02/07/2014 Look North (East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire)

said it had been bought by an anonymous bidder.

Lawyers in East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire say cuts to legal aid

are having a severe effect on those least able to afford it. Last year

the government stopped providing public funds for some types of

cases, as part of a plan to save ?350 million a year. But opponents

say the policy has left many on lower incomes having to represent

themselves in court. Kate Sweeting reports.

Cuts to legal aid have caused outrage amongst the legal

many say it's the poorest families who are suffering the most.

Carol has spent a year and thousands of pounds fighting through

the courts to get her two grandson's out of care. Under the new rules,

can't afford to fight for their children. I am only fighting for my

grandsons. I have done nothing wrong.

Legal aid uses public funds to pay for court cases. Cuts to civil legal

aid came into effect in April 2013. Since then nearly all family law

advice is exempt from legal aid, meaning people can no longer get

funding for things like child contact.

Hull Solicitor Sarah Clubley says she's seen dozens of families who

can no longer get legal aid. They come in our office and it is a

tragedy what is happening out there. In a statement the Ministry of

Justice told us "Whilst we have had to address the

cost of one of the most expensive legal aid systems in the world we

have also made sure legal aid remains available for the cases

where people most need legal help. This includes where life or liberty

is at stake and where a person is at risk of serious physical harm.' But

some maintain that the new system isn't working. Carol says

she'll fight on. But as the legal bills mount up

she risks losing not only them but also her home. It's about little

Earlier I spoke to the Hull East MP Karl Turner who is

I asked him if he agreed that legal aid bill had to come down.

The efficiencies that have to be made. The government have ignored

that. They are not saving any money at all worthless. A proceeding in

the family court which would normally take an hour is taking a

full day and kids are suffering as a result. Do you accept the greedy

lawyers and barristers have got this in this situation? It is a complete

fallacy that lawyers are earning fortunes. They are ending a huge

amount of money. I suspect that the figures reflect monies paid for five

or six years worked. When you are paid by the public purse, it takes a

very long time to get the money end so the large amounts are probably

over a few years. There is nothing to worry about because the

government says people whose lives of liberty at stake will be covered.

Only 1% has been paid in relation to those cases so it is just not

working and they are not saving any money because proceedings are taking

so much longer. Are you fighting for your legal friends are ordinary

people? I am fighting for access to justice for people and I want

parents and children to be represented in court. I do not mind

admitting I want fairness of access to court.

must make further savings worth ?90 million.

It's already made ?125 million of cuts since 2009. Unions claim the

latest savings could see 500 jobs go.

Police have released CCTV footage of a woman who's missing in

Lincolnshire. 60`year`old Diane Tytheridge from

Bicker hasn't been seen since Wednesday morning. Police expanded

their search area at the weekend after a review of CCTV showed Diane

in the morning near the bus station in Boston.

Hull is to receive more than ?3 million in arts funding.

Venues like Hull Truck Theatre will get a share of the money from the

Arts Council England. There's also cash for the city's Freedom Festival

in the run up to the year as City of Culture.

In whole two out of three organisations are getting investment

which is extremely unusual. There could be a case for investment

in flood defences along the Humber. That's according to one Government

Minister. MPs from the area have been in

Parliament lobbying for more to be spent on protecting communities

after December's tidal surge. The work that they're doing, along

with the technical advice that's being

received, or the work that the local authorities are involved in, will

make a very strong case for a long`term investment plan.

By the end of the night, temperatures should be back in

single figures. Temperatures will remain constant and the cloud will

build but it will stay mainly drive. We will get up to 23 degrees or 24

degrees. 23 degrees is 74 Fahrenheit. There might be the odd

spot of rain on Friday and it will be Saturday before it slowly clears.

more cloud on Friday. None of this survives into the weekend, some rain

around on Saturday. It's certainly been a feast of

football again. The