Midlands under-represented in the Lordspublished at 18:44 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2016
What price devolution if Midlanders don't punch our weight in Parliament's Upper House?
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Updates on Friday 9 December 2016
Midlands under-represented in the Lordspublished at 18:44 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2016
Our coverage across the daypublished at 18:01 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2016
We'll be back with our usual mix of news, sport, travel and weather from 08:00 tomorrow.
Keep an eye on this page for more updates throughout the evening.
Coming up on Midlands Today: Homelessness in the West Midlandspublished at 17:55 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2016
BBC Midlands TodayThere's a warning that the problem of homelessness in the West Midlands is set to get worse.
A leading charity in Birmingham that runs hostels across the city says it's been told it'll lose all its funding from the city council next year.
The news comes as a group of volunteers and restaurants set up a project to try to provide a hot meal for homeless people.
Our special correspondent Peter Wilson has been investigating. You can see his report on BBC1 from 18:30.
University renews its links down underpublished at 17:52 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2016
Academics from the University of Warwick will be working with colleagues from an Australian university for the next five years, external.
The chancellor of the university signed a renewal of the links with Monash University that began in 2012.
Image source, University of WarwickImage caption, Prof Stuart Croft, University of Warwick, and Prof Margaret Gardner, Monash University, sign the renewal that bolsters links between institutions
Over the next year, about 90 students from across 16 departments at Warwick will study at Monash, with almost 70 Monash students, in turn, coming to the Midlands, the university says.
Warwick will devote up to £3m per year to the alliance, with Monash matching the amount.
Watch: A much milder nightpublished at 17:47 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2016
We're in for a much milder night with plenty of cloud around and fewer fog patches. Lows of 6C (43F).
Media caption, The weather forecast for the West Midlands, presented by Charlie Slater
Warwickshire station the least used in regionpublished at 17:47 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2016
Warwickshire has got the least-used railway station in the West Midlands.
Figures from the Press Association show Polesworth was used by just 908 people in the last financial year.
Two more of the region's five least-used stations are also in Warwickshire - Bearley with 1,062 users and Bermuda Park with 2,384.
Image source, GoogleThe busiest is Birmingham New Street. More than 39m people arrived at and left from the station in 2015/16.
Your pictures: Cloudy Coventrypublished at 17:28 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2016
This great picture has been sent in by BBC Weather Watcher Kingfisher Whisperer.
The water is creating an amazing mirror effect.
Image source, Kingfisher WhispererIf you have a picture you'd like to share, sign up to become a BBC Weather Watcher here.
Flying school calls on council to protect airfield earmarked for demolition workspublished at 17:07 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2016
BBC Coventry & WarwickshireThe owner of a flying school is urging Stratford District Council to protect an airfield amid concern that proposals to demolish some of the buildings there will threaten livelihoods and pave the way for a resurrected housing development.
Mike Roberts from Take Flight Aviation says a compulsory purchase may be the last hope of Wellesbourne Airfield maintaining its aviation use.
Image source, GoogleDemolition plans for the site have been submitted to Stratford District Council which says there is no date for the site owner's proposed works which, it adds, are subject to associated planning considerations.
The leader of the council - which rejected earlier plans for 1,600 new homes at the airfield - said today that if the demolition went ahead, about 200 jobs could be threatened as businesses based there struggled to continue. Notice to vacate premises by Boxing Day has been served to some.
Campaign group Wellesbourne Matters fears that a loss of buildings at the airfield limits the potential for flying to continue at the site.
Financial advisers smash £1,000 fundraising target for Leamington charity Helping Handspublished at 16:38 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2016
Leamington ObserverA group of financial advisers have been applauded following a mammoth month of fundraising. , external
Image source, Leamington ObserverSwan with bottle top stuck in its mouth rescuedpublished at 16:20 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2016
Luckily the park ranger spotted the bird was in distress.
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End of twitter postLatest: Airfield demolition plans; badger shot, airport 'trespass' arrestpublished at 15:57 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2016
Kevin Lee
BBC Coventry & WarwickshireThis afternoon's headlines for Coventry and Warwickshire include:
- The owner of a flying school at Wellesbourne Airfield is urging Stratford District Council to step in and save the site
- A badger has been shot in the neck and fatally wounded in north Warwickshire
- A 19-year-old man from Rugby is one of three arrested on suspicion of endangering the safety of an aircraft at an airport
Your photos: Windmill in the sunsetpublished at 15:30 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2016
A BBC Weather Watcher based near Leamington Spa shared this photo with us yesterday evening.
We wanted you to see it too - it's probably been covered by fog today!
Image source, NicksphotographyStratford School students counting cost to successpublished at 15:10 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2016
The sixth form Economics team won the regional heat of the Target 2.0 Bank of England ‘Interest Rate Challenge’ held at Birmingham University., external
Image source, Stratford ObserverCricket: Wright targets regular fast bowling slotpublished at 14:31 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2016
Warwickshire fast bowler Chris Wright hopes his winter preparations will make him one of Warwickshire's go-to fast bowlers next season, external.
Image source, Getty ImagesLast month, the 31-year-old was invited to take part on a 12-day tour to Namibia by the MCC.
Quote MessageI had a small window of time with an opportunity to go somewhere so was very lucky to be invited on the tour. It was a busy trip and we played cricket most days."
Chris Wright
Prize for allotments' transformation into parkpublished at 14:11 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2016
Rugby's Centenary Park has been crowned the most improved Fields in Trust site in the UK, Rugby Borough Council says.
Centenary Park was shortlisted for the honour alongside the Vale of Glamorgan's Jenner Park and the King George V Playing Field in Barford.
But the transformation of the former allotment site, off Parkfield Road, into a green space secured Centenary Park the prize.
The park was officially opened in March and features a play area, outdoor gym, nature trail, picnic area and a sensory garden.
Fields in Trust is a national charity that safeguards recreational spaces.
Nuneaton burglar stole money from vulnerable blind man with learning difficultiespublished at 13:59 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2016
A burglar who twice stole money from a blind man with learning difficulties, external has been jailed for more than five years.
Rugby man arrested over 'airport trespass'published at 13:32 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2016
A man from Rugby is one of three who have been arrested by police on suspicion of endangering the safety of an aircraft at Doncaster Sheffield Airport.
The arrests were made today in relation to a report of trespassing on 20 November.
All three are aged 19 and remain in custody.
Robber pushed van driver into bush before stealing toolspublished at 13:16 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2016
A man drove off with a worker's van and tools after pushing him from behind into a bush, say police investigating the robbery, external.
It happened at about 03:00 yesterday when the van was parked outside a property in Earlswood Common.
The victim was at the front of the van when he was pushed, getting up to see it being driven off towards Broad Lane.
He was uninjured but shaken, police say.
The van has been recovered but some of the contents, mainly tools, are missing.
Your photos: A foggy day in Warwickshirepublished at 13:02 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2016
It's been foggy across the midlands today and the BBC Weather Watchers have been sharing these photos of Warwickshire.
These ones were taken near Warwick and Southam.
Image source, Parky Outside
Image source, Old SaltJob loss fears over airfield demolition planspublished at 12:44 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2016
BBC Coventry & WarwickshireDemolition of some of the buildings at Wellesbourne Airfield could threaten around 200 jobs if businesses based at the site struggle to continue, a council leader fears.
Plans for demolition have been submitted to Stratford District Council and the authority's Chris Saint says the move has worried residents.
Previously, the council had rejected plans for 1,600 new homes for the site - proposals that raised concerns among residents that the village of Wellesbourne could effectively become a town.
Campaign group Wellesbourne Matters fears a loss of buildings at the site limits the potential for it to maintain its aviation use.
Image source, GoogleA council spokesperson said no date had been set for demolition, should the works go ahead, and a range of planning issues would first need to be considered.
Solicitors representing the site's owners say they do not wish to comment.
