08/01/2016 BBC Wales Today

they might be stirred. Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas. I like

your Welcome to Wales Today,

our top stories... Gavin Williams died as a result

of unofficial physical punishment - An inquest criticises

army officials. And why country life in Wales isn't

all its cracked up to be. Rural councils claim

they get a raw deal. "Inhuman and degrading" -

the words of the mother of Private Gavin Williams describing

an unofficial punishment that led A coroner found the army failed

to identify or prevent The 22 year old from Caerphilly

was ordered to undergo intensive He collapsed at Lucknow Barracks

in Wiltshire in 2006. A proud mother, a son who had found

direction by joining the Army but months after his passing out

parade, Gavin Williams was dead. Gavin's mother still haunted

by the images of what happened I was forced to look

at my son as he lay asleep, That was the worst

moment of my life. And I see that moment

in my head every single day. I know that the nature of that bee

sting was so inhuman, so degrading that it cannot be

tolerated in any civilised Gavin was involved in a series

of drunken incidents. Gavin's behaviour culminated

in a prank carried out here in the early hours

of the morning one week ending Guests staying here with a senior

officer were sprayed with a fire extinguisher in the early hours

of the morning and then Gavin turned His senior officer demanded Gavin

was brought in front of him A Corporal marched Gavin around

the camp on one of the hottest day of the years before one

of his colleagues took Gavin for a second punishing

exercise in the gym. Ordering extended physical exercise

like this as a punishment was known as beasting and it was

against Army rules. We're college there was a culture

of unofficial punishments We have already conducted an enquiry

and made in improvements Gavin collapsed when walking to this

medical centre for help. The coroner said there was a delay

in treating Gavin when he arrived. This CCTV shows his final hours,

taken by ambulance to Salisbury Ecstasy was found in his

blood when he died. Three men were acquitted

of manslaughter in 2008. Sergeant Paul Blake said Gavin had

not done excessive exercise Sergeant Russell Price took Gavin

for that second round of so-called beasting on the understanding

it was what his superiors wanted. He found himself the wrong side

of a system that senior officers should have known about

and should have stopped. His family have called the changes

that have been brought The M4 has been shut Eastbound

tonight between Junctions 35 Pencoed A woman has been taken

to the Princess of Wales Hospital in Bridgend after a vehicle left

the motorway and rolled 20 feet down Ahead of the next Assembly election

the Welsh Conservatives have pledged to re-open minor injury

units and halt plans They also say -

if they win power in May - they'd re-establish

care for complex births at Withybush Hospital

in Pembrokeshire. Rural councils say, they get a "raw

deal" after repeatedly being hit The body representing councils

is calling for a grant As our political correspondent

Daniel Davies reports, it's now the subject

of bargaining in Cardiff Bay. I wish you all a happy New Year

and a prosperous and more Brisk business at the livestock

market near Brecon this morning. A decent start to the New Year,

says the auctioneer, Local councils serving

the countryside face deep cuts It all puts pressure

on services and on council tax. You've seen quite a few

new cuts by the council They are cutting back

but the council tax is going up. We have not got a very

high standard of living, we have worked very hard

for the money we actually earn. In fact, among the 22 authorities,

the council here, Powys, faces the biggest budget cut

from the Welsh Government next year. There is 27 million pounds worth

of savings that have got to be It is really hard searching

where we are going to take Do you think that rural counties

like yours are getting a raw deal? Councils want up ?4.74 million

for the worst hit authorities. Powys, Ceredigion and Monmouthshire

face losing more than 3% Compare that to Cardiff,

which will get the smallest But even with those cuts,

funding per person will still be higher in rural Powys

and Ceredigion than in Cardiff. A better deal for rural Wales,

that is what the Conservatives and Plaid Cymru have called

for and the Liberal Democrats now say they will vote against the local

government settlement too. That is despite the Lib Dems

signing up to the overall It heaps more pressure

on the ministers in the Labour Party but has left the Lib Dems facing

accusations of hypocrisy. I am interested in securing

additional resources I will leave the name calling

to them and I will continue to press the Welsh Government and make

the case for additional resources. It is being haggled over

but the opposition say as things stand, they will vote down

these funding plans. Ministers are talking to them

and say they will reflect Councils want a new formula

to hand-out the funding, one they say that is not

squeeze rural authorities. Rugby and Leinster have climbed

to the top of the pro 12 tonight after beating the Ospreys at home

at the Liberty Stadium. Dave Kearney's second

try securing the 22 - The weekend weather now

Derek's got the forecast. Good evening. A little sunshine this

weekend but more rain and heavy showers on the way. Two flood

warnings and six flood watches in force. Rain in the North clears,

elsewhere dry except a few showers. Mist and fog forming. The breeze

picks up in the south and west with temperatures inland three Celsius.

Tonight morning, the breeze picks up lifting any mist and fog. Showers

spreading northwards, heavy in places but it will brighten up with

glimpses of sunshine. Across the rest of the UK, an icy start for the

North, bands of showers spreading northwards in the day, the rain is

heavy in places, some brighter spells with snow likely in parts of

Scotland and not just on high ground. Cold and windy in Scotland

tomorrow and every three Celsius in Glasgow. In Wales, we do have a

warning in force for parts of the South and West. Heavy rain, 1050

millimetres in places in a short space of time. Wet tomorrow

afternoon, the risk of surface water flooding. Breezy on the south and

west coast with top temperatures eight to 11 Celsius. Some dry

weather in Chepstow but more rain expected. Sunday, a cold day, breezy

with sunshine and showers. Snow is likely on the hills and mountains.

Next week, turning colder, Arctic winds bringing sunshine and showers.

The snow on the hills and mountains. That's Wales Today -

have a great weekend. From all of us on the

programme good evening.