Hereford Times

These are among the headlines from the Hereford Times today:

• Council votes against keeping complaints hidden, external
• Animal rights campaigner snubbed at gala, external
• Hereford curate will not receive Holy Communion consecrated by a woman, external

Local Democracy Reporting Service
Carl Jackson

Plans aimed at reducing pollution in Birmingham are to be be revealed imminently, councillors have promised.

Image source, PA

But the city council leaders have been criticised by their Conservative opponents who claim they're not moving fast enough to meet a government deadline in September.

The government has said Birmingham must be among six English cities with a Clean Air Zone by 2020.

Last year the European Commission named Birmingham as one of 16 areas that had repeatedly exceeded limits.

Responding to the criticism, the council says it'll start a consultation on its full proposals in the next few weeks, external - and it still intends to meet the deadline to produce its business case.

Moeen Ali took a career best 4 for 33 in 10 overs for Worcestershire, as they bowled out Nottinghamshire for 202 with almost five overs to spare.

Riki Wessels was the only batsman to reach 50 at Trent Bridge.

Image source, Getty Images

Allen Cook
BBC News

Part of Birmingham is to host a Peaky Blinders festival later this year., external

The BBC Two crime drama, set in the lawless streets of 1920s Birmingham, finished its fourth season in December.

Brum Tours and Shameful Indulgence are organising the event which they say will be in Digbeth on 29-30 September.

They say it'll feature actors in period costume on Adderley Street, a vintage fairground and other entertainment.

Shrewsbury Town appoint Macclesfield Town boss John Askey as their manager on a three-year contract.

Taxi drivers in Coventry say they're worried about the possibility of a partnership between Uber and Virgin Trains.

The rail company is giving its customers travelling between London and Birmingham the option to book an Uber cab when they buy their ticket and have plans to extend the scheme to other cities.

Image source, Reuters

Both the city council and the local Unite union branch say they would be opposed to the deal coming to Coventry, but Virgin Trains says it does not currently operate it there.

They have also warned it could have an impact on production of black cabs at Ansty Park.

Sophie Madden
BBC News

Brine baths could return to Droitwich Spa, after plans were approved last night.

Save Our Brine Baths has fundraised to put forward proposals to open the first baths in the town for almost a decade.

And Wychavon District Council's planning committee approved the scheme at its meeting last night.

Image source, Droitwich Spa Town Council

Fed by a natural salt water spring, the baths had been in the spa town since 1887 until they closed in 2009.

Commuters in Birmingham have been treated to the sounds and dance moves of a morning rave.

Shropshire Star

Here are three headlines from the Shropshire Star today:

• John Askey confirmed as new Shrewsbury Town manager, external
• Overflowing bins not emptied due to fear of attack, external
• Flash flooding returns to Shropshire, external

Wolves sign Bournemouth striker Benik Afobe and Porto defender Willy Boly, who were both on loan at Molineux this season, on permanent deals.

The Environment Agency is warning that with more heavy rain expected today and tomorrow, there could be more flooding in Shropshire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire.

It still has a number of flood alerts in place for those counties, but says there is "uncertainty over the amount of rainfall expected and location of any of these thunderstorms".

Image source, Emma Bufton

It is warning that in some areas of low-lying land, flooding and surface water on roads should be expected and urged people to be careful.

BBC Midlands Today

The Museum of Royal Worcester, external opens its doors to the public again today after a major refurbishment of its galleries.

Image source, Google

More than £1.5m has been spent on a new cultural and arts centre called The Royal Porcelain Works. , external

It includes the museum which holds more than 10,000 ceramics in its collection.

Paramedics have won praise from TV viewers over their response to "the worst crash they have seen in over 20 years".

Last night's episode of Ambulance on BBC One showed how West Midlands Ambulance staff responded to the crash that killed six people in Birmingham in December.

On Twitter, Nathan Wilson said, external: "Words simply cannot explain my admiration for all the emergency services. Tonight’s #ambulance episode really was shocking. Admiration to every single one of you."

While @katie246 wrote, external: "Absolutely heartbreaking episode. So lucky to have such amazing emergency services! Just proves superhero’s do exist".

There was also admiration for Tash, the youngest paramedic on the scene of the crash at 21.

NHS England tweeted, external that she "shows amazing maturity and composure" while @Shellz_x typed that, external "I can't imagine being 21 and saving lives for a living".

A decision on the short-term future of Shropshire's rural maternity units has been delayed.

The board of the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust was to decide whether to continue with the current pattern of rolling closures, or move to a system of "on-call" working, when units would be opened as needed.

The units in Bridgnorth, Oswestry and Ludlow have all been affected by the closures, with the hospitals saying they have decided to concentrate their staff at the two main units in Shrewsbury and Telford, on safety grounds.

There will now be further talks with health commissioners before a decision's made.

The clinical commissioning groups are also looking at the longer-term future of the units.

Allen Cook
BBC News

A motorcyclist who died after hitting a lamp-post has been described as a "great friend who was always smiling".

Image source, West Midlands Police

Police today named the victim as Richard Fisher, 37, from Bilston., external

He suffered serious injuries in the crash on Saturday on Holloway Bank, West Bromwich and died in hospital.

His family, in a statement, add that he was a "loving son, father, nephew".

Halesowen News

The Halesowen News website is featuring these top stories today:

• Major changes to bus services in Dudley and Sandwell, external
• Council makes “positive progress” in helping children - Ofsted, external
• Assurance over controversial shopping centre plans, external

Leona Smart
Broadcast Journalist, BBC WM

Parts of a partially built new hospital may have to be rebuilt, at a cost of millions of pounds, if work doesn't restart soon on the site, an NHS trust boss says.

Image source, Google

Work stopped on Smethwick's Midland Met Hospital following the collapse of construction giant Carillion and it's now thought it won't open until 2022.

In a letter to councillors in Sandwell, the chief executive of the NHS trust in charge said parts of the site that have already been built are still open to the weather.

Now he says the pressure is increasing to find a new contractor before too much of the already-completed structure has to be built again.

Work on the part-built hospital in Smethwick has been stalled since Carillion collapsed in January.

A group of local residents are raising concerns about plans to build up to 2,500 homes between Coventry and Kenilworth, saying they will put too much pressure on the existing infrastructure.

Lioncourt Homes has applied for outline permission to build the homes on land at King's Hill and includes in its proposal a district centre, green spaces, new roads and two new schools.

Image source, PA

The Finham Residents Association says it doesn't expect those schools to be built straight away though, and argues the existing schools are already over-subscribed.

The developers' design and access statement said the scheme would "create housing choice, increased educational opportunities, community facilities and new amenity spaces".

Martyn James Rees is accused of a string of sex offences