19/09/2011 Spotlight

More than a million pounds handed back to drivers who'd been caught

speeding by this camera. Good evening. The camera wasn't

operating correctly, which means more than 24,000 motorists have

been refunded. Also tonight: the compulsory

purchase of empty homes -the plans to transform derelict properties to

help the homeless. And the sacking of Plymouth Argyle

manager Peter Reid - we'll hear from the club's chairman. Football

management is about results, and the results weren't good enough.

Homeowners in Cornwall who leave their empty properties in a state

of neglect and disrepair face tough action in future. Cornwall Council

is threatening to take enforcement action on anyone consistently

failing to bring their homes back into use. There are around 4,000

empty houses in the county, despite recent attempts to encourage owners

to repair and use them. With more than 18,000 families on the housing

waiting list, the council says action is needed urgently.

Neglected, run-down and in need of repair. This house in St Austell is

one of more than 4000 empty homes in Cornwall, many affecting the

lives of those living nearby. time it was put right. It has been

empty long enough. It is letting down the road. It lets down the

area. Sonja lives two doors down. She is concerned about vandalism

and squatters moving in, and says it is a sheer waste to have good

properties lying empty. It is disgusting, because there are so

many homeless people. So many people are needing accommodation,

even if it is only on a short-term scale. Young people have no chance

of getting on the property ladder now. In this case, the reason it is

empty is due to a legal dispute, but the council wants as many homes

as possible to be brought back into use. A year ago, it launched its

empty homes strategy, offering incentives to homeowners such as

interest free loans for repairs. More than 130 homes are being lived

in again. But now the council has extra money and is threatening to

take a far tougher stance. It is prepared to take enforcement action

against anyone consistently failing to use and prepare their empty

homes. There are people that will not work with the council or the

community. These are the people we have to target. How will you be

doing that? We will be compulsorily purchasing those properties. We

will have an independent valuation of them and we will buy them and do

them up and then sell them so that they are no longer a blight in the

community and reinvest that money in carrying out either for the

compulsory purchases or bringing more empty homes and used by

working with the homeowners. This house used to be empty, but earlier

this year was repaired and is now back in use. It means Emma and her

boyfriend can finally rent a home of their own and settle down. But

the number of people on the waiting list remains high, at more than

18,000. The council now wants to hear from anyone who's a street or

village has been blighted by empty properties such as this one. It

promises tough action to restore them back to use, so creating new

homes for those in need. The provision of housing has been

much debated by politicians. Our political editor is at the Liberal

Democrat conference in Birmingham. The affordable housing crisis is

one of the biggest problems facing the South West. It has been

discussed at the Liberal Democrat conference. I am joined now by the

Liberal Democrat MP for St Austell and Newquay, also chairman of the

all-party group on housing and somebody who knows about the

affordable housing crisis from the sharp end, because you were

probably the only MP elected last year who is still living with his

parents. Yes, last year I was still at home with mum and dad, like many

of the thousands of people wanting to get onto the property ladder.

you welcome this initiative to use more empty buildings. It is an

absolute scandal across the country that there are three-quarters of a

million homes standing empty and unused. It is right that Cornwall

Council and other local authorities and the Government take action to

bring them back into use. government is issuing new planning

guidance to help build more homes. Some people are saying that

somewhere like the south-west, that could be a develop a's charter to

build over green fields. And there are other people telling me it is

over -- it is a NIMBY charter, so the balance is about right. There

are millions who do not have access to the accommodation they need. The

system at the moment can be too slow and not democratic enough.

Local people should be able to decide what kind of development

they want to see. Not the top-down approach that Labour left us with,

but a grassroots approach that tackles local needs. This issue

will run and run over the weeks and months to come. A Royal Marine from

Plymouth-based 42 Commando has been killed in Afghanistan. The Marine

died when his patrol came under small arms fire during an operation

supporting members of the Afghan National Army in Helmand Province.

His family have been informed. A woman and her baby have been taken

to hospital after being rescued from the River Tavy in Tavistock. A

passer-by managed to rescue the baby boy and fire officers brought

the woman out of the water. Both were taken to Derriford Hospital.

Police are not treating the incident as suspicious. She was in

the water, but a member of the public got down the bank and

actually went out and rescued the baby, and pulled the mother in from

the river before we arrived. When we arrived, the baby was in the

ambulance and was crying, which is always a good sign.

A new three-digit telephone number is now available for people who

want to report non-urgent incidents to the police. It's 101 and will

run alongside 999 which is still the number to call for emergencies.

It's part of a project to get every force in England and Wales using

the number by next year. If it's an emergency, if a crime is taking

place there and then and the offenders are still there, or if

you are injured and you need help now, dial 999. 101 is to be used

for all other circumstances. To report a crime, to ask for advice,

to make an inquiry from the police - 101 would be the number to call.

A family from Plymouth whose son has been left profoundly deaf as a

result of a virulent strain of meningitis say more needs to be

done to combat the disease. They're backing a campaign that's calling

on the Government to push for a vaccine. At the start of Meningitis

Awareness Week, our reporter Amy Cole has been finding out how life

has changed for Tom and his parents. Not long ago, Tom could recognise

most of these pictures. Now he can't. It is a cat! In February, he

was diagnosed with bacterial meningitis and lost his hearing. He

was fitted with cochlear implants in both ears and is now getting

used to the balance of sound. With his learning, it is back to square

one. He was doing numbers, and he had all the animals down and he was

just starting to do two or three- word sentences. It was a huge part

of his personality, being able to talk to you and ask you for things.

And now that has just all gone. the family, it is a huge emotional

price to pay. For the NHS, it has cost �60,000 to treat Tom, a figure

that will rise as he gets older. The family is now supporting a

campaign run by the meningitis Research Foundation that is calling

on the Government to bring in a vaccine. There are vaccines in

development at the moment. They look promising. We hope for

positive news in the new year. We would like the government, once a

safe and effective vaccine is licensed, to take it into the

immunisation schedule for the whole population as soon as possible.

foundation believes the vaccine could save the government �3

million a year. The knock-on effect of Tom's illness is that his mum

cannot go back to work. You have to get on with life and deal with his

situation here and now and accept what is going to happen in the

future. The Department of Health says it is considering a wide range

of evidence on a vaccine for meningococcal B, the strain Tom had.

His parents are grateful that their son survived what can be a fatal

disease. It's been revealed that more than a

million pounds has been paid back to motorists who were wrongly fined

for speeding in Dorset. 24,000 drivers have been refunded and had

points removed from their licences after the camera at Chideock was

found to be operating without the correct paperwork.

Buried in the Dorset countryside, the A35. It runs through the

village of Chideock, and for a few hundred yards of trunk road, it has

captured a lot of attention. In this green and pleasant land, the

speed cameras have been vandalised, protesters have taken to the

pelican crossing and people who have gone too fast have not quite

been caught. This is not a story about how much money the speed

camera has raised sending out bills, but how much it has had to pay back

to drivers because fines have been considered unfair by the courts. It

has now emerged that �1.5 million has been refunded. More than 25,000

drivers have had points clear from their licence. These drivers did

not get their money back because they were sticking to the speed

limit. It was because of a technicality. The fine said the

camera was close to Seatown road. But officially, it is dark street.

After ten years of speeding tickets, a judge decided the 30 mile an hour

limit could not be enforced and the reforms followed from there. It

began with a man from Cornwall. inefficiency is not just the camera

partnership. The highways, the police, the CPS, even the

solicitors are involved. The Parish Council today said speed was still

a problem in Chideock, and the cameras are essential. People we

spoke to saw both sides of the argument. At the end of the day, it

is up to them if they got their money back. Their play on that side

of things. But on the other hand, you are still speeding into a

little village. I do not think they should have allowed it. You don't

think you should have gone ahead? Why? If somebody is actually

speeding, what does a technicality matter? To it may have taken ten

years, but the camera's paperwork is now correct. A warning to all

drivers on this increasingly well known road.

We'll be taking a look back at the weekend's sport with Natalie in a

moment, including: Peter Risdale tells us about the

latest movements at Plymouth Argyle. And thrill-seeking to tipping point.

We reflect on the sporting spectacle which attracted thousands.

Well, it's time for the sport now, and today it was all eyes on Home

Park again following a major reshuffle with the men at the top.

Natalie's here with the details. Plymouth Argyle's new temporary

manager is captain Carl Fletcher after Peter Reid was sacked this

weekend. Longest-serving player Romain Larrieu will be his first-

team coach. Reid was dismissed after a run of eight straight

league defeats which sees Argyle bottom of the Football League.

Peter Reid probably did not know what he was about to let himself in

for when he was appointed in June last year. He tried his utmost to

keep them in League One, but take 10 point deduction for going into

administration proved too much of a burden, and they were relegated to

what is effectively the Fourth Division. With Argyle in dire

straits both on and off the pitch, Reid dug into his own pocket to pay

the overdue heating bill, and even donated an FA Cup runners-up medal

at a club auction to help raise funds. Now, holding up the rest of

the Football League with just one point from a possible 27, a non-

League football a real threat, Reid has paid the price for poor results.

Football is a results based business, but Peter Reid has given

Argyle a tremendous amount of loyalty and service, and has stuck

with us during a period when most individuals or any football manager

would have walked away. Filling the void for the time being, team

captain Carl Fletcher, who was sent off on Saturday for violent conduct,

meaning he is banned for three games. And goalkeeper Romain

Larrieu will be acting first-team coach. I will be asking everyone

for a bit of advice here and there and try to implement our ideas. The

wife will probably end up telling me what to do! The first team coach

in 11 years. I would not have been able to think about that when I

first came. The move is designed to put points on the board very

quickly, and boy do they need them. Well, the man who made these

decisions is acting chairman Peter Ridsdale. After the press

conference, he popped into the studio, and I asked him why he'd

sacked Peter Reid. Because ultimately, football is about what

happens in the park. We have played nine league games and got one point.

Lost their last eight league games. Whatever else anyone else says

about the way Peter has conducted himself, football is about results.

But he has shown immense loyalty to Plymouth Argyle, often not being

paid. Surely loyalty should be rewarded? Well, we are trying to

find a buyer for the football club. Some of the buyers are looking at

lead to. My overriding principle is, I have to find a buyer who wants to

make sure Argyle still exists this time next year. The only way we do

that is to arrest the decline on the field. I felt that one point

out of 27 was not acceptable. could you afford to get rid of him

with the club in administration? Peter is under contract for the

rest of the season. Any prospective new buyer is aware of that. We will

make sure we honour the contractual commitments of Peter going forward.

But could we afford not to get rid, despite the fact that he had been

the ultimate professional? Football is about results, and the results

were not good enough. What makes you think that two completely

inexperienced managers will do a better job? We looked at fresh

opportunity from within the club. Car was very excited about the

opportunity. I was talking to him about what he could do to fix the

problems. He deserves a chance. are making massive decisions when

you yourself might not be at Plymouth Argyle in a couple of

weeks' time depending on who buys the club. Are you happy making

these decisions? It is a privileged position to be chairman of a

football club. In the good times, you enjoy it, and in the difficult

times, it is lonely. But ultimately, you are the person who takes

decisions. Clearly, I consulted a few people. I had no authority to

take the decision without the administrator's agreement, because

he is legally in charge. I also consulted James Brent, because he

is a prospective owner and I want to make sure he was not saying, I

will only buy the club if Peter is in charge. Ultimately, leadership

is all about making decisions, and that is what I have done. Some fans

are livid about the sacking. Do you understand their anger?

understand that supporters see the tip of an iceberg. They see what

they read in the paper and on your programme every night. Peter has

been an outstanding professional in difficult times. But ultimately, as

I have said, football is about results. The results are not

acceptable. Peter himself has said that. I am used to fans being

emotional and telling me they don't like me. But I have to look in the

mirror in the morning and think whether the decisions are the right

decisions. Did he take the news well? Peter was outstanding. We

talked briefly about the decision, and then he said, let's have a chat

and a coffee. I was there with him for over an hour after I had

conveyed the decision to him. That is the man he is. I think he knew

it was the right time for change. And you can see my full interview

with Peter Ridsdale online at bbc.co.uk/devon, and click on sport.

There wasn't much good news for the region's other football league

teams either this weekend, as they failed to produce a single win

between them. Only Torquay United salvaged some reward in a thrilling

draw against Rotherham at Plainmoor. It is not just Plymouth Argyle who

are teetering at the bottom of their division. So are Exeter City.

They went down 2-0 against Bournemouth. When you are down,

nothing seems to go right for you. Richard Duffy's face testified to

that after Bournemouth scored their second. A bizarre equaliser from

Yeovil town's prior outfoxed Sheffield Wednesday and the

cameraman, who gamely hit a ball back to the keeper, who collided

with his own defender. A goal was scored which Wednesday claimed was

not in the spirit of the game. But they got their revenge, winning by

three-2. It was a hat-trick of drawers for Torquay United in

League Two. They came back from 2-0 The chiefs' only reply came from a

penalty try. In cricket's Twenty20 national finals day for club teams,

St Just from Cornwall were knocked out of the competition in the semi-

finals. At Chelmsford, St Just made only 108 for six, with Gary Thomas

and Mark George scoring 22 and 18 respectively. But Ealing eased home

by seven wickets to qualify for tonight's final.

That is all the sport, but there was plenty of exciting action on

the water this weekend. A sporting spectacle, the like of which

Plymouth has rarely witnessed. Seven days of sailing, not to

mention capsizes, are now over as the America's Cup World Series

reached an exciting climax. The city council says more than a

hundred thousand people watched the event across the week. Spotlight's

John Henderson was in amongst the action for the final contest, the

winner takes all fleet race. It finished as it started. Speed,

spray and the occasional smash. We have got carnage out there

already. After seven days of high- octane sailing, the America's Cup

World series went out with a bang. They said this was racing on the

edge, and they are going down like ninepins. Plymouth City Council

says 115,000 people turned out to catch the action. Sunday's winner

takes all fleet race did not disappoint. He is down! It is that

sort of thing that has made this event so exciting and so popular in

Plymouth this week. The final race or three capsizes, the catamarans

pushed it to the limit with 35 mile an hour wind gusts. But no one

complained about conditions. Plymouth Sound, good wind, sun,

loads of crowds, plenty of support from local Plymouth, Cornish and

Devon people. It has been a great success. New Zealand coming across.

The Fleet Racing Championship was won by an oracle boat. There is the

chequered flag. The crew celebrated in style. Here comes a champagne

moment. And there is cheese! think this has topped it. It is

such a natural amphitheatre, and the conditions have been fantastic.

Everyone I have seen in the street has come up and said hello. It is

the biggest crowd we have seen. I think Plymouth surprised everyone.

San Diego is the next venue for the America's Cup World series.

Plymouth will be hard to beat. Those pictures were beamed

worldwide. I was watching it on TV yesterday and it was incredible.

They are great pictures. How they were getting those live shots back

from the boats as they were tipping over, the pictures were carrying on.

And perfect weather as well here, just the right amount of wind.

is exactly it, the wind limit for sailing is around 35 knots, and we

had wind speeds just below that for much of the day. They were perfect

The wind is nowhere near as strong as it has been. That is the good

news for us. The weather will settle down from Wednesday onwards

after the rain. Earlier on, there was a string of cloud out to the

west which will head our way overnight tonight. That is a cold

weatherfront. Of the moment, we are sandwiched between weatherfronts. A

few breaks in the cloud, but the cloud will thicken again as the

weatherfront heads towards us overnight and into the first part

of the day tomorrow. By the time we get to Wednesday, the high pressure

which is currently down to the south-west will start to build

towards us, bringing a quieter end to the week. For the time being,

although for many of us, it was a great day, a few breaks developed

in that cloud through the afternoon. But they will fill in again this

evening. Increasing amounts of cloud overnight. Eventually, this

weatherfront moves towards us from the north-west, introducing rain

through the early hours, particularly to northern and

western parts of our region. The south-east will stay dry for much

of the night. Temperatures are not doing too badly underneath the

cloud. For many of us, it is a grey and wet start to the day tomorrow.

Parts of Dorset and perhaps southern parts of Devon will escape

that rain until later in the day. But it will continue to push in

from the north-west as the day goes on. Through the afternoon tomorrow

for many of us, it will turn heavy for a time. Temperatures are

struggling underneath that cloud and rain. It will feel cooler than

it appears here. In the Isles of Scilly, it will be cloudy, with

For the surfers, a bit of swell around. Fairly messy conditions on

Sea temperatures have just about reached their peak. They will start

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 42 seconds

Up The top stories tonight: More than a million pounds in fines

returned to drivers caught by an illegal speed camera.

And homing in on owners of empty property to tackle Cornwall's