Alex Homer
BBC Local Live

Here is a recap of the stories we have been covering in the newsroom in the past few hours:

- The owner of Alton Towers is to be prosecuted over the Smiler rollercoaster crash which left five people seriously injured

- A man accused of murder in Stoke-on-Trent is "undergoing psychiatric assessment", a court has heard

- Changes need to be made to the layout of Leek town centre now, a campaigner claims

Phil McCann
Political reporter, Cheshire

Plans which could see the closure of children's centres across east Cheshire are due to be approved today. 

The council is facing a £16m cut to its government funding. 

Nearly 1,500 people have signed petitions to prevent the closure of four children's centres including Nantwich (pictured) and Sandbach.

Cheshire East Council says it needs to focus on the areas of greatest need. Voluntary and disability groups have also warned cuts to their funding will affect vulnerable people. 

The authority is increasing its share of council tax by 3.75%, a move it described as "regrettable".

In November, Alton Towers said the impact of the "devasting incident" had included reduced visitor numbers and it would be restructuring its business as a result.

The attraction had typically employed 1,000 permanent staff and around 1,500 seasonal workers between March and November before The Smiler crash.

In November last year the theme park warned of up to 190 job losses and said savings were also expected to come from not filling vacancies and redeploying some staff.

Another passenger Chanda Chauhan, 49, from Wednesbury, had surgery after suffering internal injuries. 

A total of 16 people were injured when the carriage they were in collided with an empty one that had come to a halt ahead of them. 

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) said it had informed Merlin Attractions Operations Ltd it would be face a charge under the Health and Safety at Work Act.

The company, based in Poole, Dorset, is due to appear at North Staffordshire Justice Centre, Newcastle-under-Lyme on 22 April.

Image source, PA

Two women - Victoria Balch and Leah Washington - had legs amputated after the Smiler ride at Alton Towers hit an empty carriage on 2 June last year.  

Four people sitting in the front row were among those most seriously hurt.

Ms Balch, 20, from Lancashire, had six rounds of surgery in a bid to save her leg before needing an amputation.

Image source, Facebook

Ms Washington, 17, from Barnsley, also had one of her legs amputated and her 18-year-old boyfriend Joe Pugh shattered his knees.

Daniel Thorpe, 27, from Buxton in Derbyshire, was treated for a collapsed lung and lower leg injuries.

The owner of Alton Towers is to be prosecuted over the rollercoaster accident in which five people were seriously injured, the Health and Safety Executive has announced. 

James Bovill
Political reporter, BBC Radio Stoke

Stoke-on-Trent City Council is expected to finalise a freeze on council tax later. 

Unlike many councils, Stoke says it does not have to raise tax to balance its £621m budget. 

It means a Band A home, the average in the local authority area, will pay £954 a year from April.

The authority decided against government advice to add 2% to bills to pay for adult social care - saying it is putting more money in to care than the precept would have raised. 

The council does have to save £27m in the next financial year though - with £13m being taken out of reserves to avoid deep cuts to services.

Emma Thomas
Journalist, BBC Radio Stoke

Almost 50,000 speeding tickets were issued in Cheshire last year - nearly eight times the number handed to drivers in Staffordshire.

In the 12 months to April 2015 Cheshire Police issued a total of 48,893 fines to drivers caught breaking the limit, up by around 100 on the previous year. 

Across the border in Staffordshire, 6,375 were handed out in the same period - a rise of about 700 on 2014. 

It comes as figures obtained by the BBC reveal that more than 2,000 people across the country were caught clocking more than 100mph last year, with one driver reaching 156mph.

Staffs Live

One person was arrested and more than 2,000 illegal cigarettes seized after public tip-offs, external during tobacco awareness events in Staffordshire.

A man accused of killing a woman from Stoke-on-Trent is due back in court later. 

Barry Knapper, aged 31, is charged with murdering Lisa Reynolds at the home they shared on Cliveden Road in Abbey Hulton on Sunday and is due to appear before Stafford Crown Court this morning.

The identity of the 30-year-old Ms Reynolds was confirmed yesterday, as police revealed she suffered multiple stab wounds. 

A cold start but then there will be sunny and dry periods. Highs of 4C (39F).

Find out what else is in store for later today.

Alex Homer
BBC Local Live

Here are our top stories this morning:

- A man accused of murder in Stoke-on-Trent is due in court later

- More than 55,000 speeding tickets were issued across Cheshire and Staffordshire last year

- Changes to Leek town centre's layout need to be made now, claims a campaigner

BBC Travel

Overhead line problems are causing delays of up to 10 minutes on Virgin West Coast Southbound trains between Crewe and Stafford, commuters are warned.

Alex Homer
BBC Local Live

I'm here with the latest news, sport, travel and weather on Thursday.

If you see a story you think we should be covering, want to comment or share your pictures, email us, tweet us, external or reach us on the BBC Radio Stoke Facebook page, external.