Local Democracy Reporting Service
David Lawrence

A potential merger between Stratford and Warwick district councils remains on track following one of two key votes this week.

Councillors at Monday's full council meeting in Stratford-upon-Avon voted overwhelmingly in favour of further discussions taking place.

A similar vote will be taken at Warwick District Council’s meeting tomorrow.

During a lengthy debate there were calls to delay any decision for six months, but this was rejected.

Ian Webber was convicted for assaulting the four-year-old boy at a Sutton Coldfield school in 2018.

BBC Weather

It is set to be a cloudy day with some bright spells and highs of 13°C (55°F).

Bikes, 2-Tone, birds and messages of hope feature ahead of Coventry's year as UK City of Culture.

Birmingham Bears sign West Indian Carlos Brathwaite - the man whose four final-over sixes beat England in the 2016 World T20 final.

BBC Weather

Early rain should clear later leaving a brighter afternoon with some sunny spells and highs of 10°C (50°F).

The latest news and updates from across the West Midlands and south Cheshire.

Warwickshire batsman Sam Hain signs a new two-year contract extension, keeping him at Edgbaston until 2023.

We're on the brink of some milder weather but it's still looking fairly unsettled.

This afternoon we'll see a lot of cloud across the region so it will be fairly dull but the rain should be staying to the west of us.

Temperatures will be rising to up to 11C but with gusts of wind reaching up to 45mph it won't feel as mild as that.

Rescued Woody, a fan of custard creams, has been turning heads when he goes on walks with a greyhound.

Balvinder Gahir was "belittled" for years and called a "psycho mum", jurors heard.

It's a wet and windy start this morning but that should be out of the way by this afternoon, with temperatures reaching a maximum of 9C.

Into the evening things will be dry for a time, although it'll be a chilly night, and there's more rain waiting in the wings for tomorrow.

Two paramedics who won a wedding worth £10,000 in a competition have been forced to reschedule due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Megan Baker, 28, and Tristan Holmes, 31, were set to get married at the Rugby School tomorrow after they entered a contest open to NHS workers. Their first wedding scheduled for May was also cancelled due to the virus.

Mr Holmes said they have both had their first dose of the coronavirus vaccine and are hoping the roll-out means they will be able to have a bigger celebration on their new date in October.

Image source, Megan Baker

"Although we have had to reschedule we have not had to do anything, so we are feeling very lucky and looking forward to being married," he said.

The pair are currently on leave from work and Mr Holmes said they will mark the day tomorrow by walking their dogs and enjoying a glass of bubbly.

Current restrictions, external mean weddings or civil partnerships already booked can only go ahead in exceptional circumstances with up to six people.

The gigafactory plan comes as JLR announces its intention to be all-electric in the future.

The Atherstone Ball game has had to be cancelled for the first time in its 821-year history, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

"Myself and the committee are devastated," chairman Rob Bernard said. "Along with the spectators and the players.

"But we're in the middle of a pandemic, there's not much more we can do."

Shrove Tuesday normally sees shops in the Warwickshire town boarded up before the game of "football" where hundreds of men and boys compete for ownership of a heavy, leather ball in the street.

"Hopefully this time next year it will all be over and we can get back on with our tradition," Mr Bernard said.

Now last night's rain is out of the way, it will be dry initially with some breaks in the clouds and sunny spells.

However we've got another band of rain moving in later this afternoon, possibly with some thunder and lightning in some areas, and even more rain expected tomorrow.

Top temperatures today of around 12C.

Seamer Olly Hannon-Dalby signs an extended deal, which will keep him at Warwickshire until at least 2023.

Aerial footage shows the London to Birmingham leg of the HS2 high-speed rail network – and the current state of its construction.

The latest news and updates from across the West Midlands and south Cheshire.

More than 100 people who have died from Covid-19 have so far been included in the new art work.