19/07/2011 South East Today

Welcome to the programme. Tonight top stories's a venue

investigation into the Sussex paedophile priest scandal as the

Church of England denies a cover-up. For the first time in 40 years, the

army parade through Gravesend. is an opportunity for the soldiers

to feel loved. They need to be appreciated, and when you get a

crowd like we had today, it gives the soldiers a morale boost.

Turner Contemporary in Margate hits its annual target, nine months

early. Our Business Editor is there to analyse what it means for the

town. Howzat, the cricket team making it

a third. They have been dubbed CE Electric.

The wax pieces that look nothing Good evening.

The diocese of Chichester has denied a cover-up in the case of

child sex abuse by a priest in East Sussex. It is launching an

investigation to find out how significantly inaccurate

information was published in a report looking at the cases.

The Church insists the report is still credible. The Bishop of Lewes

who provided the incorrect information was not available for

comment today. Our Home Affairs Correspondent has the latest.

It is an inquiry into paedophile priests in East Sussex which we

exposed. Bishop Wallace Benn, the Bishop of Lewes said he'd give

Reverend Roy cotton permission to officiate in 1999. To permit him to

celebrate communion in the nursing home where he was then living.

Cotton, a convicted paedophile was in fact working in three churches

and did not going to a nursing home until September 2003.

What information was the Bishop rely on when he told the Baroness

that he was in a nursing home? not know. Have you not asked him?

He has maintained consistently he understood that to be the case. He

also knew that he was occasionally taking some services. He told the

Baroness that the reason for issuing that was because cotton was

in a nursing home. I think he understood that to be the case.

Surely you would have asked him? I do not know. Have you not asked

him? I have not asked him recently. You have asked Thames. I may have

done in the past. What did he say? I can't remember. I think you are

barking up the wrong tree. allowed a paedophile to continue

working, going into churches, putting children at risk. And you

say I am barking up the wrong tree. It appears Baroness Butler relied

on the inaccurate information to reach conclusions to the

frustration of the victims. There are so many errors in it which have

been clearly demonstrated by the BBC's investigation that I think it

has lost all credibility. I do not know what I can believe. Victims

say the report is no longer credible force stopped I do not

believe that. I reject that. I understand what they're saying, but

the value of the report is that it has been done and the

recommendations which are and have transformed the way safeguarding is

carried out. The Church deny there has been a cover-up and saying

investigation is underway to find out how inaccurate information made

its way into the report. They say no stone will go unturned.

Colin, what explanation has the Anglican Church given as to why

this inaccurate information was given in the first place?

Church appears to be blaming the recollected memory of advance given

to Baroness Butler. They suggest he has got his times and dates

confused. I challenged Archdeacon Phil Jones on this today. -- I

challenged Archdeacon Philip Jones. We understand last week the victims

called for immediate resignations. Today, on that issue, Archdeacon

Philip Jones told me he is not in a position to suggest what might or

might not happen. You can see more of that that challenging interview

between Archdeacon Philip Jones and Our Home Affairs Correspondent on

our website. Hundreds of people have lined the

streets of Gravesend to see the army marched through the town for

the first time in more than 40 years. The second Battallion

Princess of Wales Royal Regiment are being recognised for their work

in Afghanistan and had been granted the freedom to march in the birth.

-- borough. They have seen action in Iraq and Afghanistan. Largely

recruited from the South East. Among their number, a soldier just

back from Afghanistan and another who joined the regiment just two

months ago. I joined the Army because there is not much else

going on. I would not join expecting I would have it easy. You

join other knowing it will be difficult. It is a frightening

thing, but we are trained for it for. It does mean a lot to see the

people and see how much respect the towns and surrounding counties have

got. I am local to Kent, so I feel a buzz. We are proud to call you

our own. We are in total admiration of what you do. In agreement, a

woman whose son has seen four tours of duty in Afghanistan. When they

come home, you were filled with a great sense of pride. You're

absolutely delighted that that they are still here. This is a big day

for the towns. Not only this regiment being granted the freedom

of the Barrar, but it is the first time the army has marched in

Gravesend since 1969. -- freedom of the bath. With their mascot it goat,

and that was the regiment seen a few months earlier. All this time

on, not much changes. The soldiers need to feel loved and appreciated.

When you get a crowd that we have today, it gives the soldiers a

morale boost. Next, they will be on standby for the Olympics.

Concerns for our eels population They had hoped that it would be

popular, but the number of people visiting the Turner Contemporary

gallery in Margate has exceeded the organisers most optimistic

predictions. In the last three months they have had over 156,000

visitors, hitting the target for the year nine months early.

The gallery was supposed to help regenerate Margate's economy. Let's

find out if it has. Mark, obviously good news for the

Turner. Is it good news for the rest of the town?

Incredibly good news for the Turner Contemporary. Increasingly, that

does mean good news for Margate. The old town to my left has been

bustling all day in the sunshine. There are a lot of empty commercial

properties in the town still. But a successful Turner Contemporary

could also mean is successful, dynamic economy in east Kent and

Margate. The Turner Contemporary dominates the skyline and in three

months and 156,000 visitors later, it is a catalyst for regeneration

in parts of the town. Having it open is making businesses pull

together, making sure they are well presented, looking nice and trading.

There is always something going on. Wherever you look someone is

painting, or there is scaffolding, or new stores are opening. All it

needs... It has a knock-on effect. As soon as you see things going on

and happening, everybody gets excited. The gallery opened in

April and proved hugely popular from the start. They also consider

themselves part of the business community and are conducting their

own year-long study into the economic impact of the gallery.

need to look at a longer period of time to get in to what the impact

has been. The opening day and 16th April was a day of festivity and

festival in the town. So many people said they had never had such

a busy day. Traders do have some gripes. Precise age and not enough

quality accommodation. Some businesses feel a gallery was the

wrong development in the wrong place, and others say more needs to

the done. We need events, when we have an event here in Margate,

whether it is a motor cycling A event, Auric kite-flying festival,

we are busy. If we were busier we could create jobs on a more regular

basis. There is a lot more are we can do. How many shops take Euros?

Not very many. There is a lot we can do to attract people. Later

this year that Turner Gallery will host an exhibition of watercolours

attracting thousands more visitors to Margate.

The Turner Contemporary bringing thousands more people to Margate.

Perhaps now is the time for entrepreneurs to grab opportunities.

What about buying the social club that behind me?

The education secretary Michael Gove has announced he will not be

restoring the building schools for the future funding in the six local

parties which forced there Secretary of State to rethink his

decision. He said he would cover the costs. Because the previous

government chose not to continue with this, I do not have the facts

to judge how the needs of these schools compare with the needs of

other schools around the country. The ferrous thing I can do is help

to meet the costs which might arise from the projects that these

schools have incurred. The amount of money generated from speed

cameras in Kent has dropped to its lowest ever level because more

people are choosing to go on speed awareness courses rather than pay a

fine. The Association of British drivers say the same number of

people being caught speeding is the same suggesting the courses do not

work. Last month, �15,000 was collected from speed cameras

compared to 30 times that much seven years ago.

The elderly parents of a man from Kent left in a coma after a

motorbike crash in Indonesia have flown out to Bali today. Richard

Plummer has led his insurance lapse and his parents had paid out

He's a Kent pub landlord and one of the few former News of The World

journalists to admit that phone hacking was rife at the paper. Paul

McMullen, who was an investigative journalist at the paper in the

1990s, has argued that hacking was often justified in order to obtain

legitimate stories, and today he left the comfort of his Dover pub

to spend the day at Parliament. Our reporter Rebecca Barry was there.

The former News of the World journalist who is himself now the

focus of media attention. Paul McMullen hit the headlines when he

claimed phone hacking was rife at the News of the World. He was even

secretly recorded by Hugh Grant admitting wrongdoing at the paper.

Today, he is at Westminster to hear his former bosses get killed. We

are with him to hear his reaction. James Murdoch said some former

journalists had tarnished the reputation of the paper. This is

disingenuous because the reporter is me. My colleagues, who hacked

into people's phones, where doing it for him. Stop pointing the

finger at reporters. We were doing it for them. Surely, as one of

those journalists, you Iraq -- acting for your journalists because

there was pressure. Surely, each individual like yourself these to

take some responsibility? No, not if you're told that when Rebekah

Brooks hired me, she said I like him because he will do anything to

get a story. That was the philosophy. You would go to it

great lengths to get a result. you regret that now? No, I don't

think I do. With that came underhand tactics? Absolutely.

What's wrong with doing something slightly dodgy to get to the truth.

It wasn't to advance the evil, we were just tried to write the truth.

Even if those whose truth you tried to find out where victims of crime,

not criminals themselves are people on the public eye? That's where he

should have stepped into rain is back. Rebekah Brooks didn't and

Andy Coulson didn't. Paul says he now plans to get away from a media

circus and return to his pub and over and perhaps a writer book

about his role on the scandal that seat from the pages of a paper to

the heart of Parliament. Rebecca Barrow joins us live from

Westminster now. Damian Collins, who is a member of the Committee

for Culture, Media and Sport. He asked Rebecca Brits when she first

knew about the scandal. She said the first time was last Monday when

the first time has to send an unreserved apology to this family.

And shortly after Mr Collins asked his questions, there was a dramatic

incident, wasn't there? A protest are picked up a plate of

shaving foam on through to the other Murdoch. Even his wife let to

the defence. He apparently said, you naughty billionaire, before

being dragged away by security. This is our top story tonight. The

Diocese of Chichester has denied a cover up in the case of child sex

abuse by priests in East Sussex. It is launching an investigation to

find out how significantly inaccurate information was

published in a report looking at the cases.

Also in tonight's programme: The unconvincing waxworks dubbed 'dud

ringers.' The exhibits at a Kent museum said to look nothing like

their real-life counterparts. And I'll be bringing you the latest

weather details. This week is providing us with a mix of sunshine

and showers and at the end of the programme, I will give you full

weather forecast. The unusually hot dry spring has

caused all manner of problems for our farmers, but for wildlife, the

problems have been a matter of life and death, and there are real

concerns for the eel population in sussex. It all begins when European

eels migrate to spawn in the Sargasso Sea off the US coast,

resulting in a 4,000 mile migration from the UK. They're then carried

back on the ocean current to the UK where they grow up to 60-80 cm in

length. But as Natalie Graham examines in tonight's Social Report,

fewer and fewer are making it inland.

The Environment Agency has been monitoring the number of baby eels

here for the last five years. The highest annual count was 30,000.

This year, they found fewer than 1000. The water levels here are

just too low for deals to get up steam.

These little chaps have already made an amazing journey all the way

across the Atlantic to the freshwater streams here where they

will hope to reach maturity. These are the lucky ones, because water

levels are so low gear that many of their brothers and sisters have not

made it this far. This time of year, July, that editors are getting warm

and they should be seen the peak numbers. The really water levels we

have had with the Bynea drought conditions, there has not been much

fresh water going out to see which attacks them in. There is not that

attraction now and thereby passing these areas. To give eel

recruitment a helping hand, the Environment Agency has installed

culverts in smaller schemes. Instead of being trapped in the

shallows, this man-made channel allows the eels to swim to the

deeper waters with a tingle to adult size. There is a lot we don't

know what it these long-distance travellers. Conservationists are

not sure how serious the recent decline in their population is.

Some say it is over fishing, others say it is barriers to migration.

Others say it is pollution a parasite. Perhaps it is carnivores

feeding them. Having got this far, the six-month old eels here have a

good chance of reaching adult size. They will then return to the

Sargasso Sea, the place they began their extraordinary lives.

Now, if you're worried you might be getting too old to play your

favourite sport, take heart. You might want to think again. The

Sussex cricket team has been in action looking to extend an

unbeaten run that's lasted for three seasons. Yes, that is true,

although the side in question was the over-70's squad. Robin Gibson

has been observing from the boundary in Robertsbridge that you

are never to old to play your favourite sport.

A perfect seen on a perfect day. A centuries-old game whose players

can amass more than a few centuries of cricketing experience between

them. I think I am still the youngest to get a first-class

Staying fit is a lifelong challenge for all sportsmen, and these

players are justifiably proud, even if they're surprised they're still

going strong. If you enjoy the game so much, why give it up?

serious is that? Are very serious. Out there, it is serious. After

words, you can start talking to the opposition! Today they're playing

Suffolk and Norfolk. They have travelled a long way. We think we

have a good chance. Even at our age, we try to be competitive and give

it the best shot, but we will enjoy it. We don't see a lot of sex is

obviously. -- sixes. Today, this play a wry top 100 runs with the

camera watching. I shall tell my wife, and she may get something

nice for me for tea. For now, their unbeaten record remains in place.

But after notching up 197 runs, Sussex are being pressed hard. They

will have to fight for the last competitive ball. A very serious

business. Now, would you like to get your

hands on this? It's the Olympic Torch, and a replica is on display

at the Jerwood Gallery in Hastings today to encourage us all to name

people who might have earned the right to carry it on its relay to

the Olympic Stadium this time next year. The route will include

Brighton, Hastings, Dover and Maidstone.

We've all done it. Posed next to our favourite waxwork - that's if

we recognise who they're meant to be, of course. A waxwork attraction

in Kent is making their visitors work extra hard. Let's just say

some of the faces aren't entirely obvious. Legends in Wax at the Hop

Farm Family Park in Paddock Wood does appear to require some

concentration, as Ria Chatterjee has been to find out.

Have a guess, who are these famous people? Do you think you guessed

right? Let's go inside and find out. The answers: Tom Cruise, Kylie

Minogue, the Queen and Sylvester Stallone. Packed full of music

stars of Hollywood legends, these famous faces have people talking.

didn't recognise Kylie Minogue at all. Tom Cruise was just not

recognisable, and I guess at Arnold Schwarzenegger as well.

recognised some of them, like Clint Eastwood and John Wayne. In terms

of just looking at them, if they did not have names, you would not

be able to identify them. They were made by a sculptor in the States

especially for this attraction. do like them being a little bizarre,

because it is not boring. Something of its range is more fun and it

fits in. They're hoping to update their collection soon.

The looks suspiciously like they were modelled on the one man. Even

Well, a bit of a mixture to come this week. Within the space of a

couple of miles, a real variety of weather. There was flooding in some

places where Op other people were going into work and shorts.

There'll be a mixture of sunshine and showers over the next few days.

And I will give you some more detail and at! Tonight, dying out

with a showers clearing away. Mist and fog patches will develop.

Plenty of sunshine today but mixed in with a beer but of cloud cover

and that has made a bit of wet weather. As I say, still more to

come over the next few hours. Nothing to substantial but it will

not be a dry picture until later on tonight. Quite a lot of cloud cover

around. Those temperatures down to about 11 Celsius, and by tomorrow

morning, we'll see some breaks in that cloud. As we do, some early

sunshine tomorrow but that will be the best of the day's weather, so

make the most of it. Later on, and huge increase in cloud cover and,

as you can see, a bit of rain. A lot of showers and not particularly

heavy, but more widespread. Those temperatures getting up to 20

Celsius. You can see highs here of 14 Celsius. By tomorrow evening, a

fair few showers still around. They will not have cleared and overnight

it will be a bit wetter than tonight. Because there is more

cloud cover around, the temperatures will not do quite as

low. They will go to 13 Celsius at their lowest, so not much

difference between day and night. Although there are still more

shares to come on Thursday, alert here it the UK and you can see most

of the showers are throughout the south. For a day will bring is the

best of this week's weather. The weekend is still looking a bit

uncertain, particularly Sunday. Saturday is looking to be a pretty

wet Picture, but Brady, we'll see some Shun shine and not much wet

weather. -- Friday. The real thing that will be consistent for the

next few days are the temperatures. Not up to much. Tomorrow, a high of

18 Celsius with a few showers. On the days to follow that, as you can

see, a fair bit of wet weather and those temperatures not getting