07/02/2014 BBC Wales Today

50 years on, it is still being felt. That's all

Good evening. 650 workers at a bakery in pupil to

have been told their jobs are under threat. The company have lost a

multi-million pound contract with Marks Spencer. It says it is

looking for new work but the future of the site is in doubt.

Workers clocking in four shifts today heard the bad news, that their

biggest contract had been lost. They had been told redundancies could

begin as April. For more than 25 years, workers have made and

decorated cakes here. Now, the site and 650 jobs are in question. The

contract amounts to 85% of its business, making a range of cakes

for their stores. Losing it could be devastating. I am on a temporary

contract, on the verge of being taken on full-time, but that is a

knock to me now. I cannot see it happening. We do products for Tesco,

Sainsbury's, and we have recently received a large contract with

Alfie, but to try to make up 85% of the incoming business will be really

hard. The company is owned by the large food group based in

Birmingham. It says most of the workers are now at risk of losing

their jobs and it is a huge setback to its cakes business, but it adds

it is doing everything it can to attract new customers. I have had an

assurance that the officials would do every thing they can to help, but

I do not know where they will get orders from, the managers have

assured me they are looking for new orders. It would be perfect if Marks

Spencer changed their mind, but I cannot see it happening. All jobs

are important, we need jobs in South Wales. But yes, these jobs, five or

ten years ago, replaced the old industrial jobs, and they are really

important, the money feeds into the local economy. The work is skilled

and relatively low paid, employees thought business was going quite

well. They are a good workforce, they are solid, they performed very

well, they had a lot of praise at Christmas, they did a lot of work.

This is a shock to them. It is out of the blue. The harsh reality is

that Marks Spencer will in future get its cakes supplied by a firm in

Oldham. In a statement, it says it was part of its work to further

improve the quality of its food supply chain. The consultation

period begins, workers can only hope that new orders can be won. The news

that the contract had been lost came as a complete shock to the 650

workers as they turned up for work today. Now, the whole future of this

plant is in question, unless the managers manage to find other

customers. A preliminary investigation for

murder and possession of drugs is under way following the death of a

woman from Swansea who was on holiday in Bulgaria. Nina Holmes

from Gorseinon collapsed in Borovets on Sunday. The Foreign Office has

said it is providing help to her family.

Clinics will be held by Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board

for patients and their relatives who want to voice concerns about

standards of care. It follows a public meeting last week where calls

were made for the health board's Chief Executive to stand down.

The Labour assembly member Keith Davies has called for the immediate

suspension of the Chief Executive of Carmarthenshire county council, this

comes after a report found that certain payments made to Mark James

were unlawful. The council has criticised the report.

An ?850 million tidal lagoon which would generate energy from the ebb

and flow of the tide in Swansea Bay is being submitted for approval. If

it goes ahead, it would initially create 2000 jobs.

It could cover a quarter of Swansea Bay, from the dock every year, east

to wear the University's new science campus is being built. 16 turbines

would be placed in a concrete lot to catch the world's second highest

tide. If the scheme is approved, power could be produced for up to 16

hours a day. The first lagoon needs a kick-start, but it is about

launching an industry. The lagoons after the first one, their price

will be cheaper than nuclear power and will last for 120 years. The

money is there to build it, we now need to achieve the correct subsidy

level from the British government. To generate cleaner power, tidal

lagoon power is asking for government subsidy of around 30

years. Last year, EDF energy secured ?92 50 per megawatt hour of energy

after 2023. Large solar parks will attract government support of ?120

per megawatt hour. Wind farms on land typically are offered ?95. Wind

turbines at to see are in a higher bracket for the power they generate,

?155. Offshore wind is the nearest comparison to the proposed tidal

goon at Swansea, the developers are asking for a strike price of between

155 and ?164. But some claim this scheme will produce energy which

will be far more expensive. The Swansea Bay lagoon is fine for

Swansea Bay, but it is 1500 football pitches in size. You would need 50

of them to generate a fraction of the power of the Severn barrage.

Swansea and Neath Port Talbot councils have three months to offer

an opinion. The planning Inspectorate will look at the

proposal for up to a year. The decision will rest with a JV, the

energy minister in Westminster. Rugby, Wales under 20s took on

Ireland tonight, winning 16-0. The women's team lost to Ireland, 6-14.

A close match for the ospreys. This weekend marks the 50th

anniversary of BBC Wales. Before 1964, he was here shared a local

service with the West of England. A broadcasting revolution saw the

creation of a uniquely Welsh television service.

There are plenty of challenges ahead, when you think of digital,

social media, BBC Wales, like every part, will be to adapt and evolve,

but the notion that Wales deserves its own media service, that can deal

with Wales on its own terms, in our own language, that is hugely

important, and it will endure. The next big Atlantic storm is coming

in, rain and wind have been increasing.

It is time to batten down the hatches again, the next Atlantic

storm is on our doorstep, heading towards Ireland. Met Office warnings

are in force, one for heavy rain, one for severe gales is that

counties -- in southern counties for tomorrow. We have to be prepared for

more flooding and disruption. I would not be surprised if there are

if you power cuts. But and windy at the moment. The rain is clearing two

showers overnight, strong to gale force wind, temperatures stay above

freezing. An intense area of low pressure over Ireland tomorrow. Some

places start off dry in the morning, but rain and showers will spread

across the country. Heavy rain accompanied by strong to gale force

winds. Across the rest of the UK, rain in the far north-east will

slowly clear, some dry weather and sunshine, but plenty of rain and

showers circulating around the area of low pressure over Ireland. Heavy

rain, snow on the hills and mountains, and strong to severe gale

force wind in the south and West. That goes for Wales, very windy

tomorrow afternoon, severe gales are -- on exposed parts of the South and

West coasts. Hale and thunder possible. It is a similar story

tomorrow night, very windy and wet at times. Further heavy showers.

Sunday will continue windy. It turns dry later in the day. If you sunny

intervals. The wind slowly eases. More rough weather on the way. Some

big waves in the south-west. Still a risk of flooding in parts of the

South and West Coast. Monday is, , with sunshine, but it will not last,

another low pressure will bring more rain and strong wind by cheese day.

Have a great weekend. Despite the weather. Enjoy the rugby and

football if you can. We will have updates on the weather

situation over the weekend. We are back just after 1pm tomorrow. Good

night, goodbye.