04/07/2011 Spotlight

The huge difference in car park charges across the region.

Good evening and welcome to Spotlight. We'll be looking at who

charges what for an hours parking and what the money is spent on.

Also tonight: A night out in Newquay. Police start their summer

crackdown on underage drinking. And "I do" for a pound - the wedding

from a vending machine. A Spotlight investigation has

revealed a huge difference in the cost of parking a car in the South

West from 50p to �1.60 an hour. It comes as a Cornish town council

is trying to take over the management of local car parks in

order to provide a more efficient service.

In the South West, Exeter and Taunton are among the highest

chargers for on street parking, at �1.60 for the first hour. At the

other end of the scale, it costs 50p to park for an hour in Polzeath

in Cornwall. More than �21 million is raised annually in the region

from car parking charges, with much of the money reinvested back into

the community for projects such as concessionary bus fares.

Councillors in St Ives say their local knowledge would be vital in

reducing traffic congestion, especially in the summer months.

David George reports. Viewers saying they were wasting

time coming up here. Porthminster beach was packed with

families and youngsters having fun in the sun. But it wasn't much fun

trying to get into St Ives by car earlier on. Locals say at this time

of the year, carparks can be full by 10 o'clock, leaving traffic

congestion in the narrow streets. It is very difficult to park on a

daily basis. St Ives town council believes it

can run its carparks better and make it cheaper for locals. We feel

we are closer on the ground and no the problems associated with car

parks and the charging structure. It makes better sense for us to set

the charges. Ideas include higher charges in the

summer and lower in the winter. St Ives has the rare advantage of its

own railway line. But a park-and- ride scheme using the train costs

more than parking in the town. The council says it would like to

start its own cheaper bus-based version.

Across the border in Devon, Totnes has a scheme where the first hour's

parking is refunded by some shops. A similar scheme is just starting

at Helston. The cost of the refund crumbs from the businesses

themselves. It comes out of their pocket. The money is not reimbursed

by the county council so we are in effect subsidising the county

council. Back in St Ives, the carparks make a profit of about

�1.3 million a year, with costs of �300,000. Cornwall Council says if

it devolves control of the carparks, it will still want the �1.3 million

income. We will be looking for a far better

deal from Cornwall County Council. We'd do not want to do the hard

work for nothing. The council says it is in the

barely stage of negotiation with the number of town and parish

councils about them running their own facilities.

We have already had a number of e- mails on the subject. One says that

St Ives is the most expensive place outside of London to park a coach

for �12 for just one hour. And another it says that town car parks

should be freed for the first 60 minutes as that is the only way to

get people shopping again. Another it says that the parking

charges in east Devon are crazy. �1 per hour in some places. And

another it says that councils do not own the car parks, they manage

them on their behalf. The charges were initially for their upkeep but

now we are paying to swell the council coffers. And don't forget

that you can contact us by e-mail with your opinions.

The first wave of a summer crackdown on underage drinking in

Newquay is being hailed a success. More than 500 containers of alcohol

were seized by police in the town over the weekend, much of which is

said to have been provided or paid for by parents. In a moment, we'll

be speaking to the Inspector in charge of the operation. But first

this report from Leigh Rundle, who spent Saturday night in Newquay.

You said that they were wasting time taking pure alcohol awake...

Hotel manager, Allen O'Dell, explains to a group of teenage boys

why he called the police to confiscate their booze. They were

unimpressed. We're not bad people. It is the same old story, a

minority spoil it for the rest. will just teenagers and no one

listens to our opinion. They descend in their thousands.

Newquay is a mecca for triumpahnt teenagaers, fresh from their exams.

But for some, the party ends in tragedy. They always think it will

never happen to them. But we had one lad staying at you years ago

that had one of those incidents, he was severely injured. And worse

still, fatalities. 18-year-old Andrew Curwell fell to his death

while on an organised drinking binge. He'd been celebrating

finishing his A-levels. Just days later, 16-year-old Paddy Higgins

died when he fell from cliffs above Tolcarne beach. With the deaths

came a wave of negative publicity about Newquay and its drinking

culture. Now it's a zero tolerance approach. The alcohol you see here

has just been seized in one day so it has been successful. A lot of it

has been provided by parents at home. And then there's the problem

of fake ID. A lot of the Young ones will have a brand new licence.

These licences were completely genuine, but many aren't. If you

shine a UV light you can see a hologram. And if it is a fake it

will be low quality. This weekend's operation is

claiming early success, but there is a long summer ahead.

Well earlier, I spoke to the police officer in charge of the weekend's

crackdown in Newquay, Inspector Ian Drummond-Smith. I asked him how he

felt it had gone. It was a very productive weekend,

the first of Operation Exodus which is how we deal with the massive

influx of under 18 year-olds coming into Newquay. We seized many

because of alcohol from the under 18 age group will stop some people

still seem unclear what the regulations are in Newquay. What

exactly are you reinforcing? Well people who are under 18 cannot

bring alcohol with them or drink alcohol if they are here. In fact

nobody can drink a call on the streets of Newquay for stock and

some of that it has been said is being supplied by the parents.

do you make of that? That is disappointing. We have asked

parents not to send their under 18 year-old down to Newquay with

alcohol. We know the harm that it can cause. And did anyone purchases

alcohol for someone aged under 18, they are committing an offence was

stuck out you think the picture is looking in you keep more generally

compared to previous years? their continuing increase in

youngsters coming to the resort to party and drink a lot? Last year it

was a little quieter possibly because of the economic conditions.

Bookings this year it seemed to be up. So expect it will be a little

busier than last year. The kind of problems we have, their problems

that every town has across the UK but it becomes focused here with

such a high volume of people coming down for just a few short weeks of

the year. A man has appeared in court in

Exeter charged with murder. The body of solicitor Sian Rees, who

lived in Merton, was found at the scene of a road accident in West

Devon on Friday. Her partner, John Doyle from Hatherleigh, was

remanded in custody accused of killing her.

Nearly 900 ten and eleven-year-olds in Cornwall are classed as obese.

New figures show the county as only slightly lower than the average in

England. Families across Cornwall are being encouraged to do their

bit. As part of National Childhood Obesity Week, health experts are

promoting five steps towards giving youngsters a healthy start in life.

Six new academy schools in Plymouth are to share almost �3 million to

make "urgent and significant building repairs". The money -

which comes from the government's Academies Capital Maintenance

programme - will be used to repair roofs, boilers and windows.

Coming up: buying a wedding from a vending machine. Plus school not

out for summer - why some lessons will be available during the

holidays. And a different training ground and

just enough players. Plymouth Argyle make preparations for the

new season. Dependents of people in the South

West who are paying hundreds of pounds a week for social care are

welcoming today's report which calls for the system to be

overhauled. The Dilnot Report wants the amount of money people have to

spend on care in their old age to be capped at �35,000. Hamish

Marshall has been to meet one woman from Devon whose mother has had to

find �500 per week to fund her care. This was Betty Gibbs two years ago

enjoying a dream holiday. But dementia means she can't be left on

her own, so she has to stay in a home. She might just walk out of

the house in the middle of the night thinking she's going to go

home. We found her at several times trying to catch a bus. She has

locked herself out and left to sell out overnight. Because Betty has

more than �23,000 in savings, she has to pay for her care. The cost

of her nursing home is �855 per week. There are payments totalling

�181 from the state for her nursing care and an attendance allowance.

But that still leaves the family to find �674 per week. Over a year

that comes to a total of more than �35,000. Debbie is angry that under

the current system people who saved appear to be punished. The report

gives some comfort. But those in residential homes would have to pay

up to �10,000 in living costs. Dilnot believes insurance could

cover care bills, which would avoid pensioners having to sell their

houses. But how will the government find the �2 billion needed to fund

this? It comes with a pretty hefty price tag and this is a difficult

financial environment to be making such big policy changes, but it is

essential. The care system is broken and we absolutely have to

fix its. Debbie Brailey hopes the government will act on today's

report, and soon. In just over a year, there'll be no option but to

sell her mum's home. Primary school children across

Plymouth are being offered extra lessons during the first four weeks

of what is traditionally, their school summer holidays. Lessons

will be offered in core subjects to help pupils who are lagging behind,

and raise educational standards. But what do children and parents

think of the idea? Spotlight's Amy Cole has been to Mayflower

Community School in Plymouth to find out.

Three weeks and counting until the school holidays. Except here, where

lessons won't immediately end when the school bell rings. Small

classes like this, in core subjects such as Maths and English, will be

available to children from all over Plymouth, during the first four

weeks of the summer holidays. But in words of Pink Flyod, is it a

case of "hey, teacher, leave them kids alone?" In the six weeks'

holiday we need something to get occupied with. Would you like to

come for extra lessons? Not really a bit if I really need it, I will.

It will help you get a good education and get ready for

secondary schools. The school is located in one of the most deprived

areas of the city, but also one that's being given a radical

overhaul. Millions are being spent on rejuvenating North Propect, And

it seems that as standards outside the school rise, so must the grades.

Some children will be given the opportunity to shine in a smaller

group. It is a more relaxed atmosphere in a summer school. And

will will be able to keep the pace personal to the needs of a child.

But it won't just be hard work - sport, art and music will also

feature. Parents will have to pay for the extra tuition though and at

the school gates there was mixed reaction. There is not a lot of

employment around here. So if they need extra tuition I think it

should be free. I think it is a brilliant idea. It also helps out

parents during the summer holiday. And most of the children I spoke to

seemed to agree it would them. But it's one thing saying you want

extra lessons, another thing actually doing them.

Time for the sport and it's been a busy day at Plymouth Argyle and

finally things might be looking up for them. Dave's here to tell us

more. Plymouth Argyle have promised they

will have enough players to start next season as manager Peter Reid

starts to sign new blood. On the day they reported back for pre-

season training, it's also been revealed that they'll be moving

their day-to-day football operation away from Home Park.

Acting chairman, Peter Ridsdale, and manager, Peter Reid, have been

at University College, Marjon in Plymouth - their new abode for the

weeks leading up to the new season. They're moving from their current

facility with a view to making Marjon their permanent home on non-

match days. But how many players will be there?

We want the relationship to be ongoing. While left-back, Robbie

Williams, and right winger, Durrell Berry, join the Pilgrims from

Rochdale and Aston Villa respectively, there are more to

come this week. We have got the lead and to date. That is certainly

enough as far as I am concerned. what could be a vital week for

everybody at Argyle, the sale and purchase of the club is imminent.

The contractors have been sent back to the respective partners on

Friday night and we're just waiting to hear if there any final

amendments before signature. long last, the walk to survival

could be getting a little shorter for Plymouth Argyle.

And another player is to leave Plymouth Argyle to join eels will

town. And Ian Dickinson is the third new signing arriving from

Barnsley. Torquay United have sold last

season's top scorer, Chris Zebroski. The 24-year-old is joining the

exodus to reunite with former boss, Paul Buckle, at Bristol Rovers for

an undisclosed fee. Zebroski was in his second spell at the Gulls after

moving back to Plainmoor from Wycombe Wanderers at the end of

2009. He's the third member of last season's squad to move to Rovers

since Buckle became manager there at the end of May.

Somerset are playing their first ever Twenty20 match at Bath this

evening. They're up against Essex. Essex are currently at 138 for 3

after 16 overs. There aren't many sports clubs in

the South West that boasts four national champions. But South Hams

Taekwondo club is excelling in producing potential Olympians. Two

of their students have set off to the Georgian capital of Tbilisi

today to represent Great Britain. Emma Ruminski caught up with them

before flying to the former Soviet republic.

Jack Worthington is twelve. He's been practicing the Korean marshal

art of Taekwondo for eight years. Training four times a week has paid

off for the black belt. We just had a competition at Manchester and I

got a gold medal and I'm first in Great Britain for my weight. Katie

Bradley is also a British Champion. The 14-year-old won her Cadet

division back in June. The pair will go to Georgia together to

represent their country in the European Cadet Championships. But

she got into the sport for very different reasons. I have been

doing it since I was seven. I got better than my brother! Their

instructor is becoming used to producing champions - four of his

recruits have now represented Great Britain. Scotland have taken before

medals and we have for national champions in all weight categories.

Some of the more senior members of the club hope to qualify for the

next Olympics in 2016. And of course we'll bring you news

of the takeover at Plymouth Argyle as soon as it happens.

Now organising a wedding can take months. There are decisions to be

made about venues, who to invite, and where to seat them at the

reception. Not to mention the expense. Well, a couple of product

designers in Cornwall have come up with the ultimate wedding machine

to help you tie the knot. And it'll only cost you just a pound. John

Danks has the story. Could this machine revolutionise

the way we get married? Is the �1 wedding going to throw confetti in

the eye of the traditional church service? Know, but it is a bit of

fun. Vending machine weddings are not legal, not even in America

where this prototype is headed to shortly. I was talking to a few

people and they said you cannot possibly do that to the wedding

ceremony. So I definitely had to build it after that! One person in

America I spoke to had to have won and I brought it to reality. They

have been inquiries from all over at the world. It must touch on a

nerve with couples all over the world. But to the people of Falmer

by the idea of getting hitched for a pound. I could see it in Las

Vegas, next to the Chapel of Love. But for me I would stick to the

traditional. I cannot imagine telling people that you have got

married for a pound! It does not turn me on! It would be advisable

not to put it outside pubs! ticket is a splendid idea because

weddings cost so much. Could you get to forced for �1? You might

think the wedding industry would run a mile but several bridal

magazines are doing features on it and it has become a hit on the

internet. It seems everyone loves a wedding, even if it is not quite

the real thing. Now let's see what the weather has

got in store. But first we look back at the statistics for June.

Good evening. We had some relatively cool air across us in

June and it was quite damp at times. Let's look at the rainfall totals

for Brixham. The average is around 50 mm. Well in Brixham we had over

98 mm of rain so that was above average. On to the amounts of

sunshine, actually the sunshine amounts were quite good. The

average around 200 and -- around 212 but we actually had around 290.

We have had some quite cool nights and those temperatures were below

average. So a little cooler during the night times especially in the

last few days of the month. And the south-west Water reservoir levels.

These are still quite a bit down after a very dry spring. This time

last year over 81% full, at the moment just over 67% full. But the

rain coming our way in the next few days will help top them up. We are

expecting to see more unsettled weather and somewhat cooler

weather and somewhat cooler conditions in the next few days.

Already the rain is out here in the Atlantic, cloud across the mid-

Atlantic at the moment. That is getting closer over the next few

days. Expected to bring some rain across Cornwall in the first part

of the night. And blow pressure is pretty much in charge in the middle

part of the week. Some sunshine in between those showers. This evening

is pleasant with some hazy sunshine. Increasingly cloudy tonight. And by

morning rain especially across Cornwall and Moore western parts of

Devon. Overnight temperatures higher than they have been. Not

much below 14 degrees. Tomorrow at the range is right across the

south-west. A brighter spell of weather across the Isles of Scilly.

But the rain lingering elsewhere. Temperatures down on what we have

A quick look at the coastal waters. The wind changes direction through

the day tomorrow. And the forecast throughout the week is unsettled.

Showers and quite a blustery breeze. Thank you for all your e-mails

about parking. One of them says there is no charge at the airport

on the Spanish island of Majorca. And another went says he has come

back from two weeks in the Shetland Islands and parking there is very