07/07/2011 South Today

Hello welcome to South Today. Tonight: Strikes over pay cuts for

these council employees, while social workers are offered a bonus.

They don't know what they're doing. People need to wise up. The council

is out of control. Sailing into her home port after a refit. But what

is missing on the aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious? Keeping the buses

on the road by getting volunteers behind the wheel. And lift off of

the space shuttle. And count down for a Portsmouth student with a

front row seat for the final Shuttle launch. We're cutting your

pay, but here's a bonus. The Southampton Council strike took a

new twist today when the council was forced to offer extra payments

to social workers. 75% of them had refused to sign up to a new

contract that includes a pay cut. There's a national shortage of

social workers, so they're getting a �1,400 annual bonus to stay in

post. But it'll only be paid to 140 staff working with vulnerable

children. Union leaders say it's an insult to other staff. Peter Henley

reports. It is a cruel caricature, a union leaflet showing

Conservative councillors as Laurel and Hardy. The claim is the mess in

Southampton is not just the bins, but the whole idea of cutting pay

to save jobs. In departments like social work, skilled staff know

they would easily find jobs elsewhere on more money. So the

council has been forced to stump up a �1,400 payment. Those getting it

are happy they won't be losing money. But those that aren't are

angry. The lowest patient social worker gets just over �26,000 a

year a 4.5% pay cut will reduce by that over �1,000. But at the top of

the pay grade the cut is bigger than the bonus. And you don't get a

bonus if you're a social worker with adults. We don't know how many

will sign and how many will walk away. With vulnerable children to

be lacked after, that can't be right. -- looked after. As the

deadline to sign the new contract on Monday approaches, these are

crucial hours in this dispute. The council leaders believe there is a

prize - if they cut pay, they say, they can keep services and jobs and

reduce their budget. The council leader says they have been working

on ways to retain skilled staff, irrespective of the dispute. This

has been ongoing. We are convinced we need to give a market supplement

to workers who look after vulnerable children to keep those

children safe. With unions bringing more staff on strike, it is not

just social workers having to consider whose side they're on.

Nick Johnsons -- Nick Johnson is from the Social Care Association.

What happens if social workers don't sign up next week?

department would be short of people to do the work. There will be

people expecting to have access to services. I would expect managers

are planning for that. Is that a possibility? It is, but I would

like to think what we're involved in is brinkmanship. There are a lot

of people unemployed, and your inclination to walk away would be

reduced -- reduced. It seems divisive for those who work with

with children to be given the bow is in and those with adults not to.

Yes the shortage is in experienced social workers with child

protection in particular and given the Baby P story that we know about,

councils are concerned to have the best social workers and of course

they're the ones that are the hardest to recruit. They're

behaving pragmatically I think. there a possibility that social

workers may say I have had enough and I'm off to the local authority

next door. Does that happen? It can happen. But Southampton has got

Hampshire, Portsmouth, Dorset Bournemouth enear by and it happens

mostly in London, where moving around is probably a lot easier.

But it is not going to be reddily like that. I don't think people are

carrying vast numbers of vacancies to go to. Thank you. The Government

is expected to support plans for Liverpool to develop a cruise

terminal to rival Southampton. The news comes as a blow to managers of

the port who believe the competition is illegal, because

Liverpool's facilities were publicly funded. Paul Clifton

explains. Liverpool cruise terminal is in the heart of city, built with

�21 million of public money. When this was built four years ago the

money was given on the understanding that it could not be

used to compete for cruise turn arounds when new passengers get on

board and could only take ships visiting for the day. That is

because rival ports like Southampton operate with no subsidy.

Now, the Government could allow Liverpool to compete head-to-head

with Southampton. In return, Liverpool council would repay a

quarter of its state funding over 15 years. Others say that is

replacing one pot of public money with another. It is not fair. That

is our come praipbt. - ecomplaint. We have invested 40 million plus

and so therefore we have invested our own money. It is obviously

unfair. Is it legal? That is a question we will have to is our

lawyers. There is an opportunity to create new jobs and regenerate the

wort front in Liverpool. If they pay back part of subsidy, that will

allow competition and a level playing field. One thing I won't do

is prevent competition. This matters, each ship visit bringing

�2 million of business to the city. Plans to build 1,200 homes near the

M4 in Wokingham have been rejected. Reading University submitted three

planning applications for the farmland it owns in Shinfield. The

intention was to then sell it to a developer. Wokingham Borough

council say the plans don't meet its requirements. The University is

appealing the decision. There was a rude shock for many parents today

when they discovered the bus company that normally takes their

children to school had suddenly gone bust. The Shamrock bus company

ferries hundreds of children to schools in Poole, Bournemouth and

East Dorset. But today their buses lay idle, as Roger Finn reports.

Three dozen buses going nowhere. The company employs some 35 workers

and they were all told they were redundant yet, just before school

pick up time. The drivers brought the children home any way. Shamrock

had been operating for ten years and had a good reputation. So why

has it gone bust? It is a sign of the times. It is sad, because very

nice bunch of people running the company. I have known them for

years. Potential lay good business. But you can't compete against

national companies. You can't also just carry on not being able to

raise your prices with increased fuel charges. They ran out of cash.

Poole grammar is one school that uses Shamrock. Others organised

alternative bus companies, or relied on parents to transport

children by bike, car or foot. Luckively as its exam time, many

are at home. We were warned last night there would be a problem that

Shamrock had gone into administration. We got messages to

the boys last night and so far so good. The parents have been

resourceful. The council plans to retender Shamrock's contracts and

has arranged temporary contracts to get children to school for the rest

of the term. One of Brighton's main projects for getting homeless

people off the street has re-opened after an 18-month refurbishment.

Brighton Housing Trust's day centre First Base is located in a Grade 2

listed 18th century church hall. More than three quarters of a

million pounds has been spent on new facilities. They include a

kitchen which will not only prepare meals for homeless people, but also

train them for jobs in the catering industry. There is a skills

shortage and preparing people for catering industry is one of the

important things we can do to help people who come to our centre. We

don't have a hand out. We have a hand up. We can help people prepare

for realities of work and make them employable. More than 150 patients

have been operated on by a robot at the Royal Berkshire Hospital in

Reading in the past two years. Robbie the Robot costs �1.5 million,

but the hospital say it's worth it as he can perform operations

smaller than keyhole surgery. That means less blood loss and faster

recovery times. Still to come .. The ciblgter back after a life-

threatening illness. -- cricketer. The aircraft carrier HMS

Illustrious has just returned to Portsmouth this evening after a �40

million re-fit. She's sailed back in as fresh controversy erupted

over the costs of the Navy's new carriers, which are being partly

built in the south. There's also been criticism of the decision to

leave the country without the ability to operate fixed-wing

aircraft at sea until the end of the decade. Steve Humphrey is in

Portsmouth for us. An aircraft carrier with no jets? That's right,

HMS Illustrious is now officially a helicopter and commando carrier.

She arrived back in port mouth about an hour ago after her refit

in Scotland and some sea trials. The decisions the Government has

been making about aircraft carriers in the past year have come in for

scrutiny and criticism in a new report published today by the

National Audit Office. The decision to scrap the UK's harrier jets and

the Ark Royal was one of the most controversial parts of defence

review. New aircraft carriers are being built and work is securing

hundreds of jobs. But the National Audit Office said the decision to

change the ethe sign to athrough use of a -- to change the design

means the first of the new carriers won't be ready until 2020. We don't

have a fixed-wing aircraft carrier and there are scenarios that need a

carrier, typically off Libya today and we're going to feel that need

if the future. It has been estimated the cost of the carrier

project will be over �10 billion. The Government has taken action to

trim costs, one of the new carriers will be put into storage.

reality is that whether it was going to go ahead or not, the

financial costs around it were out of control. And I think the

Secretary of State has endorsed the decision to go ahead with it and

taken some robust steps to see that money is being spent wisely.

aircraft carrier programme has been costy and the National Audit Office

thinks the project is vulnerable to further changes. Joining me is the

commanding officer of HMS Illustrious. No harriers what is

HMS Illustrious going to be doing? It is being rerolled to carry

helicopter and Royal Marines. So we can carry attack helicopters, Sea

Kings and others. So our role has changed. But we have always carried

helicopters. You will miss the harriers? Well, times move on and

we look to the future. The new carriers will carry the new fighter.

But Lu lus's role has changed and we look forward to -- but lus's

role has changed. Will you be asked to do operations like those off the

Libyan coast? If you want a secure UK and shape stability around the

world, you need to project power when it is required. Having a

balanced set of armed forces is what we need. HMS Illustrious is a

significant part of that. When we re-enter the fleet, then hey,

whatever happens, events can't be predicted. Thank you. From ports

mouth, back to you in the studio. Thank you. Steve will miss the

harriers I know. How can councils keep subsidised bus routes going

when money is tight. On the Isle of Wight they think they may have the

answer, by encouraging volunteers to drive the buses for free. Keith

is a new recruit to the friendship circle. He is a volunteer drier

collecting locals. It is a worth while cause. You're paying back

something to the community and it is great fun. It is a vital service

for many. But finding people like Keith is a struggle. The problems

we have are that a lot of people work. So they're not available

during the week. And we need drivers during the week. So you are

relying on people who have retired. Son many more volunteer drivers

will be needed. The council is shutting down its white bus

services to save �280,000 a year. It won'ts a community bus run and

staff by -- it wants a community bus run and staffed by volunteers.

Things have got to change, areas are seeing services diminish. Here

that is not case. Around 60 drivers are needed across nine routes.

Recruitment has begun and some people have come forward. We're not

talking jobs from anybody. We're not displacing drivers. There are

not the drivers to do the work and we're going fill the gap. They will

provide buses and train, funded by a council grant of �150,000.

will train them to drive the bus properly. So it is a big commitment.

It is thought to be the first scheme of its kind in the UK. As

other councils face financial pressures, many will be watching

with interest. A seaside museum in Dorset has begun charging an

entrance fee for the first time. The Russell Cotes Museum in

Bournemouth is charging �5 as part of a three month trial. The Borough

Council says funding cuts mean it needs to generate more income. Now

the sport. A welcome return to a big name. We often talk in a

sporting context about people who have been out through injury. But

illness is not something you expect to afflict really fit athletes. But

the Hampshire batsman, Michael Carberry is on his way back after a

year to forget. He was diagnosed with a blood clot on the lung and

the illness that followed. It has been a long road to recovery. But

he is back and raring to return to the first class game. Michael

Carberry has become used to watching cricket since the medical

care that may have killed him. He was diagnosed with a blood clot on

his lung. There are things that would spur me on. I had to make

sure I was safe to do that. It has been a long road. But I'm here and

glad to be back. He is making his come back in the second eleven

fixture with kept. Hampshire have missed him. -- fixture with Kent.

They look likely to be relegated. The fact I'm playing, already I

have achieved one of my biggest, one of my biggest achievements.

could make his return to the first team against Sussex on Monday. We

wish him well. We were talk about injuries. Meanwhile, questions are

again being asked about why cricketers feel the need to play

football to warm-up for cricket matches. It follows an unfortunate

accident involving Hampshire's England batsman Michael Lumb. He'll

be out for six weeks after damaging ankle ligaments ahead of last

night's Twenty20 match with Essex. Hampshire still won without him.

And Hampshire could reach the quarter-finals of the competition

if their rivals Sussex and Surrey Hampshire Louise Damon has been

forced to pull out World Championships. She has had a hernia

and so will miss the worlds next month. It not all injured or poorly

sports people. In football, striker Luke Varney has signed for

Portsmouth from Derby. While Reading have agreed to sell Matt

Mills to Leicester for �5 million. And Surrey sailor Alex Rickham and

her crewmate Nicky Birrell have won gold in the SKUD Class at the

Disabled World Championships for the third successive time. They had

a second and a fourth place today - giving them an unassailable lead

going into the final day of the regatta tomorrow. Three World

Championships on the trot. They win the third and the Paralympics next

summer. Not injured? Hopefully not. Sailing that takes me on to

something else. This summer, BBC Radio Solent is celebrating the

wonder of water. From deep sea fishing to swimming in the local

pool, you'll be hearing from people who live, work and relax on the

water as part of the station's Summer Splash. One such person is

the Reverend Roger Stone, he visits ships that dock in Southampton and

Portsmouth. His job is to support the seafarers in spiritual and also

in practical ways whilst they are There is no such thing as a normal

visit. We never know what is going to happen. It is important when

welcoming somebody to welcome them in their own language. So most of

sea fairers come from the Philippines and it is nice to say

good morning, welcome to Southampton in their language.

Often because sea fairers can't get ashore and they are at sea for so

long, an average contract is nine months, that is working every day

it is expensive communication, calling home. So we have some cheap

rate, low rate international phone cards. We can't give them, because

we charge them the face value. But I always give them my contact

details so they can text me and say could you send me a top up. I send

them the value of the top up and trust they will pay me when they

come back to Southampton and they always do. If a plane goes down, it

is on the national news. In a ship goes down, it isn't. Tw years ago,

37 ships went down. -- two years ago. We just don't here about it.

Sea fayreers are largely invisible and that is why we do what we do.

We convert their invisibility into visibility as much as we can.

can discover more stories of life on the wart by tuning into the

breakfast show -- on the water by turning into the breakfast show

tomorrow. An important chapter in the space race will come to a close

tomorrow with the very last launch of the American Space shuttle.

Atlantis will bring to an end 30 years of the re-usable space craft

project. One person who's there is Portsmouth student Mitu Khandaker

who won a competition run by NASA to meet the Atlantis crew and watch

the launch. I remember the first one. I was at school. A short time

ago I spoke to her at the Kennedy Space Centre, via the internet, and

asked her what it was like to be I have been following you on

Twitter. Sum up your emotions on this day. Exuberant I am so, I

can't believe that I'm here. I keep thinking I'm dreaming and I will

wake up and still be at home. But no, it is amazing. What has it been

like to meet the astronauts. I met one, he is such a nice guy. It was

the coolest thing to meet someone who sent time on the space station.

This is the last space shuttle mission. The last launch. What is

the atmosphere like. Do you get that sense that it is quite

emotional? Yes, absolutely. This is emotional any way. It is a dream

come true for all of the people who have come here to see the launch.

And yeah, it's, there is an atmosphere of sadness, but also of

hope, because Naas is a are keep to -- NASA are keen to carry on.

is the one thing that you have hard that you would pick out and tell

everyone about? Gosh there is so many things! I mean we're situated

outside some, right outside the count down block. Just seeing that

for the first time and being so close was amazing. Also hearing

astronauts describe what it is like to see earth from the space station,

how beautiful its. Thank you we will follow you on twiper --

Twitter. Thank you for joining us. Thank you. She was so excited. If

you want to be, meet her, she has been taking part in a tweet up. You

can follower her. Worth it, because they could well go off tomorrow.

The news channel will cover this. The actual launch. Weather

permitting. She was saying that actually thundery, lightning. Big

storms. 35 Celsius there so humid and triggering thunder storms. We

have had some thunder storms here well. Ken Rayner captured Geese

Marching along the tow path on The Kennet and Avon Canal in West

Berkshire. Ken Gillam took a great Berkshire. Ken Gillam took a great

picture of the International Moth Nationals at Stokes Bay in Gosport

this afternoon. I don't look at the picture there, I thought it might

be an insect! And Cliff Baxter from Wareham in Dorset captured a steam

locomotive approaching Corfe Castle in the sunny spells. There were

some showers today and some showers tonight. Further rain in the early

hours and it could be heavy and persistent in places. This front is

pushing in and arriving through the early hours. Before it does, one or

two heavy thundery showers are possible. You can see that from the

darker blues and greens. They will move to the north and east. Then

that rain will arrive by dawn. Temperatures stay mild, lows of 12

Celsius. A soggy start tomorrow. Heavy, persistent rain in places.

Clearing off north and east, followed by thundery down pours.

Expects highs of 19 Celsius. Very similar conditions to today. But

the winds will be strong and gusting up to 40mph in the channel.

Tomorrow night, drier conditions, a few clear spells. And temperatures

a touch lower. Low of 12 to 13 Celsius. It is looking good for the

weekend. Drier conditions, less of a chance of a shower and more

sunshine on offer as well. Warmer still on Sunday. Those temperatures

rising and the winds dying down. Here is your summary, some thundery

showers possible throughout the weekend. Up to the weekend in fact.

But high pressure, a ridge builds on Monday. It is looking good for

next week. We will have one or two showers tomorrow and brisk winds.

Saturday and Sunday drier. More sunshine. The winds will become

lighter. The winds change direction on Monday, coming from the north.

Temperatures will be suppressed and it is looking good for next week

with high pressure build and temperatures up to the high teens.