LOCAL residents at Edgbaston have accused Birmingham City Council leader Mike Whitby of being taken in by "disingenous cant"� from Warwickshire County Cricket Club, according to a Birmingham Mail report.

======STOP SUMMARY=====

The Cannon Hill Neighbourhood Forum, seeking to overturn planning permission for a £32 million ground enhancement scheme at the High Court, said the city council were wasting money by approving a £20 million loan.

Forum chairman Leo Nation said Warwickshire had backtracked on promises to engage with residents through a liaison group and he repeated his claim that the club's stance that permanent floodlighting was required to protect Test match status was not justified.

A council report highlighted the importance of promoting Birmingham as a "great international city" and pointed out that international cricket would secure wide television exposure across five continents.