16/01/2013 BBC Wales Today

Welcome to Wales Today. Tonight's headlines.

Aiming for sweet success but claims businesses cannot get the help they

need from banks. Now a review to see if they are lending enough.

There is a lot of talk about borrowing. It is definitely not

Also tonight. A court is told of the sheer

stupidity of a man who drove his 4x4 to the summit of Snowdon, twice.

The construction industry in decline. A warning 30,000 workers

will have lost their jobs in 10 years. There are not many glimmers

of hope. Profit will probably a non-existent word in the industry.

Singing to stop the cuts. One of our greatest composers fears they

could make music tuition the preserve of the rich.

In tonight's sport. Can Swansea City do it again at the

Emirates, but this time knock There are concerns this evening

that banks are not lending enough. A review is being set-up to look at

whether banks are lending as much as they should to Welsh companies.

Business Minister Edwina Hart says firms are telling her the money is

not coming through. There has been pressure on banks to support

companies to help the economy grow. Chocolates being made in Denbigh. A

string of other shops like this could have opened across Software's

had the owner realised his dream. The message from the bank was clear.

The answer was No. There was no real business relationship with

them. You just do not think about asking them any more. Many others

seem to have similar opinions. They say the banks are reluctant to help

them grow. They are happy that we are running schemes. The reality is

it is hard because there are not getting the money they require.

Last August the Bank of England and Chancellor came together to launch

a scheme to ease up cash for firms to expand. The aim was to increase

banks' loans by a roughly �60 billion. The British Bankers

Association says it welcomes the initiative by Edwina Hart and we do

all it can to help. It also points out that eight out of 10

applications by businesses for loans from the banks are granted.

Many smaller businesses are not applying because they think they

were not get one. The answer has always been no so we do not bother

now. Experiences like this will be fed into the research to highlight

any barriers. Certain banks have blacklisted certain sectors.

Tourism makes up 10% of the Welsh economy. If we see less money going

into the tourism sector then businesses will be at a

disadvantage. These chocolates may not seem to be at the heart of the

economy of Wales but it is about the issue of whether banks are

holding many bank. I'm joined now by Jonathan Good

from Barclays, one of the biggest lenders in Wales. We heard Mark

Young in Sarah's report saying that he and many others wouldn't even go

to a bank to try and get a loan because they feel there's no chance

of getting one. What do you think when you hear that? Our bank

realised there is a lack of confidence. We have seen a 25%

decrease in applications from pre- recession days. There is an issue

of the lack of demand and confidence in the economy. A we do

want to loan the money. The mentioned the guarantee schemes. We

have been involved in the funding for lending scheme. We have been

part of other government schemes as well. We have been part -- involved

with the Welsh government scheme for investment. That has been a

used to support small, medium and micro businesses across the country.

There is definitely a perception that you have not been granting

loans? The current year lend, sanction a 80% of all our

applications. We work closely with businesses to make sure the

applications are strong. That is the key thing. We have seen a did

cent success rate with the applications we are reviewing. But

we are seeing a drop in consumer demand. What would you say to the

review? We welcomed the review. Anything that can support the Welsh

economy is good news. They will be working to help support that. If

there is anything, I would say to businesses please come and talk to

us or your local bank because banks do want to lend money. I think your

phone will be red hot tomorrow morning.

The trial of a man accused of twice driving a vehicle up Snowdon, once

to the summit itself, has gone ahead in his absence. Craig

Williams from Cheltenham in Gloucestershire denies two charges

of dangerous driving. A four by four parked just 100 yards short of

the summit of Snowdon. Driving the vehicle there was an act of sheer

stupidity, the jurors were told. The Act could have had a horrendous

consequences. The court heard Craig Williams did not do it once but

twice. The second time he went to the top. The vehicle was parked

alongside the cafe. The jury was told there were a couple of

possible routes. One was along the path and the other would use part

of the track of the mountain railway. Williams -- and at. Some

tyre tracks were seen along the track and some damage. Mike Roberts,

a hut and safety officer on the railway said he spoke to Craig

Williams the day the vehicle was brought down the mountain. He said

he seemed apologetic and had not realised the implications of his

actions. Craig Williams pictured here was not in court today. He

denies a couple of charges of dangerous driving. The second time

the vehicle was taken up the mountain, the jury heard, a sign

was left on it. It said "I made it to the summit". The case continues.

Jobs at Wales' 28 Blockbuster stores are under threat as the DVD

rental firm becomes the latest UK High Street chain to go into

administration. It has 528 stores across the UK and employs more than

4,000 staff. Administrators say the stores will keep trading while they

try to find a buyer. Schools in the bottom two

performance bands will be offered an extra �10,000 each to help

improve standards. A total of 84 secondary schools could benefit.

Education Minister Leighton Andrews says they will have to submit

action plans, with targets, before being given the extra money.

Questions have been raised about the Assembly's power to legislate

on recovering the costs of asbestos related treatment. The Association

of British Insurers told the Assembly's health committee that

the Bill's purpose was to raise revenue and was therefore outside

the competency of the Assembly. The Labour backbencher Mick Antoniw

said it was not to create a law that would enable the NHS to

recover costs of treating asbestos sufferers.

A 32-year-old man has gone on trial accused of the murder of a

vulnerable 68-year-old pensioner who was fatally stabbed in the

communal hall of the flats where he lived. Defendant William Jones is

said to be out looking for his girlfriend and a man he thought she

was with when he attacked Peter Lewis who opened his front door

last April. He has pleaded not guilty telling police he was

defending himself against a knife attack by Mr Lewis. Peter Lewis was

described as a vulnerable man with learning difficulties. He played an

active part in his community, a churchgoer and a champion for

others with learning difficulties. By contrast, the man accused of his

murder, William Jones, was said by the prosecution lawyer to be a

heroin addict who lived a chaotic life. It was April last year that

Paula worse was stabbed in the hallway of the flats by he lived in

Cardiff. Unable to move from the floor, he called for help, pressing

the button on his personal panic alarm. He told the operator a boy

came looking for someone called Dean and hit me. According to the

prosecution today, the defendant told police he was here on that

night. He was trying to buy Valium from his girlfriend with �10 he had

been given by his father. In fact, he had been out trying to find her

and a man she was with because he was jealous and planned to attack

him. The court heard in the early hours he had been out knocking

doors and ringing doorbells. He told police that when he came here

Peter Lewis had come out threatening him with a knife. He

said he grabbed it and must have stabbed him as he pushed him away.

He said he did not know the man had been injured until he saw it later

on the news. Peter Lewis was conscious when the police arrived

but died in hospital shortly after. A post-mortem examinations as the

cause of death was a stab wound to his abdomen. At Cardiff crown court

the jury was shown photographs of both men and told to compare them.

The prosecution lawyer said the idea that Peter Lewis, a God-

fearing man was armed and threatening the defendant was

ludicrous. He said it was William Jones that arrived with the knife.

When Peter Lewis challenge them, he had stabbed him deliberately. The

case continues. The true impact of the recession on

construction in Wales has been made clear in a new report. It says

there will continue to be job losses, and that the number of

workers will have shrunk by almost a quarter in the decade leading up

to 2017. But it claims there'll also be opportunities, mainly as a

result of the huge project to build a new nuclear power station on

Anglesey. Our business correspondent Nick Servini has been

looking at the findings. The finishing touches being made to a

care home in Carmarthenshire. We knew the sector had suffered.

Today's report by construction skills shows by how much. The

number of people working in the industry is expected to reach

80,000 over the next five years. That is below the pre-recession

peak. There was a 13% fall in output last year. The findings came

as no surprise to the man running this project. There are not many

glimmers of hope. A we now have to look to do a lot more for less.

Basically, look at the efficiencies of how you can run your company.

The market place is so competitive. Many in the industry says highly

competitive tendering are pushing prices down. The company behind

this care home have a thinnest a number of large projects. The work

in the pipeline is on a smaller scale. It had to let go around half

a dozen workers before Christmas. The challenge will be retaining the

rest of the workers over the next year. Any hope for is for

significant growth in Wales has been pinned on a new nuclear power

station which is planned on a site next to the existing Wylfa plant on

Anglesey. The report expects people to start feeling more confident in

their jobs, driving up rates by private sector housing. But it will

be another few years before these and other schemes taking. Until

then, the industry will face pressures. It has been called a

perfect stone. Last year we had a reduction in public expenditure

funding and also a lack of confidence in the private sector.

That is less money and ability to spend. Construction has suffered

more than most in recent years. Industry experts believe it still

Still to come tonight. Not everyone who wants to watch Wales Today is

able to. Winter is going to tighten its grip. Heavy snow and disruption

expected on Friday but not everywhere. Some places will have

One of the country's were celebrated composers, Karl Jenkins,

has criticised proposals by Newport Council to cut 40% of its music

budget. Newport is the latest authority to look at reducing its

service. But Karl Jenkins says any more cuts will permanently damaged

the cultural well-being of Wales. They have played all over the world

but this may be their most important concern yet. An alfresco

performance for Newport councillors during their lunch hour. These

young was Titian's at current and former members of the Gwent music

support service and they're here to protest at the proposed �200,000

budget cut. My friend asked to go on to music college and comes here.

I am not sure if we will be able to afford it. It might stop her

education. They on sad because we need lessons. That concerns one of

Wales's most celebrated composers, Karl Jenkins. He says further cuts

will be gained an irreversible decline in the cultural well-being

of Wales. Many of unpeople will be excluded from the opportunity of

making music. All learning, or having the opportunity to play an

instrument. Once you're on that road of cuts and depleted

opportunities for young people, it is impossible to reverse it.

isn't just young musicians in south-east Wales feeling the pinch.

There are no -- no council-funded music lessons in Powys or

Carmarthenshire. It has reduced its spending by and and �20,000.

Flintshire Kurt 100 sent his �7,000, 30% of its budget. -- hundred and

This concert band has been around for 50 years and their repertoire

doesn't lack ambition nor their ranks ability. Fewer young people

and training. His is a bit of a shame. I believe music for

youngsters is becoming slightly elitist and is for those people who

can afford to pay for instruments are lessons. That is a terrible

situation. Councils don't have to provide music service. Bupa says it

wants its service to becoming -- Newport council says it wants his

service to become self-funding. Before the ball to wishing could be

the difference between one day playing in front of him or filling

his issues. An MP has called on the UK

government to intervene in the royalties dispute between the group

that represents Welsh-language musicians and the BBC. The artists

want more money for their music. The row has led to Radio Cymru

losing the right to play around 30,000 songs. During Welsh

Questions, Plaid Cymru's Hywel Williams asked ministers to help

but the Wales Office says it is not a matter for them and is hopeful a

resolution can be found soon. The Prince of Wales company from

1st Battalion Welsh Guards have been marching through Carmarthen

today after six months in Afghanistan. More than 350 members

of the battalion have been training the African police and security

forces in Helmand Province. -- Afghan police. Three of them were

killed during the tour of duty including Lance Corporal Lee Davies

who was born in Carmarthen. An extra �5 million has been

provided to help protect homes from flooding. The money from the Welsh

Government will go towards existing projects aiming to reduce the risk

to homes and businesses. It comes as pupils from a school in

Denbighshire, which was cut off for two days in November's floods,

joined the thousands of children singing at a concert in Manchester

tonight. Some of them from Ysgol Esgob Morgan still aren't back in

their homes after the deluge. doesn't feel like home yet, it

still feels like a living in somebody else's home. It is not

that good, really. I feel as if I am sleeping somebody else's bed. It

is a good experience and is helping me to forget about the floods.

is a great concert to go to. For those children who have had that

experience of the past few months, this will be perfect for them.

If you are watching this then chances are you don't have a

problem receiving Welsh television channels unless you pay for the

privilege. But many people across Wales are only getting English

regional programmes after the digital switchover. One MP says the

situation is shambolic and has called on the UK government to try

to resolve the issue. Hundreds of channels to choose from but not

those made in Wales. Elwyn Dodd from Johnstown near Wrexham was

faced with the loss of Welsh TV stations when digital switchover

happened. He paid for a satellite receiver to overcome the problem

but says not everyone has the luxury of opting out of English

regional channels. I want to know what is going on locally. It is on

the exception you get any reference to us. We are due to get some

information. Unless we pay for it through Sky or through a digital

dish, we're not having it. Dodd's MP Susan Elan Jones has

asked the Wales Office minister to make broadcasting regulator Ofcom

and Digital UK to resolve the issue. Some committees can not receive the

full suite of digital channels most people receive. Most of these

problems are relatively straightforward to sort out but

where there are persistent problems I am more than happy to meet the

honourable lady and with the disorder UK. -- Digital UK. And it

is unacceptable. They are supposed to provide a proper television

service for Wales and it is not acceptable to say to people, you

can watch north-west television or Midlands television because they

don't live in either place. You should get English and Welsh

language television programmes. Digital TV reception from a

transmitter like this can be weakened by hills and mountains

blocking the signal or it may be losing out to a stronger signal

from transmitters which serve England. The picture for viewers he

is still unclear. Let's get the day's sports news now

with Claire. Good evening. It's another big

night for Swansea City fans. The Swans are at the Emirates Stadium

to face Arsenal in their FA Cup third-round replay. Manager Michael

Laudrup says despite the busy run of games, with just two defeat

since October his squad is strong enough to compete in three

tournaments. Michael Laudrup says he likes playing in London and with

four wins in five it is easy to understand why. Tonight another

chance to impress north of the capital at the Emirates, Arsenal's

home has been a happy hunting ground for Swansea. Their last

visit in the League saw them win 2- 0. I know we won them in the league

but I don't think we can come again. We can, maybe. Obviously they have

a good squad and they want to go on as well. It is a team that has and

one anything for the last many years. Has not won. They want to

win this trophy. And of the victory of the big clubs will be welcome

but many fans have one eye on next week's capital One clash against

Chelsea and a confidence among the squad is strong, it is something

Arsenal and struggling with. They don't want to exit the FA Cup at

this stage and now it is their only chance of silverware. I feel our

team will be very dangerous if we have full confidence. We are not

far from it but we need a positive result in a big game to be

completely confident. Crash in out of the FA Cup tonight will not be

the end of the world for Swansea, it will enable them to concentrate

on the leak and their bid for that Wembley final. It is -- has been a

busy REM but with just two defeat since October the Michael Laudrup

squad is proving it is strong enough to compete in three

tournaments. All the build-up starts on Radio Wales tonight.

Rugby - After the injury list got longer, a boost for Wales today.

The Ospreys have confirmed Ryan Jones, Ian Evans and Richard

Hibbard should all be fit for Wales's first Six Nations game

against Ireland on February 2nd. Today, Blues captain, South

African-born, Andries Pretorius, one of five uncapped players

included in the Wales squad, said he feels privileged to be picked

and is very happy to be playing here. I haven't been here for years,

I have been in the UK for seven years. It is my home. I can

understand that each person is different. This is where we like to

raise our kids. Timmy, this is home. There is no place I'd rather go. --

to me. Snooker. Mark Williams staged a

stunning comeback this after Newt beat fellow countrymen and friend

Matthew Stevens into the quarter- finals of the Masters snooker.

Williams was losing 4-1 frames at one stage but found some great form

to take the match 6-4. We're all on weather watch at the

moment but no-one more so that Derek. Keeping a close eye on

I can't go anywhere at the moment without somebody asking me if it is

going to snow. It is going to be a busy few days. Very busy on Twitter

today. It looks like some of us are foreign a dumping of snow on Friday,

enough to go sledging. Strong to gale force winds as well. Not

everywhere will have snow, some places will have plaint rain.

Tonight, cloudy with rain. Some of it like. Rain mostly for the west

coast. The dusting of snow in land. Lowest temperatures around the

minus Three degrees Celsius. Tomorrow, no surprises. Another

cold day in prospect. Cloudy as well with a little snow in places.

As we head in the West, rain or sleet is likely. Quite windy as

well on the coast. Plenty of cloud tomorrow with some rain, sleet or

snow. Most their patchy. Rain for the south-west of the West Coast,

like so for the Valleys. Temperatures plus one Celsius in a

Powys. Tomorrow night, the wind will strengthen and heavy rain will

reach Pembrokeshire by midnight and as this move further inland it will

fall as snow. There is a yellow and amber warning in force. In the

yellow warning it looks like five centimetres of snow is expected,

more on the hills. The amber area covers part of the south, the

Valleys, Powys and northern counties. Here, 10-15 centimetres

is expected. More on high ground. 25 centimetres or 10 inches

possible with bigger drifts. Blizzards and atrocious conditions.

Friday cold and windy. Not everywhere. Part of the south-west

coast, most are Pembrokeshire will have rain or sleep. Over the

weekend, the sleet and snow will ease with some fog and ice. Sunday

much drier but staying very much on Thank you. The main news again.

Their investigation has beginning to why a helicopter crashed in

London this morning killing the pilot and another person on the

ground. The helicopter hit a crane on a building site. There are

concerns high street banks and lending enough to small Welsh