29/07/2011 Spotlight

. Two landmark names in naval training could become one to save

money, Spotlight sees plans for the merger of HMS Raleigh and Dartmouth

Naval College. Good evening and welcome to

Spotlight. The move would mean hundreds of

jobs are on the line. Our reporters are live at both sites.

Hello. Also tonight: Creating a seller's market in our dairy

industry. A group of MPs say changes in the EU and action from

the Government could mean farmers get a better price.

Forget the council's hanging baskets and neatly tended beds,

Spotlight can reveal the Navy is looking at closing the Britannia

Royal Naval College at Dartmouth or HMS Raleigh at Torpoint to save

money. The options are being considered as part of the Maritime

Estates Rationalisation Programme. Other ideas being investigated

include moving 45 Commando from Scotland to the South West. Our

reporter Philippa Mina is in Torpoint for us tonight, but first

to Dartmouth and Spotlight's Chris Good evening, Simon. This is the

Royal Navy document, an internal memo, duplicated and sent to staff

that proposes the closure of either Bri tanny or Rally or both. The

reaction has been one of shock and surprise. The local MP told me she

would be seeking reassurances from defence ministers. We spoke to some

local people a short time ago. I think it would be a tragedy for

Dartmouth frankly. In this day and age, Dartmouth really needs the

college. I think to lose it would be a tragedy.

I think it would be a great loss to the community. I think the

community here really appreciates having the college and the

occupants of the of the college amongst us. They do a lot of good

work in the town and basically it will be a great loss.

It has been talked about many times and I actually can't see it

happening. I think the college will and should always stay here. Let's

Yes, that was the reaction of low local people. I am joined by the

mayor. Your reaction? It is one of optimism. The Government are

debating. They want value for money and Dartmouth has everything that

meets the Navy's requirements. It is obvious since the 1800s and when

we came to Dartmouth in the 1900s that the mixture of accommodation,

of water, of training facilities and infrastructure and getting on

with the town is super. It is the most positive area to be in. It is

value for money and I'm surprised that the Government should actually

circulate this document. Thank you.

If we can come to a representative of the low kale traders. What's

your opinion of the document? document doesn't indicate that

Dartmouth would indicate that it would close anymore than it will

stay open. They are looking as Paul says value for money. Dartmouth

offers that. Dartmouth has been with the college closely alined

with the Navy for years and years. The college itself provides

training for the officers of the Royal Navy. Dartmouth is delighted

to have that facility here and we look forward to continuing to have

that facility. Tas great -- it is a great value for us, as traders,

restaurateurs, hoteliers, it is important to us. It is a big

employer in the town. We don't have many big employers in the town and

for the risk of closure, we are always concerned, but I think that

Britannia Naval College will pull through and will be perceived for

the value it always had. A mood of optimism among my guests.

With me now is Mike Critchley. Mike, what's your reaction to the

proposals about Dartmouth and Raleigh? It is going to happen one

day. It has been talked about for many years. Both establishments are

running half power, sometimes less. Dartmouth built in the First World

War with huge numbers to be trained and that is reduced. Raleigh has

been built up while other larger units moved in. I don't see

anything happening particularly quickly. I think the thing to bear

in mind is we are an island nation, we decimated the size of the Royal

Navy. Less people at sea. There is a smaller requirement to train the

future sailors and Civil Service back-up.

This document that we have seen shows the Navy is considering

moving 45 commando down to the south-west. I am going to ask for

your reaction to that in a minute. Here is what Alison Seabeck had to

say. It is all over the place. It is

extremely unclear where the Navy want to go with this. I mean

clearly Plymouth is ready and waiting and could certainly take

the Marines and possibly some other facilities, but, you know, we do

not want to lose these from other parts of the county.

Mike, what impact do you think this will have on other bases? What is

going on, the Government announced a few weeks ago that 20,000 people

are coming out of Germany so they have to be found a home. There is a

game of chess of moving various players, who is going to be in this

barracks and this naval base. It is clear that 45 commando will come to

the West Country. I wouldn't like to say which base that would be.

The south-west south-west will become the operating, the only

operating area fort Royal Marines which has to be good for the

locality. Briefly, Mike, is this the end of

the changes? No, it depends. Are the Government

going to reduce our armed forces further? If so, yes. It is all

about saving money. To bring the Royal Marines and the Navy together

for their initial training makes a lot of sense and it is a wonder it

wasn't done years ago, but it is happening now. The Navy is having

to take the hack just as much as the other Government departments

are and if you live in a stable world that sounds great. Get rid of

a lot, but if you think we are a bit unstable, people like me get

worried. Mike Critchley, thank you.

We have heard from Dartmouth. Let's assess the mood in Torpoint.

Our reporter is there. What are you hearing?

Well over the years thousands of young Sea Cadets passed through

these gates to complete their Royal Navy basic training. News that HMS

Raleigh to be facing closure has been met with disappointment by

them and the civilians and the town of Torpoint.

Do they have any idea what the future will hold? It is a big thing

in this area. This was... bakery the grossers, every small

shop will be affected by this. It is not only that, they are

mentioning the social side of the town. They say a lot of activities

going on here are arranged by the Navy.

So it will be clearly a blow. There is no clarity for people about what

is going to be going on. Speculation has been going on for

years has started again. So it is an uneasy feeling in Torpoint.

Thank you. Our apologies if you heard sound

over what Philippa was trying to Which side has the power to drive a

good bargain has been highlighted as a key area of concern in the

long-running dispute between farmers and buyers over the price

of milk. A group of MPs says a solution needs to be found if the

industry is to make the most of growing global demand and the

scrapping of EU quotas. Adrian South-west dairy herds produce some

of the best milk in Britain, but the region's dairy farmers say

their industry is in crisis and they say the Government is more

concerned to keep food prices down rather than supporting their

industry. Some have been forced to sell live stock because they can't

make dairy farming pay. On a recent visit to a creamery, Prince Charles

highlighted the problems. It seems madness to me that it

costs more to buy a litre of water from a supermarket than a litre of

milk. There is something very strange about a world which values

a product so low, that takes so much for man and animal to produce.

David's family farmed for generations. He is worried the

industry has seen a steep decline in herds and seems incapable of

negotiating a proper price for milk. Farmers say the power lies with

processors and spup markets -- supermarkets.

Our processors are worried about upsetting buyers, they were

reluctant to change into other commodities that would pay us more

or could be exported. This demonstrates the power the

supermarket has and this is something we need to redress.

David says he is paid 25.19 pence for every litre of milk produced by

his cows. He says it costs him close to the industry benchmark of

29.1 pence a litre to produce. He is making a loss of 4 pence a litre.

On the Continent farmers receive anywhere from 32 and 35 pence a

litre. Producer and retailers say our farmers have to compete in a

world market. Yes, some farmers have problems and

there are rising costs, but the ones who are supplying milk for

supermarkets are actually getting the best deal and on the whole the

ones who are not which they were in that position. Dairy farmers face

tough times and are demanding help The Government says it has

encouraged farmers to band together to get a better deal. The Cornish

MP George Eustice is on the DEFRA Committee which wrote the critical

report. Just before we came on air I put it to him that ministers were

already taking action. Governments have been encouraging producers to

come together for sometime. If you go back ten years, Milk Mark was

forced by the competition authorities to break up. One of the

things we have said in this report, we think there maybe a case for

allowing producer organisations covering up to 33% of national

production to come together. That would allow larger producer

organisations to have more clout and demand a bigger share of the

price. But you want the Government to help

farmers more. We live in a free- market. How can you do that? How

could you come down on the side of one person? I am a Conservative. No

one believes in the free-market more than me. I believe the free-

market should work throughout the supply chain. One of the problems

we have, there has been emphasis on making sure markets work. If you

look down the supply chain, farmers end up being price takersment you

have large processing organisations, probably three or four who dominate

the market here in the UK and they are not giving farmers a fair share

of the price. You can't fix the price, can you?

Government can't legislate for price, but it can insist that

contracts must contain a clear basis on which the price is

calculated. That That might be that you can have the price fixed for a

month or two months before being reviewed or it might say as Tesco's

have done, here is a clear formula that takes account of production

costs and market costs. The Olympic effect. Will it just be

Dorset that benefits from the Games in the south-west?

Going wild, council gardeners in Truro bypass convention and do

South West Water says a hosepipe ban is unlikely despite five of the

region's main reservoirs being at their lowest level for over a year.

One reservoir is 64% full. It is a similar picture at Wimbleball.

The signs of falling water levels are plain to see. That swi hidden

by the water line is a tell tale sign of reducing water capacity.

Despite many reservoirs being at their lowest levels for years,

South West Water says they are confident there won't be water

shortages. We make decisions all all the time

about how much water we need, where the water is, where the demands are,

we move water around and it is a matter of balancing risks in

different places. We do that to avoid a hosepipe ban.

There are 20 reservoirs providing water to households and businesses

in the south-west. Some have less water in them than back in 1995

when there were drought-like conditions. This reservoir is 56.5%

full, compared to 71.8 Fers at this -- --% compared to this time last

The recent dry weather has made consumers think about the water

they are using. You keep within the rules and help

each other, you know, because obviously it is getting to be a

rare commodity this rainwater. We We haven't had rain for weeks.

A few months ago this area was covered in water, but the reservoir

is over half full. South West Water say they are not expecting to

introduce a hosepipe ban this summer, but they are asking

consumers to think about conserving water stocks to help them through

the busy summer period. David is with us now. Why are the

reservoir levels so low? It is a legacy of what happened through the

winter and the spring. We had a cold, but dry winter. For the first

three months of spring, that unusually amount of rain falling.

Through June and July, we have had rain. June for instance we had

almost 40% more rain than we expect to see, but it will take a long

time for it to catch up. There has been a lot of talk in the papers

about a European monsoon, are we seeing this trend towards wetter

summers, drier springs? Climate change would take not quite that

story. There is talk about a European monsoon. It is the change

to westerly winds that affects the northern corner of Europe and June

is a good example of that when we had low pressure and wet weather,

but in general, if we were to believe the climate change experts,

we get drier summers, but we get probably wetter and milder winters.

It is just the rain comes at a a different time of the year.

Thank you. Plymouth airport finds itself stuck

in limbo. The airport hasn't shut. Until it does in a few months there

is a hope that some kind of aviation future can be secured.

Our business correspondent examines the options.

For the next few months, Plymouth Airport will be a shadow of its

former self. Full closure is predicted for Christmas. For now,

it is a base for private aviation and a flying school. The last

scheduled passenger flight took off yesterday. Air south-west is

closing and the airport operators say there is no profit in the

airport. In theory, the City Council which owns the land could

refuse to accept their decision to close. But that would only amount

to anything if the council could come up with its own way to keep

the airport going. For those who still believe a city this big needs

an airport, the best hope could be that the site itself gets

mothballed while the economy waits to pick up.

Given there is uncertainty about the speed which development can

take place, perhaps it may take five or six years for the economy

to recover properly to enable major development to happen again. Well,

perhaps mothballing that site and just hoping that actually aviation

can be re-established there is a possibility.

The ball is firmly in the city's court. By far the most likely next

move is the council will accept that the operators decision to

close the airport as we know it is logical. The more interesting

question is what would happen then? Would the council just begin the

long process of earmarking the airport site for some other use? Or

could enough money be found from somewhere to keep the airport open

not to scheduled passenger traffic, but to other more occasional light

aviation use? For the next six weeks, you can

check-in at Plymouth, but you will be bussed to Newquay to takeoff. By

Christmas Eve, Plymouth Airport could be empty buildings.

A year from now the Olympics will be underway. We have been hearing

about the impact the Games will have on Dorset where the sailing

events will take place, but what about the rest of the region. The

torch relay will take place here next May.

Haim Hamish Marshal reports. Competition has been hot to make a

profit from the Olympics, but this company is on the winners podium.

Dartington Crystal will see its products going over the world.

We have got the very nice handsome tankard here. We have got that

design reflected on a vase. It has beaten off stiff competition

to make a range of souvenirs. I am product designer. This has

been about surface decoration. We have learned new techniques,

working with new factories as well as making new products here. But it

has been very exciting for us. This is a rare story. Industry

leaders say they are disappointed at the number of contracts won by

south-west firms. So are the Games living up to other promises? We

have 28 venues approved to be Olympic training camps which were

reckoned to be great for local communities. With the exception of

sailing in Dorset, only three deals have been agreed. Canada and

Lithuania are coming to Plymouth's new Life Centre. Many places have

missed out. One part of the south-west knows

what it is like to host the Olympics and this proves it. The

Olympic flame was light here in Tor Abbey Meadows. The question now is

what will the Games mean here in 2012?

Some people feel Dorset has overshadowed Torbay's chances of

hosting team to come here to train. The mayor hopes some can be tempted

and he is looking at how people here can enjoy the Games. Perhaps

by using big screens to show events. I think we have to bring the

Olympics here through technology, on a large scale and we are looking

at the option of a torch relay of our own which would encompass the

bay and would be inclusive so people feel in Torbay that they are

part of the Games. The man who has been looking after

our interests for the Games told me the region has done well in making

the most of them and he believes there is more to come.

We are seeing a lot of other interest in sport arising. There is

various schemes being run by Sport England, running alongside the

Olympic programme. I think youngsters to be inspired to

achieve at a time which is economically difficult. There are

less jobs around. What people need is an excitement and something to

focus on and I think it will do wonders.

Back at Dartington crystal, they hope the experience on the Olympic

job will open up new markets to We are told we have to plant for

morse to help bees and other insects. City council gardeners in

Truro have decided to do do their bit for nature.

Poppies, corn flowers and marigolds, a country meadow in full bloom. Not

so, this is the main highway through the city of Truro. This

year the City Council has bypassed the begonias and opted for wild

flowers. They say it saves money, no potting, no weeding, and it is

better for the bees. When they started coming up, I had letters

come in saying why weren't we weeding the beds? But people didn't

believe me when I explained it is wild flower seeds we have sowed,

they were direct sowed and up they came. They started to flower three

weeks ago. The wild flowers are now proving so

popular that people have been ringing the council asking for

gardening tips and asking where they can get the seeds.

I like it very much. It is very beautiful. I see the first year

this is wild flowers here. Probably, it is the best way to make it.

colour, it looks good. I like it. They have found other ways of

catching people's attention. This bed is planted almost entirely in

lettuce. The gardeners have got the people's

vote, but they are hoping to get the judges vote because they have

entered into the Britain In Bloom and they are hoping to get a top

It is looking sunny. Is that the It is looking sunny. Is that the

way of things to come? A warm weekend. Good evening.

We have had every type of weather. We have had showers, we have had

mist. Some of us cloudy. The majority of us have been warm with

hazy sunshine. The mixture will be around tomorrow. The story for the

weekend is a dry one, but there is a weather front coming in on Sunday

particularly for Cornwall and the north-west of Devon. That's this

line of cloud you already see on the satellite picture. An old

weather system, this line of cloud here has kept things very grey and

rather cloudy across Dorset and Somerset and just this side of it,

towards the more central parts of Devon as well as the north, and

north-east of Cornwall, we have seen one or two showers. The risk

of the showers still around tonne, but killed off by the area of high

pressure. This weather front comes in for Sunday. Sunday looks more

cloudy as I mentioned for Cornwall. Further east, we should hold on to

sunshine. There is the cloud structure from earlier today. You

can see where the main line of cloud that's kept things grey.

That's been through South Wales and into Dorset and Somerset. Fine

further West apart from a few strands of cloud coming into

Cornwall, but sharp showers. They have been showing up recently from

the A30 up towards the north-west of deaf Devon. This was earlier at

Dartmouth where we had a lot of fine weather. Some hazy sunshine

and a lightest of breezes. Everything is calm. There is no

strong winds forecasts this -- forecast this weekend and the quiet

conditions. A gentle onshore sea breeze will develop into the

afternoons like we saw today along the South Devon Coast.

The showers will fizzle out later on this evening. Quite a lot of

cloud with us across Dorset and Somerset. The best of the clear sky

to the West, but the risk of mist and fog forming by dawn tomorrow.

Another mild night, temperatures no lower than 13 to 15 Celsius.

Tomorrow we have a bit of cloud around. A little mist in the

morning. Then into the afternoon, sunny spells. All of us seeing some

sunshine tomorrow. Perhaps still the legacy of a lot of cloud across

the Somerset levels, but for most of us it is a nice day with

temperatures up to 21 to 23 Celsius. Onshore sea breezes making the

coast feel cooler. For the Isles of Scilly, a fine day with hazy

Not a huge amount of surf, up to two feet and clean. The winds are

variable tomorrow, becoming south Notice the temperatures. Remaining

warm. Spotlight has seen documents that

the Royal Navy is looking at closing Britannia College.