27/01/2016 BBC Wales Today

Welcome to Wales Today.

Tonight's headlines: The grandparents of a disabled

teenager who needs round-the-clock care win a legal challenge

to the so-called bedroom tax.

And Gwent Police's Chief Constable tells us a significant number

of his staff have left the force for higher-paid jobs.

Good evening.

The family of a disabled teenager from Pembrokeshire have

won their legal battle against the so-called bedroom tax.

Paul and Susan Rutherford care for their 16-year-old grandson,

Warren, who has an extremely rare chromosome disorder.

Court of Appeal judges have ruled that it's discriminatory

to reduce their housing benefit for having what was deemed to be

a spare room.

Matt Murray reports.

Warren is unable to walk, talk or feed himself.

He suffers from a rare chromosome disorder and needs 24-hour care.

That's down to his grandparents to provide.

Paul Rutherford and his wife Sue look after Warren around the clock

in this specially adapted three-bedroom bungalow.

With Paul's health getting progressively worse,

carers stay overnight at the house in Clynderwen.

But under the so-called "bedroom tax", this is a spare room,

and that means a cut in housing benefit for the Rutherfords who say

the room is essential.

It just wouldn't be a viable proposition at all.

We wouldn't be able to have the help with Warren if we were in a smaller

property and, without the help, we can't look after him.

Paul showed me around the bungalow to demonstrate how every

bit of space in this property is utilised.

The UK Government's aim is to encourage people to move

to smaller properties and save around ?480 million a year

from the housing benefit bill.

But today the Court of Appeal ruled that the so-called bedroom tax

is "unlawful", ruling in favour of the Rutherfords and a seperate

case of a single mum who relied on a panic room to protect her

from a violent ex-partner.

What these rulings mean, effectively, is that members of two

distinct groups have been unlawfully discriminated against.

So those are severely disabled children who need night-time care,

children like Warren, also, a smaller group of female victims

of domestic violence who have faced such threats that their properties

have to be strengthened and secured.

A spokesman for the Department for Work and Pensions say

they fundamentally disagree with the court's ruling and have

already been granted permission to appeal to the Supreme Court.

They say they know there will be people who need extra support.

That is why they are giving local authorities more than ?870 million

in extra funding over the next five years - to help ensure people

in difficult situations don't lose out.

But that's little comfort to Paul and he lives in fear of having

to move if the money stops.

We're relying on the council saying, OK, they are a deserving case,

they should get some money.

If the government decides not to give the council that money any

more, or the council finds that there is more pressing needs

for that money, we're not go to get it.

While the UK Government plan to appeal, Paul says he will fight

this for Warren every step of the way.

How much should new police officers be paid?

It's a question being asked by Gwent Police's chief constable,

who says a significant number have left the force for higher-paid jobs.

The starting salary for a Police Constable

is between ?19-22,000 - slightly less than a newly-qualified

teacher.

Paul Heaney has more.

This is Gareth O'Reilly's old patch.

He used to be a police officer with the Gwent force but after ten

years, changes to pensions and a job offer which paid him significantly

more as a train driver, he left.

We've seen a vast amount of police officers now seeking alternative

employment, seeing that the grass is greener outside the police,

which you haven't in previous years, and it is a relatively

new phenomena.

I don't think the pay is necessarily the only issue involved in it

but it is a factor, obviously.

Today, Gwent Police has announced it will be replacing the likes

of Gareth with new recruits from outside the force

for the first time since 2013 - a total of 100 positions to replace

more than 300 staff who have left in recent years.

I had two members of staff who have left us, both of whom became train

drivers, which is a great profession, and they are looking

forward to doing it.

But both said they wanted to remain as police officers,

but financially, it wasn't viable for them.

And I think some of the things that our staff have to deal with,

I think if the public really saw some of the things that they do face

day to day.

But Gareth and some of his former colleagues say this

isn't just about money.

Cuts from the Home Office, fewer police officers

and reorganisation within the force play a part as well.

Morale has nosedived significantly in the last couple of years

in front-line policing, especially.

The conditions of the job are suffering.

I asked people in Abergavenny to write down what they thought

the starting salary for a constable should be.

?16,000 a year?

So if I tell you they start on ?19-22,000, depending

on their experience, what do you think?

Is that about enough?

Is that about right?

To start on, I'd say that is about right.

I work in retail so I earn a lot less.

?26,000.

So if I say it is ?19-22,000 when the first sign up,

what do you reckon?

I mean, it is a hard job, isn't it?

No, I think they should start on a little bit more than that.

The Home Office is broadly in charge of how much money police forces get.

They say police pay is higher than other emergency services

with earlier retirement and a better pension than many.

Pay is one aspect of their story but so is pressure, doing the same

job with fewer people.

A father has told an inquest how he accidentally ran

over his six-year-old daughter after she fell from their tractor

while on holiday in Gwynedd.

Evan David from Oxfordshire was giving his three children a ride

as a treat in Aberdaron when Teal fell.

The coroner said the death was due to misadventure.

All four party leaders in the Assembly have written

to the Prime Minister, objecting to holding the EU

referendum in June.

There's been speculation David Cameron plans to hold

the in-out vote a month after May's Assembly elections

but the leaders say this could confuse voters.

A Welsh MP has called for a review into all prisons run by operator G4S

following the death of an inmate at Parc Prison in Bridgend.

Shadow Justice Minister and Cardiff Central MP Jo Stevens

said the man had died because his epilepsy had not been

diagnosed and the prison didn't allow him medical assistance.

Prisons Minister Andrew Selous said the UK Government had put more money

into providing safer custody.

G4S has been asked to comment.

The Welsh Government's being accused of overpaying for Cardiff Airport

after an original valuation said it was worth ?20-30 million.

Ministers bought it for ?52 million after another valuation took

into account other potential benefits of public ownership.

The Welsh Government says the purchase secured the airport's

future and since then passenger numbers have increased

and facilities improved.

Rugby now and Wales coach Warren Gatland says his side feel

the same going into this year's Six Nations as they did before

winning the Grand Slam in 2012.

The coaches and captains gathered today, ten days before

the tournament kicks off, with Wales' first match

against Ireland.

It will be another entertaining game, that is for sure.

They normally always are.

But it is probably going to be one of the tougher fixtures,

especially away from home.

Ireland away is incredibly tough.

This fixture four years ago set us up for a Grand Slam in 2012,

so if we do get that win, it is massive for confidence

and momentum going forward.

The weather forecast for Wales now with Benny.

Yes, a much calmer night tonight compared with last night.

Feeling chilly out there.

It's a bright start tomorrow morning but cold.

We've got rain coming in later on in the day.

Through tonight, it's a fairly quiet night.

We do have some clear skies.

Maybe a touch of frost away from the coast where

it is sheltered.

Temperatures around the freezing mark for most of us and that

will give us a chilly start to tomorrow morning.

But pressure is rising for a time.

This weather system will bring more rain with it later on in the day.

But first thing tomorrow morning, it's a quiet start to our morning.

It's cold, a bit breezy along those coastal areas, but

lighter winds inland.

Some sunshine but through the day, the cloud will thicken from the West

and we will start to see some patchy rain coming in as well.

For the rest of the British Isles, yes, that rain band

across Northern Ireland and Scotland, falling as snow,

even at lower levels.

The best of the drier and brighter weather the further south and east

you are with the temperatures ranging between 7-10dC.

Here in Wales, tomorrow afternoon, a cloudier picture.

The winds strengthen and we will see rain coming in from

the south-west as well.

The temperatures cooler than today, ranging between 8-9dC.

More persistent rain coming in as we go into tomorrow night,

continuing into the early hours of Friday morning.

Strong south-westerly winds, too, but a milder night

compared with tonight.

Temperatures no lower than around seven Celsius.

So it's a milder start to Friday morning.

We've got more wind and rain.

This wind could be damaging.

The rain could cause some flooding.

So there are warnings in place for Friday.

Temperatures on the milder side, ranging between 10-12dC.

And the unsettled weather does continue into the weekend.

Saturday, cold, some rain, windy.

Sunday, more chance of seeing some rain, too, but a milder feel.

Bye for now.

The Wales Report is up next but that's Wales Today.

From everyone on the late team, goodnight.