BBC Local Live: Stoke & Staffordshire on Friday 16 September 2016

Summary

Dozens of senior jobs 'at risk' as university plans restructure
Charity blames homelessness rise on council cuts
Police officer 'knocked unconscious' in stone-throwing incident
Football: Diouf and Johnson back for Stoke City
Updates from Friday 16 September

Live Reporting

Allen Cook

University restructuring 'not about saving money'published at 15:43 British Summer Time 16 September 2016
Allen Cook
BBC Local Live
A restructuring of Staffordshire University, which is putting 81 senior roles "at risk", is not about saving money, according to its vice-chancellor.
This afternoon, the organisation announced it's going to group its "most successful" subjects into six schools.
Image source, Google
The unions involved, Unison and the University and College Union, say they are involved in the early stages of a consultation and there'll be a staff meeting next week.
Vice-Chancellor Liz Barnes told BBC Radio Stoke that the university's aim is to improve job prospects for students.
Quote Message
Although we are restructuring and there are 220 staff that will be moving around, there are 81 posts currently that are at risk but on saying that there are new roles that many of those staff will be able to apply for and will stay with us."
Professor Liz Barnes, Vice-Chancellor, Staffordshire University
Football: Port Vale loan out midfielder Reevespublished at 15:20 British Summer Time 16 September 2016
Lee Blakeman
Port Vale commentator, BBC Radio Stoke
Port Vale say midfielder Billy Reeves has gone out on loan to Northern Premier League Division One South side , externalWitton Albion.
The club say it's his second spell with the club, having joined them last November on a month's loan.
Image source, Port Vale FC
News: Dozens of jobs 'at risk' at university; police officer knocked out in disturbance; banning order sought over anti-social behaviourpublished at 15:00 British Summer Time 16 September 2016
Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke
Our headlines this afternoon:
- Eighty one senior jobs at Staffordshire University, external "will be put at risk" the university says this afternoon, as it looks to focus on its most popular courses
- One police officer was knocked unconscious, a second suffered leg injuries and two others received minor injuries in an incident in Blythe Bridge last night
- Drinking, vandalism and drug taking - a Staffordshire council says it wants to take a "tougher stance", external in Newcastle-under-Lyme town centre
Travel: Crash on A50 in Stoke-on-Trentpublished at 14:47 British Summer Time 16 September 2016
BBC Travel
A lane is blocked on the A50 westbound in Longton, Stoke-on-Trent because of an accident.
Congestion is back to the Tesco roundabout.
Ban order considered for town's anti-social behaviourpublished at 14:41 British Summer Time 16 September 2016
Allen Cook
BBC Local Live
Drinking, vandalism and drug taking - a Staffordshire council says it wants to take a "tougher stance" over anti-social behaviour in a town centre.
Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council, external says it wants to bring in a public space protection order (PSPO) to tackle those issues.
Image source, Getty Images
Under the 2014 Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act local authorities can use PSPOs to ban certain activities they believe are having a "detrimental impact" on the quality of life.
The authority says people in the area have six weeks to comment on the plans from the start of the consultation on 19 September.
If the order is brought in, it would cover the town centre inside the ring-road and some of the surrounding streets.
Police officer 'knocked unconscious' in stone-throwing incidentpublished at 14:22 British Summer Time 16 September 2016
Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke
One police officer was knocked unconscious, a second suffered leg injuries and two others received minor injuries in an incident in Blythe Bridge last night.
Image source, Google
Staffordshire Police, external say they were responding to reports of youths throwing stones at vehicles on Uttoxeter Road and the four were injured trying to detain suspects.
The force says three teenagers aged between 17 and 19 are in custody - two from Meir are being held on suspicion of offences including assault and supplying drugs.
Dozens of senior jobs 'at risk' as university plans restructurepublished at 14:10 British Summer Time 16 September 2016
Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke
Eighty one senior jobs at Staffordshire University, external "will be put at risk" the university says this afternoon, as it looks to focus on its most popular courses.
In a statement today, it says teaching roles aren't affected and the move is not about saving money but providing a better "student experience".
The university says it is proposing to have "six new schools" based around its most successful subjects - a consultation with staff runs from today until the end of the year.
Rio 2016 Paralympics 'Amazing experience' for Stoke-on-Trent para-canoeistpublished at 14:03 British Summer Time 16 September 2016
Para-canoeist Ian Marsden says winning bronze at the Rio Paralympic Games was "amazing".
He's tweeted this afternoon his thanks to his team.
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Travel: Trains to London likely to be disrupted by the end of the daypublished at 13:51 British Summer Time 16 September 2016
BBC Travel
The problems with the trains between Birmingham and London are likely to continue for the rest of the day.
The disruption has been caused by a landslide at Watford Junction.
It's affecting London Midland and Virgin Trains.
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Turkeys stolen from Staffordshire farmpublished at 13:48 British Summer Time 16 September 2016
Phil Bowers
Journalist, BBC Radio Stoke
Dozens of turkeys have been stolen from a farm in south Staffordshire, external.
Staffordshire Police say it happened yesterday when thieves got into a brick-built barn on a farm in Trysull near Wombourne.
They took 21 of the birds, say officers.
Northern Powerhouse: George Osborne to chair new think tankpublished at 13:35 British Summer Time 16 September 2016
BBC Politics
Former Chancellor George Osborne is to chair a new think tank aimed at taking forward his "Northern Powerhouse" plan.
As chancellor, Mr Osborne championed the idea of creating an economy in the north of England to rival those of London and the South East.
Last year officials in Cheshire were talking up the county as the Gateway to the "powerhouse", bringing in commuters and investment.
There have been concerns that the whole project may go off the rails under PM Theresa May, who sacked Mr Osborne, the MP for Tatton in Cheshire.
Mr Osborne said the PM had committed to the vision but told the Sun: "We can't just expect Whitehall to do it all."
On Midlands Today from 13:30: Charity responds to police homeless tent warningpublished at 12:59 British Summer Time 16 September 2016
Laura Mcmullan
Reporter, BBC Midlands Today
This lunchtime we'll have more from a Stafford charity which has been ordered to stop donating tents to the town's homeless by police.
Image source, House of Bread
House of Bread was given a Community Protection warning and today we'll be hearing from the director of the charity.
That's from 13:30 on BBC One in Midlands Today.
Two police officers hurt in scuffle with youths throwing rocks at carspublished at 12:46 British Summer Time 16 September 2016
The Sentinel
Two police officers were injured and needed hospital treatment as they struggled to arrest youths suspected of throwing rocks and stones at vehicles, external using a busy road.
Image source, The Sentinel
News: Trains disrupted by derailment; MP meeting over 11-day wood fire; Lee Pearson chasing 11th Paralympic goldpublished at 12:31 British Summer Time 16 September 2016
Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke
Our headlines this lunchtime:
- Train operators are advising all passengers to make checks before they travel after a train derailed near Watford Junction this morning, "severely" disrupting services
- The MP for Cannock Chase says she's going to meet the fire service and other groups today, external over the wood fire in Rugeley that's been burning for 11 days
- The Staffordshire equestrian rider Lee Pearson is back in action this afternoon at the Rio Paralympic Games, bidding for his 11th gold medal
Rail disruption continues for Midlands and north west passengerspublished at 12:12 British Summer Time 16 September 2016
Matt Lee
News Editor, BBC Radio Stoke
Train passengers from this part of the world are still being urged to check before they travel this afternoon, external if they're planning to head down to London.
Two people were hurt when a train derailed near Watford Junction after torrential rain caused a landslide at the mouth of a tunnel.
Image source, South Beds News Agency
London Midland and Virgin services remain "severely disrupted" from the Midlands and the north-west with London Midland tweeting , externalthat all of its trains in or out of Euston were cancelled "for the next few hours".
Staffordshire council facing £5.5m shortfallpublished at 11:57 British Summer Time 16 September 2016
Chris King
Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke
Leaders at Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council are working out how they can plug a £5.5m gap in the authority's finances., external
It comes as officials try to come up with an agreement with the government on how much money they'll receive over the next four years.
A report from the council says it expects not to receive any funding from the government by 2021.
Among the predicted savings, external are £500,000 from changes to the recycling system and up to £60,000 a year from reducing the number of councillors.
Rio 2016 Paralympics: Staffordshire's Lee Pearson hunts 11th goldpublished at 11:36 British Summer Time 16 September 2016
Graham McGarry
BBC Radio Stoke Sport
The Staffordshire equestrian rider Lee Pearson is back in action this afternoon at the Rio Paralympic Games, still bidding for his 11th gold medal.
Earlier this week the 42-year-old from Cheddleton took silver in the Grade Ib dressage individual championship.
Today he's competing in the Individual Freestyle Test - Grade Ib with the event due to start at 17:00 (UK-time).
Image source, BBC / Getty Images
Watch: This afternoon's weather forecastpublished at 11:22 British Summer Time 16 September 2016
Sara Blizzard
BBC Weather
If you want to get a latest forecast for Staffordshire or Cheshire at another time, head to the BBC Weather website.
Media caption,
Sara Blizzard
Town gets 'first ever' food festivalpublished at 11:09 British Summer Time 16 September 2016
Chris King
Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke
Newcastle-under-Lyme's first ever food festival is taking place today and tomorrow.
Image source, Newcastle-under-Lyme BID
The local Business Improvement District organisation says it hopes the event, external will raise awareness of food poverty, security and sustainability in Staffordshire.
There are around 20 stalls at the event which continues tomorrow in the town centre.
'Medieval' pit found under Tamworth car parkpublished at 10:55 British Summer Time 16 September 2016
David Lumb
BBC News Online
A suspected medieval pit has been found beneath a car park in Staffordshire.
It was discovered by archaeologists excavating the Corporation Street car park in Tamworth ahead of a project to redevelop Tamworth Assembly Rooms.
Image source, Tamworth Borough Council
Around the edge of the pit they found three small pieces of pottery, which have been sent away for analysis.
The site is near St Editha's Church - believed to be the heart of a development where a possible Saxon palace was located.
Experts believe the pit may have been used as a place for people to keep rubbish.