10/04/2014 Look North (Yorkshire)

Commons has been cleared of rape and other sex charges. Goodbye.

First tonight, a brief stay of execution for Kellingley and

Thoresby pits. But the Government's offer of a ?10 million loan comes

with conditions, agree to their closure in autumn 2015 or the deal

is off. The announcement, which means the phased shutdown of two of

the UK's last remaining deep mines and the eventual loss of 1,400 jobs,

came from the Energy Minister Michael Fallon. We'll hear from him

in a moment but first let's go to Phil Bodmer who's at Kellingley

Colliery. It has been a tough day all round.

Absolutely. That is perhaps an understatement. Just over my right

shoulder, you can hap seek the cooling towers of the power station.

You can see the Kellingley colliery there. And then there is the washer

Irie. Coming further left, you can see the steam coming off the cooling

towers off another power station. That is the proximity of the pits to

the power station. Every year, they produce 2.1 million tonnes of coal

out of here. Tonight, it seems Kellingley was Mac days could be

numbered. A fully laden train rumbles by

Kellingley colliery on its way to the power station, loaded with

imported coal. Around 40% of our energy needs still come from cheap

foreign coal. And that is part of the problem. The company which runs

Kellingley and Thoresby colliery in Nottinghamshire says it has found

trading conditions extremely tough. So, how did we get here? On 29th of

March, UK call heels of financial help `` UK Coal appeal for financial

help. Then the unions called for the industry to be re`nationalised.

Crisis talks followed. Yesterday the Prime Minister said he would do what

he could. Today, the government offered a ?10 million loan to allow

for a phased shutdown of both pits. offered a ?10 million loan to allow

for a It's not a good deal. It results in the closure of two

collieries in the loss of 2000 jobs. It is a managed closure, which is

not what we were led to believe that David Cameron was looking at, which

was a survival plan. And this plan is valid, we believe, and

unfortunately, it has fallen on deaf ears. UK Coal says that this offers

the company the best outcome. But as one miner told me, it is a stark

choice. Face losing your life now or in 18 months' time. So, from

difficult decisions `` so, difficult decisions. There is another meeting

scheduled for Sunday afternoon. Whatever happens, whatever the

outcome, we could be witnessing the death of the once mighty UK Coal

industry. Earlier, I asked the Energy Minister

Michael Fallon whether conditions attached to the loan meant miners

were being asked to sign their own death warrants. We've been asked to

help save the mines which would otherwise have the prospect of going

into immediate insolvency and closing either tomorrow or next

week. We've been asked to help and we are going to help. But why do

both need to close by 2015? They are saying they've got enough coal to

sustain over the next 20 years. Well, there is nobody prepared to

invest in these mines. The company operating these mines sees no

long`term future in them. They have looked to find other private sector

partners who might come in and help. There is no other interest in

prolonging the life of these mines beyond 2015. It's not a viable

proposition. What we've been asked to do is to prevent the immediate

closure of the mines. And, very unusually, that is what government

has agreed to do. If you close these two mines, Hatfield will be the only

one left in the UK. Why are you so hell`bent on destroying the UK

mining industry? We're not destroying the UK mining industry.

The coal mines have had a great deal of help from taxpayers over the

years. But these mines have now become unviable. And there is no

value for money, taxpayer case for subsidising them any further when

the private sector is not able to do so. Well, the government bailed out

the banks to the tune of millions of pounds. They were a private

business. Why are you not doing the same for the coal industry? Well,

the mines have had taxpayer support over the years. But we can only put

taxpayer money in where there is good value for money. And we can be

sure there is a proper economic case. There isn't here. And no

private sector operator thinks these mines have any viable future beyond

2015. What was really important was to avoid an immediate shut down and

immediate insolvency. And that we have agreed to do by offering a loan

in principle if everybody else can agreed terms on it. Finally, Mr

Fallon, what do you have to say of the 1,400 people who will be losing

their jobs? Well, I hope the managed closure will allow the closure to

take place in an orderly fashion. So they will be able to take advantage

of the retraining package and the help that is going to be available

rather than being put out of work next week. There will be another

year and a half during which miners themselves will be able to seek a

different future. Mr Fallon, thank you.

With us now is Andrew Mackintosh from UK Coal and Yvette Cooper, the

Labour MP for Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford, whose constituency

includes the pit. If we can start with you, Yvette Cooper, shouldn't

labour be taking some responsibility here? After `` under the last

government more mines closed and under this coalition. We had worked

very hard to keep pits open. Kellingley is the same, we need to

do everything to keep it open. This is grim news. This is a closure

deal, closing in 2015. And I am worried they seem to be completely

running off the table any option to try to keep it open. That is what we

are still campaigning for. We should not be turning our backs on this pit

now. Why didn't Labour do more? What about investing in clean coal

technology? Labour at aside money for that but we don't know what is

happening to that money and that investment. We are worried that

might be siphoned off. You need the environmental conditions, but you

also need to recognise we don't want to be in the `` to be dependent on

imported coal from Russia, where there is instability as well. There

was a rise in imported coal when Labour were in power. That's right,

but we need a deep mine coal industry not to lose it all

together, and not to lose the hundreds of jobs and businesses that

have contracts with it. I was worried by your report and the idea

that ministers seem to be making it a condition of going ahead with this

deal that the union should stop campaigning to keep these pits open.

All of us in our communities want to keep doing everything we can with

Europe, with private investors, with anybody to try to find a deal and

the government should be doing that. Why is it that the coal industry is

whacked all the time? Lets be honest, at Kellingley, there is coal

for 20 years. Yes, it has been an extremely difficult time for coal

and the irony is that coal is 40% of our energy. A lot of it is imported

and we have decades ahead of us. The unions have to accept this otherwise

the deal is off. The unions are in the same position as the

management. 2000 jobs in an area that can't afford to lose 2000 jobs!

2000 jobs, and the choices padlocks going on mixed week, everybody out,

or, and I will have a heavy heart when we have the 18 month option, so

everyone will get redundancy, our suppliers will get paid, and

everyone will get the coal they need. These are the two solutions.

Thank you both for joining us. It is a debate we will be returning to, I

am sure. The parents of sisters Sarah and

Victoria Hicks, two of the 96 Liverpool football fans killed in

the Hillsborough Stadium disaster in 1989, have been paying tributes to

their girls at the new inquests in Warrington. Today would have been

Sarah's 44th birthday. Her father Trevor Hicks and his former wife

Jenni have been reading their family impact statements to the coroners'

jury. Our Correspondent John Cundy is in Warrington. I am sure it must

have been a very emotional day today.

It was and for all the other families who have had impact

statements read today. One by one, 96 family descriptions are being

read those loved ones they lost at Hillsborough, they are being read to

a jury in a hushed coroners court room here. Today it was the turn of

Keighley businessman Trevor Hicks and his former wife Jenni to talk of

their two beloved daughters they lost on the overcrowded terraces of

Hillsborough back in 1989. The graves of Sarah and Victoria

Hicks lie in a cemetery in Liverpool. Today would have been

Sarah's 44th birthday. A poignant day for their father and mother to

be talking to the Hillsborough inquest at the loss of their loved

ones. You asked three Mac what was today about? We are doing our job as

parents, not as officers of a group. And all we can do it our best. It is

a privilege and honour to be able to talk about each individual because

45 years we have been part of a number of 96. All the families have.

It has given a salt of the people who died. In the impact statement,

the sisters were said to have defended each other in life, and,

tragically, together in death. The loss of a child is one of the worst

things that can happen to a loving parent. Loss of all your children is

devastating. It is not the two that is twice as bad. It is that you lose

everything. The present, the future, and any purpose. We are justifiably

proud of Sarah and Vicky. They lived together. They died together.

Supporting the team they loved. They are buried together. Need I say

more? Sarah and Vicky, you word two bright, beautiful, innocent young

women. `` you word two bright. I left you at a football ground. And a

few hours later, you were dead. This evening, Trevor and Jenny Hicks

would taking time to visit the graves of their beloveds daughters.

April ten, 2014, the days Sarah should have been 44.

The inquests have been adjourned until the week after Easter. They

wouldn't have been sitting next to it because next week is the 25th

anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster. But when they do resume

after Easter, more of those very poignant and sad family impact

statements will continue to be read to the jury.

An emotional tribute from Trevor and Jenni.

Later on Look North. The latest TV series from Kay Mellor. Hello, watch

me later on Look North and find out why I am in Leeds filming a new

drama in a hospital. Or is at a hospital? You will have to wait to

find out. A public meeting is under way this

evening over concerns about a company that provides GP services to

thousands of people in and around Chesterfield. The Holywell Medical

Group runs GP practices across the Chesterfield area. Last year, the

regulator said there were problems with two of those surgeries. The

Grange in Chesterfield and the Rectory Road surgery in Staveley

were criticised by the Care Quality Commission. Inspectors found that

some patients struggled to access appointments. Their privacy and

dignity were not being respected, while others complained they could

never see the same GP. Jamie Coulson reports. Didn't it hurt a lot? Yes.

Edward Baker can still remember the agony of suffering a burst appendix.

Last Christmas, the four`year`old had to be rushed in for emergency

surgery after days of sickness and pain. His parents believe his

condition should have been picked up sooner by local GPs who thought he

only had a stomach bug. We feel extremely let down because, at the

end of the day, we, as parents, knew how ill Edward was. We took him to

the doctors not once but twice. The second time, he should definitely

have been sent to hospital. Edward was seen by two different doctors at

two different surgeries that are both part of the Holywell Medical

Group. His case is one of a number being highlighted by local MP Toby

Perkins. It's become clear over several months that there are real

significant problems primarily with access to services there. But also

because, I think, all of the demand that there is, it's also going over

into the quality of clinical care. In February, BBC Look North also

featured the case of Vicky Liggett who died after her breast cancer

returned. Her family believe the illness should have been spotted by

GPs who has seen her on at least five occasions over a six`month

period with a persistent cough. NHS England say they are investigating

both of these cases along with eight others. They also point out they are

working with the company to improve services and increase the number of

GPs. And that while good progress has been made, there is still some

work to be done. Meanwhile, the Hollywell Medical Group say they are

happy that improvements are being made. We have increased the number

of appointments by 200 extra GP appointments per week. We've

employed a full`time extra nurse practitioner. There are now

telephone consultations, online appointments can be booked as well.

Tonight, Edward's parents will be taking part in a meeting organised

by Toby Perkins to discuss their concerns and hear those of others.

Police are hunting a man who carried out a serious sex attack on a

10`year old girl in Bradford. It happened as she was walking in Saint

Matthews field in Saint Matthews Fielding Allerton on March 25. Her

attacker, whose face was covered with a scarf, is described as Asian,

in his 40s, about 5"9' tall and of large build. He was wearing light

blue trousers and a black hooded waterproof jacket.

Massimo Cellino has been cleared to become a director of Leeds United by

the Football League today. Mr Cellino completed his takeover of

the club on Monday night after winning an appeal against the

League's decision to bar him after failing the fit and proper persons

test following a court case in Italy.

A ?90 million out of town shopping centre opened in York this morning.

Shoppers queued to get into John Lewis one of three big stores at

Monks Cross. There's been controversy, though, with city

centre shops fearing a loss of footfall. But the centre's created

hundreds of jobs. Here's our business correspondent Danni Hewson.

Let's hear it for the best new branch team in John Lewis. Good

morning, York! A last`minute pep talk for the 350 new staff who have

just become partners in John Lewis. Though the brand is celebrating its

150th birthday this year, Yorkshire has had just one store for decades.

A fact undoubtedly behind the excitement and the queues at Monks

Cross this morning. So, why has it taken so long? We have been trying

for a long time to find another road into Yorkshire, whether it be in

Leeds, where we started digging on Monday, or in York. And it was just

about finding exactly the right location. And we're very pleased

with what we've got. And when we do open, customers will be genuinely

inspired by what they see. Certainly, the investment has been

welcome. The ?90 million site is also home to other big high street

brands, and will eventually be joined by a community sports

stadium. But the development's not been without controversy. And many

still believe that shiny new shops with free parking outside the city

centre can't help but pull trade within it. We welcome those stores.

We are not at all worried about competition. We want to be able to

compete on a level playing field, and therefore, it is simply about

parking, parking, parking. And the upkeep of centuries`old buildings is

an extra cost traders like Adam have to bear. Can the high`street cope?

Does York need more shops? All valid questions and concerns. But no one

begrudges the jobs. Jobs that literally changed the life of one

York resident who thought he'd never find work. It was like winning the

lottery. When I got the phone call, it was amazing because... I weren't

expecting the call. And when I got the call, I just screamed down the

telephone. They knew I was excited about the job. So, yeah. Really

happy. If today is a barometer of the health of retail, it's set fine.

This week marks a significant anniversary for anyone who uses

trains in the Yorkshire Dales because it's 25 years since the

government threw out plans that would have seen the Settle`Carlisle

railway shut down. A special train will travel the line tomorrow to

celebrate the anniversary. Meanwhile, passengers are using the

service in record numbers and as Spencer Stokes has been finding out

it's about to play a big part in getting heavy lorries off Dales

roads. It's officially recognised as one of

the world's greatest railway journeys. It's carrying more

passengers than at any point in its history and freight is coming back

to the line with some local industries now looking at how they

can use it. The Settle`Carlisle line has been a huge success story. And

this quarry wants to be part of that success. It's planning to build a

short branch line to the Settle`Carlisle so that stone can be

moved by trains rather than by lorries. We can only do it because

the railway is there. We've looked at all the different options but,

actually, the confidence of that Settle`Carlisle being there and

being there for a considerable amount of time really does give us

the confidence to put in what is a fairly significant investment here.

A firm that quarries material for the road building industry wanting

to connect to the railway would have been unimaginable 25 years ago.

Throughout the 1980s, the Settle`Carlisle teetered on the

brink of closure. Just a politician's pen stroke away from

being ripped up. Former Look North correspondent Alan Whitehouse

covered the story when he was a reporter at the Yorkshire Post. A

quarter of a century on, he is a volunteer fireman on the North

Yorkshire Moors Railway. Right up to the 59th minutes of the 11th hour,

it looked as though the line was going to close. This was the first

time in many, many years that a big closure campaign had been thwarted

by a group of campaigners. Until then, BR and the government had

always had their way. The closure had always gone through. And this

time they failed. And that was great. Knowing the railway was

saved, campaigners began to work with the rail companies to develop

the route. And restore some of the original architecture. There was

rundown stations, broken windows in stations, Ribblehead was virtually

derelict. We were handed really a baton. We have saved it, now you

make it a success. And, I think, collectively, we can pretty much sit

back and say we've done that. Without that last`minute decision 25

years ago, the Settle` Carlisle would have shut within weeks. And

history shows once railways are lost, they are difficult to

resurrect. This line didn't only survive. It went on to thrive.

Did you notice how clean his clothes were shovelling that coal?

I think he will invoice is for that appearance as well!

She's one of television's most successful drama writers and she's

been at it again. Yorkshire's very own Kay Mellor is already well known

for her ratings winners which include Band of Gold, Fat Friends

and The Syndicate. Now filming is under way in Leeds for her latest

series called In The Club. It follows six very different families

who bond at the local Parent Craft class and, as you'd expect, there's

a twist! Ian White's been on set to find out more.

Kay Mellor lurks in the shadows as her new drama In The Club is filmed

in Leeds. She says this six parter is a bit of a cross between the TV

shows One Born Every Minute and Call The Midwife. We see somebody give

birth each episode. And it's like, who is that person going to be?

Because they're all big, they are all in their last trimester of their

pregnancy. So it is kind of guessing, half of it. Which one is

going to give birth tonight? And sometimes it's not who you think it

is going to be. The magic of television. If you look this way,

this is basically a warehouse. But if you walk this way, this is Leeds'

brand`new maternity department. Here is the neo`natal unit, and inside

here, some very, very poorly babies. But not everything is as it seems.

This one, of course, is not real. Just as well. It's a great set.

There is no acting required here. Sometimes you go on sets, sometimes

there is only two or three walls. So you have a big space or a camera

crew. This really is... Like an active working hospital. We've got

delivery suites, we've got two huge wards out there. We've got nurses

stations. We've got corridors. This, of course, is the delivery room.

We've got two of these. On set today, actors Will Mellor and Sacha

Dhawan who both play expectant fathers. And who love their roles.

Being able to come back home and working with a Northern crew and a

Northern production team, it's... We are like a big family. When you've

got your own kids, everybody knows anything to do with children, you

watch. You just end up crying your eyes out because kids, you know,

they weaken you. And they are my world, my children. It means a lot.

And this series, I think, a lot of people are going to have a lot of

things that they can see in their own lives that's happened with our

storylines. Kay compares creating a new drama to giving birth. It's

hoped In The Club will be shown on BBC One later in the year.

I am getting clucky just looking at all those babies!

Ian White is that a parent craft class tonight.

Don't trust him with your newborn! Let's have a look at the pictures

that have come in over the last 24 hours.

Superb part of our Yorkshire coastline. Keep them coming in. OK,

the headline for the next 24 rows is not a bad one. It looks like there

will be plenty of sunshine around, and all parts will be dry tomorrow,

courtesy of an area of high pressure. The weekend is looking to

bad. This weak front might have thick cloud, a little patchy light

rain in the West possible. The best of the weather always towards the

coast. All of that area having a reasonable time of it. We had 16

degrees this morning at Ashford. The cals Bob did build in. `` the clouds

did build in, so we might see some light rain spreading south

eastwards, but not a great deal, dampening the ground is loaded.

Behind it, clearing skies with a touch of ground frost possible. So,

a clear into the night. `` end to the night. A beautiful start to the

day. Dry, mainly sunny skies across much of Yorkshire. Then, as

temperatures rise, we will see some clouds, so, turning cloudy, but it

remains bright with further spells of sunshine, so a like chance of

catching a shower. Let's have a look at the top temperatures. Just a

light breeze, perhaps an onshore breeze along the coast. 13 inland.

Saturday, a bright start with Bob cloud later. Much of Sunday and

Monday dry, variable cloud with some sunshine.

I guess you will be out of practice with newborns as well.

It is my daughter's ninth birthday tomorrow.

So, you won't be going on the golf course?

Definitely not. See you soon.