Summary

  • Updates from Monday 4 - Sunday 10 December

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  1. General Electric job cuts to hit Stafford and Rugbypublished at 12:20 Greenwich Mean Time 7 December 2017
    Breaking

    Allen Cook
    BBC News

    General Electric is planning to cut 1,100 jobs from its UK power business, mainly affecting Stafford and Rugby.

  2. Panel upholds government's 'Trojan Horse' school banpublished at 12:18 Greenwich Mean Time 7 December 2017

    A tribunal panel has upheld a ban on a former chairman of governors imposed on him after an inquiry into the supposed "Trojan Horse plot".

    Several schools were investigated amid claims of a Muslim hardliners' plot to control them. The claims, sparked by an anonymous letter, were generally concluded to be false, although there was criticism of policies at individual schools.

    Tahir Alam was banned from involvement in schools by the Department for Education (DfE) in September 2015, which he challenged at a specialist tribunal hearing in March.

    Tahir Alam

    A three-strong care standards tribunal panel had reserved a ruling after analysing evidence.

    The panel has not made its decision or detailed ruling publicly available, but a DfE spokesman said today the panel had upheld the DfE decision and ruled against Mr Alam.

  3. Hospitals told to improve safety after fire inspectionpublished at 11:55 Greenwich Mean Time 7 December 2017

    Lee Blakeman
    Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

    The trust that runs Staffordshire's two main hospitals has been ordered to make a number of safety improvements by the county's fire service.

    It comes after Staffordshire Fire and Rescue said it carried out an inspection of the Royal Stoke University Hospital following a fire there in June.

    Royal Stoke University Hospital

    The University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust says, in response to the enforcement notice, it's already updated safety procedures and changed the way it stores materials and products.

    The fire service says it's working with the trust to make sure it's fully compliant with the regulations.

  4. Video: Why students don't go to schoolpublished at 11:38 Greenwich Mean Time 7 December 2017

    BBC Stories

    Why might a child or young person not attend school?

    Some of the reasons might not be what you expect.

    BBC Stories took to the streets, including Birmingham, to ask the question and speak directly to people who have skipped school.

    Media caption,

    'School's dead man, it's the same lessons everyday'

  5. 'A 90% chance of snow'published at 11:24 Greenwich Mean Time 7 December 2017

    Gritting teams across the West Midlands are preparing for the snow and ice forecast for the area.

    Staffordshire gritters

    In Staffordshire, teams of workers will be out on the roads from midnight after forecasters predicted a 90% chance of snow showers in the area.

    Shropshire is also expected to bear the brunt of snow and ice.

    GrittersImage source, Warwickshire County Council

    Warwickshire County Council said its salt stocks are topped up and ready to cope with the chilly few days ahead.

  6. Independent inquiry into jailed surgeon Ian Patersonpublished at 11:12 Greenwich Mean Time 7 December 2017
    Breaking

    The government has announced there will be an independent inquiry into the malpractice of the convicted West Midlands breast surgeon Ian Paterson.

    Ian PatersonImage source, SWNS

    Paterson was jailed for 15 years in May after carrying out unnecessary cancer operations.

    The trial heard accounts from 10 victims - representing a sample of those he treated - operated on between 1997 and 2011, at the privately-run Little Aston and Parkway hospitals in the West Midlands.

    The inquiry will aim to learn lessons from the case and improve care.

  7. Visitor boost for town centrepublished at 11:08 Greenwich Mean Time 7 December 2017

    Allen Cook
    BBC News

    New figures show there's been an increase in the number of people coming into Newcastle-under-Lyme.

    Market in Newcastle-under-Lyme

    According to the town's Business Improvement District, external, year-on-year footfall was up by 34,000 in September, and 60,000 in October.

    The group says it hopes the rise will help to attract new businesses to the town.

  8. Walsall 'give young players belief'published at 11:08 Greenwich Mean Time 7 December 2017

    Walsall right-back Liam Kinsella says the club's faith in academy players gives them belief in their ability.

    Read More
  9. Cricketer makes court appearance over rape chargespublished at 10:58 Greenwich Mean Time 7 December 2017
    Breaking

    Vicky Breakwell
    BBC Hereford and Worcester

    Worcestershire county cricketer Alex Hepburn has appeared before magistrates today charged with two counts of rape.

    The Australia-born all-rounder, 21, didn't enter a plea and the case has been transferred to Worcester Crown Court on 4 January.

  10. Moeen Ali set to captain in England Ashes warm-up gamepublished at 10:54 Greenwich Mean Time 7 December 2017

    BBC Sport

    Worcestershire's Moeen Ali's been named as captain for England's two-day warm-up against a Cricket Australia XI in Perth on Saturday.

    Moeen AliImage source, Getty Images

    Moeen's the only man from the team beaten by 120 runs in the second Ashes Test in Adelaide to feature in the warm-up.

    England trail 2-0 in the Ashes and the third Test starts on 14 December.

    The side includes Mark Wood who could claim a place for the third Test after missing much of last season with a heel injury.

  11. Shopping centres price tag a closely guarded secretpublished at 10:31 Greenwich Mean Time 7 December 2017

    Joanne Gallacher
    Political reporter, BBC Shropshire

    Shropshire Council wants to take over the running of Shrewsbury's three main shopping centres in what is expected to be a multimillion-pound deal.

    It'll buy both the Darwin and Pride Hill centres and take over the leases at the council-owned Riverside.

    Council chief executive Clive Wright says it will be "the biggest investment" the authority has ever made, but the price tag is so far being kept secret.

    Pride Hill shopping centre

    What I can tell you is other authorities in the UK have spent between £32m and £200m purchasing similar sites of various sizes.

    However, critics point to the council's spending freeze as it faces a £5m overspend and the fact it's taking £1m from some of the most vulnerable residents in proposed changes to council tax support.

  12. City summit to tackle homelessnesspublished at 10:21 Greenwich Mean Time 7 December 2017

    Tackling homelessness in Stoke-on-Trent is set to be discussed by councillors in the city tonight.

    The local authority recently performed a u-turn over plans to fine homeless people up to £1,000 if found sleeping in tents or for "aggressive begging".

    Official council estimates say up to 17 people sleep rough on the streets of Stoke each night, with many more, including families with children in temporary accommodation.

    Tent genericImage source, Getty Images

    Councillors Joy Garner and Olwyn Hamer have proposed a city-wide summit with the NHS, local housing associations and the council working together to deal with the problem.

  13. Cities vie to become culture capitalpublished at 10:10 Greenwich Mean Time 7 December 2017

    Coventry's City of Culture bid organisers want to "invite the world to venture past our beloved ring road" and explore the heritage and invention of the city.

    The Stoke bid brings together six towns - Burslem, Fenton, Hanley, Longton, Stoke and Tunstall - to capitalise on a "once in a generation opportunity" to benefit the area.

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  14. A&Es struggle with demandpublished at 09:59 Greenwich Mean Time 7 December 2017

    The number of long A&E waits across the UK has more than doubled in the past four years as hospitals struggle to cope with demand.

    Northern Ireland has the worst performance, although England has seen the fastest deterioration, figures show.

    Shrewsbury and Telford Hopspital NHS trust was ranked 132 out of 133 trusts last month, in terms of A&E waits.

    But four others in the West Midlands were also among the 10 worst performing in England. Out of them, only University Hospitals North Midlands improved its performance between October 2016 and October 2017.

    Graphic

    South Warwickshire was the best performing hospital trust in the West Midlands in October 2017, with 92.2% of patients seen inside four hours, still down from 95.9% the year before.

  15. Cricketer in court over rape chargespublished at 09:43 Greenwich Mean Time 7 December 2017

    Worcestershire county cricketer Alex Hepburn is due before magistrates today after being charged with two counts of rape.

    Alex HepburnImage source, Getty Images

    It relates to an alleged incident in Worcester on 1 April, West Mercia Police said.

    The Australia-born all-rounder, 21, has been suspended on full pay following the allegations.

  16. Rail operator cracks down on fare dodgerspublished at 09:16 Greenwich Mean Time 7 December 2017

    More than 150,000 journeys were made without train tickets in Herefordshire & Worcestershire last year.

    London MidlandImage source, PA

    Nationally, it’s estimated 3% of all train journeys are made by people who haven’t paid for their travel, costing the industry millions of pounds in lost revenue.

    During a morning of enforcement action at Worcester Foregate Street Station yesterday London Midland caught 81 fare-dodgers, with 15 of them now facing prosecution.

  17. Is Coventry set to become City of Culture 2021?published at 09:04 Greenwich Mean Time 7 December 2017

    Coventry is currently favourite with the bookmakers to become City of Culture 2021.

    The next city is to be is to be named tonight as Hull's year-long celebration nears an end.

    City of Culture

    William Hill makes Coventry its favourite at 6/5, with Paisley offered at 4/1.

    Stoke & Sunderland are both offered at 9/2, with Swansea the 5/1 outsider.

    "Coventry is by far the worst result for the bookies and we will be watching the announcement with interest," said William Hill spokesman Rupert Adams.