Households are being warned not to give their home’s water pipes the cold shoulder this winter and wrap them up warm before temperatures plummet. The Consumer Council for Water (CCWater) has joined the Met Office and WaterSafe in urging consumers to take action now to protect their pipes from freezing and bursting in the icy grip of winter.

West Midlands Police's plans for policing have been described as "outstanding" by the national police watchdog. The latest report by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary for England and Wales (HMIC) also highlights the tougher cuts being faced by West Midlands Police, compared to the rest of England and Wales.

People are being asked to have their say and help shape a new strategy which seeks to continue the good work being done to tackle youth and gang violence in Wolverhampton. Over the last few years, the city's existing Reducing Gang Related Harm Strategy has helped to greatly improve the lives of those communities blighted by gangs, bringing about a fall in gun and knife crime in the process.

Hundreds of people turned out to pay their respects to the men and women of the Armed Forces, past, present and future, at Wolverhampton's Observance of Remembrance. The annual ceremony began with a parade led by the Band of the West Midlands Fire Service through the city centre featuring detachments from ex-Service, Regular, Reserve, Cadet Units and representatives of other local uniformed organisations, before dignitaries gathered at the Cenotaph in St Peter's Square for the traditional Drumhead service.

The Commonwealth-wide Youth Worker of the Year for 2015 has been awarded to Victor Ochen, founder of the African Youth Initiative Network, a Ugandan NGO that works to empower young people to promote democratic leadership and civic engagement in communities that have faced conflict. On receiving his award, Victor said: “I am very grateful for the recognition from the Commonwealth.