Stourbridge News

A grieving Stourbridge widow has told the heartbreaking story of how her husband of 50 years died after waiting 57 minutes for an ambulance, external after falling down the stairs.

Image source, Stourbridge News

Kathryn Stanczyszyn
Political Reporter, BBC WM

A judge today adjourned a hearing to determine whether Birmingham City Council has lawfully issued redundancy notices to binmen taking industrial action in the city.

The union Unite is bringing the case because it says it had a deal with the council over the issue of pay grading - and the council has reneged on it by issuing the notices.

The leader of the council John Clancy resigned over the handling of the dispute on Monday.

Today, a judge said the case was too complex for a short listing and adjourned it for a full day's hearing on Monday at the High Court.

He agreed with the legal team representing Unite that binmen would be unfairly disadvantaged by the short delay as they're due to lose their jobs on 1 October, and both sides agreed to suspend the notices until Monday - meaning the redundancy notice period will now run until 4 October.

Andrew Dawkins
BBC News Online

Engineers from Western Power Distribution are now at the site of an underground fire in Birmingham city centre, which was extinguished earlier.

Essex bowl out Warwickshire for 112 to win by an innings and stand on the brink of a first County Championship title since 1992.

An area near Birmingham's Victoria Square was cordoned off, after an explosion and black smoke came from under the pavement.

An ambulance en route to a 999 call has been involved in a collision with a car outside Sandwell hospital.

Meet Goaty McGoatface - the newest addition at Forge Mill Farm, external in West Bromwich.

Image source, Sandwell council

The six-week-old goat, who will be known as Goaty, was named by members of the public who suggested their favourite names on Facebook.

Goaty was born in August to the farm’s oldest Bagot goat, Ivy, who is 15 [both pictured above].

Sandwell council said it was supporting a scheme run by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust, external to breed the rare goats as there were fewer than 200 registered breeding females left.

An ambulance en route to a 999 call has been involved in a collision with a car outside Sandwell hospital.

The man driving the car and the two paramedics were treated for minor injuries following the crash at about 10:15 BST in All Saints Way.

The ambulance service said CCTV footage from the vehicle would be provided to police and the trust would be working closely with the West Midlands force to establish what happened.

Video courtesy of John Kennett.

A hearing at which the Unite union is bidding to block 113 bin workers losing their jobs in Birmingham has been rescheduled for Monday next week.

Unite was due to start its legal challenge in London on Thursday, but the High Court hearing was re-fixed for next week because of time constraints on it taking place this week.

The union is seeking an interim injunction restraining Birmingham City Council' from dismissing grade three "leading hands", referred to in court as middle grade waste collection supervisors, pending a full legal challenge over the legality of the council's actions.

The redundancy notices were due to take effect on 1 October, but the council undertook to extend the deadline by three days to 4 October in view of the delayed court hearing.

The union is arguing the council's actions are unlawful and breach an agreement reached through Acas. The bin strike started this summer and a ballot for further action is expected to be completed on 18 September.

Timothy Straker QC, appearing for the council, said he would be arguing the courts should not interfere with the authority's actions "for a raft of reasons".

Allen Cook
BBC Local Live

The railway between Rugeley and Wednesbury is going to be shut for three Sundays in a row as a project continues, external to electrify the line.

Image source, London Midland

London Midland says it'll start this Sunday on the Chase line between Tame Bridge Parkway and Rugeley Trent Valley.

The operator says there'll be replacement buses instead.

An ambulance en route to a 999 call has been involved in a collision with a car outside Sandwell hospital and ended up on its side.

Image source, John Kennett

Three paramedic officers and an ambulance were sent to the scene following the crash at about 10:15 in All Saints Way.

The man driving the car suffered minor injuries and was treated by ambulance staff before being taken to the hospital for further checks.

The two paramedics, who managed to get out of the overturned vehicle, were assessed by their colleagues and treated for minor injuries and the effects of shock before being taken to the hospital as a precaution.

The ambulance service, external said CCTV footage from the vehicle would be provided to police and the trust would be working closely with the West Midlands force to establish what happened.

Express and Star

A financial investigator has appealed for footballers who lost money, external in a failed investment scheme linked to ex-Wolves star Michael McIndoe to come forward.

An area near Birmingham's Victoria Square was cordoned off, after an explosion and black smoke came from under the pavement.

The fire service said there appeared to be an issue linked to electrical equipment and it had asked National Grid to attend after being called at about 12:40.

There appeared to be an issue linked to electrical equipment under the pavement, the fire service says, following reports of an explosion at Victoria Square.

Black smoke came out of the pavement at about 12:40 and eight firefighters were sent to the scene at the junction of New Street and Pinfold Street.

West Midlands Fire Service said it asked National Grid to go there.

Birmingham City Council's website, external is now working again following problems after workers went through a cable.

The website had been down since yesterday afternoon after the incident happened as part of work on the major Paradise Circus redevelopment, which includes the site of the city's old Central Library.

An explosion and black smoke coming out of the pavement has been seen at Victoria Square in Birmingham.

A fire engine from Highgate and a 4x4 vehicle from Aston were sent to the scene after the fire service was alerted at about 12:40.

BBC reporter Riyah Collins, at the scene, said she could see a fire from the ground near steps heading up to Victoria Square, and it appeared to be coming from below a manhole cover.

West Midlands fire service said there appeared to be an issue linked to electrical equipment under the pavement and it had asked National Grid to come to the scene, at the junction of New Street and Pinfold Street.

Birmingham Mail

An ambulance overturned outside a West Midlands hospital, external following a collision with a car.

The lawn mowed in the pattern of a union jack is recognised in the International Creative Lawn Stripes Competition.

Kathryn Stanczyszyn
Political Reporter, BBC WM

Binmen from Unite were outside the High Court as the union has gone there in the latest stage of its battle with Birmingham City Council over bin workers' contracts.

The union has claimed the council had broken the law by issuing redundancy notices to staff.

Workers resumed their strike on 1 September after a deal, which had seen the seven-week action suspended, fell apart.

The judge said they were concerned the matter was too complex to deal with today in Court 37, but a Unite barrister said there was urgency because binmen had a redundancy date of 1 October.

A council barrister said 27 October was a critical date - the date binmen have to respond to redundancy notices by.

The barrister said there was "powerful legal argument" against an idea that Unite had a deal.

The court has risen while the judge looks at dates.

A £30m redevelopment of the area earmarked for Birmingham's high-speed railway station is set to begin.

Image source, Birmingham City Council

Initial work on the Curzon HS2 regeneration plan will see the construction of a new Midland Metro stop and the creation of new public spaces.

The new metro stop will form part of the extension to the city centre into Digbeth and is expected to be operational by 2023.