Labour's Lynda Clinton, has lost to the Conservatives in Birmingham's Castle Vale seat.

Image source, Birmingham City Council

Last month she had to withdraw campaign flyers that claimed a million children would lose free school meals under benefit changes.

Ms Clinton said she based her leaflets on national media reports, following concerns raised by residents in her ward.

She lost out to Conservative Suzanne Webb.

Gavin Kermack
Reporter, BBC Hereford & Worcester

First results from Wyre Forest are in - the Conservatives take back the vacant Wribbenhall & Arley seat.

Labour figures in Birmingham are feeling quite gloomy, according to the BBC's Midlands political editor Patrick Burns.

He says the signs are that turnout has been low, raising concerns in Labour circles that they have struggled to get out their vote - particularly in white working-class areas of the city.

The Conservatives, however, have been getting a better than expected reception in the less prosperous areas in the north of the city, he says.

What do Bolton, Burton, Barnsley, Birmingham and Reading need to do to avoid joining Sunderland in League One next season?

James Pearson
Political reporter, BBC Hereford & Worcester

I'm in Redditch today for the results of their local elections - counting got under way just before midday.

This will be a question of whether Labour can hang on to control or even improve it, as they have a majority of just one from the last local elections.

The borough council says overall turnout in the election was 32%., external

Sophie Calvert
Political Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke

So far, the seats being declared in Newcastle-under-Lyme are almost all going Labour's way as they've won eight of the nine seats so far.

The only other one, Clayton, went to Conservative Stephen Sweeney.

All eyes will be on the counting in this election, after the failures last year in the general election.

Almost 1,500 people were unable to vote in a constituency that saw the successful MP, Labour's Paul Farrelly, win by just 30 votes.

The Association of Electoral Administrators' investigation into that result concluded that it saw an "inadequate performance by inexperienced and under-resourced elections office staff".

UKIP was almost wiped out in Dudley while Labour kept control in Sandwell and Wolverhampton.

Kathryn Stanczyszyn
Political Reporter, BBC WM

Birmingham is one of the most interesting counts in the country today with people wondering if the trends of the country overnight might prevail here.

The Conservatives making gains in Brexit leave areas, but also Labour holding the status quo in younger, more urban areas.

Image source, Birmingham City Council

The Brexit vote here in Birmingham was on a knife-edge, with leave winning by just a fraction - that makes this count unpredictable.

But what makes it really difficult to predict is the fact that this is a completely different system of elections - an all-out election for the first time in 14 years - after a complete change in the boundaries and the wards.

Last year at the general election 63% of the population voted Labour and it's seen as a bit of a Labour heartland.

Sophie Calvert
Political Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke

Results on three of Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council's wards could be particularly interesting to watch - Kidsgrove and Ravenscliffe, Newchapel and Mow Cop.

Last year Newcastle Borough Council said it couldn’t afford to run and repair the town’s leisure centre, so it closed.

Former Labour councillor Lionel Burch quit in the same year, and a by-election was won by the Conservatives.

Another councillor, Reg Bailey, has defected from Labour to the Kidsgrove Independents in the last year. Combined with the boundary changes, the political in-fighting in Kidsgrove could affect the outcome.

Elizabeth Shenton, the former Labour leader of the Borough Council, stood down as leader after the mistakes in June’s general election.

Political reporter, Kathryn Stanczyszyn tweets:

The first seat won for the Conservatives in Birmingham is Castle Vale.

Suzanne Webb took the seat by 731 votes to 640 for Labour, a majority of 91.

Counting is also now under way at Solihull Council, with one third of the seats up for grabs.

The Green Party is the official opposition and are looking to make gains.

Image source, Solihull Council

Labour have won the first seat to declare in Birmingham, Kings Norton South.

Peter Griffiths won with a majority of 172 over the Conservatives.

Surrey host Worcestershire in the County Championship - listen to BBC local radio commentary.

Allen Cook
BBC News

Counting is under way, external in the third of seats up for grabs at Wyre Forest District Council.

Image source, Wyre Forest District Council

The authority says turnout this year was 30.6%. , external

The council is currently under Conservative control and 11 seats went before voters.

Allen Cook
BBC News

Worcestershire are at Surrey today for the start of their latest County Championship Division One match, still looking for their first win of the season.

Having returned to the top flight after promotion last year, the Pears have suffered three defeats in three matches, the last one by an innings.

Image source, ALLSPORT/Getty Images

Meanwhile in Division Two, it's day two for Warwickshire as they host Derbyshire with the Bears resuming on 32-1 in response to the visitor's first innings of 318.

We'll keep you updated when we can but you can get full coverage on the BBC Cricket website or via BBC local radio commentary.

A man from Birmingham has denied trying to join the Islamic State group in Libya.

Mohammad Imran, 22, from Sparkbrook, appeared at the Old Bailey via video-link, alongside co-defendant Naa’imur Rahman.

Mr Rahman, from north London, pleaded not guilty to planning to kill the prime minister in a terror attack on Downing Street.

The 20-year-old also denies assisting Mr Imran in his alleged attempt to join IS.

They will next appear for trial on 18 June.

James Pearson
Political reporter, BBC Hereford & Worcester

In previous general and local elections, the potential downgrade of Redditch's Alexandra Hospital has been key - that’s now a done deal and seems to have dropped down the parties’ lists of priorities.

A proposed redevelopment of the town centre is being opposed by the Tories and the sole surviving UKIP councillor as expensive and unnecessary.

Image source, Stoford Developments

Another development issue to the east of the town is the Eastern Gateway, external, a massive £100m development site on greenfield land near a key A road junction.

The idea is to attract more hi-tech businesses but the fear from local neighbourhoods is that it will simply draw in distribution companies and increase traffic problems. Very much Labour’s baby so they may be punished in wards like Church Hill and Winyates.

Stoke-on-Trent Live

The Stoke-on-Trent Live website is covering these stories today:

• Burglar broke into sleeping 100-year-old's bungalow to steal her birthday gift, external
• Funerals held for loved-ones killed in three tragedies within one week, external
• Motorists shun Stoke-on-Trent's newest car park, external

Allen Cook
BBC News

A man's been charged with trying to murder an 11-year-old boy. , external

Police say he was first arrested after an incident at a house in Malvern on Wednesday.

The 47-year-old from West Malvern Road's been charged with attempted murder and will appear before magistrates.