29/11/2011 Spotlight

Hundreds of schools are closing and emergency services will be hit by

tomorrow's strike. Tonight, hospitals across the region are

putting contingency plans in place. We have been able to put plans and

place to ensure that our course services can operate and the

hospitals continue to serve the community. We'll hear from workers

planning to go on strike and those hoping to keep services going. Also

tonight: reaction to the Chancellor's statement including a

unique measure for the South West. The Government will cut the

household bills or also have West Water customers by �50 per year.

And carving a place in history - the designer who says his latest

commission is the pinnacle of his career. Spotlight has learnt that

police officers in Devon and Cornwall have been trained to staff

999 control centres because dozens of civilian call handlers are

expected to walk out in tomorrow's public sector strike. The force

says the emergency service calls will be protected, but other calls

may be affected. Almost 400 schools across the south west have now said

they'll close because of the strike. Hospitals, rubbish collections,

courts, job centres, benefit services and transport links will

also be hit. Our Home Affairs Correspondent Simon Hall has spent

the day looking at the impact the strike's likely to have on the

region and reports now from Devon County Hall. I have been monitoring

the list of schools and the South West which will close tomorrow. It

has been growing longer buy here, and now stands at almost 400. And

not just schools will suffer. The police emergency control centres

are staffed mainly by civilians. Many are expected to strike

tomorrow, so police officers have been trained to handle 999 calls.

The force says the emergency service will be protected but non-

urgent calls would be answered more slowly. It has been a difficult

decision members have had to take. They do not relish in any way that

disruption this is going to cost to the public but this is their

futures, their future pensions they are fighting for. The strike will

even affect predicting the weather. Also expected to walk out are

hammers of Met Office Staff in Exeter, who provide forecasts

around the world. Information that is critical for services such as

aviation, defence and the coastguard. We are making every

effort to make sure that safety of life services are maintained. But

some services and some forecasts will not go out. We do not expect

those to affects safety of life. Met Office spokesman told me they

were looking with customers to keep disruption to a minimum.

Contingency plans and place to protect services as much as

possible, she said. Tomorrow, this school is one of hundreds across

the region expected to close. would all like public-sector

pension but I have a lot of friends and family in the public sector. It

just means I have had to take extra time off work and work around

holidays that I had. I have had to completely work around the

Christmas holidays that are coming up as well. The Government has

condemned the disruption to services. They say that the strike

is premature because talks are ongoing, and that public sector

pensions are too expensive and must be reformed. The problem with

predicting the impact of this right is that staff do not have to give

notice of their intention to walk out. So, only tomorrow, will we see

if the industrial action lives up to the claim from the unions and

becomes the biggest strikes is the 1970s. -- strike since the 1970s.

Among the schools affected by tomorrow's strike is Westlands

School in Torquay. Our Community Affairs correspondent Carys Edwards

has been to meet the head and teaching staff. Let me show you

what that particular tipple question looks like. Dawn is

dedicated to helping pupils such as Ambra, who is here, grappling with

an A-level maths question. Tomorrow, the teacher will be out on strike.

Without doubt there is going to be a short-term effect on students. I

would like to think students are aware of the fact of why that is

happening, that a longer term benefit we will bring attention to

the problem, and I think it is a price that has to be paid.

Thousands of other teachers across the South West will join the day of

action in protest over pensions and pay. Unions say they will be

working longer, paying more and receiving less when they retire.

This is the biggest industrial action I have seen in schools in my

lifetime. That is a measure of the depth of feeling within the

profession. In this lesson we are learning... Christina will not be

at school tomorrow, but she supports the action. I have just

come out of university and it is hard to work out what to do.

education secretary is appealing for more teachers to go to work

tomorrow. Michael Gove says that it is unfair to expect taxpayers to

foot the increasing pensions bill. Yes, we have to accept it because

we are living longer, that people will have to pay more, but I am

anxious to ensure that the benefits to trade union members have an

teachers in particular have, are protected. We have seen what has

happened to private sector pensions and we don't want that happening in

the public sector and I am fighting to ensure that teachers get a good

deal. Tomorrow, Westland School will look after pupils to help

working parents, but most children will have a day off. Hospital and

health managers in the South West say essential services will be

maintained, despite the fact that thousands of staff are expected to

strike tomorrow. Ambulance workers, health visitors, radiographers,

cleaners and some nursing staff are among those taking action, though

unions are co-operating with the NHS, to maintain critical services.

More from Spotlight's Health Correspondent Sally Mountjoy. It

rarely happens and is not something that is undertaken lightly, a

strike in the health service. Unable to predict how many staff

will take action, South West hospitals have postponed some non-

an urgent operations and appointments. Community Hospitals

in Cornwall have been the scheduling clinics to avoid booking

patients in for tomorrow. But the plan is to keep disruption to a

minimum. It is a case of trying to work through what may happen

tomorrow, anticipating what we can at making sure we have the best

plans and place. A light to do, sometimes when we have snow, ice

and bad weather. We do manage. While doctors and the majority of

nurses and midwives have not been balloted for strike action, a wide

range of health workers will be on strike, including some nursing

staff, ambulance personnel, community psychiatric nurses,

physiotherapists, radiographers, cleaners, and admin staff. Pete is

prepared to go on strike. Something he has never contemplated before in

22 years as an ambulance driver. He says that the plans to increase the

retirement age to up to 68 are what have persuaded many to take

unprecedented action. Most ambulance workers do not reached

the current retirement age of 60. People just one out of gas. To

expect someone in their late 60s to turn up and treat people and rescue

people just does not bear thinking about. It is a scary prospect.

Genuine emergencies will get a blue light response tomorrow, but some

transport facilities may not be available. In some cases, services

will be maintained thanks to negotiation between management and

unions. The Department of Health said that while talks were still

going on, it could not comment on how pension reform might help NHS -

- might affect NHS staff, but it asked workers to consider whether

going on strike was the right thing to do. The Chancellor today told

workers in his statement that wage rises will be capped at a maximum

of 1% for two years. George Osborne also confirmed the go-ahead for the

Kingskerswell bypass. The state pension age will we raced to 67 by

2026, while the current, basic state pension will go up by �5 to

two, to 175 -- �107.45. And so there we help for customers of

South West Water, the discount amounting to �1 per week from 2013.

4th families across the South West facing the highest water charges in

Britain, the Government will pick up the household bills of all

customers in the South West region by �50 per year. There was relief

for drivers as the planned 3p increase in fuel duty in January

will not now take place. The rural nature of the South West means many

people have no option but to use their cars. Had the increases gone

ahead many garages would have been charging more than �1.40 for a

litre of petrol or diesel. Louise Hubball reports. On Holden Hill, it

was just another day. But 200 miles away in Westminster, a crucial

decision was made that will save the average family �144 per year.

This is what motorists you would have paid in January. Now, that has

been scrapped, and prices will stay warm. He is excellent news. Someone

has listened for the first time. We need this in the West Country

because fuel is a major part of a limestone year. We need people and

transport to get around. Paul day I have been watching people keeping a

close eye on us figures as they fill up, and now the announcement

has been made, at least they know that in the short term at least,

those figures will not be getting any higher. I think the tax on it

is totally ridiculous. People are not going to be able to wander on

cars any more. How much do you take to fill this vehicle up? It is

getting up to around �100 a time. That is what it costs. -- to around

�800 a time. That will last me for two days, or and then I need to

fill it up again. It is worth remembering that there will still

be up to pence rise in fuel duty in August. -- there will still be up

to pence rise. Business leaders have welcomed many of the

Chancellor's announcements. They included a pilot scheme to assess

the environmental impact dredging will have on Falmouth Harbour. That

could pave the way for regeneration of the port. As we reported last

night the go ahead was finally given for the Kingskerswell by pass.

It's claimed the scheme will kick start the Torbay economy and could

lead to the creation of around 8,000 new jobs. We have been

waiting for this for decades. It is amazing that we have been able to

get the approval from the coalition government under the most stringent

economic times. People in work and out of work, this is good news for

the local economy. One leading business leader has told Spotlight

that the most important announcement was the National Loan

Guarantee Scheme. Mr Osborne says it will make it easier for small

firms to get loans. Our Dorset reporter Simon Clemison joins us

now from Bridport, where he's been spending the day seeing what help

small firms need. When you come to deport, you notice how wide the

streets are. -- to Bridport. That is because they used to make rupiah.

It was a cottage industry, the original small businesses, of which

there are still plenty here today. They are making goal posts in

report now. Rope making has evolved into supply next four sports

pitches. Wimbledon is one of the customers. You're still knocking at

two or posts and rugby posts. we have a very seasonable business.

How are you beating the trend? are fortunate. We have become part

of a bigger group and that group has a demanding sports equipment

distributor, and we're doing our best to meet the demand that has

been forthcoming. Growth that the Chancellor dreams of, but even here

they admit that the man from the industry more generally is slacking

off, and that is not helping pay off the nation's debt. George

Osborne's big idea for small businesses was to try to get access

to credit for them, at an affordable price. That way,

companies might be able to create more jobs and put more money in the

pockets of shoppers here and that the incentive. The basic theory is

that of the country can borrow money at a relatively low bit of

interest than the Government can pass those savings on to companies,

bringing down the cost of borrowing from 7%-6%, so, if they have the

confidence to go to the back and talk about competitive finance,

that can translate into local jobs. That really probably is the most

important thing we have heard today. The money will be lent by the banks,

but under written by the taxpayer. This business in Bridport has the

potential to expand tomorrow, even without the new scheme. It makes

cheese. What is stopping them? prospect of high interest rates and

reducing capital allowances. That was the amount you can offset

against tax for investing in new equipment? That is right, yes.

the Chancellor giving away with one hand and taking with the other?

if he does not balance up capital allowances, we will not make the

investment. At this cake makers, other measures in the statement

were welcomed. They might risk taking more people on if some of

the regulations disappear. cheaper credit paths the Chancellor

announced today was a hit with all small businesses. The Treasury

stressed that it is part of a wider economic policy to promote growth,

but it is how these different components work together which is

failing to convince some. Chancellor's statement was a

mixture of good and bad news with the economy still struggling. But

will his plans lead to improvement? Our Political Editor Martyn Oates

has spent the day at Westminster. Gloomy weather here at Westminster

to match the mood, fall and the Chancellor's admission that the

economy is in a far worse state than he previously anticipated. But

he has tried to sweeten the pill for people in the South West,

people like first-time buyers and businesses and pensioners. I am

joined by Ben Bradshaw, Lindau MP for Exeter, and the MP for Central

Devon. Despite the very bleak economic background, there was a

lot of good stuff for the South West. A Yes, I welcome some of the

infrastructure investment, but he could have done much more one in

the structure, on affordable housing new-builds, which have gone

down by 99% this year. We desperately need more affordable

homes. He could have done more on that and on infrastructure,

generally. This strike is a bit embarrassing - it looks as if a

coach and horses has been driven through his economic strategy.

are in a very difficult situations, as a number of European countries

are. The reality is that, to come back to your question, these are

difficult times. What we have done by sticking to not a credible

strategy, cradle with the markets, has to keep interest rates low, so

we do not have the 7.5% rate that the Italians are having, we're

paying a rate that is even better than Germany. If interest rates go

up, if Benn and his colleagues want to turn on the spending tabs,

businesses get hit, and those with mortgages suffer very hard, so we

have got to keep that credibility of. Is it related course of action

to make the deficit bigger? We're boring �150 billion more than

George Osborne predicted they would a year ago, have far more than they

would have done under Labour. Unemployment was coming down and

the economy was growing when Labour left office. It is now going into

reverse, as a direct result of this Government deciding to cut too far,

and too fast. But you are pouring more yourself, how can you

criticise Labour? When the economy slows down more than you have been

expecting, which has happened for the reasons we featured on your

programme, that is an inevitable consequence. We have to keep the

level of credibility. We cannot be seduced by the notion that Labour

are going to throw a bit more money around and growth is what to come

back. We have to show that we have a credible plan to bring down the

deficit. What would you say to those taking strike action

tomorrow? Get talking I get it resort. We are still in the

business of talking. We have made a number of changes, we have a

generous offer, get talking and get it is all. I regret the fact that

public sector workers feel the need to strike, but money will be moved

under this government policy from areas like the South West, to rich

areas, like the South East. Tomorrow, we will be discussing the

General Strike and its aftermath. A cargo ship with eight crew on board

came close to running aground after dragging her anchor in Falmouth Bay

this morning. A lifeboat and helicopter were on standby as the

three thousand ton Baltic Sea drifted towards Pennance Point near

Swanpool in high winds and poor visibility. The Canadian firm

buying into Cornwall's South Crofty mine has finally laid down the

first major part of its investment. After months of delays, the Celeste

Corporation says it's now ready to move forward with tin and copper

exploration on the site after securing funding. A designer based

in Devon says his latest commission is the pinnacle of his career. 78

year-old Ronald Parsons, who designs and carves stone, was

thinking of retiring, when he was asked to design a memorial stone in

honour of the late Ted Hughes. The former Poet Laureate lived in Devon

for over 30 years and the slate to honour him is due to be unveiled at

Westminster Abbey next week. Johnny Rutherford has been to visit the

craftsman at work in Exeter. dark shared was wired with

reminiscences. It is a strange sensation. Cannot fully explain it.

But there is something rather special about it. It is relaxing.

Ronald would listen to the pawns of Ted Hughes a while covering the

memorial. The stone will be placed in Poets corner in Westminster

Abbey. It is under wraps until it is unveiled next week. Ted Hughes,

senior opening a salmon leap in Devon was a poet Laureate for 14

years until his death in 1998. His widow, Carol, wanted one of his

pawns on his memorial. She picked out two or three pieces and we went

through and I said, that one looks rather nice, I can visualise that

on the stone. It is very fitting. We put it on the stone, and the

Abbey were happy, thank God! Hughes wrote with a few poems in

his time, some of the originals are here. He was involved in education,

as the poet Laureate, he took out a lot of educational initiatives in

creative writing, and he was a fantastic and remarkable poet, and

it is absolutely fitting that he should have a memorial in

Westminster Abbey, are amongst the other race. The stone will be

unveiled next Tuesday. -- are amongst the other greats. In

anyone's book, giving birth to four babies is quite a thing, but for

sheep, it's especially rare. But three days ago on a farm in

Cornwall, a set of quadruplet lambs were born, and are already running

rings around their mother, as Eleanor Parkinson reports. They are

just three days old, but these lambs have already found their feet,

and the bounce, and are already making headline news, because they

are siblings. Quadruplets lambs are very rare, but for all four to

survive it is even more rare. has survived and we wondered if the

scanning man had made a mistake about the 4th, but the last one was

the biggest. Looking after quadruplets is a tall order for any

mother. Clearly, it would help if she could counter four, and there

is not enough milk for all those hungry mouths, so they are having

to take milk from a bottle. It is not as easy as it looks, because

you have got a tight hold of him. Mum is not win to have enough milk

or four, so we waltzed up feeding them like this, and on they goal.

This is special milk for the Lambs. It is not cow's milk. Andrew is

still busy with lambing. These two are just a few minutes old. The

excitement of being filmed by the BBC has proved too much for one of

the babies, but her brother, still Time now for the weather forecast.

We can start by looking at the strength of the wind. St Mary's, 64

mph. But close to South Devon we The strength of wind has whipped up

the sea. We sent Colin down to enjoy the brisk breeze on the coast,

and some outbreaks of rain. Best place for him, I reckon! Some big

waves. And if you are doing a ferry crossing there are sizable waves

through the English Channel and write down the South West coast.

That includes those heading out to do some surfing. We have a respite

with some dry weather because there is a whole developing out in the

cloud to the West. It is very brief because, very quickly, racing in

across the Atlantic is the next line of wet and windy weather. That

will arrive during the course of the day tomorrow. Some showers

tomorrow, and then into the early hours of Thursday morning, not

quite as windy into the early hours. Only briefly do we get some respite

from what is a very unsettled picture for the rest of this week.

Showers this evening and overnight, but between those, clear skies, so

becoming chilly. Getting down to as low as four Celsius. The showers

will stick -- will keep on coming. Temperatures down to four in a few

places. Tomorrow, some sun sign and showers. -- sunshine. Then we have

another batch of wet weather arriving. By evening it should

become quite wet again. Increasingly windy, South West wind,

steadily increasing, and 12 Celsius the highest temperature we can

expect. Some sunny spells for the Isles of Scilly. Then the rain

returning later. And at times of Now, surfing conditions have been

very challenging, stormy conditions on the south coast. When the wind

becomes suddenly tomorrow, the cleaner surf will be on the north

coast but big waves, becoming somewhat cleaner as we move through

the afternoon. The coastal waters forecast reflects the increasing

And a quick look at what is happening for the rest of this week.

On Friday, the best of the weather. A chilly start on Friday with a

possible early morning frost. Then some more wet weather quickly

approaching. Overnight into Saturday it becomes wet and windy

again, and at the start of the weekend we're back to square one,