Following extensive consultation, cabinet is set to approve changes to the housing advice service on 19 April which will build on the success of the city’s Youth Hub – a specialist homeless service for single young people under 25 years old.  The council is reducing the number of Housing Advice Centres and pooling resources to create a similar centre of excellence for homelessness and housing advice for the over 25s.

Recent changes to the law on domestic abuse could have helped Archer’s character Helen Titchener to escape her husband Rob before she reached crisis point and stabbed him, according to a leading family lawyer. The long-running BBC Radio 4 soap opera has caused controversy with its storyline featuring Rob’s coercive behaviour towards Helen, which reached a crisis when she lost control and stabbed him.

Quite simply put by more than half of dog owners, they make us happy and almost two thirds of British dog owners say the reason they got their pet was as an added member of the family or for companionship, while as the nation strives to become fitter, almost a third of respondents (31 per cent) also said that they got a dog to drive them to do more exercise – there's no excuse when you have to take Rover for a walk.

Many dog owners in the UK view their four-legged friends as members of the family and the thought of their pets going missing, even for a short time, is enough to cause great panic and worry. Such a turn of events, however, is sadly a common occurrence in Cheshire – which new research by MORE TH>N shows is the missing dog capital of Great Britain.

It's National Gardening Week, and people tempted to grow their own fruit and vegetables are being encouraged to take on an allotment plot. There are currently a small number of vacancies at selected allotment sites around Wolverhampton – and with spring now firmly sprung, there isn’t a better time for people to join the city's growing army of allotment holders.

Rt Hon Patricia Scotland QC began her first day in office as Secretary-General of the Commonwealth of Nations last week. Nominated for the post by Dominica, she is the first woman to hold the post. To the rhythm of a steel band, the sound of a gospel choir, and the flair of Quadrille dancers, hundreds of guests welcomed the new Secretary-General at Commonwealth headquarters in Marlborough House. They included well-known figures from the world of politics, sports and broadcasting.