30/10/2013 Look East - West

That is all from the BBC's news at six, so it is goodbye from

Good evening. First tonight, filthy, dangerous homes, eviction and

threats. Just some of the conditions facing people renting in the most

deprived areas of Peterborough. The growing problem of long`term

youth unemployment. And a unique light aircraft takes to

the stylus for the first time. `` skies. To crack down on it, the

council is proposing a new licence which all private landlords will

need to pay. It will affect homes in the Gladstone, Millfield, New

England and Eastfield areas of the City, where there are just over

4,000 private rentals. The cost of a licence for each property will range

from ?600 to ?900 and last five years. But if landlords fail to get

a licence they could face a fine of up to ?20,000. Our reporter Emma

Baugh is in Peterborough. I am right in the heart of the area

where they want to bring in the changes and it is a very high rental

area. The council says there are a lot of good landlords but there are

some that are far from it that are charging high rents and putting

people in cramped and dangerous conditions.

The enforcement officer arrives at a two bed terrace. One family living

downstairs, upstairs a family of five with a month`old baby living in

just two rooms. The family has been told to tell a different story. A

landlord got wind that the council were carrying out investigations and

told the tenants they were going to have to move the kitchen to make it

look like a single family dwelling and he gave them a story to tell the

council that it is a single family household. How that would have

worked, I don't quite know. He promised he would put the kitchen

back once the council had finished. Mum is obviously devastated because

she can't do the motherly thing The council has had a call about another

property but arrived too late. We have got some idea that the landlord

has been around over the weekend but we have not got a full story on that

as yet. We believe the landlord has had some part to play in illegally

evicting the people. At another house, it is not about overcrowding

but living conditions and whether people here are safe. We haven't got

a fire, that is empty, and there is another empty one there. The council

is looking to charge landlords to ?600 for every property they let

out. Some say it is too much. Everything is tight now so the

council is looking around trying to raise cash. I think we are an easy

target. There are rogue landlords out there and we do need to clamp

down on them. If this legislation came through, I would pay it but I

would feel aggrieved. The council denies it is a moneymaking scheme

and said it would just cover costs to help them target problem homes.

There is a meeting taking place in the hall behind me tonight and I

have been in there and there are around 300 people. There are quite

angry scenes. I have spoken to the council asking if we can film and

they said no but they do want people to get in touch by December. It

certainly seems that people are having their say.

The Residential Landlords Association represents private

landlords. Earlier I spoke to Alan Ward, who told me that all a license

fee would do is push up the cost of renting for tenants and that it

wouldn't do anything at all to tackle rogue landlords. How will

licensing good landlords and their properties improve the situation for

the tenants in the bad properties? I don't see the logic of it. The

council seems to be saying that the money will be ploughed back into

enforcement. Does that make it any better? Not really. It is the good

guys paying for the bad guys. A port landlord is not going to put their

head over the parapet and say, come and inspect me. They will disguise

their identity, use different addresses, they will say it is not

their property. They can also hide behind limited companies. I don t

want to give them all the tricks of the trade but these are what some of

the battlements will do. `` bad ones. Peterborough have only

prosecuted 55 landlords in the last five or six years. But they have

really got to get out on the streets and investigate the properties. If

they want to identify the properties and the landlords in the poor

properties, they can go into the land registry and examine who owns

them and trace them from there. But the council is saying that this many

raised by the licence fee would give them the availability to do that.

Put more officers on the street to investigate these properties. But I

say again, who is paying for it That is the good landlords. They are

already paying taxes anyway. ?6 0 per property, which is quite a sum

of money to find, so in the end what they will do is, the rent will go up

for the properties that are being taxed. Peterborough Council is not

the first to do this. What would your message be? Look at Manchester,

look at Bournemouth. Manchester with room suggestive licensing when they

realised it would not work and Bournemouth today consultation and

went through all of this and decided it was not appropriate for their

needs. I welcome the consultation and we will be putting forward our

views on this and suggesting that it is not the simplest solution that

they think it is. Next, to the thousands of young

people in this region struggling to find a job. Lastest figures for the

East show youth unemployment now stands at 80,000. That's down by 2%

from last year. But amongst them are a growing number of young people who

have been claiming jobseeker's allowance for more than two years.

That now stands at 1,700 ` up by 175%.

Young people hoping for a brighter future. These 16`24 `year`olds are

renovating part of a primary school. They are all volunteers without jobs

but hoping to improve their chances of getting work, training or into

further education. I have had knock`back and knock`back. I am

trying to get a full`time job. I have found I have so many hidden

talents giving me that boosting confidence. I have got leadership

qualities. I am getting more confidence, better job skills,

communication. This project is a partnership between the Princes

trust and the YMCA will bed which. But these young people taking part

have done all the budgeting and planning themselves. They are

valuable skills to have when applying for jobs. We work on lots

of different aspects that are preventing them from going into

education employment or training, whether it be confidence, motivation

or even the belief that they can actually do it. Youth unemployment

in our region is among the lowest in the country and falling but today a

senior minister was in Suffolk launching a scheme with the aim of

halving it within two years. Every young person who is offered an

opportunity to work, to train, through apprenticeship or training

course with an employer, or to continue and education will have the

ability to work and improve their skills. They have got to take it.

Back in Luton they are still hard at work and with a new found skills,

they are already looking for the next community project to work on.

Next, she was killed in a car crash just months after passing her

driving test. 18`year`old Becky Taylor had just dropped her younger

sister off at school when she lost control of the car. That was in

2008, and now her parents are calling on the government to make

sure new drivers are safer on the road. The idea is for new drivers to

be issued with an intermediate licence that would restrict their

driving for a year after passing their test. They would only be able

to carry one passenger and wouldn't be able to drive at night and they'd

have a lower drink drive alcohol limit. It's something already used

in other countries and Becky's mother Nicole Taylor met the

Transport Minister this week to push for the changes here. She told me it

was a positive meeting. He knows it makes sense. The

evidence, you can't argue against it. There is no argument to say it

is not going to make sense. It is like the seat belt rules we

introduced in the 1980s. My point was that you have got to look at

this evidence and statistics because underneath it all, it is parents,

siblings, grandparents who know the actual true value of losing a child.

He needs to be braver. I urge people watching today, if they support

this, let him know you support it. He needs to have the confidence the

public will accept this. Do you believe there needs to be a change

in the law or is this something parents could bring into place

themselves, to say to their children at 17, you are not going to take the

car out at night. Have you got children of that age? I have been

that age though. There is your answer. You can know your children

well, Rebecca, I had no concern about her driving at all. She was

well trained, she was competent she was safe. She is not here today

Five years on, the pain, the loss of losing a child never goes away. If

we can just save just one family and one young adult from not having a

life any more, it is worth put `` pushing the issue and it is worth

setting a few people. It is about protecting our young adults.

And staying with road safety, a number of villages in

Northamptonshire have been at the centre of a crack down on speeding

drivers. The two`day operation last week targeted these villages, with

more than 60 people now being prosecuted. Police officers from

Daventry worked in partnership with the Safer Roads Team.

After days of train delays and power cuts, our part of the region was

back on track today after Monday's stormy weather. Power has been

restored to Hertfordshire and areas around Stansted, although there are

still a few houses waiting to be reconnected. All trains to London

were also back in service following a huge clear up operation to remove

trees from the line and mend overhead cables.

Those are the main and says it would cover costs to

help them target problem homes. Still to come tonight.

Britain's newest aeroplane takes to the skies over the east for the

first time. And it's an anxious moment for Delia

and Canaries fans, as a Norwich City star lies unconscious on the pitch

at Old Trafford. Over the last few days we have been

telling you about the political upheaval at Norfolk County Council,

over the plans to build a new waste burner in King's Lynn. It was

finally given the go ahead this week, after months of turmoil inside

and outside the council chamber. In tonight's special report we ask

this: what's the future of waste incineration in our region if it's

so controversial? Our environment reporter Richard Daniel has been

investigating. It is on time and on budget. This

incinerator well`born 270,000 tonnes of rubbish a year. Most of it from

homes. You have either got landfill. We do more than

incinerator. We actually use the seat from the waist to use

electricity and make sure that the emissions are fully cleaned up. The

many people who are fiercely opposed to this. They either do not feel it

is safe or they do not want the hundreds of lorries here dumping the

ground. The fact is that this project, compare to others, has gone

ahead with barely a hatch. In the East of England, five incinerators

are planned. But so far only two are being built. It is down to Eric

Pickles to decide whether this should go ahead. If it doesn't, the

council could face a ?25 million compensation bill. In Bedfordshire,

the American company behind the project is trying to sell it.

Planning permission has been granted but there is a legal challenge.

Opponents argue that cutting waste is the answer. Communities are

rising up in opposition to this offensive alternative to waste. It

is time for local politicians to get the message. We are not going to be

dog with this. So why are incinerators proving so

controversial? That is now one size fits all approach. We have got a

very diverse region. In Suffolk, for better or worse, they have decided

to go ahead. By December, next December it will be up and running.

The Norwich City footballer Robert Snodgrass has been released from

hospital after an injury which silenced the crowd at Old Trafford

last night. The Canaries winger was knocked out after a clash of heads.

He was lying on the pitch for ten minutes, getting attention from the

medical team before he was taken off on a stretcher. The players were

clearly shaken. Norwich eventually lost 4`0 and are out of the Capital

One Cup. It was a traumatic night all round.

Norwich left Old Trafford battered and bruised, but the result was

overshadowed by a nasty head injury to Robert Snodgrass. Big clash with

Rafael. He went down and he's stayed down. Manchester United's

goalkeeper, Anders Lindegaard, reacted first. He quickly helped the

winger into the recovery position. Then paramedics rushed to the scene.

Play was delayed for ten minutes while Snodgrass received treatment.

He lay motionless, knocked out, before he was carried off on a

stretcher. After a very, very lengthy stoppage, Robert Snodgrass

is carried off, wearing an oxygen mask. Harrowing scenes for everyone.

Snodgrass regained consciousness before being taken to hospital. The

club have confirmed that he was released late last night, suffering

from concussion. It's not known how long he'll be out. All in all, a

shocking night. Norwich fell behind to a penalty. Javier Hernandez

scored from the spot. He scored a second ten minutes into the second

half, and in the closing stages Man Utd ran riot. Phil Jones and Fabio

with the goals. The scoreline was perhaps a little harsh on Norwich,

but the champions were in no mood to let them off lightly. I thought we

were decent in the first half. It was never a penalty. That can be

demoralising. It's hard to take. I didn't think it was a penalty. I

thought it was harsh. But in the end it didn't really matter because the

other three goals made it comprehensive. Norwich's thoughts,

whilst with Snodgrass, now return to the Premier League. They make

another trip to Manchester on Saturday. This time to play City.

Without a win in four, they'll be desperate for a change in fortune.

A company based near Cambridge is claiming to have built the first new

aircraft in the country for years. It's called an E`go, and is designed

to fill a gap in the market between a microlight and a light aircraft.

Of course, there's only one way to find out if a new plane actually

works ` and that's to take it for a test flight. Which is exactly what

happened earlier today at an airfield in Norfolk.

If test pilot Keith Dennison was nervous, he didn't look it. This was

only the fourth time the E`go had taken to the air, and the first time

with anyone watching. Friends and relatives held their breath for a

moment as Keith took off at Tippenham Airfield. No one should

have worried. The first public flight went like a dream. Back on

the ground, there was a warm handshake from Tony Bishop, one of

the founders of the company. Excellent. I'm over the moon. It is

a mixture of delight and relief. It's lighter and faster and more fun

to fly than anything that is out there at the moment. We wanted to

design something fun. The E`go is a single seater, powered by a rotary

engine, and has a top speed of about 110mph. It came about as a result of

deregulation by the Civil Aviation Authority. The amount of red tape we

have had to go through is minimal. That's why it has been a rapid

process. We can use technologies that have typically been used in

cars. Not in aviation. I think this aeroplane could attract people to

flying. People that aren't interested at the moment. You might

have people who are considering a motorcycle or something like that.

If they see this, because it looks so different, they might think I

want some of that. If you do want some of that, it is going to cost

?50,000. E`go aeroplanes are hoping to go into production soon. With a

view to delivering their first E`go single seater in 2015. Designed,

developed and manufactured in our region, the aim is to sell the E`go

around the world. Beautiful Norfolk skies there. But

despite today's sunshine, summer has gone and it's the end of another

season for a Suffolk business that's been in the same family for five

generations. We're going to take you on a pleasant crossing of the River

Blyth in Suffolk. The service has been provided by the same family for

five generations. These days it's down to Dani Church to row the boat

between Southwold and Walberswick. Dani looks back now on another busy

season, in her own words. There has been a ferry running from

Walberswick to Southwold since 1236. My family became involved in the

late 1800s. About 1890. That makes me the fifth generation of my family

to work here. My dad was a ferry man and I used to love sitting on the

boat with him when I was younger. I used to sit in the rings at the back

and watch him. When I was about six, he would sit me on his lap, and I

would take the oars. He was so patient. I would watch how he did

it. Rowing is quite an art. You either take to it or you don't. It's

a lot to do with coordination. It is quite tricky here. The tides are

strong. I can do it in about ten strokes on easy water, with no wind.

It takes less than a minute. But sometimes I can be rowing for up to

four minutes. People like to come on the ferry because it's like a step

back in time. Escapism. We take lots of things on. Buggies and prams. My

dad retired and I thought we would row together. We did for a while.

This is definitely in my blood. I love it.

It looks beautiful. Her story is part of a new online series. Details

on the website. Time for the weather. Overnight, the

rugby showers. It is a bit of a wet night in prospect. This rain looks

like an a patchy but it need produce heavier busts in places. Tonight we

are looking at nine to 10 Celsius. If you live in Suffolk and Essex, it

might be wet first thing. On the whole, across the region, it stays

cloudy. In the afternoon, it may be brighter, but the risks of showers.

We are at about 14 or 15 Celsius for tomorrow. A little above average.

Into the afternoon, we have those showers. If you are out for

Halloween it is not good news. It would be raining all the time but it

could be quite damp at times. We have got a developing law and this

could produce some very heavy rain. It is not intense, not as intense as

Monday, but there is another one behind it. That is good to be very

windy on Sunday. It is good to be changeable and unsettled. Tomorrow

should be largely dry but there could be showers in the afternoon.

In the evening they become more widespread. In Friday, we start dry

and the rain starts to develop. It could turn heavy. It could cause

some problems with localised flooding is . Showers possible later

on Saturday. Also on Sunday. Back to you.

Everyday normal things that everybody does is where I use my energy.

I haven't got an extravagant lifestyle,

I've not got a hot tub outside or something like that.

In essence, it is a choice between heating or eating.

We will still eat and we will still have heating

It's just maybe the quality of the food that we eat

may not be as good as what we're eating at the moment.