10/04/2012 BBC Wales Today

Welcome to Wales Today. Our top story. Is water the new oil? Calls

for our water companies to make money out of drought-stricken

England. It is an opportunity to keep customer bills down in Wales.

Our other headlines tonight. Drying out soaking books. Lead thieves

target two schools, causing thousands of pounds of damage.

just feel none to think that somebody could do that and caused

such an impact on the school and the children and staff work really

hard and this is devastating for me as the head teacher. Education,

social services, rubbish collection and leisure centres. Your chance to

have your say about the services we all use. He hoped to become our

greatest Paralympian. The end of the dream for swimmer David Roberts.

And Harold Lowe, the mariner who helped saves lives On the Titanic

is remembered. Good evening. Should Wales sell water to drought

affected parts of England? A former chief executive of Welsh Water has

told BBC Wales' current affairs programme, Taro Naw, that serious

consideration should be given to the idea to make a profit. It comes

on the day that Severn Trent, which supplies parts of Mid Wales,

confirmed that it's planning to use water from boreholes in the

Midlands to help supply more than 100,000 homes in the worst-hit

areas of England. Images of dried and cracked soil are becoming more

and more common across the south and east of England. Gwyn Jones,

originally from Dolgellau, has farmed in Sussex for 30 years. The

drought could have a serious effect on the farming industry in the area.

The real fear is for vegetables and other crops, lettuce, which are

higher value, dependent on irrigation and that water isn't

available in the same quantities as normal and planting will be down

considerably. To protect reserves, a hosepipe ban has been introduced

in southern and eastern England and it is expected to last all summer.

There's no shortage of water in Wales. Today's weather might

explain why. Not for the first time, it's being asked if Wales could

capitalise from its water and move supplies to areas crippled by

drought. Unfortunately, it isn't environmentally or economically

feasible because of the vast costs and the potential environmental

damage from such a big transfer so it isn't realistic at the moment,

but if it was, it is something we would consider because of the

benefits to customers. But one former chairman of Welsh Water

disagrees. This is possible but there is a cost and people are

scared of the cost at this time. There welcome a time when future

generations will say, why on earth did they not actually introduced

this system which will cost considerably more went awareness

becomes a reality. Today, one water company, Severn Trent, which has

customers in Wales and receives some of its water from the Elan

Valley in Mid Wales, announced plans to sell 30 million litres of

water a day to Anglian Water, one of the seven companies that imposed

a hosepipe ban at the beginning of April. The company won't be making

a profit as a result of this transfer. No boreholes and Wales

being considered. But what are trading gives us an opportunity to

have part of the country having a surplus to sell water to parts that

need water and that keeps costs down. As of yet the Welsh

government and the uk govt haven't discussed any new plans for moving

or paying for water. If there is added to this, Wales must certainly

benefit from the correct price to be paid for water. And they would

not only be directing benefit but they would be indirectly benefiting

because it would mean that industries dependent on the price

of water would find favourable locations in Wales. With the

population of England and Wales likely to increase, droughts are

becoming more and more frequent. It seems inevitable that this issue of

transferring Welsh water to drought affected areas will be discussed.

More on this story on Taro Naw, tonight on s off -- S4C at 9:30pm

with English subtitles. Metals thieves have targeted two schools

in Rhondda Cynon Taff, causing tens of thousands of pounds of damage

over Easter. The bill for one of the primary schools is estimated at

more than �50,000 after lead on the roof was stolen, allowing heavy

rain to flood classrooms. Kate Scott-Williams reports. This was

the scene that met teachers and governors at Tref y Rhyg Primary

when they went to investigate why the alarm had been triggered early

yesterday morning. The came up to have led to see if anything had

perhaps set off the censors and the alarm on it to face water in the

classrooms and we were squelching through the corridors with some

parts of the ceiling falling down. I am just numb, to think that

people could do that and caused such a major impact of the school

and the children and staff work so hard and to see that ruined in one

or the night of rain is truly devastating. -- overnight. They set

about salvaging what they could, using paddling pools and storage

boxes to contain the water. Now the main concern is how badly damaged

the electrics are and whether 400 books will need to be replaced. It

isn't what you would expect to see in any classroom and the idea was

to play every book out to try them out. What the teachers have found

is that many were so sodden, they are beyond repair and what is more

frustrating is that many of these for only bought recently. It's not

known exactly when the thieves struck because they covered the

CCTV cameras. But a 40 foot long sheet of lead was taken from the

roof. And it wasn't the only school targeted over the Easter weekend.

Darrenlas Primary in Mountain Ash also had lead stolen. For parents,

it's a frustrating time. I suppose what is disappointing days for what

could be �300 gain for those that took the lead from the roof, we

could see destruction to children and damage in excess of �60,000.

With the pupils due back from their Easter holidays in less than a

fortnight, every effort is being made to make sure the damaged

classrooms will be repaired in time. The jury in the trial of two men

accused of murdering a father from Newport has been discharged with

the judge ordering a retrial. The body of 24-year-old Tony Singh was

found in his flat after he was attacked in 2010. The jury at

Cardiff Crown Court couldn't reach an agreement on murder charges

against Shahid Rafiq and Karl Drummond. Electronics giant

Panasonic is to set up a fuel cell research and development centre in

Cardiff. It's not yet known how many jobs will be created. The move

comes just weeks after more than 160 jobs were lost when Panasonic

pulled out of Newport. One of the two reactors at Wylfa nuclear power

station on Anglesey will finish generating electricity at the end

of this month after 40 years. Reactor Two is closing because of

limited fuel stocks, although Reactor One could continue to

operate until 2014. Wherever you live, you use council services in

some shape or form. From schools to meals on wheels, street lighting to

collecting your rubbish. In just over three weeks, you get to decide

who runs those services for the next five years. 1,200 seats are up

for grabs in 21 local councils, pretty much everywhere apart from

Anglesey. Betsan Powys is in the council chamber at Cardiff City

Hall. As of today, we know who will be standing in the local elections

in May. Councils today had to publish the names of all other

candidates. But do we know what sort of job that will face if they

win? Are the -- we are aware of the range of services run by local

authorities and in these tough times, do we know what sort of

services these would-be councillors would cut or would change? Mark

Hannaby has been asking why local elections are important and what we

should be asking those standing... Some of the things councils do,

like picking up bins, are familiar to everyone. But the scope of local

authority services is more enormous than some of us might realise.

Local authorities run 750 discrete functions, including big things

like education and social care but also key functions like street

lighting, picking up bins, doing all of the things you would expect

in green spaces, leisure and parks, and all those services and to

quality of life. People living anywhere in Wales other than

Anglesey have the opportunity to help direct the future of those

varied services at council elections on May 3rd. Anglesey's

poll has been delayed for a year in light of direct Welsh government

intervention in running that authority. Over 1,200 council seats

will be up for grabs at 21 authorities. Significant reductions

in the money available to local authorities are going to mean hard

choices ahead as to whether to cut services or work more closely with

other councils. This election provides everyone with an

opportunity to have an influence on those decisions. If money is tight,

what will have to give? Councils must provide some services, like

education, by law. But they are not obliged to provide leisure centres,

for example. One former social services director believes we

should question would-be councillors on their priorities.

What services will be prioritised and what will be protect? What are

you prepared to forfeit? What is important? When are you going to

put you're limited cash in the future? Councils are being urged to

increase collaboration with each other and other public sector

bodies to save money. Hello... Bridgend, social services work with

health staff to provide technology to enable people to go home from

hospital with 24 hour support by phone. It is very important that

people are involved in the choices we make a slow, authorities. In

Bridgend, we make choices about how to provide services, choosing to

collaborate with other providers to make sure that people had better

services but that we can save money and put that into other frontline

services. Not everyone needs council assistance to be lifted

from their bed to a chair. But most of us depend on at least some

council services. The chance to influence their future falls on May

3rd and won't come again for another five years. How is likely

to do well? Last time around Labour to go Beltinge, the words of Roger

Morgan in 2008. They lost ground and terror Tawney to all other

parties and independents, meaning that this time around they are

riding high in the polls and opposition at Westminster and hope

to regain a lot of that ground but because they lost ground to so many

other parties, opponents with many political colours, so it is a tough

call. In some cases they will find it easy they will have to work hard

to winkle out councillors who have dug in their heels and become

popular. What about the other parties? The other parties did well

last time, the Conservatives up 5% and they have territory to protect

and fight for and defend. Plaid Cymru, the to control of Caerphilly

at Labour's expense. They will have ground to defend. And the Lib Dems,

they have a good time in 2008, they have a role in running Wrexham,

Swansea and Newport. They are the ones taking the building in the

polls and they are the ones who certainly have a fight on their

hands. Do not forget this independent councillors, 250,000 of

us voted for them last time. They are all his key in these elections,

but Justin who wins seats but then who afterwards manages to strike

deals that means if they gain control over councils... Were other

big battleground? I have mentioned towns and cities, certainly Cardiff,

Newport, industrial areas that Labour lost last time. But one

place you have heard there will be no battle is Anglesey, still coming

through what the Minister called a democratic renewal. You can answer

the door in Anglesey for the next 12 months, elections delayed until

2013. Thank you very much. Still to come... After a very dry March, it

was a wet end to the Easter Bank Holiday. The rivers are high with

welcome rain for farmers and Salvage teams have started to bring

in cutting equipment as are prepared to break up a cargo ship

rounded off the North Wales coast. Experts say there is no serious

sign of pollution from the MV Carrier. The vessel hit rocks last

The MV Carrier all parts of it will lie in the shadow of the A55 inland

villas at lax -- at least for the next few weeks. The first job is to

remove the ship's cargo of stone, then to break up the vessel bit by

bit, bringing small parts onshore and sending them to this --

scrapyard. The whole process could take two-and-a-half months. It is a

complete tidal best or when we are not working on it. We can only do

at the moment three-and a-half hours or four hours a shift, which

is reducing out towards the weekend, but we are doing what we can when

we can. All week ago rough seas and stormy weather forced the best of

onto the rocks here. The A55 became a helipad as the seven crew members

had to be winched with difficulty to safety.

There next morning, the weather wasn't much calmer, but despite the

delays, salvage teams have no clear Bishop of its 24,000 litres of fuel.

-- now clear the ship. That is good news for the Environment Agency,

whose teams are looking for signs of pollution in the water and are

patrolling the beaches, taking away samples, but for now they say there

is no sign of serious damage. He wanted to become our greatest-

ever Paralympian, but tonight, the 2012 dream is over for David

Roberts, the summer from could severely who already has 11 gold

Paralympic medals, matched only by Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson -- from

Caerphilly. He helped to beat the record but missed the qualifying

time at trials in Sheffield and has failed to be selected for Team GB.

More from Matt Murray. The his 11th goal medal of his

career. After Beijing it was David Robert's team are to become the

most successful pilot -- Paralympian of the modern era --

his dream. He has suffered a career-threatening injuries and

illnesses and pulled out of a competition recently with pneumonia

after recovering from tearing our muscles. Too much to have become as

he failed to make the grade at the trials in Sheffield at the weekend

-- too much to overcome. I don't really see much point in carrying

on, you know? I had been doing this a long time and maybe my body is

telling me it is time to take stock of what I have done. No one will

ever take that away from me, I guess, and swimmers would kill to

have the career had -- I have had. His career record of 11 golds beats

Tanni Grey-Thompson's but he hoped to surpassed her. Anyone in the

sport immediately thinks of the great Tanni Grey-Thompson, and

David has been in her shadow for many years, but has been enormously

successful and he won't get the opportunity now, which is an

enormous shame for him personally. 16 British swimmers including

double Paralympic gold medallist Ellie Simmonds had been selected

for the squad. Ellie, who lives in Swansea with her family, is one of

the stars of the team, featuring in adverts and campaigns in the build

up. Not many doubt her inclusion, but it was a relief for the

teenager to get the confirmation. qualified in four individual events

but it is always nice to know officially on paper that you have

qualified, and it is really exciting to know that loads of

people will be cheering the one at home. Beijing was my first

Paralympics and I hope just to enjoy the experience, but here it

will be amazing being a home games. I'm really excited. Bridgend's

Rhiannon Henry has also made the team and two other while swimmers,

Liz Johnson and Nyree Kindred, had been nominated for a place in

London and will know in June if they will take part -- Welsh

swimmers. In football, Wrexham take on

Conference leaders Fleetwood Town tonight. The Dragons are 11 points

behind their opponents in the table and need a draw for any chance of

automatic promotion. A place in the play-offs is guaranteed for the

Welsh side. Cardiff City remain in the final championship play-off

place after a one-all draw with Watford yesterday. Kenny Miller

scored his first goal in 16 games to put the Bluebirds in front just

before half-time. Watford equalised late in the second half to deny

Cardiff all three points. A hundred years after the Titanic

set sail on her doomed voyage, a special ceremony has taken place in

North Wales to honour one of those who helped save passengers from the

freezing water. Harold Godfrey Lowe famously portrayed by the actor

Ioan Gruffudd in the blockbuster film, lived in Deganwy. His

grandson has been speaking to Wales Today, and as Cemlyn Davies reports,

he isn't the only Welshman with linked to the right -- to the line-

Heroic deeds on at 100 years ago on. For 13 years, this house in Deganwy

was home to Commander Harold Godfrey Lowe, 5th officer of RMS

Titanic, and the only crew member who returned to the sinking ship to

look for survivors. A second plaque will be unveiled in his other home

town of Barmouth on Sunday in recognition of his determination

and courage. He collected four life boats together, tied them together,

then after a while, he thought, go back. I have always held him in

great esteem, but now, he is getting some recognition for it, it

is even better. On Wednesday 10th April, 1912, in brilliant

sunshine... The Titanic set sail exactly a hundred years ago, her

destination New York. Five days later, she sank after hitting an

iceberg in the North Atlantic Ocean. More than 1500 people lost their

lives. The captain was one of them, Edward John Smith has been judged

in some quarters for not responding quickly enough as the disaster

unfolded. This is Margaret Smith, my great great grandmother, who is

related to the captain of Titanic. Captain Smith's great-great nephew

is an archaeologist in Aberystwyth. He insists any criticism is unfair.

The realisation that the ship wasn't as good as they promised and

it was going to sink, and they knew there would enough lifeboats, must

have been a horrible experience. What kind of pressure did he find

himself under? He knew he couldn't say they have -- everyone will do

everything he needed so it is more important to think about how he

felt on the night he died. Are you a proud distant relative? Of course

I am a proud relatives. One of those believed to be the last to

see Captain Smith before he died was first class do-it- Edward Brown

from Holyhead, who survived and his great nieces have recently started

researching his time on the Titanic -- first-class steward. His hands

was swollen up and his feet worse work -- so swollen they burst

through his boots. When he was saved he was asked if he would like

to be taken home, to which he replied, yes. So he wrote the

lifeboat although he must have been in great pain. The story of the

Titanic is now a hundred years old but in parts of Wales the reaction

of some of those on board evoke as much pride as ever.

After the usual bank holiday washout, the weather seems to have

It has a bit. Among the backs of the River Taff this evening. It is

chilly here this evening -- I am on the banks, but it has been a dry

March and a couple of weeks ago I was telling you near this spot just

how low the river was, but since then, of course, it has all changed.

After yesterday's downpour river levels across Wales have been

topped up quite nicely. Over the next few days, rain is forecast,

and it will come along in the form of April showers. Some heavy

downpours likely in places, but I can promise you some dry and sunny

weather as well. Mind you, there is no sign of things warming up. In

fact if you are a gardener watch out for ground frost. Tonight there

will be some dry weather, the sky clear, but still shower clouds

around, some showers heavy especially near the coast, I

wouldn't rule out hailstones on the Cardigan Bay coast. The chilly

night, temperatures inland as low as two or three Celsius a watch out

for ground frost for example and Parts of Powys, the marches and

Monmouthshire. Tomorrow's chart shows low pressure over Britain

meaning unstable air, towering clouds and showers, and with the

air coming down from the north-west it certainly would be warm. So

tomorrow will feel quite chilly, some places starting off dry and

sunny, but there will be a few showers around from the word go,

and during the day more showers will brew up, and it could be heavy

with hail and thunder. Having said that, more of the country should

become dry and brighter with more sunshine later in the afternoon.

Top temperatures nothing special, 9-12 Celsius, 48-54 Fahrenheit with

a call West-north-westerly breeze, the wind quite gusty near the

heavier showers. Across the county have won it tomorrow expect some

showers, it could be heavy in places, I wouldn't rule out hail --

the county of Gwynedd, but later in the afternoon that county should be

dry and sunny, temperatures rising to 10 Celsius, 50 Fahrenheit. As

for the rest of the week, more of the same, really, sunshine and

April showers, some heavy in places, and golden up later in the week for

a bit of snow on the mountains, and still cold enough for a night for a

risk of ground frost in land. The best sunshine likely on the coast.

Last April was the warmest April in Wales foreign and reduced, but it

is a different story this April. The rest of the month looks cool

and unsettled -- the warmest April for 100 years. Let's hope the old

saying, March winds and April showers brings forth Mayflower's,

That leads us nicely to a top story, a former chief executive of Welsh

Water has told BBC Wales serious consideration should be given to

selling water over the border for profit, on the day that Severn

Trent, which supplies parts of Mid Wales, said it is planning to sell

water from boreholes in the Midlands to drought stricken parts

of England. Profession of Roger Falconer is from the water

engineering and Hydrology Department of Cardiff University.

How seriously should be looking at the idea of selling water across

the border? I suddenly think it is an opportunity for us in many

respects. If I was the chief executive of a company like Coca-

Cola and wanting to relocate my company in future, I would look

into areas with plenty of water resources available for my company,

and clearly, places like Hereford, for example, have good connections,

road connections, and we have plenty of water in Wales compared

to other parts of the UK, so I would find is attractive. We have a

gas and electricity network where we can pump services all over the

UK but we don't have a water network. It is too costly, really,

isn't it? Yes, a water network as such, the same way as gas, is very

expensive, but there are things we can do I think. There are a lot

Minis that match -- anomalies that moment. You will find in the south-

east of England where there are water shortages, they are paying a

lot less for water sewerage in the average household than we do in

Wales, almost �100 per year less than we do, which doesn't seem

right to me. Relatively speaking, we have lots of water in Wales, but

they have big water shortages in England, but up paying a lot less

than us. That doesn't stack up to me. -- are paying a lot less. In

terms of your specific point of the grid, one of the ways we can

address this problem is by looking more at into connectivity between

the bases. Professor, thank you. We will have an update for you here