Allen Cook
BBC News

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

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.

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.

Worcester News

These are some of the main stories today on the Worcester News website:

• Turkeys on motorway after trailer overturns at roundabout, external
• Worcester paedophile jailed for 6 years, external
• Couple celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary, external

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

Image source, Warwickshire County Council

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

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

Image 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.

Allen Cook
BBC News

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

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

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.

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.

Image 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.

The Sentinel

The Sentinel newspapers is featuring these top stories today:

• Met Office predicts hours of snow for Stoke-on-Trent, external
• Special award for 'top' police team which captured 'savage' subway rapist, external
• Judge blasts 'shocking' failure to bring thugs before the courts, external

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.

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.

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.

Image 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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Image 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.

Coventry Telegraph

Some of the main stories on the Coventry Telegraph's website today are:

• Thieves stole five-year-old's Christmas presents and made a sndwich during break-in, external
• Judge blasts prosecutors as 'inspirational' music teacher found not guilty of sex assault, external
• Coventry drink-drivers confess to shock tactics to avoid being caught

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

Image 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.

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.

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.