08/08/2013 BBC Channel Islands News

Jersey's Hospital applies to build two new theatres in its car park to

cope with an ageing population. People over 65 are growing, they

would double. They need more health care so there is a demand. Also, the

worrying figures that reveal the number of homeless in Guernsey is on

the rise. What have Doctor Who, and super Mario got in common? They are

harnessing flower power. Join me later in the programme for all of

temporary operating theatres at Jersey's General Hospital in a bid

to meet increased demand. Health bosses say it will mean fewer people

being flown off island for surgery. It comes as two theatres were closed

today for maintenance work, meaning three operations were cancelled. Amy

Harris reports. It's a resource that's vital to island life but the

current operating theatres here at Jersey's General Hospital are now

over 30 years old and are in need of urgent refurbishment. And this is

the solution. Hospital bosses have come up with plans for two temporary

theatres built here in the Gloucester Street car park while the

existing theatres are bought up to date. The problem is we have to keep

refurbishing theatres and maintaining them and if we have to

shut theatres to maintain them we'll lose time in the operating theatre -

if we built these two new ones we can then move the work to those new

theatres while the maintenance and refurbishment are done on the ones

we have presently and at the end of the day we get an extra two theatres

to operate on. Those extra two theatres will mean there'll be six

rather than the current four. It means fewer people will go off

island for surgery and will meet increased demand with an ageing

population in the island. The over 65s are growing, they're going to

double by the year 2040 and the over 65s need more health care, so

there's absolutely the demand. It will help our capacity and it's a

forerunner to what the hospital might look like and we hope to in

the next ten years have new designs for improving the whole of the

hospital facility. The cost of this work isn't being disclosed but the

ultimate decision now rests with planning officials. The number of

homeless people in Guernsey is far higher than previously thought. An

error in the way the Health and Social Services Department recorded

the figures shows that more people are staying in the island's homeless

shelter. Mike Wilkins reports. and some of the basic comforts in

life. Homeless people in Guernsey have somewhere to go when they need

a helping hand. This is Saint Julian 's House which provides

accommodation for homeless people in Guernsey. The latest figures suggest

that more people are staying here but the average stay for a resident

is about three months, and the figures can be affected by those who

stay a lot longer. As far as I am aware, the numbers have not changed.

The numbers between 2010 and 2012 were in the region of 5000. You have

to bear in mind we had five long-term residents in that time.

The Health and Social Services Department counts one person,

sleeping over for one night, as a stay. It said that last year there

were more than eighteen hundred. It's now admitted that this was an

error and the true figure for last year is more than five thousand.

This represents around thirteen people staying every day for a year.

At the moment, we have 11 people in residence at the hostel, so I would

suggest that is a positive, as there are 28 beds available. The HSSD has

admitted there was a clerical error leading to the initial homeless

figures being wildly inaccurate. So now they know, it should help target

resources and help for those who need it most. A plaque remembering

three victims of the Holocaust has been torn from a wall in Guernsey. A

�1,000 reward has been offered by Crimestoppers for any information

leading to the conviction of those responsible. The three Jewish women

remembered on the plaque were deported to France in 1942. All

three later died at the Auschwitz camp. The new boss of airline Flybe

has launched a fresh review of the group as figures revealed another

fall in UK passenger revenues. Former easyJet executive Saad Hammad

is trying to restore the carrier to profit after annual losses soared to

forty point seven million pounds earlier this year. The company said

it's on target to deliver savings of 40 million this financial year.

Earlier in the summer Flybe announced it was pulling out of

serving London Gatwick to the Channel Islands because of rising

costs. Latest figures reveal that the the cruise liner industry is

worth 1.3 million pounds to the Guernsey economy. According to the

Government, around 150,000 cruise ship passengers are due to come

ashore this year. You are watching the BBC in the Channel Islands.

Plenty more ahead. We will hear from the singer Sarah McQuaid who is

about to embark on a tour of the UK and USA. Stay tuned for that. 28

floral floats - tens of thousands of spectators - and hundreds of

thousands, if not millions, of flowers, all under the blazing

Jersey sun. Yes, it's Battle of Flowers time - and what a show they

put on. And reigning over proceedings were a glamourous Miss

Battle, 18-year-old Taye Le Monnier - and her Mr Battle - Coronation

Street star Mikey North. The top prize, the prix d'honour, went to

The Optimists Club with their spectacular 'Les Miserables' themed

float. But the day was far from 'miserables' - as Clare Burton

reports. The sun is out - the sky is blue - there's not a cloud to spoil

the view. And hundreds of thousands of flowers are clinging onto their

floats ready to give Jersey the show of its life. But is Jersey ready for

float is the best is here. What are you looking for? We are marking on

animation and costume. How much is down to the technical detail? And

how much is down to enjoyment and dancing? It is down to the people on

the floor interacting with the crowd. Just seeing them smiling and

enjoying themselves. There have been a few changes this year - the floats

have started in the arena and you can text in your favourite float for

an audience award. But the crowds are still out in their thousands -

so what keeps bringing them back? have been to Disneyland and this

knocks it to bits. Our grandchildren live here and it looks amazing. We

saw some on the way down. It's fantastic, yes. I like how all of

the floats are done. It is pretty impressive. I saw the Jungle book

down there. It is absolutely amazing. Amazing, all of the flowers

stuck on, it must have taken hours. We are really looking forward to it.

I am on the float with Mr and Mrs Battle. How you doing? Yes, it is

good, I am really enjoying it. It is lovely to be up here and enjoy the

atmosphere. What do you make of it? I have been saying all day how

spectacular it it is, more spectacular than I ever imagined.

For 15,000 people to turn up on such this us. Tell me what being a miss

Battle means to you? It is the most amazing day of your life, you will

always remember it. What advice do you have? Keep smiling because you

never know when there is a camera on you. Is there any romance between Mr

and Mrs Battle? Not that I know of! The top awards for the Battle of

Flowers goes to... The Optimists Club!

APPLAUSE Let me be the first to congratulate

you. How you feeding question might get unemotional. These people are

supposed to be miserable but they are looking very happy. How much

work has gone in question might an enormous amount, I am ecstatic.

there be a party tonight? We are going to get extremely drunk!

are those who've won prizes, those who came and cheered and those who

spent hours, days, weeks, months even making this happen. Battle may

be over for 2013 - but you can bet your bottom bluebell plans for

already being hatched for 2014. Absolutely brilliant, thank you. And

for all the excitement, energy & for all the excitement, energy &

atmosphere from the 2013 Battle of Flowers Parade watch our special

Battle programme tomorrow at 6.30pm right here on BBC One which will

feature every float from this year's for all the excitement, energy &

atmosphere from You can see plenty of pictures from this year's parades

on our Facebook site. If you were there, and took some snaps, we would

love to see them too. Post them on our Facebook page. It was a sunny

day today but will it continue to shine? Here is the forecast. After a

reasonable day there is change in the air. It will produce some

patchy, light rain. It will clear out of the way and it will turn

pressure. There will be some sunshine during the day. The weather

looks reasonably promising, never overly warm, 17 or 18 degrees. Fine

on Saturday and some showers possible on Sunday, especially early

in the day. This weather system is producing the change. It comes in

later tonight and produces fresh conditions, slightly cooler air. We

should have a reasonable afternoon tomorrow afternoon. A ridge of high

pressure on Saturday. Again, that is moving quite fast. Let's look at

that detail. We have some light rain coming into night and temperatures

no lower than 15 degrees. The winds will feel fresh as well. Then those

winds change direction and early rain will clear out of the way,

although there will be patchy cloud around, spoiling the sunshine.

Temperatures of between 18 and 20 degrees and westerly winds. That is

the forecast for coastal waters. It the forecast for coastal waters. It

is mainly fair with good the forecast for coastal waters. It

is mainly fair with good And for our servers, a bit on the choppy side at

two or three feet. For the Moonlight Parade, it looks like it will be