01/10/2013 Midlands Today

Hello and welcome to Midlands Today. The headlines tonight: Teachers

strike over pay and conditions. Over 750 schools affected across the

region. Teachers are fed up with the Government are just not listening

and not being willing to negotiate. We'll be putting your points to one

of the union's leaders. Also tonight: Jailed for 15 years after

pleading guilty to killing a mother and son in a house fire in Stoke

over 20 years ago, then fleeing to America.

He deprived me of a mother and brother. All those precious moments

we should have shared were taken away from me that night.

Social workers in Walsall criticised for trying to force a vulnerable

teenager to leave her school for financial reasons.

Making history, and keeping it — how the heritage of Digbeth in

Birmingham is being preserved. And Shefali has the weather.

Things could turn rather ugly fairly soon, with warnings of heavy rain to

come. Good evening and welcome to the

programme. Thousands of teachers were on strike across the region

today in a dispute over pay and conditions. More than 750 of our

schools were affected, around 500 were closed completely, while 250

were open to some classes. But the figures could be higher, as some

councils didn't keep a tally of how many schools were affected by strike

action. Holly Lewis reports. Out of the classroom and onto the

streets of Birmingham — almost 2,000 teachers marched through the city

centre today, and their message was clear.

It meant a day off for thousands of children and a childcare challenge

for working parents. At Hagley Primary School seven out of 21

classes were open. It is something that they have to

do, but it just puts so much disruption on everybody else. I am

not a big fan of strikes, it is just an inconvenience. I am a grandmother

and I have to look after the little ones.

Some children spent their day off marching with their teacher parents,

protesting against changes to pensions, increased workloads and

Government plans to bring in performance—related pay. Teachers

have had enough and are fed up with the Government just not listening.

It is not just about pensions, it is basically about all the changes

being made. The teachers say this protest is to

try and make the Government set up and listen, to try and force Michael

goes back to the negotiating table. But at the Tory Party Conference

today the Education Secretary remained unmoved. They have gone out

on strike, in a new example of twisted militant logic, because they

want to stop good teachers being paid more money. We have always had

performance related pay. No one objects to it, we just feel that the

way the Government is doing it is very unfair. The march ended with a

rally, where union leaders left the audience in no doubt that this could

be the beginning of a long campaign of action against the coalition and

its education policy. I'm joined now by Chris Keates, the

General Secretary of the NASUWT, one of the unions which took strike

action today. The Education Secretary Michael Gove has accused

you of using "twisted militant logic", "standing in the way of

progress" and "wanting to stop good teachers being paid more money".

Quite frankly it is nonsense. We do not want to stop good teachers being

paid more money, in fact teachers have had performance related pay now

since 2002. What we want to stop is the teacher that —— the system being

introduced that means that however hard teacher works, they can have no

guarantee of any paper aggression. And teachers do not think that is

fair or reasonable, they think there needs to be clear expectations of

what they need to do put —— to progress up the pay scales. Is it

the system you have a problem with the education secretary himself? The

policies are the concern, of course they are, but the Secretary of State

is going to be the focus of teachers' concern and anger simply

because he is the one who is promoting the policies. But

basically it is the systems he is trying to introduce, the relentless

attacks he has made for three years and teachers, on their

qualifications, on their pensions and their working conditions.

We have been asking our viewers for their views. Many are incredibly

frustrated. Julie Rathbone says she is going to find her daughter's

School £60 for teacher —— teachers' unauthorised absence.

The point she is making is the inconvenience of the strike action.

Do you understand that? We obviously understand it, and we regret any

disruption that is being caused to parents and families. We would not

want to do that, and the only thing we have asked the Secretary of State

to do is to meet with us and just discuss the concerns of teachers

seriously. I do not think that is an unreasonable demand, and I do not

think it is unreasonable but in the face of him refusing to do that,

after three years teachers are now finally showing their anger and

frustration by taking strike action. This is not something we have done

within months of this Government coming to office. If you does not

agree to meet you, will he strike again? We have got to evaluate, and

consider what our members views are. Our members feel extremely strongly

about this, but my view would be we need parents not to direct their

anger at teachers but actually at the Secretary of State and ask him

to get round the table and avoid the need for any further disruption of

children's education. Coming up later in the programme:

What next for Stafford Hospital? The consultation into its future ends at

midnight. A man's been sentenced to 15 years

in prison after pleading guilty to killing a mother and son in a house

fire in Stoke—on—Trent more than 20 years ago. Faisal Latif fled to

America, living in Texas and New York under a false name for more

than two decades. Today he finally admitted his crimes. Liz Copper was

at Stafford Crown Court. This is a family who have waited 21

years for justice. Relatives of those who perished in the fire

emerging from court. And this is the man, Faisal Latif, who carried the

dark secret for two decades, but he was responsible for killing a mother

and her son. It is a small piece of comfort knowing that somebody has

finally been made accountable. He deprived me of a mother and brother,

all those precious moments we should have shared were taken away from me

that night. No prison sentence can bring them back, but never a day

goes by when we do not think about them. Let us hope no that they can

rest in peace finally. The court were shown this video taken by the

fire service on the night the fire was set alight in April 1982.

16—year—old Nicholas died in the fire, his mother was initially

treated for burns but died later in hospital. Her partner was injured in

the fire but survived. He died of wholly unrelated causes seven years

ago. The judges —— the judge heard Latif was the landlord, and look

upon the family as difficult tenants. The house had been allowed

to look —— fall into disrepair, and he wanted them out. He dashed the

downstairs rooms with petrol. It was accepted he did not expect or intend

the dramatic consequences, but within hours of the fire he fled. He

was arrested for his crime earlier this year in the United States. He

married an American girl. She had absolutely no idea until we arrived,

but she had in effect been married to a stranger, none of his friends

had any idea, and he basically lived a secret life for 20 years. Latif

finally pleaded guilty to two counts of manslaughter and one of arson

with intent to endanger life. The judge said, until today the family

have had to endure the emptiness and uncertainty of the case and

resolve. He said it is hoped the case will offer a degree of

resolution. One which they have had to wait for years.

Plans to turn an arts centre in West Bromwich into a sixth form college

have moved a step closer. The Public currently costs Sandwell

Council £30,000 a week to run, which it can no longer afford. A deal has

now been drawn up to allow Sandwell College to take on the building.

Under the plans it would still be used by community groups. A final

decision will be made later this month.

The consultation into the future of Stafford Hospital and health care

services across the county ends at midnight tonight. Over the past two

months a series of meetings have been held by the Trust Special

Administrators to get opinions from the public.

The Mid Staffordshire NHS Trust needs to save £53 million over the

next five years, and the Administrators are recommending that

maternity, critical care and paediatric services are downgraded

at Stafford. Today the local Clinical

Commissioning Group put forward their own views, as our Health

correspondent Michele Paduano reports.

The Government gave money to Clinical Commissioning Groups to run

the NHS. Stafford and Cannock groups have looked at the plan to

reorganise services, and said it is not what they want. Their proposals

are very interesting but we do not agree with them because they are not

clinically and financially sustainable in our opinion. In a

letter to the trust special administrators, they have said the

CCG will not be responsible for any future debts. More work needs to be

done on the reorganisation, and a five—year period of changeover is

needed rather than the current three years. The CCG has come under

pressure, but what has happened does not mean maternity and children's

services are safe. The only thing agreed is the process so far does

not go far enough. This process can only dissolve the trust, which we

knew at the outset. They have made it quite clear that when everyone

goes away they will be left with the commissioning, and they will

hopefully consult, and they have said they will, with the public,

with the commissions, and build the services from the bottom up.

Thousands marched on Saturday to save maternity and children's

services. The time's MP has today come up with an alternative plan. If

the trust is dissolved, as I believe it should be, that gives us time,

with hospitals in Stafford and Cannock being taken over by other

trusts, merged with other trusts, it gives us time to give —— do the job

properly and see how we can keep these vital services of maternity

paediatrics and critical care with us. So Stafford has a £9.25 million

plan from the special administrators, an MP's alternative

plan, and a CCG wanting to start again.

And Michele Paduano is here now. So what happens now?

The whole thing has been going on for just over one year, and we do

not know what is going to happen next. It is all up in the air

because the Clinical Commissioning Groups control the pace —— purse

strings. There is still time before October 22 to Monitor, I suspect

there is a bit of politics going on, but for anyone who wants to save

maternity and children's services, Stoke, has said today category ——

categorically it will not provide those services in Stafford. How will

the CCG make those plans were? Babe —— Stafford Hospital wants to

look at new ways of working, and one thing, later this month there will

be a 10—year contract for all patients in Staffordshire who need

cancer and end of life services, and I think contracts like that the way

forward and could save money. Social workers in Walsall have been

criticised for trying to force a vulnerable teenager to leave her

residential school — for financial reasons. The case arose last year

when Walsall Children's Services was judged to be failing by inspectors.

Here's BBC WM's political reporter, Susana Mendonca.

Providing care for vulnerable young people, is a duty every council has

to fulfil. Children are supposed to be at the centre of decisions made

about their lives, but that is where social workers in Walsall went wrong

when they tried to force one teenager to leave the residential

school that had become her home. She was treated very shabbily because

her needs were not taken into account, and there was no proper

care planning at a critical part of her life when she was about to

embark on GCSE courses. The 13—year—old had settled at a school

somewhere away from Walsall. Until the council decided to move her

closer to home. The local Government ombudsman said this was not on the

interests of the child but purely on financial grounds. That has led to

criticism. Are now it is a difficult climate financially, but we cannot

sacrifice children's best interests for financial interest. That is not

right. We need to put the welfare interests of young people first.

Details of why the teenager was in residential care cannot be revealed,

but the woman in charge of children's services said money had

nothing to do with the decision to move her, and that the girl had no

longer special needs —— or educational needs. Financial issues

were not the driver. It was balancing finance for replacement ——

placement, and we wanted that placement to be nearer to Walsall.

This case happened last year during a period when Walsall social

services have been classed as inadequate, but —— but news —— and

new staff were brought in to turn things around. The services no

longer seem to be fading. If we look back at when this was, there were a

of issues. Walsall is no far more committed to putting children at the

centre for all decision making. —— now far more committed. As well as

promising to listen better to children in their car, Walsall

Council has also agreed to hold £1000 in trust for the girl's

education and leisure expenses. Our top story tonight: Teachers

strike over pay and conditions — over 750 schools affected across the

West Midlands. Your detailed weather forecast to

come shortly. Also in tonight's programme: Tributes to the Wolves

and England forward Peter Broadbent who's died at the age of 80.

And the campaign to resurrect a five—mile canal hidden beneath

Birmingham for nearly a hundred years.

If you have a story you think we should be covering on Midlands

Today, we'd like to hear from you. You can call us or send an email to

[email protected]. We also on Facebook or you can tweet us —

@bbcmtd. Now, an exhibition celebrating the

heritage of the Digbeth area of Birmingham is to be saved in the

city's official archives. The Digbeth Speaks project, which

received Heritage Lottery funding, is an audio and visual time capsule

of life in 2013. The exhibition opens this week, and Laura May

McMullan is there for us tonight. So what's happening?

Yes, I'm here at the Custard Factory in the heart of Digbeth where the

exhibition opens on Thursday. As you can see the organisers are right in

the middle of putting up pictures and setting up these audio booths.

And really the Digbeth Speaks project has been an opportunity for

everyone to get involved in their local heritage.

The area of Digbeth was once the industrial heart of Birmingham. Now

it is developing an identity for being a creative and artistic hub,

and the Digbeth Speaks project is celebrating the area's heritage. We

are creating a time capsule of what Digbeth is like in 2013. It is just

because we felt like the stories and experiences are often undocumented

and might become lost. We wanted to get that sense of recalling things

now for the future. Over the last six months volunteers of the friends

of Birmingham archives and heritage have taken to the streets to

interview members of the public, community groups and shop owners.

What does Digbeth mean to you? I love the people around here, I love

the shops. There is a lot of culture here, and there are lot of

musicians, loads of arts people. It quite diverse. How would you

describe Digbeth in three words based on your first impressions? I

think creative, dynamic and diverse. The area itself feels quite

transitory, but to so many people it feels like home. The project has

captured a snapshot of life in Digbeth during 2013, and organisers

wanted it to be documented through the eyes of ordinary people.

Well, this history project has been a year in the making, the organisers

have spoken to hundreds of people. And visitors to the exhibition can

sit themselves down at one of these sound booths and listen to people's

thoughts and stories all about Digbeth. And the long term plan is

for the Digbeth Speaks project to be housed in the official Birmingham

archives at the city's new library. In the meantime, the exhibition

opens here at the Custard Factory this Thursday the third and runs

until the 13th of October. Dan's here with the sport, and a sad

day for Wolves fans. The former Wolves inside forward

Peter Broadbent has died today aged 80. He'd been suffering from

Alzheimer's disease. Broadbent played almost 500 times for Wolves

club and was part of the all—conquering side of the 1950s.

Many considered him their greatest ever player.

The Molineux flags were at half mast today. Wolverhampton Wanderers have

lost one of their finest. But Peter Broadbent's left an indelible mark

on the club. It can be seen throughout the Molineux Museum. And

Wolves club historian John Hendley says many rated Broadbent the best

of the lot. Our knew Phil Morgan, who reported for the local

newspaper, and I remember asking him, he saw all the great players in

the 1950s and 1940s, who was the best, and he did not hesitate,

Broadbent. The manager spent £10,000 buying Peter Broadbent in 1951. You

might say it was money well spent. But Broadbent and the Wolves still

won the 1960 FA Cup final. Ron Flowers was a former team—mate. He

said Broadbent was a quiet person, never short of a joke, and a great

player. It is no longer they paid him probably the record at the time.

Broadbent also played for Shrewsbury Town and Aston Villa. But he's best

known for his glory days at the Wolves.

Legend can be an over—used word. But for Peter Broadbent and the Wolves

of the 1950s, it just feels right. How is the club planning to remember

Peter Broadbent? Well, the officials have been

speaking to Mr Broadbent's family and there will be a minute's

applause in his honour before kick—off at the club's next home

game on Tues, against Notts County. The players may also be wearing

black armbands this weekend. In speedway, the Brummies got the

better of the local derby? In speedway, Birmingham Brummies are

through to the Elite League Play—off Final. They went into last night

semifinal second leg against Wolverhampton Wolves with a

two—point lead, and wasted no time in extending their advantage. The

outcome was rarely in doubt, with the Brummies running out winners by

101 points to 82. They'll now meet Poole Pirates in the first leg of

next week's final. And good news for our local gymnast

Kristian Thomas, who's at the world championships in Antwerp?

The Wolverhampton gymnast Kristian Thomas has made it through to the

Vault final at the World Gymnastic Championships in Belgium. Thomas,

who's been training in Shropshire, was part of the British team which

won Bronze at the London Olympics last year. He's only just returned

to competition, having missed much of this season because of breaking

bones in his legs. And Birmingham take on Millwall

tonight in the Championship tonight. Kick—off is at 7:45, and there will

be full match coverage on BBC WM. A lost waterway that disappeared

from Birmingham's extensive canal network nearly a hundred years ago

could be restored. The Lapal Canal was once used to transport coal

between Halesowen and Selly Oak. Selly Oak in Birmingham. Hidden

below the roads and houses, an old forgotten waterway. In Victorian

Britain the Lapal was used to ferry coal quickly from Halesowen to the

South East. Campaigners want it reopened. They say the five and a

half mile canal will provide a major economic boost to the region. The

regeneration that you get when you restore a canal is widely understood

because it has been happening elsewhere in the UK, and it is a

missing piece which if it was in place would make it possible for a

lot more visitors to come on shorter duration visits. It takes a whole

week to visit the West Midlands on many of the routes at the moment.

It would cost £50 million to restore the entire length. The developers

behind a proposed new retail park in Selly Oak are expected to help fund

the first stage in the project which would include a small marina. We

would have on in water canal through the site for leisure activities and

sports such as canoeing and kayaking.

The canal closed 96 years ago due to a tunnel collapse. Moving west from

Selly Oak towards Woodgate Valley reveals one of the biggest obstacles

to full restoration. The canal really is lost here, it is

buried overground. —— Underground. This is where the Lapal tunnel

began. It may seem an insurmountable problem, but the campaigners say

there is no reason why this should be a waterway here again.

The proposal is to dig a new channel overland. They will be starting to

put in a flight of locks which will commence just beyond where we are

here. In the last half century many old

canals have been made navigable again by enthusiasts. If the Lapal's

restoration goes ahead, it'll end here at Leasowes Park where there

are already signs of life returning to a waterway which may yet host

boats once more. If you were with us at the beginning

of the programme you would have heard warnings of some ugly weather.

What do you mean by that? Yes, we have changes on the way this

week. Some people may prefer or even be grateful of cooler weather and

rain, so long as there is a proper dose to make up for the lack. This

particular warning applies to Thursday, which if you were watching

yesterday I advertised as being the wettest day of the week. We

basically have three systems affecting us over the next couple of

days, this Oakley did from coming later on tonight, and then on

Thursday a combination of two, a cold front from the West and another

area of rain coming up from the south and northern France. For now,

we have largely dry conditions across the region, a lot of cloud,

in fact a lot more of rain across the region today which was an

overspill from this main area of rain which will arrive later. In the

south—west by about midnight and spreading northwards by the early

hours. There will be heavier bursts rippling northwards as it goes. But

it is quite a warm night tonight, those of 12 to 13 or even 14

sources. Tomorrow that rain is pushing northwards through the

course of the morning, but around the 40, M6, that is where you will

find the heaviest of the bursts during the rush hour. During the

afternoon it dries up quite nicely with even a hint of brightness.

Temperatures will rise to 19 Celsius in the South, so it will be quite

warm, especially seeing as the winds will be lighter than today. For the

next band of rain, which that warning applies to, that arise

during the course of tomorrow night in the west of the region, so that

will be again into the early hours, some heavy bursts packed into that.

That will spread eastwards through the course of Thursday, so for those

in the East dry start but a wet end to the day.

Tonight's headlines: from the BBC: Miliband versus the Mail — the

Labour leader's highly personal row over what the paper says about his

father. David Cameron unveils a plan that

could see GP surgeries open from 8:00 in the morning to 8:00 at

night. Teachers strike over pay and

conditions. Over 750 schools affected across the West Midlands.

Jailed for 15 years after pleading guilty to killing a mother and son

in a house fire in Stoke over 20 years ago, then fleeing to America.

That was Midlands Today. I'll be back at ten o'clock, including more

on the future of services at Stafford Hospital. Have a great

evening. Goodbye.