Local Democracy Reporting Service

Shropshire Council might have to take emergency measures to help it cope with the costs of coronavirus.

The local authority’s finance chief has warned it may not be possible to meet the council’s legal obligation to achieve a balanced budget.

In a worst-cast scenario it might have to issue a section 114 notice, preventing it from entering into any further financial commitments, until an emergency budget is prepared.

It would continue to provide statutory services and safeguard vulnerable people however.

A BBC investigation last week found some of the largest UK councils may have to declare themselves effectively bankrupt unless the government agrees to further support.

Shropshire Council was one of a handful of councils which didn't respond to that study.

Relatives of migrant workers killed in a wall collapse say it feels like their lives do not matter.

Allen Cook
BBC News

Figures have been released showing the number of people testing positive for coronavirus in each council area.

It comes after Leicester became the first city to have a local lockdown imposed following a rise in cases.

Image source, AFP/Getty Images

The data from Public Health England shows the number of positive tests for every 100,000 population tested in hospitals and the wider community in the week up to 21 June.

For the West Midlands, the figures in alphabetical order of council are:

• Birmingham 9.6
• Coventry 5.7
• Dudley 3.7
• Herefordshire 2.1
• Sandwell 7.3
• Shropshire 13.7
• Solihull 4.7
• Staffordshire 9.4
• Stoke-on-Trent 18.0
• Telford and Wrekin 8.4
• Walsall 4.6
• Warwickshire 10.3
• Wolverhampton 9.9
• Worcestershire 5.7

By comparison, the figure for Leicester in the week is 140.2 testing positive out of 100,000 people.

Halesowen News

These stories are being covered today by the Halesowen News:

• Lucky escape for all after A449 crash, external
• Repairs to damaged sewers will see road closed, external
• Mum spends £1k every month rescuing abandoned animals, external

Local Democracy Reporting Service
Joe Burn

Police officers have been called in by a bus firm after some passengers have "point blank refused" to wear face masks.

Image source, Getty Images

Since 15 June, the coverings have been mandatory for anyone using public transport in England with only a small minority exempt.

First Potteries, which runs bus services in Stoke-on-Trent, said most people have followed the advice but some have refused the request from drivers.

A senior police officer recently went to the main bus station in Hanley to urge passengers to follow the rules adding fining people who refused would only be "a final course of action".

Video shows the driver being repeatedly struck in the face by the assailant, who then walks away.

Residents in Birmingham will be able to take household rubbish to waste recycling centres in vans or trailers from tomorrow., external

Until now, with the recycling centres reopening post-lockdown, only trips in cars have been allowed.

The city council said the service wasn't available yet to businesses and residents would still have to book a slot via their website., external

BBC Weather Watchers

Thick, dark cloud is the common theme for the BBC Weather Watcher photos this morning.

These pictures were taken near Clee Hill, Redditch and Barlaston.

Image source, Skye

Image source, Stormchaser Al

Image source, Jon

Charlie Fry author Martin Smith is thrilled as "life-saving" drug Kaftrio becomes available on the NHS.

Hereford Times

Here are three of the stories from the Hereford Times today:

• Debt help service celebrates 10 years, external
• Corner shop licence suspended, external
• Motorist caught driving with tyre off the rim, external

Footage shows the 52-year-old driver being punched repeatedly after he asks for payment, the taxi association says.

The grounds of a wildlife centre in Staffordshire are being reopened to visitors today.

Image source, Staffordshire Wildlife Trust

Staffordshire Wildlife Trust says, external there would be a one-way system around the boardwalks at its headquarters in Wolseley, near Stafford.

People are being warned the gates may be closed if visitor numbers get too high and, while the main centre will stay shut, temporary toilets will be on site.

New speed cameras, which are expected to make it easier to catch speeding motorcyclists, have been bought for the police in Warwickshire.

The equipment can detect and record the make, model and registration number of two and four-wheel vehicles, meaning police officers don't have to write down those details themselves.

Image source, Warwickshire Police

The £20,000 to pay for the cameras has come the from Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner's Road Safety Fund.

Warwickshire Police said: "Between 1 January 2017 and 31 December 2019, 92 people were killed and 669 seriously injured in collisions where speed or loss of control was recorded as a contributory factor."

Local Democracy Reporting Service

Here are three of the stories covered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service in Worcester in the last 24 hours:

• A bid for £271,000 to improve cycling in Worcestershire has only got half the funding requested from the government.
• Plans to install floodlights around a sports pitch at Christopher Whitehead Language College in Worcester have been refused, after concerns they would shine into gardens.
• Permission has been granted for a further 14 homes in Welland, near Malvern.

Sophie Calvert
BBC Radio Stoke

Up to 80 jobs could be cut at a pie manufacturer in Crewe, due to the impact of coronavirus on many of its customers' businesses.

Image source, Google

Wrights started in 1926 making pies but now supplies savoury goods and other products to businesses such as restaurants and bakers.

But the family-owned firm said, external some of its clients in airline catering and hospitality had either closed or weren't working at full capacity due to the impact of coronavirus.

It added that it was trying to avoid compulsory redundancies and had started a 30-day consultation.

Birmingham Live

The Birmingham Live website's headlines today include:

• Taxi driver brutally beaten up in 'row over fare', external
• Police swamped by illegal party reports - as '100 ravers' pack West Bromwich house party, external
• Man is stabbed and robbed of his £2k bike by bogus Facebook buyer, external

Litter patrols in Shrewsbury have found more than four times the usual amount of rubbish in parks around the town.

The town council said its staff and volunteers would normally collect six bulk bins of rubbish in the Quarry, but last week it collected 28.

The council has also reported a rise in anti-social behaviour since the easing of lockdown restrictions and the recent hot weather.

It said a lot of litter was being dropped in the evening, when people were drinking and expected another increase when the pubs reopen.

Most vets have not been doing routine treatments such as neutering during lockdown.

Steam trains will not start running this weekend at a heritage railway despite lockdown measures easing.

The directors at Chasewater Railway, , externalbased near Cannock, Staffordshire, said they had decided to stay closed to protect volunteers and visitors.

But they added they would keep looking at the situation and, once it could reopen safely, would start running trains again.

Port Vale winger David Amoo signs a contract extension to keep him at Vale Park until the summer of 2022.