28/07/2014 Look East - East

Hello and welcome to the st`rt of a new week on Look East,

The summer holidays are herd, but the passports are not.

Striking passport staff say, the government is to blame

We are not responsible for their passports being jammed in the

system. That is down to the people who decide how many staff whll be

employed in these offices. Tell them to get this situation sorted out.

Give us a star. That. Four. A heating engineer is sentenced

after his work on a domestic heating system is blamed for the

death of a pensioner in Ipswich Mopping up in Essex,

after a deluge in the middld of And as the drive for fracking takes

another step forward, we explain Civil servants,

based at the regional passport office in Peterborough,

took part in a national strhke today, in protest against the

growing backlog of applicathons The staff union says,

more people are needed to ddal with situation now is that some people

are being forced to wait wedks, The government says, the industrial

action today will mean that even more families will face the prospect

of not being able to take a holiday In a moment, we will hear from the

union, after this from Emma Baugh. People arriving to sort thehr

passport today, were greeted by a picket line. The office herd handles

around 100,000 applications every year. The union says, passport she

takes six weeks. Now, it is up to six months because of staff

shortages. At the office today, a mother and daughter from

Bedfordshire, the rest of the family already holidaying in Egypt. Ella's

passport had expired and thdy could not get one today because of the

strike. I understand, they think they are short staffed, but doing it

in the holiday season seems madness. Everyone is disappointed. Another

family took a 300 mile journey from Cardiff, to get a rush passport

after winning a position in the chest better equipped chess

championship. She missed her chance, because someone is striking further

their right. It is such a shame that a young person's dreams could be

affected. But the sum, the day ran smoothly. It has not affectdd me, I

called their helpline and m`y be assured me it was just of the

office, and my appointment would not be affected. They said, it would not

affect the time I get my password. I am not worried. The Home Office

says, they are disappointed that the strike is taking place, espdcially

as they said, they have been in discussion with the union. Ht says,

they will only into Meaney `nd its customers and jeopardise our

holidays. They said they had contingency plans to minimise

disruption. The union says, it is a backlog crisis, with half a million

cases still in the system. The government says, today Buzz quiz

strike is irresponsible. But, they are talking to the unions to find a

long`term solution `` today's strike is irresponsible.

Earlier, I spoke to Richard Edwards, from the PCS Union in Peterborough,

and asked him about the del`ys and why they were taking

This is one day and people will be back at work tomorrow. Therd are

people working overtime, wedkends, everything to try and clear this.

People have been moved in from other parts of the Home Office, ghven

minimal training, these are serious security documents, as people will

understand. We think that is not a way to solve a problem of this

magnitude. The government s`y, you are behaving irresponsibly, I am

sure all those people, whosd holidays are in jeopardy, would

agree with them. This morning, we have been outside the passport

office. You can see behind le be to have been every morning, wahting for

the office to open at 8am. We were talking to people, and the vast

majority of people understood why we were doing this. Are you giving us

an assurance that this is the only day we will strike? I can't say

that. It is really down to the passport office management, and the

political leadership of the Home Office, as to whether or not they

get into serious negotiation with us about a permanent solution. If they

do that today, tomorrow, thdn I don't think we will see passport

offices closed. There will be somebody watching this todax, who

has saved up all year to go on holiday, sent in their passport

application weeks ago, and won't be going. What you say to them? I would

say, who is responsible? Is it workers going out on strike for one

day? Are they responsible for it not being processed? We have bedn at

work or the weeks before th`t. We are not responsible for thehr

passport being jammed in thd system. That is down to the people who

decide how many staff will be employed in these offices. With

respect, it is down to you hn some part. Because there would h`ve been

some passport sent out todax, that won't be. That is true. This will be

a short duration rob them for today. `` problem. We are not responsible

for the backlog, three quarters of a million applications at its peak.

Only when we made it public, did the resources be made available to

process them. The responsible `` responsibility lies with thd

government. The police

and safety experts united today to condemn the actions of a he`ting

engineer, whose work led to the Peter Sykes, from Hadleigh,

had serviced Annette Coe's boiler 47 days before she died

from carbon monoxide poisonhng. He was cleared of manslaughter at an

earlier hearing, but was convicted Peter Sykes may consider hilself

lucky to be walking free from court. The 68`year`old self`employed

heating engineer could have faced an unlimited fine and two years in

prison. Are you sorry to Mrs Coe's family? Annette Coe was found

unconscious in a haze of carbon monoxide. She died one day later. At

her home, investigators found the flu completely block with 10

kilograms of debris, just 47 days after Sykes said he had serviced it.

He admitted to half and safdty charges and admitted three lore

against Mrs Coe and three other customers. These customers were let

down badly. Mr Sykes was working illegally, because he was not

allowed to work because he was not gas safe registered. Mrs Cod's Sun

runs a well established Dep`rtment score that it restore. He s`id, we

all miss her terribly. Now we can put the tragic events of her death

behind us and share her gre`t memories. Since 2009, all g`s

engineers are legally required to be on the gas safe registered. Sykes

had not been registered for 11 years. One of his customers has a

new boiler. After he had served his old one, inspectors class it as

immediately dangerous. She says people should be mortgage alone You

turn someone away because hd did not have a certificate. Yes, he had left

it in the office. I was told that was not good enough. We madd another

appointment and he came with it with his credentials stop Peter Sykes

whispered, thank you, as he was sentenced to three handed ott of an

unpaid community work. He p`y ?25,000 for the judge said, his

customers had trusted him to do a good job, and he had badly let them

down. For the second time in ten days

people in Essex have been clearing The latest downpour came

in the early hours of this lorning. It affected the village of Thaxted,

near Stansted. Some people believe that dr`ins

in the village couldn't copd because too many homes have been

built in the area. Mopping up in a ruined mud strewn

kitchen. The scale of the clean`up is a sign of the violence of the

storm. The storm was horrendous from 1am. It was that loud with the

thunder, it may be house sh`ke. This is what this family woke up to. We

went outside and there was one method of water out the back. And at

the front, everything was stbmerged. Next door, it was worse. Thd water

was outside and inside, too. A brand`new, two and a half thousand

pound is ruined. Down the stairs and the whole bottom floor of the house

was flooded. Everything in the base of the house needs to be replaced,

sofas, tables, flooring. It was his daughter 's third birthday, and the

presence had to be rescued from the water. Last week, there was flash

flooding by the coast. Some people there, believe the drains c`n't

cope. In Thaxted, people believe they have the same problem. Recent

building on higher ground in Thaxted could be contributing to thd

flooding. Flooding in 20 or 30 houses, we are still going round and

checking houses and business premises. It's expensive. A campaign

group called Hands Of Thaxtdd is trying to stop unwanted building in

the village. Almost 40,000 people have shgned

an online petition which calls on the Bury St Edmunds MP,

David Ruffley, to resign. He apologised last week,

after he was cautioned by police The petition was started on Friday,

by a domestic violence organisation. It says,

the MP's apology is unacceptable and public servants should be

expected to have high stand`rds About half of all bus journdys

in Norfolk next year will bd paid for using new cards, similar to

the Oyster Card scheme in London. The prediction was made by the

Transport Minister, Baroness Kramer. She also announced new support

for car clubs. Gone are the days where conductors

walked the gangway and colldcted change. First, there are no

conductors. Now, there is no money. This is the new bus card, lhke the

Oyster card. It stores cash electronically. You place it on the

scanner, wait for the lights and that is it. It reduces cues and

means you are not fumbling `round the change. Today, Baroness Cramer

visited Norwich to take a look at the future of public transport. This

is what people really want, better buses, is it? I don't think a smart

card is a gimmick. We put two and a half million pounds into developing

this pilot, because it is the way forward. In London, buses are

cashless. The system has bedn introduced in Birmingham. In a

recent survey, over 4000 bus users were questioned and 92% welcome to

cashless travel. Many expected their tickets online. People in Norfolk

are not so sure. I don't usd a mobile phone. I don't know what a

smart card is! People still carry cash, and want to pay in other ways.

I'd transport minister annotnced half ?1 million the car clubs. It is

?5 an hour to hire this car, and 25p per mile for petrol. It savds me

hundreds and hundreds of potnds I don't have the pace insurance, tax,

breakdown cover, prepares, LOT, With many more pick`up points plan,

and more advanced technologx, it is hoped sustainable transport will

mean more convenient transport, too. who won what at the

Commonwealth Games. As you have probably seen,

the government has been givhng details about the latest rotnd

of incentives to exploit the reserves of shale oil and gas,

buried deep under the ground. Companies are being invited to bid

for new licences Vast swathes of the eastern region

are believed to hold reservds But the fracking technique hs

controversial, which is why the government says, it will protect

areas of outstanding natural beauty, Our chief reporter, Kim Rildy,

has the details. Hydraulic fracturing, or fr`cking,

is certainly controversial. It takes place thousands

of meters underground. Water, sand and chemicals are

injected under high pressurd into shale rock, unlocking gas

trapped for millions of years. It?s revolutionised

the energy market in the US. This map shows areas in red, where

licences have already been granted. But the grey areas are now open

for new applications. Going closer, you can see they

include much of North Norfolk, going into Lincolnshire

and towards Peterborough. North`West Essex,

South Cambridgeshire, And in the West,

parts of Buckinghamshire The government believes shale gas

can improve energy security, boost Today,

it?s promised areas of outstanding beauty would only be exploited

in "exceptional circumstancds". We have increased protection on

national parks and areas of outstanding natural beauty. We need

to explore this opportunity, because domestic secure energy supplies are

important. We need to do it in a sensitive way. Fracking `` fracking

is reckless and unproven. Do we want to let our green land be fr`ctured.

Will it be turned into a nightmare of drilling rigs and cesspools of

toxic waste. We think there is a better alternative. We want a green,

renewable revolution. A flavour of the arguments to come. An expiration

licence is only the start of what to come. It needs permits and lust pass

an inspection by the Health and Safety Executive. Some fracking

could start early next year, somewhere the country. It is

unlikely to be here in the Dast It's Day Five of the

Commonwealth Games and therd were plenty of medals up for grabs

for the region's athletes. And the action is still going

on this evening. Let's go to the National Badminton

Centre, in Milton Keynes, where they have been watching the

progress of our badminton stars Hello. We are watching the best

young players in the county go through their paces, on a d`y where

England are still waiting to find out weather it will be a silver or

gold in the mixed team event. We might be able to show you some

pictures. There is a crucial match that Essex's star is hoping to win.

It will be difficult. She won the first set and it is now the second

match. We are touch and go whether England will win the gold. Ht

stemmed on the second match,. All the players live in Milton Keynes.

Most people expected the st`r to win. Sadly, it did not go hhs way.

It an exhausting past time watching England play sport. Everyond was

hoping he could win. The Commonwealth Games is a hugd thing.

We turned up to watch. After losing the first game, he needed to win the

second to take it to a decider, which she did. In the third game,

the sinking feeling that Malaysians would win. Malaysia are now well and

truly back in the game. It hs one all. We need to regroup going into

the next game. It has never been so close. People are feeling a little

bit flat, now. England had to win, with weaker players to come. It was

Malaysia's match and the omdns were not good. So England are tr`iling by

two games to one, ugly best`of` . Sarah Walker is now playing. Let's

talk to George from Badminton England. It is touch and go. We have

done fantastically to get to the final, beating India, avenghng the

last four years ago in Delhh. We are really happy. Sarah has plaxed

really well. It has been a great team performance, whatever. This is

the first badminton medal to be one. Yes, and we have more tomorrow. Some

fantastic sport coming up. To be superb. Is Badminton in good health?

Yes, we are the six biggest participation sport in the country.

We have over half a million people playing every week. Not a lot of

people know that. We are in really rude health at the moment. Going

into the next Olympic progr`mme in Rio, some other players now, do they

have possibilities of winning? Yes, the eldest player is 27 years old.

Others are 24 and 22 years old. They have a real opportunity to peak in

Rio. Thank you. Lots of othdr action. Milton team has been a focal

point, because Andrew Baggaley was involved in a team event. S`dly he

won silver not gold. We did also win a medal in the squash. Peter Barker

from Essex helps in self to a bronze medal. He is England's most

accessible table tennis plaxer at the Commonwealth Games. Andrew

Baggaley was banking on his years of experience to beat the Sing`pore

champion. But, Singapore race to a 2`1 lead `` 2`0 lead. Singapore were

in no mood to relent to Andrew Baggaley a second time. A 3`1

victory mean silver for him to add to be five Commonwealth med`ls he

already cherishes. Peter Barker was determined to secure another podium

finish. He beat the Indian player to secure a second successive bronze

medal, but needed the help of the TM oh at match point. It was a huge

honour to play first bronze. I felt the pressure the expectation, too. I

am absolutely delighted. Thd history boys of this year's game secured his

18th podium place in his six successive games, but he finished

inset `` 13th place today. He misses out on claiming the outright medal

haul, but has no regrets. Hd insists, there will be no more

comebacks. I came here to gdt one medal and I did that. That hs great.

It's a disappointing series, but there wasn't much one. I just

couldn't hit the ten. On thd track, Bedford 400 runner struggled to make

an impression. Stuck in land eight, he finished fourth and qualhfied for

the semifinals as the fastest loser. The gymnastic boys lead the

standings after free apparatus. These two gymnasts looked assured

throughout. Dan Keating was a standout performer for Scotland

helping them to second placd after the first day of the compethtion.

Since we have been on air, the medal has become the silver. Engl`nd has

won a silver. The competition runs until the end of the weekend.

Tomorrow, we hope some of the gymnasts, who we know so much about,

will win a gold. An ambitious plan has been `nnounced

to train the airline staff At the moment, the training

system is long and expensivd. A new college,

attached to the airport, would offer a vocational degree

course to everyone involved in flying, including pilots, engineers

and air traffic control staff. Its backers say,

it would be the first facilhty You have the flight displays here.

19`year`old Stephen Hadley has always wanted to be a commercial

pilot. It is expensive. 18 lonths of intense training costs around ? 000.

The first time, flying and other aviation apprenticeships ard

becoming degree courses. Other people who dream of becoming a

commercial pilot haven't bedn able to, because of the funding. With a

new degree programme, a lot more people will have the option key to

chase their dream. There is more good news. `` opportunity to chase

their dream. A new academy hs being built at Norwich International

Airport. There is a diminishing number of people entering the

profession, against demand. We need to match this demand. Robbid has

seen many changes in the nulber of years he word as an engineer. He is

convinced the academy is just what the industry needs. There w`s a

downturn of people joining, because the lack this kind of school. One of

the main ways in Wasilla military `` was through the military. Bdcause

they have lessened their nulbers, we need something like this to

encourage young boys and girls to come in. The Academy has industry

backing. There are very few training establishments for aviation and they

are usually around the London area or Morimoto. This will provhde `` or

more remote. This will provhde otherwise unavailable trainhng. The

feasibility study is taking place in the next eight weeks. If it gets the

go`ahead, it will begin near the south of the airport next ydar. Up

to 300 students should be starting in September 2016. Time for the

weather: it was a dramatic night in some

parts of the region, which `re Matic downpours. One month's worth of rain

fell in an hour. What happened? It started off dry in the evenhng, but

in the early hours of the morning this narrow line of thunderstorms

caused localised studying and hail. `` flooding. It has cleared away and

she's a quiet day. Easterly winds are coming in and over all, it is

pretty cloudy. Many places `re dry, but there are some showers. To Essex

offered to Suffolk. That continues, tonight. There will be burst of rain

in Essex that could be heavx. Temperatures around 14`16 ddgrees

tonight. The strong winds e`se overnight. Tomorrow, the rahn clears

and there is an Atlantic whhch coming in. `` Ridge. A cloudy start,

rain falls to the south, thhngs brighten up from the North West

Some sunshine comes through. A decent afternoon with a sunny spells

and a sunny spells and daylhght north`westerly wind. In the

sunshine, 25`26?. To limit the coast with those sea breezes. Eventually,

clouding over. Wednesday through Thursday, the rich builds b`ck in

and there is dry, fine weather expected. A small risk of an

isolated shower, but many places they drive. Into Friday, `` stay

dry. Into the weekend, and Friday, it becomes more unsettled. The rain

pushes in later in the day. Looking fine and dry to the next few days,

mid 20s and cool nights. Colfortable for sleeping. At the end of the

week, some rain arriving. It looks quite unsettled for the weekend at

this stage. Thank you very luch See tomorrow. `` see you tomorrow.

I leave the ashram, travel halfway across the world to find my father,

Oh, well. As Vashrati says, gotta keep smiling!

We don't tend to use the bathroom together here.

All right, well, I'll catch you later.

This ashram of yours, it might be a cult.

I take it back, he's definitely Cuckoo's son.

I just feel like my whole body's been taken over by an alien.

She's my age. She's four years younger than you, Mum,

Nine of 'em made redundant. What?

How long were you going to leave it before you told me?