donation to the community museum. However, Elan Valley fund raisers were told by the council that they would not be receiving a donation after they wrote to Coun Whitby asking for cash.
A #326 million PFI scheme to rebuild 12 Birmingham schools represents poor value for money to city taxpayers, education union leaders have claimed. Birmingham City Council has finalised a deal that will see construction firm Balfour Beatty complete the work as a Private Finance Initiative project. Under the controversial arrangement, Balfour will build and manage the schools while the authority pays off the cost over a 30-year period, similar to a mortgage. But public services union Unison claimed local taxpayers would be hit by the interest charged.
Three West Midlands bids are among 27 contenders for Britain's first Las Vegas-style 'super-casino'. The National Exhibition Centre - which has been submitted by Solihull and backed by Birmingham - Coventry and Dudley will battle it out with 24 other towns and cities. Only one area will be allowed to host the giant regional casino with 1,250 unlimited jackpot slot machines. The Casino Advisory Panel was said to be "sifting and thinning" the pile of applications stretching from Newcastle to Newport, Southampton to Sheffield.
