Local Democracy Reporting Service

Here are three of the stories from our Local Democracy Reporter in Worcestershire today:

• Plans to build another 100 homes in Badsey near Evesham have been put forward by a developer.
• An ageing Scout hut on Albert Road in Evesham will be demolished and replaced with a bigger building.
• A plan to build a storage building on a farm at Callow End was rejected by councillors after neighbours objected to its size, saying it would ruin the views of a village.

BBC Weather

Dry and clear for most of tonight with just some patches around later on. Turning cool, with a low of 4C (39F).

Image source, Judgejulie

Then any cloud which is around to start the day should clear away to leave a dry day with plenty of sunshine. Feeling warmer with a high of 21C (70F).

You can get a latest forecast for your area at any other time by heading to the BBC Weather website.

A sculpture's been installed in a park in tribute to NHS workers.

The four-metre-tall artwork of a winged medical worker has been temporarily placed in Lightwoods Park, Sandwell.

Image source, Sandwell Council

The local council said Black Country sculptor Luke Perry created it after recent chats with his friend who works as a doctor at Birmingham Children’s Hospital.

"I wanted to create a piece of public art that captures the huge public outpouring of thanks to our health and care workers at this time," he told the council.

The local authority added the artwork was a private donation and no taxpayer money had funded it.

Demand has been "tremendous" in the past few weeks, the Shropshire Cycle Hub says.

The England coach Eddie Jones has recorded a video message, external to encourage Bromsgrove Rugby Club in their Around the World charity challenge.

Members will be attempting to run, cycle, swim or walk a combined 25,000 miles to raise money for NHS Charities Together and the club itself.

Image source, Getty Images

Jones said: "We can't have fun on the rugby field, but we can have fun off the rugby field and part of it is making sure we can support everything we can to beat the virus."

BBC Midlands Today

Communities and Local Government Secretary Robert Jenrick was asked today about the amount of coronavirus funding going to councils in the West Midlands.

Patrick Burns from BBC Midlands Today asked him if the money being given so far was enough.

And Mr Jenrick promised he would listen to demands for more.

Local Democracy Reporting Service
Kerry Ashdown

More than 350 homes could be built on the site of a former General Electric factory in Stafford.

Image source, Google

Developer St Modwen's submitted plans for the area off Lichfield Road, which would see the existing buildings demolished and replaced with the houses.

The firm said it was a disused brownfield site and was "ideally placed" to become homes.

However, a local councillor's called the application in for the borough council's planning committee to examine amid concerns of "over intensification of the site".

The Debenhams store in Birmingham's Bullring shopping centre will not be reopening once lockdown ends, the retailer has announced.

Image source, Google

Debenhams confirmed another five branches in total would permanently close in shopping centres owned by Hammerson, including the one in Birmingham city centre.

It’s understood the retailer has been unable to agree new terms with Hammerson and that about 1,000 jobs will be affected, including concession staff.

The news comes on the same day Hammerson told the Press Association its £400m deal to sell seven retail parks had collapsed after a private equity buyer pulled out.

Shropshire Star

Here are three of the stories from the Shropshire Star today:

• Yoga teacher's plea for help after being stranded in jungle, external
• Schools will need to be deep-cleaned when lockdown ends, external
• Ecologists want power station development scaled back, external

A food and drink festival which attracted 30,000 visitors last year has been postponed to 2021 due to the pandemic.

Image source, Colmore BID

The Colmore Food Festival was due to take place from 3 July in Centenary Square, Birmingham, and celebrate local restaurants, bars and cafes.

But organisers said current social distancing rules and the lockdown had forced them to postpone it to next year.

Aston Villa chief executive Christian Purslow is against playing the remaining Premier League fixtures at neutral grounds to complete the season.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

A deep cleans of schools, play areas, parks and other community facilities will "almost certainly" have to be carried out before the lockdown can be lifted in Telford, the leader of the council has warned.

Shaun Davies made the comments in an online question and answer session and said guidance would also be given to businesses on making their premises safe and clean.

Image source, Telford and Wrekin Council

Mr Davies also said it was now "highly unlikely" that schools would return to normal before September and that once they do, he doesn't want to see families fined if they keep their children away for self isolation reasons.

Stuart George
Presenter, BBC Radio Stoke

People turning to baking during lockdown has led to sales of jam going "through the roof", according to one producer in Cheshire.

Image source, Mrs Darlington

Mrs Darlington's, based in Crewe, makes about 50,000 jars a day and owner Sarah Darlington told BBC Radio Stoke that business was good.

"As the weeks have gone by it's got busier and busier and I can only assume it's to do with people doing a lot more baking at home," she said.

She admitted to feeling somewhat guilty at the success during lockdown, but added the the firm was trying to its bit by raising money for charity from sales and supporting local food banks.

Coventry Food Bank serves thousands of people in the city and says its operation has been jeopardised.

The UK has now overtaken Italy to have the highest number of officially recorded coronavirus deaths in Europe.

The figures - announced by both governments daily - show a total of 29,427 deaths in the UK and 29,315 in Italy.

Image source, Getty Images

But can you make a fair comparison between the two countries?

There are challenges around doing this at the moment and here are some of the factors to take into account.

You can read more about the challenges here

Local Democracy Reporting Service

Lewisham has partnered with Birmingham City Council to launch a review into health inequalities within Black African and Caribbean communities.

Black African and Caribbean communities are disproportionately affected by health problems in the UK, while Black Caribbean people suffer nearly three times the death rate from Covid-19 compared to that of white people.

The Birmingham and Lewisham African and Caribbean Health Inequalities Review (BLACHIR) will cover an 18-month period and look at specific issues such as health conditions, lifestyle, mental health, employment, and housing.

According to the 2011 Census, 46.5% of Lewisham’s population are from BAME groups with the largest ethnic minority group being Black African (11.6%) and Black Caribbean (11.2%) – 77% of Lewisham’s schools population is of BAME heritage.

In Birmingham, 42% of the population and 60% of children under five were from BAME groups compared to 17 per cent in England.

Birmingham accounts for about 8% of the total Black African and Caribbean population of England.

The review, which looks to ‘break the cycle of inequalites’, aims to inform the work of the councils’ health and wellbeing Board partnership, the NHS, and academic, community, and voluntary sector partners “to make sustainable changes that start to address decades of inequalities”.

Lewisham mayor Damien Egan said “learning lessons needs to start now”.

As some tips are already back open to residents across the country, more councils are announcing reopening dates.

The household recycling centre in Dudley is set to reopen on Monday, external but residents in the area are being told they'll need to book in advance.

The local council says booking can be made by appointment for next week and future slots will be released on Mondays for the following week.

While in Staffordshire, all the county council waste recycling centres will reopen on 14 May before reverting to their usual hours from 18 May.

The local authority is warning people to expect long queues with social distancing guidelines in place.

Dudley News

A few of the top stories from the Dudley News website today:

• Dudley Council to reopen Stourbridge tip, external
• Appeal following robbery at Farmfoods in Dudley, external
• Centre reaches out to help isolated during lockdown, external

Local Democracy Reporting Service

Telford's conference centre is looking to expand, but the project could be delayed by the coronavirus outbreak.

Outline planning approval for an extension to the Telford International Centre was granted 10 years ago, for land between the existing centre and the ice rink, but a full application still needs to be approved.

Image source, LDRS

Details of the plans have not yet been made available, but they are for "additional conference and exhibition venues".

Reports of an explosion at the Lacon Childe School in Cleobury Mortimer turned out to be a firework rocket, Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service has said.

A fire crew was called there at 17:49 yesterday evening, but didn't need to take any action.

Image source, Google