19/10/2016 Points West

Workshops on offer for some drug offences.

If I knew that I was going straight inside for even touching thd drugs

in the first place, I would have thought twice about doing it.

25 years after his release, Terry Waite meets those

who helped him return to normal life.

And a quiet day of weather tomorrow. Dry or mostly drive. Details at the

end of the programme. Avon and Somerset Police is one

of the first forces in the country to try offering drugs education

rather than arresting peopld. It's aimed at those caught carrying

small amounts of illegal substances. Our Home Affairs Corresponddnt

Fiona Lamdin reports now from a halfway house

in Bristol for people who are trying to

end their addiction. This is one of many

dry houses in Bristol. There are currently ten

ex-addicts living here. Many of them have been to prison

for their substance abuse. But, at the moment,

they are all working Aaron has been off

drugs for two months. He says he would have opted

for the course, given the choice. If you stick to the courses

and actually learn about what you are doing to your body -

the tests they do... Some people disagree,

but I really think they shotld give the chance to put money

into courses and curfews. But his housemate, Alexis,

who only arrived yesterday, thinks the courses

won't and don't work. When you were caught

by the police and you were sent

on a course, did it help? I've been caught and I've bden sent

to the courses of probation. And I've still gone back

round in the same circle, because it hasn't really sc`red me.

It hasn't bothered me. I thought, I will go to probation,

I will do this, I will do that. And then I will just go and use

at the weekend. But if I knew that I was

going straight inside for even touching

these drugs in the first pl`ce, I'd have probably thought

twice about doing it. What got you off the drugs?

What stops you using? The thought of going

back into prison. Some people need to go

there to come out the other side. But their counsellor,

Christy McMullen, says that addiction is an illness

which needs help. Giving them treatment,

rather than punishment is great because sending a sick man to prison

with an illness of addiction If you know about

addiction, it is cruel. This six-month pilot

has been uncovered by the internet news

service Vice News. And tonight Avon and Somersdt Police

say it is working. 215 people have been

through the course. And, so far, none have been arrested

for drug possession since. DEFRA has confirmed that thd badger

cull across parts of Somersdt, Gloucestershire and Dorset

has ended for this year. Seven new licences were granted

by the government for the 2016 cull, with almost 10,000 animals due

to be killed. Ministers say it's part

of a 25-year strategy A cider mill in Somerset threatened

with closure has a new owner. The Irish-based C Group

announced earlier this year that the mill, which

makes famous brands was to close, with the loss

of around 120 jobs. Today it's been revealed

that it's been bought by Brother Drinks Company,

which is based in Shepton M`llet. They hope to

keep on about 24 workers. Council leaders have tonight

backed plans to create three new parish councils

to help run services the main authority says

it can no longer afford. such as grass cutting

and street cleaning. The change could cost tax p`yers

up to ?75 extra a year. Swindon Borough Council says

the move is a result Campaigners have been trying to

fight the plans. I think it is unfair

on local residents, because they have

not had a direct say. And an awful lot of residents are,

as yet, relatively unaware of the implications for what

parishing actually means. What it means, for most of ts,

is a rise in our council tax. But they've not been asked

that question directly. They really are showing

that they have contempt They haven't asked us

to have an opinion about how It is our problem, how we p`y

for things, going forwards. They should be working with us

and finding solutions. Earlier, I spoke to our

political editor Paul Bartrop. He explained that Swindon

isn't the only area to be It is worth bearing in mind that

much of the West Country already As well as much of Swindon,

60% in most of Cheltenham, Gloucester and Taunton,

there are no parishes. While in Bath and Bristol,

there are none at all. In places like Pittville

and Cheltenham, local residdnts are thinking of setting

up their own parish council. Much more significant though

is what is happening in Swindon Places like Bristol

are thinking of following stit. So, what sort of reaction

has this got? Proponents say it brings

democracy closer to people, albeit by setting up a new

level of councillors, Money, though, is

the key factor here. People will end up paying more

and may not get any extra sdrvices. And that has left some Bristol

councillors unimpressed. I can't, at the moment, see one

single redeeming feature on it. I understand the most significant

factor in that is that there is no cap on how much they can

put their council tax up by. And, therefore, not only

are we talking of another ther of government, but we are t`lking

of another tier of tax So, here is the crucial question.

How much will it cost the t`xpayer? At the moment, for parish and town

councils, there's no limit on how much they put

up their council tax by each year - So, if we look around the rdgion,

the top chargers in the West... Filton in South Gloucestershire

?191 there. The highest is Langport

in Somerset - ?227. The Government is talking

about bringing in new restrhctions. But if these new councils wdre set

up, it is likely there would be at least ?75 of the charge being

put onto people's bills. This the moment Terry Waite

flew into RAF Lyneham Now, 25 years later,

he has been back to the airbase to meet the people who helpdd him

re-adjust to life as a free man Home after five years

as a hostage in Lebanon. Home, the special envoy

for the Archbishop of Canterbury, who was captured while trying to

negotiate the freedom of hostages. Now, 25 years on, he has returned

to Lyneham with the psychiatrist who reintroduced him

to the outside world. Well, the plane landed here,

right on this runway. It is blowy today,

but it was raining then, also. And I looked around and

I couldn't believe it, And the place was absolutelx full

of people from the press. I've never seen so many

press people together. And, because of the weather,

it was decided to have And I had written a few

notes on the plane. I'd been told it would be the best

thing to give a statement to everybody and then

meet my family. Ladies and gentlemen,

I think you can imagine that, after 1,763 days in chains,

it is an overwhelming experhence to come back

and receive your greetings. Today, the station is

no longer an RAF base. It is a training centre

for army recruits. In the chapel, Terry Waite takes

a moment for reflection. Unfortunately, there are sthll

many people who are prisoners of conscience and held capthve

in many parts of the world. So, today, I've just lit th`t little

candle in memory of all those around the world who are held

against their will BBC Wiltshire arranged

for Terry Waite to come to Lyneham again with the team

that organised his reception and helped him rebuild

his mind and body. The family are actually aware

that the person who's being returned

to them isn't the same. And that they fret about th`t

and they develop anxiety The teams here at Lyneham g`ve

Terry Waite his life back. He could get to know his falily

again and start paying his lortgage, which had never stopped

during his years in captivity. But he says it wasn't only

the people inside the RAF station. The whole community

showed him kindness. One night, my wife and I,

we heard the bells ringing. I said, "Oh, they must be

practising, the bell-ringers". "They are ringing

the bells for you". And leave you with Ian, who has

the forecast. We are entering a spell of dry

weather. It will continue food the rest of this week. That does not

rule out some showers around tomorrow. They will tend to be the

exception. Varying amounts of cloud and sunny phases. For the rdst at

night, the key thing is the temperature. Some areas tow`rds the

west and south-west could gdt down to three or four Celsius. Some

patches of fog around maybe. And maybe some frost. Most placds about

six or seven Celsius. A cold start. More cloud towards the east. We will

get into a phase of varying amounts of cloud. Sometimes extensive. The

button bright and sunny spells as well. One or two of those are

moderate. Not a particularlx breezy day. Temperatures from 12 to 14

Celsius. Dry conditions continuing through the week. More

that cool breeze to factor in. Here is Matt with the national outlook.

Good evening. Just as the weather starts to quieten down across many

parts of the country it notched up a gear across the east coast today.

Near gale force winds whipping up rough seas for our weather watchers

in north Yorkshire and in