Pupils sent home early to save moneypublished at 16:28 British Summer Time 28 September 2018
A Birmingham head teacher says he hopes to save £18,500 by cutting the school day.
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Pupils sent home early to save moneypublished at 16:28 British Summer Time 28 September 2018
Rogue landlord crackdown considered by councilpublished at 16:26 British Summer Time 28 September 2018
Local Democracy Reporting Service
Tom DavisRogue landlords in Coventry could face £30,000 fines under a new council crackdown.
Image source, GoogleThe penalties are part of strict new enforcement measures expected to be rubber-stamped by Coventry City Council’s cabinet on 2 October.
Penalties will be issued against landlords who have acted irresponsibility against tenants, or have failed in maintaining legal standards in housing.
However the council says the fines would be a “last resort”.
School implements shorter week in effort to save moneypublished at 16:14 British Summer Time 28 September 2018
A Birmingham school is sending children home early one day a week as part of efforts to cut costs.
Image source, PATeachers at Saints Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Primary, in Erdington, have also decorated their own classrooms to try to save money.
It comes as parents and head teachers from the West Midlands joined a demonstration in Westminster to protest at what they say are shortfalls in school budgets.
They claim a lack of funds is forcing schools to take drastic decisions.
Birmingham pub bombing families 'won't appeal judgement'published at 16:00 British Summer Time 28 September 2018
BreakingThe families of the victims of the Birmingham Pub Bombings will not appeal the judgement made earlier this week ruling that the suspects in the 1974 bombings will not be named at fresh inquests.
The Justice for the 21 group said the decision was made after much "heartfelt deliberations".
In a statement, the group said: "Whilst we strongly disagree with the judgement, the further delay and uncertainty that would lie ahead for us seeking a further appeal can no longer be borne by us."
Relatives had previously argued the inquests could not take place without naming suspects, while their lawyers said discussing potential perpetrators "is central to the case".
Man suffers serious facial injuries in 'nasty' attackpublished at 15:56 British Summer Time 28 September 2018
A man was repeatedly punched in the face during an attack in Dudley on Tuesday, police say.
It's believe the man, in his 60s, was sitting on a bench in Market Place when he was approached by two men who asked him for money and then attacked when he refused.
He remains in hospital in a stable condition after being treated for serious facial injuries, including a suspected fractured eye socket, said West Midlands Police.
The force is trawling CCTV footage and is asking anyone with information to come forward.
Warwickshire release Umeed and Singhpublished at 15:46 British Summer Time 28 September 2018
Warwickshire release opening batsman Andy Umeed and spinner Sunny Singh following promotion back to Division One.
Read MoreBroken-down lorry adding to M40 congestionpublished at 15:46 British Summer Time 28 September 2018
BBC News TravelA broken-down lorry on the M40 northbound, between J13 and J14 is adding to severe congestion in the area, closing two lanes.
Image source, Highways EnglandBoth north and southbound carriageways remain closed between J15 and J16 after two earlier crashes, with diversions in operation.
In the papers: Opposition to A&E closure decisionpublished at 15:25 British Summer Time 28 September 2018
These stories are on the Shropshire Star's website today:
Town's final bank set to shut its doorspublished at 15:11 British Summer Time 28 September 2018
Justyn Surrall
BBC Hereford and WorcesterPeople living and working in Hay-on-Wye, on the Herefordshire border, will be left without a bank after today as the local Barclays closes its doors.
Image source, GoogleNatWest and HSBC both shut in the town last year.
Barclays says many of its customers bank online and it's encouraging people to use the Post Office for everyday banking.
Council proposals to ban beggingpublished at 14:56 British Summer Time 28 September 2018
People could face a fine of £100 if they ask for money in certain areas of the city.
Read MoreHuge housing development approved despite design failurespublished at 14:50 British Summer Time 28 September 2018
Local Democracy Reporting Service
Stephen ToppingPlans for more than 250 homes have been approved, despite them failing to meet a council's design guide.
Image source, GoogleCountryside Properties has been given approval for the houses and flats which will be built when disused buildings are demolished on the Bombardier site in West Street, Crewe.
This was the firm's second attempt to get the go-ahead and, despite reducing the number of homes by six to allow more open space, the redesigned plans still didn't meet Cheshire East Council's design guide.
However, councillors gave approval, saying there had to be a compromise, given the costs of overhauling a brownfield site.
'Explosions' follow M40 lorry firepublished at 14:37 British Summer Time 28 September 2018
A witness to the aftermath of a lorry fire on the M40 in Warwickshire this morning has described seeing explosions.
Keith Hinton, who lives near the site of the fire, between J15 and J16, said he was woken at about 03:00 by a "really loud bang".
"I looked out of the bedroom window," he said, "and I could see flames and smoke and I realised there'd been a large accident on the motorway.
"And then there were more explosions."
One man died in a later crash, directly opposite the lorry fire.
Both north and southbound carriageways remain closed.
Ballance impresses as Yorkshire crush Worcspublished at 14:33 British Summer Time 28 September 2018
Yorkshire beat Worcestershire by seven wickets to end the season in fourth place in the County Championship.
Read MoreRoad closed 'for few hours' after lorry destroyed in firepublished at 14:24 British Summer Time 28 September 2018
Allen Cook
BBC NewsA main road near Hereford is shut this afternoon after a lorry was destroyed in a fire.
Image source, Herefordshire CouncilHerefordshire Council says it's happened on the A41403 through Withington and fuel's been spilt over the route, although no-one was hurt.
It says once the vehicle and fuel's cleared, it will have to check the road for damage so it may be several hours before even part of it is reopened., external
Image source, Herefordshire CouncilRare Quattro going under the hammerpublished at 14:15 British Summer Time 28 September 2018
The car is thought to be one of only two of its type left in existence.
Read MoreA&E closure 'can be avoided'published at 14:12 British Summer Time 28 September 2018
The overnight closure of Telford's A&E centre later this year can be avoided, council leaders say, if the NHS and government give the local NHS trust urgent help.
Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH) Board decided yesterday that the unit would shut for six months from mid November.
Quote MessageThey are experiencing such shortages in workforce, it is making it very difficult for them to get that work-life balance and deliver safe care."
Kevin Eardley, Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust
Today, Telford and Wrekin Council says it's met with managers at SaTH and drawn up a plan of action, which starts with lobbying the health secretary and national health leaders. , external
The local authority says if the government and the NHS commit "immediately" that the trust gets extra doctors and nurses for A&E, the closure "would be avoided".
Slip road shut after M6 lorry fire and big diesel spillpublished at 14:02 British Summer Time 28 September 2018
A lorry fire's been put out this afternoon on a slip road of the M6 in Staffordshire.
Image source, Highways EnglandThe fire service says it was well alight when crews arrived at around 13:00 near Gailey.
It has urged drivers to avoid the area as the lorry's leaked 150 litres of diesel on to the road which will need cleaning up. , external
Highways England says the southbound exit slip road remains shut at J12 of the M6., external
Housing plans backed for former greyhound stadiumpublished at 13:54 British Summer Time 28 September 2018
Local Democracy Reporting Service
Carl JacksonThe redevelopment of the greyhound racing stadium in Hall Green, Birmingham, has cleared its final hurdle.
An application for 210 homes on the site was passed by Birmingham City Council's planning committee on Thursday.
Work to demolish the derelict ground, closed since 2016, has been ongoing since May.
The stadium, which hosted racing for 100 years, has been reduced to rubble.
United Utilities dry weather spendpublished at 13:44 British Summer Time 28 September 2018
BBC Business NewsUnited Utilities, which had planned to bring in a hosepipe ban during the UK heatwave but later announced the need had been averted, will spend another £80m during this financial year to "safeguard continuity of supplies".
The firm supplies about 3.2 million properties including in Cheshire.
Image source, Getty Images"Earlier this year, the UK experienced a prolonged period of extreme hot and dry weather resulting in exceptional demand from customers," the company said in a trading update.
It said revenues for the first half of the year - the results are due on 21 November - would be higher.
The costs for the hot weather are to be treated as an "adjusted item" and underlying profit in the first of 2018-19 will be be higher than the first half of 2017-18.
In the papers: Fatal crash on A40published at 13:34 British Summer Time 28 September 2018
These stories are being covered today by the Hereford Times:
