In the papers: Hunt for missing man to focus on riverpublished at 18:17 Greenwich Mean Time 3 January 2019
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In the papers: Hunt for missing man to focus on riverpublished at 18:17 Greenwich Mean Time 3 January 2019
Green space injunction in place over illegal campspublished at 18:10 Greenwich Mean Time 3 January 2019
BBC WMAn injunction is now in force for 60 green spaces and parks to prevent unauthorised encampments in Wolverhampton., external
Image source, GoogleThe city council says it got the injunction from the High Court, Birmingham, in October and it's now in operation.
It means travellers can be arrested or fined for pitching up on sites which have been included in the order.
The green spaces include Bilston Urban Village, Patshull Park, Pendeford Business Park and Tettenhall Pool (pictured).
Councillors should pay themselves more, report sayspublished at 18:06 Greenwich Mean Time 3 January 2019
Local Democracy Reporting ServiceSenior councillors are being encouraged to pay themselves more money despite the authority looking to save £20m in its next budget.
An independent panel's been examining the issue for Walsall Council , externaland says those in the top posts are under-valuing themselves.
It believes the work they do has increased during the financial climate and freezing or cutting allowances could put people off from standing in future elections.
The panel's put forward three options for increasing the special responsibility allowances for senior councillors which a meeting of the full council will consider on Monday.
The report comes as the authority's said it's currently looking to make £20m of cuts to balance its budget in 2019-20., external
Hunt looks to resume meetings on National Trust landpublished at 18:00 Greenwich Mean Time 3 January 2019
The South Shropshire Hunt says it will "work closely" with the National Trust, in the hope it can resume hunting at the Long Mynd estate.
All remaining meetings this season have been cancelled, external by the National Trust, which hasn't commented to explain why.
Image source, Getty ImagesThe League Against Cruel Sports says the cancellation of the hunts comes after campaigners photographed a fox narrowly escaping the jaws of hounds.
But the hunt has called these "unsubstantiated allegations".
In the papers: Appeal made over asbestos-related deathpublished at 17:58 Greenwich Mean Time 3 January 2019
From the Dudley News today:
Crematorium plans approved despite green belt concenrnspublished at 17:51 Greenwich Mean Time 3 January 2019
Local Democracy Reporting ServicePlans for a new crematorium in Cannock Chase have been approved, despite the site being in green belt land.
Members of the local authority agreed the former Bleak House coal mine site on Norton Road was acceptable, because there was a "great need" with no other cremation services in the district.
Image source, Horizon CremationThe company behind the plans, Horizon Cremation, told a meeting yesterday that grieving families were waiting up to six weeks at times, because they had to go out of the area.
And the meeting was told there were no other suitable sites in the district.
More arrests after football derby troublepublished at 17:51 Greenwich Mean Time 3 January 2019
Ten are held on suspicion of violent disorder after the Port Vale-Stoke City Under-21s game.
Read MoreMove to use CCTV to monitor dog foulingpublished at 17:41 Greenwich Mean Time 3 January 2019
CCTV cameras in Shipston on Stour could be used to catch dog owners who fail to clear up the mess they leave on the pavement.
The town council made the request to use the cameras in this way last month and Statford-on-Avon District Council said it was considering the proposal.
Image source, GoogleFluorescent paint has previously been used in the town to highlight the mess and shame the dog owners who leave it.
In the papers: Drug warning as teen fighting for lifepublished at 17:37 Greenwich Mean Time 3 January 2019
Coventry LiveThese are among the headlines on the Coventry Live website today:
- Ecstasy warning as teen left fighting for life, external
- Suspected stolen car hits 100mph in police chase, external
- Man arrested in connection with car crimes, external
Port Vale manager meeting put on holdpublished at 17:30 Greenwich Mean Time 3 January 2019
BBC Radio Stoke SportA meeting to discuss the future of the Port Vale manager has been put on hold for 24 hours.
It was expected Neil Aspin would meet with the club's chairman today, after saying "there are many supporters who don't want me at the club" and suggesting he might walk away from the club, which he made more than 400 appearances for.
Image source, Getty ImagesAspin said he'd spoken to Norman Smurthwaite after the draw against Lincoln and added he thought the players were behind him.
Firms 'make £1m in sales' from three months of eBay schemepublished at 17:24 Greenwich Mean Time 3 January 2019
Allen Cook
BBC NewsA scheme which has seen small businesses in Wolverhampton get online advice from auction website eBay has generated £1m in sales in three months, it's claimed., external
Image source, PAThe city council says 64 firms have joined the Retail Revival partnership since it was launched in September.
It adds that retailers have reported an average increase in sales of 41% over the three months. The pilot project's set to run until September this year.
Gritters out again as temperatures dip below freezingpublished at 17:11 Greenwich Mean Time 3 January 2019
Gritting lorries are due out again tonight across the West Midlands, with temperatures set to drop as low as -5C (23F) in places.
Local authorities in Staffordshire, Shropshire, Warwickshire, Wolverhampton and Walsall have already announced they're sending the teams out, with more expected to join them.
This year many lorries have names suggested by the public, such as Grittney Gears, Spready Mercury, Usain Salt and Basil Salty.
Happier new year for 'Snoop Dogg' puppublished at 17:09 Greenwich Mean Time 3 January 2019
The RSPCA is caring for a rescued pet after millions watched "callous" footage of the dog being abandoned.
Read MoreIn the papers: Hunt cancelled in south Shropshirepublished at 17:00 Greenwich Mean Time 3 January 2019
Here are three headlines from the Shropshire Star today:
- Hunt cancelled in the South Shropshire hills, external
- Old Shropshire railway lines could be reopened, external
- Fine for drunk and disorderly pub chef, external
All forms of hate crime on the increasepublished at 16:51 Greenwich Mean Time 3 January 2019
All forms of hate crime are increasing, according to figures from West Mercia Police.
They show reports of homophobic hate crimes more than trebled, from 68 in 2014/15 to 216 in 2017/18, while disability hate crime reports rose from 36 to 208 in the same time period.
The force, which also recorded racist crimes nearly doubling across Shropshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire over those four years, also recorded rises in religious and transphobic abuse.
And it said there were 1,538 cases of hate crimes reported in 2017/18.
Pub owners say they can't afford to reopen itpublished at 16:41 Greenwich Mean Time 3 January 2019
The owners of a Shropshire pub which has been closed since 2016 say they can't afford to put it back into use.
Last month, Telford and Wrekin Council issued an ultimatum to John Hickinbottom and Susan King, saying they had six months to reopen the Cleveland Arms in High Ercall, or leave.
The council says the pub is an "asset of community value" and claims the pair have been converting it to a home without permission.
Mr Hickinbottom has responded to say the building has "serious structural problems" and that it could cost more than £1m to refit.
He says they have offered to build a new pub next to the existing building and that they are remaining in the building "to ensure the protection of the building, to prevent theft, vandalism and to protect the building from arson".
Ten more arrests after derby match trouble at Port Valepublished at 16:30 Greenwich Mean Time 3 January 2019
Allen Cook
BBC NewsTen more people have been arrested after trouble broke out at a derby football match in Stoke-on-Trent last month.
Port Vale's stadium was damaged during the Checkatrade Trophy game with Stoke City Under-21s at Vale Park on 4 December.
Seats, toilets and windows were broken in the away stand.
Several people have already been arrested in connection with the trouble and two men have been charged.
Today, Staffordshire Police said nine men and a 17-year-old boy, from homes across the county, were arrested on suspicion of violent disorder and all but two have been released on bail., external
Glitch halted help for vulnerable patientspublished at 16:03 Greenwich Mean Time 3 January 2019
An IT glitch meant emails about elderly people, children and adults with mental health issues were never sent.
Read MoreHunts cancelled at country estatepublished at 15:57 Greenwich Mean Time 3 January 2019
Chris King
News editor, BBC ShropshireThe remaining 2019 meetings of the South Shropshire Hunt on land at the Long Mynd Estate have been cancelled, according to the National Trust's website., external
Fox hunting was banned in 2005, but hunts can still follow a scent or trail.
Image source, Getty ImagesWe've contacted the South Shropshire Hunt for comment and are waiting for a response.
The National Trust has declined to comment.
Police car damaged by youths jumping on its roofpublished at 15:46 Greenwich Mean Time 3 January 2019
A group of young people have damaged a police car in Redditch, by jumping up and down on its roof.
West Mercia Police said it happened on the evening of 30 December, while officers were on patrol in the Woodrow Centre.
The force called the attack "mindless" and said the vehicle had been taken off the road for repairs.
