SANTA'S ARRIVED - IN LONDON

18-12-2006

Birmingham Council have decided it's the season of goodwill to London newspapers - after splashing out £1,100 on a Christmas ad in the Independent.

The rambling message penned by Cllr Alan Rudge, the cabinet member for Equalities and Resources, explains at mind-blowing length how the various communities in the city can all enjoy the festive season even if they aren't Christian.

This is the man who pledged to cut down on waste after discovering that street maintenance workers in the city can earn up to £91,000 a year.

Showing that he's no stranger to swilling taxpayers money down the drain himself, it's emerged that Rudgetook out similar advertsin the paperat Eid and Diwali.

Talksport shock jock Jon Gaunt who blew the whistle on the ads today made the point that while the sentiments are laudable there are cheaper and more effective ways of getting the message across.

You would have thought the council's own website would have been more appropriate,although if Mr Rudge wants to send £1100 The Stirrer's way,next year we'll happily post all three messages for the price of one - and almost certainly reach more readers in the West Midlands than the Indie.