27/05/2014 BBC Channel Islands News

Good evening. channel. Now it's time tg

Good evening. Not providing a good enough service

has cost Guernsey's bus operator nearly ?80,000 over the last year.

When it misses targets, the States can penalise the company CT Plus by

reducing its subsidy. And in the past year, it has done so every

month bar one. Busy buses, and a service rtnning

smoothly. Today, at least. Because the same can't be said for `ll of

the past year. Last summer was really the low point for CT Plus.

When so many services didn't run, the States started to penalhse them

financially. Something that's happened for 11 out of the last 12

months. To be fair to CT Plts, the rules were tough. Unless 100% of

services ran, the Environment Department was able to issud service

credits, essentially reducing the money they get from the States. Last

June, when they only operatdd 9 .5% of buses, it cost them nearly

?70,000. After which, things did get better. But with just 99.86$ of

services running from July to December, and 99.96 this ye`r, it

still has cost them more th`n ?7,000. With the total for the year

coming to ?76,679, or nearlx 4% of the money they get from the States.

They completely accepted it was down to them to correct the problems

They took the penalties on the chin, and now the service is

reasonable. How close were reduced to saying enough is enough? Very

close indeed. Had it not improved, I am sure I would have termin`ted the

contract. Most of that monex has been reinvested into the buses, but

Environment get to say what it's spent on, rather than CT Plts.

Financially, it hurt, everybody knows it hurts when you get fined.

But it makes you focus and helps you deliver a better service. Now into

the next year of its contract, the slate's essentially been wiped

clean, and the threat of financial penalties each month lifted. But the

pressure to maintain a good, reliable service will remain.

And there's much more on th`t story on BBC Radio Guernsey's bre`kfast

show tomorrow morning from 7am. A 23`year`old man from Guernsey has

been charged with assaulting a police officer, using or threatening

violence and escaping custody after an incident on the Bridge on

Saturday night. Nathan Terrx Thomson of the Vale was remanded in custody

and will appear at the Magistrates Court again on Thursday. Two other

people were arrested after the incident.

The highest`paid States of Jersey employees took home more th`n ? 5.5

million between them last ydar. The latest States accounts show the top

195 earners earned more than ?100,000 a year, including pensions

and other benefits. Last ye`r's number was a slight fall on 201 ,

when 198 civil servants werd earning the higher salaries.

Guernsey's Chief Minister s`ys this week's European elections whll have

repercussions for the Bailiwick Jonathan Le Tocq says Guernsey will

be keeping an eye on the gahns made by populist and anti`EU parties

such as UKIP in the UK. It follows calls by the UK Prime Minister David

Cameron for a reform of the European Union in response to voters'

concerns. Deputy Le Tocq insists the joint Channel Islands Brussdls

Office will offer the islands the opportunity for dialogue.

A service dedicated to helphng separated Jersey families is to

close at the end of next month. Milli's Child Contact Centrd

provides a place for childrdn to meet the parent they don't live

with. But a change of locathon means several volunteers can't continue.

James travels from London to Jersey just for the opportunity to spend a

few hours with his children. He comes to Milli's as it's a neutral

ground for families likes hhs that are going through divorce. Without

this place, I could not havd seen my children. It was my last ditch

attempt to see them, becausd every other type of contact had bden

blocked. It offered a lifelhne, they offered a chance to spend thme with

my boys. Milli's was set up in 000 and on average helps 60 famhlies a

year. Every Sunday, they're based here at Bel Royal School, btt the

planned move to Springfield School in four weeks may not happen. Those

in charge don't have enough staff to carry on, despite there being a huge

demand. Unfortunately, it h`s two shot. When you are dealing with

children, you have got to go through the training and have the correct

number of staff on duty to dnsure their well`being and safety. We

cannot operate. Denise was `warded an MBE in 2010 for voluntarx service

to children. Not only does the charity desperately need volunteers

and relevant training, but `lso some funds for equipment storage.

Jersey's Health and Social Services Department say...

For parents like James, the work begins on trying to find a new

neutral ground where he can see his children.

Guernsey tennis star Heather Watson has won her first round match at the

French Open. She beat Barbora Zahlavova`Strycovaof the Czdch

Republic 6`3, 6`4. She'll now play world number four Simona Halep at

Roland Garros. After her tile out of tennis with glandular fever last

year, Watson has told the BBC that she's a different person and is not

taking anything for granted. Meanwhile, Guernsey netballdr Naomi

Taylor has been captaining Dngland in the Indoor Netball World

Championships in South Africa. Indoor netball is played in a netted

court, so the ball never gods out of play. England faced Australha in

final today, but they lost by 4 goals to 30.

Holly has the weather, the National forecast follows. Good night.

A fair amount of cloud todax. Tonight, more of the same, `nd the

cloud continues to stream in tomorrow. Sunny spells at thmes The

risk of a shower, but mostlx a dry picture. We have got the cloud

moving across us, and it continues to feed down as we head through

tonight. One or two showers possible, but mostly dry. Tomorrow

starts fairly cloudy, but wd should see some brightness coming through

at times. We have got the shallow risk, but you would be unlucky to

catch one. Thursday brings lore cloud, and the risk of some patchy

rain. There is some uncertahnty at the moment. Friday looks brhghter

with sunny spells, with the risk of the odd shower. Saturday is warmer

with sunshine. It is goodbyd from us. I leave you with the sulmary

said tomorrow. Thursday and then it bdcomes draer

with sunshine by the weekend. If you've been sat at home with

miserable Mayweather today wondering why on earth we didn't go abroad for

half term week, we are just going to add insult to injury because people

have been basking in some sunshine across southern Spain. Fairly

overcast skies in Paris but nevertheless, still 17 degrees.

Across eastern England it was cold, 13 degrees with persistent rain

Better across the north-west Highlands. The reason for the cloud

and rain was this frontal system, rather breezy as well. The rain

continues through the night, some a bit heavy to the east of the

Pennines. Another miserable day in prospect particularly for eastern

England. Cloudy, grey and breezy. Pretty wet to start the day