shown in recent years, in have shown in recent years, in adults and children's social care, that we can deliver transformation and improve outcomes, even in times of rising demand. our critics would rightly in my view say that we haven't built on those successes enough. in short, we have not been consistent enough. i think that's an absolutely fair criticism to make, and i do not underestimate the challenges that will come with transforming and modernising this council. i absolutely understand that we must regain trust to bring this city with us on this journey. when the commission meets for the first time, before the end of may, ourjobis first time, before the end of may, ourjob is to demonstrate a commitment and willingness to be better and to do things differently. funding will also be made available for local community groups to play their part, and we will set out a new collaborative approach to empower our communities. we will

also commit to getting the basics right across a whole range of service areas, ensuring bins are collected on time, our roads are in good condition, and our neighbourhoods are clean and safe places. we will bring a new era of accountability and transparency to this organisation. this will be the cornerstone for our journey to improving basic services, responding to the concerns of our citizens and ensuring that the mistakes of the past are never repeated. those responsible for the issues of equal pay will be held to account under the terms of a local inquiry that i hope government will be convening shortly. i want to stress that creating a culture of accountability is notjust about punishing people when things go wrong. it is also about creating a culture of trust and collaboration to ensure that we get things right in the first place, and where those, where there are

issues, these can be raised openly without fear of retribution. that issues, these can be raised openly without fear of retribution.- without fear of retribution. that is the leader of— without fear of retribution. that is the leader of birmingham - without fear of retribution. that is the leader of birmingham city - the leader of birmingham city council, who is addressing the council there. as we've been saying, councillors are expected to approve swingeing cuts of around £300 million. that debate is going to go on. we expected there to be a vote in the last hour, but they are going to continue debating that. we will continue talking about the issue of funding for councils. speaking to nicky campbell earlier, pawlett, who works in the arts, spoke of her frustration with birmingham city council. ~ ., , frustration with birmingham city council. ~ . , ., , , ., council. what is happening to services. _ council. what is happening to services. as _ council. what is happening to services, as you _ council. what is happening to services, as you know, - council. what is happening to services, as you know, our. council. what is happening to - services, as you know, our citizens in birmingham will have at least a 9.9% increase in our council tax. the frustration for me, because i work within arts organisations in birmingham, is the way that they have cut funding to a number of major arts organisations that do

fantastic community work around the city, and they are cutting it by 50% this year, and then 100% next year. it is unfair that the arts have been hit as an easy way to say, yeah, let's just cut the arts. the city of birmingham has been targeted by city council for their mistakes. they are the ones who for over the last ten years have been fighting for this equal pay award. years have been fighting for this equal pay award-— years have been fighting for this equal pay award. which goes way back. it equal pay award. which goes way back- it goes _ equal pay award. which goes way back. it goes way _ equal pay award. which goes way back. it goes way back, _ equal pay award. which goes way back. it goes way back, but - equal pay award. which goes way back. it goes way back, but they | back. it goes way back, but they have not managed _ back. it goes way back, but they have not managed the _ back. it goes way back, but they have not managed the finances. have not managed the finances effectively. for example, they have computer system that is very poor. you try to go on to your account, you are not given instructions of how to sort out your council tax. they have made poor investments, a poor way of spending money, and the citizens of birmingham have to pay for it. ., �* , citizens of birmingham have to pay for it. . �*, ., ., citizens of birmingham have to pay forit. . �*, ., ., �*, ., for it. that's not fair. let's hear from ali

for it. that's not fair. let's hear from all in _ for it. that's not fair. let's hear from ali in stafford, _ for it. that's not fair. let's hear from ali in stafford, who - for it. that's not fair. let's hear from ali in stafford, who also i from ali in stafford, who also called in to nicky's show this morning. he feels he is not getting value for money. it’s morning. he feels he is not getting value for money.— value for money. it's very difficult to see the — value for money. it's very difficult to see the value _ value for money. it's very difficult to see the value for— value for money. it's very difficult to see the value for money - value for money. it's very difficult| to see the value for money around value for money. it's very difficult. to see the value for money around at the moment, when you look at the state of your roads, your town centres, which seem to be crumbling and empty. yeah, the value for money is a real hard—won to sell. but i don't think wejust is a real hard—won to sell. but i don't think we just want to bash all our counsellors. they are doing a hard job. the problem is, they are asked to do an impossiblejob, and our council tax will go up by 4.99%, so they said 0.01% within the allowed uplift. the basis is that council tax is becoming unaffordable for a lot of people. it is getting to the point where they will kill the golden goose, and who will be able to live in a house soon if you

are on a normal income? it isjust getting to the levels where it is ridiculous, the amount having to go out every month, or annually, however you pay those things. i checked this morning. for our local council, 43% of council spending goes on social care, and i think thatis goes on social care, and i think that isjust all too goes on social care, and i think that is just all too huge goes on social care, and i think that isjust all too huge budget goes on social care, and i think that is just all too huge budget for local councils to manage, and i think it is about time that social care was integrated into the national health service and became a nationally funded model, and then councils can concentrate on local services. i know that social care is locally delivered but it needs to be nationally funded and not put that huge cost onto households. same nationally funded and not put that huge cost onto households. some of the callers to — huge cost onto households. some of the callers to nicky _ huge cost onto households. some of the callers to nicky campbell, - the callers to nicky campbell, talking about council funding. let me take you back to the pictures in birmingham. if you havejustjoined us, birmingham city council are discussing the cuts they are going

to have to make. we expect them to approve those swingeing cuts to local services as they look to save £300 million. council tax will rise by 21% over two years. this is all because europe's largest local authority has declared itself effectively bankrupt and is trying to save those cuts. i want to take you to edinburgh, because the family of emma caldwell has been meeting scotland's first minister, and they are about to talk to the press. let's listen. this is margaret caldwell and her loyal, and moran mor, coming to

the... , , ., loyal, and moran mor, coming to the... , , ., ,, _ the... this is a statement issued by m self, the... this is a statement issued by myself. the — the... this is a statement issued by myself, the solicitor _ the... this is a statement issued by myself, the solicitor acting - the... this is a statement issued by myself, the solicitor acting for - myself, the solicitor acting for margaret caldwell and her family, following a meeting with the first minister and thejustice secretary. margaret caldwell wishes to thank the first minister and thejustice secretary for meeting her today. they treated her with total compassion and empathy, and she hopes they will deliver on the many promises they made today. the first minister promised that he will give primary consideration to the family's demands for a statutory public inquiry, and thejustice secretary promised she will update parliament within days on their decision. since the murder of emma in 2005, many in the police will argue things have changed significantly. we do not accept this. in 2023, sir ian livingstone, whilst chief constable of police scotland, spoke of the misogyny in the police service. we know that evidence exists that the abduction, rape and murder of emma caldwell, and the subsequent rapes of women,

might have been prevented or at least disrupted had allegations against packer been investigated. the family were angry to read reports in the newspapers today that the crown offices delete my office found... such a conclusion is insulting to the family and contrasts sharply with the evidence presented by former police officers up presented by former police officers up their investigation into ian packer being sabotaged in order to pursue a false allegation against four turkish men. women not only live in fear of violence every day, they live in fear of those who police us, the fear of not being believed or being dismissed, as emma was, and the fear of abuse by men in power. these are realfears, not imagined, and sadly there are all too many examples of police officers assaulting men and —— women and children. how many women have to die or be right before our police

service and criminaljustice system is held to account? we welcome the public statements of humza yousaf on misogyny and tackling violence against women, and we hope you will commit to a robust public inquiry on the catastrophic failures in the emma caldwell case. we appreciate the government will seek the views of the lord advocate and the chief constable, who we will also meet over the next two days, but they cannot be allowed to investigate themselves. both institutions of the crown 0ffice themselves. both institutions of the crown office and the police must answer as to why one of the worst sex offenders in the uk was gifted his freedom for some 17 years. how many other women in that time were disbelieved, humiliated, challenged when seeking justice, whilst a toxic culture of misogyny and corruption in the police allowed a killer and serial rapist to be able to carry out his crimes? this government, believe good with toxic arguments in respect of how women are treated, sex workers' rights, the trans

debate and sexual assault allegations, has an opportunity to improve its standing with women in scotland. margaret caldwell once more than condolences or apologies, she believes an immediate public inquiry must be ordered and anything less would be a betrayal of emma and the 22 other women whose evidence was heard at trial. margaret and the family are deeply grateful to the first minister and justice secretary and hope there will finally be a legacy of emma caldwell. thank you, eve one. legacy of emma caldwell. thank you, everyone- so. _ legacy of emma caldwell. thank you, everyone. so, that _ legacy of emma caldwell. thank you, everyone. so, that is _ legacy of emma caldwell. thank you, everyone. so, that is the _ legacy of emma caldwell. thank you, everyone. so, that is the lawyer - legacy of emma caldwell. thank you, everyone. so, that is the lawyer of i everyone. so, that is the lawyer of marc aret everyone. so, that is the lawyer of margaret caldwell. _ everyone. so, that is the lawyer of margaret caldwell. they _ everyone. so, that is the lawyer of margaret caldwell. they were - margaret caldwell. they were speaking after meeting the scottish first minister. they pressed for a public inquiry and a criminal investigation into the handling of the inquiry into the murder of emma caldwell. a series of police blunders meant that her killer, ian packer, was only convicted of the murder last week, almost 20 years after her death in 2005. emma's family say she was foiled by a toxic

culture within the police of misogyny and corruption. you heard them mentioning that. humza yousaf has said he will look at a public inquiry. that is what they said the first minister told them, and that he will update them within the next few days. as you heard margaret caldwell�*s lawyer say, she wants more than words of condolence, she wants a public inquiry. we will bring you more on that throughout the afternoon here on bbc news. first, let's get a look at the weather with louise. a bit ofa a bit of a lottery out there at the moment. there are winners and losers. some lovely sunshine to be found in lancashire earlier on, but a different story further east. the club ticket offer a spot of drizzle and showery rain in places. there is and showery rain in places. there is a weather front and showery rain in places. there is a weatherfront draping and showery rain in places. there is a weather front draping itself along the east coast that will linger through much of the day. also the potential for shop showers, may be the odd rumble of thunder across the

south—east later. this weather front into northern ireland will slowly ease further north, so an improving picture as we go through the afternoon. many central and western areas keeping the sunshine. we keep that frontal system out to the east. a grey, damp, drizzly affairfor many, with many of the shower is still potentially heavy, with the odd rumble of thunder. underneath the cloud, around eight or nine celsius. furtherwest, the cloud, around eight or nine celsius. further west, with the sunshine, ii or 12 celsius. overnight, the weather front will continue to feed more cloud into eastern areas. further west, clearer skies, a touch of fog forming, and the potential for skies, a touch of fog forming, and the potentialfor some skies, a touch of fog forming, and the potential for some frost as temperatures dip just below freezing. that's where we will have the best of the early morning sunshine once any patchy fog lifts away. we may well keep the sunshine for much of the day. a weather front desperately trying to push into the south—west and south—west wales. once again, cloudy along the east.

across parts of lincolnshire, east anglia, south—east england, we should see the cloud thinning and breaking, a few scattered showers, again temperatures between seven and 12 again temperatures between seven and i2 celsius. on thursday, the high pressure across scandinavia dominates the weather story, but the winds will stop to freshen. they are circulating around the high pressure, which means more of a breeze, potentially cooler and fresher on those exposed coasts. sheltered western areas, the best of the drier and sunnier moments. a few scattered showers, but in the sunshine, with shelter, it should feel pleasant as temperatures peak around 12 celsius. where you have that exposure to the wind on the east coast, more cloud, and a bit fresher. not a bad start to the weekend but there is the potential on sunday for more showers or longer spells of rain.

live from london. this is bbc news. an opportunity for an immediate ceasefire for gaza. those are the words of america's top diplomat antony blinken has talked for a possible ceasefire continue in egypt. the war and gaza started after hamas attacked israel on the 7th of october. the un says there are reasonable grounds to believe sexual violence occurred during that attack. in the us, it's super tuesday with voters in more than a dozen states decide which candidate should represent the party in this year's presidential race. in the uk

there are reports that the government is planning to cut national insurance on tomorrow's budget. at least 35 people have died in pakistan after unexpected snowfall and heavy rain hits remote areas. we begin this hour in the middle east. the us secretary of defence antony blinken has said there is an opportunity for an immediate ceasefire in gaza. his comments come as leaders of the palestinian group and mass are expected to hold more talks in cairo with mediators although israel says it will not directly attend until hamas provides a list of hostages it's holding. let's have a listen to what antony blinken had to say. it’s let's have a listen to what antony blinken had to say.— let's have a listen to what antony blinken had to say. it's also urgent

irrespeetive _ blinken had to say. it's also urgent irrespeetive of _