Local Democracy Reporting Service
Tom Davis

A Coventry hotel is to receive a £1m rescue package from the city council to offset coronavirus lockdown pressures.

Image source, Google

Council Leader George Duggins said the loan to Coombe Abbey Hotel would “ensure the future” of the council-owned hotel while the hospitality sector struggles with losses from the pandemic.

The move was approved by council chief executive Martin Reeves through emergency powers meaning the decision was not publicly debated by councillors.

It has sparked criticism that the decision was pushed through without scrutiny and has been branded a "taxpayer bailout" by the Conservative opposition group.

The council purchased the hotel for a reported £11m in 2017 and handed it previous help such as a £1.95m loan last year to facilitate a GoApe assault course.

Port Vale wing-back Cristian Montano and midfielder Rhys Browne sign new 12-month deals with the League Two club.

Worcester Warriors say that injured Michael Fatialofa has their full support in a disagreement over unpaid medical fees.

BBC Radio Shropshire Sport

A prominent Shropshire non-league football club has gone out of business due after losing income due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on its season.

FC Oswestry Town played in Division One of the Northwest Counties League and shared TNS's Park Hall ground.

Image source, Google

They were heading for promotion to the North West Counties League premier division when the season was stopped and then declared null and void.

The manager's resigned, and the team said it was not financially viable, external to continue given the lost income.

Patients of rogue breast surgeon Ian Paterson may have died unnaturally, a review found.

BBC Business News

The coronavirus crisis could "level down" the UK economy with London and the South East expected to bounce back more quickly than parts of the West Midlands.

Image source, Google

Industries such as finance and construction will be worst hit by the pandemic, a report from the Social Market Foundation (SMF) found.

Initially, London and the South East will be worst affected it said.

However, other areas face a more painful recovery from the impact of the virus, including Sandwell and Walsall, the centrist think tank said.

Promoted Coventry City sign defender Julien Dacosta after his departure from French side Niort.

Birmingham Live

Some of the Birmingham Live headlines today include:

• Map shows how badly each part of West Midlands could be hit by coronavirus second wave, external
• Fury as Erdington residents woken by onions hitting homes in dead of night, external
• Huge explosion as grenade fished from Small Heath canal detonated by bomb squad, external

The fire service in Staffordshire is reminding people not to use disposable barbeques on wood or grass due to the risk of fires.

It issued pictures showing "near misses" in the area.

Worcester Warriors forward Michael Fatialofa is to return home after five months in hospital following a serious neck injury.

A fire at a derelict school in Dudley caused it to partially collapse.

Image source, West Midlands Fire Service

About 30 firefighters were called to deal with the blaze at Blowers Green School which started in the early hours of Sunday.

Image source, West Midlands Fire Service

The fire service worked with the council and gas and electricity companies to make the area safe.

Inquiries have begun to find out how the fire started.

Inquests will be opened in Birmingham later after a review found patients of a rogue breast surgeon may have died unnaturally.

Image source, PA Media

Consultant Ian Paterson, 62, was convicted in 2017 of 17 counts of wounding with intent and three counts of unlawful wounding.

He was initially jailed for 15 years, before the Court of Appeal increased his sentence to a 20-year term.

The Birmingham and Solihull coroner, who has been looking at a "random selection" of cases involving Paterson said she and the area coroner now "believe there is evidence to have reason to suspect that some of those deaths may be unnatural".

BBC Weather

It will be a windy day with sunny spells but also scattered showers with highs of 19C (66F).

This was the scene in Warwick earlier taken by BBC Weather Watcher Ryan Lewis.

Image source, BBC Weather Watchers/Ryan Lewis

The latest news, sport, travel and weather across the West Midlands and south Cheshire.

Jurgen Klopp says Liverpool cannot focus on breaking records after the Premier League champions made it 17 wins from 17 home games this season by beating Aston Villa.

West Brom keep up the pressure on Leeds at the top of the Championship by beating relegation-threatened Hull in a six-goal thriller.

A man and a woman are arrested on suspicion of murder and remain in custody, police say.

The artwork was put up in Cleobury Mortimer to mark the 72nd anniversary of the NHS.

More than 30 firefighters attended the blaze at the former school building in Dudley.

The Nuneaton school is advised to undergo a deep clean before reopening the day before term ends.