22/12/2011 BBC Wales Today

Welcome to Wales Today. Tonight's headlines: Hospitals under pressure

this winter. A health board shuts down some community hospital

Also in the programme tonight: This fire burned for months. Now the

owners of the wood recycling firm have been fined for putting people

and the environment at risk. We have a report from Japan on how

Toyota with hundreds of workers back here in Wales has recovered

after the tsunami. Swansea look ahead to some

Christmas cheer at home after another away defeat.

And singing on as they fight to save their church. Campaigners say

they won't give up the battle in Good evening. Services at some

community hospitals in North Wales are to be scaled back to save cash.

Critics say it's an example of underfunding in the Welsh NHS. The

Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board says the changes are

temporary. And are being introduced partly because of staff shortages.

A ward will be closed at Ysbyty Bryn Beryl in Pwllheli. As well as

the Minor Injuries Units in Ruthin, Colwyn Bay and Flint. Services at

bigger hospitals are to be boosted. Roger Pinney reports. This woman

was at Colwyn Bay hospital today for a physiotherapy to help with

her MS. She was treated last year at the minor injuries unit there.

The unit is one of three that will be shut temporarily in the new year.

It is a shame because they did not realise that. It is important that

it is here. Their nearest hospital for me is quite a distance away.

slightly different story here. The minor injuries unit here will

remain open but the 15 bed unit is to close. The health board says it

is acting because of staff shortages and a �16 million

overspend. We're getting mixed messages from the trust. A trust

official said this was a temporary arrangement for three months and

would then be reviewed. I was told it was definitely reopening after

three months, so where does the truth lie? These closures will be

temporary until the end of March and the aim is that we consolidate

where our staff work across the organisation. Their main issue here

is patient safety. We really do not want to have our service is spread

too thinly. Especially at a time when we are seeing excessive

pressures due to illness, not only in our staff but in our population.

When the board speaks of consolidation, they mean that staff

working in units that are closing are expected to move to other

hospitals. There will be more beds elsewhere. Critics talk of a crisis.

The Welsh Conservatives say a shortage of cash is the real issue.

I am very concerned that it is an omen for the future of the health

services here. It shows that we were absolutely right to warn about

the effects of the Labour cuts on it NHS services, which are

frontline services across the country. These cuts are happening

elsewhere in Wales and we're very worried about this. In a statement,

the Welsh government insists it is an operational matter for the

health board. On Monday, it says NHS operations in Wales have

significant budgets and are expected to operate within their

means. They say they are also working on recruitment. Our Health

Correspondent is here. Earlier in the week, we saw minor injuries

units being closed temporarily in west Wales. Now it's happening in

north Wales too. Is it all about money?

It is not the only reason but it is hard to conclude otherwise than

that it is the main reason. NHS Wales faces one for every single

year and knows what is coming. Last year acutely created the biggest

challenge in the ever had. This year is not forecast to be the same

but the financial climate is more ACE. They are under pressure to

save money and they have to say �50 million across Wales before the end

of March. These very short-term measures are being introduced to

try to save money and be more come efficient as well. Will these

closures really be temporary? is suspicion among local

campaigners that this will become a long-term solution. I have been

speaking to the Chief Executive of the Welsh NHS and he has told me

they will be monitoring at very closely. If things do not go back

to the normal service, he will want answers from the health board as to

why not. On tomorrow's programme, an exclusive interview with the

Chief Executive. He has been telling the interesting things

about the future of her hospital services, and ultimately, why there

is a greater need than ever for change. The owners of a wood pallet

recycling firm, where a fire burned for months last year, have been

fined for putting human health, and the environment, at risk.

Magistrates heard William and Dale Butcher have failed to move

thousands of tonnes of waste wood from the site near Cross Keys in

the Gwent Valleys. Until they do, there's a risk it could re-ignite.

October 2009 and dozens of firefighters are called here. They

were faced with a giant bonfire with thousands of tons of recycled

wood smouldering. This more could be seen for a distance. We filmed

the shot from eight miles away. Six months later, fire broke out again.

That's when the company broke the rules because the huge fire of wood

was posing a risk to the health of people nearby and the environment.

It was the responsibility of father and son William and Dale butcher to

move the lead. 18 months on, it is still there. They wear today fined

�2,000 each. Environmental crime is the same as normal crime. If you

commit offences against the environment, there were simply harm

to the environment here where a fire had ignited from waste which

ran off into the nearby aromas. There was also harm to human health

or where people were caused nuisance by the fires. The site is

just a few hundred yards from people's corms and four months

after the fire started, the smoke had an impact on their lives. Janet

Smith has emphysema. Everybody was talking. I was made to feel awful

breathless. The smell was of was well. I'm on oxygen 15 hours a day

now. For months, the whole community suffered. You could not

leave your windows open. Especially during the summer, you would have a

smell of the smoke wafting into the house full stop it was not nice.

Magistrates were told that a buyer is interested in the site and there

would could be moved early next year. The Environment Agency and

the community will be watching closely.

Police have been given more time to question three people arrested for

a robbery in Gwynedd. A farmer was shot in the leg during the raid

close to the village of Rhydyclafdy, near Pwllhelli last week. Police

say two men aged 18 and 19 and a 23-year-old woman from Blaenau

Ffestiniog are being held in connection with the incident.

Wales will get an extra �9 million as a result of spending on next

year's Olympics by the UK government. It settles a long-

running row with Westminster about whether the devolved

administrations should get a windfall because of the games. The

Welsh government said it was owed money from public funding spent on

transport and regeneration in London.

The UK Government has rejected a claim it has acted with complacency

over a plea to fund mine rescue services. It follows the Gleision

colliery tragedy in the Swansea Valley. Neath MP, Peter Hain, has

reiterated his calls for the rescue service to be allowed to access

Treasury money. He said the rescue attempt in his constituency relied

on goodwill. If local mines had not poured down and put their men in

and paid for diesel bills and provided other resources, the whole

rescue effort could have gone belly-up. This is not a criticism

of anybody involved. They all behaved heroically, but nobody was

willing to put up the bills. This is a situation the Government seems

in different too. In response, the Department for Work and Pensions

say any suggestion it didn't take the matter seriously was utter

nonsense. A row over the running of two

mosques in Newport which led to a Conservative Assembly Member being

served with an injunction, warning him to stay away from prayers, has

been resolved tonight. It's claimed Mohammad Asghar acted aggressively

in opposing plans to hold elections at the mosque. He denies the

allegation. Tomos Dafydd reports. Newport has a sizable Muslim

community with hundreds of worships attending mosques right across the

city. But a power struggle at two of the city mosques, between one of

the city's most prominent politicians, and the interim

management committee. The interim council want to hold elections here

and claim Mohammad was aggressively opposed to any vote, something he

denies. I think it is fabricated. I definitely never grabbed the

microphone and was never aggressive to anybody else, ever. What has

been a reaction with the Conservative Party about this

episode? I am sure they have not welcomed this. I spoke to my good

friend Andrew Hart Davis and he completely supported me when I told

him. The row ended up before the civil courts which had already

issued an interim injunction to stop the Assembly Member from going

to the mosques. Here at Cardiff Civil Justice Centre, they said

their core do not have their ability to extend the injunction

but invited both parties to reach a resolution. Tonight, they finally

reached a deal. The main focus is that they were not willing to

recognise us. We are the interim committee and we are here to hold

the election and by 23rd February, at Newport will have elections.

both sides say there are still outstanding issues over the

ownership and management of both mosques. Following today's meeting,

elections for the mosques will be held in the new year.

You're watching Wales Today. Still ahead tonight.

They tried in vain to save their church in the Rhondda - six months

on we're back in Maerdy to see how The economic downturn has led to

more families turning to charity and in some cases, the local

council, to help with the cost of Christmas. Carmarthenshire Council

is co-ordinating a toy appeal to help those in difficulty. And

charities have been busy building a stockpile of gifts. Abigail Neal

reports. Clare Bingham knows she will be

able to give her baby a good Christmas this year. Thanks to

Pembrokeshire charity, Patch, who helped out when she was homeless.

If it wasn't for them, social services would have been involved

and she would have been taken off me. We got that sorted out and with

the help I have received, social services are pretty happy with us

just now. The charity helps families all year round but the

runs a special toy appeal at Christmas. Demand is up. �500 has

been donated. Tracey has had a lot more children needing guests this

year. 17 new requests a day, which keeps her busy buying and the

public keeps donating. One lady said to me, would you like toys or

money? I said whatever is easiest and she got �100 from a cashpoint.

That is happening all the time. Agencies like this, which helps

with housing, pass on the names of children whose families are

struggling. Many for the same reasons. Government cuts, funding,

lack of employment, particularly in the Pembrokeshire area. It all

impact on their income. In fact, Demand for toys is so high this

year that local authorities are also getting involved. For the

first time, Carmarthenshire Council has launched its own appeal. They

have asked people to donate what they can. We had a seminar some

months ago about an illegal money- lending and the way in which loan

sharks went about getting the money back when people could not pay

interest. If we can stop one or two families getting into those

difficulties, we have done some good. Clare Bingham has now become

a volunteer for the charity, giving what she knows is so gratefully

This week we have been bringing new stories about Welsh expatriates in

Japan and how they have been coping since the natural disaster in March.

Today we look at the economic effect and the knock-on effect it

has had for manufacturers here. A disaster which shoot a country. The

earthquake caused thousands of deaths and widespread destruction.

Inevitable economic destruction followed. -- economic damage.

Investors reacted to the consequences and values plummeted.

Tony Evans is from Wales. He has been working in banking in Japan

for several years. There has been an exodus of people

from Tokyo. But lots of people are still here. We have to counteract

it as a business. We look at where manufacturing was based. It was

based in the north, around Fukushima, so this had a massive

effect on an export-driven economy. Toyota are was the world's top-

selling car company but was close - - forced to close down operations

in places following the earthquake. When the plant in Wales closed down

operations for several days to conserve parts.

We were normally for the past few months because the supply pipeline

was uninterrupted. In the next few months we reduced volume by eight

2/3. Now we're starting to recover. It was not just Toyota are feeling

the effects. 3,000 people in Wales are employed by Japanese companies.

The relationship between the two countries goes back many years. It

started primarily in the electronics industry.

We had a strong recovery towards the end of the summer. But people

can understand the uncertain times within Europe. So we look for work

to 2012 as likely continuing to be uncertain.

After early signs of economic recovery, since August the pace has

slowed in Japan as a result of uncertainty about the global

economy. But there are still opportunities for people like Tony.

This is still one of the largest economies in the world. Financial

services always provide some thing for you to -- somewhere for you to

go and speak to. You just have to focus, look at the positives

instead of the negatives. The good thing is that from a

manufacturing point of view the two countries respect one another. We

have learnt a lot from one another. We have an excellent relationship.

There is mutual understanding and respect.

Travelling through this country you see what the phrase displayed over

and over again. When translated, it means, let's move for work together,

Japan. The country is desperately trying to recover and is very much

open for business. Football, and Wales defender, Adam

Matthews, has received an invitation for the Great Britain

Olympic team. The Celtic player is one of three players at the Glasgow

club to be contacted about the possibility of taking part in

London. The English Football Association have sent letters to

all the British players who may be eligible despite the opposition of

the A three FA's in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

In tomorrow's programme we will show you how the array effort using

Internet technology to make sure that their families can receive

crest -- soldiers' families can receive Christmas messages.

This is our first Christmas without him. We miss him. He is still my

boy. More on that tomorrow.

Swansea City manager, Brendan Rodgers, says they must capitalise

in their next two Mac games after their barren run continued. There

are still waiting for their first away victory in the Premier League

after the match against Everton. There is no doubt there are

difficult team to beat but they do find it hard to score goals away

from home. Everton created the best chances in the first half at

Goodison Park. Several goal-bound efforts where denied. Although the

home crowd thought they should have a penalty when the ball hit the arm

of Ashley Williams. On the hour mark, this corner was headed home

and Everton had the lead. Slack marking was a blemish on an

otherwise decent defensive display. Swansea should have equalised

moments later but their top scorer, Danny Graham, headed straight at

the goalkeeper. But swans now have the worst away record, along with

Coventry, of any club in the for divisions.

The players continue to gain in confidence but winning games away

from home in the Premier League is always difficult. We will keep our

focus and concentration. But it does mean there is extra pressure

on us in home games. The next two games are vital -

Queens Park Rangers and Tottenham are the visitors.

World 400 metres hurdles champion, Dai Greene, is the only Welshman on

the 10 spokesman short list for the BBC's Sports personality of the

what -- of the Year. But Gareth Wyn Hughes from the Rhondda is in

contention for the unsung hero of water.

La Salmons, the Paralympic athlete, will also be honoured.

Campaigners at All Saints in the Rhondda -- it is a highlight of the

Christmas Callander, even for churches that should not be open.

All Saints was officially closed this summer but a number of

residents are campaigning to return it to a place of worship. The

repairs needed total �500,000. But the fund is growing.

We have had lots of help and opened a charity shop. But we do have a

lot of money coming in, and lots of enthusiasm to keep raising money.

There are now plans to speak out with the heritage minister in the

assembly. We will last the Government for

assistance. This is our culture, history, our place of worship.

After a determined campaign the Church in Wales offered to return

the building to the community for �100,000. But talks have stalled

since then. We want to sit down and get things

on a proper footing, because as things stand we are not on a proper

footing, we do not know where to go. We're just anxious to sit down and

get matters resolved. We need a meeting with the

Archbishop and the building supervisors, then we can get real

progress. We won the archbishop to say that when the building is back

in the condition it should be in, it will be returned.

Until that is resolved the fund- And now the weather. No chance of a

white Christmas. If you want some know you will have to make your own.

-- if you want snow. From a temperature of point of view this

has felt more like her late spring. 13 Celsius the peak temperature.

About five degrees of of the seasonal average. But it will turn

cold tomorrow. -- 5 degrees above the seasonal average. Tonight, a

cloud the picture. Sports of light rain and drizzle. The winds will

pick up. Strong winds. The low temperatures are only around ten

Celsius. Tomorrow's chart shows an active cold front. That will bring

a spell of heavy rain. Tomorrow morning, at the far south east

including Newport, will start dry but it will not last. Elsewhere we

ate with heavy rain. Still mild, the 11 Celsius. But that will

change. A spell of heavy rain for everyone tomorrow. But during the

afternoon it shall clear away. It will brighten but Shearer's will

fall again. After a mild start it will turn colder as the wind

changes direction, swinging around into the north-west. Becoming dry

tomorrow night. The wind gradually easing. Then on Christmas Eve, it

will start cold and dry but it will cloud over with patchy rain and

showers. The wind will pack up and it will feel chilly. Christmas Day

- mild but Wendy. A little drizzle in the west and north-west.

Temperatures above average with fresh to strong gales in the north-

west. Boxing Day? Mild and windy weather continues. No snow this

Christmas, it will be mild and windy. But not too many problems if

you are travelling, apart from some fork on high ground. At the moment,

no sign of really cold weather between Christmas and the start of

January. Here are the Christmas pictures. Snow-capped mountains.

This Christmas card was designed by William. And finally this Christmas

pudding. Thank you all. I hope you The main news: a wave of co-