Think global. Act local (council)published at 15:20 British Summer Time 17 October 2019
Local councils in the Midlands say tough green targets can help save money and even improve the health of local people.
Read MoreSummary
Updates from Monday 14 October to Sunday 20 October
Think global. Act local (council)published at 15:20 British Summer Time 17 October 2019
Flights may be cut on environmental groundspublished at 15:11 British Summer Time 17 October 2019
Press AssociationEurope's largest regional airline could cut some routes over environmental concerns, its boss has revealed.
Flybe was renamed Virgin Connect earlier this week after being taken over by the Connect Airways consortium of operators featuring Virgin Atlantic.
Its chief executive Mark Anderson, said while the aviation industry had a future, on environmental grounds some routes were better left to trains.
Flybe currently operates a number of domestic routes in Britain between cities which are connected by direct trains, including Birmingham to Edinburgh
In the papers: Councillors 'failed to pay tax on time'published at 15:00 British Summer Time 17 October 2019
The Shropshire Star's headlines today include:
'Thomas the Tank Engine' church added to At Risk Registerpublished at 14:38 British Summer Time 17 October 2019
Highbury Hall in Birmingham, home of Joseph Chamberlain, and the city's St Nicolas' Church in Kings Norton are among structures newly added to Historic England's At Risk register.
The list names the sites most in danger of being lost and in many cases prompts much-needed conservation work.
Image source, Historic EnglandNationwide, Historic England has added 247 sites to its list but 310 have been removed from the At Risk Register as they were regarded as saved.
Funds are being raised to try and rectify structural issues at St Nicolas' whose war-time curate, Wilbert Awdry, created Thomas the Tank Engine in 1942.
The large sandstone building has suffered structural issues on the south porch which is leaking badly, Historic England said.
Image source, Jas SansiEfforts are also under way to safeguard the Gothic-style former residence of Birmingham MP and reformer of working conditions Joseph Chamberlain.
In 2016, the Chamberlain Highbury Trust took over the site from Birmingham City Council on a long lease and an £8m fundraising campaign was launched to restore the building and parkland.
Poor drainage is causing erosion and waterloggging problems in the park, said Historic England.
Birmingham School of Art in Moseley - now a community centre - has been removed from the list.
New boss for under-fire hospital trustpublished at 14:17 British Summer Time 17 October 2019
Breaking
Allen Cook
BBC NewsShrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTh) has appointed Louise Barnett as its new chief executive.
Image source, SaTHThe trust was put in special measures in November due to concerns about maternity and emergency services.
SaTH is also being investigated over baby deaths, with the scope of a review widened to include questions or concerns from hundreds of families.
Over the summer, under-fire chief executive Simon Wright left the trust after nearly four years in the role and was replaced by interim boss Paula Clark.
Today, SaTH said Louise Barnett, the current chief executive at The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust, would take on the job in February., external
3D printing firm starts £5m expansionpublished at 13:57 British Summer Time 17 October 2019
BBC ShropshireA firm which specialises in 3D printing is expanding its plant in Shropshire.
Protolabs says the move in Telford is to meet growing demand from plane, car, and medical equipment companies.
Image source, GoogleWork has started on the £5m extension which should be finished early next year with the firm also looking to create 60 new jobs by 2021.
The company's added that, while there is uncertainty around Brexit, it's still "confident that our recent growth will continue".
According to the Centre for Cities, Telford relies on exports to the EU, external more than any other major town or city in the UK.
Triple baby killer moved to open prisonpublished at 13:44 British Summer Time 17 October 2019
The mother of one of Simon Smith's victims says she is "devastated" and "horrified" by the decision.
Read MoreIn the papers: Three arrests over 'car cloning'published at 13:34 British Summer Time 17 October 2019
A few of the stories making the headlines on the Worcester News site:
Fire services agree alliance to save moneypublished at 13:18 British Summer Time 17 October 2019
Local Democracy Reporting Service
Christian BarnettTwo fire services have agreed to work even more closely together in a bid to save money.
Image source, Hereford and Worcester Fire ServiceThe brigades in Shropshire and Hereford and Worcester already share computer systems, fire control and risk management since last year.
But now they'll work together on procurement, the way they buy goods and services, after Hereford and Worcester's fire authority followed Shropshire's in agreeing the formal alliance.
Burst water main site to remain closedpublished at 13:07 British Summer Time 17 October 2019
The site of a burst water main in Tipton is expected to remain closed until 25 October.
Image source, South Staffordshire WaterPark Lane West was flooded after the main burst on Monday, damaging homes.
The main has been replaced and work is continuing to repair other damage before starting to reinstate the road, said South Staffordshire Water.
'Precious' gardens placed on At Risk Registerpublished at 12:57 British Summer Time 17 October 2019
"Particularly precious" gardens with a "significant" group of 19th and 20th Century summerhouses are at risk of being lost, said Historic England.
Image source, Historic EnglandIt has placed Stoney Road Gardens in Coventry on its At Risk Register.
They are one of the few remaining examples of rented gardens within large towns and cities ring-fenced from development.
Image source, Historic EnglandThe gardens, owned by Coventry City Council, are still used as allotments
The Stoney Road Gardens Association is currently negotiating terms to take on a long lease for the gardens from the city council and there is a conservation management plan.
Crash leaves motorcyclist seriously hurtpublished at 12:43 British Summer Time 17 October 2019
Allen Cook
BBC NewsA motorcyclist has been badly hurt in a crash with a car.
Image source, GoogleThe two vehicles collided yesterday on the A438 near Tarrington, not far from Hereford, West Mercia Police said. , external
The 21-year-old biker suffered serious injuries and is in a stable condition in hospital.
Officers added the 18-year-old car driver wasn't seriously hurt.
Brexiteer MP to 'look closely' at PM's dealpublished at 12:30 British Summer Time 17 October 2019
The prime minister has announced that a new deal has been struck with the EU that could finally see Brexit realised.
However, the deal still needs the backing of MPs in Parliament and the DUP has said it cannot vote for the deal in its current form.
Image source, UK ParliamentThe deal's success might hinge on support from Brexiteers who rejected Theresa May's deal and in many cases take their prompt regarding Northern Ireland from the DUP.
Speaking earlier, former Northern Ireland Secretary Owen Paterson said he would "look closely" at Boris Johnson’s latest deal, but that he wouldn't jump to a judgment until the legal text of any deal is written and published.
The leave-supporting MP for North Shropshire told BBC Radio Shropshire: “Everyone I’ve spoken to says it’s significantly different to the Theresa May deal which I voted against three times."
However, he said the difficulties shouldn’t be underestimated, and that imposing a different regime on Northern Ireland could even go against the Act of Union.
Follow live updates as the Boris Johnson heads to the EU summit.
In the papers: Homes hit by water loss after burst pipepublished at 12:20 British Summer Time 17 October 2019
Coventry LiveSome of the Coventry Live headlines today include:
- Homes still hit by water loss 24 hours after major pipe burst, external
- Green light for purchase of Coventry B&M site, external
- Three new train stations on the cards for Coventry, external
Knife crime keeps rising in West Midlands, figures showpublished at 12:04 British Summer Time 17 October 2019
Allen Cook
BBC NewsKnife crime in the West Midlands has risen by nearly a fifth, according to the latest figures from police forces.
In the 12 months to the end of June 2019, offences in the region rose by 18%.
Image source, Getty ImagesThe data's from the Office for National Statistics, external with the whole of England and Wales seeing an increase of 7%.
In the West Midlands, West Mercia Police saw the biggest rise of 30% as the force recorded 578 offences in the year to June.
But the most crimes for the period were recorded by West Midlands Police with 3,560 - an increase of 20%.
The increase for Warwickshire was 25% while both Staffordshire Police and Cheshire Police saw falls in knife crime.
Burst main affecting water suppliespublished at 11:53 British Summer Time 17 October 2019
A number of properties in Nuneaton are experiencing water supply problems as engineers work to mend a burst main.
Image source, Severn TrentThe pipe burst on Gypsy Lane on Wednesday morning and it is unclear how many people are affected.
Water tankers are being used to help pump water back into pipes said Severn Trent.
The repair is "more difficult than normal due to the location," it added.
Schools experiencing problems were advised to get in touch with the water company for "extra support".
It said it aims to restore pressure to customers in Bramcote and Wolvey by 18:30.
Pilot scheme aims to help refugees start businessespublished at 11:32 British Summer Time 17 October 2019
Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio StokeRefugees in Staffordshire will be offered help to set up their own businesses over the next year in a pilot project.
The Home Office and the National Lottery Community Fund are spending more than £360,000 on the scheme in four parts of the country.
Bristol, Belfast and the east of England are the other areas, with the government saying, external the aim is to give refugees a chance to "flourish" in their new lives in the UK.
The Home Office added Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce would give advice to 40 refugees over the next 12 months.
Iron Age camp 'at risk but improvements under way'published at 11:17 British Summer Time 17 October 2019
An Iron Age camp in Herefordshire is still at risk of being lost but work is under way to try and save it, Historic England said today.
Image source, Historic EnglandThe organisation revealed the latest additions to its At Risk Register and which sites have been removed as they are regarded as saved.
The Sutton Walls Camp, near Hereford, is regarded by many as the location of the palace of Mercia, a kingdom during Anglo-Saxon England, the Historic England said.
The site was previously added to the At Risk Register due to "extensive significant problems, external".
However, Historic England said the Sutton Walls Conservation Group took over the management of the monument in 2017 and are working to improve it.
In the papers: Firecrackers 'hurled near dual carriageway'published at 11:07 British Summer Time 17 October 2019
Stoke-on-Trent LiveThe Stoke-on-Trent Live website's headlines today include:
Body of man foundpublished at 10:56 British Summer Time 17 October 2019
The death of a 62-year-old man found at a house in Tipton is being treated as suspicious, police say.
The body was found at the Beehive Walk property at about 23:50 on Wednesday.
Officers are "keeping an open mind around the circumstances of his death", said West Midlands Police.
