Updates from Monday 11 to Sunday 17 February 2019
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Stoke-on-Trent Live
These are among the headlines on the Stoke-on-Trent Live website today:
The Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) is failing students and is not fit for purpose, a report has found.
Image source, Getty ImagesThe system rates institutions bronze, silver or gold according to their standard of undergraduate teaching.
A report, published by the University and College Union (UCU), by academics at Birmingham City University found it had little support among university staff.
UCU head of police, Matt Waddup called TEF's a "tarnished brand which has failed at the most basic level to engage teachers or their students".
A Department for Education spokesperson said: "The Teaching Excellence Framework is just one part of our efforts to make sure information is available to students on institutions and courses, including employability and likely earnings, to help them make an informed choice when deciding where to study."
A Birmingham MP has written to the government to ask it to intervene and give the families of Birmingham pub bombing victims legal aid, ahead of an inquest.
Inquests into the deaths of 21 people in 1974 are set to start on 25 February.
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Labour MP for Birmingham Yardley Jess Phillips said she had written to the Justice Secretary, David Gauke, asking for "direct government intervention" as without legal aid the families "cannot be properly represented" at the inquests.
The 10 families were previously refused legal aid to challenge a ruling that suspects should not be named in the inquests.
In a statement at the time, the Ministry of Justice said: "Funding can only be granted to legal aid applications that satisfy the strict criteria set by law."
Warwick University said its handling of an online chat threatening rape had been called into question.
Read MoreThe Jane Lane School in Walsall closed earlier this month after it was put in special measures.
Read More
BBC Business News
The 96 Patisserie Valerie stores were sold to investment firm Causeway Capital for just £13m, is has been revealed.
Before the accounting scandal broke last year, the Birmingham-based company was valued by the stock market at £440m.
Image source, Getty ImagesThat valuation accounted for a large amount of the net worth of entrepreneur Luke Johnson, who helped build Patisserie Valerie into a national chain when he bought it in 2006.
Sister brand Philpotts has also been sold in a separate deal, saving a further 21 stores.
The temporary closure of a special school in Walsall has prompted an angry demonstration by parents.
They said they have been kept in the dark over problems at Jane Lane School and believe their children have been failed by the authorities.
The school had been placed in special measures following an Ofsted report in which inspectors rated it as inadequate.
It was closed earlier this month due to staff sickness and is not expected to reopen until after half term.
At a meeting organised by the council on Wednesday, an advocate - who the parents had asked to represent them - was denied entry and escorted from the venue.
A Walsall Council spokesman said the meetings "were for parents and carers of the students only".
Mum Zara Sands, whose 13-year-old son Joshua has attended Jane Lane for four years, said there had been "no communication".
“They closed the school saying it was down to sickness, but we have been left in the dark. They haven’t given us enough information, even at the parents’ meeting," she said.
Quote MessageThe purpose of the meetings was to talk with the parents and carers about the Ofsted inspection, action already in train to strengthen the school leadership and plans for getting the children back into education, appropriately and safely, bearing in mind the needs of each child."
Walsall Council statement
The Unite union should "urgently reconsider" its position, the council said after the hearing in London.
Read MoreThree stories from the Shropshire Star today:
BBC Radio Stoke Sport
Port Vale manager John Askey says his team needs five more wins to stay up, and he doesn't care how he gets them.
The team is currently five points above the League Two relegation zone and has games coming up against fellow-strugglers Morcambe, Cheltenham and Notts County.
Image source, Getty ImagesPort Vale have only won once this year and are in 20th place in the division.
Quote MessageFor me, forget about who we're playing, it's more about getting those wins, no matter where they come from."
John Askey, Port Vale
BBC News Travel
The M6 southbound near J14 may now be open following the near nine-hour closure this morning, but several other incidents are causing delays in the area, Highways England is reporting.
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Andy Giddings
BBC News
The dairy giant Müller, is making big changes to its Milk and Ingredients division, which has its headquarters in Telford.
It says it's reviewing every aspect of its milk division, which employs 5,500 people across the UK, to react to falling consumption.
Image source, GoogleThe company says the yogurt and dessert side of the business, based in Market Drayton, and another division based in Aldershot, aren't affected.
It says the 12-month review, titled Project Darwin, covers manufacturing, logistics, products, procurement, people and customer relationships.
It can't say at this stage what the changes will mean for staff, farmers and consumers.
The main entrance to Haywood Hospital in Stoke-on-Trent has been closed after being hit by a delivery lorry.
The Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust says there are signs to an alternative entrance.
Image source, GoogleThe hospital said workmen were assessing the damage and planning repairs.
The long-running row over bin collections in Birmingham is set to go to a full trial in May, after a judge dismissed a bid by trade union Unite for a temporary High Court injunction.
Assistant General Secretary of Unite Howard Beckett said while the court had not felt able to give an interim injunction, the union was "pleased the judge has recognised that there needs to be a full trial held".
Image source, Getty ImagesWelcoming the judge's comments, he said the court had sent a "clear message to the council that the union has the better arguments and can expect to achieve an injunction at the full hearing".
The council responded to today's judgement saying it "entirely refutes the misleading claims made by Unite that formed the basis of this court hearing".
"Due to the industrial action instigated by Unite, we have had to introduce a contingency plan featuring the use of mop-up crews and contractors (their own staff, fuel and vehicles) in order to continue to provide a waste service to the residents, visitors and businesses of Birmingham.
"This falls outside the remit of the agreement reached to end the 2017 dispute," it said.
BBC News Travel
All lanes have now reopen on the M6 southbound between junctions 14 and 13, after a fatal collision early this morning.
Highways England says the junction 14 entry slip road remains closed for the time being.
Schemes to improve the M6 and M56 will be delayed, after Highways England "listened" to driver feedback.
Read MoreThe M6 near Stafford remains closed southbound, almost nine hours after a fatal collision, but the traffic that was trapped between junctions 14 and 13 has now been cleared.
A 30-year-old man died at the scene after he was hit by a lorry, and collision investigators say their examinations of the scene are now in their final stages.
Paramedics say the lorry driver suffered minor injuries.
A trade union has failed in its bid for a temporary High Court injunction in a long-running dispute between refuse collectors and Birmingham City Council.
Image source, Getty ImagesUnite the union asked High Court judges to issue an injunction to stop lorries operating with fewer staff than agreed at the end of the last strike in 2017.
Giving judgment on Thursday, Judge Jason Coppel QC dismissed the union's application for an interim injunction pending a full trial.
The judge said Unite was "likely to have the better of the arguments" at trial, but granting the injunction would "directly impact" on the council's ability to collect domestic waste and "would make matters worse, at least to some degree".
A four-day trial between Unite and the local authority is likely to be heard in May.
The Health and Safety Executive is investigating the death of a man at a factory in Hereford.
Jamie Allen, who was 28, died on 2 February while he was working at Hereford Galvanizers on the Westfields Trading Estate.
West Mercia Police has confirmed it is assisting the HSE and that the investigations are ongoing.
A fundraising campaign set up for Mr Allen's family has raised almost £5,000.
BBC Radio Stoke Sport
Stoke City manager Nathan Jones is taking the positives from their 0-0 draw against Wigan Athletic last night, despite failing to find the net for the fourth game in a row.
The result brought to an end their losing run and he said he was pleased at getting his first clean sheet since coming to the club.
Image source, Getty ImagesJones also said he thought they created enough chances to win that match and the previous three.
