It's election day across England, Wales and Scotland and voters are heading to the polls with thousands of council seats in England up for grabs. Elections are also taking place for mayors, including in the West Midlands, and police and crime commissioners.

Image source, PA Media

Polling stations will be open from 07:00 - 22:00 BST and voters are being asked to take their own pencils as a Covid safety measure.

So, where are votes being cast?

Councils

County councils:

• Staffordshire
• Warwickshire
• Worcestershire

Metropolitan councils:

• Coventry
• Dudley
• Sandwell
• Solihull
• Walsall
• Wolverhampton

District councils:

• Nuneaton & Bedworth
• Cannock Chase
• Redditch
• Rugby
• Tamworth
• Worcester
• Wyre Forest

All the seats in Shropshire Council, a unitary authority, are also up for election.

Police and crime commissioners

• West Midlands
• West Mercia
• Warwickshire
• Staffordshire (includes Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service)

Read more about the candidates by tapping the links.

Image source, Staffordshire Police

West Midlands Mayor

The combined authority mayor, covering the seven metropolitan boroughs, is responsible for planning and strategy for regional transport, skills training and local economic development. Click here to see the candidates.

For a reminder of all the candidates standing in your area and information about what they will do, use our handy look-up tool.

Tara Tomes of East Village PR firm in Birmingham explains why she's ditching the office.

Classic cars, military vehicles and showman's vehicles are among those eligible for exemptions.

The trial hears former Aston Villa star Dalian Atkinson was Tasered, kicked and hit with a baton.

The Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has been in Birmingham today, supporting the party's candidate in the West Midlands mayoral election, Liam Byrne.

He spoke to students and asked them how they'd been coping with the pandemic.

Image source, Reuters

Local elections, including those for directly elected mayors take place tomorrow and a full list of the candidates standing to be West Midlands Mayor can be found here.

Earlier we told you about a number of people who were injured in an incident where shots were fired in a Walsall street, after a crash involving two cars.

West Midlands Police said it believed the incident was a "targeted attack".

The force said four people had been arrested as detectives continued to establish what happened on Cobden Street on Tuesday.

A man, 33, was arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender while another man, 26, was arrested on suspicion of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life - both remain in police custody.

A 20-year-old man was arrested for possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life and a woman, 34, was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit murder.

They are both being treated for their injuries in hospital and will be questioned at a later stage, the force said.

The man has a bullet wound and is in a serious but stable condition.

The woman has injuries to her legs which are not thought to be life-threatening.

Police have also recovered a VW Polo, which it believes was involved.

It will be forensically examined and the force said it is still working to trace its occupants.

Birmingham City Council has published its Clean Air Zone Charging Order which sets out how the scheme will operate.

After 1 June 2021, specified vehicles that do not meet emissions standards set out in the order, external will be required to pay a charge to drive in the Birmingham Clean Air Zone, within the A4540 Middleway.

Image source, Getty Images

The order also sets out the exemptions available, how the council will approach any enforcement associated with non-payment of fees and how it intends to use any income generated from the zone.

Aamer Araf repeatedly stabbed the woman until she lost consciousness, police say.

Boris Johnson has arrived in the West Midlands to show his support for the region's Conservative mayoral candidate, Andy Street.

Image source, PA Media

Mr Johnson joined the current mayor, who is seeking re-election, on one of the region's cycle-for-hire bikes which he said "looked very familiar".

Polls for the West Midlands mayor, as well as police and crime commissioners and local councils open tomorrow.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer is due to arrive in the region later to join the campaign for his party's mayoral candidate Liam Byrne.

The Ricoh Arena in Coventry is to be renamed the Coventry Building Society Arena, after a new deal.

Wasps Group, which owns the site, has agreed a new naming rights deal, which means the venue will take on the new name for the next 10 years.

The Coventry-based venue is the home of Wasps Rugby and Wasps Netball – and will welcome back Coventry City Football Club in August.

Image source, Getty Images

Stephen Vaughan, Wasps Group Chief Executive, said: “We are thrilled to be joining forces with Coventry Building Society as we embark on a hugely exciting period for the venue with the imminent return of Wasps and Coventry City supporters, along with the reopening of our conferencing, event facilities and hotel.

“Coventry Building Society, like our venue, has strong local roots and a national reach, and we are looking forward to supporting each other over the coming years."

Steve Hughes, CEO of Coventry Building Society, added: “This is a fantastic partnership for us, for Wasps and for the city of Coventry."

Rachel Elwell says she is facing bankruptcy after losing money to a scammer.

West Midlands elections come along like busespublished at 12:14 British Summer Time 5 May 2021

12:14 BST 5 May 2021

Elizabeth Glinka
Political Editor, BBC Midlands

The prime minister has been campaigning in the West Midlands this morning.

Here in the region, it feels like elections arrive like buses; you wait for one and then 25 come along at once.

Tomorrow's vote brings a combination of those postponed last year due to the coronavirus outbreak, and those due this year.

All county council seats are up for grabs in Staffordshire, Warwickshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire.

All are Conservative controlled, and are unlikely to deliver any surprises. Likewise Unitary Shropshire.

Warwickshire has traditionally been most likely to swing, but with the Conservatives holding more than double the seats of Labour and the Lib Dems combined, recent revelations about the prime minister would have to have some serious cut through for either party to make inroads.

Normally, the big Metropolitan Boroughs that elect by thirds are less likely to have a change of control.

This time Solihull, Coventry, Dudley, Walsall and Sandwell all have elections, but there are definitely some ones to watch, not least because of the changing voting behaviour, which saw Labour’s ‘red wall’ collapse across the Black Country at the last general election.

Conservative-run Walsall and, to an even greater extent, Dudley, are finely balanced between blue and red.

Solihull, too, is currently Conservative-led, but the loss of just one seat, would mean losing control.

The Greens who are the main opposition party, have been building their base here for the last decade.In our smaller district councils - Nuneaton and Bedworth, Cannock Chase and Worcester are all on a knife edge.

Musicians and experienced marchers are being sought to help run West Midlands Police's new Cadet Corps of Drums.

The force said the unit, for up to 30 teenagers aged 13 to 17, will open as soon as it recruits enough volunteers as cadet leaders.

Image source, West Midlands Police

Liz Curran, cadet youth engagement officer, said the role may suit ex-military drummers or people with a drill background.

"We’re also keen to hear from anyone who’d like to get involved who doesn’t have specific experience, but who is interested in learning. The more people we have the better," she said.

The unit will meet in Chelmsley Wood Police Station's gym and take part in parades.

Anyone interested can email cadets@west-midlands.pnn.police.uk, external

It's a nippy start to Wednesday following a cold night. Today we'll see highs of around 12C but it will feel a little bit warmer than yesterday as the winds drop.

There will be some heavy, sharp showers developing throughout the day and possibly even thunder in some areas.

By this evening those showers should stop and clear skies could leave some frost overnight but scope for lots of sunshine on Thursday.

A number of people have been injured after a two-car collision, which then saw shots fired.

West Midlands Police said a silver 4x4 crashed into a stationary black VW Golf at the junction of King Street and Cobden Street in Walsall, just after 13:00 on Tuesday.

One of the occupants of the vehicle was injured, as was a female pedestrian, the force said.

Seconds later shots were fired from another vehicle and the occupants of the 4x4 set their vehicle alight before making off, the force said.

The fire then spread to the Golf and a nearby house, it added.

A man has been taken to hospital with a gunshot injury and the woman hurt in the collision has injuries to her legs.

Both are in a serious but stable condition while two other people were treated for smoke inhalation at the scene.

Det Insp Chris Fox said it was a "a confusing series of events, which we’re trying to understand" and appealed for anyone with information to come forward.

Dalian Atkinson was Tasered for six times longer than standard by PC Benjamin Monk, a court is told.

The Duke of Cambridge has praised Aston Villa's new elite training facilities, calling them "amazing".

Prince William, a Villa fan, opened the club's high-performance centre in Bodymoor Heath, north Warwickshire.

Image source, Reuters

He toured the facilities, which are reported to have cost £6m, and chatted and joked with staff and players.

The club says the site, external, which has several pitches and large gym areas, is suited to "21st Century elite sports".

Gareeca Gordon stabbed Phoenix Netts four times and attempted to dispose of the remains in woodland.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

A former pub which once housed Walsall's first cinema may be converted into 21 flats.

Image source, J Mason Associates

Walsall Council is considering an application to turn The Imperial pub, which closed five years ago, into one-bedroom flats over four floors.

Developers Lodge House Ltd said it would bring a vacant building back into life and provide high quality, affordable accommodation in the town centre.

The Darwall Street landmark was built as an agricultural hall in 1868 and was later a theatre before its role as the Imperial Picture House for 60 years.

Developers said it meant little change to the outside of the 19th century building, which was a JD Wetherspoon pub for nearly 20 years.

Planning agents J Mason Associates said the change of use would "ensure the building does not fall into disrepair" and help maintain the area's "sense of community".

The Duke of Cambridge paid tribute as he opened the club's high-performance centre in Warwickshire.