19/08/2014 Midlands Today

Back in the classroom. The headteacher who claimed she was

forced out because parents and governors were imposing an Islamic

agenda. It mustn't be allowed to happen ever again. Unions are

looking at 28 cases where teachers looking at 28 cases where teachers

have left their positions. A coach carrying children on a day

trip to the sea size crashes on the motorway. Six are taken to hospital

started to shake and everyone started to shake and everyone

started screaming. The Herefordshire man who's

swallowed live fish as part of a drinking game.

Give us our Hepworth back. Campaigners in Wolverhampton demand

to know where this sculpture has gone and whether it will ever

return. And the way things are looking, the

weekend is our only hope of an improvement. Sunshine and showers

until then, and a cooler fealty 's things, not just in the day but in

the night. A head teacher who claimed she was

forced out because parents and governors were imposing an Islamic

agenda, has been reinstated. Bhupinder Kondal,

Principal at Oldknow Academy, says the pressures outlined in the Trojan

Horse letter are very real and The teacher's union, the NAHT is

looking at 28 cases where teachers have left their positions, to see

if any of them were due to pressure from hardline Muslims to impose

their views on schools Birmingham. Bhupinder Kondal at Oldknow Academy

today. She resigned

in January claiming she'd been undermined by hard line Islamists

on the school's governing body. But they themselves had to

resign when the government Now with a new board of trustees,

Kondal is happy to be back. I am happy to be able to focus on

the children and work with the new governors to welcome everyone for

the new term and put all of this behind us.

The so called Trojan Horse plot alleged hard line Islamic plans to

A government investigation found no evidence of such a plot,

but did find there were govenors who espoused extremist views.

Bhupinder Kondal said urinals had been removed

I felt I was drowning. It was only bad for me. I don't feel those

things now. So while Bhupinder Kondal may feel

satisfied today, some parents feel she abandoned a school which went

from outstanding to being in special She could have done a public meeting

with the children and parents, and said I've taken the decision to

resign. We wouldn't have felt deserted. For six months, we had

meetings at the school. We had to our...

There's a lot of work still to do both form Bhupinder Kondal

and the new Chairman of the Oldnow trustees Dr Barry Henry.

He was happy to pose for photographers today,

but didn't want to be interviewed saying it was time for the school to

Children return from their summer break in two weeks time. Ofsted will

be back in October. It is only then that we will know if the new

trustees and the returning principle have been able to turn this school

around. Rob Kelsall is from the teachers

Union the NAHT, and joins us now. How unusual was this case

involving Bhupinder Kondal? It's extremely unusual over the

years. Obviously, when we come to the allegations around the so`called

Trojan horse case, we found it was quite similar to other cases which

are being brought to our attention. You are reviewing 20 other cases?

Yes, 28 cases in all which we are reviewing. They are 28 cases which

have been concluded the last five years. That review is currently

believe are directly related? We believe are directly related? We

take a careful look at three of those cases. We think three cases

related. We have identified them early on. The teacher said this must

We are confident that with the report to the commission in the

autumn term, this affair can be put behind us.

You're watching Midlands Today, good to have you with us.

It is bringing jobs and It is bringing jobs

opportunities but also some challenges.

One child and five adults were taken to hospital following a coach crash

The youngsters from Dudley were on an outing to Weston`super`Mare

organised by the charity Action for Children.

The coach they were travelling in left the carriageway near

It should have been a happy day trip to Weston`super`Mare for more than

50 children and adults from the Black Country. Instead, the genie

ended with the bus going into a ditch. One child and five adults

were injured, none seriously. Police were injured, none seriously. Police

said seat belts helped avert what could have been a tragedy.

Stupid, irresponsible and ashamed, the words used to describe

a 33`year`old man from Herefordshire, who filmed him

self drinking a home made cocktail which included four live fish.

Paul Wooding from Ross on Wye was taken to court by the animal charity

the RSPCA, for causing unnecessary suffering to an animal as well

Two men from Wiltshire have been banned

from keeping goldfish after drinking them as part of a neck nomination.

29`year`old Terry Gallop from Dilton Marsh was filmed by

a friend drinking a pint containing larger, tomato ketchup, vinegar,

a range of sauces, Jack Daniels, Coke and two guppy type gold fish.

The video was recorded in february by 28 year old Jason Williams

Westbury for Gallop's birthday, then posted online, where someone saw it

The pair appeared before Salisbury magistrates' court, where Gallop

admitted not meeting the welfare needs of two guppy type fish.

While Williams admitted aiding and abetting Gallop,

He's about to do what's called a neknominate.

In the film posted on Facebook he adds what he calls his special

Then the 33`year`old binman from Ross on Wye in Herefordshire

A more sober looking Wooding arrived at Hereford Magistrates court having

already admitted two charges of animal cruelty.

He told RSPCA investigators he'd been nominated to drink by friends,

adding the fish to make it different.

Magistrates were shown the film of Wooding's neck nomination and

were told that prior to that he'd prior to that he'd already drunk

The fish had come from a friend's fish tank.

A subsequent vet's report said the fish had been caused pain.

Wooding's defence said his client was stupid, irresponsible

and ashamed but asked why he'd been prosecuted when cautions had been

The neknomate phenomenon is believed to have started

Two other men appeared in Wiltshire today on similar charges.

Social media commentators say the craze is fuelled by peer pressure.

These dares have become more extreme. People have become injured

and there have been deaths as well. and there have been deaths as well.

The problem really is that it is fuelled by a large alcohol intake.

Wooding walked free from court with an 18 month conditional discharge

He wasn't disqualified from keeping animals

as magistrates said it was unlikely to happen again, which means he gets

There's been a boom in planning applications for solar

Midlands Today has discovered plans for as many as 30 new farms have

been submitted, with Shropshire a particular hot spot.

And if they all get the go ahead, they would cover

an area equivalent to 630 football pitches, generating power

Well, our Environment Correspondent David Gregory`Kumar joins us now

from the Midlands' newest solar farm at Willersey near Evesham.

We have met an entrepreneur who is setting up the first solar panel

factory in the Midlands. He hopes it will become the biggest in the

world. This may be a familiar sight in the

giant factories of China but in the Black Country, the Midlands first

solar panel plant, from a manufacturing dynasty. My father

started the business of 45 years ago.

Sohal was looking to return to Britain and reinvest in

Black Country manufacturing But one of the biggest problems,

convincing the banks there's a big opportunity in a solar panel plant.

It is something that they cannot compare with anything else, so for

them to loan you money against something they have no experience of

is very difficult. There is no doubting the demand for the solar

panels being produced here and there is no doubting the ambition of the

company as well. Indi wants to beat the Chinese

and the Germans and Italians. He wants to create the biggest

solar panel plant in the world. And he argues there's plenty

of demand. Our annual production at this moment

in time is not enough for one week's worth of supply and

installation for residential in Great Britain. At present, we got

approximately 25 people. We are looking, going forward, to increase

that to three per day, seven days a week. That will hopefully happen

within the next two to three months. In five years' the aim is

a new factory. opposition in some areas. For

example, this is the campaign in Warwickshire. Campaigners have

stopped a local farm, although the company is appealing against that

decision. You've also been getting in touch. Richard e`mailed us to say

he supports solar panels over wind turbines but they shouldn't be used

on farmland. There's talk of a man from a company that constructed this

new solar farm. Todd, that is something people say a lot, why not

build on Brownfield sites? It is important to focus the mind. We have

a really big challenge. Of course we would like to build on Brownfield

sites. Unfortunately, they are few and far between. The other problem

we have with Brownfield sites is because it is easier to get planning

permission for buildings and other planned on Brownfield sites, it

makes the rents for such sites is expensive. What about this site? You

take on farmland out of production. take on farmland out of production.

What we have actually done is we have focused on the lowest possible

grade agricultural soil. That is one of the key criteria. The farmer had

tried unsuccessfully for several years to make a living out of this

crop. We picked up a field which was not being farmed. We spent a great

deal of time and attention pulling out lots of plastic from the field.

We now have a site which produces enough energy for over 1100 houses

over the course of the year for the next 25 years. Also, this company is

also creating a bond to drive to get local people to invest in this plant

and supported in its running. Reinstated, the head teacher who

claimed she was forced out because parents and governors were

enforcing an Islamic agenda. Shefali will be along shortly with

the weather forecast, also in tonight's programme: tunnel

vision, we go into the city centre underpasses to see how the

refurbishment work is progressing. And over 300 years of history comes

to an end at Warwick Race course, as Campaigners

in Wolverhampton are calling for a valuable piece of public art

to be returned to the shopping The Barbara Hepworth sculpture was

given to The Royal Bank of Scotland,

which now owns the centre, says it's to allow refurbishment

work to take place, but some local one of the few women ever to achieve

worldwide fame through art. She was one of the St Ives set

during World War II and it was this Cornish cove, Porthcurno,

that inspired her to create this. Rock Form was a still point

amid a tide of Wolverhampton So has anyone noticed

it's been missing since May? Have you noticed anything missing

recently? Half the shops. I've not noticed, sorry. Do you remember

that? Yes, it has gone. Not quite what

the dame would have hoped to hear, especially since she's said to have

sold it to the architect of Mander So what have the centre owners,

Royal Bank of Scotland, and a property management firm said

about its disappearance? They say they have taken it away for

safekeeping before the redevelopment. The problem is, even

their architect admits that work will not start for another seven

months. The centre is now on sale, minus the sculpture, after 50

years. That is what worries us. And cocnern's been fuelled

by rock form being apparently airbrushed out of the artists

impressions of the new look centre. I assumed it was therefore the

people and for visitors to admire Barbara Hepworth calls Mark work.

What would you say? Put it back so everybody can enjoy it.

What is the latest on this campaign? After months of silence, we finally

had a statement from The Royal Bank of Scotland, albeit a brief one.

They say they have not decided what to do with the bronze and they were

exploring other options, where it could be put on display for people

to enjoy. Are the campaigners reassured? It all sounds quite good

at first glance that we are not really reassured. We were hoping to

hear, and faith had plenty of chances to say this, that they're

not going to sell it, no, they've not got rid of it, it is safe and it

will be reinstalled. If we had a firm commitments like that, that

would be the one option that is worth exploring. The City Council

leader has gone as far as accusing them of assets crippling. He has got

a point. This is something that has been enjoyed by the people of

Wolverhampton for 40 years, that was provided expressly for their

enjoyment. It is the best single piece of artwork in the city. It is

a piece of quality and now it has gone. The fight goes on. They've

already got a couple of hundred signatures on a petition. Some of

the interest is quite thought`provoking. One woman has

written on their Facebook and said, it's like taking a well loved family

member away, not telling you where or why they've gone, nor whether you

can see them again. The A38 tunnels under the centre

of Birmingham are scheduled to re`open on time

after a six week summer closure. That was the promise made today by

contractors who've been carrying out the second phase of refurbishment

work on the 40`year`old tunnels. Our Transport Correspondent,

Peter Plisner was given access into the tunnels to see how

the work's progressing. Almost as busy as the streets

above the tunnels. This was the scene under Birmingham

today as work carries on ahead of One of the biggest changes drivers

will noticed will be the 25 new Jet They'll replacing a 40`year`old

ventilation system that just Kevan Lamb is the man in charge of

the tunnels refurbishment this year. The whole system used to push air

into this tunnel dash into the tunnels. The new ones encourage a

draft of air. Contractors have also installed these new doors to allow

escaping case of fire the tunnel and there are 48 new SOS telephones.

To further improve safety for drivers there'll also be 27

public address speakers to talk to driver, 21 new CCTV cameras

and 32 cameras which can detect vehicles that have stopped.

Above ground increased use of public transport has helped keep

traffic moving during the closure, but there are concerns

about traffic levels as people start returning from holidays.

From the middle of last week, we've seen an increase in the length of

cues. We are still appealing to people as they return from their

summer holidays to help us keep Birmingham moving.

Although the tunnels reopen on 1st September, they'll still be

a series of overnight closures until the beginning of October.

Cricket news, and the Warwickshire captain Jim Troughton has announced

his retirement from the game with immediate effect,

because of continuing problems with a back injury.

The 35`year`old led the Bears to the County Championship title

in 2012, and was also part of the title`winning team in 2004.

He played six times for England in One`Day games.

Over 300 years of racing history will come to

Managers at Warwick have been outlining their plans

as they prepare to end the tradition of flat`racing and change to jumps.

The final flat race meeting is due to be held this bank holiday Monday.

Our sports reporter Ian Winter's been finding out more.

1707, the birth of racing on the flat at Warwick but the finishing

post is in sight for the final time. The future lies exclusively in

National Hunt racing, over hurdles and fences. Will be missed? I think

they will be. There will be an element that we must. What I would

lose our history. What is exciting lose our history. What is exciting

is what is ahead of us. Three months ago, flat racing were suspended at

Warwick after a horse suffered a fatal injury. The jockeys said they

had lost confidence in the track. Remedial work was carried out. A

radical change of direction was already on the cards. And they are

off for the final time on Monday. 307 years of history comes to an

end. These stalls will be redundant because from now on, it is jump

racing only, here at Warwick. Only a handful of punters have complained

but not Dan Skelton. At his yard, he has 60 horses in training and they

are all jumpers, so he is delighted at the prospect of having 18

National Hunt meetings a year almost on his doorstep. Play to your

strengths. If the flat is not working as well as they had hoped,

the jumps will. It is a great track therefore jumpers. The five fences

down the back straight as good as anywhere. The ground well

maintained. What are the benefits? It means we are using all the ground

with God for the one code. We can give more fresh ground for the jumps

season. We can make better use of what we have. So, Monday's meeting

will mark the end of an era. Farewell, flat racing. It's strictly

jumpers only from now on. I heard the word frost mentioned

in a forecast today. It all depends upon where you are.

If you are in all sports, there could be a trust of ` touch of frost

tonight. We have clear skies as well. Generally speaking, it is

going to be cool throughout this week and over the weekend. Dryer on

Saturday and Sunday and whetted by Monday. It all depends upon an area

of rain that is coupled with a deep area of low pressure in the north

Atlantic which will be heading our way slowly. We have a ridge of high

pressure building which is likely to kill off the showers on Saturday and

Sunday. This evening and through the night, we've still got a few showers

across the region but it will dry up quite quickly, fairly soon and after

that we are looking at largely clear skies which would be the trigger for

those temperatures to topple. We are looking in rural sports at values

lower than the towns and cities. The towns and cities are around seven to

nine Celsius. Towards the end of the night, the crowd will thicken from

the West and that will bring in a few showers. For tomorrow, which was

originally going to be a dry day, it looks as though it would become

wetter. The warning is going to be largely dry with decent spells of

sunshine. Gradually, we will see the cloud filtering in from the west and

north`west. That will usher in a few showers. Decent spells of dry

weather and sunshine in between. Temperatures unfortunately only up

to 15 Celsius across parts of Staffordshire. The best we can hope

for is a team the best we can hope for is 18 to 17 Celsius around the

south`west. The winds will be on the light to moderate side. Again,

tomorrow night, see those showers starting to Peter Wright again to

leave us with clear skies. Again, a very cold night in prospect with

temperatures dropping to a minimum of seven to nine Celsius. For

Thursday, it looks as though we are looking at more showers, more in the

way of cloud and heavier spells of rain.

Rail fares on the rise, most season tickets

Back in the classroom, the head teacher who claimed she was forced

out because parents and governors were enforcing an Islamic agenda.

I'll be back at ten o'clock with your next news,