19/11/2013 BBC Points West

transformation of the NHS in England. That

Good evening and welcome to BBC Points West. Our headlines tonight:

1000 farms under lock`down. More farmers than ever are stopped from

selling cattle as the scourge of TB goes on. I don't know which one of

these poor things as a death sentence next.

The man accused of causing the M5 crash ` the court hears he did fill

in health and safety forms. The only toilet in town ` shock as

Bristol closes all but one of its public loos.

And he's got the entire galaxy to explore ` so how come generations of

Doctor Who keep coming to the West? First tonight, there are movement

restrictions on more farms in the West than ever before because of the

spread of bovine TB. Nearly 1000 farms here are unable to

move livestock or sell cattle at market because they've been

effectively shut down by Government inspectors.

For an increasing amount of farmers, it means months of stress and

uncertainty. Here's Andrew Plant. 12 months ago, just as dawn was

breaking over this Dorset dairy farm, this lorry had come at night

to take away cattle suspected of having TB. It's one of those things.

12 months on and that same farm is back in business, free to move its

meat and its milk. The cows I have lost were in their prime. It is

always the best one that he'll lose. After having movement restricted for

the whole of last winter, they have been free to move cattle in a

six`month test which will start on Monday. Then they face the

possibility of having movement restricted again. Restricted farms

are increasingly common. In the past five years, across the whole of the

West of the UK, the amount of restricted herds has increased by

more than 50%. Gloucestershire has stayed roughly the same from 22 to

264 farms. But in Somerset the amount of TB restricted farms has

almost doubled, from 165 to 314 And in Wiltshire there's a very similar

picture. Up from 115 farms to 2 2. Rupert Dyke doesn't buy in any cows,

he breeds his own and says if he isn't bringing TB in then something

else is. He blames the badgers that live in the setts that border his

land. A pilot cull of badgers in Somerset has just finished. One in

Gloucestershire is still underway. How effective they will be in

reducing TB is unclear. Meanwhile, more farms than ever before are

facing the financial uncertaintyand stress of TB shut`down.

The legal team representing the man accused of causing a pile`up on the

M5 in Somerset which killed seven people have said the case against

him simply does not stack up. Geoffrey Counsell denies failing to

ensure public safety at a firework display. Clinton Rogers has been at

Bristol Crown Court today and joins us now live from Taunton Rugby Club

where the fireworks display was held almost two years ago. What have his

defence team been saying? The QC opening the case for the defence

told the jury something about his client. 51 years old, Geoffrey

Counsell, an HGV lorry driver. Not a man to take risks. He had also

organised many fireworks displays in the past with no problems. They

discuss the events on the night at Taunton Rugby Club. He said there

was a lot of fog. He said he would dispute that prosecution's case that

smoke from the fireworks mixed with that fog and caused the accident. He

said he would call witnesses who will say they did not see any smoke

across the motorway. He said even if this small was created, that was an

precedent it in centuries of fireworks displays being held. It

had never happened before so how good Geoffrey Counsell have

predicted it? I gather the prosecution had more to

say this morning. They came to the end of their opening and criticised

Geoffrey Counsell preparedness or lack of it in their eyes. They said

he had not properly assessed the situation. The defence could he

possibly have predicted it. Both sides were locked in dispute.

What happens next? This will be a six`week trial but tomorrow the jury

will be brought here to Taunton Rugby Club so they can see where the

fireworks display was held and where this ground is in relation to the

motorway, which runs behind the building behind me. They will get an

idea of the proximity of the motorway to where the fireworks

were. A man has been arrested in

connection with the death of a cyclist in Bath. Jake Gilmour was

cycling home from work on Saturday night. He died later in hospital.

Police found a car abandoned near Royal Victoria Park last night and

have arrested a 52`year`old man from Bath on suspicion of causing death

by dangerous driving. Police in Wiltshire are

investigating how a serious fight broke out following a football match

at a school for children with special needs and behavioural

problems. One pupil was taken to hospital

students and staff were left shaken and a number of cars were damaged

following the game at St Luke's School in Swindon. Fiona Lamdin

reports. This is where the home side won St

Luke's in Swindon were hosting local rivals Knowle DGE from Bristol. Both

are specalist schools for children with emotional and behavioural

problems. No one from the school could speak to us today at the

Borough council told us that as the visitors from rest all were leaving

in their minibus, they grabbed stones and bricks from the car park

and started throwing them at the pupils and staff. The police and

ambulance were called and one pupil was taken to hospital with facial

injuries. Steven Gregory has lived here for 23 years. He heard it all.

All I saw yesterday was the police. I heard a lot of noise and I woke up

the window and all I could see was the police car going in and the

ambulance, which happens quite often. Tonight, as police continue

to investigate exactly what went on yesterday, they're keen to stress

fights like this are extremely rare. Well, you're watching Points West on

this chilly Tuesday evening with David and Alex.

And we've plenty more to bring you tonight, including the concerns of

one man whose life was saved by a drug which may no longer be paid for

by the NHS. And we ask this West Country

presenter about her new role as the president of the RSPB.

There are reports tonight that an important deal to supply India with

helicopters from Yeovil will be cancelled tomorrow, amid allegations

of bribery. Italian police are investigating the

former chief executive of Finnmeccanica, the parent company of

AgustaWestland who are making the helicopters in Somerset. Our

business correspondent Dave Harvey has more details.

It started in the Italian Alps in February ` a polite but determined

force of Carabinieri arrested the chief executive of one of Europe's

biggest aerospace firms, Finnmeccanica. Giuseppi Orsi faced

charges that he transmitted 30 million Euros in order to carry out

corrupt activity ` in short, that he bribed Indian defence ministers At

stake, an order for 12 helicopters. The AW101, worth ?450 million. For

Britain, the timing couldn't have been worse. David Cameron was in

Delhi on a trade mission, trying to build friendships, boost trade `

instead, he faced this from the Indian PM. I also convey to the

Prime Minister are very serious concerns regarding allegations about

unethical means used in securing the 2010 contract for AgustaWestland

helicopters. AgustaWestland is an excellent company with highly

skilled workers who make brilliant helicopters. Also, Britain has in

our anti`bribery laws some of the toughest laws of anywhere in the

world. People know that doing business with British companies get

that protection. But there's the rub. Finnmeccanica

is an Italian firm. The Somerset subsidiary makes the helicopters,

but not the policy. Tonight, AgustaWestland is staying quiet

reminding reporters that so far the deal is still on ` until a meeting

with Indian Defence Ministers tomorrow. Is it a big deal? Well, I

was told today that 12 helicopters is significant, but the Yeovil

factory turns out two or three times that every year. India, though, is

the world's biggest importer of arms and defence equipment and no`one in

the helicopter business would want to lose Delhi as a customer. In

Yeovil tomorrow it'll be all eyes on India.

An inquest has heard how a senior Army officer killed himself, over

the summer, after the pressures of life and work became too much.

Lieutenant Colonel Robert Shaw, who was based at the Warminster Garrison

in Wiltshire, was married with three children and just a few years off

retirement when he died this summer. The court heard how a variety of

factors had contributed to his death, including financial worries

and the stresses of Army life. A Chinese businessman previously

convicted of fraudulent trading on the overseas money market could be

facing more time behind bars. Bristol Crown Court heard today how

Anthony Ho paid just ?1000 in income tax on his ?368 million empire. Our

home affairs correspondent Steve Brodie has been following the case.

Anthony Ho's money bureau in London's China Town, where hundreds

of millions of pounds were transferred out of Britain. His

worldwide travel service was used by Chinese ex`pats to send money back

home. Anthony Ho, who was previously known as Jia Jun, arrived at court

to face the beginning of a proceeds of crime hearing which could see him

back in jail if he does not meet the court's valuation of his money scam.

Judge Martin Picton listened as the prosecution claimed that the bare

minimum in benefit gained by Ho was more than ?5 million and could be as

high as ?6.8 million on the business that saw ?368 million transfered

overseas. Ho is no stranger to the courts. The businessman, who also

operated in Gloucestershire, was convicted in Hong Kong in 2008 for

money laundering and was fined ?250,000. Prosecuting, Ray Tulley

told the court that Anthony Ho had operated for his own personal gain

and had failed to reveal his true financial position to the Inland

Revenue to the extent that he never paid more than ?1000 a year in

income tax. Ho was jailed for eight months in 2012 when he pleaded

guilty to fraudulent trading. At the time he was accused of deliberately

lying about his identity, deliberately misrepresenting his

position to the authorities and of using company funds as his own. The

prosecution also alleged that Ho had a people`smuggling background. The

hearing continues. There's been an angry reaction to

?90 million of cuts proposed for Bristol. The mayor has set out plans

for the next three years to cope with reduced Government funding

Libraries, buses and children's centres will all lose out. But the

biggest shock has been plans to close all but one of the city's

public toilets. Here's our political editor Paul Barltrop.

Officially, today was World Toilet Day, but it brought bleak news in

Bristol. This could soon be the city's only remaining public loo.

All 22 others could close to save the council ?500,000. Already taking

steps to lobby councillors are campaigners for the elderly.

Obviously, they are all pilots affects them. If you have an elderly

bladder you need access to a toilet. This is a tourist city and people

expect toilets. They point to what happened in Bath, where planned

closures sparked a determined protest. They forced a special

council debate and got the plans halted for now. But Bristol's mayor

thinks this could be the way. In Sea Mills, a former toilet block has

been turned into a thriving community cafe, where they're happy

for people to pop in to spend a penny. People are welcome to come in

and use it. So if we're going to close 22 or 23 then lot of places

like this will have to agree to do the same. That's quite a lot.

Opposition is also likely to library cuts ` ?1 million coming out of

their budget means some could close. Campaigners are preparing their

placards. The library is the only university for people who can't

afford to go to university. So it is absolutely crucial. I also went to

Bristol College. How determined am I? I will go on and I can tell you,

only if a lot of people show interest will we win.

The council stress nothing's set in stone ` it's all up for

consultation. And next week the mayor will come face`to`face with

his critics when four Question Time events are held around the city The

controversy and debate is only just starting.

A Wiltshire teacher living with a rare kidney syndrome is warning that

others may be denied the treatment that helped save his life.

Matthew Slee from Corsham is one of only around 150 patients in the

country with the condition. He was granted a new drug costing ?300 000

a year. But now Government funding for it is

in doubt. Here's our health correspondent Matthew Hill.

Matthew Slee is now back at work teaching after suffering from a

life`threatening kidney disorder. He was diagnosed with a rare syndrome

which causes blood to clot in the kidney. I was getting bad headaches

for a few weeks but it wasn't until it was really severe I went to the

GP, who took my blood pressure and sent me to hospital. They told me I

had kidney failure. But a new drug called Eculizumab which costs

?300,000 a year has transformed his life. Before I took the drug, I was

in a bad way. I could barely walk down the road without getting out of

breath, tired and nauseous. ?50 million is spent on highly

specialised services for patients like Mr Slee with rare diseases

Last year the Advisory Group for National Specialised Services agreed

Eculizumab should be funded. But AGNSS was disbanded in April and the

Government has decided the National Institute of Clinical Excellence or

NICE will have to re`examine funding for this and all other rare drugs.

Some kidney specialists fear in the meantime patients may be denied

access to this expensive but effective treatment. I think some

patients have been disadvantaged by the fact that conditions have not

known how to respond over this particular issue of an expensive

drug in the interim. In a statement a Department for Health spokesperson

said, we want to make sure patients with rare conditions have access to

the latest treatments where clinically appropriate. Patients

currently receiving Eculizumab will continue to do so and NHS England

will consider any new funding requests until NICE has completed

its assessment. But Matthew Slee fears some newly diagnosed patients

will be denied the drug that has transformed his life.

Bristol Rovers have made the long trip to York tonight for their

first`round FA Cup replay. Rovers drew 3`3 in the first match at the

Memorial Stadium having led 3`2 with just minutes to go. If they win

they'll play Crawley at home in the second round on the 7th of December.

There's full match commentary on BBC Radio Bristol and BBC Somerset from

7pm. The One Show presenter Miranda

Krestovnikoff, who's based in North Somerset, has just become the new

president of the RSPB. The charity has more than one million members

and works to conserve wild birds and the environment. In a moment we ll

be asking Miranda what plans she has for the charity, but first let's see

a bit of Miranda in action. I play the flute and a little piano.

A bit like to think I am feeling musical but my talent is nothing

compared to our feathered friends. Male birds are musical maestros

They sing complex songs to impress females and warned neighbouring

males off their patch. Whilst all are impressive, one little bird has

a song like no other. The wren is one of the finest songbirds.

Thanks for coming in. Why did you decide to take on this role? I got

an offer I could not refuse. It is a great opportunity. I have two young

children who are enthusiastic about nature and want to spend a lot of

time outside. The RSPB won't take help people connect with nature

There are so many opportunities For my work in presenting I have the

opportunity to communicate conservation messages to a wide

range of people so it seems a good time to do this. But birds look

after themselves, don't they? We need lots of organisations to look

after our words and wildlife. Nature is being squeezed into ever smaller

spaces as we need more space to live in and habitats are being destroyed.

The RSPB have got a campaign about giving nature a home. Argy people to

put up bird boxes and plant wildlife friendly plants. It is relevant at

the moment. It is a beautiful time of year, surrounded by these autumn

colours. It is good time for us all to go outside as well. What about

the winter message for the birds at this time of year? As it gets colder

there is less food out there. You should put food out for them. At

lunchtime today, there was a hive of activity. A lot of birds eat insects

so we need to encourage them into our garden. We need to leave a

little scruffy area at the bottom of the garden for insects. Good luck in

your role. You have inspired others.

Now, it's a big week for Doctor Who and his fans as we approach the

show's special 50th anniversary episode.

The Doctor has spent many lifetimes travelling the whole of time and

space. But he seems to be rather fond of visiting the West of

England. Jules Hyam's been scouring the

archives and has dug up some Doctor Who postcards from the past.

First, 1972. The third Doctor, John Pertwee and companion Katy Manning

on the Dorset Coast, filming for an episode called Sea Devils. Back then

the production wasn't anything like as big`budget and slick as the brand

has become now but that DIY sci`fi style won Doctor Who millions of

fans, who stayed loyal even when the show was off air. Plenty of people

wanted Pertwee's autograph years later in 1996. It has got a slightly

amateurish quality, the fact you can see fasteners around costumes and

you can see people 's feet under the Daleks occasionally. I think that is

part of the reason why people love it because it has that slightly

amateurish feel. Today the Daleks are turbo`charged flying machines,

enhanced by CGI special effects but from day one they caused problems

for the very first Doctor. They were difficult to play to because you are

not looking into human eyes, you are looking at a metal object moving

about with a voice`over. And there have been plenty of those. This was

Wookey Hole in 1974. Excuse me, have you seen Doctor Who anywhere? He's

up there. Thank you. Excuse me, I'm looking for Doctor Who. Have you

seen them? I think he went for a cup of coffee. Eventually our intrepid

reporter did find the Doctor, the fourth and longest`serving one, Tom

Baker. You are not in the traditional Doctor Who costume. Now,

I'm not. I can't really follow that sophisticated line of my

predecessors. I think I have a capacity to the surprised by

anything, like this situation now. Would you like a jelly baby? Not an

easy act to follow but each new Doctor has made the role their own.

And if you know what to look out for, there have been plenty of

locations that look familiar if you really know the West of England

I just love that clip of Tom Baker. It's wonderful. And you may have

noticed rare footage of the original Doctor, William Hartnell there, that

whole interview from 1967 is now on our Facebook page for you to enjoy.

Now, the weather. It is going to be chilly tonight.

Temperatures are dropping like a stone in Bristol and elsewhere.

Tomorrow will be wet for the first half of the day with patchy rain. A

heavy but short`lived phase in the early afternoon but then brighter

later. A few exceptions but we might have some snow later. As we head

through the night, clear skies initially. You can see the area of

low pressure moving down the East and the cold front will be a more

active future but as we move through to the second half of the day it

will be a more dry and sunny day and somewhat less windy. We will have

clear skies for a good part of the night. Temperatures dropping to

freezing or below. Patchy rain as we go towards the rush`hour tomorrow.

We will be below freezing. Tomorrow, a chilly start and a windy one as

well. That dark blue will give some hail and maybe some lightning. The

Cotswolds and maybe the M4 corridor could catch some snow. I doubt if

that will settle, though. With the wind added to these temperatures, it

will feel pretty cold. The same for the next few days. For the

foreseeable future, high`pressure close at hand migrating west to east

at the weekend and into next week. That will bring frost and Fog.

Thanks for that. I'll be back with an update at 0pm.

And you have the football and the rest of the news. Goodbye.