Local Democracy Reporting Service

A purpose-built student accommodation block is set to be converted into a homeless hostel in Coventry city centre.

Image source, Google

The council approved the acquisition of 72A St Margaret Road in March and is in the process of completing the deal with Coventry University.

The property will house 16 single homeless adults but could cater for more if a single parent with children stays there.

Use as a hostel will provide more suitable temporary accommodation for homeless individuals and reduce costs, the council has said, with many homeless people currently housed in expensive hotels and B&Bs instead.

The building has prompted 22 letters of objection from neighbours.

Planning officer Dean Leadon said West Midlands Police had raised “some concerns” but a condition for security measures leaves him “satisfied” it would be “suitably managed”.

Plans are recommended for approval.

BBC Radio Hereford and Worcester

West Mercia Police's professional standards department is investigating a video that appears to show an officer hitting a teenager being arrested in Kidderminster on Monday night.

The video has been widely shared on social media.

The force says two teenagers were arrested on suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker and released under investigation.

Cannabis plants with an estimated street value of £200,000 have been seized by the police at a house in Telford.

They raided the property on Manse Road in Hadley this morning and said a 22-year-old man was arrested and is being held in police custody.

Image source, West Mercia Police

West Mercia Police said it was an operation to disrupt serious and organised crime.

Campaigners at Open Cages say undercover filming showed cruelty at chicken farms supplying Tesco.

Rob Mayor
Political reporter, BBC Radio WM

Walsall is moving closer to extra coronavirus restrictions, latest figures show.

Clive Wright, West Midlands regional convenor for the Department of Health, said case rates were 110.8 per 100.000, with neighbouring Wolverhampton at 71.0.

Enhanced support could be introduced from Monday, with a new national tiered system likely to also be in place next week.

The new government rules are expected to be announced on Monday and measures could include closing pubs and restaurants, or a ban on overnight stays.

Image source, ZETAT/GETTY IMAGES

Also speaking at the West Midlands Combined Authority weekly briefing on Friday, was Ian Ward, leader of Birmingham City Council.

He said the region's council leaders were lobbying the government to make any proposed traffic light system more nuanced, with extra layers to deal with celebrations like weddings.

The city council has also now received almost £900,000 in government funding to carry out "enforcement activity" over the next four months to help stop the spread of the virus, Mr Ward said.

Philip Peace from Dudley is charged with the manslaughter of his five-month-old daughter Summer.

BBC Radio Shropshire

Four year groups at the independent Oswestry School have been asked to stay at home for a fortnight, after nine people associated with the school tested positive for coronavirus.

Image source, Google

The school's head, Julian Noad, said they were suffering no significant ill-effects and were recovering well.

Children have switched to online learning and those who board at the school are self-isolating, the school added.

Shropshire Star

Here are some of the Shropshire Star stories:

• People could be banned from meeting with friends in pubs and restaurants, external under tough new lockdown measures in Shropshire
• Shrewsbury road reopened after large garage fire, external
• Work begins on new £5m health and social care training centre in Telford, external

A man has been arrested on suspicion of money laundering, after a safe containing up to £30,000 in cash was found in a restaurant car park.

A man was discovered by police at McDonald’s in Gallagher Retail Park, Coventry, on Wednesday at 10:35, following reports he had been seen with a knife.

A weapon was not found, but West Midlands Police said officers discovered a safe on the back seat which "was later found to be hiding a stash of money.

It added: "You could buy 139,860 chicken nuggets with £30,000! The suspect clearly had a case of the munchies."

Police seized the money, which they suspected "could be ill-gotten drugs profits" and said the safe would be "examined for any traces of illegal substances".

A 24-year-old man, from Coventry, was questioned on suspicion of theft and money laundering.

He refused to account for the money or give any indication where it came from and had been released under investigation while inquiries continued, the force said.

Sukhbir Phull stabbed Ramani Morgan, 16, in an "unwarranted and vicious" attack outside a house party.

Burton Albion agree a loan deal until January for Leicester City defender Sam Hughes.

Aston Villa's next two Women's Super League games are postponed after a first-team squad member tests positive for coronavirus.

Isobel Corrie was a student nurse when cabin crew asked for help from anyone with medical experience.

BBC Radio Hereford and Worcester

The Severn Valley Railway is set to receive £900,000 from the government to help it recover from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, which it says "is crucial to getting us through the next six months".

Image source, Tom Clarke

More than 450 heritage organisations are set to share the first wave of a £1.57bn government scheme to help them through the pandemic.

The Culture Recovery Fund is aimed at securing the future of museums, galleries and heritage sites.

The railway, which runs for 16 miles from Kidderminster in Worcestershire to Bridgnorth in Shropshire, is among sites to receive funding from the first tranche of £103m.

Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway with £318,000, Dudley Canal and Tunnel Trust with £309,800 and National Memorial Arboretum Company Ltd with £296,600 are also among those benefiting.

League Two side Port Vale sign Leicester City defender Mitch Clark on loan until January.

Coronavirus cases in Wolverhampton are starting to "stabilise" the city council says, but adds now is "not the time to ease up" on social distancing measures.

Ian Brookfield, leader of the council, says local restrictions introduced last month are starting to have an effect.

Image source, City of Wolverhampton Council

In the local authority area, 78.6 per 100,000 people tested positive in the seven days to 5 October, with 207 new cases recorded over that time.

The rate has continued to rise in recent weeks, but much slower since 21 September.

"The early signs and they are early signs are that it is working and our infection rates are stabilising rather than rising out of control which is happening in other areas," Mr Brookfield said.

"I'm proud of how as a city we are responding to the local restrictions, your actions are having an effect.

"Now is not the time to ease up or think that the race is won."

According to current regulations anyone living in Birmingham, Sandwell, Solihull and Wolverhampton must not mix with people outside of their household either indoors or in a private garden.

They have also been told to avoid socialising with other households in public venues.

Worcester News

Here are some of the Worcester News stories:

• Pub landlords in Worcester say another lockdown could force them to close their business permanently, external
• John Lennon at 80: memories and photos of The Beatles in Worcester, external
• Worcester loses £12.5 million in student spend due to pandemic, external

Northants, Leicestershire and Sussex secure the last three T20 Blast quarter-final places in the final round of group games.

Sayed Abuker Mohamed Ahmed was stabbed to death by Abdillahi Ali Abdillahi at a Birmingham flat.

The woman returned from Mykonos and made three visits to a gym when she should have been quarantining.