The council has gone from no overall control to a majority Conservative leadership.

The Conservative party has taken the majority on Worcester City Council.

The party went into this election with a total of 15 seats, which it increased by three, giving it control of the council by one seat.

Meanwhile the Labour party added to its disappointment from across the West Midlands by losing four seats.

About £40,000 has been donated to the museum after windows were broken and artefacts smashed.

Conservative group leader Matt Dormer says the party has seen some "really convincing" results.

Michael Burgess completes his maiden Warwickshire century but Worcestershire fight back with the bat on day two at Edgbaston.

James Pearson
Political reporter, BBC Radio Hereford & Worcester

Thirteen out of 57 results are in for the Worcestershire County Council elections.

So far the Conservatives are on course to hold on to their majority, but overall they are down one seat on their 2017 performance.

Despite winning a seat from the Independents in Alvechurch, they've lost Malvern Chase to the Lib Dems, and surprisingly Croome to the Greens.

While Labour have been heavily hit, especially in Redditch's district elections, elsewhere the Greens and the Lib Dems have done well.

Results of and reaction to council, mayoral and police and crime commissioner elections.

Warwickshire's Rob Yates strikes a fine century but rivals Worcestershire fight back in the County Championship.

Several staff at S&A Produce are affected and the firm has made changes to stop the virus spreading.

New technology being introduced in hospital labs is expected to help patients with certain form of cancers to get a faster diagnosis.

Wye Valley NHS Trust is one of the first hospitals in the region to introduce this latest technology which will assist in the more rapid detection of cancers including breast, kidney and colon.

Image source, Wye Valley NHS Trust

It will allow the hospitals’ laboratories to process patient tissue samples within 14 hours, half the time of the traditional method.

Andrea Johnson, histopathology manager a the trust, said: “This processing technology is significantly advanced for use in histopathology and we are delighted to secure this for the benefit of our patients to provide a quicker diagnosis."

BBC Weather

Things are looking a lot drier today than they have done so far this week.

We will have some showers today, mainly towards the east of our region, but it will be mainly dry with some sunshine.

Temperatures are expected to reach a high of 12C, so still a bit cold for this time of year.

It's election day across England, Wales and Scotland and voters are heading to the polls with thousands of council seats in England up for grabs. Elections are also taking place for mayors, including in the West Midlands, and police and crime commissioners.

Image source, PA Media

Polling stations will be open from 07:00 - 22:00 BST and voters are being asked to take their own pencils as a Covid safety measure.

So, where are votes being cast?

Councils

County councils:

• Staffordshire
• Warwickshire
• Worcestershire

Metropolitan councils:

• Coventry
• Dudley
• Sandwell
• Solihull
• Walsall
• Wolverhampton

District councils:

• Nuneaton & Bedworth
• Cannock Chase
• Redditch
• Rugby
• Tamworth
• Worcester
• Wyre Forest

All the seats in Shropshire Council, a unitary authority, are also up for election.

Police and crime commissioners

• West Midlands
• West Mercia
• Warwickshire
• Staffordshire (includes Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service)

Read more about the candidates by tapping the links.

Image source, Staffordshire Police

West Midlands Mayor

The combined authority mayor, covering the seven metropolitan boroughs, is responsible for planning and strategy for regional transport, skills training and local economic development. Click here to see the candidates.

For a reminder of all the candidates standing in your area and information about what they will do, use our handy look-up tool.

West Midlands elections come along like busespublished at 12:14 British Summer Time 5 May 2021

12:14 BST 5 May 2021

Elizabeth Glinka
Political Editor, BBC Midlands

The prime minister has been campaigning in the West Midlands this morning.

Here in the region, it feels like elections arrive like buses; you wait for one and then 25 come along at once.

Tomorrow's vote brings a combination of those postponed last year due to the coronavirus outbreak, and those due this year.

All county council seats are up for grabs in Staffordshire, Warwickshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire.

All are Conservative controlled, and are unlikely to deliver any surprises. Likewise Unitary Shropshire.

Warwickshire has traditionally been most likely to swing, but with the Conservatives holding more than double the seats of Labour and the Lib Dems combined, recent revelations about the prime minister would have to have some serious cut through for either party to make inroads.

Normally, the big Metropolitan Boroughs that elect by thirds are less likely to have a change of control.

This time Solihull, Coventry, Dudley, Walsall and Sandwell all have elections, but there are definitely some ones to watch, not least because of the changing voting behaviour, which saw Labour’s ‘red wall’ collapse across the Black Country at the last general election.

Conservative-run Walsall and, to an even greater extent, Dudley, are finely balanced between blue and red.

Solihull, too, is currently Conservative-led, but the loss of just one seat, would mean losing control.

The Greens who are the main opposition party, have been building their base here for the last decade.In our smaller district councils - Nuneaton and Bedworth, Cannock Chase and Worcester are all on a knife edge.

It's a nippy start to Wednesday following a cold night. Today we'll see highs of around 12C but it will feel a little bit warmer than yesterday as the winds drop.

There will be some heavy, sharp showers developing throughout the day and possibly even thunder in some areas.

By this evening those showers should stop and clear skies could leave some frost overnight but scope for lots of sunshine on Thursday.

Hereford Times

Here are some of the stories on the Hereford Times website today:

• Fallen tree closed a road in Herefordshire this morning after heavy winds and rain hit the county, external
• Three-year ban for man who refused to give blood sample, external
• Herefordshire-born singer Ellie Goulding welcomes first child, external

The bulk of the weekend rain has passed but this morning we can expect a bit of a battering from the wind instead.

There's a yellow weather warning in place for strong winds, mainly affecting Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire.

Image source, Met Office

That should calm down a bit later, however it will breezy enough for it to still feel quite cold and we haven't seen the last of that rain yet so expect showers.

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

Avoncroft Museum near Bromsgrove was closed on Sunday and Monday when 180 visitors were expected.

The singer and her baby are both "healthy and happy", her husband says.

Essex have to settle for a draw on the final day at Worcestershire after being frustrated by the home batsmen.