Voluntary trust plan for Birmingham's children's services
Walsall man guilty of Susan Whiting's rape and murder
Schoolchildren and seven teachers from the Black Country escape a coach fire
£20m plan to expand Black Country Living Museum
Updates on Tuesday 24 May 2016
A Nechells road has been cordoned off for police to investigate reports of gunshots fired at a takeaway shop.
Duddeston Mill Road has been sealed off after reports of shots just after midnight. No-one was injured.
West Midlands Police is appealing for information as its officers comb over the scene for evidence.
Great Barr Observer
A man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a man was stabbed in Perry Barr, external.
A top stunt motorcyclist is in danger of losing his UK No 2 status after being banned from using his practice ground at a car park, external in the Black Country.
CBBC has today announced it will be heading to Birmingham in July for two days of events and live broadcasts celebrating authors.
Some of the UK’s best-loved authors, as well as some of CBBC’s stars, are heading to the Library of Birmingham and Centenary Square on 16 and 17 July.
Authors appearing at the library on the 16th include Dame Jacqueline Wilson, Alex T Smith, David Baddiel, David O’Doherty and Chris Judge, Jeremy Strong and Lucy Hawking.
On Sunday the authors are Liz Pichon, Bali Rai, Frank Cottrell Boyce, Andy Riley, Robin Stevens and Ross MacKenzie.
Hacker T Dog introduces two action-packed days of events and live broadcasts
David Lumb
BBC News Online
The Black Country Living Museum’s plans are ambitious.
As part of a £20m expansion, bosses want to move the entrance so it links more closely to Dudley’s other attractions – the zoo, the archives and the canals – to make Dudley a global tourist attraction.
They also want to create a 1940s town to complete the Black Country story. Whether it happens, of course, is all subject to funding being obtained.
Qasa Alom
BBC Midlands Today
We will have more on the new voluntary trust which is lined up to take over the running of Birmingham City Council's children's services department.
And we report on a £20m expansion plan to develop the Black Country Living Museum in Dudley.
Join us for the Midlands Today on BBC One at 13:30.
Birmingham City Council has scooped Gold at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show for the fifth year running, with its display celebrating the work of local artist Willard Wigan and grass root sport.
For those who cannot travel to Chelsea to see the display, it will be recreated in Cannon Hill Park alongside an exhibition of Willard’s work at the Midland Arts Centre throughout June.
The death of seven-year-old Khyra Ishaq, who starved to death in Handsworth in May 2008, turned the spotlight onto Birmingham City Council.
In February 2010 the High Court ruled Khyra was "failed by social services."
Image source, PAIn October 2012 Ofsted rated the council's child protection services "inadequate"
Follow our timeline.
Alex Homer
BBC Local Live
Here is a quick recap of our headlines on Tuesday so far:
- Birmingham's troubled children services department is set to be run as a voluntary trust
- A Walsall man has been found guilty of the rape and murder of a woman with learning difficulties
- Pupils and teachers from the Black Country escape a coach fire on the M6
Phil Mackie
Midlands correspondent, BBC News
Insiders have been telling me that while improvements have been made to Birmingham children's services, the department still struggles to retain staff and therefore relies heavily on agency workers.
They also say social workers can still be dealing with between 20 and 30 individual cases, even though a maximum of 15 is recommended.
Critics of the council have been calling for a change along these lines for years, but it's unlikely that the new voluntary trust planned, however it is set up, will be a panacea for the city's problems.
Birmingham's central belt is one of the most deprived areas in the country and the city's population is rapidly growing. Whoever takes charge will have to address recruitment and morale as a matter of urgency.
BBC Travel
There's a lane blocked on the exit slip road northbound at J2, M69 (Coventry), because of a broken down vehicle, BBC Travel news reports.
There's also slow traffic on the M6 southbound at J9, A461 (Wednesbury), because of an accident involving a car and a lorry earlier on. Congestion to J10, A454 (Wolverhampton).
Sutton Coldfield Local
On Thursday 26 May at Sutton Coldfield Town Hall the new Mayor will be presented, external at the Annual Meeting of Electors and Mayor Making ceremony.
Rob Mayor
Black Country Political Reporter, BBC WM
A new code of conduct will be presented to Sandwell councillors tonight after six allegations of misconduct were leveled at the authority's former deputy leader.
Sandwell Councillor Mahboob Hussain is accused of six alleged council code of conduct breaches, according to solicitors Gowling WLG, which investigated alleged irregularities in the sale of the authority's former properties.
In three of those instances, he is alleged to have helped his family, but Mr Hussain denies wrongdoing.
One allegation is Mr Hussain was involved in the sale of three former council-owned public conveniences for £35,000 to a friend of his, but the relationship was not revealed.
Mr Hussain's solicitors had told the law firm they thought there was "no requirement to make declarations at informal meetings".
Changes to the code of conduct set out exact definitions of what is meant by a "meeting", a "member of your family" or a "person with whom you have a close association".
Jennifer Meierhans
BBC News Online
The Department for Education (DfE) said the council had made some improvements but its progress had "not gone far enough, fast enough".
A spokesperson said: "The council recognises this and that’s why we are working together to look at the steps that now need to be taken to make sure children and families in Birmingham receive the best possible care and support.
“The Prime Minister was clear that we cannot tolerate failure in children's services. That is why we are looking at the best next steps including moving towards a voluntary trust.”
Peter Wilson
BBC Midlands Today Special Correspondent
A Walsall man has been found guilty of the rape and murder of a woman with learning difficulties.
The body of Susan Whiting, 20, was found wrapped in a shower curtain under a bed at Beard's home in Bloxwich, Leicester Crown Court was earlier told.
Steven Beards, aged 34, has been found guilty of her rape and murder. The jury is still considering verdicts on Julie Beards who blamed her husband for the murder of her friend in August last year and denies murder.
Image source, West Midlands Police
Image source, Helen Tipper
Alison Holt
Social affairs correspondent
Birmingham's children's services has been in special measures for a number of years, with a former government minister, Lord Warner, appointed as commissioner in 2014.
Similar children's trusts have been established to run services in places where there have been problems, such as Doncaster and Slough.
They often rely on groups of experts, charities and high-performing local authorities to provide support. Experts believe the size of Birmingham - which is England's biggest local authority - makes it particularly difficult to bring about change.
The announcement of these plans was brought forward because of a Channel 4 Dispatches programme to be broadcast this week.
Rob Mayor
Black Country Political Reporter, BBC WM
Steve Eling's been elected as the new leader of Labour-run Sandwell Council.
He's been a councillor in Abbey Ward since 2004 and had been acting leader since the death of Darren Cooper in March.
The election had to be re-run on Monday night after a 34-34 draw on Friday, with one spoiled vote.
Image source, Sandwell CouncilThe children's services department in Birmingham is to be run by a voluntary trust.
The department was served with an improvement notice in February 2009 and has been dogged by high-profile inquiries including into the death of Keanu Williams - who was beaten to death by his mother - and most recently the murder of Keegan Downer.
The city council says its plans have been under discussion for a while now and and it is confident more improvements will be made under the trust that will run it.
The council's ruling cabinet must now approve the scheme.
Louise Hancock
Newsreader, BBC WM
A teenager's been arrested after a schoolboy was stabbed in Kings Norton.
It happened on Monyhull Hall Road yesterday morning - the 16-year-old victim walked to a nearby school but collapsed and is being treated in hospital.
Police have been questioning another 16-year-old who handed himself into officers.
Warwickshire's Chris Woakes took a stunning career-best 9-36 at Edgbaston as he warmed up for a possible England Test recall by bowling out Durham.
Woakes, who was called up to replace Ben Stokes for the second Test against Sri Lanka on Friday, went for 17 runs with no reward off his first six overs.
Image source, Getty Images