27/06/2011 North West Tonight

Good evening. Welcome to NorthWest Tonight with Gordon Burns and

Ranvir Singh. Our top story. Get off the gravy train, a row breaks

at Merseytravel over expenses claimed by councillors.

So what does Merseytravel's chairman do to justify the �50,000

he gets in allowances? Also tonight. Meter misery, the soaring cost of

on-street parking in Liverpool and Manchester.

Unearthed in Lancashire, the bit of scrap that turned out to be buried

treasure. And a mother's sacrifice - the

hardship that allowed eight year- old Callum's talent to flourish.

wants to pay -- played these pieces like a classical musician. I have

no money, I know I have got to put They are paid to run the trains on

Merseyside. But now, Labour councillors on the transport

authority Merseytravel are being accused of running a "gravy train"

instead. Liberal Democrats say the total bill for the allowances being

claimed comes to a quarter of a million pounds.

With money getting tighter, critics say it's a cynical manipulation of

the system. Here's our political editor, Arif Ansari.

Public transport across Merseyside is co-ordinated by the transport

authority Merseytravel. It's run by Labour, but the Lib Dems are

accusing them of turning it into a gravy train. The problem is that we

have Labour councillors who are claiming multiple allowances for

serving on different committees. In many cases, claiming several

different allowances at the same time for meetings there are

effectively lasting five minutes a few times the year. Each councillor

gets a basic allowance of �5,600. But there are another 35 paid posts.

In every other authority, you have an independent scrutiny power to

vet the level of allowances. In Merseyside, the councillors decide

what level of allowances or salaries they should be paid. You

or I may like that in our jobs, but it is not a reality in any other

walk of life. Take the chairman of the authority, Cllr Mark Dowd. He

receives the basic allowance of �5,600. An extra �24,300 for being

chairman. �8,500 for chairing the Policy and Resources Committee.

�4,400 for chairing the Rail Committee. And �5,700 for being on

the Sefton Advisory Panel. It's a total of nearly �50,000 in

allowances. Mr Dowd refused an interview, but his deputy spoke

instead. We accept that and we said we would remedy it 12 months ago.

Are you embarrassed knowing you are setting your own allowances? It is

not something we are comfortable with but it is a system we have had

many years. 12 years ago, we decided it was not appropriate and

we needed to do something about that. Mercy travel is meeting now

at a time local authorities are supposed to be going down. At a

time when local authority costs are supposed to be going down,

Merseytravel is nudging up. And today, they're creating a new post

- deputy chair of the Women's Forum, which pays a further �3,688.

Greater Manchester Police could close public enquiry desks at more

than 30 police stations to save money.

The force must cut its budget by more than �130 million over the

next four years. Earlier today, hundreds of staff were invited to

meetings to hear how the latest phase of economies will be achieved.

It will mean around 900 fewer so- called middle-office jobs. Our

chief reporter, Dave Guest, has been finding out what that means.

They are a familiar sight at any crime scene. But forensic staff are

among those in the firing line, as Greater Manchester Police continue

their quest to save money. We have to find �134 million in four years

ago and you have to look at everything. People are going to say

the police service will be worse. have to do the best I can, we have

been through 10 years of growth and have had additional resources and

now we need to concentrate on those things that do make a difference.

Staff were called to meetings at the Reebok Stadium in Bolton today

to hear how the force proposed to lose around 900 so-called middle-

office jobs. Those jobs include control room staff, people who

provide support to the Serious Cime division and front counter staff at

police stations. It is believed more than 30 counters could close.

I do not think some people realise what we do. You feel undervalued?

Yes, I do, actually. The Chief says economies can be made which will

make the force more efficient. Union leaders aren't so sure.

not believe that will not have an effect on the service in that

Greater Manchester. And potentially, I hope not, but an effect...

Tomorrow, these people will discover who is going to have a job

and who is not. And then at Greater Manchester Police will go through

this process all over again when they start looking at frontline

staff. An application for parole by one of

James Bulger's killers, Jon Venables, has been turned down.

Venables had applied for release, half-way through a two-year jail

sentence for downloading and distributing child pornography.

Officials informed James's family today that his bid for early

release on licence had been refused. James Bulger's father, Ralph,

welcomed the decision, but said the system Kenmore for offenders than

families of the victims. An armed siege and Liverpool took

place, leading to a number of arrests. They surrounded a house in

Walton this afternoon. Armed officers were surrounding the scene

and traffic was closed off. It followed an armed robbery in Kirkby

where a security guard was stabbed in the arms.

The longest railway viaduct in Lancashire is being checked by

safety officers, after one of its arches started to sink. The

Victorian viaduct is known locally as Whalley Arches and links

Clitheroe and Manchester. Network Rail says it will fix the distorted

arch by next Spring. It does not have to be tackled now to stop the

railway service. The speed limit is perfectly acceptable for the type

of distortion and there is an the viaduct. Long term, it would become

a much more serious problem if we did not do anything about it.

It is not easy being a motorist these days. If the price of fuel

wasn't bad enough, the cost of parking went up today too. On-

street parking charges in both Liverpool and Manchester have been

raised. And it looks like it's going to get

even more expensive for motorists from September. Stuart Flinders

reports. Empty parking bays on King Street,

Manchester. A rebellion against increased charges? Maybe not, but

motorists here and in Liverpool have taken a hit. From today, two

hours parking in Manchester will no longer cost you �2.20, but 2.70. --

In Liverpool, charges are up from �2.80 an hour to �4.40. -- for two

hours. The carrot? Some of the money may help tackle Liverpool's

pot hole problem. We will make sure this money goes into the general

highways budget. In Manchester, they're blaming central Government

cuts and fear the city centre economy may be harmed. We have to

be very, very careful that we do not damage the Manchester economy.

For will this? We do not know yet. We have to check and a monthly

basis. It is a gift for the Trafford Centre if the parking is

free. They have had problems also because of the cost of petrol and

they have traded down also. Many motorists had little sympathy for

the council today. It is crazy expensive. And the parking times

are too short, an hour is not enough. I get taxed enough and it

is just another way to tax people. Do you have an alternative to

parking here? Take my business out of Manchester. You could always get

the boss! If the system was good enough. But here's a rarity. I do

not mind, to be honest. With austerity plans and everything else.

Do you work for the council? I work for myself. If you live in

Manchester, there is more bad news because on Wednesday, councillors

are expected to announce they are expanding -- extending the charging

period from 6pm to 8 o'clock, and they will start charging you on a

And the councillor in that report was Pat Carney, apologies to him

and you. Tesco is an anomaly. A huge

business success story with masses of satisfied customers, yet a name

feared, often loathed on the high street. But are those fears well

placed? Tonight we go back to Ainsdale, where we've adopted a

planning application, to follow it through from rumour to store

opening and beyond. What does it tell us about how Tesco works?

Here's our economics correspondent, Jayne Barrett.

Ainsdale is a little village with a big campaign. The last time we were

here, the new arrival was just a rumour, but with this planning

application, the winner becomes fact. A position more vocal. They

are doing this all over the country, that is what annoys me. It will be

bad for the village, they are poorly boys and aggressive and just

want to take over. Jason's shop will close, one of four. Another

new Tesco will also have closed his other shop. But perhaps something

in this process has led to mistrust. Tesco did not by the shops, a third

party did, and Tesco is not even mentioned in the planning

application, so people believe it is not transparent, so how can they

trust it? We have not taken leases under another name, the landlord

submitted an application to change his unit and that was before we

signed our contract with the landlord. As soon as we signed the

contract, we were talking to people and were open because we are very

proud of what we want to bring to Ainsdale. And they want to bring

that elsewhere. Much of Tesco's growth is in the smaller stores.

When Ainsdale rumours began in March, Tesco had 200 -- 2,500

stores, now it is more than 2,700. This man says there is some public

support. We have friends who come up I will not say they are being

intimidated, but their friends are not involved with them any more.

Because it is not a popular opinion? EDS. Are you in the pay of

Tesco? You are not. A name that creates suspicion as well as wealth

and convenience. The application will be discussed at Southport Town

Hall on Wednesday. Still to come in North West Tonight.

Only the lonely, a unique experiment into what it's like to

be cut off from the rest of the world.

And racing away from the past. The Belle Vue aces bring us up to speed

on their new plans for national For seven days, Pam Stopford, from

Liverpool, didn't leave her house. She saw nobody, spoke to nobody,

except a video camera. And she wore a series of props which affected

her mobility and sight. Pam's week was all part of a social experiment

trying to reproduce the experience of hundreds of thousands of older

people who are living increasingly isolated lives. It was organised by

the charity Friends of the Elderly. Our health correspondent, Laura

Yates, reports. For one week, Pam Stopford lived a

lonely life. No visitors, no phone calls, seven days within these four

walls. A video camera her only friend. I do not know if anxious is

the right word... What was it like? At one point, I felt this sense of

abandonment, that everybody had just gone and left me. Just so

alone and just not even able to come in and say to somebody, do you

want a drink or what are you doing today? It is there continuation of

nothing less. The experiment tried to reproduce the physical effects

of ageing. For her too, a series of props to add 40 years to her age.

Glasses which mimic cataracts or glaucoma. Diving gloves, as if you

have arthritis. Ankle weights to limit mobility. My back was sought

by day five and I had to come down the stairs on my bottom -- at my

back was painful. I had to get painkillers.? It is important to

highlight the issue of isolation for older people. There are over 1

million people in the country who say they are always or sometimes

lonely, and another 1 million who say they are trapped in their homes.

At midnight last night, Pam was reunited with her son, David. And

today, work. She was surprisingly nervous stock Mac I did not that

want to be around to many people, which I thought I would love.

quite relieved to get home today. Isolation, she says, is something

you soon get used to. It makes you feel a bit sad,

doesn't it? A bit of company makes all the difference, doesn't it?

A metal detector enthusiast from Lancashire thought he had found

just a twisted piece of metal in a field in Preston, but what he

actually found was a medieval relic of national significance. Paul King

has found a badge depicting a princess, made of silver, and it is

over 500 years old. Elaine Dunkley reports.

Paul King is a metal detector enthusiast whose enthusiasm has

paid off. Little did he realise how special his latest find would be.

certainly was not expecting to find what I found. I was gobsmacked,

really, amazing. Especially when I got the loose soil off and her face

appeared. This is it the only one of its kind to be found in Britain,

and it has left experts battled. It is thought a woman is St Ursula, a

British Princess who were apparently sailed with 11,000

virgins to Cologne on a pilgrimage. This is unusual because it is made

of silver and most of these period are made of lead. And another

strange thing is the way it has been bent over. That is possibly

deliberate. During the Reformation, religious objects what often

destroyed and if it was -- if it was a religious programme's badge,

that explains why it was bent. this ended up in a field in Preston

is still a mystery, but its significance is certain. I cannot

believe how important and significant it is. I found objects

there are older, Roman brooches, but this is fantastic. It is not

quite a case of find a's keepers, a coroner must first conclude the

badge does not have an owner. In the meantime, it will be on display

at the British Museum's. Talking of treasures!

It is sport now. One of Sir Alex Ferguson's toughest jobs this

summer has been to replace goalkeeper Edwin Van Der Sar. He

made 250 appearances and won four titles. Looks like he's done it.

250 appearances, so he has done well for Manchester United. He's

bought a World Cup winner. Athletico Madrid's David De Gea,

who was in Spain's squad last summer, is having a medical at Old

Trafford. He is 20 years old, has cost around �19 million. Is he a

good 'un? Well, Liverpool keeper Pepe Reina has gone further today

and says he is a great keeper. Talking of Old Trafford, Lancashire

have the chance to go top of the county championship. But things

have gone a bit haywire, haven't they? They're playing leaders

Durham, but in Liverpool. At the start of the day, Lancs were seven

points, behind with a game in hand. However, the pitch was a bit green,

had a bit of movement and they lost a crucial toss. A first innings

horror show ended on 84 all out. Lancashire ended a day one on four

without loss, they are behind 98. Regardless of today, Lancs have won

six out of eight in the County Championship and coach Peter Moores

credits a conveyor belt of home- grown young talent. The exciting

thing is we have had a lot of change around of staff. People

naturally getting older and moving on, and it lot of new players that

have come through the academy system. 16 out of 19 players are

home-grown, we are playing a lot of home players from Lancashire, so

that is exciting, and they are playing well! Players like Stephen

Croft, Kyle Hogg and Carl Brown are exciting fans, and those we spoke

to before start of play reckon Lanky could still break their 77-

year title drought. I think it could be the year.

Especially if they win this. Durham are pushing as well, aren't

they? Fingers crossed! Won his help -- one is hopeful. I think Durham

are playing very well and this will go some way to deciding it. So many

wickets in a day, the pitch is normally eat suspect. But it has

been suspected -- inspected by the authorities and they say it is all

right. 20 wickets is incredible, so you

suspect it is the atmosphere and the ball moving a lot?

I think cloud cover, you think what A bit of both.

Thinking -- moving on! Now, things are looking up for Belle Vue Aces.

Or should that be looking next door? One of the world's most

famous speedway clubs is on the move in Manchester. Not far. Not

far at all. But in terms of their future, it's a million miles away

from where they are now. And they are off! Seriously! About

100 metres that way, have a look. The world's most famous Speedway

club are moving next door to a �6 million home and it will be

elevated to the status of the country's first ever national

Speedway stadium. We are running 4th in the week at the moment so as

far as the team goes, we are still up there. We just want to move on

to the next era. The opportunity for the home to be the National

Speedway stadium or so is fantastic. International events on a custom-

built track and crowds of 16,000 will breathe new life here.

They moved from Hyde wrote to the greyhound track in the Eighties, on

the hunt for a permanent home -- moved to. One idea is it will be a

centre of excellent as well, so that will help British Speedway to

bring young talent through and give them a chance to have a go at

Speedway. Belle Vue is synonymous with Manchester like United and

City for football. And after years of sharing this place with dogs and

stock cars, they are finally going to get an Old Trafford of their own.

Get down, you, you are staying! It has been a great day for the north-

west at Wimbledon with both competitors in the singles for the

boys making it through. George Morgan, from Bolton, is through

after this win. He says he altered his tactics after falling behind in

the first set. I was nervous, but I started to work out a few tactics

and got Plainmoor to his forehand and got into it a bit more. -- got

Plainmoor to. Well done to him. The Island Games got underway

yesterday and team Isle of Man has got off to a great start. The first

medal came from Kevin Loundes, with a silver in the half marathon. The

medals kept coming across athletics, cycling and shooting, and the team

currently lie third in the medal table, with four golds, five

silvers and three bronze. Great!

I call you a treasure, he caused you hot air!

I know! I will still be here at the end!

What about the weather? Gorgeous yesterday, a bit muddy, are we

heading for rain? Yes, and it is turning cooler,

What a scorcher we have today, and it is not often we can say that.

These are the temperatures today. 28 degrees in that sunshine today.

But not everywhere. Around the coast, this is what the sea breeze

did. 10 degrees cooler in some coastal areas. 14 degrees the top

temperature across parts of the Isle of Man. It is a cold weather

front and it will be bring think much cooler air. So it will be a

good deal cooler for the rest of the week, but we will have sunshine.

Through the evening and overnight, showers will move away. We will

notice the difference because it will not be as oppressive as last

night. Temperatures down to 10 or 11 degrees. A dry night with clear

spells. A much cooler feel for tomorrow morning. We will have

beautiful sunshine for the morning and clear and sunny skies. The

cloud will increase again into the afternoon. Showers for the evening

tomorrow as well. A much cooler and fresher feel, temperatures 18 on 19

degrees. Part of the Isle of Man will get the best of the sunshine

tomorrow. Beautiful sunshine, and it will be a bit warmer, 15 degrees.

Pressure building to the end of the week. Temperature is a bit more

Thank you very much. Now, most parents make financial

sacrifices for their children. But little Callum Hilton's mum endured

genuine hardship to nurture her son's musical talent. A single

parent from a council estate in Tameside, she had very little money

left after paying for Callum's piano and cello lessons. Well, now

she's been rewarded. Eight-year-old Callum has won a ten-year

scholarship to a world-famous School of Music. Liam O'Donoghue

Despite being born with hearing problems, Callum Hilton is a

natural musician. At the age of four, he began teaching himself on

an electric keyboard. It feels, and peaceful. The really moving. Tear-

jerking at some stages when you hear it,. By chance, his mum read

that classical music helps children to learn, so she bought him some

CDs. He began playing classical tunes, and for his sixth birthday

asked for a piano. His mum had to borrow �2,000/ Money for music

lessons meant Callum and his mum couldn't afford the bus to school,

couldn't buy new clothes, and had little money left for food. He want

to play these pieces like classical music, I have no money and will

have to put myself into debt to do it. She was overcome with emotion

as she recalled the hardship they'd been through.

I even started... Now Callum's hard work, practising two hours a day,

and his mum's sacrifices, have paid off. They were nervous when he

auditioned at Manchester's prestigious Chetham's School of

Music. But overjoyed when they heard he'd won a scholarship to

study piano, and his other love, cello. Absolutely happy. Hugging,

squeezing! I could not speak! Callum is going to live at

Chetham's, where his scholarship provides free tuition until he's 18.

Lovely story. His life has changed just like that

eggs knack How wonderful just to be born with a little talent!

They say the ones who really achieve have practised and

practised, it does not happen overnight stay Mac like us!

Years of practice! Did you have a talent?

I had a spark, but it went out X knack in 1972?

It was for Frisby, there is not much call for it, my dog keeps