08/07/2011 BBC Wales Today

Welcome to Wales today. Tonight's headlines:

Care homes could close - that's the warning as new figures reveal the

gap between what different councils pay is growing. That is not

sustainable. Places will go to the wall and that is not a desirable

Also tonight: The tyre fire that's caused misery

for people in Fforestfach for more than three weeks is finally out.

As our first ever solar park opens, why plans for other big projects

are struggling. Made In Wales - the business

decking out the pools of the rich and famous across the world.

Splashing the cash at the annual Wakestock festival.

Earnie's promising to help them win promotion.

Good evening. The future of funding for care homes has been called into

question tonight, with one expert warning more could go to the wall.

It comes after Wales Today obtained figures showing the gap in how much

councils are prepared to pay is growing. Our research shows that

one council is spending �145 per person less on care every week than

the highest spending. Care home providers say their basic costs

aren't being met - some are turning to the courts.

For some families, it is the most difficult decision they will ever

make, finding the right Tehran for a loved one. It can be hard but

getting a place funded can be even harder. For years, different

councils across Wales have paid different fees to private homes to

look after people on their behalf. For example, four years ago, the

highest paying a thought he was Fincher with a standard residential

fee of �380 a week. The list was neighbouring Wrexham, who offered

�300. So the gap across Wales was �80. But according to the latest

figures, that gap has grown. At that moment, the highest paying

authorities Pembrokeshire with the residents blame for Jin �69.

Compare that to the lowest, Cardiff, down at 324. That gap across Wales

now stands at �145. A huge range but some argue is completely unfair.

Our health correspondent Hywel Griffith has this exclusive report.

For some families, it's the hardest decision they'll every have to make.

Finding the right care home for a loved one can be hard, but getting

a place funded can be even harder. Running a care home is a business.

Private providers aim to make a profit, but they argue they also

have legitimate costs, which just aren't being met by the lowest

spending councils. Up to three- quarters of all the money we

receive in fees goes straight back out to staff. Either weak staff

properly, and we are obliged to staff properly, then there is food

and then there is heat. All these things have got to be funded. If we

don't fund it, provide us go out of business and vulnerable people get

affected. We showed our figures to an independent expert. Professor

Marcus Longley is director of the Welsh Institute for Health and

Social Care. He says the growing gap in how much councils spend

could have dire consequences. inevitable that there is going to

be turmoil in the future. We might be able to manage that without

places going bust at short notice. But this is not a sustainable

market place. The cost of not being met by the money coming in. Art

market economics mean that that is not sustainable. Places will go to

the wall and that is not a desirable situation. So those rates

have got to be reflecting of actual costs and we can't do that without

more money going into the system. But spending more is hard for

councils who have less to spend and growing demand from an ageing

population. We have a responsibility to look after public

funds and that is why some people may consider that local authorities

have been rather harder on the private providers. No one wants to

be in court, but it is about making sure that we are emerging --

managing the public purse. It is also about managing increasing

demand. The government in England have published the Dilnot

Commission report. It talks about having a system that is broken.

When homes hit financial problems, it's often relatives who are left

worrying over what to do next. Carol Manley's mother Suzannah

lives at a care home run by Southern Cross - the UK's largest

provider, which recently came close to bankruptcy. The thought of

actually close in a care home or even perhaps staff shortages is a

great worry. If there are short -- of shortages even, perhaps they are

not getting the care of the amount of looking after that they really

do need. To move elderly people is a great upheaval for them because

they don't take to change very well and to disrupt them can have a

detrimental effect on their health. Last year, the Welsh Government

called on councils and care homes to work together to provide a

sustainable service, but our figures show that just isn't

happening, with a growing gap in what authorities are prepared to

pay. Victoria Lloyd is from Age Cymru.

Good evening. How will mean is it that people who run Care Homes say

that there isn't enough money and the quality of care will

deteriorate? I think it is incredibly worrying. It is a

reflection that the funding of our care system is in crisis. We have

not put enough money in. Councils are under huge financial pressure.

So do we need a complete overhaul of how are parents are funded?

think we do. In recent years, the world's governments, local bodies

and care homes have all sought to transform the way we deliver social

care, but they are stymied by the current funding system, so I think

change is inevitable. I think there do not Commission provides us with

a good starting point to have that debate. What kind of changes do you

want to see? We want to see more money put into social care. I think

it has to come both from individuals and government. Tell us

a little more about the impact on residents and their families to

care homes have to close because there isn't the funding there.

think the funding situation means there are three different impacts

on families and residents. Firstly, we see people being asked to pay

top-up fees and we see residents asked if there are self-funding to

pay more, which is unjustifiable, because they are stepping in where

the state has a statutory duty. Where homes are at risk of closure,

think there is a real issue because there is a rifts -- a risk to

people's health if they have to move. Thank you for talking to us.

Three weeks ago, a massive fire covered parts of Swansea in dense

smoke. The blaze had broken out in a disused factory on the city's

Fforestfach Industrial Estate. Thousands of tonnes of shredded

rubber have been burning ever since, with smoke continuing to cause

problems for people living and working in the area. Well, tonight

fire crews say the blaze is finally out. Our reporter Ross Harries is

there for us now. If you have a look at the scene

behind me, you will have an idea of the scale of devastation caused by

this fire. There is virtually nothing left of the factory there

used to stand on this site. The fire has been raging for three

weeks. It has finally been extinguished tonight. There is no

estimate of how much the clean-up operation will cost but it is

thought to be somewhere in the region of �1 million. Gary from the

fire service is here. Would you say this is one of the most challenging

things you have been involved in? It he has been a very complex

operation. I would like to stress that this has been a multi-agency

response to tackle this incident. We have worked very closely with

palm agencies. We have been innovative in how we tackle this

fire to make sure it has finally been extinguished after 22 days.

The smoke has all gone but the sprinklers are going. Tell us what

is left to do. Basically, to tackle this fire we had to carry out a

controlled demolition of the site to gain access to the 5000 tonnes

of burning product. We found out that the best way to deal with this

incident, which is unique in Wales and only the second one we know of

in the UK, we have constructed dams on site with the product being

called by fire-fighting monitors and moved into the dam area and

then into containers, where they have been immersed in water before

being removed from the site. The cause of this Forrester and not

yet known. The investigation is under way.

The trial of eight former police officers, accused of fabricating a

case that led to three innocent men being jailed for the murder of

Lynette White in 1988, has heard claims witness statements were

forged. The prosecution also allege that former Chief Inspector Graham

Mouncher promised to help an armed robber get out of jail early, in

return for evidence that one of the suspects had confessed to him. All

eight former officers deny the charges against them. There is more

bad news for Stephanie Booth's business empire. A chain of Wales

has gone into administration with the loss of 100 jobs. Yesterday,

she closed the Wynnstay Arms in Wrexham. Now, two more have shut

while for hotels will remain open until a buyer is found.

Wales' first solo Park began generating electricity today.

10,000 solar panels have been installed on land in Pembrokeshire.

The UK government reduce the financial incentives paid for green

energy. It is the first of its kind in

Wales. A solar farm converting sunlight into electricity. Those

behind the scheme say good power up to 300 homes. It benefits from the

UK government support for more renewable energy and this

investment will be paid for through a system of tariffs designed to

encourage green energy. I had to take a total act of faith and said

we would do one megawatt initially and I raided my pension fund,

family bonds and shares. I basically Keane doubt a Lada.

solar park has been greeted Justin Time. From August, the amount paid

by the UK government to produce carbon free electricity from

projects of this size will change. The dropping payments will beat

from almost 31p per kilowatt hour to 81p. Completed before the

deadline, this �2.5 million investment could pay for itself

within eight years. Other developers are now planning smaller

Solar parks to avoid the government cut in tariffs. There has been a

nervousness in the market. There was a lot of froth last year when

people were speculating on lease agreements on land. We call it the

land rush. But it has settled down. I think there is some confidence in

the system and also the delivery of the systems now is important, which

we have capitalised on and it has been the support to our business.

Two other projects have had planning permission but have not

beaten the August deadline. Their future is now uncertain, as

lucrative incentives for large- scale solar parks are phased out by

the government. But there will still be funds to encourage more

was to produce our own renewable energy. Individuals will be able to

install four kilowatt systems on their house and they will still be

able to get a good return on their investment. The larger-scale

companies will not be able to claim the profit they have been.

Glen Peters is already planning to double his solar panels. The long-

term economics of sailor from slight is will depend on whether

the tariff system stays the same. Still to come in, A says he is

coming back to the Bluebirds to enjoy himself.

And Wakestock kicks off this weekend. But anything campers leave

behind will be put to good use. The most useful items will be

sleeping bags, any clothes, any shoes, any tents or camping

equipment that we can pass on to An Anglesey Councillor has been

cleared of bullying and harassment after a tribunal into his behaviour

at a police station. But Peter Rogers, a member of the North Wales

Police Authority and former Assembly Member, was warned about

his future behaviour after the adjudicating panel decided his

actions had been inappropriate. Elin Gwilym was at the tribunal

today. Tell us more about the incident at the police station.

was January last year when Peter Rodgers accompanied constituent to

Holyhead police station and that constituent had been accused of

threatening to assassinate another councillor over a planning dispute.

That case was later dismissed but this case relates to Mr Rogers'

behaviour at the police station. The police are authority made a

complaint as a result of his behaviour. The tribunal heard how

he was alone with Detective Constable Lisa Jones and Easter

than his feet and pointed his finger at her and shouted that this

case was a complete waste of time. The panel decided that he had not

in this case preached the police are authority could have contact

and this was his response. great thing was, I was clear by all

the allegations and that is a very serious thing that those charges

were not found that they breached the code of conduct. But he was

accused of breaching the council' s code of conduct. Yes. But because

DEC Jones had been shocked that the counsellor could be -- behave in

this way, he brought the cancelling the disappeared.

A police officer who was given a bravery award yesterday has been

told he has to retire because of budget cuts. Sergeant Kevin Brooks

was commended for tackling a driver who reversed a 4x4 vehicle over a

police patrol car in 2009. But South Wales Police is retiring

staff with more than 30 years of service to help plug a �47 million

funding gap. Now imagine you've just won the

lottery and are looking for something special for your home. So

where do you go for that new pool or fountain? Well, in the last of

our 'Made in Wales' series, Roger Pinney's been to Craig Bragdy, a

ceramics business in Denbigh who's marketplace spans the world.

It starts with nothing more complicated than a brush and a pot

of paint. It ends in some of the world's most luxurious homes. A

pool for an Arab prince or Russian billionaire. The customers include

some of the richest families on the globe. Then there are the fountains

and murals in top hotels and government buildings. We take this

lump of clay and we make it into large scale and spectacular art.

Hand-made ceramic. This is one of the directors. Craig Bragdy was

founded by their parents. The workshop is a series of canvases.

Some resemble giant jigsaws. 75 people work here and they're

constantly looking for new markets. We worked traditionally in the

Middle East. Now we are in Asia and the Ukraine and Europe and America.

We have projects all over. Things slow down a bit here and there but

we have managed to find a project. You can see the entire

manufacturing process from raw materials right through to the

beautiful finished product ready for export in one place. This

really is made in Wales. This is one of the artists. The clay gets

laid out as a big piece like this. We get given a design and the

translate that on to the play and we see through the processes of

glazing and every aspect of it. Craig Bragdy AX applies something

you simply can't get anyone else. But why not do as so many others

have done and move abroad? It is obviously going to be cheaper and

more profitable if we go to India or the Philippines but there is a

controller and the quality to the people we employ that I think you

would struggle to get easily in some other parts of the world. We

have had offers on the table but we like being here. Clients like us

being here as well. That is great for the workforce to hear. These

are Welsh products, more than holding their own.

Time for tonight's sport now. Here's Ashleigh.

We start with disappointing news from the Tour de France. Geraint

Thomas and his Team Sky colleagues had a dreadful day after being

caught up in a crash. Thomas escaped unhurt, but lost three

minutes and dropped down to 38th in the overall standings, losing the

white jersey in the process. His team-mate, Bradley Wiggins, had to

retire from the tour with a suspected broken collar bone.

Football, and Wales striker Robert Earnshaw has met up with his new

team-mates at Cardiff City, two days after rejoining his home-town

club. He says he's determined to help the Bluebirds win promotion.

After seven years away, he is back with the Bluebirds. It was all

smiles today at his first training session in his second spell at

Cardiff. For me, it is about carrying on where I left off. I am

coming here to enjoy myself and enjoy football. It is a sport but

it is what we love doing. I am coming here to enjoy it. It is no

different from the last time I was here. This is the moment fans have

been waiting for. Robert Earnshaw back in Cardiff City colours. He

says the temptation to return to the club where he made his name

proved too strong. He made a name for him self- with goals like this.

He scored every other game last time he was at Cardiff. He is

somebody that has an affinity with the area and the club. He is an

international football. He has scored goals at international level

and he's a proven goalscorer at this level. I am delighted to get

him. He is a great addition. They could be more players joining

Robert Earnshaw at Cardiff. Plymouth striker Joe Mason is close

to signing after both clubs aggrieved a quarter of a million

pounds fee. The Cardiff squad leaves for pre-season training in

Spain tomorrow and Robert Earnshaw could play the Cardiff in the

friendly against Charlton Athletic next Friday.

Meanwhile in the last hour, Swansea have confirmed they've signed

Portuguese international goalkeeper Jose Moreira on a two year contract.

He joins from Benfica, where he made almost 150 appearances. He'll

fill the spot left by Dorus de Vries, who left the Swans last

month. Now, it's described as Europe's

biggest watersports and music festival. Wakestock has returned to

Abersoch on the Llyn Peninsula. The action got underway at lunchtime.

Our reporter, Matthew Richards, is there for us. Matt.

This weekend sees the peace shattered here as thousands of

visitors flocked to Wakestock. Good crowds mean big money and this year

the festival is helping vulnerable people across Gwynedd.

Abersoch is famed for its picturesque views and relaxed

atmosphere but on one weekend every year there is a very different

The man responsible for Wakestock for the past four years says the

area has embraced the benefits such a big event can bring. We bring in

over �5 million to the region over the weekend. That is great for

hotels and local businesses. We love being in Gwynedd and hopefully

we'll be here for many years to come. This man runs a restaurant

that gets an annual bus from festival-goers. He have to look at

how we are bringing tourists year. We're trying to bring them here all

through the air. Things like Wakestock opens adeptly and element

that then will come again as they get older. Not everything left in

the festival is a possible -- so positive. Many campers leave the

tent behind but this year the housing association will make use

of them. The most useful items will be sleeping bags and any clothes

and any tense. We will pass them on hole Apley -- sleeping rough.

weekend promises a feast for the senses with stars treading the

boards in more ways than one. That team of volunteers and staff

will be here on Monday after the festival has ended and they will be

ending to tent city where thousands of tents have been pitched and many

of them are simply left. They will come in useful during the harsh

North Wales Winters for people who are currently sleeping rough. For

the people here this weekend, they will enjoy Elly Goulding on stage

tonight. It is a bit wet here. Let's see what the weather forecast

Let's see what the weather forecast is looking like.

It doesn't feel much like summer at the moment. Some heavy downpours

today. There was flooding in the Llandiloes area this afternoon. Now,

I can promise some better weather over the weekend. Still a few

showers, but on the whole, drier and brighter. Some sunshine and

feeling warmer. The reason for the unsettled weather is low pressure.

That will move away northwards over the weekend so if you have a

barometer you will notice the pressure rising. Tonight, further

rain in places. A few heavy showers, but these will slowly die down. The

wind easing with lowest temperatures 11C to 14C. Tomorrow,

a better day in prospect. There will be a few showers dotted around

the country in the morning, but not as heavy as today. Some places dry

and bright. The wind lighter too with temperatures in Cardigan up to

13C. During the day, the cloud will break with some sunshine at times.

You might catch a shower but quite a few places will stay dry. Feeling

warmer tomorrow. Top temperatures, 16C to 20C, with a light to

moderate west to south-westerly breeze. Some tide times. The time

of high water in Aberystwyth, 0125 and 1313. The sea temperature, 14C

or 15C. In Powys tomorrow, drier and brighter than today. Some

sunshine and the odd shower. Temperatures in Machynlleth, 18C.

Sunday, not a bad day. A few scattered showers but otherwise dry.

Some cloud and sunshine. Temperatures, 16C to 20C. Cantonian

School in Cardiff are holding their summer fair tomorrow afternoon. It

should be dry with some sunshine. It's a similar story in Swansea for