Local Democracy Reporting Service

Shropshire Council has agreed to set up a new housing company to build smaller homes for first-time buyers and elderly people.

Councillors were presented with a report that revealed that only 50% of those who live in the county can afford to rent and just 32% can afford to buy.

Image source, PA

Two initial sites have been identified for development, with a further five up for consideration.

Initial set-up costs are estimated to be around £250,000 and the company could be up and running as early as summer.

A man suffering from motor neurone disease has died after he removed an oxygen mask he relied on to stay alive.

Businessman John King, 77, from Sutton, Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire, said he wanted his legacy to be used to raise awareness of the incurable illness.

He had been fed through a tube and needed constant care since he was diagnosed 18 months ago.

The method of ending his own life "did not constitute assisted suicide", he said.

Jessica Labhart
BBC News

Three teenage boys have been stabbed to death in Birmingham within days of each other.

Image source, Family handout

The killings happened within a three-mile radius in suburbs of east Birmingham largely populated by those from minority backgrounds.

As the city battles a rise in knife crime, many questions remain.

What has led to the deaths of these boys - and what is being done about it?

BBC News has been investigating.

Children held in secure units are still not safe from physical and sexual abuse, a report finds.

A decision regarding whether industrial action in the ongoing Birmingham bins dispute is legal, is expected today.

More than 300 workers belonging to the Unite union started a series of walkouts over claims of "secret payments"made to non-striking GMB staff after a dispute in 2017 - claims denied by both the council and the GMB

Birmingham City Council applied for an injunction to stop refuse collectors from striking at the High Court on Thursday.

The decision is expected to be made later this morning.

Alex Hamilton
BBC Weather

It will be a fairly cloudy day with some drizzle and highs of 11C (52F).

Vanessa Pearce
BBC News

Welcome to our live service for Friday.

We'll be bringing you all the news, sport, travel and weather for the West Midlands.

We love to hear from you so share your news, thoughts and photos of the area with us via email, Twitter, external and Facebook., external

Building apprenticeships are highly male-dominated, but some young women are bucking the system.

Three teens have been stabbed to death in Birmingham in 12 days - but why? And what is being done about it?

Steve Walters says the club told him he waited too long to report abuse by Barry Bennell.

Elaine Brown came into contact with the legionella bacteria during a visit to a Ludlow hotel.

Some parents object to the involvement of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

HMP Birmingham is being searched as part of a pre-planned operation, the BBC is told.

Andy Giddings
BBC News

We'll be back with the news, sport, travel and weather from 07:00 tomorrow.

BBC WM Sport

West Bromwich Albion defender Ahmed Hegazi is back in training and looks likely to be fit for tomorrow night's game away to Leeds, despite having his foot in a protective cast following last weekend's defeat against Sheffield United.

Image source, Getty Images

Jacob Murphy and Hal Robson-Kanu are both expected to be available after missing that game through injury.

Head coach Darren Moore said he hoped none of the three players suffered a recurrence before tomorrow evening.

National Star says the new homes at No 1 Ledbury Road will address a lack of provision in Hereford.

Accommodation for up to 178 students will be built next to Hereford railway station, after a decision by Herefordshire councillors to grant planning permission.

The new building will be constructed on the former Rockfield DIY site, which is currently being used as a car park, and provide rooms for students at Hereford College of Arts and the new city's new university.

Image source, Google

The building will include public art designed by students plus parking for bicycles and electric cars.

Hereford Civic Society has called it "an awful building in the wrong place".

Cheshire Constabulary may take reports of non-emergency crimes via messaging service Whatsapp in future.

Cuts of £8m and a 2.99% increase in council tax have been agreed by Stoke-on-Trent city councillors, this afternoon, but only just.

They voted in favour of the budget by 20 votes to 17.

Image source, Getty Images

The savings include a reduction of £3.4m in the adult social care budget and new charges for getting rid of soil, plasterboard and rubble at recycling centres.

BBC Sport

Shrewsbury Town have declared an annual profit of £341,000 for the year ending in June 2018.

The club also said it continued to have no debt, with £2.9m in the bank and £14.2m of assets.

Shrewsbury manager Sam Ricketts said it was "how football should be run".