03/11/2011 Spotlight

Take a pay cut or face losing your job. The dilemma facing more than

2,000 local ambulance workers. are committed people who ought

already on not great salaries and they do not see that they should

take any larger hits. Good evening. In a move branded as

unacceptable, South Western Ambulance staff are also being

asked to lose some of their leave. Also on tonight, the not so bright

future of solar energy. As the government slashes feed in tariffs,

business warn it will mean jobs are lost.

And from saving lives in Afghanistan to continued support

back home, Royal Navy medics prepare to meet casualties of war.

There are some of us who seek out people to make sure they are doing

all right and it gives you an opportunity to catch up and see how

they are doing. I find that very rewarding.

2,500 ambulance staff in the South West are being asked if they will

take a pay cut or give up some of their holiday to try to save

millions of pounds. Unions have reacted angrily, calling the

proposals totally unacceptable. The South Western Ambulance Service

says jobs may go if they cannot find �4 million of savings a year.

They are the latest in a series of public and private sector

organisations to look at controversial ways to deal with

budget shortfalls. Our correspondent reports from Exeter.

The southwestern Ambulance Service is the latest organisation to

struggle with the austerity measures. The trust needs to save

�4 million a year. This man is a paramedic and union activist and he

told me his view on the proposals. I think engaging with the staff is

the right thing to do but they should ask staff if they are

prepared to sack a -- sacrifice their terms and conditions. As a

frontline member of staff, this is a concern to me and my members.

They are hard-working people who are already not on great salaries.

They do not see they should take any larger hits.

The trust has written to staff to see if they would be prepared to

work an extra hour a week for no extra pay, take a 1% pay cut, or

work one day a year for free. We are constantly reviewing quality

in all aspects. In the letter we send out we made a number of

suggestions. But this is about listening and engaging with our

staff to hear their views, not presenting a foregone conclusion,

and I would stress that no decisions have been made at this

point. Staff at Princess yacht in Plymouth temporarily agreed to cut

their overtime. Cornwall Council agreed a pay freeze and Dorset

County Council wanted workers to pay -- take unpaid leave but backed

down after unions protested. These measures are being credited

by economists with keeping unemployment lower than what might

have been the case during this downturn. But they have also

contributed to relations under duress. The council hopes to find a

solution by the end of the year. Are there any chances of this

happening here? A new report has raised serious

questions over whether the South West will see significant growth in

the number of private sector jobs to make up for losses in the public

sector. But it may just be a short term problem. From Weymouth here is

our Dorset reporter. This woman knows all about

rebalancing the economy. She is doing it. She recently left her

post as a graphic designer when she joined a printing firm down the

road. Tipping the scales in the favour of jobs in the commercial

world is a key government aim to drive up grow up. -- drive up

growth. Her previous position was not refilled so she is still

reducing the weight of the public sector. Did you think you were

rebalancing the economy? Yes, I did. I thought I saved someone else's

job. The report says that you should not get your hope -- hopes

up about the near future. There has been a reduction on people on a

payroll in the South West. The prospects for growth and the

private sector are modest. There is some expansion in 2010 but many of

the jobs were low-paid, temporary or part-time, and the upward trend

has now slowed. The gains do not make up for the losses. With the

announcement this week that growth in the UK economy at a -- as a

whole is still limited, it is hardly surprising that this report

does not find a booming manufacturing sector in the South

West. What is worrying the writers of the report is that jobs in the

South West were being offloaded and not replaced by jobs in the private

sector. The private sector is uncertain about what is happening

in the eurozone and what is happening to the economy generally

and they know that even when the economy grows it does not mean lots

of jobs. Where will we find the jobs that we were losing in the

public sector? And of every town or village struggles in the same way.

Dorset does quite well and there is hope for the long-term future. But

this report suggests a rebalancing To talk more about the implications

of this, I am joined by our political correspondent.

This report says that between 1999 and 2009, nearly three-quarters of

all new jobs were in the public sector, and it is because of that

that the South West is seeing the biggest decline in public sector

employment in the UK. If the Government sticks to this strict

austerity package that it is long - - locked into until 2016, there

will be more public sector job losses. Labour says that this

report is just another reason why the Government should change its

mind. The Government should be honest and say that what they are

doing is not working and it is adding to the deficit because they

have to borrow more to pay unemployment benefit. We are just

flat lining. What have the government said in response?

It says it is sticking to its economic policy and it would be

foolish to abandon that approach. One of our Conservative MPs said

today that he was sceptical about some of the findings in the report.

I think this report is too pessimistic about the prospects of

getting people who have just left the public sector into the private

sector. People in the public sector have good organisational --

organisational skills and they know how to manage projects. They are

well suited into going into the private sector and many of them

will. Backing this argument will be Torbay Council is putting on hold

its plans for solar panels on 45 public buildings. It is the latest

evidence of how sharply the government is turning off the

funding tap which the fast growing solar industry has relied on.

Right now, householders who put up panels get over 43 pence for each

unit of electricity they generate. Ministers now propose that anyone

who gets panels up after December 12th would only get 21 pence a unit.

Installations in the next bracket up face an even steeper cut.

Currently they get almost 38 pence, but new installations of that size

would get less than 17 pence. These changes affect not only investors

but a recently established army of hardware suppliers and installers,

as our business correspondent. The South West does so are better

than anyone else. We have the most sunshine and the most potential.

But a lot of bets are off in this industry. Investing in solar is

said to be half as a lucrative unless you can get your panels up

within the next six weeks. All of the contracts we had lined up for

the next six months have now either got to be done in the next six

weeks or they have got to be cancelled due to consumer

confidence. It has all disappear. Like every installer of solar

electric panels, this man is under pressure to bring work for work. It

is a struggle to get his hands on the necessary hardware. He knows

that warehouses like this one in Cornwall are running out. These are

tough times for workers who thought they had found a niche. A lot of

guys are coming out of college and doing the installation courses. A

lot of electricians are running out of work. It is all going over into

software installations. Many who were planning to put up panels on

their homes and businesses have been forced into a rethink at short

did us. At least this fish merchant had not begun his scheme yet.

are gutted because it ticks all the boxes for us. It would reduce our

curbing emissions and it was in line with what government

projections were. These attractive subsidies compiled mainly out of

bill payer's pockets. A significant subsidy cut was expected at some

point because solar panels had become cheaper. They had to be

reduced because they were a disgrace and they were cast an ill

repute on behalf of an important programme that we have in this

country. The new tariffs would still allow investors some profit,

but the industry fears that backers will back away altogether, because

this is the second short notice a Staff and players at Plymouth

Argyle, who have worked without pay for 10 months, are angry after

being stung by the taxman. Many employees received a lump sum this

week after the club came out of administration, but some say they

have been taxed at 40 %, a higher rate than many staff normally pay.

Nathan's serves lunch to Argyle manager Carl Fletcher. The chef has

been keeping the pilgrims marking since he left school at 16. Before

I came here I was a season-ticket holder. Growing up I have always

been a fan so when I got the opportunity to come here I took it

with both hands because it was a dream. But it turned into a

nightmare when the club began to spiral into administration at the

end of last year. Nathan was just one of the army of loyal staff who

deferred their wages to keep the club in business. It was basically,

if he did not sign it, you would be made redundant from the company,

which are none of us wanted. He has been left in that and lost the home

he shared with his girlfriend. -- debt. There are no means to pay the

mortgage. The club has come out of administration and the staff has

been paid the wages they are owed but there is a sting in detail.

was taxed up to 40 % so it was a kid in the side. Any employees with

tax increase should contact their employer. The club has said it is

still trying to sort out its tax implications and staff can expect a

Coming up next: the medics who carried out amazing work in

Afghanistan. Plus - the youngsters in Dorset

competing against students in India. How the Olympics are bringing them

together. And it's later than usual but it

was worth waiting for - autumn reaches its colourful climax.

Royal Navy medics who've returned from Afghanistan are preparing to

meet some of the casualties they treated there - many of whom

weren't expected to survive. Doctors and nurses based at

Derriford Hospital have been providing medical support at Camp

Bastion in Helmand Province. Spotlight filmed them out there

earlier this year. They're now getting ready for a special rugby

challenge at home in Plymouth, raising money to support the

injured. Clare Casson has this report.

Another day, another casualty, helicoptered in. The hospital at

Camp Bastion is the biggest trauma unit anywhere in the world. It sees

some of the most extreme injuries. South West unable medics have been

working in Helmand all year, some of them have now returned have an

opportunity to reflect on a very different working environment.

Nothing can quite prepare you for when you get out there, you see

that level of trauma for the first time. On the whole it is a

rewarding experience, but along the way, there is a lot of ups and

downs for people, and everybody feels it, when you get British,

American guys coming in as patients, again, dealing with the challenges

of looking after children out there as well. In terms of Injury

severity, we are dealing with trouble and beauties fairly

regularly. There is no denying it was difficult, and at the start of

the tour, getting exposure to that level of injury was a steep Irving

-- learning curve. You do acclimatise to that working

environment, and it is a very close-knit team, so we all support

each other. In fact, many casualties now come home who

wouldn't have made it just a few years ago. They are known by the

unfortunate term open quite unexpected survivors ". We are

constantly using technology that has come in, which gives us new

challenges, because patients who would have done it -- died before,

I now surviving, and with that come the challenges of how to live the

rest of their lives. It is something that the NHS as well as

the military are going to have tackled in the future. Dealing with

these survivors first hand brings a unique perspective, which is why

many of the naval medics are getting involved with a special

event to raise money for the injured. Doctors and nurses have

been selling tickets for rugby challenge, a chance for the medics

to be reunited with some of the people they treated. Some of the

people seek out the people were treated to see if they're doing all

right, and it gives you the opportunity to catch up and see how

they are doing, I find it very rewarding. They often have a lot of

questions to ask that they don't clean from going through the system.

It reminds people that it may be happening far away, but there is a

real home presents to it as well. A lot of the guys who have been

injured can come and talk about their experiences. There is an

appetite and a hunger Within at Derriford hospital to learn about

this, as well, and to bring the experience back to where they work.

The Rugby Challenge takes place on Tuesday.

It's a sporting challenge which is continents apart - two schools on

opposite sides of the globe, competing for Olympic honours. A

Dorset school has been twinned with one in the foothills of the

Himalayas in India. The idea is to learn about

different cultures and explore the Olympic ideals. But things have

started to get a little competitive. Ed Sherry has been to meet the

pupils. The latest student at the Thomas

Hardy scored in Dorchester are to give their all in five a Olympics

challenges. They are already excited about the Olympics next

year. It is going to be amazing for schools to take part, hopefully it

will bring sport to be more of a subject. But for now, this is who

they are competing against. Some friendly rivalry against the school

in India. It is an all-boys independent school where the focus

is largely on its board. Each school films the pupils in action.

That competition is engaging the pupils, and they are excited to be

picked if they are going to represent the school in the

challengers, or just watch them and show the video to the other school.

It is all part of world class, a BBC campaign that is twinning

schools around the world. We have asked them about their first famous

gold medallist for the ten-metre rifle shooting in 2008. About what

he has done, and how they are linking that to their school life

at the moment. While it is not all about the competition, they are

keeping score, he did the challenges so far, it is Dorset two,

India 0. Now, what did you do with your

pumpkin after Hallowe'en? A giant pumpkin grown at Powderham

Castle is proving problematic for its growers!

As Emma Ruminski has been finding out, there are grand plans for the

50-stone beast, but first the gardeners need to get it out of the

greenhouse. Priscilla Queen a pumpkins will not

be going to the ball. Christened by her Twitter of dollars, the

professional gardener who grew her admitted he has made a schoolboy

error. It was going so well, the pumpkin was getting large, I was

determined to take her to a pumpkin show. The prize is cash, rosettes,

glory. Unfortunately, it is just too big to get out of the

greenhouse doors! And this is a Grade 1 listed greenhouse, so I can

hardly get it out of the window! So this is as far as it is ever going

to go. Many people will recognise Toby from his time presenting

Gardeners' World. He is now based at a castle, and is setting up a

nursery there. This isn't even a third of it. I have had to hack it

back, it is like a jungle in here in summer, with the leaves up over

the green has come up the sides of the walled. I wouldn't have been

able to get in if I didn't prune regularly. Priscilla could make up

to 1000 bowls of soup, but pumpkins this size are really tasty.

Paignton Zoo it is interested in the flesh for one of its an offence.

-- one of its elephants. Wouldn't like to have carved that

one! This year's confusing weather, with

a late burst of summer in October, has delayed the spectacular colours

of autumn. In fact, the stunning reds and golds are so late in one

garden that it was closed before the public had a chance to see them.

But as Johnny Rutherford reports from Buckland Monachorum near

Yelverton, there's a special opening this weekend to show off

nature's very own firework display. This was the weather for October. A

bit of this, and that, and a fair amount of this. It was almost four

seasons in one month. There wasn't the usual frost, and temperatures

stayed mild until last week. That can make gardens interesting,

especially here. When the weather stays constant, nothing much seems

to happen in the autumn, but recently, we have had this real

drop in temperatures, you can almost come out and see overnight

that things have started to become vibrant. It is almost like nature

has given them an Nige. And they have certainly responded. About

free books ago, we had this heat wave, which lasted about two days.

-- three weeks ago. It seemed that the autumn colour would be amazing,

and then the leaves started to dry up. But a couple of weeks later, it

is here again! So is this unusual? You simply do not know from one

year to the next whether you are going to have an amazing display it

in October, or whether it is going to be not so great, or whether come

November it is going to be a real or wash. It is one of the great

joys of autumn. This weekend has a special opening to show off the

garden's colour before it fades. Let's hope the weather is dry!

Beautiful. I had one of those in my garden, I was waiting for it to go

bright red, and last night, all the Let slip back at the October, it

was quite an interesting month. It was an unusually warm, on the

eastern side of the country, we had 29 degrees in Gravesend, in Kent.

We haven't been nearly as warm as that, but it it is surprising we

have had such adopted tour -- topsy-turvy month. This is a bit

higher up, we will start with the rainfall. The first half of the

month has been very wet. On the right, what we actually saw. Many

other locations across parts of Somerset and Dorset, the rainfall

has been much less than that. On to the sunshine amounts, we don't get

a great deal, it is darker in the evenings, and onto the temperatures.

They don't show quite as high a win you look at the averages. One thing

has been very apparent, the lack of the overnight frost. Only one night

of frost on the 20th, some parts went down to zero degrees.

Reservoir levels, this time last year were up around 69% fall. The

rainfall we have seen for the last few days, hopefully they will begin

to pick those up. Let's have a look at the forecast for the next few

days. A lot more in the way of cloud coming in later on tonight,

which will give us a few showers. The main rain bearing cloud has

gone away for tonight, but it will return later on, some showers will

prove to be quite heavy. By the time we get to lunchtime tomorrow,

we have one line at showers creeping through. Fewer isobars,

less wind, meaning the showers will be rather slow moving, so we could

get some hefty downpours. A change in the wind direction, with north-

east winds into the weekend, or for the bonfire displays. Fingers

crossed, there should be a lot of dry weather. This evening, the

showers will die away, but they will returned later on. In a few

places, the skies begin to clear for a time. Later on tonight, we

start to see some more showers coming from the south. Some of the

showers could be quite heavy. Before it gets light, some of them

will also give lightning and thunder. Tomorrow, temperatures

starting at nine or 10 degrees, rising to 14 or 15, but it will

might feel that way because of the intensity of some of these showers.

Slow-moving, potentially very heavy. We could see as much as 30 or 40 mm.

We do have an early warning from the Met Office of the potential for

some heavier bursts of rain. Went back row, lighter than today,

eventually they will become north- westerly -- winds. A mainly dry day