Patrick Burns
Political editor, Midlands

The favourite for the region's metro mayor is bound to be the former minister and current West Midlands MEP Sion Simon, named as Labour’s candidate in July. 

So now we know the names in the frames at least so far as our main three Parliamentary parties are concerned. 

Image source, Thinkstock

Between now and polling day next May, we can expect an intense debate not just about the policies and personalities of all the eventual candidates themselves, but also about the powers of the mayor role itself: too powerful, not powerful enough?

Given that voters in Birmingham and Coventry have emphatically rejected earlier proposals for an executive mayor and that Stoke-on-Trent tried it only to reject it, the argument will no doubt be resurrected over whether or not the West Midlands needs an elected mayor at all.

Patrick Burns
Political editor, Midlands

It’s been one of the worst-kept secrets for weeks. 

Speculation has been rife that Andy Street, boss of John Lewis and chairman of the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership is about to enter politics as the Conservative candidate for “Metro Mayor” of the West Midlands. 

So it can surely be no mere coincidence that the Conservatives’ press statement that their (so far unnamed) candidate will be paraded before the cameras at the opening of their party conference in Birmingham on Sunday 2 October should arrive in our inboxes just as the LEP presses the send button on its own news release that Andy Street is to stand down as its chairman. “Draw your own conclusions” as they say.

This comes hard on the heels of the Liberal Democrats’ announcement on Wednesday that the well-known local businesswoman Beverley Nielsen will be their candidate for mayor.   

Relive live text of the final of the One-Day Cup from Lord's as Warwickshire beat Surrey by eight wickets.

BBC Midlands Today

Have you been gripped by The Archers this week? Millions have and even if you’re not one of them we’ve been behind the scenes to bring you the latest on the long running Radio 4 soap’s darkest plot – carefully scripted by writers and producers of the programme.

The trial of Helen Titchener, accused of attempted murder after a long running storyline about domestic violence, is attracting big audiences and headlines around the world and raising tens of thousands of pounds for the charity Women’s Aid. 

Watch Midlands Today on BBC One at 18.30.

Listen to live BBC radio commentary from Saturday's action in the National League and National League North.

John Lewis confirms managing director Andy Street plans to run for the office of the Mayor of the West Midlands.

Andy Street, the boss of department chain John Lewis has applied to stand as Conservative candidate for the Mayor of the West Midlands.

John Lewis said, external: "Should Andy be successful in his application, he has agreed with the Chairman that he should step down from his role and a further announcement will be made to confirm the succession plan for the future leadership of the John Lewis brand." 

Image source, Getty Images

The metro mayor will represent Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall, and Wolverhampton.

BBC WM Sport

Warwickshire captain Ian Bell has criticised the state of the pitch they encountered at Taunton this week. 

The Bears were beaten in just over two days by Somerset, which leaves them in danger of being relegated from the First Division of the County Championship with one game to go.

Bell says although it wasn't to blame for the result, it wasn't a good surface to play on.

Image source, Getty Images

Two men are charged in connection with a raid on a jewellery shop in Stratford-upon-Avon.

After a 12-year absence from motorsport, Jaguar has launched a brand new racing car.

Varun Chopra joins Essex from Warwickshire earlier than expected, to feature in their final two games of the season.

BBC Midlands Today
Hilary McConnell, Producer

Midlands Today will be looking at the issue of organ donation today - we meet a man from Worcestershire who needs a new kidney but faces up to 15 years on the waiting list. He’s hoping to find a living donor match. And we’re meeting a young girl from Warwickshire who’s just returned to school after a liver transplant.

David Gregory-Kumar will be finding out more about this year’s honey harvest. It turns out urban bees are producing more honey than rural hives because there's more diversity of plants and flowers in the town as opposed to the monoculture of the agricultural landscape.

And Jaguar goes back to motor racing, but will Formula E - which is electric car racing - have all the glamour of Formula 1? Dan Pallet finds out. 

We'll also have an update on how our local Paralympics athletes are doing in the Games which start today.

Join us on BBC One from 13:30, 18:30 and 22:30.

Somerset spinner Jack Leach finishes off Warwickshire at Taunton to edge his team into title contention.

Daniel Wainwright
Data unit - English regions

Almost 80,000 people in the West Midlands are on zero-hours contracts, according to the latest official figures.

That number, covering April to June, has stayed roughly the same as the previous year.

Across the UK, the number of those whose main job did not guarantee a minimum number of hours increased to 903,000, a rise of 21% on last year, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said, external.

In the West Midlands there were 79,000 people on zero hours contracts between April and June, representing 3.0% of people in employment.

For the same period in 2015, there were also 79,000 but they made up 3.1% of people in employment.

BBC WM

One of the candidates who is hoping to become the new directly elected mayor for the West Midlands says the role will transfer real power from Westminster and Whitehall to the West Midlands.

The new mayor will become the figurehead for the West Midlands Combined Authority, representing Birmingham, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall, Wolverhampton and Coventry.

Yesterday, the Liberal Democrats announced that Beverley Nielsen would be the party's candidate. Andy Street, the MD of retailer John Lewis, is expected to be confirmed as the Conservative candidate.

The election is due to be held in May next year.  

BBC Sport looks back at the FA Cup third-round tie from 1989, in which non-league Sutton United knocked First Division Coventry out.

Relive text commentary from day three of the latest round of County Championship games, including three early finishes.

Somerset spinner Jack Leach takes 5-33 before ninth-wicket pair Rikki Clarke and Chris Wright rally Warwickshire.

A street performer dressed as Shakespeare's ghost chases armed raiders through the historic town of Stratford-upon-Avon after a robbery at a jewellers.

A man who plays the role of Shakespeare's ghost in Stratford-upon-Avon has described taking on armed robbers who attacked a jewellers' shop.