BBC Local Live: Stoke & Staffordshire Friday 4 November 2016

Summary

Dog-owning ban after pet left in 'excruciating pain' with broken leg
Man charged after wedding rings stolen in burglary
Boy, 7, seriously hurt in hit-and-run
Sculpture switch-on: Hundreds of hand-written messages in artwork
Updates from Friday 4 November

Live Reporting

Allen Cook

One man hurt after crash between lorry, car and coachpublished at 15:59 Greenwich Mean Time 3 November 2016
Allen Cook
BBC Local Live
A man's needed hospital treatment after a crash involving a lorry, a car and a coach carrying 50 students.
West Midlands Ambulance Service says it happened this morning on the A5 near the Weeford Island between Lichfield and Tamworth. , external
Image source, West Midlands Ambulance Service
Paramedics say five people were treated for minor injuries and a sixth, the driver of the car, suffered suspected broken ribs.
They say he'd managed to get himself out of the car but was taken by ambulance to Good Hope Hospital., external
Council plans £90m of cuts over three yearspublished at 15:44 Greenwich Mean Time 3 November 2016
Phil McCann
Cheshire Political Reporter, BBC News
Over £90m of budget cuts for the next three years have been outlined by Cheshire East Council. , external
Image source, Google
The authority's portion of council tax will rise by 3.99%, the maximum allowed before they would have to hold a referendum under government rules.
Under the council plans care funding would see an £8m cut, a recycling centre would close and charges would be introduced for some waste disposal.
Headlines: Council plan £90m cuts; body find ruled out of missing man inquiry; jail sentence for £200k VAT fraudpublished at 15:31 Greenwich Mean Time 3 November 2016
Chris King
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke
Our headlines this afternoon:
- Over £90m of budget cuts for the next three years have been outlined by Cheshire East Council, external
- A body that has been found in a park is not that of a man reported missing for over a week, external, police say
- A man's been jailed for over two years for VAT fraud totalling more than £200,000
Bodycam police to appear on TVpublished at 15:19 Greenwich Mean Time 3 November 2016
Khia Lewis-Todd
BBC Local Live
Staffordshire Police will feature in a new TV series in which cameras follow officers at work., external
The force was the first in the country to routinely wear bodycams.
The first of the 16 Cops UK: BodyCam Squad episodes will appear on television tomorrow.
Residents' fears over plans for quad biking track near Lichfieldpublished at 15:05 Greenwich Mean Time 3 November 2016
Lichfield Mercury
Plans for a quad biking track on rural land just outside Lichfield have been slammed by residents. , external
Image source, Lichfield Mercury
Fireworks campaigner wants public sales banpublished at 14:51 Greenwich Mean Time 3 November 2016
Pete Morgan
Presenter, BBC Radio Stoke
A Staffordshire campaigner who's calling for a ban on fireworks sales to the public has told BBC Radio Stoke that they have had a huge impact on her quality of life.
A petition calling on the government to bring in restrictions has recently passed 40,000 signatures., external
Image source, Ian Forsyth/Getty Images
Dot Merry from Oakamoor is a member of the Firework Abatement Campaign and says they want their sale to be limited to just key dates.
However John Malam, who owns Blitz Fireworks in Crewe, told BBC Radio Stoke that not selling them to the public isn't realistic.
He says they've been told by the government that there are no plans to add more regulations to "what is already a heavily regulated industry".
Man jailed for £200k VAT fraudpublished at 14:33 Greenwich Mean Time 3 November 2016
Allen Cook
BBC Local Live
A man's been jailed for over two years for VAT fraud totalling more than £200,000.
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) says Mike East (pictured), formerly known as Michael David Bull, pretended to trade in designer jewellery, IT services and sports equipment.
Image source, HMRC
They say their investigation started after the company director submitted several suspicious VAT repayment claims in 2013 and 2014.
The 32-year-old, from Giffords Croft, Lichfield was given 27 months in prison at Birmingham Crown Court after pleading guilty to 10 counts of making a false statement for the purposes of the Value Added Tax Act 1994.
Watch: Vandalism puts football club's future 'in doubt'published at 14:17 Greenwich Mean Time 3 November 2016
John Acres
Journalist, BBC Radio Stoke
A Stoke-on-Trent non-league football club's future could be in doubt as its facilities keep getting vandalised.
Officials at Eastwood Hanley, external say their changing rooms have been smashed up several times in the past six months, external and property such as lawnmowers have been set on fire.
Media caption,
Damage at Eastwood Hanley
They say money raised to buy a security fence is being wiped out by paying for the attacks.
Staffordshire Police say they have launched an investigation and are appealing for any witnesses to come forward.
Football: Hart 'learning so much' from Port Vale loanpublished at 14:00 Greenwich Mean Time 3 November 2016
Lee Blakeman
Port Vale commentator, BBC Radio Stoke
Port Vale's Sam Hart says working with manager Bruno Ribeiro on a daily basis is improving his game.
Image source, Pete Norton/Getty Images
The Liverpool loanee is set to play in his first FA Cup tie on Saturday.
Quote Message
He obviously is everything. He's always there at the side, giving you information, helping you out when you need it. I'm loving it, I'm learning so much from all the players and all the staff."
Sam Hart, Port Vale player
Body found in park ruled out of missing man investigationpublished at 13:41 Greenwich Mean Time 3 November 2016
Chris King
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke
A man's body which has been found in a park is not that of a man who's been reported missing for over a week, external, police say.
Staffordshire Police say the find was made in Hanley Park, Stoke-on-Trent this morning near the bowling green.
Image source, Google
The force say they are not treating the death as suspicious.
They do say that, despite no formal identification, they are confident it is not Joshua Smith who has been reported missing from his home in Stone for over a week.
On Midlands Today: Burglars 'pathetic' for special needs break-inspublished at 13:23 Greenwich Mean Time 3 November 2016
Bob Hockenhull
BBC Midlands Today
Special needs children have had £10,000 worth of computers stolen in three burglaries in three weeks at their school in Staffordshire.
The police believe it is the same criminals targeting Chasetown Community School.
Pupils, who use personalised iPads to help overcome their emotional problems, have described the thieves as "pathetic".
You can see more from them from 13:30 on BBC One in Midlands Today.
BBC Weather Watcher picturepublished at 13:10 Greenwich Mean Time 3 November 2016
BBC Weather Watchers
You can find great pictures of the area on the BBC Weather Watchers page.
Here's one example from today from user Jon in Barlaston, Staffordshire.
Image source, jon
Football: West Ham promise extra security for Stoke visitpublished at 12:53 Greenwich Mean Time 3 November 2016
BBC Sport
Extra security precautions are going to be laid on by West Ham for their game against Stoke City on Saturday, according to Hammers manager Slaven Bilic.
Image source, Getty Images
He's made the comments today following crowd trouble at the London Stadium in recent matches.
Bottles, seats and coins were thrown as hundreds of fans clashed in the EFL Cup tie with Chelsea last week.
Quote Message
The club have done everything to increase the security at the stadium and have widened the segregation line. The atmosphere was brilliant in the last game against Chelsea and the players really felt that. It really helped us."
Slaven Bilic, West Ham manager
Headlines: Campaign to scrap M6 Toll charges; vandalism puts football club's future 'in doubt'; more security for Stoke game at West Hampublished at 12:31 Greenwich Mean Time 3 November 2016
Chris King
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke
Let's have a look at this lunchtime's headlines:
- The Labour candidate for the first West Midlands metro mayor is campaigning to end charges on the M6 Toll
- A Stoke-on-Trent non-league football club's future could be in doubt as its facilities keep getting vandalised, external
- Extra security precautions are going to be laid on by West Ham for their game against Stoke City on Saturday, according to Hammers manager Slaven Bilic
Culture secretary calls for Fifa to 'see sense' over poppies banpublished at 12:15 Greenwich Mean Time 3 November 2016
BBC Parliament
Freeview channel 131
The culture secretary and Staffordshire Moorlands MP Karen Bradley is urging world football's governing body not to penalise England and Scotland if their players wear poppies in their match next week.
The two teams meet on Armistice Day in a World Cup qualifier.
Media caption,
Karen Bradley this morning
The Football Associations of both countries are set to defy a ban imposed by Fifa who say the wearing of poppies is a "political" statement.
Karen Bradley told the Commons that she was hoping they'd "see sense".
Weight-loss surgery hospital switch after cancelled operationspublished at 12:02 Greenwich Mean Time 3 November 2016
Allen Cook
BBC Local Live
Weight-loss surgery is being switched from the Royal Stoke University Hospital to the County Hospital, Stafford because of the number of operations being cancelled.
Managers at the University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust (UHNM) say patients have seen surgery delayed and cancelled because of "growing operational pressures" at the Royal Stoke.
They say they're committed to providing the surgery so are going to move the majority of cases to the County Hospital.
UHNM says high-risk patients will still be seen at the Royal Stoke University Hospital.
Tyre slashers targets more than 50 cars in Best Kept Villagepublished at 11:44 Greenwich Mean Time 3 November 2016
Staffordshire Newsletter
More than 50 cars were targeted in one night by tyre slashers in Gnosall, external – the latest in a series of crimes in the village.
Watch: This afternoon's weather forecastpublished at 11:28 Greenwich Mean Time 3 November 2016
Charlie Slater
BBC Weather presenter
The BBC Weather website also has latest weather forecasts if you want to keep updated through the day.
Media caption,
Charlie Slater
Further council cuts set to be revealedpublished at 11:09 Greenwich Mean Time 3 November 2016
Phil McCann
Cheshire Political Reporter, BBC News
Cheshire East Council's due to outline later today how it'll be saving money, external over the next year.
Nearly £24m has been cut from the authority's budgets this year after changes to children's centres, parking charges and social care.
The council's share of council tax also increased by 3.75%.
Police force 'not making full use' of technologypublished at 10:56 Greenwich Mean Time 3 November 2016
Jack Dowling
Journalist, BBC Radio Stoke
Staffordshire and Cheshire's police forces have been given a rating of good by the police watchdog, but Cheshire Police has been told it isn't making full use of mobile technology., external
Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) says it has reviewed every force in the country's abilities to manage demands and resources, as well as plan ahead.
It has praised Cheshire Police for its financial and long-term planning but says it "has yet to make full use of mobile devices".
Staffordshire Police was recognised by HMIC for its understanding of current and future demands and its efforts to tackle child sexual exploitation., external
However inspectors did say under-recording of some offences could be undermining the force when it comes to getting a full picture of demands on its officers.