‘Frustrated’ councillors have been forced to back the redevelopment of a derelict Sutton pub and bowling green into care apartments.

A builders’ merchants in Wolverhampton has been given permission to construct a large truck wash facility on an area of undeveloped land.

Figures released have seen Dudley borough top the table in the Black Country for people vaccinated against Covid-19.

Greater LGBT+ inclusion is needed at Sandwell council, the deputy mayor has said, as he argued the borough needs to do more to support LGBT+ people.

Plans to clear the former Birmingham Wheels site of invasive Japanese knotweed have been approved despite more than 500 objections.

Deteriorating pay levels in Dudley libraries have prompted a trade union to launch a campaign for staff to be paid the real Living Wage.

Environmental bosses in Wolverhampton have announced plans to increase the number and frequency of tree inspections on the city’s highways, parks, cemeteries and open land.

A minister's visit to Bewdley shows a "real" commitment from the Government to build on the progress made to protect residents, a council leader has said.

Birmingham went barmy for the red carpet premiere of the last series of Peaky Blinders.

A Dudley company which has traded from the same site for 100 years marked its centenary in style

Defence contractor Babcock International says it is on track to deliver savings of about £20 million in the current financial year.

The Ukrainian foreign minister said the capital was hit in the early hours of Friday morning.

Politicians have condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine as "absolutely devastating" as people call for full military and economic support for the besieged country.

Boris Johnson said there would be global consequences stemming from Russia’s aggression.

The flood warning at Bewdley has been downgraded - as it was revealed that work will swing into action next year on multi-million pound new defences.

A distraught bride-to-be has spoken of her disappointment after her wedding was cancelled due to the closure of the golf course venue.

Hundreds of extra police officers were hired in Staffordshire and the West Midlands over the last year as part of the Government's national recruitment drive, new figures show.

The BBC journalists had to wear flak jackets after a siren interrupted their live Ukraine broadcast.

The cake sale raised £350 in just two hours. A firm of estate agents chipped in with £400.

The generosity of a Wyre Forest toddler who donated his pocket money to a fund to repair damage to his local church has been praised.

A catering student at Halesowen College has reached the national finals of a Risotto competition.

Social enterprises from across the West Midlands are being urged to tap into £16.3 million of funding that will help their communities recover from the impact of Covid-19.

Volunteers have joined forces to plant 600 trees as part of a Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games legacy project.

A Wolverhampton theatre is looking for the region's biggest fan of The Osmonds, with the winner lined up to attend the premiere of the new Osmonds musical.

Five college students have successfully secured a bursary of £1,500 each.

A couple who met while still at school and walking home from a swimming gala have celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary.

A drug dealer has been jailed for three years after being caught with cocaine, cannabis and thousands of pounds in cash.

This photograph of Noddy Holder and Dave Hill having lunch together has sparked fresh speculation that a reunion may be in the works.

A sex attacker has been jailed for four-and-a-half years after sexually assaulting a woman at his home.

A company has been told to pay more than £28,000 after an "easily preventable" industrial incident which took the life of a 23-year-old father.

New permanent flood defences in Bewdley must not be rushed despite the flooding that has tormented townspeople once again, an MP has said.

The water levels are falling but a 'danger to life' warning remains in place in Bewdley which has been hit by serious flooding for the third year in a row.

The FTSE 100 closed the day down nearly 4% on Thursday, wiping £77 billion off the top 100 listed companies in the UK.

Four men have been arrested in connection with the armed robbery of a travel agent, after police chased down one of the vehicles thought to be involved.

A further 11 deaths from Covid have been confirmed in the region’s hospitals, official NHS figures show.

More than 30 lorries have been damaged at M6 service stations in a spate of targeted attacks across Staffordshire.

Police officers who identify as gay or lesbian make up less than five per cent of the workforce in constabularies in Staffordshire and the West Midlands, the first figures of their kind suggest.

A provisional date in May has been set for the 40th anniversary Royal Sutton Fun Run.

Boys and girls are being offered their first taste of cricket at Kidderminster Cricket Club with the national launch of the ECB’s annual All Stars and Dynamos programmes.

Thousands of pounds in cash was seized in six drug raids which were executed simultaneously in the Black Country last week.

A leaked report into the work culture of Dudley Council has exposed a “disproportionate” use of disciplinary measures by senior managers to BAME colleagues.

After a resurgence in popularity during the pandemic, country parks and green spaces in Staffordshire are to receive new infrastructure investment.

Civic chiefs in Wolverhampton are set to bestow the ‘Freedom of the City’ on Lisa Potts, the former nursery nurse who saved the lives of dozens of children from an attacker armed with a machete.

A senior Walsall Tory councillor has failed to win re-selection for the forthcoming election, prompting a challenge to overturn the decision.

A new walk in Covid-19 vaccination clinic has opened in Wolverhampton in a bid to boost uptake of the jab.

Changes to lifelong learning funding could mean more students in the higher education system.

Warren East said he will stand down later this year after eight years at the helm. The announcement comes as the company returned to profit.

Boris Johnson set out the strategy for ‘living with Covid’ earlier this week.

Thursday sees big changes in England with the end of the legal requirement for people who test positive to isolate.

Average fuel prices at UK forecourts are already at record highs, and the situation is expected to worsen.

Retail sales volumes were above seasonal norms – up 16% – as shoppers ventured back to high streets in the wake of Omicron, according to a CBI survey.

The Health Secretary addressed MPs on how the Coronavirus Act 2020 became law.

A 25-year-old motorist who led police on a pursuit through Black Country streets has been warned he may be sent to prison.

Willmott Dixon has been awarded a £6.5 million interior fit-out contract for 428 apartments on the Perry Barr Residential Scheme.

A former Stone Mayor will take on the Stafford Borough chain of office in May.

A £5 council tax rise for South Staffordshire residents has been approved.

People interested in sports broadcasting across the region are being invited to apply for a new training initiative around the Commonwealth Games.

Firefighters tackled a fire at a garage in Stafford after smoke was seen billowing from the building.

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen accused Vladimir Putin of ‘bringing war back to Europe’ following his military invasion.

Our reporter James Vukmirovic gets a lesson in top snooker from a man who has trained some of the best.

A scheme to help rough sleepers keep a roof over their head is set to be rolled out in Stafford thanks to £650,000 grant from the Government.

The Ladder for Black Country has teamed up with The National Apprenticeship Event and Conference which is set to inspire the next generation with apprenticeship, traineeship, T Level and retraining opportunities.

Visitors to a Staffordshire stately home will be able to sleep in a shepherd’s hut after holiday let plans were given the green light.

A lucky plasterer from the Black Country is celebrating after winning a top of the range car with £10,000 cash in the boot in an online competition.

New jobs are on the way for Walsall residents, as a local care organisation receives extra funding for expansion.

Howden Joinery, which has depots across the West Midlands, has reported record results and announced plans to grow its number of depots to 950 in the UK.

Outsourcing group Serco has beat analysts' expectations and posted a 40 per cent surge in annual profit.

A man has died after a fire at a house in Staffordshire which was started accidentally.

One Manchester United legend will be present at the opening of a leisure centre dedicated to another club legend.

Former Wolves skipper Karl Henry dropped into Molineux to surprise a member of staff and former Premier League Kicks participant with ‘Local Legend’ status.

Supermarket giant Sainsbury's will be closing another convenience store next week.

A contractor has been appointed to develop new homes on a site on the outskirts of Wolverhampton city centre.

Proposals to install charge-points for electric vehicles on streets around the Black Country are aimed at helping people living in areas which lack off-street parking.

The director of a Dudley-based home renovation and refurbishment business has been banned after failure to maintain and preserve adequate accounting records meant £4 million turnover could not be explained.

A bank with branches across the Black Country has joined forces to sponsor a kennel at Birmingham Dogs Home.

An award-winning editor has published his third book about the football club he has followed for 55 years.

A programme targeted at youth unemployment is showing positive signs but bosses recognise there is still more to do.

The ideas of institutional racism and gaining public trust have been addressed by the Assistant Chief Constable of West Midlands Police in his latest blog.

A development of canalside homes at Birmingham's Port Loop community has been completed.

Birmingham Rep is giving supporters the chance to walk away with pieces of theatre history by holding a public costume sale this weekend.

A teaching assistant is determined to raise awareness of deafness in children and has started a fundraising campaign after her two nephews were diagnosed with hearing difficulties.

A project creating positive sensory experiences for children with special education needs and disabilities received an overwhelming response to its latest event.

Public health experts from Wolverhampton and Zimbabwe are working in collaboration to prevent Covid-19 infections in vulnerable communities in the African country.

An Asda delivery driver has received praise from a mother in Sandwell after her son was thrown in front of a bus.

A treatment for jaundiced babies which reduces hospital stays for newborns has been used for the first time at Wolverhampton’s New Cross Hospital.

A Volvo dealership has ensured everyone in Walsall is safer after installing a defibrillator in its depot.

The Mayor of West Midlands Andy Street join in celebrations for the graduation of dozens of apprentices at one of the UK’s leading builders’ merchants at a ceremony in Birmingham.

Central England Co-op has teamed up with a value brand retailer to open a new concession in its store in Erdington, Birmingham, creating 10 new jobs.

In unguarded comments, Ben Wallace said the Scots Guards had ‘kicked the backside’ of a Russian leader in the Crimean War and ‘we can do it again’.

There was the deep chuckle and the glint in the eye at memories of a life at the top of the boxing world as Frank Bruno came to town.

The requirement for face coverings in healthcare settings will remain even as the nation moves towards the Government’s ‘living with Covid’ plan.

Charity concert organisers in Kidderminster are hoping "Irish eyes will be smiling" for a concert which was cancelled twice due to Covid.

It's a familiar feeling, say residents living near a flooded area of the River Severn who have once again been left counting the cost.

A 24-year-old man has been arrested after a Mercedes was pulled over by suspicious car using blue lights to mimic a police vehicle.

Detectives have traced back 22 different cars which were processed through an illegal chop shop which police stumbled upon earlier this month.

A football ground has been completely flooded for the third year in a row after not flooding in the previous 20 years.

Clean-up operations are underway along the banks of the River Severn as water levels start to subside

Rescue teams have been out checking on residents in Bewdley after flood barriers were breached as the Severn continues to rise.

Emergency services are gearing up for the Commonwealth Games with the aim to share aerial footage with the help of new digital equipment.

A lorry driver is critically injured in hospital after suffering a suspected medical emergency and crashing into a wall.