04/02/2016 BBC Wales Today

Our top stories: A cut to Welsh Government ministers' pay -

the promise from the Conservatives IF they win power in May.

And it's usually one of the busiest roads in Wales -

work to reduce the risk of flooding on the A55 will start in the next

Welsh ministers could get their pay cut by 10% if the Conservatives win

Their leader, Andrew RT Davies, will say in a speech tonight that

giving his Cabinet members ?90,000 each a year,

rather than ?100,000, would save ?250,000 over five years.

That money, he says, he'd put towards getting young

Our political correspondent, Arwyn Jones, has the details.

This man wants to be the next First Minister of Wales,

but if he gets the top job after May's election he wants

a pay cut because if the Conservatives form a government

he and his Cabinet will take a 10% pay cut to their ministerial salary,

We're actually saying where we would invest that money

because ultimately we believe that young people obviously

are the future of this great country of ours and we believe that this

institution is the democratic home of Welsh democracy and we do want

greater youth participation here so instead of just talking

about it we will be making sure we put our money where our mouths

are and invest that money to develop greater youth participation

After May's Assembly election, the First Minister's salary

is expected to increase to ?140,000 with ministers of the Welsh

That compares with ?56,000 for headteachers, ?91,000 for top

GPs, ?147,000 for council chiefs and 134,00 for MPs

This recruitment specialist says it's not money that would attract

I would say for businesspeople to go into politics, there needs to be

a why and it's usually something that's deep within them,

or another challenge for them, it's not all about the money.

They certainly wouldn't be going into politics,

Last year, an independent panel recommended that every AM should be

given a pay rise, but with the current squeeze on public

spending, many members decided they couldn't take the increase

But if we do want the best and brightest representing us

in Cardiff Bay, isn't it right we pay top dollar?

On a High Street here it was a mixed response.

If other people are either having a pay cut or their wages

are staying the same, or just 1% or something,

why should they not be in the same situation as others?

It's a very responsible job, you should have good pay for it.

It's penny-pinching otherwise to cut it.

Considering I had ?1.80 last week, brilliant.

They need to come and live with the common people for a month

and see how we live and then they might have a different idea.

So some support here for cut-price politics.

A jury at the Old Bailey has retired to consider its verdict in the case

of three men accused of helping a teenager from Cardiff to join

militants from the Islamic State group in Syria.

The men, including Kristen Brek from the Grangetown area

of the city, are charged with assisting in the preparation

Tata steel has reported a net loss of ?215 million in the last quarter

of 2015 across its business in Europe and India.

Last month, the company announced hundreds of job losses at its works

The Indian company said that despite rising demand for steel,

it has been hit by a flood of cheap imports.

A man whose body was found on Anglesey who's suspected

of killing his family in West Yorkshire had been

previously jailed for domestic violence.

Paul Newman's body was found on cliffs near South Stack

The body of Geraldine Newman, and their two children - 11-year-old

Shannon, and Shane, who was six - were found in their house near Leeds

West Yorkshire Police said Mr Newman was charged with common assault

Work to reduce the risk of flooding on one of the busiest roads in Wales

The Welsh Government has announced an extra half a million pounds

to improve drainage on and around the A55 near Bangor,

which was badly affected over Christmas.

A major highway, or a dual carriageway canal?

This was the A55 on Boxing Day as flood water closed the road

and left places like Bangor partly cut off from the rest of Wales.

It wasn't the first time in the last few years it had happened.

Water also flowed into the village of Talybont, alongside the A55,

Today the First Minister came to North Wales to announce that work

will begin soon to deal with both issues.

The A55 is the major gateway to Wales across the northern coast

and it's important it's as resilient as possible.

So what we are doing is making sure that the money is available to move

forward the schemes to deal with flooding in Talybont and also

bringing forward the work to deal with flooding between junctions 12

and 13 on the A55, both areas were affected by flooding over

The response to that flooding and other emergencies on the A55

is co-ordinated from this control room near Conwy.

Staff here also get a good view of the many cones

which are currently on the carriageway.

Some drivers fear today's news will mean more to come.

But the news has been welcomed in Talybont,

where residents blamed the A55 for causing the flooding

The people of Talybont will be very pleased

It's been a long time coming but finally the people of Talybont

will rest peacefully knowing that the A55 will not flood again

People in Talybont have also welcomed the scheme

to protect their homes, but some just wish it

could have been done sooner, before the house was flooded

for the second time in just a few years.

Four general election candidates for Ukip Wales are calling

for the party's leader here, Nathan Gill, to resign.

Joe Smith, the party's best performer in Wales at last year's

election, says Mr Gill has been "weak" during the party's

controversial selection process, ahead of the upcoming

Many in the party are also unhappy that the former Conservative MPs

Neil Hamilton and Mark Reckless are seeking seats.

He should have not allowed the situation to get as it is now.

the activists and candidates in Wales.

Nathan will be leading this party, I can assure you, into the Assembly

elections and he will be a very effective leader.

The headmaster of a Newport secondary school has criticised

the way the council has handled the planning of a new Welsh language

Newport Council rejected plans to split the existing

Duffryn High School site and create a new facility alongside it due

It says it's still committed to investing in Duffryn High,

but at a meeting with parents tonight, headmaster Jon Wilson

described the situation as a "mess".

I've been going to planning meetings for a year.

Yeah, this hurdle came up, and I understand why it came up

with National Resources Wales, but only at the end of November.

So, yeah, it has ended very, very badly.

Rugby, and the Wales women's team is preparing for their opening game

of the Six Nations against reigning champions Ireland on Saturday.

Centre Gemma Rowland says the team's in a better position than last year,

The 26-year-old army captain made it into the squad having served

Gemma Rowland has set her heart on helping her side succeed this

year and when the British Army officer takes aim, she rarely

On her debut last year, Wales beat world champions England

for only the second time in their history.

And she picked up the title of Army Sportswoman of the Year.

It's a far cry from where she spent the 2013 Six Nations.

Back then, she was a troop commander in Afghanistan,

in charge of 30 men, working in surveillance,

watching over patrols and lookout for potential danger.

Despite 18 hour days in Lashkar Gah, she told me she still managed

to find the time to train - eager to continue playing rugby

It's an experience I wouldn't trade for anything because I learned a lot

So to come back from that, being able to handle pressure,

work well as a team, lead a team, which, as you're aware,

are all qualities that then transcend onto a rugby pitch.

I think probably hand in hand they've both helped me.

Both sides met last week in a warm-up match.

While the current squad is preparing for the immediate task of facing

Ireland, work to find the next generation of players

Summer leagues and more girls-only teams have helped the growth

A couple of seasons ago, just 170 nine to 15-year-olds

were playing, but last season that figure was up to more than 1,300.

Those running the game here say a successful senior side will also

We had a good crowd last week against Ireland.

Over 1,000, I believe, were there to watch a good

That will draw in the crowds moving forward.

This year's Six Nations is more important than usual.

Results will help decide who qualifies for the World Cup.

Two wins in the championship will guarantee Wales a place

To the men's game and after selecting Tom James to start

on the wing against Ireland this weekend, Wales coach Warren Gatland

says Hallam Amos isn't quick enough to be an international wing.

Amos is being released back to the Dragons for tomorrow's game

at Ulster and Gatland says he sees him more as a fullback

I know he can cover on the wing and does play there,

but we do see his long-term position being full-back and having

the opportunity to exploit and work on improving that left foot of his.

He's quick, but he wouldn't be international wing quick.

Let's see how the weather is looking over the next few days.

After a couple of colder, brighter days, it's turning more unsettled

again. Turning wet and windy tomorrow. Overnight, cloudy, misty

and murky with spells of drizzle, especially in the hills. Dry by

dawn, but wins will strengthen. Eight mile night. Tomorrow's start

strike but we have a cold front pushing south-east across the UK.

Mostly cloudy in Wales. Early bright spells and patchy drizzle. Across

the UK, brighter spells to the east, but winds will strengthen and we

could see heavy rain further north and west. Colder

air following behind it. Seven Celsius for North West Scotland, 12

across south-west England. That heavy rain spreading south-east

across Wales tomorrow. Highs of nine Celsius on Anglesey, 11 in Newport.

Tomorrow night, heavy rain clearing through the early hours, but further

rain arriving from the west by Dawn. On Saturday, these fronts push in

from the Atlantic, bringing unsettled weather. Some dry spells

further east, deteriorating through Saturday and turning wet and windy.

A Met Office warning for heavy rain later. 60 mph winds possible along

exposed coasts. Low pressure systems from the Atlantic will make it

changeable. A mix of sunny spells and blustery showers on Sunday.

Wintry on high ground. More rain lightly on Sunday night with strong

winds. An unsettled weekend, very windy on Sunday with a chance of

gales on Monday. The risk of some very heavy rain on Saturday.

We'll be back in breakfast from 6.25am tomorrow.

For now, from all of us on the late team, goodnight.

Make the most of your day wherever you are.

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