Summary

  • Updates from Monday 7 September to Sunday 13 September

  1. HS2 congestion warning issued by fire chiefpublished at 14:23 British Summer Time 17 September 2020

    Local Democracy Reporting Service
    David Lawrence

    The response times of fire crews could be affected by construction traffic for the HS2 rail line, a fire chief is warning.

    HS2 constructionImage source, PA Media

    A report written by the assistant chief fire officer for Warwickshire, Barnaby Briggs, says crews from Atherstone, Polesworth and Coleshill could all be affected due to potential congestion along the A5 leading to the M42.

    He says the targeted response times from these fire stations may have to be looked at.

    Depending on the anticipated severity of the effects, temporary accommodation may have to be considered for some crew, he adds.

  2. Three arrested over biker's crash deathpublished at 14:19 British Summer Time 17 September 2020

    The three men were held on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.

    Read More
  3. Man found in road with head injury namedpublished at 14:00 British Summer Time 17 September 2020

    The 49-year-old, from Wolverhampton, who was known by his nickname Lola, later died in hospital.

    Read More
  4. Hospitals to receive share of government fundingpublished at 13:22 British Summer Time 17 September 2020

    Three hospital trusts in the West Midlands are set to receive funding to expand and upgrade accident and emergency facilities.

    University Hospital CoventryImage source, Google

    The government has pledged an extra £150m of funding, external to help reduce overcrowding and improve infection control ahead of winter.

    This is on top of the £300m previously announced for upgrades.

    Royal Shrewsbury Hospital: £6.3m for removing an existing building and replacing it, to support same-day emergency care.

    University Hospital Coventry: £3m for emergency department expansion.

    Worcestershire Royal Hospital: £2.5m for releasing capacity for the emergency department expansion.

  5. 'Car park panto' plannedpublished at 13:00 British Summer Time 17 September 2020

    A group of performers from the West Midlands have hatched a plan to try to save the Christmas panto, despite coronavirus.

    The Birmingham Stage Company says it'll stage drive-in performances at a number of places - with audience members watching the show from their vehicles and picking up the sound on their car radios.

    Horrible Histories on stageImage source, Horrible Histories

    The performance will be of Horrible Christmas, a pantomime inspired by the series of Horrible Histories children's books by Terry Deary.

    The Car Park Panto show will visit locations including Birmingham, Bristol, Liverpool, Manchester, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Cardiff.

  6. Telford waste recycling plant on firepublished at 12:48 British Summer Time 17 September 2020

    Passers-by film the scene after a huge fire breaks out at the Granville Recycling Plant in Telford.

    Read More
  7. Castle handed £50k lottery grantpublished at 11:59 British Summer Time 17 September 2020

    BBC Radio Shropshire

    Whittington Castle in Shropshire has been awarded a £50,000 emergency grant to help secure its immediate future as a visitor attraction.

    Volunteers at the community-run castle had feared they'd have to close permanently because of the pandemic.

    Whittington CastleImage source, Google

    The money from the National Lottery Heritage Fund has allowed the attraction to reopen and to carry out improvements, including new toilets.

  8. 'Don't be scared of talking about mental health'published at 11:38 British Summer Time 17 September 2020

    A woman whose sister took her own life is encouraging students to talk about mental health issues.

    Read More
  9. Shopping centre jobs secured as new operator foundpublished at 10:31 British Summer Time 17 September 2020

    The centre will continue to be known as Intu Merry Hill until a rebrand next year.

    Read More
  10. Public meeting over former power station site unlikelypublished at 10:03 British Summer Time 17 September 2020

    Local Democracy Reporting Service

    It looks like a public meeting to discuss the latest plans for the former Ironbridge power station site won't happen, because of coronavirus restrictions.

    Harworth Group is asking tor permission to build about 1,000 homes there and other facilities and published revised proposals in August.

    Power station site

    The Telford and Wrekin councillor for the area, Carolyn Healy, had wanted to give local residents the chance to debate them, before they go before the local authority's planning committee in November.

    But she's been forced to concede she'll have to distribute a summary of the plans because of the limits on large gatherings.

  11. Huge blaze breaks out at recycling plantpublished at 08:21 British Summer Time 17 September 2020

    BBC Radio Shropshire

    Dozens of firefighters have been tackling a large fire a recycling plant this morning in Shropshire.

    The fireImage source, Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service

    Eight fire engines were called at 04:42 to the Granville Recycling Plant on Grange Lane, Redhill, near Telford, the fire service said. , external

    Crews said residents living north of the M54 over Oakengates, Trench and Hadley should keep their windows and doors closed., external

  12. Another sunny day in storepublished at 08:14 British Summer Time 17 September 2020

    BBC Weather

    It will be a dry and settled day with some cloud but lots of sunny spells with highs of 20C (68F).

    This was the scene earlier in Ashton under Hill in Worcestershire as taken by BBC Weather Watcher Morning Amble.

    Ashton under HillImage source, Weather Watcher/morning amble
  13. Birmingham sign Villa striker Hoganpublished at 21:32 British Summer Time 16 September 2020

    Birmingham City sign striker Scott Hogan from neighbours Aston Villa for an undisclosed fee.

    Read More
  14. Man charged with brother's stabbing murderpublished at 20:15 British Summer Time 16 September 2020

    Roy Garmson, 33, is accused of stabbing Joseph, 31, at a house in Bartley Green, Birmingham.

    Read More
  15. Bar stripped of licence for 'worst' Covid breachespublished at 20:05 British Summer Time 16 September 2020

    Health chiefs describe scenes of guidance being ignored in a packed bar as "unprecedented".

    Read More
  16. Gender-fluid worker wins harassment claimpublished at 19:37 British Summer Time 16 September 2020

    An employment tribunal finds Jaguar Land Rover took an "insensitive stance" dealing with the case.

    Read More
  17. 'No confidence' in school transport servicepublished at 19:08 British Summer Time 16 September 2020

    Some children with special needs were dropped at the wrong schools, Birmingham City Council said.

    Read More
  18. Weather: Cooler temperatures but still plenty of sunpublished at 18:34 British Summer Time 16 September 2020

    BBC Weather

    The end of the week is forecast to be a bit cooler, with temperatures on Thursday and Friday up to around 19C (66F) instead of the 25C (77F) we were seeing earlier in the week.

    But it should remain sunny and clear.

    PembridgeImage source, Chris L
  19. Birmingham sees small rise in casespublished at 18:16 British Summer Time 16 September 2020

    At the weekend, just days before Birmingham introduced its own lockdown measures, the city faced the second highest rate of coronavirus infections in England, with only Bolton higher.

    The latest figures from Public Health England show week-on-week, the number of cases have risen in Birmingham, although many other places in England have seen big rises themselves.

    Birmingham

    In the seven days up to 13 September, Birmingham had 952 new cases of Covid-19, up from 924. That meant a rate of 83.4 cases per 100,000 people (up from 80.9).

    However, in Bolton, the rate stands at 204.1 per 100,000 people and 11 other places in England now officially have infection rates of over 100 per 100,000 people.

    Solihull and Sandwell, the other two areas to have extra coronavirus restrictions imposed yesterday have also seen rises, week-on-week, as did Rugby and Wolverhampton.