Sophie Calvert
Political Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke

Counting has started in Newcastle-under-Lyme, external, where it's looking hard to predict.

This time it's an all-out election after boundary changes, meaning fewer councillors.

Secondly, there was a switch in power from Labour to Conservatives in December, over voting issues during June's general election.

Image source, Newcastle under Lyme Borough Council

So it may be the smaller parties who hold the balance of power if no party gets an overall majority.

The first results have started to come in with Labour taking the first two declared, followed by one for the Conservatives:

Phil Bowers
Journalist, BBC Radio Stoke

There are still delays on the A500 this morning in Stoke-on-Trent on the southbound side near the junction with the A50.

A lane's been shut on the slip road from the A500 heading onto the A50 due to emergency repairs to a manhole cover.

Highways England says the repairs have been finished but they are waiting still for the concrete to set., external

Results in Birmingham could be interesting, says BBC reporter Kathryn Stanczyszyn.

The city is seen as a Labour heartland but last year, at the mayoral elections, the Conservative candidate prevailed, she points out.

She adds this could be the best chance the Conservative opposition has to make significant gains but a lot will depend on how much Labour has managed to mobilise its core vote.

The first results are expected at midday.

BBC reporter Phil Mackie says the story of the night in Dudley is the Conservatives taking seats from UKIP and Labour holding steady.

It is a microcosm of the West Midlands, he says.

He adds that it is surprising Labour hasn't done better given the Windrush row and resignation of Amber Rudd as home secretary.

He says one of Labour's problems may be that Jeremy Corbyn's message doesn’t play well on the doorstep in some parts of the Black Country.

Police hunting for a missing woman from Shrewsbury have revealed they have found her body.

West Mercia Police yesterday said the body of Rose Chambers was discovered near Kingsland by officers and volunteers from West Mercia Search and Rescue.

Image source, Family handout

The 18-year-old's death is not being treated as suspicious, police said.

Her next of kin have been informed.

BBC WM

Wolverhampton South West MP Eleanor Smith says she will do all she can to keep the landmark Beatties shop in the city.

Image source, Google

The department store was founded in 1877 - but its parent company is looking into closing some of its shops.

The city council is liaising with owners House of Fraser but the Labour MP said closing the building would be a "shortsighted" move and is urging West Midlands Conservative Mayor Andy Street to get involved in talks.

Counting is under way in the Birmingham City Council elections.

The first seats are expected to be revealed at midday, with the full results declared at about 18:00.

The Conservatives won 10 of the 17 wards on Nuneaton and Bedworth Council.

Allen Cook
BBC News

Delays could be rising... we'll stop the puns now, a lorry's shed some of its load of yeast on the A500 near Stoke-on-Trent this morning.

Highways England says, external the baking materials have forced a lane closure on the northbound side between the turn-offs for the A519 and A34 and it could take a "few hours" to clear.

Image source, Highways England

Condolences have been offered to Aston Villa manager, Steve Bruce, after the death of his mother.

His son Alex Bruce tweeted , externalshe had been suffering "a terrible three months with illness".

"My dad is in need of some privacy and rest", he said, "and will be back on the touchline Sunday as she would of wanted".

A by-election in Warwickshire saw Labour's Helen Adkins win by just 25 votes, external, ahead of the Green candidate.

The South East Leamington, Willes seat on the county council was previously held by now-MP, Matt Western, who tweeted his congratulations.

The Conservatives gained overall control of the council at last year's election.

Kathryn Stanczyszyn
Political Reporter, BBC WM

The Kerslake Report said Birmingham City Council had to radically improve, and part of the way to do that was to redesign the city map

The number of councillors has been reduced from 120 to 101, but the number of wards has been increased (with smaller populations in each) - each represented by either one or two councillors.

That makes this all-out election unpredictable.

If you then add in whether people will be voting on the national picture it makes it even more interesting.

Sixty three per cent of voters in Birmingham chose Labour at last year’s general election, helping Jeremy Corbyn to his surprise not-a-victory-but-much-better-than-expected result.

Express and Star

This is how the Express and Star is covering some of the local election results:

• Sandwell local election results: Opposition to Labour almost wiped out, external
• Walsall local election results: Tory gains leave them in pole position, external
• Dudley local election results: Tories take UKIP seats in dramatic dead heat, external

James Pearson
Political reporter, BBC Hereford & Worcester

Labour currently has control of Redditch Borough Council, but the Conservatives appear confident they can grab power. Labour must defend six of the 10 seats up for election (a third of all seats).

The loss of just one seat would see no party have overall control, the loss of two to the Tories would hand them power.

A new conservative councillor in Worcester said he's "shocked" to have won a seat, but that his result wasn't down to party politics.

Image source, Worcester City Council

No party managed to gain overall control of the council, with the Conservatives remaining the largest party.

Local restaurant owner, Mohammed Altaf, who took the Labour stronghold of Gorse Hill, said "when I was knocking doors, every third person knew me".

"They weren't interested in what party I was," he said, "it was about me, Altaf".

Phil Maiden
Reporter, BBC Hereford & Worcester

A Hereford man is due in court today charged with the murder of a woman who went missing, external from the city 18 months ago.

Terri Louise Webb's body was pulled from the River Wye in December 2016.

Ian Palamountain, 47, of Huskinson Drive, is charged with her murder.

Louise Bridges, 29, from Mayberry Avenue, Hereford, has been charged with assisting an offender.

They will both appear at Kidderminster Magistrates' Court later today.

The Conservatives in Walsall were just 43 votes short of taking the Birchills Leamore seat, which would have given them a majority on Walsall Council.

Image source, Wallsall Council

In the end, they won five seats, giving them 30 out of 60 council seats,

The party's leader Mike Bird said he was a "little disappointed", but "overall it was an excellent night".

He said he would be putting forward a proposal to form an administration at a meeting later this month.

"Then it's up to the 26 Labour, two Liberals and two independents to make up their mind which way they want to go."

Local Democracy Reporting Service
Carl Jackson

A former steel tube factory could be turned into a seven-storey apartment block if planners approve the idea next week.

Image source, Brook Smith Planning

The former Westminster Works in Digbeth, Birmingham, would become 220 apartments under the proposals.

The city council's due to decide on them next Thursday and officers for the authority are recommending it gets approval.

Simon Gilbert
Political Reporter, BBC Coventry & Warwickshire

It was a big night for the Conservatives in Nuneaton and Bedworth. They finished the night with eight seats more than they had at the beginning of the evening.

Image source, Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council

That meant Labour lost overall control of the council for the first time since 2012 - falling one seat short with 17.

The Green Party there lost one of its two seats.

Conservative party deputy chairman James Cleverly said the success was down to local party workers.

"Because of the work our local team put in we got a good result, I'm very pleased with that."