16/02/2017 South East Today

Welcome to South East Today, I'm Natalie Graham.

No deal - Aslef drivers reject the settlement union bosses thrashed

It is an believable how there is still a dispute and no resolution. I

pay a lot of money to travel to write in everyday I do think the

service we get, it is ridiculous. We'll be live in Brighton with

the latest reaction and analysis. The young mum killed by cervical

cancer, never offered a smear test Because of the age she was at, it is

not just her losing her life it is her four children who are having to

suffer because they have no ma'am. Also in tonight's programme:

the ambulance trust at the centre of bullying allegations -

we've learnt that managers discussed The bare naked ladies causing

confusion in a Sussex village. And we are not alone, Sir Winston

Churchill's thoughts on alien life revealed in a newly discovered

document. Southern rail users face

the prospect of more crippling strikes as train drivers rejected

a deal brokered by The deal - aimed at resolving

a long-running row over driver-only trains, promised to end one

of Britain's longest and most For nearly a year the dispute has

paralysed train services in the south east, causing

businesses to close and resulting in travel chaos

for millions of commuters. In a moment we'll be live

at Brighton Station and at ASLEF's head quarters in London but first

John Young has this report. After ten months of dispute, 28 days

of strikes 13 days of talks in 40 days of hope that it might be near

an end tonight the deadlock is more stark than have. The reaction from

commuters in Brighton once word began to spread... It is ridiculous,

it has been like this from was one year. Fellow strikes and industrial

action and it is unbelievable how it is still, there is a dispute and no

resolution. I pay a lot of money to travel to brighten everyday and the

service that we get is ridiculous. Need to sort themselves out and

change the company to be honest. I not impressed at all. It is a good

thing, it is... What is the point in going on strike unless you hold out

for what you -- what your true beliefs and principles are? The

result was a stunning blow for the readers of Aslef, members nearly

always accept the recommendations but not this time. Although it was

close. Just under 700 members voted, issued under 300 of the membership.

It was a vote of loyalty, and -- from the drivers union to the

conductor 's union. Athletically drivers obviously share the concerns

of our members, the deal on offer did not guarantee a second safety

critical person in every train. Clearly this was not acceptable.

Passengers were hoping for a different outcome but there have

been warnings that might end like this. Earlier this week and Aslef

drivers still led why they simply could not accept the deal that still

allowed trains to be driven in exceptional circumstances about the

second member of staff on board. He spoke to us anonymously. The content

we have at that eventually someone will get trapped in the door, the

driver would see them on the cameras which are very poor at the moment

and we will end up in court. Neither Sun nor has left's leaders were

giving interviews but local MPs were. The unions must understand the

impact they are having on the people they serve and the people I

represent. Industrial action is not the way to settle the points at

issue here. What is at stake is passenger safety and I am persuaded

that when you have a very long trains, 12 carriage trains, when you

have them increasingly going through stations that are not staffed

because staff are being cut back then if there is an accident god

forbid the having the second safety critical person on the train helps

to save lives and that is the bottom line. In a statement Southern Rail

said it was hugely disappointed by the news, conductors have been given

heart. Passengers remain caught in the middle.

Well industrial action has been affecting Southern since

last April - when conductors who are members

of the RMT union first walked out - over changes to the roles

of conductors and claims that driver only operated trains are unsafe.

Aslef members first walked out in December -

leading to the cancellation of ALL the operator's

Two weeks ago - after lengthy talks hosted by the TUC,

ASLEF's leaders announced they'd reached a deal with Southern

It's THAT deal which members have now voted,

Passengers have put up with terrible performance and inconvenience to the

lives for months and months, this look like a resolution had been

found and now it seems like we are not quite there yet so it is

extremely important that all the parties get back around the table

and ensure that a quick resolution is found.

Well it's not just strike action by Aslef and the RMT commuters

have had to deal with, Southern's poor performance,

combined with industrial action, has cost the UK economy.

And it's been calculated more than 300,000 south east

commuters have been affected by the on going problems.

Well let's cross to our reporter in Brighton John Young.

John where do the interested parties go from here?

All of the interested parties it seems have been issuing statements

today but once you read then you realise they do not add much.

Southern have said we will be seeking to meet with the union as

soon as possible to see how we can agree a new way forward and then

they say we need to understand the issues which led to this outcome.

Many people are saying surely you know what the issues are, they have

been out there for ten months. RMT have issued a statement saying let's

get back around the table, the strike appears to be going ahead on

the 22nd of February next Wednesday. Interestingly, most interestingly,

the government has issued a statement and in the past they kept

their head down but the statement says Ray Little, it says the union

leadership must now return to talks at work with the members. In summary

tonight the same phrases and arguments, the same mutual

incomprehension and four passengers the same sense of despair.

Well Briohny Williams joins from outside ASLEF's

I understand you been speak to officials there?

Yes, a source told me this evening that they are keen to get back

around the negotiating table as soon as possible, which of course is a

view that is echoed by Southern bosses. In more developments this

afternoon Nick Cash from the RMT said he is writing to the TUC head

saying that all parties need to be involved in any discussions if an

agreement is going to be made that can finally put an end to this

long-running dispute. Well you've been reacting

to this story on email Neil Monnery tweeted - "looks

like this nightmare will never end". Margaret Sharkey approves

of the ballot results - she says "solidarity to Aslef

members - keep the trains Safe". Nicholas Harvey tweeted -

"hastag SouthernFail - You can get the latest on the BBC

local live pages in Kent and Surrey. In a moment: we meet a residents

of the first council homes to be The family of a young mother of four

from Gravesend who died of cervical cancer -

is calling for the screening 24-year-old Sadie Blackston

from Gravesend had been to her GP several times complaining of pain

and bleeding, but her family says she was never offered a smear test,

because screening only routinely She was only diagnosed

after she collapsed. Just a year after being diagnosed

with cancer, Sadie Blackston It has really heartbroken me,

I was there for it all I can't even tell you the pain,

every day I wake up through the days and when I go to sleep,

just, she has taken a massive Currently, women aged

between 25 and 64 are offered regular cervical screening,

the cancer affects more than 3000 women per year,

among them 65 people under 25. Sadie's family believed that had

she been offered the test at a younger age the cancer

could have been prevented. I think it should be offered,

because of the age she was at, it is not just her losing her life

it is also her four children because they have no mum now

So the age should be lowered from 25 But the UK national screening

committee has concluded testing under the age of 25 can do more harm

than good, it can cause too many false positive results leading

to unnecessary treatment. As a charity we are guided by Best

practice, we are guided by research and evidence as the current evidence

shows that in countries where screening is offered

at younger ages there is not much difference in terms of outcomes

of patients saw in the UK we are guided by the evidence

and the evidence says that screening But Sadie's family say that

in her memory the fight goes on. Simon Jones is in Northfleet,

where Sadie's family lives. What chance do they have of getting

a change in the screening age? I think a lot of people will have a

good deal of sympathy for the family but in reality it is going to be a

tough fight because they would have to change the opinion of the medical

profession. At the moment it is the opinion of doctors and charities at

25 is the best age to start screening and what they have already

achieved is getting people talking about cervical cancer. The family

told me a friend of theirs, women in their 40s, has decided to go for her

first ever screening having heard about the death so some success

there. Medics say the key thing for young people is to watch out for the

tell-tale symptom of heavy bleeding but city's family say they noticed

that in her case, she did seek out but it did not manage to save her

life and that is why they are determined to carry on with this

fight after her death. A lorry driver has admitted causing

the death of a pensioner after colliding with her bike

in a Kent village. 73-year-old Barbara Phipps

died after the incident on the A2 London Road in Teynham

almost a year ago. William Magee, who's 59

and from Chelmsford has pleaded guilty to causing death

by careless driving. The family of a kayaker found dead

after going missing at sea say they will be "forever grateful"

to the people who helped Dominic Jackson, who

grew up in Uckfield, disappeared two weeks ago off

the Scottish coast. His family have set up a charity

in his name to promote sea safety. They're raising awareness

about Personal Locator Beacons, which they believe could have

saved Dominic's life. BBC South East Today has learned

a SECAMB board level meeting was held two weeks ago -

at which an action plan to tackle harassment and bullying

was discussed and agreed. The revelation comes

after allegations of "horrific, cowardly and devastating" acts

of bullying against staff handling 999 calls at the South East Coast

Ambulance Trust's c all centre in Coxheath, near Maidstone

from where our reporter Ian what more do know

about this action plan? We know that in that board meeting

as we say it was discussed and we know that no action plan to tackle

bullying and harassment has actually been agreed at board level. There in

mind that the allegations we are talking about the back to 2014. The

trust says that it has dealt with those bullying claims at the time

and has made changes that are necessary. Earlier this week we

found out that it has launched an independent enquiry to be carried

out by workplace conflict experts. That is not good enough frankly for

the union. It is calling for an independent government enquiry and

it says that only then will we know whether or not the tackling of the

bullying claims and harassment that has been taking place in the

building behind me actually been achieved.

300,000 commuters are bracing themselves for more destruction

after Southern train drivers rejected a deal brokered by the

leaders of the union Aslef. 54% of them rejecting the deal which would

raise the role of second member of staff on trains. And the recall

unions which proved too much for some residents in a Sussex village.

And after in this foggy start to the day it brightened up. Well the sunny

weather last? The details in the forecast later in the programme.

If you have a story you think we should be covering

on South East Today, we'd like to hear from you.

You can call us on 0345 300 37 47, or send us an e-mail

We are also on facebook or you can tweet us,

The first council houses to be built in Medway for forty years

were officially opened by the housing minister today.

Centenary Gardens in Gillingham is being touted as one

of the largest council-built energy efficient bungalow

It's become increasingly rare for local authorities to build homes.

Over the past decade, 490 have been completed in Surrey,

And across the whole of East and West Sussex -

including Brighton Hove - just 20 have been built.

Our correspondent Yvette Austin has been to meet one

of the new residents for tonight's Special Report.

Sylvia Bennett moved into her brand-new council hall in October,

suffering from various health problems, she struggled to get

I couldn't carry things upstairs, I had to throw it up the stairs.

And then sort of get upstairs on my hands and knees sort of thing.

But it is very nice and much better for me and something

I have always dreamed of, having a bungalow with patio

Something I never thought I would ever have.

There are 32 bungalows on this site plus 26 more dotted about the local

authority area designed for people with mobility problems,

it is an ?8.5 million project, one of the largest of its kind

These homes and a few others on smaller plots in the first true

council houses to be built in Medway for more than 40 years.

The idea is to allow elderly people to downsize,

freeing up the larger council houses for families.

And today the Housing minister Gavin Barwell

He liked what he saw but surely under the government's right to buy

scheme these council homes designed to help the needy could end up

in private ownership in less than five years.

Right to buy is really important, it is a way for people in the future

Housing association homes to be able to get onto the ownership ladder

and what we have done which I think is critical is to say that

when someone buys the home through right to buy the council

must get our money to build a replacement home.

It is always a big ask about the right to buy,

because of course you do not get the housing back for

Some people will use the right to buy but others will not

because there's so much that meets their needs and the rents

are quite reasonable and therefore I think there is a very limited

But with a waiting list of nearly 6000 people eligible

for social housing in Medway, Sylvia knows she is one

It was meant to be an exhibition focussing on Romance -

but the Cube gallery in Hassocks was forced to take down half a dozen

victorian photographic prints after a number of people complained

The gallery owners have now put the pictures up again -

but with a warning to visitors that the exhibition does

They are photographs of unknown women by unknown photographers, one

believed to be Victorian and the others from around 1915. Complaints

that they were disgusting revolting and offensive meant they were taken

down. It didn't upset me, I don't know whether it is because it is

black and white or because a photograph says something different

to people, I can't work it out myself. It is very interesting. The

photos form part of an exhibition celebrating romance in part. They

are absolutely beautiful. You can understand why people would find

them offensive. I don't see any problems with it. I would not be

offended. What is interesting is the our other depictions of nudity in

the exhibition at the paintings or sculptures and none of them have led

to any complaints. The pictures were removed for a week

but the colour was contacted by more people saying they should be put

back. We got together and talked about it and thought that OK with

all of the background and the fuel that has gone on we will show them.

Since the first days of photography the nude was a source of inspiration

for those who adopted the new medium. In today's society we can

tell quickly the difference between what is pornographic and what might

just be considered Lanner photography or something innocuous

and these pictures were certainly the latter. Visit the way a subject

is portrayed nudity itself that is unsettling? The exhibition will

continue until March. Sir Winston Churchill

is of course best known as a politician, who led britain

through the second world war. But less well known was his

interest in science, and now an article he wrote

at Chartwell in 1939 on the eve of war, called

'Are We Alone in the Universe?', has been been rediscovered,

in the National Churchill Museum In it he speculates

on there being planets orbiting other stars,

and if they had water, and were the right distance away -

could potentially support alien life, all theories that

are remarkably close to the latest We know that in every years of the

20th century this world was being watched closely by intelligences

greater than man. The myth goes this radio production cost panic in 30s

America but for one already avid reader of HG Wells it simply fuelled

his voracious appetite for science and science fiction. At the

observatory, an interest in what is out there is taken as read and

Professor Kevin Ruane who has written about Churchill and science,

is not surprised you alien life captured his imagination. What I

think we have to be careful of is the idea that he believes in little

green men in Martian invasions and so on. That trivialises the extent

to which this man took science very seriously. That particular article

being discussed is incredibly well informed scientifically, this is not

a mere Gabler, this is someone who has a brilliant facility with words

and he marries that power to the kind of research that he has access

to. For many at the time this is what sci-fi meant, Churchill 's

interest centred on what the future really might bring and says the

astrophysicist discovered this last essay he was clearly more science

and fiction. He addresses this just like a scientist today would,

starting with defining life, then OK whatever the necessary ingredients

for life? He identifies liquid water which is the same thing we do today.

One day, Rod Churchill, it may be possible to travel to the moon or

Venus and Mars and his conclusion of the universe was that it is unlikely

we are alone. Well let's return to tonight's top

national and local news stories. A clear majority of train drivers

has rejected a deal negotiated by their Aslef union to settle

the dispute with Southern Rail Southern Rail says it's

hugely disappointed. Well let's go back to John Young

who's at Brighton Station. With the other union in the dispute,

the RMT, calling a strike next week, are commuters in line

for more misery? There is no doubt they are facing

more misery, which brings us back to the heart of why is this happening

in one statement issued that was perhaps under the radar came from

the real delivery grip, but they particularly well-known group, who

represent other well-known companies and they said this is all about new

technology and smarter ways of delivering a modern real service

that the whole country needs. So for them this misery perhaps is about

improving services across the country but for so many other people

as we have seen so many unions and politicians and some passengers the

safety issue is more important and this is not a price worth paying.

That is where we are today but as you said more ahead -- more meetings

ahead and the schedule for the 22nd of February.

And back to Briony Williams who is at the Aslef headquarters in central

London. When do you think the unions and Southern are likely to get back

around the table? The simple answer is that we just

don't know at the moment, although I have spoken to the conciliation

service but those talks would resume and take place and they told me they

have not heard from either party at the moment but the doors are always

open so that the moment it is just more uncertainty for passengers. At

least the weather will give us something to be cheerful about. We

will come to that in a moment. But to remind you you can get the latest

on the BBC local life pages in Kent and Sarah -- Kent and Sussex and

have your say on the real situation on Facebook and Twitter.

Now we look into whether! Which has been lovely and springlike. By

Monday we could have highs of 15. Temperatures really warming up.

Today of course we have quietly misty bogey start, clear blue skies.

The most part during the afternoon. Temperatures around 12 degrees. So

tonight we have a weakening weather fronts there will be more cloud when

we hold onto clear skies, lighter winds and once again there will be

missed in full. The rain is not particularly heavy for some of us

there will be a can start to the day and again very mild. The overnight

temperatures are around seven or 8 degrees and those are the sorts of

values we would expect to see during the afternoon at this time of year.

Very mild, misty and Mark yet to start the day, by the afternoon the

front of cleared and we have this area of high pressure but not quite

as much sunshine yesterday. Some sunny spells but we do hold onto a

lot of this cloud cover, it stays mild and by the afternoon

temperatures once again widely should be in double figures, picking

up to around ten or 11 degrees and again with these really liked

south-westerly breeze is. From Friday to Saturday again it is mild,

overnight temperatures only dropping to around 5 degrees so where we see

the clear skies once again there will be some mist and fog around and

temperatures in more rural spots perhaps dropping to four or five but

you will really notice it is a mild misty start to the weekend. As she

has a Saturday and Sunday it is going to be stay miles, mostly we

should be dry but there is the risk that we could be seeing some rain on

Sunday morning. It will be mostly dry and during the afternoon the

temperatures will constantly be reaching highs of 1011 degrees and

particularly for Saturday the should be decent spells of sunshine as

well. The weakening weather front I mentioned, we should start a scene

from Saturday to Sunday, once again a mile wide with overnight

temperatures of eight or 9 degrees. That front clears to Sunday with

temperatures reaching 11 or 12 degrees, the winds starting to pick

up but into Monday, comfortably beat could well be seen highs 15 or 16

degrees. It stays breezy with outbreaks of rain as we go into

Tuesday, temperatures staying in the mid teens. Over the next couple of

days perhaps not quite as much sunshine but stay mild and that I

mentioned in Monday it is cloudy with temperatures once again in the

mid-teens. Not looking too bad overall. That

aid from us this evening. We will be back with the late bulletin.

Goodbye. Two challenges await you today,

and our genre is Landscape. The conditions are a wee bit

challenging. I've really got to

convince the judges It's colourful -

but it was meant to be muted.