Local Democracy Reporting Service

More than £1m could be spent on events and other initiatives to encourage people back to Birmingham's high streets after coronavirus.

The city council is proposing using £1,016,937 it received from the government and a quarter of that would be spent on cleaning, graffiti removal and tackling fly-tipping.

It proposed setting aside £248,000 for events.

Image source, Google

The money would also be spent on projects such as providing more outdoor seating, the removal of some social distancing measures if and when the time comes and improvements to green spaces.

The high streets set to get funding include Erdington, Northfield, Sutton Coldfield, Acocks Green, Colmore Business District, Harborne, Jewellery Quarter, Kings Heath, Retail Birmingham, Soho Road, Southside, Westside, Alum Rock Road, Bordesley Green, Coventry Road, Meadway, Perry Barr, Small Heath, Stechford and Stirchley.

The proposals will be discussed at next Wednesday's cabinet meeting.

BBC Radio WM

A Black Country MP is urging the government to ease lockdown restrictions as planned on 21 June, to support small pubs which have been struggling financially.

Mike Wood is the chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group which has produced a report saying more than 2,000 pubs and breweries have been left with massive debts due to the pandemic.

Image source, UK Parliament

The Dudley South MP said "for them to rebuild, to succeed and to recover we need them to be able to open in something approaching a bit more like what we'd recognise as normal."

The UK's latest coronavirus data looks encouraging, a government adviser has said, amid a debate over whether to end restrictions in England on 21 June.

Anthony Sargeant, 33, was shot at from a car and died from his injuries in hospital in 2018.

A man is in a critical condition after a serious crash in Telford.

The man, in his 50s, was hit by a lorry at about 08:45 BST on Holyhead Road in Wellington, West Mercia Police said.

He was air-lifted to Royal Stoke Hospital with potentially life-threatening injuries.

Detectives have appealed for anyone who witnessed the crash to get in touch.

A medieval-inspired shelter to support rare horseshoe bat colonies for their summer roosts is just one of the entrants for this year's Shed of the Year competition.

Image source, PA

Hereford archaeologist Rebecca Roseff's shed is one of hundreds of entries to this year's competition, now in its 15th year.

Entrants were whittled down to a shortlist of 22 over nine categories, with the winners decided by a public vote.

Image source, PA Media

Voting opened on Wednesday and will close on 12 July.

The overall winner will receive £1,000, a plaque, £100 worth of Cuprinol products and "eternal shed glory".

Andrew Wilcox, head judge and founder of the competition, said: "The past year has been an incredibly challenging time for all of us and, now more than ever, we're aware of how important the humble shed can be."

Image source, PA Media

Local Democracy Reporting Service
Tom Davis

A road plagued with so many potholes it has been nicknamed "Coventry's Grand Canyon" is said to be "effectively ownerless" as locals call for action.

Image source, Local Democracy Reporting Service

Vanguard Avenue has proved a nightmare for motorists as it is pitted with more than 30 potholes but neither the council, nor the fast food outlets served by the road, own it.

Land Registry documents obtained by campaigners who want to see the road repaired show it is dealt with by the Crown Estate, however they confirmed the road is "now effectively ownerless".

The confusion continued when a Coventry City Council spokesperson said the authority believes it has "identified a company that may be linked to the site" and is seeking to contact them to resolve the issue.

In the meantime, local Christine Stewardson, 70, said she just wants to see the local food outlets "stand up and be accountable for an area that is extremely dangerous and causing their customers a lot of damage to their vehicles".

BBC Radio Stoke Sport

Midfielder Jordan Cousins is the only senior player released by Stoke City, following the end of his contract.

The 27-year-old has been with the club for two years and made 45 appearances for the club.

Image source, Getty Images

The club has offered extensions to defender James Chester and midfielder Jon Obi Mikel.

Appearing on the cover of British Vogue, the 23-year-old reflects on her activism and university life.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

Worcester's former Scala Theatre could be bought by the city council and turned into an arts venue.

Councillors will discuss the likely cost of buying the former cinema when they meet on Tuesday.

That might involve a compulsory purchase, if its current occupant Shipleys Amusement Centre is unwilling to sell.

Image source, Google

The council has already reached an agreement to buy the neighbouring grade II-listed Corn Exchange building in Crown Passage, creating the possibility of a 500-seat venue.

It is looking to transform the area around Angel Street, The Foregate, The Cross and Trinity Street with new shops, cafes and bars and a new arts venue.

The project will cost about £29m and the city council and other local partners will pay about £11m, with the rest expected to come from the government.

The seven-week-old baby was found about 12 hours later at an address in Sparkhill, Birmingham.

Stoke-on-Trent Live

Here's some of today's top stories from Stoke-on-Trent Live:

• Leek reacts as town gripped by suspected Indian Covid outbreak , external
• Garage owners reassure customers after fire sent smoke across Stoke-on-Trent, external
• Mum told 'everyone has to die one day' by doctor before op, inquest told, external

Rob Yates commits his future to home county Warwickshire until the end of the 2024 season.

Police have urged people to watch the demolition of the Rugeley Power Station cooling towers online in the interests of social distancing.

Image source, Google

The 117m-tall (384ft) towers are due to be demolished at about 11:00 on Sunday.

Staffordshire Police said there would be no public viewing platforms and said watching online would be "the safest way" to see the demolition.

"Though I understand the public's interest in this demolition, I would urge them to not attend the location on the day as there are no public viewing facilities," Ch Insp Becky Hyde said.

"In addition, in-line with latest coronavirus restrictions, residents are not encouraged to attend in order to help protect themselves and others from the virus."

There will be a live stream available online provided by the power station's owners.

Derbyshire sign Warwickshire all-rounder Alex Thomson on loan until the end of the 2021 season.

A footbridge in Stone has been closed for repairs after it was badly damaged by a fire that is thought to have been started deliberately.

Staffordshire Police said there were reports of public order offences on the bridge close to Morrisons on Mill Street shortly after 15:00 on Sunday.

The force said "significant damage" had been caused to the bridge.

West Midlands Ambulance Service is giving 1,288 body cameras to front line staff.

An archaeologist from Herefordshire is hoping her medieval inspired shed will be named 2021's shed of the year.

Rebecca Roseff and Nathan Macara built their Colwall shelter to support rare horseshoe bat colonies for their summer roosts and has entered the 'Nature's Haven' category of this year's Cuprinol competition.

Image source, PA Media

They are among more than 300 applicants for the competition, with other entrants including a bra-fitting boutique and a Catholic oratory.

The winner will be decided by public vote with the champion receiving £1,000, a plaque, £100 worth of Cuprinol products and "eternal shed glory".

See last year's winners here.

Families with links to any schools in Leek are being asked to get a PCR test after the so-called Indian variant, now named the Delta variant by the World Health Organization, was identified.

Staffordshire County Council is also asking people who visited two pubs in the town, The Three Horseshoes Country Inn and Spa and The Black Lion, to also get a test.

• Covid Indian variant: Where is it, how does it spread and is it more infectious?

The local authority has set up extra testing sites at St Edwards School and Leek High to deliver as many coronavirus tests as possible.

Almost 1,000 pupils and staff are currently self-isolating after the variant was discovered at those two schools as well as Westwood College.

The emergency department at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital is to be expanded as part of a £9.3m improvement project.

The department will remain open to patients as construction work is completed over the next 12 months.

The redevelopment includes increased clinical space and a new designated emergency zone for children, as well as specialist provisions for vulnerable patients.

A man living near a main road in Staffordshire is calling for stricter policing measures to prevent car racing.

Staffordshire Police says officers are investigating reports of dangerous driving on the A449 near Coven and are working with other local forces.

But residents say they're worried speeding drivers are putting lives at risk.