02/04/2014 East Midlands Today

This is East Midlands Today with Geeta Pendse and me, Dominic Heale.

Tonight ` bad news for Nottinghamshire's last remaining

coal mine. The countdown begins to the closure of Thoresby with

hundreds of jobs at risk. Tonight, overspend and under pressure, Derby

Hospital trust needs an emergency bailout. Back on home turf, The

Mercian Regiment in Ashbourne. The way to his heart, my lunch date with

Richard Armitage. Pork pie and Stilton! You are on.

Deal. Good evening. First tonight the

countdown has started to the likely closure of the East Midlands last

remaining deep pit. Thoresby Colliery in Nottinghamshire employs

more than 600 people and has been in operation since the 1920s. But

tonight its owners UK Coal have confirmed they've started

consultations with the unions and employees about the the future of

the mine. They admit it's unlikely the mine will remain beyond autumn

next year. Well, our reporter Helen Astle is at the pit now. Helen, what

more can you tell us? It is a sombre evening tonight, the end of an era

for deep coal mining in Nottinghamshire. 600 people work

here, those jobs are now under threat, 280 of them could go by the

end of the year. It was last November the Chancellor visited the

site and there was hope it had a future. It is a different story

tonight. Falling coal prices and the strength of the pound against the

dollar are being blamed. I have spoken to several people here, no

one wanted to talk to me on camera but they are shocked and saddened by

what has happened. They also say they have been given little

information by UK Coal and they're listening to their radios for the

latest news. The site has been here since 1925, almost 90 years old, the

main employer in the area and people have spent most of their working

lives here. Many people tonight tell me they simply do not know what else

to do. If a suitable investor isn't found, the site will close by next

autumn. Well, joining us now from our

Norwich studio is Andrew Mackintosh from UK Coal. So, Thoresby closing

next year. Yes, a difficult day for all of us, 2000 employees, 600 in

Thoresby and a sad day. The point about some of the earlier speech on

how the situation has been, we tried to keep employees informed, today

has been a crunch day whether news has come out about the consultation.

Yes, consultations with the unions and employees, what will you talk

about? For the next 45 days, we will look at the discussions involving a

wide range of people, including government to see if we can get a

package together to close the mind is favourite. We will make sure the

employees and suppliers all get the appropriate treatment they expect

from such a plan. There have been complaints about a lack of

information, what is your message tonight? It is difficult but we have

had to sign nondisclosure agreements with trades union. They fully

understand the position. This is not a surprise to anyone on that front.

We are having to get the information out as best we can as it happens and

today the information has evolved as the day has gone on. It is important

to tell people first before they hear it through the media. Andrew

Mackintosh, thank you for joining us. We hope for political reaction

later. The trust running Derby hospitals is worrying there could be

cats unless there is a financial bailout. So that means at the moment

it is spending ?66,000 a day more than it receives in income. It had

already been left with a ?9 million deficit from the last financial

year. More and more people have been going to the Royal Derby Hospital

and are referred by their GP or admitted as an emergency. At the

same time, the amount of money the hospital gets from government has

been capped so at the moment the hospital is spending ?66,000 a day

more than the budget. It had all but been left with a ?9 million deficit

at the end of the last financial year. It needs to make savings of

?43 million this financial year. Inevitably, that will have an

impact. They hope that cuts hole services or redundancies but with

the ageing population there will be more demand for hospital services

but officials are looking to treat more people in their own home. In

the short term it will need a financial bailout. We need this year

to ask the Department of Health for some short`term funding to cover the

extra costs we will not normally incur so we can make sure we can

continue to deliver high`quality services for patients. What is the

situation at other trusts in the region? It is a similar picture in

Leicester weather trust will also be asking for a government bailout. It

is facing a ?40 million deficit, in Nottingham they have identified

savings of ?60 million but hope they will not have to ask the government

for any extra money. The Department of Health says all trusts must

operate within their budgets, they can be provided with emergency

funding but only where there are plans in place to return to a more

stable footing. Yesterday, the new chief executive of the National

Health Service described this budget squeeze as the biggest challenge in

the NHS's history. Back to the top story. It has been confirmed the

closure of Thoresby colliery at the end of next year. Let's get some

political reaction. Pressure on the government to help the NHS and also

to help what remains of the coal`mining industry. Marks Spencer

has been closely involved in trying to maintain remains of a proud

coal`mining tradition in Nottinghamshire and East Midlands

together with 700 jobs. What's can the government do? It has to get

people around the table again. Hopefully we can get to a position

where we can put a package together to allow it to stay open for another

18 months, hopefully global coal prices might increase. A 45 day

consultation but the writing is on the wall. We are in a poor

position. Some people will possibly lose their job, we want time for the

management of UK Coal to make sure there are no compulsory

redundancies. People will be perplexed that it is still cheaper

to import coal when we have coal underground and British miners able

to do the job of extraction. Yes, and they are quite efficient.

Other coal mines are not as efficient but in Russia and America

they have opencast mining and they can pull it out of the coal in a

day. The colliery is still being

mothballed at huge annual cost. Are we signing of the coal industry for

good? I am not, I will continue to work to

make sure we can keep the industry in Nottinghamshire. There is a

window of opportunity and I will keep fighting to make sure we can

keep it. Deep mined coal was first extracted

from Thoresby Colliery in the 1920s. Tonight, it looks as though it won't

be around to celebrate its centenary. A lawyer says there

should prosecutions over the death of an elderly care home resident.

87`year`old Betty Arch, who had dementia, was offered solid food

despite not being able to swallow it. An inquest heard that neglect at

the home, in Nottinghamshire, contributed to her death. The

coroner said the case should act as a warning to other care home owners.

Rob Sissons reports. Do not be forward by the signage,

this was not a quality provider. The inquest heard staff or one ragged,

mealtimes chaotic and the needs of dementia patients not met. Betty

Arch paid the ultimate price. Betty Arch died alone, left

unsupervised with sandwiches. She should not have had solid food, it

should have been matched `` mashed. The coroner said the attitude was

take it or leave it. Take it, sandwiches and biscuits, risked her

life, leave it and she would go hungry. This was the owner. The

inquest was told she was asked for more staff but this was ignored. The

coroner said she control the purse strings and the person remained

closed. Betty Arch's son left with his solicitor demanding tougher

action on care homes. Whilst nothing can bring her back,

the family hoped lessons have been learnt by everyone involved. And

homes providing care for these vulnerable residents will in future

be much more closely and effectively monitored. Tonight, Nottingham

social services stressed most of the 170 care homes are good or excellent

but they do have concerns about a handful.

We have established a task force which is consisting of professionals

going in to work with those identified homes to make sure they

improve quality. The family don't understand why the

facts that were produced at the inquest should not form a

prosecution by the Health and Safety Executive. Clearly, these residents

lives were put in danger. Concluding the case, the coroner

said Betty Arch died from natural causes contributed by neglect. Next

tonight, the distress of parents at a primary school once rated as

'outstanding' which is now rated as "inadequate" with "serious

weaknesses." In January, the Trust which runs St Edmund Campion school

at West Bridgford in Nottinghamshire removed the headteacher, it then

dissolved the governing body. Parents have told us they're

exasperated because the trust isn't telling them what's going on. Jo

Healey reports. Last week this family moved their

daughter here just because it was an outstanding school.

The next day, we got the new Ofsted report and we were in shock. We need

to plan to decide what we want to do.

Many more are reeling. The headteacher has been removed, the

governors have been removed and now this report. Many parents want to

know what is going on. We subsidise these church schools.

We are not happy. We would like to note some answers,

this is our children's education. Parents are concerned. As parents,

we deserve to know what is happening. What did Ofsted find?

Serious weaknesses. Leadership at all levels inadequate, teachers

marking inconsistent. And some pupils making slow progress.

The school is an academy run by a Catholic academy trust. They have

given me a statement accepting the findings of the Ofsted report saying

they will work to secure rapid and sustained improvements with a robust

post Ofsted action plan. They say they want to work with teachers and

parents. Some parents say that isn't

happening. Others that they are taking their children out. It You

may have seen the warnings and read the apocalyptic newspaper headlines

about toxic smog. And it is certainly true that here

in the East Midlands today we were being told to expect high levels of

pollution. It was all to do with a combination of light winds,

industrial emissions, and dust blown in from the Sahara. Well, as the day

wore on it turned out things weren't as bad as feared. But it has

provided a timely reminder that air pollution is still an issue for us.

Simon Ward reports. Earlier this morning as commuters

make their way in and out of Leicester, there was a haze over the

city. Leicester has poor air quality. But experts say that the

general climate is making things worse. The University of Leicester

monitors inequality in the city. At the moment we are seeing very many

particles of the Sahara mixing with our own emissions in their United

Kingdom. How is the new monitoring station at the University? It is

helping us to monitor the situation hour by hour and to advise people

what to do. During the day the problems were not as bad as

expected. Doctors have not found any increasing health problems in the

last few days. But environmental campaigners say that more has to be

done to improve conditions. The air quality in Leicester is quite poor.

It is not meeting European standards. 90% of the air pollution

comes from transport, so we are trying to raise awareness about the

level of a pollution and encouraging people to take action about it.

Authorities note that pollution is too high. They have a plan to reduce

pollution and increase inequality. It reduces the life span of

everybody. We will have a full weather forecast later.

Soldiers from our largest local army regiment marched through Ashbourne

this afternoon. It is the first of three "freedom parades" in

Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, by troops from the Mercians' Second

Battalion. Our Social Affairs Correspondent, Jeremy Ball, was

there. You do not expect to see this in a

peaceful Derbyshire market town. Troops on the streets in full combat

gear. They were here this lunchtime to exercise the historic freedom of

one of the Mercian's main recruiting areas. We are given the right by the

councils to march through areas, we were given the keys to the city.

Therefore, it is an opportunity to exercise our freedom to move through

those areas. It is an opportunity for us to mutually say thank you to

one another for what we do. The Mercians marched through the centre

of Ashbourne led by a military band and they were greeted by a sea of

red, white, and blue. They have laid their lives on the line and they

have done their job, why not come out and show your appreciation? They

are just so young looking. It is just amazing. I did my bit in the

olden days and these guys need all the support we can give them. This

ancient military tradition has been revived in recent years, a response

to heavy sacrifices in controversial conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

That is where this group saw some of the British Army's toughest fighting

since World War II. That is why getting support from people back

home is so important. It is nice to know that people are actually proud

of what you are doing and care about you when you are away on Ops. It is

quite important to the lads. It is good to see support from people and

locals. It is nice. It makes you feel like what you are doing is

worthwhile. It is definitely good. This is the first of three freedom

parades this week. It is about showing the human faces behind the

uniforms and raising of their profile in areas that the soldiers

call home. He had conquered Hollywood, but now a Leicestershire

actor had his eye on playing a king. We chat to Richard Armitage about

why he hopes to step into the shoes of Richard III.

And now to the sport. Nottingham Forest could be edging

closer to a new manager. Stuart Pearce has confirmed today he is

still in talks. Pearce, who spent twelve years with Forest as a

player, had initially ruled himself out for family reasons. But the

former England under`21s manager is now re`considering and is set to

hold further talks with the Club tomorrow. If he does take over it

looks likely to be at the end of the season.

Leicester City have taken another step closer to the Premier League.

In fact, two more wins from their last seven games will guarantee

promotion for the Foxes. It is after they twice came from behind last

night to pick`up a point at Wigan. The fans arrived in the north`west

hoping to see Leicester make it 20 games unbeaten in the championship.

It is a run they have put together with a very settled side, but last

night there were changes to the starting line`up ` six changes in

fact, with a number of players rested. It did not seem to affect

the Foxes' start. Playing in their grey away`kit, they could have taken

the lead after just three minutes. Liam Moore's header cleared off the

line. Wigan are a strong side though and they looked threatening too.

Indeed, it was the home side who took the lead from a free kick in

the 37th minute. Leicester are made of stern stuff though these days and

were back level before the break. It was Andy King's 54th goal for the

club, that is more than any other mid`fielder in their history. Into

the second half, the Foxes were undone by another another set piece

as they found themselves behind again. As the minutes ticked by,

their unbeaten record appeared to be in danger. But they wouldn't give

in. It is in! Level pegging. Wigan two, Leicester two.

Radio Leicester's Ian Stringer with the commentary there. So what does

it mean for the Foxes? Well this is how the table's looking now.

Leicester will definitely go up to the Premier League with two more

wins. But they could actually be promoted this weekend if they beat

Sheffield Wednesday on Friday and then on Saturday QPR lose and Derby

fail to win as well. Cricket and Nottinghamshire batsman

Alex Hales has moved up a place to second in the world Twenty20

rankings. It is after his huge 116 not out for England at the World

Cup. Still the highest score in the tournament so far.

Meanwhile with the new County Championship season

fast`approaching, time for the next in our previews. Today we take a

look at Leicestershire who didn't win a single game in Division Two

last season. But, as Colin found out, it is a new year and a new

start. Bouncing out for their photo calls,

Leicestershire's players look like a team that have wintered well. I

cannot wait. It has been a long winter and everyone has been away.

Everyone has come back in the last couple of weeks and are keen to get

started. Last season, nothing much went right for this lot. This time

around it is all about building themselves back up again. We need to

see progression. Last year was not the greatest year in the

Championship by any means. We want to improve vastly on that. So it is

about getting off to a good start, getting some performances, getting

the consistency, and gaining the confidence from that. Last year was

a terrible year for the club and everyone involved. Something we are

desperate to put right. We have made some signings and that will bring

some strength to the squad. Among the new players, the familiar face

of ex`Notts fast bowler Charlie Scheck, bringing experience to bear

on a young team. We need to be able to learn to fight when it is going

badly. We need to be able to compete with the ability that they have.

With a bit of fight, hopefully that'll comes through and we will

win some games. The last word surely goes to the man who needs to keep

the whole show on the road ` the Chief Executive. Have you set Phil a

target this season? I will do this week. He does not know it yet, but

we will do it this week. Back to winning ways will be great. Colin

Hazelden, BBC East Midlands Today. The County championship starts this

weekend. That is all from sport. Now when it comes to the world of

acting, it doesn't get much bigger than the Peter Jackson trilogy The

Hobbit. And for Leicestershire actor Richard Armitage it was a big role

that came in small proportions. He plays a dwarf prince and, as I found

out, Richard also has his eyes on an another royal role much closer to

home. If we succeed, all will share in the wealth of the mountain. It is

a story that has captured the imagination of generations and for

the Leicestershire actor Richard Armitage being cast as a dwarf

prince in the Hollywood trilogy of The Hobbit was a journey back to

childhood. What was it like inhabiting a world that you had

inhabited in your mind as a young boy? It is one of the best things

about going to this kind of material, because you do remember

how you felt about it as a young kid. Then coming back to it as an

adult, you have to tap into the imagination that you had when you

were young. The magic is the thing that Peter does very well. He gives

you that sense of scale, a sense of location in the world that he

creates. In recent years, the actor has played roles ranging from Guy of

Gisborne in Robin Hood to the spy`thriller Spooks. But there is

one role in particular that he is interested in and he happens to be

named after him. I was born on 22 August, which was when he died on

the battlefield at Bosworth. It was one of those history questions that

I always got right. My dad was really into Richard III, so he chose

that name. If I had not been born on 22 August and might be called

Russell. I was born on 22 August and I am not called Richard. What

happened? We could think of another name, Elizabeth? Maybe it was the

girl thing. Have you ever played Richard III, is that something you

would ever want to do? I have talked about it for years. I have thought

about trying to resurrect a story, not Shakespeare's play, but

something that is closer to the truth. Whether or not that will

happen I don't know. The second Hobbit film will be out on DVD on

Monday, and while Richard may be a Hollywood star the actor says there

are certain things that he just can't get anywhere else in the

world. If I could bring you wanted from Leicestershire next day what

would it be? Porkpie and a piece of Stilton. Deal. You are on. What a

lovely man. If you are a fan of Richard we have an extended

interview on our Facebook page. Note to look at the pollution and the

weather. The pollution levels have remained

at or in Leicester, that is moderate to low. There is a chance of being

moderate to tomorrow. Tonight, it will remain mostly dry and mailed

with temperatures above average. There has been some clout, but that

will clear `` thundercloud. Temperatures will drop to lows of

eight Celsius. Tomorrow morning, a cloudy start with Smith in

Derbyshire that will clear. `` with . Bereft of showers in the

afternoon, but largely dry with a large temperature. With the

pollution in mind, it has been moving in. The south westerly wind

will bring in cleaner, fresh air. But Friday looks quite cloudy,

although temperatures look fine for this time of the year. At the

weekend, Saturday looks like the better day. Sunday, a weather front

will bring plenty of rain with it which might be good use for some of

the gardens. Thank you. That is all from us

tonight, we will be back later. Goodbye.