19/05/2016 BBC Wales Today

In the past hour, Liberal Democrat Kirsty Williams has been given

a cabinet job in Carwyn Jones' Labour government.

Carwyn Jones continues to try to reach out to the other parties. He

has reached out to Plaid Cymru and now a Lib Dem is at the heart of the

Labour government. Also tonight, Richard Osman

from Carmarthen is believed to be among the 66 people on board

the EgyptAir plane missing John Sabine's mummified remains

were discovered 20 An inquest hears he was killed

by his late wife, who'd She kept up the facade that

John Sabine had either left her or was with another

woman or indeed had died. He was also kept on the voters

register, his pension was claimed School transport costs to one Powys

comprehensive could quadruple. Parents issue a legal

challenge to the council. And protecting the paths

of Snowdonia - how visitors and businesses will be asked

to help foot the bill. The First Minister Carwyn Jones has

announced his cabinet. Liberal Democrat AM

Kirsty Williams has been appointed Carwyn Jones says it reflects

the need for progressive Our politcal editor Nick Servini

is at the Welsh government's offices in Cardiff,

where the cabinet was announced. It has been a dramatic couple of

weeks for Welsh politics and after the theatre and drama of the

Assembly in Cardiff Bay, the action has come here to the heart of

government in the centre of Cardiff. And in keeping with what we have

seen of late, there were some real surprises here. Some big changes, as

expected, at the top of the big briefs of the economy and health,

but it will be the change at the top of education that will get all the

headlines. Smiles all round as Carwyn Jones's

new look cabinet lines up for the first time. There were many familiar

faces from the Labour Party, one that was conspicuous by its absence

was the Liberal Democrat offered the job as Education Secretary, Kirsty

Williams. She needs to get her appointment ratified by a special

Lib conference on the weekend. Earlier, Carwyn Jones was sworn in

as First Minister after receiving approval from the Queen and after a

dramatic week in which his initial nomination was blocked by opposition

parties. Bringing Kirsty Williams into the cabinet still does not give

the party and overall majority at the Assembly but Carwyn Jones said

he wanted to reach out. First of all, I meant what I said on

Wednesday. I don't want to be tribal for tribalism's sake. I think she

will be a very good minister. And 30 makes a difference in the chamber. I

recognise the arithmetic. If you have 29, you are always fun double

two a no-confidence vote. But Kirsty is someone who can do a very good

job. These standout appointment is of course Kirsty Williams. In making

that decision, Carwyn Jones has stressed his lack of tribalism. For

Kirsty Williams it is a case of poacher turned gamekeeper,

particularly after she laid into his record on education in the build-up

to the Assembly election. Instead of ministers, the new Cabinet ministers

will be called secretaries. And this is its make-up. Vaughan Gething,

Kirsty Williams, Ken Skates, Mark Drakeford, Carl Sargeant, Lesley

Griffiths and Jane Hutt. Julie James and Rebecca Evans are ministers and

Alun Davies, who was sacked from the government, is backing from the cold

as the Minister for lifelong learning and Welsh language. The

Health Secretary faces major challenges, bringing down waiting

times and dealing with the health board covering North Wales, Betsy

to, which is in special measures. In education, the new secretary will

oversee major changes, including a new curriculum. And for the economy

secretary, top of the in tray will be a decision on controversial plans

for an M4 relief road around Newport. So it is the same

challenges as before the election but there is a new team in place to

try to deal with them over the next five years.

Nick, how big a decision is this by Carwyn Jones to bring

in a Liberal Democrat into the heart of government?

Let's talk about it from Kirsty Williams' perspective. The real

danger is, the last remaining Lib Dem in the Assembly, is that

identity going to get swallowed up in the Labour machine, even though

she will remain a Lib Dem politician? Speaking to the party

tonight, they say there is going to be a danger of that happening anyway

so you might as well be in a place where you can make a real

difference. And no doubt opponents will dredge up some of the comments

she said in the past that have been highly critical of labour's

education policy and she is going to have to deal with those. From Carwyn

Jones' perspective, one danger is that he has overlooked senior Labour

figures for a plum job like that but it is all part of his attempts to

try to reach out to other parties. The question is, how successful will

he be? Plaid Cymru are seeing the Assembly is too cosy and the

Conservatives are saying the appointment of Kirsty Williams is

anti-democratic because the party did so badly in the Assembly

election. It's feared a Welshman could be one

of the 66 people on the EgyptAir flight which disappeared over

the Mediterranean Sea. 40-year-old Richard Osman,

who grew up in Tanerdy, is a geologist who worked for a gold

mining company in Egypt. It's understood he had been

a passenger on the flight from Paris to Cairo which crashed in the early

hours of this morning. Still no clarity yet on what caused

the crash of the EgyptAir plane. But that the investigation got under

way, details began to trickle out on social media sites about the

passenger list and the 66 people who had been on board. It is known there

was one British and and that is believed to be 40-year-old Richard

Osman. A geologist who worked for a gold mining company with offices in

each, Australia and Jersey, he grew up and went to school in Carmarthen.

The eldest of four children, his Egyptian father moved to Wales to

work as a consultant in Swansea. The family also have links to the

mumbles. Their former neighbours were too upset to talk but told us

they remember him well. The Foreign Office have not yet confirmed he is

the missing British passenger but First Minister Carwyn Jones said his

officials will be using with them, saying he was horrified to hear

reports that a Welshman may be among the victims.

A man whose mummified remains were discovered behind flats

in Beddau in Rhondda Cynon Taf had been unlawfully killed by his wife

An inquest has heard how Lee Ann Sabine fractured her husband

John's skull with a stone garden ornament, some time between February

However, his body wasn't found until just after she died

It was a call to police from a housing officer saying they believe

tennis had found a medical skeleton in the back of the flats that

sparked a murder enquiry. Scenes of crime officers spent most of the day

at the property backing evidence after the suspect package in the

garden had turned up to BD mummified remains of a man, later identified

as John Sabine, who had lived there with his wife Lee Ann Sabine up

until 1997. The inquest into the gruesome circumstances of his death

has been launched. The coroner was told the body was wrapped in many

layers of material. A subsequent postmortem examination revealed the

body to be that of a man in his 60s who had died of a blunt force trauma

to the head. And this was the unusual weapon the pathologist

believed was used. A stone frog will -- weighing 1.1 kilograms. The

indentations in the skull a perfect match to the shape. Through DNA,

John Sabine was identified and the murder enquiry concluded his wife

Lee Ann Sabine murdered him. But she died of cancer just seven weeks

before John's body was discovered. It was not moved until 2014, when

she asked two friends to take the role that carpet from her flat down

to the garden in who we bin. Unwittingly, they had moved the body

for her. They had lived all over the UK, New Zealand, Australia. They

kept no close friends, no close family members and she kept that

these bizarre that John had either left are all was with another women

or had indeed died. He was also kept on the voters register, his pension

was claimed and sadly, no one missed John Sabine. As the investigation

continued, please unravel the double two at family past. They abandoned

their five children in New Zealand. Once grown up, they pursued them

live on TV looking for answers. And John Sabine also had a family from

his first marriage. His son Christopher, now in his 60s, only

knew his father for a brief six-month period. When they said

they had found a body, I was very surprised. I could not believe it.

We did not know what happened. We tried to contact them on numerous

occasions but they never replied to any calls. We did not know whether

he was dead already or not. We had no idea. But you knew he was living

in south Wales? No. Michelle James discovered the body and police

questioned her for a while. She was a summary did but she says it was an

episode in her life she will never recover from. I have lost sleep

through it, self harm as well, which I have never done before. It turned

my whole life and side down. I never thought anybody could do something

like that. How is the evil out there like that? People might say it might

be one in a million it might happen to, but be careful of your

neighbours are. The coroner for South Wales Central, Andrew Barclay,

said there was no evidence to suggest John Sabine was alive after

April 1997 and he said it was clear he died of a blunt force injuries to

the head. He recorded a verdict of unlawful killing.

Police investigating an historical murder are searching

Forensic officers, police dogs and specialist army teams have spent

the day examining forestry at Nant y Ffrith.

Several other searches have taken place, including one

It's believed the body of an unidentified man may have been

A man has been charged with murder after the death of a 73-year-old

Andrew Seal, who is 49 and also from Ogmore Vale,

has been charged with the murder of Gwilym Jones and the attempted

Police are appealing for any information.

Two Dyfed-Powys Police officers have appeared in court charged

with wilful misconduct in public office after an investigation

Stephen Greensmyth and Rhys James are accused of supplying a Class B

BBC Wales has learned that the leader of Carmarthenshire

Parents of pupils at a Powys school are launching a legal challenge

against the local council after being told transport could no

longer be subsidised for children from outside the catchment area.

Llanfyllin High School was found to have broken council rules

earlier this year for subsidising the bus fares and has since been

Ruth Evans from Oswestry catches up with her daughter

13-year-old Lydia has just been dropped off by the school bus

as she studies over the border at Llanfyllin High School.

At the moment, her mum pays ?80 a term for a subsidised school bus

service but after a ruling by Powys Council, that

Ruth is a single mum and works in a hospice.

She says she can't afford this price hike and will have to make her

We are paying ?240 a year at the moment, so ?80 a term.

So there is no way I can afford to go up to ?800.

What will it mean to Lydia if you have to take her out

of school because you can't afford the transport costs?

She has learned her lessons for two years in Welsh and she would have

She would be devastated to change schools.

Llanfyllin High School broke council rules after spending ?500,000 over

five years to bus 200 pupils from outside the catchment area.

It was told to pay back just ?17,000 but governors claim the council

was aware of the school's actions and parents have now threaten

We took specialist barrister's advice and it was his opinion

that there are merits in mounting a legal challenge to

the decision on the basis that Powys County Council did not

necessarily choose the correct course of action in implementing

their policy decision in the first place.

Oswestry has its own secondary school but many parents

are attracted over the border by the dual stream

It is market day in Oswestry and you hear plenty of people

speaking Welsh and there are plenty of street names and place names

It is right on the border and it is those historical

and cultural links to Wales why many parents decide

to send their children to school over the border in Llanfyllin.

Jane does not want to see her children separated

I am Welsh and I would like my children to go

there to have the option to learn Welsh.

My son enjoys agriculture, to take part in the Eisteddfod,

things like that, but really we have to consider as a family,

are we prepared to spend that sort of money per year on transport?

Powys Council say an independent barrister is carrying out

The Lewises and all parents involved say they will fight this price

increase to keep their children's education in Wales.

The choir for people with dementia that's inspired a new play,

telling the stories of those living with the condition.

And enjoying the climb - but walkers and businesses will be

asked to help foot the bill to maintain Snowdon's footpaths.

There is a much stronger chance of saving the steel industry

if the UK decides to stay in the European Union.

That's what the Welsh Secretary Alun Cairns has said today.

But campaigners urging a Leave vote in June's referendum say the EU has

limited what both the Welsh and UK governments can do

Our political reporter James Williams is here with the details.

In exactly five weeks time, we as a country face one

of the biggest decisions in our lifetimes.

Now, there are many big issues at the heart of the European Union

For example, the economy, our security as a nation

and who should make the decisions that affect our lives.

Here in Wales, following Tata Steel's decision earlier

in the year to sell its UK operations, there is also a big

debate over whether the ailing steel industry that employs thousands

of Welsh workers would be better or worse off

Speaking to an audience of business leaders in Swansea

earlier this morning, the pro-EU Welsh Secretary

Although there are no guarantees, be in no doubt, our membership

of the European Union makes our chances of

gaining that buyer, of defending our industry,

Membership of the European Union is fundamental to simply attracting

investors and buyers because of the benefits the market

The dumping of cheap Chinese steel on the European market is seen

Campaigners for a Leave vote say we would be better able to respond

It is remaining in the EU which is risking the death

The EU is not protecting us against dumped Chinese steel,

it is giving us sky high energy prices, it is not even letting us

cut the business rates, and for those reason we believe

a vote Leave vote on June 23rd is the only hope for

a sustainable future for steel in Wales and the UK.

So, steel is just one of the many key issues in this referendum

campaign that could help you decide how you're going to

answer the referendum question on June 23rd.

Should the United Kingdom remain a member of the European Union

Now, if you were registered to vote in the Welsh Assembly election then

you'll be able to vote in the referendum.

If not, then you have until the 7th of June to register.

Dementia is a condition that affects 45,000 people in Wales and,

as part of dementia awareness week, two new dramas are hoping to raise

awareness about the impact it's having on Welsh communities.

Before I Leave by National Theatre Wales and Belonging,

which is currently touring the country, both try

to break some of the taboos that surround dementia.

Our arts and media correspondent Huw Thomas has been finding out

about the plays and the stories that inspired them.

In Merthyr, a choir for people with dementia offers respite,

relaxation and therapy for people who are living with the condition.

It's an inspiring sight and it's prompted a drama that'll use music

to tell the stories of people like these.

Before I Leave is still locked in rehearsals.

It's a play where young and old actors tackle some

of the taboos around dementia to a soundtrack of Welsh songs.

Thousands of people in Wales are living with dementia.

Many more of us will know somebody who has been affected by it

but it can be an incredibly difficult subject to talk

about and that is where drama could help to break some of those taboos.

Written by Patrick Jones, the play includes a new song

by his brother Nicky Wire of the Manic Street Preachers.

But it focuses on real experiences, and how closer communities could

I try and make comment about society and we are in the age of the big

society, people are coming together who don't have much and are pulling

I have been a nurse for four years now and one of the hardest parts

of the job is caring for patients with dementia.

On a different stage, another play trying to make sense of dementia.

Belonging is touring Wales and shines a light on the struggle

facing some Welsh-speaking patients to be treated in their native

language, at a time when life can be confusing enough.

I live up in North Wales and, generally, people

within the profession, their attitude, they are aware

of this happening, with the Welsh language in particular.

Attitudes generally are very healthy as far as that is concerned,

but maybe there are individuals, and this needs to be

In song or on stage, sharing stories about dementia gives

a voice to a condition that too often has remained

And on tomorrow night's programme we'll bring you a special report

looking at how Wales is leading the way in dementia research.

Visitors to Snowdon are being asked to pay

towards the cost of maintaining the mountain's footpaths.

It's the idea of the Snowdon Partnership, which is made up

of local groups and businesses, but the scheme is

meeting resistance, as Roger Pinney reports.

Perhaps it was the weather, rain and high winds,

but walkers were few and far between on the Llanberis path today.

The damage caused by the thousands of feet that pass this way each year

Paths which cost the National Park Authority ?250,000

In the shelter of the valley, there were plenty of visitors.

Quite a few enjoying a trip on the Llanberis railway.

This is one of the businesses supporting the Visitors Giving

From their cafe they have decided to give a share of their sales

We are going to have posters around the cafe and a shop explaining

that we are a partner in the Visitor Giving

will be able read it from the literature we have got.

However, we are not going to be increasing the price

of the produce we sell, so we are going to be taking it out

of the profit we make on them without penalising our customers.

Other businesses say they will offer customers the chance to add a little

to their bills but the principle is to keep it entirely voluntary.

The Snowdon Partnership asked 100 businesses to take part.

Dylan Jones has run his outdoor equipment shop for nine years

and he is worried about how the scheme could work

Implementing it is going to be difficult for some businesses,

It is probably harder in the retail sector where you are very cost

driven or price conscious and adding a pound to everybody's bill

People complain about 5p for the plastic bag tax.

This opens up a wider question which goes way beyond Llanberis.

How much should visitors pay towards the cost of local services?

If you go abroad, you pay a tourist tax in lots of countries

and in London they discuss charging visitors a pound a night

Tourist tax? Absolutely not.

It should be open and free to everybody who wants to enjoy

They are taking advantage of what is here and if we don't help

maintain it, it is not going to be here for our grandchildren.

I want my grandchildren to enjoy this too.

In Llanberis, the Visitor Giving scheme kicks off

I think the water proofs will come in handy.

The weather will be up and down over the next few days.

That said, there will be some dry, bright spells as well.

Some hazy sunshine in South Cornelly.

But the weather went downhill during the afternoon.

Cloud spreading from the west, bringing rain.

So this evening, rain, drizzle and mist, but this

A lot of cloud and a relatively mild night with a south-westerly breeze.

Here's the picture for 8:00am in the morning.

Plenty of cloud but bright in places.

12 Celsius in Aber with a south-westerly breeze.

However, cloud will increase during the afternoon with some rain.

Top temperatures in the north-east up to 18 Celsius.

Cooler on windward coasts with a south to south-westerly breeze.

In Flintshire tomorrow, dry with sunny intervals.

17 Celsius in Queensferry in Pembrokeshire.

A good part of the day dry but a little rain

By the way, the Trefriw Walking Festival starts

The rain should hold-off until the evening.

Tomorrow's chart shows low pressure over the Atlantic and this warm

So tomorrow night cloudy and mild with outbreaks of rain.

Some heavy rain but it should dry and brighten-up

later in the afternoon with a better evening.

More wet and breezy weather on Saturday.

Heavy in places with thunder but some places will stay dry.

Tonight's top story. The Liberal Democrats' only AM, Kirsty Williams,

has been appointed as Education Secretary. The First Minister says

it reflects the need for parties to work together. And since we have

been on air, Kirsty Williams has given this reaction. The First

Minister said very clearly no party has a monopoly on good ideas. I

think that is the case. We have a chance to do Welsh politics

differently, working with other political parties, focusing on where

there is agreement and will be can push Wales forward.

And Richard Osman, who grew up in Carmarthen, is believed to be one of

the 66 people still missing after a plane crashed into the Mediterranean

Sea in the early hours of the morning.

We'll be back with another update at 8:00pm and again

Until then, from everyone on the team, goodbye.