17/03/2014 BBC Wales Today

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Welcome to Wales Today. Our top story.

Onwards and upwards - Cardiff Airport sees a 9% increase in

passengers since its take-over by the Welsh Government last year.

Tonight, we're airside to talk to passengers - can Cardiff Airport

really return to the glory days? Our other headlines.

Standing in the way of emergency crews - the big increase in attacks

on firefighters. Lessons in tax and APR - do we need

to better prepare ourselves for handing money in the real world?

Good evening. In tonight's sport. And how to deliver more players like

this - the Welsh Rugby Union's plan to inspire children to stick with

rugby in school. Good evening. It's take off at

Cardiff Airport. Tonight, new figures show a rise in the number of

passengers since it was bought by the Welsh Government for ?52 million

a year ago. The figures, obtained exclusively by BBC Wales, reveal the

number of people using the airport went up by more than 9% between

April last year and February this year. That means more than a million

passengers using the airport, compared to 942,000 the year before.

Here's our business correspondent Brian Meechan.

Millions of pounds are being spent on a make over at Cardiff airport.

BBC will has been given exclusive access. But well facilities are

important and -- success is based on what people Winter Bay. We use it

quite regularly. It could do with being a bit bigger. Maybe more

accessible. The Welsh government says the increase in passengers

proves it was the right decision to buy the airport. The figures confirm

what we always thought, that the Borders have a future in the right

hands. This is a new carrier operating from here. It is one of

the reasons Cardiff is attracting more passengers flying to an

increasing number of destinations. But there is still a lot of ground

to make up to reach the peak of over 2 million seven years ago. These

passengers arrived from Amsterdam this afternoon. We only live five

minutes away. Things are improving greatly. Cardiff is now flying to

more than 40 destinations from Barcelona to Barbados, but experts

say there are challenges ahead. One of the key things Cardiff airport

can do is to reinforce a local brand identity and that can take a number

of forms but one of the things we are seeing across the country is

that people don't have a good word to say about airport. They are

something you have to do in doing rather than enjoy. If Cardiff can

articulated a local brand identity, that would be potentially very

useful. That is what Liverpool has done with the John Lennon airport

and the Scottish airport -- government has followed the Welsh

league, buying an airport. The decision to buy the airport was not

universally welcomed. Considering that the trend and fortunately for

the airport was down, down, down, nine present is to be welcomed but

it is nowhere near where the figures were before. We welcome any growth

at Cardiff airport. We are keen it should be a proper international

airport but that does mean proper investment. It has also got to be

transparent. After years of decline, the airport may be back on the right

course but the real question is whether it can continue to grow back

to its peak of 2 million passengers. And Brian Meechan is at the airport

tonight. This is an example of some of the

work that is being done here. Contractors will be working until

10pm tonight trying to get ready with the new departure hall which is

going to be opened towards the end of this week. There is also the cafe

where passengers can come and have a copy before they fly off somewhere.

85,000 passengers have, more passengers have flown from Cardiff

since the Welsh government has bought it. Let's talk to the Chief

Executive. How has this increase come about? It has come about after

whipping with existing airlines and new airlines. We have seen growth

from existing carriers. -- working with. We have seen growth across

that but we have also been working with new airlines. They have been

growing. And we have added services with them to Glasgow, Edinburgh,

with improved frequency for the business travellers. We have also

been working hard on the facilities. And also some of these services.

Wi-Fi is free. The trolleys are free. Do you think this is

sustainable? Absolutely. It is a small start but we have got much

more to do. But we have got a clear plan and a strategy. We want to

recover our position, back to those 2 million passengers that we had a

few years ago and beyond that as well. Very quickly, will we see

transatlantic flights? I think in the longer term we will see some

potential long haul flights. The US is a possibility, the Middle East.

Those are going to be targets as we move forward. That is the message

from the airport. These increases are something that is being welcomed

by many people, including in the political spectrum, but there is

still a lot more work to do. Around 24 firefighters are dealing

with a large grass fire near Merthyr Tydfil. The fire, near the

Reservoir, has been burning for several hours and has spread around

six miles. South Wales Fire Service says it's being driven by high

winds. Our reporter, Nick Palit, is there with the latest.

You can probably see what you think is a dark cloud. That is not a storm

cloud but smoke coming from the blaze. We could not get to the site.

It is inaccessible. But they have been fighting the fire since

mid-morning. They have been hampered by strong winds and they say it has

stretched over a vast area of grassland. Earlier I went up to the

site and spoke to the incident commander, Matt Jones. There is a

fire front which is measuring between eight and ten kilometres

which has been burning for five hours. We have had a number of

resources dealing with the incident but our main priority is to stop the

fire getting into the forestry and protect the habitat. Do we know if

this fire might have been started deliberately?

At the moment it is too early to speculate. But on this weekend

alone, they have tackled 54 fires and many of those were started

deliberately. Standing here, the heavy smell of smoke hangs heavy in

the air. It is so strong. And there are at least four other smaller

fires like this so it is certainly this time of year when people get

out into the wilderness and fires are either started accidentally or

maliciously. When this happens, it takes their resources away from what

they need to be doing and it could put lives at risk because they may

not be able to save people in burning houses and buildings.

This fire has come on the day that the Fire Service has been warning

that they are increasingly come under attack when they get called

out. South Wales Fire and Rescue Service says it's seen a 16%

increase in the number of incidents in less than two years. Caroline

Evans reports now on what they're doing to tackle what they see as a

worrying trend. This was bonfire night. The Fire

crews called up over fears this bonfire was getting out of hand say

they were confronted by a gang of youths who blocked their path. They

took the decision to retreat and were unable to deal with the fire.

It was one of the cruise from this fire station that was called up that

night. Today, I was told how such incidents are becoming more common.

There is an upward trend in firefighters coming under attack and

we are trying to raise awareness with the community to nip this in

the bud and prevent it from happening. Only last night, we had a

crew come under attack and they were prevented from going to an incident

in the Blackwood area. And on Friday evening, our crews were verbally

abused. This is a worrying trend and we are trying to do all we can in

conjunction with our partners the police to prevent this happening.

This is how the fire service is taking steps to combat the problem.

We have a camera in the front and there is a camera there to capture

one side and there is also a camera yet to capture the driver's side.

There is also one at the rear to capture anything that happens from

the rear. So you can see right the way around? It gives us a 360

capture of anything that goes on around the engine. All fire engines

are now fitted with these cameras and they are now using DNA

technology to. Sergeant Mike Adams has been seconded to the fire

service to help investigations. One of the tools I have with them is

these swabs which I can use to swap their hands or their clothing,

defending on whether they have been spat at, resealed, and it can be

analysed frenziedly. If the person is known to the police, their name

will be on the system and they can be identified. -- forensic league.

As we were filming the station, the fire engine got a call-out. It is

what they are trained for and despite the risks something they

would rather face than hostility from -- people they go to help.

Following these events, one person has been prosecuted and two people

are expected to appear in court charged in connection with the

incident. A leading Conservative MP says he

thought allegations that the Swansea born MP Nigel Evans had sexually

assaulted a young man were out of character. Michael Fabricant, the

vice chairman of the Conservative Party, told Preston Crown Court he

first heard accusations against the former Commons Deputy Speaker in

2009. Mr Evans denies rape, indecent assault and sexual assault.

A female teacher from Newport has admitted a series of sexual offences

against a teenage pupil. 26-year-old Kelly Ann-Marie Burgess, seen here

in the brown coat, appeared before magistrates at North Somerset

Courthouse in Weston-Super-Mare. She admitted sexual activity with a boy

aged 16 and 17 last year. The offences took place in north

Somerset when Burgess was in a position of trust in relation to the

boy. A choir director who was unfairly

dismissed from her job with St.Giles' Church in Wrexham has been

awarded substantial compensation. Jacqui Blore was made redundant last

August and many choir members went on strike in protest. The church

council had been accused of failing to follow the correct procedure in

dismissing Ms Blore. An escalating row between the Welsh

and UK governments is casting doubt over who will pay for a major

upgrade to the railways in South Wales. First Minister Carwyn Jones

says the Prime Minister told him the UK government will fund the

electrification of the main line to Swansea and the Valleys Lines. But

the UK government insists ministers in Cardiff had agreed to bear the

costs of electrifying the Valleys Lines. Let's talk to our political

reporter. Dan, explain the background to this? The first

Minister was at pains to say that the Welsh economy is moving in the

right direction but to keep that momentum going he says we need to

invest in the railways, in particular the Valleys Lines. The

railways that serve commuters coming in and out of Cardiff. There is a

commitment to a commitment to an electrified those lines by 2024. The

first Minister said that is not devolved, the UK government needs to

pay. He says the Prime Minister has told him that the UK government will

fund that electrification. The UK government says it has an agreement

dating back to 2012 on how this will be funded. If you are not fully

familiar with the jargon of the railway industry, understanding that

agreement is a little bit difficult but the first Minister is clear this

is the UK government's responsibility and they need to find

the net traffic. It always is a big question about a big project. I have

seen an exchange of letters from the summer of 2012 between the UK

government's then Transport Secretary, she says to the Welsh

government there is a deal. The Welsh Secretary David Jones, I have

spoken to him this afternoon, it is fair to say he is very angry. He

says Carwyn Jones has an agreement with the UK government on funding

all of this and he can't back out of it now. There have been rows between

this place and Westminster before about things like how much power

does the assembly have but this one is different. All sides agree this

is a hugely important project to the economy but on the crucial issue of

who is going to cough up and make it happen, they are miles apart

tonight. Much more to come before seven

o'clock. How much time should schools devote

to teaching personal finance? According to one Assembly Member,

more than they are at the moment. Plaid Cymru says a survey it has

carried out shows big variations in the time schools across Wales spend

on the subject. The party wants changes but the Welsh Government

insists that isn't necessary. Here's Roger Pinney.

Getting to know your VAT from your APR. And getting it wrong can prove

costly. Should schools put more effort into giving pupils at least a

grasp of it all? At this school, they seem to be doing more than

most, according to figures obtained by Plaid Cymru. But the head of

maths once studied accountancy. Today, this class of 16-year-olds

was learning about taxation. That is part of the curriculum. What about

the rest of it? Why do you think taxation is important to

understand? I believe that in the future it will help us control what

we do with our money. When you take a loan out, if you can't pay it

back, people get into more difficulty. I think it is very

important that they understand more about what is facing them when they

leave school, when they leave college. From a personal point of

view, when I left school and went to university, I had no idea what was

ahead of me with regards to student loans and credit cards and

everything was available for me. Here students also have a say in the

running of the school canteen by budgeting and price setting. Top

marks for the school. But according to Plaid Cymru, the teaching of

personal finance is patchy across Wales even though it is part of the

national curriculum. One of its Assembly Members is introducing a

bill calling for more effort. But teachers warn of adding to a more --

already congested timetable. By putting it into various subject

areas and planning, it is very important and it can be done. What

is happening at the moment is that it is very sporadic across Wales and

teachers want to see more investment in this subject, considering that

they are the future of Wales. We need the Welsh economy to develop

and unless our young people have the skills, they will not be able to

achieve that. But how should it be done? The Welsh government says more

bureaucracy is not the answer. Before the sport, a quick word about

tomorrow. There's six months to go until Scotland goes to the polls in

the referendum on independence. I've been to Motherwell, a former coal

and steel town that has much in common with places like Ebbw Vale,

to find out wide independence is on the agenda there and not here. Much

more on that and what a Yes vote in Scotland might mean for us. That's

tomorrow nights' Wales Today. Rugby and football now. Here's

Claire. Good evening. I bring you news of

peace in European rugby. Tonight, we are on the verge of an agreement for

a new European Cup. The Six Nations Committee has been meeting in Paris

and are just putting final touches to the document that they are hoping

to officially sign this week. Our correspondent Gareth Lewis is here.

How optimistic are we? It looks like they will sign it this week. They

might have done it already. They have had a few problems translating

it into Italian, apparently. We know there will be more money for the

Welsh regions, ?1 million extra each season, and the Six Nations

committee will take up the running of the tournament. The clubs,

crucially, will have far more say on commercial matters. It will bring to

an end to years of bitter infighting that England clubs started by

breaking away. Wales's clubs got on board as well. At one point there

was discussion of an Anglo Welsh league. The region is pitted against

the Welsh Rugby Union. Also, the TV deal now looks sorted as well. Sky

and BT have different deals for different European competitions.

There is only one European cup on the table now and they look to have

found an agreement to broadcast it. It does look like we are moving

forward. What does it mean for the regions? More many, but it will be

more difficult to qualify. The top tier European cup will be smaller,

only 20 teams, and only seven from the Pro12. As it stands, the Ospreys

will qualify as the top Welsh side, because the topside from each

country will go through, and the three others will go through -based

Julie on merit. Currently, we would have the Ospreys and the Scarlets in

a top tier competition and the Blues and the Dragons in the second year.

Let's hope they find an Italian translator.

The Welsh Rugby Union has announced plans which it hopes will keep more

teenagers playing the game into adulthood. At the moment, almost a

third of children who play junior rugby give it up by the age 14. But

the WRU now wants schools to play a bigger role in keeping them

involved. Ashleigh Crowter reports. Their enthusiasm is infectious and

their skills are not bad either. The year rate team from Newport high

school enjoys a new experience this afternoon, playing a touring side

from the United States. Rugby plays a key role in the life of the school

and these pupils will be given every chance to play it as they get older.

It is the sort of model the Welsh Rugby Union would like to see

repeated at schools all across the country. We get full access to kids

in school and they can get too close. At school every kid is

willing to play. It is important to us. I think they cherish that. The

number of children playing junior rugby in Wales has never been

higher. By the age of 14, 30% have dropped out of the sport. That is

leaving many clubs short of players at youth and adult level. But this

man wants to change all that. Former England World Cup winner, Josh

Lewsey, is now the WRU's head of rugby, responsible for all levels

apart from the national team. He spent the first hundred days in the

job reviewing the grassroots game and has already identified schools

rugby as a key part of this plan. Already we have got some cracking

examples where the guys combined together, the school and the club

shady facility and a session, and that sort of connection is only a

good thing. He also wants to create a more awkward unaided youth rugby

calendar so that schools and clubs are not fighting for players at the

same time. -- a more coordinated. Wales have two nominees, captain Sam

Warburton and Talupe Faletau, on a 16-man list for the Six Nations

player of the tournament. Wales are waiting for news on the captain. The

25-year-old is being assessed after hurting his shoulder in the dying

seconds of their Six Nations win over Scotland on Saturday. It's

understood he dislocated his shoulder and could need surgery,

which would mean he misses Wales' summer tour to South Africa.

Team-mate Leigh Halfpenny has already been ruled out. He had

surgery on Friday after dislocating his shoulder in the defeat to

England. He Tweeted this picture to tell fans he was recovering well.

Football, and after losing at the weekend, fans of both our Premier

League sides are gearing up for a real fight as we approach the end of

the season. Cardiff City were 90 seconds from a vital point when

Everton scored the winner. They have eight games left and as things stand

are 19th in the table. Swansea City's defeat to West Brom leaves

them 14th on 29 points. They have nine games left to ensure their

survival. Some lovely sunshine over the

weekend. Derek, is it going to last? This March is turning out much

better than last March, which was bitterly cold with ice, frost and

snow. There's more dry weather to come this week. A few showers as

well with rain on Thursday. The wind picking up with a drop in

temperature on Friday. Tonight, mostly dry. Just a few spots of

drizzle. Plenty of cloud and a mild night. Tomorrow, a cold front will

move east, bringing some rain and showers. Most of the rain in the

north and with more isobars over the UK the wind will be stronger than

today. Here's the picture for 8.00am in the morning. Some places dry but

there will be showers around. Breezy, especially on the coast. The

wind strongest in the northwest. So, a few showers tomorrow but most

places should become dry in the afternoon. Just one or two showers

in the north. The cloud breaking with a little sunshine at times. Top

temperatures between nine and 12 Celsius with a westerly breeze. In

the Vale of Glamorgan, you may catch a shower in the morning, otherwise

dry. Windy on the coast with a high of 11 Celsius in Barry and Penarth.

Tomorrow night will be dry but late in the night low cloud may bring a

little drizzle in Snowdonia. A breezy night with temperatures well

above freezing. Mixed fortunes on Wednesday. Some low cloud and hill

fog in the south and west. Spots of drizzle. Elsewhere will be dry with

the best of the sunshine and highest temperatures in the northeast.

Thursday may start dry but a cold front will move southeast during the

day, bringing a spell of rain. So, turning wet and windy with some

heavy rain. On Friday, rain first thing will clear followed by drier,

colder weather. Sunshine and scattered showers. A drop in

temperature on Friday. In fact, it looks like we're in for a chilly

weekend with showers. Snow possible on the mountains with a risk of

frost. Our picture tonight is from Warren Kovach. Legend says St

Patrick founded this church at Llanbadrig on Anglesey. I've been

there and it's well worth a visit. And I's headlines from the BBC.

America and the European Union have announced shank shins against senior

Russian officials. -- sanctions. It follows yesterday's disputed

referendum. New figures show a 9% rise in the

number of passengers using Cardiff airport since it was bought by the

Welsh government for ?52 million a year ago.

And the emergency services have been dealing with a large grass fire near

Merthyr Tydfil tonight. The blaze has been burning for several hours

and has spread around six miles. X-Ray's on in half an hour. Here's

Rhodri with a preview. Tonight we will be telling you about

the consumers who ran their phone company and got put through to

scammers. I will be meeting the man who can't get his wheelchair into

his disabled bathroom. And Lucy is in Llandudno asking why we pay so

much in booking fees. All that and more at 7:30pm.

I'll have an update for you here at eight o'clock and again after the

BBC News at ten. That's Wales Today. Thank you for watching. From all of

us on the programme, good evening.