Updates from 29 January to 4 February 2018
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James Bond
Sports Producer, BBC Shropshire
AFC Telford United have made two new signings.
They've brought in striker Amari Morgan-Smith from York on an 18-month contract and experienced goalkeeper Ben Wilson on loan from Cardiff.
Image source, Getty ImagesTelford aren't limited by the January transfer window because they play outside the top five divisions in the National League North.
The £13.4m garden village grant could improve the affordable housing offer, the council says.
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Allen Cook
BBC News
Two bus routes are being axed in the Tamworth and Lichfield area from tomorrow, external because Arriva says they cost too much to keep running.
Image source, PAThey're among several changes which the bus operator's bringing in from tomorrow.
Routes 35, from Lichfield to Walsall, and route 115, between Tamworth and Hurley, are the two being cancelled.
Rebecca Wood
BBC Midlands Today
After a mainly dry, sunny day, this weekend's looking a bit mixed, find out when you'll need a brolly here.
You can stay up-to-date over the next two days at any time by heading to the BBC Weather website.
Rebecca Wood
The council claims a group that took over the theatre had "failed to achieve key milestones".
Read MoreOn the Stourbridge News website today:
The maternity unit at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital opens again on Tuesday after nearly two months.
It was forced to close when heavy snowfall caused the roof to collapse, forcing it to shut for births.
Outpatient appointments have been held in other parts of the hospital.
The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust said it has now been able to relocate its maternity unit to another part of the hospital, to allow births to take place there again.
But there will be no postnatal beds available until the roof repairs are complete.
Richard Wilford
BBC WM
Aston Villa manager Steve Bruce is deciding whether to involve new on-loan striker Lewis Grabban in tomorrow's game at home to Burton.
Image source, EmpicsGrabban joined from Bournemouth on the last day of the January transfer window.
But Bruce says he's not had much football recently after returning from another loan spell at Sunderland.
Quote MessageI think he's been on 'gardening leave', shall we put it that way, so he hasn't done anything for a month. We're just weighing up whether to involve him or whether to give him 10, 11 days training so, when he does get his chance, he hits the ground running."
Steve Bruce, Aston Villa manager
Louise Hancock
Newsreader, BBC WM
The keys to the Dudley Hippodrome could be taken back by the council.
A group formed to bring the building back into use, external, Black Country Hippodrome Ltd (BCHL), has "failed to achieve key milestones", the council says.
Image source, GoogleThe building was earmarked for demolition a few years ago but the BCHL campaigned to save it.
BCHL says it's disappointed at the news, claiming they had got all the strategies in place but might have not reported that to the council "in the way that they wanted".
It was used as a theatre until 1964, when it became a bingo hall. Acts such as Gracie Fields, George Formby and Laurel and Hardy have performed there.
Sudip Sarker told the court he had made a "guesstimate" about the number of operations he had carried out.
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BBC Business News
Serious concerns are being raised by Labour over a formal takeover offer from an industrial turnaround company for engineering firm GKN.
Image source, GKNGKN has bases in Birmingham, Telford, Redditch and Leek and, last month, rejected a £7bn takeover bid and a £7.4bn hostile takeover bid, both from Melrose Industries.
Yesterday, Melrose explained the reasons behind its offer,, external saying it would "simplify and declutter" GKN with the targeted firm dismissing their offer as "derisory".
Quote MessageWe do not want takeovers which risk weakening our industrial base and strategy, losing a skilled workforce, and diminishing our national defence capabilities."
Rebecca Long-Bailey, Labour's shadow business secretary
Plans to increase Cheshire Police's portion of council tax by £1 per month have been approved.
It's the equivalent of a 7.3% increase for a Band D home.
Image source, Getty ImagesLabour police commissioner David Keane said police budgets have been falling "drastically" because of funding cuts.
Here are some of the headlines from the Shropshire Star website:
Ammar Kahrod denied murdering James Brindley who was on his way from a night out.
Read MoreThe 1993 rape victim died before Mark John Hemmings admitted committing the attack.
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Joanne Gallacher
Political reporter, BBC Shropshire
A proposal to investigate the possibility of introducing 20mph speed limits in residential areas has been rejected.
Liberal Democrat Hannah Fraser had argued lower speed limits have been shown to reduce fatal and serious accidents.
Image source, ThinkstockHer proposal was rejected by Shropshire Council scrutiny committee's five Conservative members on the grounds of cost, despite support from Green and Labour councillors.
Mike Taylor
BBC WM
West Brom's head coach Alan Pardew says although the Baggies are bottom of the table, they've stayed close enough to the rest of the Premier League's teams to worry them.
Image source, Getty ImagesAlbion take on Southampton tomorrow, having taken four points from their five games in January to leave them four points from safety.
But there's just eight points between them and Bournemouth in 10th place.
Baggies captain Jonny Evans could return after a hamstring injury, while loan signing Daniel Sturridge may make his first start for the club.
Quote MessageWe've made ground on all the teams in the middle, we've made them nervous which has been great and you've seen that reflected in the transfer window. A lot of those clubs have had to move, thinking they're suddenly being drawn into this. We're four points off 14th, we're close."
Alan Pardew, West Brom head coach
Kathryn Stanczyszyn
Political Reporter, BBC WM
Plans to raise a council tax precept this year , externalhave been dropped.
West Midlands Metro Mayor Andy Street dropped the plan after Labour leaders of the seven councils which make up the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) said last month they were not minded to support a rise of £10.80 on a Band D property., external
The mayor wanted to raise the money to fund his office and pay for projects to tackle congestion.
The agenda for next week's WMCA instead says the proposals have been "deferred" to 2019/20.
Aston Martin has revealed plans for a £600m five-year trade and investment drive in China.
The Warwickshire-based luxury car company announced the plans during Theresa May's trade visit to the country.
Image source, Getty ImagesChief executive Andy Palmer said: “The continued roll-out of our new model pipeline, including the company’s first electric vehicle in 2019, will further improve Aston Martin’s market share in this key market."
The company will open a Beijing office in the coming months to add to its Shanghai office.
Last year the company announced plans to enter Formula 1 in 2021.
A lorry driver has been found guilty of causing death by careless driving following a crash on the M25.
Anthony Cheshire, 63, from Reynards Coppice in Telford, hit a Nissan Note resulting in the death of a passenger in the car, 35-year-old Laura Cooper.
The car had stopped on the side of the road, not on a hard shoulder.
Cheshire was found guilty following a majority verdict from the jury at Chelmsford Crown Court.
Image source, GoogleCheshire and car driver Tammy Langton, who was found guilty of causing death by careless driving while on drugs, will be sentenced on 23 March.
