Taxi drivers and council officers from across the UK today (Tuesday) got their first look at the new all electric taxis that could soon be on City of Wolverhampton streets.

The taxi forum at Grand Station in the city centre showcased the London Taxi Company’s TX Electric taxi and the Dynamo Motor Company’s all electric taxi.

It was a chance for representatives from the taxi associations in the City of Wolverhampton to find out more about the types of electric taxis on offer ahead of new electric vehicle charging points being installed in the city centre.

The Dynamo is now on sale, while the TX Electric is available for order and will be launched in London next month, and in the Midlands in 2018.

City of Wolverhampton Council was handed £478,000 government funding in March to help fulfil a long-term plan to grow the number of electric taxis in the city.

The Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) has since confirmed the electric charging network can also be made available for public use.

The funding means work can now start in the city on building the infrastructure to facilitate electric vehicles as they become more readily available over the next decade.

An initial 24 charging points will be installed over the next three years, with the aid of funding from a private sector partner, and the first points could be in place by summer 2018.

The management of the project will be put in the hands of a specialist private partner, who will be responsible for building, operating and marketing the network as well as providing 24/7 service, maintenance and repair.

The OLEV funding comes at a time when the Government has announced its plan to phase out sales of petrol and diesel cars by 2040.

The widespread introduction of electric cars in the city would have significant environmental benefits such as a reduction in vehicles’ exhaust emissions to help improve local air quality, reduced carbon emissions, and a reduction in traffic noise.

Cabinet Member for City Environment, Councillor Steve Evans, said: “We are working closely with the taxi drivers in the city on this project and we are delighted OLEV has allowed us to broaden the scheme out for public use.

“Electric vehicles bring many benefits. They improve air quality and public health, make the city more attractive, support the economy of the Midlands, and support innovation and transformation, as well as helping to reduce carbon emissions.

“The idea of bringing on board a private sector partner also means we don’t anticipate any need to use council funds.”

This Christmas, luxury island resort Essque Zalu Zanzibar is filling the island with music and festive joy with an exciting programme of family activities, unforgettable experiences and delectable gourmet treats. Starting from 23 December and continuing through into 2018, this one-of-a-kind festivity is guaranteed to create precious moments for everyone.

Kicking off the programme, guests are invited to explore the resort's very own Christmas Market. Showcasing local artwork, handmade decorations, bespoke jewellery, local crafts and accessories, there is a unique gift waiting to be found for friends and family. Adding to the festive atmosphere will be the warm and wholesome chorus of Essque Zalu's very own angels, a local carol choir who last year performed on celestial swings under the resort's spectacular and iconic Makuti roof.

Despite an absence of chimneys, the much anticipated visit of Santa for the hotel's younger guests on Christmas Eve will not be forgotten, with kids waking-up to find a unique, personalised gift waiting on their doorstep. Throughout the day, a fun-packed programme of festive activities, from spice-infused cookery classes to craft making, ensures families have a Christmas filled with laughter and lasting memories.

As Christmas Eve draws to a close, food lovers will be spoilt for choice as the resort's chefs prepare a culinary programme. Choose between an intimate family meal or a traditional gastronomic feast with a spectacular Gala Dinner featuring speciality dishes by award-winning Executive Chef Ramkalawon Anuraag such as sweet-spiced duck breast with saffron mash; cured Red Snapper with Zanzibari spices and pineapple compote; the catch-of-the-day marinated in Gunpowder spices and roasted pumpkin; and poached mango in cardamom syrup with a refreshing lime sorbet.

On 31 December, guests can embark on a gourmet journey via numerous culinary stations in the resort's World Food Market.  With locally sourced, deliciously winter warming food showcasing the best of European dishes, Asian delicacies and local favourites, the Food Market will be the perfect place to soak up the festive atmosphere.

Bidding farewell to 2017 and welcoming in 2018, the island resort is transformed for a grand New Year's Eve party. Spectacular acrobatic performers, live cooking stations, and music from some of the island's finest musicians and DJs will make this a night to remember.

By their nature, dogs are a highly social species - they have a natural instinct to live in harmonious groups. However some dogs may find this more difficult than others, potentially experiencing signs of anxiety when they are around other dogs.

Whether it’s seeing other dogs in the park or living with another four legged friend at home, it’s important that your pooch is calm and comfortable when encountering other dogs.

As part of their “Happy Dogs, Happy Days” campaign, Lintbells, manufacturers of premium pet supplement YuCALM Dog, is working with dog behavioural expert Dr. Emily Blackwell to help owners to spot and deal with any anxiety your dog may be experiencing when they are in the company of other canines.

“Although dogs can naturally be very sociable animals, this may not be the case for all. Some dogs can love being around others playing and running around, however some may find this more difficult and become nervous.

“An instance when this issue may become apparent is when you are introducing another dog into your home. This can be an exciting time for the family, welcoming a new canine companion in to the house, but for the new addition it can be nerve-wracking.

“There are a number of tips you can follow however, to ensure the introduction goes without hiccups:

• Before the big move in day take both dogs for a walk, and if things go well bring them back to the garden allowing the new dog off the lead to explore first before letting the resident dog off the lead.
• Try to avoid leaving “valuable” items, such as bones and chews, around the house for the first few weeks, and feed the dogs in separate rooms to begin with
• Don’t tell either dog off if things appear tense, try to distract them calmly to diffuse the situation
• Watch your dogs. Learn how they communicate using visual signals, so that you can start to “read” what they are “saying” to each other. If one dog is showing signs of anxiety look out to see if the other dog is backing off, or continuing to play
• Relaxed interactions between both dogs should appear more equal, with both dogs taking turns to chase or wrestle each other
• It’s important to remember that if your dog doesn’t naturally enjoy playing or interacting with other dogs and instead avoids them when out and about, think carefully before bringing a new dog into your home. Not all dogs benefit from having a “friend” and it may cause stress.

• Don’t overwhelm them – Many people believe that they need to make their dog “face its fear” or “socialise” with other dogs, however this isn’t the case. Every time your dog reacts to another dog the behaviour becomes more well-established and rather than improving, the reaction is likely to worsen.
• Find your dog’s threshold – You should aim to only encounter other dogs at a distance at which your dog remains calm. This may be the other side of the road, or the other side of a field, each dog’s threshold will be different
• Make positive associations – Once you’ve found the distance at which your dog doesn’t react, you can reward the unreactive behaviour with treats or extra fuss. They are then more likely to remain calm next time.
• Stay on your toes – Be alert for signs that your dog may be uncomfortable, don’t wait until they are lunging/barking at other dogs, move away at the earliest signs your dog is worried
• Remain calm – Although it can be frustrating/embarrassing to have a dog that lunges and barks, it’s important that you don’t get angry and tell them off. This will just confirm to your dog that other dogs are bad news.

If you are worried that your dog may be experiencing some anxiety,  Lintbells also offer a natural calming supplement, YuCALM Dog, which can be added to their diet to help reduce dog anxiety.

Assistant coroners were sworn in at an official ceremony at the Coroners Court in Jack Judge House, Oldbury.

The new Assistant Coroners Ms Laura Nash, Ms Emma Serrano and Ms Emma Whiting have received the consent of the Chief Coroner and Lord Chancellor, and will support the Senior Coroner Mr Zafar Siddique in serving bereaved families in Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton.

Deputy leader of Sandwell Council, Councillor Syeda Khatun said: “Following the retirement of existing assistant coroners, we recognised it is important  that we ensure the Senior Coroner has sufficient resources.

"The council understands the importance bereaved families place on a service such as the coroners.

"Along with the recent investment into the excellent court facilities at Jack Judge House in Oldbury, the new assistant coroners will ensure families from across the Black Country have access to what has been described as a centre of excellence by the Chief Coroner of England and Wales."

Children’s charity Barnardo’s has celebrated the 35th anniversary of its longest-established store in the West Midlands. The store in Chelmsley Wood Shopping Centre was opened in 1983, when Margaret Thatcher was Prime Minister and breakfast television was just beginning.

Since then it has raised hundreds of thousands of pounds to support vulnerable children and young people across the UK. In the last year alone the team received more than 7,700 bags of donations from more than 3,150 supporters.

The team of dedicated staff and volunteers celebrated the anniversary by cutting a specially-decorated cake on Tuesday. Barnardo’s manager Robyn Phillips said: “We were amazed when we realised just how long the store has been fundraising for the charity. It’s a major milestone and we wanted to do something to mark the occasion and to thank all of our volunteers.

“We have a fantastic team aged from 20 years old up to 74 years old, and the longest-serving supporter has been with us for an astonishing 30 years!

“Over the last 12 months they’ve donated more than 2,400 hours of their own time to help with sorting the stock and serving the customers. Their dedication is unbelievable.

“They all work incredibly hard, but they’re very proud of what they do and we always have a laugh and a joke together.”

Robyn added: “No two days are ever the same and we never know what we’re going to find inside a bag of donations. We’ve received all sorts of items ranging from tins of dog food and a used toothbrush to Tiffany bracelets worth several hundred pounds.

“People offer whatever they can to help us and we wouldn’t be able to operate without their support. Thanks to all of our donors and customers, we’re able to raise much-needed funds to continue the charity’s life-changing work.”

An artist’s impression has been revealed to show what Wolverhampton’s new £4.9 million city centre market will look like.

Work on the new Southside site, fronting Cleveland Street, started last month and the new image will now feature on the surrounding hoardings.

It is anticipated the traders will move to their new home in spring 2018.

It will boast 20 cabins and 48 stalls, and will offer the flexibility to trade from bigger cabins, event space, a secure site with measures in place to combat hostile vehicles while still allowing access for traders to load and unload, CCTV, integrated lighting and power, free WiFi, canopy-covered walkways, offices, customer toilets, and comprehensive parking and storage facilities.

The new market will also provide increased footfall from the Wulfrun Centre and transport Interchange, as well as situating the market in a student catchment area.

As well as the existing traders securing stalls, a number are set to be snapped up by new traders, including a bakery, and discussions are also underway with several street food vendors.

Applications are currently being assessed and the window remains open.

Councillor Steve Evans, Cabinet Member for City Environment, said: “This artist’s impression shows what a huge asset the new market will be to the city centre.

“We are consulting regularly with the current traders over the relocation – and we are delighted with the interest we have had from new applicants.

“Their addition will provide a more varied range of sales lines to differentiate it from a traditional market offer.

“The new market, partly funded by the sale of Market Square as part of the Westside scheme, has loads of potential – and we want this to be the people’s market, where events are also encouraged.”

The former Netto store and adjoining buildings were cleared from the Southside site last year and the land converted into an interim car park, which is now boarded off for the works to begin.

The market move will see 48 tented stalls and 16 purpose-built cabins transferred from Market Square in phases.

The Market Square location is to be absorbed into the new £55 million leisure-led Westside development by developer Urban&Civic.

This will deliver a multi-screen cinema, restaurants, bars, hotel, multi-storey car park, apartments, and public realm to the heart of the city centre, in two phases, over five years.

A temporary market has been in place since April last year when the indoor traders joined the outdoor traders in Market Square to enable the demolition of Heantun House and the old indoor market.

The city centre market is one of three markets in Wolverhampton, with Bilston and Wednesfield markets also popular places to shop.