Local Democracy Reporting Service

Could the centre of Birmingham look like this by the year 2040?

The city council has had these drawings created to show how rooftop gardens, avenues of trees, and skyscrapers covered in plants could create a "green oasis" in the future.

This picture envisions future Digbeth.

Image source, Birmingham City Council

The images have been drawn up as part of a consultation exercise, asking people how the city centre should be in the hope of stimulating discussion.

Ian Macleod, acting director of inclusive growth at Birmingham City Council, said: “This marks the start of a continuous engagement process to transform central Birmingham into a green, prosperous and fair place."

You can see the full range of images on the Birmingham City Council website., external

Image source, Birmingham City Council

Image source, Birmingham City Council

Local Democracy Reporting Service

West Bromwich Albion have been given planning permission to improve the facilities at their Walsall-based training ground.

They will now erect a new gym on land currently used for goalkeeper training and improve the existing training building at the base on Birmingham Road.

Image source, Horsley Huber Architects Ltd

Club representatives told Walsall Council the training centre had played its part in recent success, most recently promotion at the end of last season.

Women reveal the "anxiety" caused by Covid rules that have seen them alone in hospital during pregnancy.

BBC Radio Stoke Sport

James Gibbons is hoping to make his first Port Vale start since October tonight.

The defender, who suffered a hamstring injury, came off the bench on Saturday and said he's "ready and fit and would love to get the start".

Image source, Getty Images

Port Vale travel to Scunthorpe who had been without a win in three games before beating second-from-bottom Grimsby on Saturday.

Shropshire Star

Here are three stories from the Shropshire Star today:

• Hospital had region’s highest percentage of patients facing long ambulance waits, external
• Shropshire flood talks planned, external
• Four Telford medical practices to start giving Covid jabs, external

The government says it is seeking a permanent solution to the EU supply issue.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

A partnership could be set up in Herefordshire to tackle climate change.

Members of the coalition-led council have suggested setting up a 60-person board which would include environmental experts, representatives from major carbon emitters, organisations that provide major services and community action groups.

Image source, Google

Conservative councillor Barry Durkin supports the idea but warns the authority mustn't give away too much decision-making power to "an unelected, unaccountable group".

BBC Weather Watchers

Some of the snow is melting today, but these photos from the BBC Weather Watchers prove there's still a lot of it about.

They were taken today near Leek, Kidderminster and Stafford.

Image source, Videoman

Image source, Buddhist

Image source, Z70

BBC Radio Shropshire Sport

The TNS chairman, Mike Harris, wants the Welsh Premier League season to continue - so it can "crown a proper champion".

The Shropshire-based club missed out on a ninth consecutive title last season when the campaign was brought to a premature end because of the coronavirus. Connah's Quay were declared champions.

TNS launched unsuccessful legal action in the summer, claiming they should have been champions instead.

The current Welsh Premier League season was suspended in December and is not due to resume before the end of January.

Hereford Times

From the Hereford Times today:

• Tesco confirms a number of coronavirus cases, external in store
• Plans for luxury glamping site, external
• Hospital sees rise in drug-dependent newborns, external

BBC Radio Stoke

Demolition work has started at the North Staffordshire Royal Infirmary site in Hartshill.

The buildings were closed in 2012 when services moved to Royal Stoke Hospital.

Image source, Google

The NHS said the aim was to allow more than 200 homes to be built on the old hospital land, and put the revenue back into local healthcare.

BBC Radio Stoke Sport

Stoke City say striker Tyrese Campbell is unlikely to play again this season.

The 21-year-old suffered a serious knee injury in a match against Cardiff in December.

Image source, Getty Images

The striker's rehab is said to be slow, and he has also tested positive for Covid.

Police officers have responded to reports of gunshots being fired in Birmingham this morning.

West Midlands Police said it was called to Hunters Road, Handsworth, at about 08:25, and nobody was injured.

Image source, @DESJADDOO

Coventry's bin collections have been suspended today because of the snowy and icy conditions.

The city council has asked people to leave out their bins, with a plan to make the collections later in the week.

Image source, Getty Images

Green bin collections have been suspended for the whole week.

BBC Weather Watchers

It might have stopped snowing, but what's left behind is going to take some time to clear, with temperatures forecast to be only just above freezing today.

These photos were taken by BBC Weather Watchers in Tutbury, Staffordshire, and Dudley.

Image source, JenJob

Image source, Nichola

The death of a Tamworth man remains unexplained following what police describe as an "incident" to which officers were called in the Crossfell area of town a week ago.

Joe Olner, 31, from Eringden, Tamworth, died in hospital a short time after police attended the scene at about 05:30 on Tuesday, 19 January.

The results of his post-mortem examination are inconclusive, says the Staffordshire force, which wants to hear from people who may have seen Mr Olner between 21:00 on 18 January and the morning in question.

Image source, Staffordshire Police

Police say they are reviewing CCTV footage of the area as part of the investigation.

The chief constable of West Midlands Police is back at work after what he said was a "mild" case of Covid-19.

Sir David Thompson said he had been working remotely during his recovery.

A force meeting last week heard West Midlands Police had a combined sickness and self-isolation rate of more than 10% of its total officer and police staff numbers, heading into the end of January.

Work has begun on installing new and improved public toilets in Hereford city centre as part of a move to bring back shoppers after the coronavirus.

Herefordshire Council is spending £100,000 to improve the Maylord Orchards shopping centre, which it bought in June.

Image source, Google

Money is also being spent on improvements to vacant units which will be available to pop-up retailers.

Underground investigations are due to begin on Saturday after flooding linked to old mine shaft.

River levels in Worcestershire are falling, but there are still six Environment Agency flood warnings, external for the River Severn.

It said the water was likely to remain high for a number of days.

Elsewhere in the West Midlands, there are a number of flood alerts still in place.

Image source, Environment Agency