Tamworth Borough Council

Several jobs are "at risk" in Tamworth Borough Council's arts service due to the impact of coronavirus, the local authority has said.

Tamworth CouncilCopyright: Tamworth Council

It said it estimated the pandemic could cost it at least £2.5m and its worst affected area has been the arts and events service.

The council said it would keep the Assembly Rooms shut until at least next year as reopening with socially distanced audiences "will still not be an economically viable option".

Tamworth Castle is expected to reopen from 1 August and the arts team is working on organising new events such as a drive-in cinema.

But with several job roles at risk, the local authority has started a consultation on cuts, but said no final decision on redundancies would be made until that finishes.

Five cemeteries around Tamworth have been closed to the public as part of efforts to try and stop the spread of coronavirus.

Tamworth Borough CouncilCopyright: Tamworth Borough Council

The borough council's become the latest authority in the West Midlands to make the move which they said is in line with government guidelines.

The cemeteries are now only accessible for funerals with the council adding mourners can only include people from the person's household or immediate family.

As well as elections for the West Midlands Mayor and Police and Crime Commissioner, the following councils were expecting to be holding elections for some of their seats on 7 May.

• Cannock Chase District Council
• Coventry City Council
• Dudley Council
• Nuneaton and Bedworth District Council
• Sandwell Council
• Solihull Council
• Walsall Council
• City of Wolverhampton Council
• Redditch Borough Council
• Rugby Borough Council
• Tamworth Borough Council
• Worcester City Council

They will now be held next year instead.

A Grade II listed theatre's reopened after a £5m refurbishment scheme which overran last year and delayed a town's pantomime.

Tamworth Borough CouncilCopyright: Tamworth Borough Council

Tamworth Assembly Rooms closed in February 2016 so the building could be regenerated and it was due to reopen at the end of November.

But the borough council said extra works were needed to safely finish off the work and postponed several shows - including the Aladdin pantomime - to this month.

The local authority said much of the building had been changed to make it more versatile and it'll be officially opened in the next few weeks.

A town's pantomime has been delayed by more than a month after the reopening of a Grade II listed entertainment venue was put back.

GoogleCopyright: Google

Tamworth Assembly Rooms closed in February 2016 so the building could be regenerated and it was due to reopen at the end of the month.

But the borough council says extra works are needed to safely finish off the work and it can't reopen until the new year.

As a result, most of the scheduled shows have been put back to new dates, including this year’s performance of Aladdin which the council says makes up most of the ticket sales.

Instead of over 10 days from 14 December, the show's now due to take place over eight days from 18 January, with the council offering the new dates or a full refund.

For those of you waking up, this is how the overnight election results have panned out in the West Midlands.

LDRSCopyright: LDRS

One of the big results saw the Conservative Party seize overall control of Walsall Council, taking two seats off Labour.

However, the party couldn't make enough gains to take Dudley Borough Council as it tied with Labour for the number of seats, although, with a Tory mayor, it has a casting vote when it comes to deciding later this month who'll lead the authority.

Elsewhere, the Tories lost their majority in Worcester but held on to North Warwickshire, Rugby and Tamworth.

Labour, meanwhile, held on to Coventry, Sandwell, Telford and Wrekin and Wolverhampton.

We're still waiting for the final result from Stoke-on-Trent.

Let's recap on the results we've had so far tonight.

• Coventry City Council - Labour hold
• North Warwickshire Borough Council - Conservative hold
• Rugby Borough Council - Conservative hold
• Sandwell Borough Council - Labour hold
• Tamworth Borough Council - Conservative hold
• Walsall Borough Council - Conservative gains overall control
• Wolverhampton City Council - Labour hold
• Worcester City Council - Conservatives lose overal control

There are still three to come from Dudley, Telford and Wrekin and Stoke-on-Trent.

Tamworth Borough Council is still under Conservative control.

With 10 of the 30 seats being voted on, and the Tories needing 16 for a majority, the Tories have 22 after results were declared, with Labour, the next largest group, on five.

Well, after considering some of the close battles in the West Midlands, let's look at who was in control of some of the other authorities before polling opened.

Worcester City CouncilCopyright: Worcester City Council

We're expecting results for the following authorities before 07:00:

• After last year's elections, Labour kept control of Coventry City Council with 40 of the 54 seats
• In North Warwickshire, the Conservatives gained control from Labour with 22 seats to 13
• A third of Sandwell Borough Council is up for election this year but, with 70 of the 72 seats, Labour will still hold control after tonight
• The Conservatives run Tamworth Borough Council with 22 out of 30 seats
• Labour were in control of Wolverhampton City Council after last year's elections, holding 51 of the 60 seats; 20 of which were voted on this time
• Worcester City Council has switched hands four times in the last six years with no overall control after last year's elections

Residents in Tamworth and Lichfield are being told they'll have to get up even earlier to put their bins out on their collection day.

The councils for both areas, which have a joint waste service, says they want bins out by 06:30 from 26 February, rather than 07:00.

GoogleCopyright: Google

The authorities say the change is so collections can start earlier to avoid rush hour, and finish in the light by 15:30 for safety.

But, before people go changing their alarm clocks, they do say residents can still put them out the night before.

Drinking in public, littering and arson will soon be banned at a nature reserve in a bid to tackle anti-social behaviour.

Tamworth Borough CouncilCopyright: Tamworth Borough Council

Tamworth Borough Council says two public space protection order have been brought in Bolehall and Kettlebrook.

The Bolehall one includes the Warwickshire Moor Nature Reserve.

The council says the orders will come into force on 1 November and last three years, after several reports of bad behaviour this year including excessive noise, assault, arson and littering.