Around the web: Death toll at care home 'could rise'published at 18:08 Greenwich Mean Time 19 November 2020
A few of the stories making the headlines on the Worcester News website today:
Summary
Updates from Monday 16 November to Sunday 22 November
Around the web: Death toll at care home 'could rise'published at 18:08 Greenwich Mean Time 19 November 2020
Hundreds of homes given green lightpublished at 17:55 Greenwich Mean Time 19 November 2020
BBC Radio StokeMore than 1,200 homes are set to be built in Crewe after outline plans received approval from the local council.
Image source, GoogleTwo proposals of 850, external and 400 homes, external have been agreed by Cheshire East councillors for land off Minshull New Road.
A new primary school, a local centre and other buildings will also be built under the plans.
Tougher action against Covid rule-breakers in citypublished at 17:36 Greenwich Mean Time 19 November 2020
BBC Midlands TodayAction against lockdown rule-breakers is being stepped up in Stoke-on-Trent as the city battles one of the highest coronavirus infection rates in the country.
Enforcement teams from the city's trading standards department are being sent out to make sure people stick to the rules.
The council says, external it follows complaints about people not wearing masks, businesses staying open and large gatherings.
The rate of new cases in Stoke-on-Trent reached 563.6 per 100,000 people in the week up to 14 November, up from 441.2 for the previous seven days.
App developed to replace 'out-of-date' loyalty cardpublished at 17:17 Greenwich Mean Time 19 November 2020
Local Democracy Reporting Service
Alex MooreAn app is being developed to replace an "out-of-date" loyalty card scheme which has 16,000 users but isn't being used much.
The Telford Loyalty Card was launched in 2013, backed by the local council, and offered discounts at leisure venues and other retailers.
But a report for regional ecomonic body Marches Local Enterprise Partnership said research found it had "low visibility".
The replacement app is due to be tested next month and launched in the spring with an aim of supporting firms badly hit by Covid-19 or flooding earlier this year.
Commonwealth Games: Rail revamp to be ready for eventpublished at 16:55 Greenwich Mean Time 19 November 2020
A railway station revamp will be ready a day before the start of the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, but may be "just a shell", the city council has heard.
Image source, West Midlands Combined AuthorityA Birmingham City Council meeting was told the University station would be "usable" at the start of the event with the full £56m work not set to be completed until later in 2022.
The redevelopment will see a complete overhaul of the site which will be able to accommodate seven million people a year when complete.
The University will be hosting both hockey and squash competitions, with transport bosses confirming the new station would have the capacity to meet demand by the start of the games.
Peacocks and Jaeger fall into administrationpublished at 16:30 Greenwich Mean Time 19 November 2020
BBC Business NewsFashion chains Peacocks and Jaeger have fallen into administration, putting more than 4,700 jobs and almost 500 shops at risk.
Image source, Getty ImagesIt comes after owner Edinburgh Woollen Mill failed to find a buyer for both businesses.
Jaeger has stores in Stoke-on-Trent and Birmingham.
Peacocks has more than a dozen stores across the region.
Tony Wright, joint administrator of the business from FRP Advisory, said talks with potential buyers were still going on.
Lock of Elvis Presley hair sells for £4kpublished at 16:13 Greenwich Mean Time 19 November 2020
It was collected by one of the star's hairdressers who also cut Elvis's mother's hair.
Read MoreStab victim airlifted to hospitalpublished at 16:12 Greenwich Mean Time 19 November 2020
BBC Radio Hereford and WorcesterA man's been airlifted to hospital after being stabbed this afternoon.
West Mercia Police said , externalofficers were called to an address in Woodlands, Evesham, just after 14:00.
The force added it was believed to have been an isolated incident and it had increased the number of officers in the area.
Council agrees to fund stalled park schemepublished at 16:10 Greenwich Mean Time 19 November 2020
Local Democracy Reporting Service
George MakinThe redevelopment of West Smethwick Park is to resume after councillors voted to bail out the stalled project.
Image source, Sandwell CouncilSandwell Council’s cabinet has agreed to provide £673,777 to ensure the £5.2m refurbishment of the parkland goes ahead after a major contractor went out of business.
In a report to councillors, local authority bosses said the additional money was essential, warning inaction could lose National Lottery funding.
The crisis emerged after specialist contractor Stone Edge went into administration in January forcing the council to re-tender the project.
Opposition to 5G mast plans for beauty spotpublished at 15:46 Greenwich Mean Time 19 November 2020
BBC Radio Hereford and WorcesterA campaign has been started in opposition to plans for a 5G mast at a popular beauty spot.
Communication firms Three and EE want the 20m-high (66ft) mast on the green in Dunley Road, Stourport-on-Severn, Worcestershire.
Image source, GoogleLocal campaigner Robert Hughes said people were against the idea.
"It is absolutely wonderful to wake up in the morning and see the nice green lawns and overlooking to the further distance, this open, widespread country views and we just do not want that taken away," he said.
MBNL Limited, the company behind the planning application , externalon behalf of Three and EE, said the mast would deliver "significant benefits" to mobile phone users.
Bin collections to move to every three weekspublished at 15:27 Greenwich Mean Time 19 November 2020
Three-weekly black bin collections have been agreed for residents living in the Warwick and Stratford District Council areas.
Councillors have given the go-ahead to start a procurement process to combine the refuse and recycling services.
It will see food waste collected weekly - fortnightly recycling - and black bins emptied every three weeks by 2022.
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End of twitter postOwners lose fight to turn pub and restaurant into homespublished at 15:08 Greenwich Mean Time 19 November 2020
Local Democracy Reporting ServiceThe Local Democracy Reporting Service in Worcestershire has been covering these stories this week:
- A village pub and restaurant will not be turned into homes after a government inspector rejected an appeal over the plan. The inquiry followed the council turning down the proposals from the owners to close the Wagon Wheel in Grimley, near Worcester, and build three homes. There were concerns the village would lose a valuable facility.
Image source, Google- A new plan to turn a former undertakers into two flats has been put forward after a previous proposal was thrown out by a government inspector. A developer wants to revamp a utility and coffin storage area behind a Grade II listed former undertakers in St John’s, Worcester. The previous plan had been rejected for the apartments being too small.
- Plans to turn a former workshop into a home are going to be decided by a government inspector after an appeal was launched. Councillors have twice this year rejected the idea for Sebright Avenue, Worcester, for not having enough parking spaces, but the developer claimed the conversion would mean less traffic and congestion.
The widower helping lonely people in lockdownpublished at 14:54 Greenwich Mean Time 19 November 2020
Ron Davies suffered with loneliness after he lost his wife but is now helping others cope with lockdown isolation.
Read MoreStilts plan for flooded rugby club's new basepublished at 14:49 Greenwich Mean Time 19 November 2020
BBC Radio ShropshireA rugby club which has been frequently flooded in the past year has come up with a £2m scheme to put a new clubhouse on stilts.
The River Severn repeatedly burst its banks between November 2019 and February, leaving Bridgnorth Rugby Club several feet under water on four occasions.
It has now submitted plans to move the location of the current clubhouse, which is 800 yards from the pitch, and build it at the ground, but on stilts.
The scheme would also see a community hub built and the club is awaiting a decision by Shropshire Council.
Obituary: Ex-Wolves player Gwyn Jonespublished at 14:34 Greenwich Mean Time 19 November 2020
Gwyn Jones, who helped Wolverhampton Wanderers win two successive First Division titles, dies at the age of 85.
Read MoreWest Brom wait on Covid-19 test resultspublished at 14:34 Greenwich Mean Time 19 November 2020
West Brom await results of coronavirus testing after a number of their squad test positive following the international break.
Read MoreAround the web: Dad calls for new park crossingpublished at 14:23 Greenwich Mean Time 19 November 2020
Coventry LiveSome of the Coventry Live headlines today include:
Extra £800k for Brexit lorry parkpublished at 13:54 Greenwich Mean Time 19 November 2020
A council is being given £800,000 by the government to cover any extra costs from setting up a Brexit lorry park at Birmingham Airport.
Ministers want one of the car parks at the airport, in Solihull, to be able to host HGVs as they start and end journeys in and out of the UK after leaving the EU.
The borough council said , externalthere would also be security measures and facilities so the lorries and their goods can be checked by officials.
The latest money from the government, external is to cover any extra costs and the local authority said some would go to its local resilience forum, a partnership with emergency services.
Your photos: Blue skies and reflectionspublished at 13:28 Greenwich Mean Time 19 November 2020
We've had some blue skies around so we can reflect that with some photos from our local BBC Weather Watchers.
These three are from users Worcester Saucerer in Worcester, David S in Alrewas, Staffordshire and Ken M in Lydbury North, Shropshire:
Image source, Worcester Saucerer
Image source, David S
Image source, Ken MCovid-19: Wasps rugby star urging city to donate plasmapublished at 12:53 Greenwich Mean Time 19 November 2020
BBC Radio CWRWasps rugby star Brad Shields has been urging people in Coventry who have recovered from Covid-19 to donate their blood plasma to potentially help others.
Image source, Getty ImagesThe NHS has opened a donation centre in the city to collect plasma, external for treatment trials and potential general use in hospitals.
Shields missed the Premiership final defeat to Exeter after testing positive and said he hoped people would follow his lead and donate.
"At the end of the day, your plasma could go a long way to saving somebody's life or helping somebody who is in a bit more of a stressful situation than you are."
