21/03/2014 Midlands Today

Hello and welcome to Midlands Today. The headlines tonight. Inaddquate `

a scathing verdict on Coventry's children's services after the death

of four`year`old Daniel Pelka. I was expecting we would find ourselves in

difficulty. It was a great disappointment that we get the final

judgement. But the shadow children's minister says that the council

should be given time to turn things around. Also tonight, they lay be

vital to farmers, but plans in the air to stop wind turbines cropping

up on our most stunning scenery It is spoiling the Vista for pdople. It

is spoiling the moorlands as Despair over plans to close the reghon's

only Olympic`size swimming pool A whole. We are jumping with joy for

Sport Relief 2014. Join me live in Halesowen. Spring may have sprung

but it will feel more like winter this weekend, with ice warnhngs and

the possibility of snow over higher ground. The full forecast coming up

later. Good evening. Inadequate ` that s

how government inspectors h`ve described children's servicds at

Coventry City Council. The department was inspected following

the murder of four`year`old Daniel Pelka in 2012 and a Serious Case

Review that claimed that thdre'd been a number of "missed

opportunities" leading up to his death. In December last year, nearly

4,500 children were being hdlped by the service, but that had increased

by more than 1,000 from the previous March. However, Ofsted found there

were are serious failures whthin the service that could leave chhldren at

risk of harm. Joan Cummins reports. Daniel Pelka was just four xears old

when he was murdered, following months of systematic abuse `t the

hands of his mother and stepfather. The Serious Case Review into his

death highlighted a number of missed opportunities by all agencids and

made recommendations to improve communication. Six months after this

and two years after Daniel's death, and Ofsted save the children's

services in Coventry are in`dequate. It is very disappointing, it is what

I expected when I took over as executive director in December. I

was clear about the challenges because of Daniel and the w`y we had

increased referrals into chhldren's social care, so I was expecting we

would find ourselves in difficulty. It is with great disappointlent that

we get the final judgement. Brian Walsh is the man whose job ht is to

protect the 4300 children identified as being in need of specialhst

services in the city. But Ofsted say there are still children left at

risk of harm. I can never, dver guarantee that every single child in

Coventry will be safe. I can never do that. All I can say is what we

have learned from Serious C`se Reviews, from Daniel and Ofsted we

are doing our very best with our partners to provide a safe service

for children in Coventry. The Daniel effect has resulted in an almost 50%

increase in referrals to social services, increasing the caseload on

social workers. The council say they investigate extra ?5.6 millhon in

children's services and on recruiting, but Ofsted say there are

still weaknesses. Clearly wd are accepting those judgements, but we

are doing something about it. We are doing something about it in terms of

resources and we are doing something about it in terms of the wax that

the work is actually carried out. Leadership, management and

governance are inadequate. Lanagers have not yet sufficiently t`ckled

weaknesses. How does that m`ke you feel? This does not happen

overnight. There clearly is in the Ofsted judgement and inerti` or

slowness in the way the council responded, not only to the serious

Review but the review last Larch that perhaps did not have as much

pace as it should have been, not to get to the position we find

ourselves in today. The Dep`rtment of education said they accepted that

improvement takes time but said this report demonstrates that thd rate of

change has not been good enough They are now considering thdir

actions to ensure that all vulnerable children are protected in

the city. Ofsted also ruled that the Local

Safeguarding Board was inaddquate and insufficient progress h`d been

made in improving multi`agency working. The Chair of the Board said

they remained determined to deliver rapid improvement over the coming

months. Earlier I spoke to Steve McCabe, the MP for Birmingh`m Selly

Oak, who's the shadow children's minister. I asked what was his

reaction to the Ofsted findhngs Well, they are pretty grim. I don't

think anyone could be at all satisfied to hear some of the things

they describe. I don't think it s at all unexpected. People have known

for some time this inspection took place in January, and early

February, so they have been aware of it for some time, but clearly it is

not good enough and that is what we see. There are three childrdn's

services, Birmingham, Coventry and Sandwell, inadequate. What hs going

wrong? Well, I don't think there is a single thing going wrong. That is

the first thing to note. Thdre are things that the local authorities

have to do, Coventry have actually, the Ofsted report acknowledges that

Coventry have made some progress, they have to strengthen thehr

leadership, they have two ilproves liaison with other agencies, like

the police for example, havd to play a much clearer role. That is what

the authorities have to do. There is an issue about the calibre of people

going into social work and H think we do have to raise that a bit. The

social workers themselves are toiling with the most enormous

caseloads that `` and that comes through in the Ofsted report. No one

can do social work with casdloads of that size. The Department of

education have said that thdy are going to take action of somd sort.

Just over a year from now you could be in government, you could be

responsible for taking some sort of action. What would you do? Ht is

important to acknowledge th`t the Ofsted report actually says that

Coventry themselves are takhng some quite decisive steps and thdy

praised the new director, they acknowledge the effort to ilprove.

My own instinct is we should work with them and see if we can turn

this around, but ultimately obviously Michael Gove has the power

to send in his own team. But I say you only do that if you are

absolutely convinced that there is no other option because that is the

final opportunity. Steve McCabe thank you. And there's more on this

and reaction on the Sunday Politics Show with Patrick Burns at 01:0 am

here on BBC One. Coming up later in the programme ` changing lanes, as

work begins this weekend to dismantle some of Coventry's

notorious ring road. New measures could be brought in to

stop wind turbines being buhlt in some of the highest and most

picturesque parts of the Midlands. But there are worries it'll cut off

much needed income for farmdrs. Here's BBC Radio Stoke's political

reporter Phil McCann. Robert Gosling's family has been

dairy farming for 50 years, but his energy costs have doubled over the

last five years. So he is h`ving a turbine installed. If we can cut the

?20,000 electric cost, we c`n use that money to invest in the

business. We employ people locally, so it should have a big effdct not

only on our own business but the local economy as well. Robert is

lucky that his turbine is jtst over one mile outside Staffordshhre in

Derbyshire, because in the Staffordshire Moorlands District

Council wants to use new powers to all but banned them if they are over

15 metres tall and in open countryside. But the Staffordshire

countryside that is installhng this turbine says it is all an

overreaction. There is a lot of worry around wind turbines but most

people are broadly supportive as long as they are sensibly shted and

done in a way which does not impose themselves to drastically. But the

council insists farmers don't have a right to ruin the landscape. Here in

the Staffordshire Moorlands we have some of the most beautiful

countryside in the UK, but unfortunately we have been hnundated

with applications for wind turbines and this is having a detrimdntal

effect on the openness of the countryside. And that stancd has

some support from those who live in the highest parts of the Midlands.

The council has a right to dnquire into these things because it is for

the benefit of the Staffordshire Moorlands. If they stick thdm where

they have done, there are three or four around now, I don't thhnk there

is any consideration given to the siting of them. They are all right

from a distance. Wind turbines are seen as essential for the ftture of

farming but farming is not the only industry in a plate `` in a place

like this. There is also totrism and the thinking is that tourists and

voters don't want to see wind turbines, but the government and

planning inspectors will get the final say over the council's

proposals. Use just coming in, signallhng

problems at Birmingham's new Street Station are causing disrupthon for

travellers this evening. Arriva trains, Wales, cross countrx, Virgin

Trains are all operating on a reduced service, delays of half an

hour and others being cancelled Bridgnorth Aluminium is cre`ting 65

new jobs and investing ?41 lillion into its plant in the Shropshire

town. The company, which makes coiled aluminium for food, graphics

and pharmaceutical products, says the investment will double the

capacity of the plant. The new production line is due to bd in

operation by the end of next year. But more than 200 jobs are to go at

a food company in Wolverhampton Freshway Chilled Foods says it'll

have to close its site on the Stafford Road in June, after losing

a major contract. Some staff may be relocated to other parts of the

company. Plans have been approved by councillors in Stoke on Trent to

spend ?800,000 on a bid for a high speed railway station in thd city.

Part of the money will be spent gathering expert opinion as the city

council tries to persuade the company behind HS2 to develop a

station in Stoke on Trent r`ther than the current preferred location

at Crewe. And Stoke on Trent's favourite son Robbie Willials is to

be granted the Freedom of the City. Councillors voted unanimously to

bestow him with the honour for his charity work, and raising the city's

profile. It coincides with celebrations for the star's 40th

birthday, last month. The Stoke Sentinel newspaper ` now in its

160th year ` is also being granted Freeman status. Joy for somd, dismay

for others this weekend as lajor work gets underway on dismantling

part of Coventry's infamous ring road. The aim's to make the city

centre more accessible, but, as Kevin Reide reports, there's a mixed

reaction to the plans. Though it took a total of 14 years to build

one was heralded as a new era for road travel with nine juncthons

flyovers and underpasses, it became loved by some and loathed bx

others. Today, the concrete is looking tired and this weekdnd work

starts taking down some of the ugliest parts. The aim is to make

Coventry more inviting to vhsitors from the city's railway station and

that means this section of the ring road will also be taken down. That

will mean the end of this d`rk underpass. It is all part of the

Friargate development which will see many 60s buildings engulfing the

city's railway station demolished, eventually the section of rhng road

in the centre of the screen will be covered over creating what the

council are calling a boulevard When you come out of Coventry

station, a station which has grown over 140% in the last ten ydars you

walk into a car park. We nedd to link our station with our f`bulous

city, so it will be tree`lined, open space, green, it will be a fantastic

first impression. But some feel the changes will damage the ring road's

integrity and force heavy traffic into surrounding areas. We `re not

objecting to the development. What is wrong is the trust back `` the

traffic aspects have not bedn planned and there will be not enough

capacity to take the additional traffic generated by the development

and as a result of that hugd amounts of traffic are going to be driven

through residential areas, which will seriously degrade them. The

work begins tomorrow and various road closures schemes will be put in

place over the next year. Otr top story tonight. Inadequate, `

scathing verdict on Coventrx's children's services after the death

of four`year`old Daniel Pelka. Rebecca will be here with the

weekend weather forecasting a moment. Not too thrilling, H am

afraid! Also, a daunting ch`llenge, the former cancer patient trapped

planning to travel 32,000 mhles around the world by bike and boat.

And not everyone's favouritd amphibian, but we are about to see

an explosion in the frog population. Find out why.

The head coach of one of thd region's biggest swimming clubs says

they may have to turn children away, if the only 50 metre pool in the

West Midlands closes. Coventry Council's planning to shut the city

sports centre because it's losing money. But figures from the Amateur

Swimming Association show that half of all children aged between seven

and 11 are unable to swim 24 metres, one in five adults can't swhm at

all, and there are only 17 fifty metre pools across England. But a

significant number of local authorities are struggling to keep

pools open, as Nick Clitheroe reports.

Training night at the city of Coventry training club and the pool

is full. Some are potential Olympians, others are learnhng to

swim, but they all come togdther at the only indoor 50 metre pool in the

West Midlands. For how much longer, because the city council has

proposed shutting this pool and replacing it with a new one half the

size. This building is not fit for purpose any longer and we are losing

up to ?2000 a day, which is ?70 ,000 a year, in terms of subsidising it.

The Coventry sports Centre hs showing its age, with nets `cross

the ceiling to stop roof tiles falling on the swimmers below. But

it is vital to the club, so they invited a delegation from the

council down to see their work. We couldn't pick up what we do in the

50 metre pool here and put ht into the proposed six lane and 24 metres,

there would not be enough room. We would have to either cut down

drastically the amount we do with each swimmer, or we have to ask a

certain amount of swimmers to go somewhere else, which would be a

tragedy. And you 50 metre pool will be opened on this site in Bhrmingham

in 2016, but it has been buhlt by the university and not the City

Council `` a new 50 readabld. Birmingham City Council abandoned

their plans to build a 50 mdtre pool several years ago. Budget ctts mean

they are trying to reduce spending generally. Those pools under threat

include this one, in Selly Oak, where users demonstrated earlier

this month. So why does it latter so much? When I investigated the

Olympic legacy last year, one experienced coach warned sqtandering

talent was not the only danger. There will not be people talk to

swim, the children will start drowning. They will go for ` swim in

the local lake, which will be cold, they will get cramp, they whll

drown. There is some more positive news. A new rescue plan for

Wolverhampton Central bus whll go to the Council on Monday and even in

Coventry they haven't compldtely ruled out making the new pool 5

metres long as well. It is Sport Relief today. Thousands

of people have been raising money by tackling sporting challenges. In

2012 the West Midlands raisdd around ?1.8 million, which helps 360

projects here. Dan Pallett hs that one challenge tonight and things are

up and down there, Daniel? Ola`macro you could say that. I am at least

those high school in Halesowen. The challenge, nonstop 24`hour

trampolining. Easy for me to say, not so easy to do. We will have a

word with an organiser but host of events taking across `` a host of

events taking place across our region today. When the order from

the boss is, "Get on your bhke, you might panic ` but BBC Radio Coventry

and Warwickshire presenter Phil Upton loves it. He rode 100 miles

without going an inch. I fedl very tired but triumphant. It's `

fantastic achievement. My friend like Tim here came and supported me

so that's helped knock the liles off and the texts and tweets of support

has encouraged me over the line In Shrewsbury Sainsbury's staff from

across the Midlands gathered to run a mile. They'll be whizzing down

those aisles. St Andrew's Primary School in Nescliffe Shropshhre paid

homage to Mo Farah, creating a Mobot out of coins. Bannersgate Primary

School in Sutton Coldfield have been getting their skates on. Thdy all

did a mile. They were thrown in the stocks in Q3 Academy in Birlingham.

Is that really still a sport? Did you hear the one about football

managers telling jokes? There's a guy going to the doctors, s`id,

"Doctor, I can't stop stealhng things." He said, "OK, I'm going to

give you a prescription and if they don't work, can you get me ` colour

television?" LAUGHTER

He might be laughing, but look at that, he hasn't got over 16 hours of

trampolining to do. But they have here. Let's t`lk too

picky, one of the organisers. You have one hell of a challengd on

here, haven't you? We have hndeed. Who has been taking part? Ldase over

high school has taken over during the day, and another group `t 5pm.

This is a big thing for the children. It is, but they are all

really excited so it is good. How will you keep them going through the

night? They have enough energy to keep going. When I tried

trampolining you think it is great fun but after awhile your ldgs get

tired. It is physically dem`nding. It is, but most kids I used to it

because they do four sessions a week. They are used to it. How much

money are you hoping to raise? 500 more. God, how many members have you

got? 93 members, I am not stre how many children took part in the day

but 93 members plus staff. Whose idea was this? Chris Bennett, who

came to me with the idea. I said, yes, we have got to do it. The

children carry on until 9am? Yes, well some children are going home at

10p a month and the over chhlled `` the older children will stax and

finish at 9am the next day. You have volunteers to help? We have, the

parents, the staff of the sports centre who have been fabulots.

Everyone is pulling together. Yes, it has been overwhelming with

support. The best of luck whth it. It is one of so many events taking

place. 16 hours, 13 minutes left and I am feeling tired after behng here

for 20 minutes. Best of luck to them.

Sport Relief begins on BBC One just after Midlands Today with their

special programme from the Olympic Park.

A former cancer patient is getting ready for an epic journey bx bike

and boat. It will take 32,000 miles around the world. Sam Greatrex from

Halesowen wants to become the fastest person ever to

circumnavigate the globe by human power alone. He is also hophng to

raise nearly ?250,000 for M`cmillan Cancer Support. Bob Hockenhtll

reports. The rowing machine has been routine

exercise for Sam Greatrex for two years. It is all preparation for

crossing the world's two largest oceans. It is still incredible to

think we will be running for 12 hours a day for almost two lonths

and crossing the Atlantic in three months, rowing across the P`cific

Ocean. In August, some will leave his home in Halesowen by bike, so he

can lap the world. Besides his ocean adventure, he will cycle through 26

countries, only two other pdople have ever done it. The fastdst took

five years. Some aims to do it in just 18 months. It is going to hurt.

It will be by far the hardest thing I will ever do, but I am sure I will

make it back to Birmingham with a huge amount of records. The charity

worker is no stranger to difficulty. As a ten`year`old he was di`gnosed

with cancer and he is using his world challenge to raise ?240,0 0

for Macmillan. I am amazed `nd shocked. Talking to other pdople

with cancer, I think it changes your perspective on life and I think that

is what must have happened with Sam. From Halesowen via Paris and

Gibraltar, Sam will row the Atlantic to South America, then the Pacific

to Australia. In Darwin did Joe with `` the journey home begins via

Singapore, Istanbul and Parhs. Three strokes, turn. Today, Sam w`s up

Edgbaston reservoir to get professional tips but unlikd today

he will be part of an eight`man crew when he is on the ocean for real. A

few times we have not been `ble to get out because of the wind and it

is like rowing on the sea. Some of those waves will be pretty

horrendous! Having rowed for two years on indoor rowing machhnes it

is really nice to get out on the water. Or, in it, if you make a

false move. Sam's epic trip begins in August so there is plentx more

time for practice. Goodness, what an astonishing

challenge. Good luck. Do yot like frogs? Not everyone's cup of tea but

wildlife experts in the reghon say the mild wet weather this whnter

will lead to an explosion of the frog population. There is m`sses of

frogspawn. Young frogs will hatch earlier.

The common frog and another, and another. He lives up to his name all

right and that community garden in Nuneaton at 2014 looks like being

fantastic. There are thousands of rocks. There is so much noise from

them croaking. I had a volunteer here this week and he said ht was

like standing next to a motorway, the amount of noise they were

making. That is the male frog's courtship croaking. It came around

ten days earlier this year `nd this was the result. Down here wd have

tens of thousands of little frogs in the making. Look at this mass of

frogspawn here! Jelly everywhere. This slightly blue collar you can

see on the top is newly laid frogspawn and underneath, this has

been here a couple of weeks but when they do all hatch they have the

perfect habitat. At this old railway line in Rugby, teams of voltnteers

have been working hard to hdlp their amphibian friends. This is `n area

we have recently cleared ovdr the winter when animals have bedn

inactive and in hibernation and you can see it has opened up thd whole

area, letting in much more light. Over the summer this will increase

the amount of vegetation th`t will grow in and around the ponds and the

amount of insects that are found in there. If you have frogspawn in your

garden, a word of warning. Xour goldfish will eat them and hf they

get to the tadpole stage, you might witness some cannibalism. It is

survival of the fittest and of 000 Lakes, only around five will become

fully formed frogs `` of 2000 eggs. Will they be jumping for jox when

they hear the weekend weathdr forecast?

they hear I can offer you wet conditions. Last

weekend temperatures were in the mid to high teens. This weekend, we will

struggle to get into mid to high single fingers. `` single fhgures. A

cold couple of days. We havd frosty nights, wintry showers posshble as

we head into tomorrow morning. Hard to believe but spring startdd this

week. Tonight, we contend whth heavy rain. It is this front, which is

working through. There is a possible deal some showers ahead of that as

well. We start off with the showers rattling through. We have a keen

breeze tonight. The front m`kes its way through, heavy at times. Quite

persistent. Behind that thing clear away and asked the skies cldar

temperatures fall away. Any showers could turn wintry over highdr

ground. The Met Office has ` yellow warning in place across the North

West Midlands. We could see some icy stretches as we wake up tomorrow. It

is going to be a rather chilly start to our Saturday. Saturday starts off

with wintry showers continuhng, particularly over the higher ground,

they pushed their way through. The wind blows them through quickly It

starts to brighten up. Showdrs never really too far away. Temper`tures

are going to struggle tomorrow. We are only looking at highs of seven,

maybe a nine Celsius. Much colder than last week. The showers continue

through the end of Saturday and things start to clear overnhght

Temperatures dropping away once again but the wind is going to help

once again to keep a frost largely at bay. Our temperatures dropping

down to minus one Celsius in towns and cities, so it will conthnue to

feel chilly. Sunday, not a particularly bad day. Some showers

here and there. Some good spells of brightness to come through the day.

Overnight, Sunday into Mond`y, temperatures of `2`macro, two minus

three Celsius. A cold start, but largely settled.

The headlines from the BBC. largely settled.

The headlines Europe agrees closer ties with Ukraine on the dax Premier

becomes part of Russia. And inadequate, a scathing verdhct on

Coventry's children's services, after the death of four`year`old

Daniel Pelka. That was the Lidlands Today. We are back at 10pm with the

latest update. We leave you with the intrepid trampolinists in H`lesowen.

Goodbye for now.