29/07/2013 Midlands Today

with Nick Owen and Mary Rhodes. The headlines tonight: by 300%, a huge

increase in families looking for help with debt as they are hit by

reforms. When you are stressed out, you can't

eat, and if you don't have money you can't eat. It has affected me in

many ways. we will find out what help is available for hard-pressed

families. Also a hospital too close to 990

patients overnight to ease pressure on staff.

100 police officers back on the beat. After two years of despair for

Wolves fans, the new season starts on Saturday.

It is a very unique setup with Wolves this year but I am confident

and looking forward to the season and I am under no illusions of the

size of the task. And flash floods and thunderstorms

have dominated these past few days but what are the chances of things

Good evening. A charity offering debt advice say they're seeing a

huge increase in the number of people seeking help. Birmingham

Settlement used to deal with 25-30 people a week. But they say that

figure's shot up to 25 a day, with many owing sums running into

thousands. They're blaming the effect of recent welfare reforms and

the popularity of payday loans. This is Leon, not his real name but

in real need of help. He's seriously ill, his spare room means he's

losing out to the so-called "bedroom tax", and the interest on his payday

loans is piling up. I have got the sick pay for a certain amount of

weeks but then that stops. Then the direct debits keep on coming out of

the bank and there was nothing in there to pay it and I am meant to be

eating better but when you are stressed out, you cannot eat because

at the moment I cannot see how I will get myself out of the debt.

This is a very typical case because it is difficult when they are being

put under pressure from all sorts of angles. Benefits, loans, they are

taking out, high fuel bills and water rates, TV licence, it seems

like it is coming at them from everywhere and they are struggling.

In April and May last year, 221 people turned up here looking for

help with their debts. In the same period this year, the figure was 660

people. That's an increase of 300%. With payday loans a major factor.

But those that make those loans say they do so responsibly. A lender

will be looking at your spending patterns and they will give you a

credit check and you will need to be in employment, have a bank account

so there are a number of measures that you will need to meet and that

is why more than eight out of ten people are paying back their loans

in full and on time. For those deep in debt, there is

hope. Matt gave up his job to nurse his terminally-ill father and ended

up owing �45,000. He's got a new job and reduced his debts to �12,000.

His advice? If you bury your head in the sand, it will only get worse.

The stress will get worse and the more stressed you are, the more

difficult it is to deal with your problems so address yourself and

your problems, get help and support. Trouble is, things are tough for the

helpers as well. One of the city's oldest charities, Birmingham

Settlement, recently laid off three workers for lack of funds. This at a

time when they're more in demand than ever.

I'm joined now by Martyn Treadgold, from the six Towns credit union

which helps people across Sandwell and Worcestershire. Just explain how

a credit union operates. They are fully regulated by the financial

authorities. We are run by our members, we take the savings in and

we make loans available at low rates in order to be able to pay a

dividend to the savers. we heard in the report, there has been a huge

increase from that one charity, have you seen an increase coming to you

for help? It is quite curious, in a number of areas, the changes have

been where people suddenly get a change in circumstance, they might

only use a few hours of work a week and those people but have just about

been managing suddenly tipped over the edge and then you get the ones

with the far greater debts. The ones with the thousands of pounds. Tens

of thousands. It is not uncommon, I'm afraid. Wattled percentage have

you seen people coming to you in terms of increased? A lot. Sometimes

as little as just losing a few hours of work a week. They are just about

managing and then you lose a few hours, let alone losing your job.

The payday loan companies have had a bad press of late but if you can

repay it quickly, they can be a godsend because you can get the cash

immediately. Is that the case with credit unions? They are usually in

difficulty already when they use payday lenders. Or their overdraft

is full. So therefore they are already in difficulty. And therefore

what happens at the end of the month they find they cannot pay it back.

Good intentions but they find they can't. And that rolls over and then

suddenly a debt of �300 suddenly becomes �1000. if somebody has debts

of tens of thousands of pounds, they need help quickly, how quickly can

they get help from a credit union? They need a different form of help

there. They need help from citizens advice bureau or the other advice

lines available and they need to get help quickly. Do not delay, don't

wait for the red letters to stack up. And get in front of the fire,

get help quickly. good advice. Coming up later in the programme:

The Stones, the Who, One Direction - just some of the names who've

thrilled the crowds at Wolverhampton Civic Hall - now celebrating 75

100 police officers will be returning to front-line duties well

when West Midlands Police start a new recruitment drive. That will

include 1100 police officers and that has led to some officers being

used in so-called back office roles. This has been the working

environment for scores of West Midlands Police officers recently.

Behind the scenes instead of out working the beat. But 100 of those

bobbies will now return to front-line duties. More police

others on the streets is an encouraging thing, that is what the

public ask us for. Police officers had replaced

civilian workers who are easier to make redundant. But the force says

it's in a position to start recruiting members of the public

again. The new staff will work at front desks and in non-emergency

contact centres, freeing up officers to return to the streets. Freeing

more officers to go back on the beat may be good news but it is against a

backdrop of further cuts announced at the Home Office last month. So

could it perhaps be a temporary measure? It is a short-term win

because while we are putting 100 officers on the street now, that is

100 against a force of around 7400 in total so it is a drop in the

ocean. And further job cuts are to come.

For now, though, increasing council tax funding for the police and

reducing the numbers of non-emergency call centres has led

to a rise in officers available to fight crime. This is a more value

way of ensuring police work smarter so that police can work the training

they have been given rather than be less effectively deployed in jobs

they do not the police powers to carry out.

An extra 50 special constables and 50 community support officers will

also be recruited to boost manpower The former Birmingham City striker

Christian Benitez has died at the age of just 27. It's reported the

Ecuador International suffered a cardiac arrest following

complications after having appendicitis. Known as "Chucho", he

scored four goals in 36 appearances while on loan at the Blues between

2009 and 2010. A motorist believed to be in his 70s

has died after an argument in a car park in Birmingham. The man was

taken to hospital when he collapsed in the Tyseley Community Centre car

park, in Sparkhill yesterday afternoon. A 44-year-old man

arrested at the scene is being questioned by police.

Five people remain in police custody after a 50-year-old man died after

being stabbed. The victim, who has been named locally as Neil Bennett,

was found on Saturday evening on Park End Road near Gloucester Park.

Just hours before, the city had been celebrating its annual carnival. Our

Gloucestershire reporter has the latest.

It was carnival weekend in Gloucester but the celebrations were

muted by the death here on Saturday night. It is thought the victim was

trying to escape from an incident near the city's Park. He made its

way past the funfair which was closed but was found on a road

outside the park by police. first officers on the scene tried to

start CPR, they then found a night so they started resuscitation.

post-mortem has been carried out on the results of that and formal

identification are expected to be released tomorrow. The victim has

been named locally as Neil Bennett, 50 years old who lived here in the

city. As police searched houses nearby,

life got back to normal in Gloucester Park. But the police were

here as well. He had to reassure staff and the public that the murder

was an isolated attack. Our people have worked with the police and we

are up and running again today. The park is a safe place to come. The

funfair is very safe. At a time of celebration, those who work to keep

it safe want to ensure this one incident does not put people off

coming. We have the peace festival happening on Friday, the fireworks

on Saturday and then we have Jamaican independence on Sunday so

lots to look forward to. Police were given more time to question three

people and a further to our already in custody under suspicion of being

A Nursing and Midwifery Council panel has found that two nurses

failed to identify that a patient at Stafford Hospital was diabetic.

Gillian Astbury died in April 2007 because staff failed to give her any

insulin. Ann King and Jeanette Coulson, who are both retired, also

failed to ensure that patient records were up to date. BBC Radio

Stoke's Chris King is following the case. Chris, what happened today?

Neither Ann King or Jeanette Coulson were at today's hearing but both

faced a series of allegations relating to their conduct while

working at the Mid Staffordshire Trust. King left the trust last

year, whilst Coulson retired in 2010. Today a fitness to practice

panel announced which of the claims which date back to 2005 they believe

are true. A lot of the charges related to death of the diabetic

patient Gillian Astbury, didn't they? That's right. Gillian Astbury

was admitted to Stafford Hospital following a fall at home. She was

transferred onto Ward Three where Ann King and Jeanette Coulson were

both senior nurses. The panel found that both women failed to read Mrs

Astbury's notes properly, didn't check her blood sugar levels and

didn't fill out her records either. This meant that Mrs Astbury didn't

receive any insulin, and so fell into a diabetic coma. It's also

worth pointing out here, an internal investigation into what happened was

carried out but it's not clear what the then trust managers did about

it. What else were found to have done? Ann King was found to have

said she'd changed a patient's dressing when she hadn't. One nurse

saying she knew it hadn't happened because she could see dried blood

and pus. She was, however, cleared of ignoring the calls of a patient

who it was claimed died after getting their head stuck in the bars

of a bed. But the panel said a postmortem examination found that

wasn't what killed them. They died of natural causes. Jeanette Coulson

also admitted swearing at members of staff and failing to ensure that

records on the ward were properly maintained. Thank you.

From tonight, people in need of overnight emergency hospital

treatment will no longer be taken by ambulance to Cheltenham. Instead, a

controversial change will mean "blue-light" patients are taken

straight to Gloucester. The change will take effect between 8pm and

8am. One of the reasons is a shortage of emergency department

staff. The casualty department will remain open to walk-in patients.

I am outside the A&E department and there has been a steady stream of

patients walking in, ambulances coming in. The unit is open and

these changes will only come into force from eight o'clock this

evening. With me is local MP Martin Horwood. These changes are

necessary, and they? The people can still walk in all the time, due to a

shortage of emergency doctors and we understand things had to be done but

it is the permanence of this change. We are looking into emergency

recruitment at national level. have looked at evidence that it will

increase the risk that we have not looked at what benefits it will

bring to centralise the two departments and a consultation was

rushed, I think they largely ignored local opinion and I don't think that

is good enough. But the people in charge of this

decision says it will only affect 16 patients per night, but we are short

of emergency doctors. 16 patients a night is nearly 16,000 journeys a

year and although it seems like a short distance, there is good

academic studies which showed there is a measurably increased risk of

death, I'm afraid. For people with things like perforated ulcers,

asthma, appendicitis. All these things carry a higher risk. For

every extra kilometre. That is well evidenced. I have not seen any

evidence back from the trust of the commissioners who took this decision

to say they have done the mathematics and this is the balance

of risk. That is all we are asking for, good evidence and ambition to

restore the service when the recruitment is sorted out. Thank you

very much. This unit is still open, it is only from this evening that

the changes will come into force. Our top story tonight: Up by 300%: a

huge increase in families looking for help as they're hit by welfare

reforms. Your detailed weather forecast to

come shortly. Also in tonight's programme, the latest attraction in

Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter - a �2 million project to turn a

Victorian coffin factory into a heritage centre.

And from Nat King Cole to the Stones to One Direction - celebrating 75

years of top entertainment at This weekend marks the return of the

Football League, with the start of its 125th anniversary season. And

one of the League's founding clubs finds itself kicking off in the

third tier of English football. After back-to-back relegations,

Wolves begin life in League One at Preston following two nightmare

seasons. But is there cause for optimism after a summer of change at

Molineux? Some brought a hat, others an

umbrella. All of them brought fresh optimism for a brave new dawn at

Molineux. Almost 5000 loyal fans will make the trip to Preston on

Saturday, just three months after they bid farewell to the

championship at Brighton. You would never guess that Wolves had been

relegated to league one. Look at this queue, you think you were

selling tickets for the cup final. Four of the young guns were ready

for autographs inside including Lee Griffiths, 23 next month and just

back from scoring 23 goals with Hibernian. Scotland's player of the

year is looking forward to making his name as the new number nine at

Wolves. No pressure? I'm have heard a few fans talking about Steve Beale

and since I have been at Wolves, I know how well he felt that jersey so

I hope I can take it on. He showed his eye for goal against

the Spanish Amir Leaguer, was no disgrace to lose 3-2, their only

pre-season defeat. The new boss is optimistic about the potential of

his new team. Already the clear favourites for the book is to finish

top of league one in nine months time. The link between the players

and the supporters is vital. It is fair to say that has broken down in

recent seasons. A new group now, younger players and the crowd have

responded very well. It is up to us and the players to make sure that we

give them something to sing about starting on Saturday at Preston.

inside, the fans waited to share their promotion aspirations with the

players and outside, the legend Stan Collis look to the skies and hoped

every dark cloud has a silver lining at Molineux this season.

And Ian is at Molineux now. Over 4,000 Wolves fans are expected to

follow their team to Preston on Saturday. That's quite a show of

support after so much despair? Absolutely. These have been the

darkest of times to be a Wolves supporter and that they have sold

4000 for the trip to Preston speaks volumes. Lets make the bane family

over here on the right wing. Keith. George. Simon. Keith, what is it

that makes you keep coming back for more? I wish I knew because I cannot

hear it at the moment. It is a family-run club, we enjoy watching

them week in, week out. We suffer with the other fans and we hope the

players have got the same passion we have and we hope next season will be

really good for the whole community of Wolverhampton. Let's bring Simon

in. Do you think we have copyright man for the job? I have just read

one of his books from his Millwall days and it is a good read and I

hope he can bring the same success at the lower league into Wolves and

learn his trade and take it up a division. The bookies tell me you

are 7-2 favourites to win the title. Would you have a bet? That is a big

question. I have to say yes, I would like to have a bet on them. I

thought we would be up there last year but we were not. On Saturday...

Apologies, that despair of being a Wolves is infectious. If you happen

to know what the cure is, one supporter told us, let us know.

Work has started on a �2 million project to turn a Victorian coffin

factory in Birmingham into a heritage centre. All the fixtures

and fittings of Newman Brothers Coffin Works in the Jewellery

Quarter were still in place when it closed in 1999. Laura May McMullan

is at the factory now. What's going on there? After a 12 year fight to

save this historic copying works here in the Jewellery Quarter, work

has finally started today. But one of the huge tasks has been trying to

raise �2 million for the project. With me is the project leader,

Simon. Why was it important to save this site? It is an incredible piece

of industrial heritage but what makes it really special is that when

it closed in 1999, it seemed they close the door behind them at the

end of an ordinary working day and left everything behind. 100 years of

history. What can people expect to see? It will be like stepping back

into the past and they will be able to see rooms like this with the

machinery working, coughing handles and plates were made here and rooms

like the Shroud room and the Coffin linings, they will be a great deal

to see. Chris, you are leading the conservation work, how important is

this? It is wonderful to be in the heart of the Jewellery Quarter and

work with the conservation trust on this historic building. I am sure it

will be painstaking, but what are you looking forward to? Re-macro

being able to work with the community which is at the heart of

the community. To view the work as it is going on. Talking of this

fantastic inside, the doors will be open in about one year's time.

you. For 75 years, it's seen some of the

biggest names in the music world take to the stage. From Bowie to One

Direction, Robbie Williams to The Who, they've all played the

Wolverhampton Civic Hall. So what's its enduring appeal? Ben Sidwell's

been to find out. Just a warning, bearpit atmosphere. Radiohead and

blow when they first came, Coldplay. You could always telling acts were

For three quarters of a century, the Wolverhampton Civic Hall has been at

the heart of the city's entertainment scene. From rock

bands, to tea dances, to comedy - it's all taken place under this

roof. Literally all the greatest artists have been here since 1938

when the hall opened in 1938. Gary Barlow, Robert Plant, Robbie

Williams have all played here. The Rolling Stones. 1952, Nat King Cole

did his very first tour of the UK here. He opened it in Wolverhampton

with Johnny Dankworth and Cleo Laine. It was totally packed. Nat

King Cole fell in love with England Not much has changed at the Civic

since those early days and the place looks remarkably similar. That is

until you head up to the dressing rooms. This is one of our dressing

room is one of our dressing rooms here at the Civic. We think the

stars enjoy this, maybe to cool off afterwards and then as Jacuzzi to

finish off. Jonn Penney knows the Civic better

than most, in his younger days as lead singer with Stourbridge band

Ned's Atomic Dustbin they often headlined here. Now. He's in charge

of Press and PR. We finished our touring here and I will ask gig of

the year was always at the Civic Hall. People got wind of the kind of

party show that we finished our year with and so people would travel from

all over the world to come to the last show of the year at the Civic

Hall. But there is one part of the Civic

Hall that very few people have ever seen in its entire 75 years.

This is the organ at the Civic Hall, comprising 6021 pipes. Weighing 32

tonnes in total. It is suspended above the stage. When it was

purchased in 1934, it cost �6,000 and came with a 25 year guarantee.

The Civic Hall is run by Wolverhampton City Council, so with

so many cuts around, just how secure is it's future? The business of the

Civic Hall, all contribute to the rate fund but ultimately everything

comes under question and I know the council is supportive of what we're

doing and they love it, they think it is great. What the future holds,

nobody knows but if it is anything like what has gone before, this

place will be filled with the Sound of music and laughter for many years

It's been Monsoon Monday round here week but it was also saturated

Saturday and Sunday. Not quite epochal proportions but still pretty

bad. Particularly in Staffordshire where we have recordings of 55

millimetres of rain, that is around two inches. These thunderstorms have

been very localised so that was the highest figure that we have

recorded. But we still have a yellow warning in force for the next hour

of more to come. Thunderstorms leading to flash flooding and this

week as a whole will be generally wet with mixtures of heavy showers

and sunshine. Temperatures around the 20 Celsius mark but one Friday

and that will be Thursday -- one Friday and that will be Thursday. --

one dry day. We have got lots of showers across the region and these

will be present over the next 60 minutes and then they gradually fade

away leading to a dry night. Initially we have clear skies but

towards the end of the night the cloud will thicken from the West and

temperatures down to 12 Celsius so a bit pressure tonight under the

clever spells. Tomorrow morning, we start off with some sunshine

particularly further north but the cloud thickening upbringing in the

next band of showers from the south and steadily spreading north through

the day. These could be heavy but I think they will be fewer than today

and there will be less of a breeze. If we get any sunshine, it should

feel pleasant with highs of around 21 Celsius. Tomorrow night we do it

again, repeating that happen with showers dying away and the cloud

thickening up with the next area of rain poised to come from the

south-west and this is towards the end of tomorrow night where it is an

organised band showers so it will Let's recap tonight's top stories: A

new crisis for the NHS 111 helpline - one of its main contractors says

it will pull out. And up by 300%, a huge increase in