24/10/2013 BBC Points West

Monday. That is all from the BBC's

Campaigners against the badger cull in Gloucestershire say they are

preparing for a long fight after farmers were given another eight

weeks to shoot the animals. Help us get more young people off

the streets. An urgent appeal from a homeless charity. Not going to

university. Ie the south`west is falling behind

in further education. And back were she belongs.

This ship has had a major refit Natural England has granted the

licence extension to the culling company after it failed to kill

enough badgers in the original pilot. One animal charity is even

planning legal action to stop the cull. Here is our Gloucestershire

reporter. They thought it was all over. But

the marksmen and campaigners now face another eight weeks on the

ground in this controversial badger cull. In the first six weeks of the

trial, 708 were shot in Gloucestershire. Very short of the

target. This extension allows for between 500 and 900 badgers. The

pilot failed, so surely this means you should try something else? We

have shown it is safe. We have had six weeks of safe operation which is

great. It is humane. We are learning. We want to get to the

point where we can reduce the numbers. In order to do that, we

need more weeks. The extension has angered campaigners. They say it

goes against the original advice from DEFRA, that any pilot badger

cull should last for six weeks. If they go against that, they are not

following your own terms of reference. We should either be going

for a judicial review or four an injunction. Campaigners are

preparing for another long haul Many haven't stopped patrols. Since

the extension was announced, it seems more are coming forward to

volunteer. Reform has not stopped ringing. We have coachloads of

people coming from Manchester and Sheffield. Today, I spoke to someone

from Edinburgh. People are beyond angry. We will carry on as long as

this takes. From first December the cage trapping season will cause

That means they can only shoot badgers in a controlled manner out

in the open. The fight on both sides of this device of policy is far from

over. The police in Gloucestershire have

been keeping the peace during the badger cull. The Police Commissioner

says it has cost them ?1 million and he was not consulted on the

extension. Joining us now is the

Gloucestershire Police and Crime Commissioner, Martin Surl. Another

eight weeks of the badger cull. Is your force up to this? A lot of

pressure, I would imagine. They are up to it. It comes at a price, both

financially and the impact on communities of Gloucestershire. I

leave the scientists to discuss the rights and wrongs of the badger

cull. But this is a divisive issue. I think DEFRA should have considered

this. They have not considered the communities of Gloucestershire. By

saying it is a lot of pressure on you, are you having to take police

of the streets? It is a major policing operation. Resources are

diverted from local towns and villages. These operations have an

impact on communities and the police. They are up to it, there is

no doubt about that whatsoever, but that comes at a financial price and

the impact on communities is significant. So there is not enough

police out on the streets? I would rather the police purely looked at

local issues, but there are huge numbers of police and the real

areas. It is a divisive issue. The police find themselves right in the

middle of it. Their job is to keep the peace and it is limited to that.

I think the impact on communities has not been taken into account You

are clearly worried about the money factor? I think everybody should be

worried about the money factor. The police can cope. They will cope with

this. That does not mean the cost should be ignored. You will look at

this cost? ?1 million so far. But the money still comes from

taxpayers. You should put these considerations into place when

looking at these plans. To not do so would be disingenuous. Are you

against this government operation? I am not going to see that. The other

government and must make up their own mind. They need to consult local

communities. The police can look at the overall package. I would like to

see them see the impact it is having on Gloucestershire. I would like to

see them front it up locally. Thank you for joining us.

An emergency bed service for young homeless people in Bristol is

waiting to hear if its application for funding is successful. Bristol

Nightstop offers 16 to 24``year`olds a bed and a hot meal, using

volunteer hosts with spare rooms in the city. But its grant runs out in

December and if money isn't found, the charity may have to close.

Just a short time ago, for 20`year`old Jordon, life was a

struggle. I was sleeping on park benches. I had lots of different

emotions. I felt like the whole world was against me. Come on in!

Thanks to Brenda, he is now getting his life back on track. She invited

him to stay in her spare room for two weeks as part of the scheme It

felt kind of weird because I was in someone else's house, but at the

same time it felt good because I got a warm welcome at the door. It is a

good feeling. I was delighted to be able to do that. Were you nervous? A

little but not really when I met him. She means a lot to me now.

Recent figures from York University show more than 80,000 young people

are homeless every year, though charities say it is impossible to be

sure. There are three Nightstop projects in the West. In Bristol,

Gloucester and Bridgwater. Managers say demand is up by 12%, especially

as the nights get colder. Though councils also provide a variety of

help for young homeless people, Nightstop is keen to get more hosts

like Brenda to come forward. But how safe is the scheme? A big stereotype

is that homeless people have drink and drug issues. That is something

that we look at before hand. We would not consider hosting in that

situation. This has been a real successful stop it is lovely to see

a young person viewing the world is against them, going to having

confidence. A lot of people are homeless and it is out with their

control. Being offered a bed feels really good. Jordon now has more

permanent accommodation and hopes to be living more independently soon.

The South West is falling behind the rest of England in encouraging young

people into higher education. Figures out today show the region

saw the smallest increase over a 13 year period. The proportion of

18`year`olds going on to university has now fallen behind the national

average. Here is our political editor.

Going to university is good for you, and for the country, say the

government. The modern world, they say, needs young people educated

better than ever. So there's been a dramatic expansion in higher

education. But the West's teenagers have proved rather reluctant. The

South West used to be above the national average. But over a 13 year

period, while the figure for England rose to 38%, the region only reached

35%. It varies enormously in different constituencies. Nearly

half of teenagers head to uni in places like the Cotswolds and Bath,

but just 18% do in South Bristol. However, even there there has been

an increase, in parts of Somerset, it has gone the other way. Somerton

and Frome, Yeovil, and Bridgwater and West Somerset saw the same or a

fall in the percentage going on to higher education. Whether that

changes depends on students like these sixth formers at Huish

Episcopi Academy in Somerset, who're pondering their future. It is not

the be all and end all. Opportunities from university would

be incredible. But there are lots of other options. For many people, it

is not the best option, but it is for me. There is not a guarantee of

a job afterwards. I have thought about it, but it is very expensive.

The school gets a good rating from Ofsted inspectors, and recently

opened a new sixth form block. They stress the merits of uni, whenever

students choose to go. Many students are seen recent graduates struggling

to find wealth that well`paid employment. They are asking if this

is the right thing for them now They are considering some experience

and tertiary learning afterwards. What the county does lack is a

university. Without one, some think there is a danger Somerset and the

South West will slip further behind. Still to come call on `` come. From

Bethlehem to Bath Rugby. The children enjoying a cultural

exchange. The M5 through Somerset was closed

in both directions for around seven hours today after two crashes which

left one man dead. They happened near Burnham on Sea. Early morning

commuters found themselves stranded for hours. Our Somerset

correspondent reports. The M5 in Somerset, around 9am this

morning. Both carriageways closed. Two separate accidents caused this.

They happened on the southbound carriageway close to the Burnham on

Sea exit a few hours earlier. The first was just before 6am when a car

overturned. A minute later, this accident happened. This lorry here,

the orange one and the white van collided. The van driver might.

Police believe the two crashes were connected. Visibility was clear but

it was dark. As a result for the vehicle slowing further along the

carriageway, this view call accident occurred. One of the lorry drivers

was also injured in the crash but was treated at the scene for minor

injuries. The car driver involved in the earlier crash was taken to

hospital but later discharged. Wreckage from the accident was

strewn across both carriageways forcing the police to close the

entire motorway. Diversions were set up but drivers found themselves

stranded for hours. We have been here for three hours. It is chaos. I

have 75 deliveries. I have been here for four hours. Police cleared the

backlog by turning vehicles round and sending them the wrong way along

the motorway. By midday, most of the wreckage had been cleared away. And

a little over an over later, both carriageways