28/01/2014 Reporting Scotland

Tonight, on Reporting Scotland: The so called bedroom tax - more

pressure on politicians at Westminster and Holyrood from

campaigners. Clearing up after the mining

companies have cleared out - how one council dug a whole for itself and

its taxpayers. It's dubbed Scotland's deadliest

road by some - could average speed cameras be the answer to making the

A9 safer? It is impatient that causes a lot of problems. Everyone

needs to know where the jewel carriageways are.

And also - brightening up the long dark winter. Shetland's spectacular

Up Helly Aa fire festival gets underway.

And a tall tale or a matter of fact - can dogs really tell the time?

Good Evening. The row over the so-called bedroom tax north of the

border is intensifying. It's emerged that a loophole in the legislation

means some long term council tenants shouldn't have had the housing

benefit removed, but it's unclear how many Scots tenants are affected.

Meanwhile, campaigners want more money from Holyrood to tackle the

impact of the change. Steven Godden reports.

It is very name provokes argument but to Angela it is the bedroom

tax. Last April she was given a year-long reprieve but as the months

passed by, her anxiety increases. I do not like being in debt so I would

probably cut down my food bills. I cannot cut them down any more than I

have done. I will be really worse off. Hopefully I don't end up on the

street. She did not know it when fighting eviction but according to

an Earth legislation, living in the same house and claiming benefit for

more than 17 years were alternative grounds for exemption. Thousands

more were overcharged. Fewer than 5000 is. Others estimate 40,000 UK

wide. People need to make claims and councils need to check their records

which has not happened across all authorities. Somewhere in between

ten - 12,000 people. Scotland's Housing Minister met with her UK

counterpart. It is unclear what the numbers are in Scotland. We do not

know how many have been affected by this error and I am disappointed. As

ministers were preparing to meet, a Holyrood committee was taking

evidence on the bedroom tax. The Scottish government has pledged 20

million a year to support those affected but campaigners argue that

figure must be higher. 50 million they are due to deal with an

emergency situation. I do not want to live in a society where the

poorest are forced to pay for politicians mistakes. Councils have

been advised about reimbursing those overcharged but in March, this

loophole will be closed. A fresh strand in an ongoing controversy.

Major and persistent failings at a Scottish council allowed mining

companies to leave local people facing a legacy of environmental

devastation. That's the main finding of a damning report into East

Ayrshire Council's regulation of the opencast coal industry. Experts say

?132 million will have to be found if 22 sites are to be restored to

their original condition. Our environment correspondent, David

Miller, reports. A dark day for East Ayrshire. Those

were the words of the council leader here and this is the report which is

causing so much thanks. In the words of its lead author, this report is

as bad as it gets. The report highlights major and persistent

feelings, procedures which were deficient and effective. The result,

a scarred landscape without the money in place to pay for

restoration work. Why? Because two mining companies collapsed without

having enough money in place to play pay for clean-up. They did not

follow through on the policies in that plan. They did not follow

through in terms of conditions, the bonds for not with the companies and

as a result, we have major environmental legacies that will

cost a substantial amount of money. Tonight councillors backed an

internal investigation which could lead to disciplinary action against

individual members of staff. This is about responsibility and

accountability. What the investigation will do will look at

each of these failures cited in the report. The report has told us what

has happened. What we need to establish is why? Is your own

position secure? Yes. Campaigners say action is now needed at a

national level to ensure similar problems do not arise if companies

operate in landfill sites, wind farms or drilling for gas collapsing

future. No one knows who will foot the bill here in East Ayrshire. The

council insists it will not have to pay. The jobs the coal industry

supports here are hugely valuable but they have come at a cost.

The mother of three-year-old Mikaeel Kular has made her second appearance

in private at Edinburgh Sheriff Court. Rosdeep Adekoya is accused of

murder and attempting to defeat the ends of justice. Julie Peacock was

in court. Rosdeep Adekoya arrived here at

Edinburgh Sheriff Court in a prison van for her second court appearance

since she was detained. Rosdeep Adekoya who is appearing under her

married name made no plea or declaration at the private hearing

this afternoon. She has been charged with the murder of her

three-year-old son Mikaeel Kular and a second charge of attempting to

defeat the ends of justice. Mikaeel Kular's disappearance sparked off a

huge search by police and local people but his body was found just

20 miles away two days later. Rosdeep Adekoya's next court hearing

is expected to be in public before she faces a full trial.

You're watching Reporting Scotland from the BBC. Still to come on

tonight's programme:. From tee to sea - how coastal erosion is eating

away one of the country's most historic golf courses.

In sport, great expectations at Rugby Park as Kilmarnock make a new

signing.. And on the home stretch for Sochi. It's all about making the

tiny differences for Team GB. For the Scots, a home-grown medical team

keeping them in familiar and safe hands.

How best to make the A9 safer, sooner? It's a notorious route.

Upgrading it to dual carriageway will cost ?3 billion and won't be

completed till 2025. In the meantime, a system of average speed

cameras is planned, but today, campaigners told MSPs that could

make the road even more dangerous. Craig Anderson reports.

It has attracted the unfortunate title of Scotland's most dangerous

road, hardly a week goes by without an accident and in an attempt to

reduce the carnage, the Scottish government announced it would

install a average speed camera network stretching 145 miles. But

today the road led one campaigner to argue against such a scheme in front

of Holyrood's petitions committee. I hate driving that road. I know I am

taking my life into my hands and that is seeing people and their hair

raising manoeuvres. Campaigners say the cameras will slow down traffic.

Transport Scotland have a moral duty to introduce measures to stop the

majority known cause of accidents which is overtaking manoeuvres and

not speeding. Last year there was a muted welcome to the plan but public

opinion now appears to have swung against it. It is impatience that

causes problems. Everyone knows where the dual carriageways. I have

seen dangerous occurrences caused by frustration by slow drivers.

Transport Scotland said the cameras were part of a conferences safety

plan for the route and insisted speed was a common factor in

crashes. The government has pledged to dual VA nine but that will not

happen for at least a decade and it is what to do in the litter to

reduce the toll of death and serious injuries that is at the heart of

this. A thousand bearded men parading

through the streets - what's not to like about the Up Helly Aa

celebrations in Shetland, which are underway this evening? However, the

fearless Vikings face another adversary - winds lashing the

islands. Hundreds of visitors are in Lerwick awaiting this evening's

fiery climax. And our reporter John Johnston is there for us tonight.

What are conditions like? It is storm Force winds. They are

battering the Shetlands tonight but these hardy Vikings are up for the

challenge. From first light this morning, they have been pounding the

streets. On the March, Vikings with an ambition to have fun. The bearded

warriors take to the streets building their axes and dragging a

ship behind them. Everyone gets involved. A huge community event.

1200 years ago the Vikings raided Shetland. Although the weather is as

while now as it was then, the Norsemen are a bit tamer. It is a

wonderful celebration of the history and culture of Shetland which is

unique. The Vikings have worked all year to make their questions,

shields, taxes and even growing their beards. It is worth all the

effort to get to this stage. Tonight the real celebrations get underway.

The usually dark skies will be ablaze with colour as the festival

reaches its fiery climax. I joined by one of the squad leaders from the

celebrations tonight. Has the stormy weather put you off today? Not at

all. The squad are for it. The adrenaline is going. We have plenty

of sustenance and we are all ready to roll. This suit you have on, how

heavy is it? Three and a half pounds. Not too bad. What is the

secret to surviving this? A good nights sleep does help and just keep

the adrenaline going. Very excited, the guys are really proud of the

squad and have done each other proud. I think we will give you a

cheer from here this evening. Other stories now. Proposals to scrap the

licensing of saunas in Adam Bratt will be considered by councillors.

The number of licences involved in the sex trade was cut from 13 to

six. Scotland's lifeboat rescued more than 1000 people last year and

nearly 1000 call-outs. The ferry station was the busiest. 47 stations

in Scotland and they carried out almost 1000 shouts, which equates to

nearly three launches every day. Scotland's fire safety Minister

insists local knowledge will not be lost if a control rooms are merged.

She says it is the firefighters on the ground that hold the knowledge

and not those answering the phones. All of the knowledge is knowledge

that is held in the fire stations and none of the impact of what is

being discussed at the board will affect the fire stations. Nine

people were evacuated after fire broke out in a block of flats in the

village near Kirkcudbright. The blaze destroyed one property and

damaged another. A decline in fish in the North Sea could be linked to

a decrease in water temperature. The maximum body length of species has

decreased by as much as 29%. RSPB Scotland is urging Parliament to

recognise the golden eagle as the national bird of Scotland.

Conservationists argue such a move would raise the profile of the bird.

An investigation is underway after a freak ship collided with a port in

Stornoway. No one was hurt. It's one of Scotland's most historic

golf courses but the 450-year-old links at Montrose is being eaten

away by unstoppable forces of nature. Efforts to save the Greens

from coastal erosion are now being stepped up after the storms of

recent weeks blew away more of the course. Andrew Anderson reports.

A wet and windy day at Montrose, but it takes more than this to keep

golfers from their game. It is conditions like these that seem

meter after metre of this course disappear. -- C.

Over the dunes, the damage is clear, tonnes of sand washed into the sea.

From the beach, you can see the posts, the sand was almost at the

top of the posts. Because the westerly winds have allowed the sand

to build up, since then we bad storms from the east and the

south-east which the worst scenario. This fence was put in five or so

years ago in an attempt to halt the erosion. It has suffered damage.

These posts Mark Webber new fence will go, but every time it is

encroaching further and further onto golf course.

This course is the fifth oldest in the world. It is an important source

of income for the town. The golf has been here for 450 years. It is an

important part of the town. Golf is hugely important to the Angus

economy and to our tourism offering. In one of the clubhouses, a portrait

of Tom Morris, the legendary golf course designer. He created the

course here, it is now threatened by the elements. We will try to

reinstall the fencing. Will Trent prop it up by using sand. Hopefully

it will slow down the erosion. Those determined to save the course are in

it for the long game. Extra tickets are being made

available for this summer's Commonwealth Games after the venue

for one of the sports was switched. Glasgow 2014 organisers are moving

the Netball final to the Hydro and are busy working out how many extra

tickets will be up for grabs. Our Commonwealth Games reporter Jane

Lewis has more. 12 hours to make sure the same venue

is ready to host a different sports. Overnight on the 2nd of August, out

will go the boxing ring and end will come a netball court. Organisers had

to be satisfied it could be done, so they employed a keen to carry out a

dress rehearsal. Eddie Mack the boxing finishes at Saturday night.

-- the boxing. We need to make sure that the players have enough time to

familiarise themselves with the court. Do the tests we did last

week, we can achieve everything we need to do. The Hydro has almost

doubled the capacity of the SECC where the earlier rounds of netball

will be. It could mean that 4000 extra tickets are made available for

a final battles originally sold out. One of our ambitions is to make sure

that these games are as open to as many people as possible. The finals

in particular. It is being established how many extra tickets

will be available and how they will go about selling them.

I was wing attack. A bit of netball trapped there.

-- chat. Kilmarnock believe the signing of

Alexei Eremenko can propel them towards the top six in the

Premiership, not just avoid a relegation play-off. The Finnish

international has signed up for a second spell at Rugby Park, and he

hopes to bring out the best in Killie's promising youngsters.

Here's our senior football reporter, Alasdair Lamont. The name brings

back fond memories down Rugby Park away. What about that? What a finish

from Alexei Eremenko. Today's side is a different one, but one he is

keen to be involved in. It is a young team, that is always good. I

feel a bit like a veteran now. I hope I can teach them something.

This young team has already begun to put some good results together, but

are still just four points off the relegation play-off spot. Steering

clear of that is the least of their ambitions. That is a concern, but

we're more interested in fighting for the top six. We think that is

achievable. We feel we can close the gap. By bringing in Alexei

Eremenko, we are hoping to show that commitment to move up the table.

Alexei Eremenko wouldn't be fit in time to go into Alan Johnston's team

for tomorrow against Celtic, but should prove a great addition in the

coming months. There is a stronger than ever Scots

presence in Team GB for the Sochi Olympic Games. Over 30% of the

athletes and the Chef de Mission are Scots. In addition, the Chief

Medical Officer and Head Physiotherapist have been supplied

by the Scottish Institute of Sport. Both medical and skiing skills are

required! In Scotland, Doctor Nigel Elliot

walks to meet his patients. In such she, he will scheme.

Part of the role will be to be on the slope with the athletes. There

may be a training run and they need somebody to have a look at them. You

are wired in with the coaching staff and form part of the team. Michael

Goodfellow is going to suck cheap with Team GB curlers. -- Sochi.

We have the opportunity to work with them through the Institute. We know

them well. It is important that they feel they are in a familiar

environment. Does that make a difference to you, Michael? Fast,

we're Trent treats the Olympic site any other championships. -- for us,

we are trying. It lets us concentrate on our games. One less

concern for the Scottish athletes. A huge positive in a world where

medals are won and lost in the smallest of margins.

Now, a look at what else is happening across Scottish sport.

Russell is up and running as Caledonian Thistle's manager. He did

not think twice about swapping the Portuguese heat for the Highlands. I

played here the best part of 13 or 14 years and it was always this

weather. You get used to it. You get on with it. You feel privileged that

you can be here and enjoy a profession such as this.

Scotland are confident they can progress to the 2015 Cricket World

Cup. They sit joint top of their qualifying group after beating Papa

New Guinea. A win over Kenya guarantees that they qualify.

Scotland forward Tim Swinson has signed a new three-year deal with

Glasgow Warriors. He is currently with the national squad preparing

for this weekend's Six Nations opener against Ireland.

Scots's top squash players are in action at the British Doubles Open

in Scotstoun. It is valuable opportunity for them to practice on

the Commonwealth Games courts. It is great to be playing in this venue.

Previously, we have had not -- we have not had the opportunity as

much. It gives us the home advantage. -- home-field advantage.

That's the sport, finished right on time as our four-legged friends may

know. Or do they? Because we want to know, can dogs tell the time? It's a

question familiar to many dog owners, whose pets seem to be able

to sense when someone special is due home. Well, Jazz, a Hungarian Viszla

from Lesmahagow, might have the answer. A BBC documentary team have

been keeping an eye on him, as our science correspondent Kenneth

Macdonald reports. This is Jazz. He lives here in

Lesmahagow with his humans. We think he may be able to tell the time. To

find out, the BBC Radio the house with cameras. -- ringgit.

Christine is back first, same time every day.

Johnny is due back an hour later. But 20 minutes before, Jazz seems to

be getting ready for his arrival, day after day. Can Jazz tell what

time it is? One possibility is a dog's keen

sense of smell. After Johnny leaves in the morning, his ascent fades

from the house, can Jazz tell when it falls to a certain level? To find

out, the programme makers asked Christine to change her routine and

pick up some of Johnny's T-shirts and refresh Johnny's sent.

This time, snoozing seems more attractive. When Johnny comes back

in time, he seems to take Jazz by surprise. On the face of it, it

looks like the T-shirt trek reset his smell clock. This was not a

rigorous experiments. But it suggests that dogs cannot so much

tell the time, but smell it. And there's more on Inside the

Animal Mind tonight at 8pm on BBC Two Scotland. Thanks.

The weather is getting a bit better. Things are set to settle down over

the next few days. The area of low pressure that has been thrown out

showers, it has moved away nicely. A ridge of high pressure builds in

from Scandinavia. Come the end of the week, this deep area of low

pressure comes bringing outbreaks of rain. We could see some snow on

Friday. As far as tight is concerned, there are still some

showers around. -- as tonight. Showers should be confined to

eastern areas. There is a yellow warning for this part of the world.

Few showers in the West, clear skies here and possibly an ice risk.

Holding onto gales across the northern isles, but drier conditions

should develop over Shetland. A better day to come. Showers at

first, especially in the East, but as the day progresses showers become

fewer. Dryer, crisp sunshine in the West tomorrow. Across the

south-east, how the scales will be held on to. Some brokers coming

through in Edinburgh and five. Showers pushing into the north-east.

Elsewhere, looks like it will be dry. We should lose the gales across

the Northern Isles. Temperatures around four or six Celsius. As we

head into the evening, the showers become fewer and lighter and they

winds is everywhere. A widespread frost and ice risk across eastern

Scotland. A cold, bright start to Thursday. It will be called across

the country. Some flurries in the East, but we will see a change

coming for Friday. There is already an early warning for snow in inland

parts of the country. The snow will be readily at this level is, too. --

at lower levels. Enjoy your evening.