Tom Edwards
Reporter, BBC Hereford & Worcester

A former HMP Hewell prisoner has gone on trial at Worcester Crown Court today, accused of killing a fellow inmate at the jail near Redditch.

Prosecutor Rachel Brand QC told the court 39-year-old Luke Derriman was pronounced dead at hospital after suffering a single punch to the head from James Johnson, who is 38.

The incident is alleged to have happened inside the prison on 23 January and the defendant, of Tazmania Close in Cheltenham, denies the charge of manslaughter.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

A Labour councillor who said he would "stamp" on a political rival who reported him for failing to disclose business interests has escaped punishment for the comment.

Councillor Rois Ali also told an independent investigator he would take Coventry City councillor Tim Mayer "to the cleaners" but a council committee, made up of four Labour councillors and one Conservative ruled the comments weren't disrespectful, because they weren't made in public.

Image source, Coventry City Council

Mr Ali was found to have breached two codes over the failure to disclose his interests and has been given a formal letter of censure and told to take further training.

He said he found the system complicated and wanted to "apologise to all those who may be affected".

A warning is issued over "medical care, critical care and urgent and emergency care services".

Worcester News

Here are three of the headlines from today's Worcester News:

• Drugs dealers admit heroin and crack cocaine plot, external
• 'Significant' drop in drunken behaviour, external
• University of Worcester graduation, external

Local Democracy Reporting Service
George Makin

Plans for a concrete sleeper factory in Wednesbury have been changed after complaints by residents that it would be too close to their homes.

Network Rail has said it has made "significant" revisions to the proposal to build a manufacturing centre that would produce 600,000 units every year on the site of the Bescot sidings.

The proposal is opposed by residents who claim it will add to air pollution and increase traffic in an area already suffering from the impact of the nearby M6 motorway.

The changes have not impressed protestors who say they do not address concerns about pollution.

Council-owned community centres closures and streetlights dimmed could happen in budget proposals.

Rich Davis
BBC Weather presenter

Rain is expected to work its way in from the west through tonight, with a few heavy bursts of rain and lows of 11C (52F).

Kathryn Stanczyszyn
Political Reporter, BBC WM

Birmingham City Council has revealed the extent of savings to be made in the city as it publishes its budget, including proposals for a 4.99% council tax hike.

Image source, Getty Images

The budget may not have any huge new headlines when it comes to whole service cuts - but make no mistake there will be an impact on the people of Birmingham.

Council-owned community centres are going, streetlights will be dimmed overnight, there’ll be fewer customer service staff, and the amount of new books at Library of Birmingham will be halved. Costs for pest control, garden waste and bereavement services will go up and car parking charges at parks are looked at again.

This is on top of savings already consulted on like making all home care enablement workers part-time and stopping funding for day nurseries.

The question is whether the savings detailed over the next four years for things like a new HR and payroll IT system (£3.5m) and cutting general spending by departments on day to day stuff (£5.6m) are really achievable.

The Leader has vowed to balance this budget without the use of reserves which means some big systemic internal change has to be on the way.

Hereford Times

Here are some of the top stories from the Hereford Times today:

• Man arrested after vigilante group's 'sting', external
• Royal Wedding star visits Hereford choir, external
• Project to restore city's brooks continues to grow, external

BBC Midlands Today

Our dancing challenge for BBC Children in Need is under way.

Richie Anderson from BBC WM and Rebecca Wood from BBC Midlands Today are attempting to dance with as many people as possible over the coming days, and they've been in Telford this lunchtime dancing to Wham.

They were joined by dozens of school children and later will be dancing for two large crowds in Birmingham.

Image source, Telford and Wrekin Council

BBC WM Sport

Birmingham City captain Michael Morrison says the players are trying not to think about the possibility of financial fair play sanctions.

Football League clubs can have up to 21 points deducted if they are found to have broken the rules and despite an 11-game unbeaten run, which ended with defeat to Derby at the weekend, they only have 23 points at the moment.

Two national newspapers recently reported that Birmingham are to be sanctioned.

Image source, Getty Images

The club revealed prior to the start of the season that, on issues relating to regulations on profitability and sustainability, they could not sign players because of a transfer embargo.

However, they were given permission by the EFL to sign five more loan players and they are now working closely with the EFL to follow the business plan set out.

A man has been found guilty of manslaughter after his victim later died of brain injuries following a confrontation at a McDonald's in Tamworth.

Samuel Kelly, 25, from Coventry Road, Kingsbury, was convicted by a jury after a trial at Wolverhampton Crown Court.

Image source, Staffordshire Police

Staffordshire Police said Kelly had been described as "drunk and angry at everyone" by one witness at the takeaway on Ventura Park in Tamworth on 22 January.

His victim, Liam Roche, died of head injuries in hospital 11 days after being punched in the head by Kelly.

Kelly was sentenced yesterday.

A hearing this week will decide whether a retrial will go ahead on three outstanding charges.

Savings worth £86m have to be made over the next four years, Birmingham City Council has announced, with £50m in cuts needed next year.

The authority revealed its budget proposals will include a 4.99% council tax increase, more than 120 job losses and £18m of new cuts.

The council will use no reserves to balance its books next year following severe criticism and a formal warning from auditors after it burned through more than £116m in the last two years.

Council leader Ian Ward rejected the Prime Minister's claim that austerity is coming to an end, saying "it is not over from a local government perspective, certainly not from the numbers we are presenting".

“This is still the most challenging period in Birmingham City Council’s history,” he said.

The family of a Shropshire four-year-old boy with a rare form of leukemia say they want to set up a charity to help other children with cancer, after raising half a million pounds to take him for treatment in the United States.

Zac Oliver's mother, Hannah, wrote on her son's Facebook page: "Families should not have to go through this. It is my priority now to make changes within the world of childhood cancer."

Image source, Hannah Oliver-Willets

The family, from Broseley, are due to fly out to Philadelphia soon to get treatment not available to Zac on the NHS.

His mother said on 31 October he needed to undergo some more tests and take antibiotics after suffering "some odd symptoms and a temperature".

She has invited children under the age of 16 to design a logo for the new charity.

Reindeer are seen being kicked, abused and neglected in undercover footage shot at centres across the country.

One of three "inspiring" suffragettes will be named as an artist's Face of Suffrage next week.

Helen Marshall said her giant mosaic made up thousands of photos would form the face of either Emma Sproson, Hilda Burkitt or Mary Macarthur.

Image source, The People's Picture

Ms Marshall said more than 3,700 photos had been submitted from the public for the project.

Emma Sproson became Wolverhampton’s first female councillor and was nicknamed “Red Emma”.

Hilda Burkitt was a militant suffragette who was force-fed in prison. And Mary Macarthur led women chain makers of Cradley Heath to victory in their fight for a minimum wage.

The art at Birmingham's New Street station will mark 100 years since the first British women won the vote.

Keele University has been given permission to start a green energy trial by the Health and Safety Executive.

The year-long pilot will begin next summer and involves extracting hydrogen from water and then adding the hydrogen to its private natural gas supply on campus.

Image source, Keele University

The university says blending the hydrogen with natural gas will reduce carbon emissions when it is burnt.

The scheme at Keele involves a number of companies and, if successful, could then be trialled in a town.

Kate Stanton-Davies died hours after being born at Ludlow Community Hospital in March 2009.

Sir Lenny Henry has delivered a letter to 10 Downing Street in an attempt to increase the number of women, BAME and disabled people working in film and TV.

The letter calls for tax relief to help boost diversity behind the camera, and was handed over by the Dudley actor along with Adrian Lester.

Other signatories include Chiwetel Ejiofor, Thandie Newton, David Oyelowo, Dame Emma Thompson and Jodie Whittaker.

"We've had a very useful conversation with some of the special advisors about tax breaks", he said, "and we hope to have a meeting with the Treasury and DCMS".