Coventry could lose more than 1,000 car parking spaces by the end of 2018. , external

Councillors are meeting this afternoon to decide a parking strategy for the next 10 years, with the local authority saying that without a plan, demand for spaces will outstrip supply.

In the meantime, a shortfall has emerged amid council plans to build on existing sites before new parking provision emerges. 

The car parks facing a reduction in spaces are:

• Barracks and City Arcade, which will lose 695 spaces by Autumn 2018
• Cox Street, which will lose 200 spaces by next January
• Bishop Street, which will lose 105 spaces by October 2017
• Christchurch, which will lose 90 by December 2017
• Whitefriars, which will lose 67 by October 2017

These are some of the stories we're exploring today: 

- A man is in a serious condition in hospital after being stabbed in Radford 

- A new multi-million pound Olympic-size pool for Coventry comes a step closer  

- Coventry's University Hospital could be a potential fire risk as infrastructure 'not as robust as first thought'   

A new multi-million pound, 50-metre swimming pool in Coventry has come a step closer after it got the go-ahead from the city council's cabinet this afternoon. 

The plan is to build the £16m pool at the Alan Higgs Centre on Allard Way. 

It would replace the pool in the city centre. 

The plans go before the city's full council on 6 September.     

A man has been stabbed in Crampers Field in the Radford area of Coventry. 

It happened shortly before midday. The victim was found with serious injuries and taken to hospital where his condition is described as serious but stable. 

A second man is being treated for hand injuries.

The road has been closed pending a forensic examination of the scene. No arrests have been made. 

Coventry University Hospital says the site potentially does not have enough protection in place to stop fires spreading. 

Investigations at the £380m hospital - built ten years ago using the Private Finance Initiative - appear to show that infrastructure is not as "robust" as hoped.

Work is under way to address the findings and, to reduce risk in the mean time, extra patrols are in place and more rubbish collections are being carried out. Chief operating officer David Eltringham says he wants to reassure patients, staff and visitors that the hospital is vigilant in maintaining safety standards.    

Women's cycle event gets the nod...

Here are the details:

Charlie Slater
BBC Weather presenter

A little bit of thin cloud will come in tonight, and things will be fairly warm too.

Lows of 15C (59F).

Find out more.

A new Olympic-size swimming pool in Coventry could come a step closer this afternoon. 

The city's cabinet is meeting to discuss plans for the £16m, 50-metre development at the Alan Higgs centre. 

If approved, it would replace the existing 50m pool in the city centre. 

Image source, Google

A creepy crawly suspected to be a poisionous wandering spider has been found by a shopper in a bunch of bananas.

Caroline Bagshaw from Nuneaton, who bought the fruit, said she froze at the sight. The spider was dead but there were lots of smaller ones emerging from an egg sack.

The find is now being analysed. A photo has been sent to a local vet to determine the species, but Geoff Grewcock from the Nuneaton and Warwickshire Wildlife Sanctuary, who has inspected the arachnid, thinks it could be a poisonous wandering spider. 

These are some of the stories we're looking at this afternoon: 

- Warwick District Council has spent £80,000 investigating complaints against councillors - more than any other authority in the West Midlands 

- An investigation is under way after an explosion in a bungalow near Rugby

- An expert says a spider found in a bunch of bananas bought in a Nuneaton supermarket could be the poisionous wandering spider

Warwick District Council has spent more than £80,000 investigating complaints against councillors in the last five years - that's more than any other local authority in the West Midlands.  

The number of complaints against elected members in Warwick, Leamington and Kenilworth, is, however, falling, the council says, adding councillors' practice has improved.

Image source, Warwick District Council

Warwickshire Police shared these images earlier.

Investigations are under way to find the cause of a fire at a bungalow in Rugby - said by the fire service to have followed "sounds of an explosion".

Fire crews were called to the property in Badby Leys on Saturday night.

"White watch from Rugby were on the scene shortly after the call to find the bungalow on fire and debris from the roof and windows strewn around the area," a spokesperson said.

Some trains running again southbound from Leamington Spa. 

Warwickshire and former England one-day batsman Ian Bell signs for the Perth Scorchers in the Australian Big Bash Twenty20 league.

Plans to develop a Heritage Park in Coventry are being debated today. 

These are some of our stories this morning: 

- Plans for a multi-million pound project to open up the River Sherbourne and create a 70-acre heritage park in Coventry go before councillors today

- Warwick District Council has revealed it's spent £80,000 investigating complaints against councillors

- A mother from Warwickshire says more needs to be done to help doctors identify the symptoms of autism in women and girls

Coventry Telegraph

A man who was arrested on suspicion of slavery offences has been released on bail., external

The man was arrested for modern day slavery after eight men, a woman and baby were found living in a warehouse in Tile Hill over the bank holiday weekend.

Officers made the grim discovery after responding to reports of suspicious behaviour in Torrington Avenue on Sunday night.

Local Enterprise Partnership says Coventry performing favourably, both regionally and nationally.