21/02/2017 Look East (West)

There's a call from backbench MPs in our region for the Government

to rethink the changes in business rates.

Some small firms here say they'll struggle to cope with steep rises.

The changes are based on re-assessed property values,

and while in most areas average rates will fall there

are significant differences around the East.

The biggest fall, an average of 13%, will be in Bedford.

While Cambridge will see the biggest rise, with an average 2% increase.

Mousumi Bakshi has been meeting some of the businesses affected.

It's the start of another busy season for Jacqueline

Deep in the Northamptonshire countryside, they are preparing

Well, we have a family of three coming in.

The tourism trade is notoriously fickle.

With her annual business rates set to rise by over ?7,000,

And it is frustrating, because I want to make sure that,

when they open the door, they are impressed by what they see.

I can't suddenly increase prices by, say, ?100 for a weekend,

because it is going to stop people wanting to book.

Any business which operates out of a property has to pay tax.

The amount they pay depends on how much rent could be charged.

And with eight cottages to let, Jane's bill will increase.

Life is sweeter, however, in Bedford.

The Arcadia sweet shop has been in Jan's family

For the first time in years, her business rate is set to be slashed,

saving her hundreds of pounds each month.

It could help us keep on top of bills.

Probably help us to source new supplies of stuff,

which we find, because you are not given long to pay for your stock,

We can only buy ours about four weeks before Easter.

Like many small businesses, the Arcadia has to keep

operating costs low at the same time as expanding.

It is a dilemma faced by countless traders.

75% of our members say that business rates is one

of the top three issues facing their business.

The concern for them is the cost of doing business going up

and the average micro business, that is fewer than ten employees,

says that their average amount they will be paying in business

With her tax bill set to double, Jane's plans to expand

Dreams of bigger profits now on the back burner.

Our reporter Mike Cartwright is here now.

Mike, what is the picture like across the whole region?

Those figures don't tell the whole story there can be huge variations

from street to street. One of our MPs has accused ministers of

dishonesty. The truth is that, overall,

across the country, it Quite a lot of that

will come from our area. Yes, there are some places that

will see reductions. There are some places that,

unfortunately, will see rises. It would be much better

to be upfront about that, rather than pretending that

everyone's going to receive It just turns out

not to be the case. If there is a U-turn those

businesses that were expecting a hike will be happy but there will be

an outcry. A Northamptonshire Police officer

has appeared in court accused Northampton Crown Court heard PC

Declan Gabriel was on duty in the early hours of the morning

in September 2015, when he was called to deal

with a 17-year-old girl who had been The prosecution said

he took her away in his police car, sexually abused her and forced her

to have sex with him. Five teenagers have appeared

in court charged with the murder of 17-year-old Liam Hunt

in Northampton last week. Liam was found on St George's Street

in the town last Tuesday, Four boys aged 16 and 17,

who can't be named, appeared at Birmingham Crown Court today,

along with 18-year-old James Dodd, Next, would banning fast-food

outlets from opening near schools help make

children healthier? Well, Milton Keynes Council

seems to think so. It's part of their new plan

for the town, and tackling Tonight the council agreed to put

the plan out to public consultation. Nicola Haseler has been finding out

what children and parents think. As these children start their life

in primary school at the age of four, one in five of them

is already overweight or obese. But by the time they leave

and join secondary school, that figure has risen

to one in three. What are your favourite

school lunches? Children cannot go

there day in and day. Once a week for that

type of food is fine. To have that every day

is not a healthy diet. Down there is the primary school

where we have just been. At the end of this alleyway,

the secondary school, right behind a fast-food shop

that is full of schoolchildren It is places like this that will no

longer be able to exist within 400 metres of any school

if these plans go ahead. I think they shouldn't

have fast-food centres It is not having a good

effect on the children. I don't think it should

be easy to step out But with seven out of ten

adults in Milton Keynes being overweight, the council says

it has to make changes. Milton Keynes has a higher than

average obesity level in adults. We want to make sure our children

are growing up healthy. The cost of obesity and diabetes

and all of those illnesses associated with being overweight

would be a massive challenge We have to put plans

in place to make sure people have the option to make good

choices in their lives. If the exclusion zone goes ahead,

it won't affect fast-food Well, Milton Keynes' fast-food

proposal has been welcomed Tam Fry from the organisation

joined me to explain. A lot of boroughs in

the East End of London started this trend

about six years ago. The problem, however,

is it is very difficult. Local councils find

that very difficult. But ones like Milton Keynes

who have made that decision should be encouraged

to stick with it. Because in the end, it is a good

decision they've made. Surely there is some work

for the schools to do here, though? Why are children leaving school

grounds to go and get unhealthy food, when surely

there are options in school? The options so far have

been pretty laggardly. But there has been great impetus

to produce, if you will, a good meal The schools are now

obliged, in my opinion, to produce food which will encourage

children not to opt out of school, but to stay in and have their lunch

with their colleagues in Good food perhaps needs

a little help now and again. You need to have a cook or a

head chef who really does think about what it is he or she is

putting into the food. After a period of time -

and it does take a little time - if it is good and

nutritious and fun to eat, children There must be a lot of work

for parents as well. Children take quite

a lot of cues from them and eat a lot of meals

at home, don't they? Of course, the home environment

has to be sorted out. Also, there is evidence

to show that the children are now taking the good

messages home. Saying to parents, if you will,

"This is what we had at school. "We don't want the junk

you normally serve us. "Will you serve us

with good food at home?" There again you have

the education of the parents being taught by their own children

and getting the signals from them. The A6 around Brockwell is now

likely to stay closed until the end of April. Problems were found on a

bridge which takes it over the River and now more problems have been

found on another bridge which takes it over a railway line. Diversions

there will remain in place. I'll leave you with the weather

from Alex, but from me, goodnight. It is staying mild

overnight tonight. At the moment dry but the winds

will pick up and an area of rain is expected to move through,

arriving across northern counties But once again we are staying very

mild, with an expected low tonight of nine Celsius,

that wind picking up from the south-west

by the end of the night. We start the day tomorrow

with this cold front moving down from the north,

which will bring a band of rain which may linger

for much of the day, so expect a rather cloudy start

with outbreaks of rain, and some of this could turn heavy

as it moves through, but the weather front gets kind

of stuck across the south, so for southern counties

we could end up being rather wet Temperatures working up

to double figures once more, despite the cloud and rain it stays

very mild, and those winds will gradually ease,

but it is expected that that rain The national weather is coming up

but here is the outlook, and some stormy conditions expected

on Thursday with very strong winds. Colder and calmer for

Friday, and bright. really is going to be a gusty enter

the day, particularly up towards the evening rush hour. It calms down on

the Outlook toward the end of the week and then milder again from the

wheel them. More on storm Doris now with Matt Taylor.