BBC Midlands Today

With its rich industrial heritage, many won't immediately think of the Black Country as home to unique and thriving species of trees.

But the pandemic has opened up urban parks and walkways like never before.

And it's one reason why the iTree survey is running one of the largest ecological studies of its kind in the UK in Brunswick Park, Wednesbury.

The survey relies on arborists and volunteers gathering data to record the size and condition of species, to find out the likely lifespan of each tree and how much carbon it is storing.

Roughly 1,000 plots are being surveyed in the area.

Police are appealing for information after two men had to be treated in hospital following a fight in Worcester.

West Mercia Police said officers were called to a fight involving two men on Linksview Crescent in the city at 21:30 on Wednesday.

Image source, Google

A further four men then became involved in the fight, which involved an iron bar, as it moved towards the Aconbury Close junction of Newtown Road.

Two of the men were later taken to Worcestershire Royal Hospital with non-life changing injuries.

Six men were arrested on suspicion of affray and released on bail.

The force said a silver Mitsubishi and a silver Mercedes seen being driven erratically in the area were later located.

Det Const Natasha Kennett said: “This incident happened on a busy road where many cars would have been driving past.

“We would like to hear from anyone who may have seen the incident or captured the men on their mobile phone, CCTV or dashcam.”

BBC Radio Stoke

Routine surgery has resumed at the Royal Stoke and County Hospital in Stafford this week.

It was suspended nearly three weeks ago due to the number of Covid-19 patients being admitted and a shortage of staff.

Image source, Google

The University Hospitals of North Midlands Trust said it was able to continue with urgent care and cancer operations during that period.

Its chief operating officer, Paul Bytheway, said the hospitals would now do as much as they could to ensure there were no further delays to routine operations.

BBC Midlands Today

Hospitality bosses in the West Midlands say an increase in VAT is the latest in a perfect storm of pressures on a struggling sector.

A rise in rates, which takes effect from Friday, will see VAT rise from 5% back to 12.5%.

For Sue Whiston, finance and operations director at Kuula Poke, a Hawaiian restaurant in Birmingham, the VAT increase was "premature". She believes the 5% rate should have been extended for another six months.

"We're finding our business under an increasing amount of inflationary pressure," she said, "and this is just another thing that's adding to it."

She expects prices for diners to rise across the sector.

Police have seized weapons from two teenagers during a crackdown on rising violence in Sutton Coldfield.

The West Midlands force has used special powers this week amid concerns from residents, particularly around the end of the school day.

The 18-year-olds were arrested after one was found with a hammer in his backpack and the second was believed to be carrying a knife in a McDonald's restaurant.

The force said it had also recovered a number of weapons and drugs after sweeps in the area.

Local Democracy Reporting Service
Kerry Ashdown

Coffee giant Starbucks' plans for a first store in Stone, Staffordshire, have met some opposition from residents concerned about the impact on local businesses.

Image source, Getty Images

The firm has submitted plans to Stafford Borough Council to convert a vehicle showroom on the outskirts of the town into a drive-through outlet.

The proposals for Dans on the A34 are expected to create 10 full-time and 15 part-time jobs if approved.

But while several comments of support have been submitted to the local authority, 20 objections have also been lodged.

One said they felt "the independent traders in Stone will suffer as a result" while another added "there are plenty of coffee shops/cafes in Stone".

A former West Midlands Police officer has said advice from the Metropolitan Police about how to react when confronted by a lone officer is "legitimate and responsible".

Following the abduction and murder of Sarah Everard by police officer Wayne Couzens, the Met advised people to ask searching questions if approached and even flagging down a bus - drawing some criticism for being "tone deaf" and placing the onus on women.

Image source, Family handout

Ronald Winch, a former senior investigating officer with West Midlands Police, has come out in support of the advice.

"However, we must remember that at the heart of this debate is the sheer cruelty and breach of trust, centred around the premeditated murder of a young woman," he said.

Now a lecturer at Birmingham City Univesity, Mr Winch said that more work must be done to prevent violence against women and girls.

"Officers must be patient and professional in providing additional explanations when using police powers with respect to women and girls who may feel nervous about interactions with the police," he said.

Telford and Wrekin Council says it has identified Ironbridge properties most in need of help.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

Councillors have defended the £25m refurbishment of Wolverhampton's council headquarters and said it was important to people that it had a visible presence in the city.

Conservative councillor Udey Singh told a meeting the Labour-run local authority should move staff out of the Civic Centre and in to smaller offices, with more people asked to work remotely.

But Labour councillor Chris Burden said he felt the work had been a "really positive thing" which had made the building better for staff.

Image source, Google

Mr Burden also said: “I think it’s the right choice to say the Civic Centre will remain at the heart of our community.

"The public do need to have a visible presence. Shipping us off to a smaller office is a concerning sort of approach to this which would change how the public view the council.”

Broadband cabinets have been painted with vibrant designs as part of a mural trail due to come to Shrewsbury later this year.

More than a dozen Openreach cabinets have been painted by local artists.

Image source, Shropshire Council

Emma Molyneux, of Shrewsbury BID, which coordinated the project, said: "People have been stopping to take photographs and the murals are a hot topic of conversation throughout the town.

“All of the artists have done an amazing job. We asked them to come up with designs using the theme of animals, linking with the location of each individual cabinet.

“We are now in the process of creating a mural trail so people can follow a map around the town centre to spot every one.

“It’s a lovely way of brightening up the town centre by using objects which would ordinarily be part of the background – we want to say a big thank you to the artists and to Openreach for agreeing for the cabinets to be used in this way.”

Residents are being reminded to have their say on major housing plans to shape developments across the Black Country for the next two decades.

The Black Country Plan is out for consultation until 11 October, external.

The draft plan outlines potential future developments across the area and is now being consulted on by the four Black Country councils – Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton.

The plan aims to identify land for housing and employment purposes while protecting green belt land.

Image source, Getty Images

The government expects the area will need more than 76,000 new homes over the next 20 years.

The consultation gives people the chance to have their say on proposed sites for development and where they think new development should be in the Black Country.

Councillor Iqbal Padda, Sandwell cabinet member for regeneration and growth, said: "The comments received in this consultation will help shape the future for all the borough’s residents and businesses, not just those who live or work near the sites proposed in the plan.

"We need to hear from as many people as possible and I would urge everyone to take a few minutes to complete the consultation.”​

The prime minister said he believed ending the £20-a-week boost to universal credit next week was the right thing to do.

About 488,000 people in the West Midlands will lose the temporary benefit increase when it ends on 6 October, according to latest figures.

Boris Johnson said in an interview for Politics Midlands he was "very sorry for anybody who is experiencing hardship and difficulty" but still backed the change.

"I think people do understand that as we move beyond Covid we are getting into a period now where the economy is recovering very strongly and jobs are being created very fast and wages are going up," he said.

You can see the full interview on Politics Midlands on BBC One from 08:30 on Sunday.

It will become compulsory for students and staff at Wolverhampton secondary schools to wear masks again, along with visitors to those schools.

The rule will apply to all communal areas, in an attempt to control the rising numbers of Covid-19 in schools.

Image source, Danny Lawson

The council said there had been 312 cases of Covid-19 among pupils and staff reported in the last 10 days.

Some schools had already been asking students to wear masks, although there will be exemptions for medical reasons.

The local authority said the rule would remain in force until further notice.

A fundraiser for Afghan refugees in Newcastle-under-Lyme has raised more than £2,500 in just over a week.

The JustGiving page has been set up in partnership with the Community Foundation for Staffordshire charity.

The donations will be used to supply families with essential items.

The appeal was set up after a large number of Afghan families were placed in short-term accommodation in Newcastle-under-Lyme by the Home Office, until being found permanent homes around the country.

The leader of Staffordshire County Council, Councillor Alan White, said: “We have been amazed at the generosity of local people and the outpouring of support since these Afghan evacuees arrived in our county, whether that’s through physical donations or through the JustGiving page.

“We are now requesting that people only give through the JustGiving page, as this will go directly into purchasing what these families need."

The dog, which lived with the victim, was destroyed at the scene, police say.

A bus company is apologising to passengers for disruption to some services in Shropshire.

Arriva said the problems were caused by of a shortage of drivers.

Routes from Shrewsbury to Harlescott and Bayston Hill are affected, along with services between Oswestry and Wrexham.

Pippa Mills, boss of the West Mercia force, says she wants to help rebuild trust.

Staffordshire Police has issued a statement saying the force will work to "build upon the trust" it has with women and vulnerable people in the county in the wake of the conviction of Wayne Couzens.

Murderer Wayne Couzens, at the time a serving Met Police officer, was jailed for life after he falsely arrested Sarah Everard in order to abduct her.

Image source, Staffordshire Police

"Policing, as a whole, has been rocked by this tragedy and the thought that a serving officer abused his position and turned against everything we are here to do is sickening," Assistant Chief Constable Jennie Mattinson said.

"Wayne Couzens has betrayed everything we stand for. Police officers and staff are sickened by this man’s crimes."

She said she understood concerns among the community and urged people to ask officers for identification if they had concerns.

"Our officers will not always be in uniform, but it would be extremely unusual for an officer in plain clothes to be working alone. If they are, they should be calling for assistance with other officers arriving very soon to support them to help you if you are in need," the assistant chief constable added.

Local Democracy Reporting Service
Mark Cardwell

A home for vulnerable young women in Birmingham has been given the green light despite a split council committee.

Almost 300 people signed a petition submitted by Councillor Waseem Zaffar which claimed the home in Handsworth would lead to a rise in anti-social behaviour.

At a Birmingham City Council planning committee last month, members were persuaded to refuse permission, despite warnings from officers that there was little evidence to support the concerns.

Following a review earlier today, members were split, meaning the casting vote fell to chair, councillor Karen McCarthy, who voted in favour.

BBC Sport

Saturday's League Two match between Exeter City and Walsall at St James Park may get a little confusing.

Image source, Getty Images

While sixth-placed Exeter are looking to extend their seven-game unbeaten run against a Walsall side a point off the relegation places is pretty straightforward to understand, the situation in the dugouts is a little more unusual.

For the first time in 43 years, two managers with the same name will face up to each other - Exeter's Matt Taylor going up against Walsall's... Matt Taylor (pictured).

Not since 1978, when Fulham's Bobby Campbell came up against Bristol Rovers' Bobby Campbell, have two namesake bosses met.