Birmingham Mail

The first West Midlands metro mayor must "cajole and bully" their way to get things done if they are to be a success, an expert has claimed, external.  

Rob Mayor
Political Reporter

Conservative Andy Street has taken the lead after the regionwide first preference vote declaration. 

He received 216,280 votes while Labour's Sion Simon secured 210,259.

Only these two candidates now go forward into the second preference vote stage.

Band's Wonderland Live tour kicks off with devoted fans believing front row view could be magic.

Phil Mackie
Midlands correspondent, BBC News

Labour's Sion Simon has also clinched the first preference vote in Sandwell with 29,085 votes - his closest rival so far, Conservative Andy Street, took 14,361 votes.

UKIP secured 4,704 votes through its candidate Pete Durnell, James Burn took 2,032 for the Greens and Lib Dem Beverley Nielsen took 2,029, while Communist Graham Stevenson 672.

Kathryn Stanczyszyn
Political Reporter

Labour's Sion Simon has lengthened his first preference lead in the mayoral race with the Birmingham declaration.

He has won the city's backing by a 21,520-vote margin.

That extends his lead over his Conservative rival Andy Street to 22,617 votes. 

But Mr Simon needs more than 50% of first preference votes across the seven areas voting for a West Midlands mayor to be the winning candidate. If he or his closest rival cannot put up those numbers, second preference votes will be factored into the process.

Image source, Getty Images/Geoff Caddick

Alex Homer
BBC Local Live

The Conservative candidate Andy Street has taken Walsall in the first preference poll by a margin of nearly 7,000 votes.

Mr Street won 23,694 votes to Labour candidate Sion Simon's 16,725.

It means the running totals from the first preference declarations so far leave Labour's Simon on 61,650 while Tory Street is on 60,553 - a difference of 1,097.

UKIP's Pete Durnell took 3501 in Walsall, the Lib Dems' Beverley Nielsen took 2047, the Greens' James Burn 1465 and Communist Graham Stevenson 442.

In addition to Coventry, Labour's Siôn Simon is ahead in the first preference poll in Wolverhampton. He has 20,594 votes here.

Remember, those areas are just two of seven across the region that have been voting for the West Midlands' first mayor.

To be elected on first preference votes, a candidate has to secure more than 50% of the vote when papers are tallied across the whole electorate. Otherwise second preference votes will come into effect.

Andy Street, Conservative, has the next highest number of first preference votes in Wolverhampton: 16,514.

UKIP's Peter Durnell is in third place in the city, with 2,911.

BBC Midlands Today

Counts are taking place this lunchtime across the West Midlands in both the local and mayoral elections. We will bring you the latest.

HSBC's new head office in Birmingham will be given an official topping out ceremony today.

And we will be speaking to the Take That fans who slept outside ahead of the band's show later.

Join us for these stories and more on Midlands Today on BBC One from 13:30.

A Worcester-based UKIP MEP says it was "an unhappy coincidence" that his decision not to run in the general election was coming out as initial local election results also showed a party wipe-out in seats in Hampshire and Essex. 

Jim Carver, an MEP for the West Midlands, had already resigned as his party's foreign affairs spokesman over its "misguided" manifesto pledge to ban the wearing of the burka.

Image source, PA

Mr Carver contested the Stourbridge seat at the last general election in 2015, coming third with more than 7,000 votes.

You can follow the latest results across the country on the BBC local election live page.     

Andreas Cross began ballet dancing because his mother thought it might calm his hyperactivity.

Here are the results of the first preference votes in Coventry:  

Labour's Sion Simon is in the lead with 24,331 votes.

There were 20,345 votes cast for Conservative Andy Street and Liberal Democrat Beverley Nielsen got 3,339.

James Burn, Green, received 2,984 votes and Pete Durnell, UKIP, 2,928. Communist candidate Graham Stevenson received 821 votes.

If no single candidate earns more than 50% of the vote - when papers are tallied across the region including Birmingham and Wolverhampton - then the second preference votes will be brought into the mix.

Rob Mayor
Political Reporter

A lot of the areas where there have been Conservative gains in county council elections overnight have been in traditionally Tory areas such as Warwickshire and Gloucestershire.

The Tories did win the West of England mayor race but not by the distance by which they had been expected to win.

I'm not actually convinced that's what will happen in the West Midlands - it's going to be very hard to remove Labour's grip on this heartland area and it would be a big upset if the Tories were to win here.

Everyone seems to feel this will be close and that it has been a neck-and-neck contest between Labour and the Conservatives - second preference votes will be crucial.

Birmingham City - under managerial duo Harry Redknapp and Steve Cotterill - are preparing for the club's biggest game in three years.

It's at Bristol City on Sunday and Blues need a win to guarantee Championship survival, otherwise Nottingham Forest and Blackburn Rovers could overhaul them if they both win, and Blues either draw or lose. 

Image source, Empics

Former Blues skipper Martin O Connor said thinking only of a draw would be "a gamble" that might not pay off.

Jumprov was set up by performers who feel the acting industry doesn't tell enough diverse stories.

Phil Mackie
Midlands correspondent, BBC News

According to candidates for West Midlands mayor, early estimates are for a better-than-expected turnout of between 25 and 30%.  

Ben Sidwell
BBC Midlands Today

Take That fans have queued and slept outside a Birmingham gig venue ahead of tonight's performance by the band.

The Wonderland Live show opens at the Genting Arena in Birmingham tonight.

Gary, Howard and Mark have added extra dates.

They play Birmingham tonight and tomorrow, before returning to the Genting Arena for three nights at the start of June.

Express and Star

A holding site for travellers will be built opposite a park despite furious objections from residents, external.

Rob Mayor
Black Country Political Reporter, BBC WM

Ballot boxes have been opened here at the Barclaycard Arena and verification is under way - the votes are counted in the first West Midlands mayor elections.

We are also waiting to hear the results of two Birmingham by-elections - for Hall Green and Perry Barr.

The Conservatives have pledged to hold an inquiry into the actions of disgraced breast surgeon Ian Paterson, if the party is returned to power.

Image source, SWNS

Paterson, 59, who exaggerated or invented cancer risks in patients, was convicted of 17 counts of wounding with intent last month.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said his malpractice was "profoundly shocking".

Baroness Lorely Burt, former Lib Dem MP for Solihull, called for any inquiry to be held in public.

A 24-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder and is in police custody.