BBC Local Live: Stoke & Staffordshire on Friday 20 January 2017

Summary

Saido Berahino could be on the way to Stoke City
Stoke Central by-election expected on 23 February
Some Cheshire schools say they may drop to a four-day week due to funding cuts
Man knocked unconscious as two men steal his car in Cheshire
Updates from Friday 20 January 2017

Live Reporting

Andrew Dawkins

Muniesa 'won't leave unless Hughes has got cover'published at 13:05 Greenwich Mean Time 20 January 2017
BBC Radio Stoke Sport
A Spanish football journalist says Stoke City, external defender Marc Muniesa won't leave the club unless Mark Hughes has got the cover to allow him to leave.
Image source, Marc Muniesa
Muniesa has been linked with a move back to Spain with Real Betis expressing an interest in the player.
Pol Gustems from Catalunya Ràdio told Sport at Six last night that unless something changes, Muniesa will remain at Stoke.
Quote Message
If the situation doesn't change in the next few days, like for example... Cameron recovering from his injury or Stoke signing somebody else, (he) is not leaving."
Pol Gustems, Catalunya Ràdio
Latest: Schools could drop music lessons; money to help people beat the cold; MP Tristram Hunt to stand downpublished at 12:30 Greenwich Mean Time 20 January 2017
Jack Dowling
Journalist, BBC Radio Stoke
Today's headlines include:
- A group of head teachers from east Cheshire are warning subjects like art, music and cookery could be at risk because of the government's new funding formula
- A total of £100,000 is being put into a scheme to help people in Stoke-on-Trent beat the cold
- Stoke-on-Trent MP Tristram Hunt will officially stand down today
Stoke-on-Trent Central by-election 'on 23 February'published at 12:19 Greenwich Mean Time 20 January 2017
Emma Thomas
Journalist, BBC Radio Stoke
Labour has told BBC Radio Stoke it expects the Stoke-on-Trent Central by-election to be held on 23 February.
It follows Tristram Hunt's decision to stand down to become director of the Victoria and Albert Museum, external.
Council sources had earlier told the BBC they were waiting for an official writ to be issued.
That is now is expected to be issued on Monday, the Labour party tell us.
Council demolishes Crown Bank toilets in Hanley despite protestspublished at 12:18 Greenwich Mean Time 20 January 2017
The Sentinel
A vandal-plagued city centre toilet block has been demolished, external - despite a long-running campaign to save the facilities.
Ceramics firms talk to MPspublished at 11:59 Greenwich Mean Time 20 January 2017
BBC Radio Stoke
Bosses at Stoke-on-Trent's ceramics firms have held talks with MPs over what they want out of the UK's exit deal from the European Union.
Image source, The Labour Party
Members of a government committee visited Johnson Tiles in Tunstall yesterday.
Labour MP Emma Reynolds (pictured above) was there and told BBC Radio Stoke business leaders want a gradual transition.
Quote Message
When we leave in March 2019 there isn't a big cliff edge and a massive change, that there is a period that businesses can plan for negotiating some sort of interim deal with the rest of the EU."
Emma Reynolds, Wolverhampton North East Labour MP
Vale in offer to sign playerpublished at 11:44 Greenwich Mean Time 20 January 2017
BBC Radio Stoke
Port Vale, external have made a cash bid to sign an as yet unidentified player.
However, Vale have recently been linked with 24-year-old Macclesfield Town winger Danny Rowe.
Image source, Getty Images
Caretaker manager Michael Brown (pictured above) says he's had the backing from chairman Norman Smurthwaite to try to secure the signing.
Meanwhile, there'll be live commentary of Vale against Bury on BBC Radio Stoke later and our coverage starts in Sport at Six.
Quote Message
The chairman's certainly wanting to improve the squad, but... it's good to know that we are trying and that's the point I think. We heavily want to improve the squad and it's great backing from the club (regarding) wanting to do that, so fingers crossed we can get a couple over by the transfer deadline."
Michael Brown, Caretaker manager
By-election date 'not fixed'published at 11:32 Greenwich Mean Time 20 January 2017
Emma Thomas
Journalist, BBC Radio Stoke
Officials in Stoke-on-Trent have denied a date has been fixed for a by-election in the city, despite newspaper claims it will be held on 23 February.
Labour will hope to hold its parliamentary seats in both Stoke-on-Trent Central and Copeland in Cumbria as Tristram Hunt and Jamie Reed stand down to take on other jobs.
Sources have told BBC Radio Stoke it's impossible to fix a date until an official writ has been issued, which will trigger a 27-working-day period for the vote to be held.
Will Crouch resurrect 'the robot' for 100th goal?published at 11:18 Greenwich Mean Time 20 January 2017
Football Focus
Stoke City striker Peter Crouch discusses whether he will resurrect the 'robot' celebration if he scores his 100th Premier League goal ahead of Saturday's clash against Manchester United.
Media caption,
Will Crouch resurrect 'the robot' for 100th goal?
Watch more from Peter Crouch on Football Focus this Saturday from 12:00 on BBC One, the BBC Sport website & mobile app.
London Midland conductors in strike votepublished at 10:56 Greenwich Mean Time 20 January 2017
The row is over the "proposed imposition" of security contractors on trains.
Read More
MP Tristram Hunt set to stand downpublished at 10:32 Greenwich Mean Time 20 January 2017
Jack Dowling
Journalist, BBC Radio Stoke
Stoke-on-Trent MP Tristram Hunt will officially stand down today.
Earlier in the week, he made his last speech in the House of Commons, using it to highlight the challenges of Brexit, as well as thank his fellow MPs for their support over the years.
Image source, BBC News
He made the announcement he would resign last week, in order to take up a role as director of London's Victoria and Albert Museum, external.
A by-election could take place as soon as next month, the local returning officer has previously said.
Read Political Editor Patrick Burns's thoughts on his departure.
Latest: Schools could drop music lessons; MP Tristram Hunt to stand down; ceramics firms talk to MPspublished at 10:10 Greenwich Mean Time 20 January 2017
Jack Dowling
Journalist, BBC Radio Stoke
Today's headlines include:
- Music, art and cookery may have to be scrapped at east Cheshire schools if the government's new funding formula is implemented
- Stoke-on-Trent MP Tristram Hunt will officially stand down today
- Bosses at Stoke-on-Trent's ceramics firms have held talks with MPs over what they want out of the UK's exit deal from the European Union
Fire crews tackle Longton blazepublished at 09:40 Greenwich Mean Time 20 January 2017
BBC Radio Stoke
Firefighters are dealing with a blaze at a building on Sutherland Road in Longton this morning.
Officers were called to the blaze just after 06:00 - the fire is in the ground floor.
Staffordshire Fire Service says nobody has been injured.
Image source, Staffordshire Fire Service
Woman in court for stealing cash from a doctors' surgerypublished at 09:24 Greenwich Mean Time 20 January 2017
Burton Mail
A 27-year-old woman ended up in court after stealing cash from a doctors' surgery in Stapenhill. The thief has been ordered to pay compensation, external.
Latest: Tristram Hunt set to resign as an MP; building fire in Longton; schools could drop music lessonspublished at 09:07 Greenwich Mean Time 20 January 2017
Jack Dowling
Journalist, BBC Radio Stoke
Here are some of the stories we're looking at this morning:
- Tristram Hunt will officially tender his resignation as an MP today
- Firefighters deal with a blaze on Sutherland Road in Longton
- Some schools in east Cheshire warn they may have to remove subjects like art and music, because of the government's new funding formula
London Midland staff vote over strike actionpublished at 08:49 Greenwich Mean Time 20 January 2017
Conductors on London Midland are voting on whether to take industrial action in a row over the company's decision to put external security contractors on trains "by imposition and without agreement", the RMT says.
Image source, Hyperen at English Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
The rail union said the ballot of 523 conductor members opened yesterday and concludes on 2 February.
In a statement the union said the company had "failed to respond to our questions, proposals and suggestions that would have averted the need for a potential breakdown in industrial relations".
Three things you wanted to knowpublished at 08:41 Greenwich Mean Time 20 January 2017
You have been using Your Questions to ask about the West Midlands. Here are some of our answers.
Read More
Watch: Latest weather forecastpublished at 08:28 Greenwich Mean Time 20 January 2017
Lucy Martin
BBC Weather
It'll be a cold and frosty start for most, with a sunny day to follow. Highs of 5C (41F).
Media caption,
Latest weather for the West Midlands
Good morning - welcome to our live updates for the daypublished at 08:00 Greenwich Mean Time 20 January 2017
Welcome to Stoke and Staffordshire Live on Friday morning.
We'll be bringing you all the news, sport, travel and weather as it happens.
If you'd like to get in touch you can email, tweet us on @bbcradiostoke, external or message via Facebook, external.
Will Crouch resurrect 'the robot' for 100th goal?published at 19:12 Greenwich Mean Time 19 January 2017
Stoke striker Peter Crouch discusses whether he will resurrect the 'Robot' celebration when he scores his 100th Premier League goal.
Read More
Our live coverage across the daypublished at 18:00 Greenwich Mean Time 19 January 2017
We'll be back with our usual mix of news, sport, travel and weather from 08:00 tomorrow, but keep an eye out here for more updates this evening and into the morning.