20/12/2011 Spotlight

The seaside inferno. A derelict hotel in Torquay is destroyed by

fire. The Conway Court Hotel has denied

being demolished following fears it would collapse.

Also: On track for a price hike. Mixed reaction from passengers has

rail fares are set to rise by an average of 6% you cannot afford

fuel to get somewhere. Now you at cannot afford to get the train

either. If and why funding for this charity

will get dozens of people of the streets. If you can help people

quickly and get them into accommodation, they can get back on

their feet much quicker. A derelict hotel ravaged by fire in

Torquay last night is being demolished to stop it falling down

a cliff into the road below. Part of the seafront has been closed

after extensive damage was caused to the Conway Court Hotel.

Tonight in Torquay, along the front it is quiet. Normally, just before

Christmas, there would be cars and people are travelling along here.

The road has been closed. Be police have done this for safety. The fear

is that because of the fire last night, the building's remains could

collapse onto the road. This is how the events have unfolded.

It later this guy at one of Torquay's most prominent positions.

Hundreds of people came to watch. 80 via officers were fighting at

its peak. It was a difficult situation. What we are doing at the

moment is trying to halt the fire in place to protect the hotel and

the apartments next door. One side of the building was a drop

straight down to the seafront. The fire service now have the blaze

under control. Considering the size of the buyer, it was lucky that no-

one was hurt. People were evacuated from nearby properties in case it

was Fred. This morning, crews were dampening down. Neighbours still

could not return. There was banging and crashing. I assumed it was the

TV. Next thing, the police were knocking on our door telling us to

get out because there was a fire. The whole thing was blowing smoke

and flames. Investigators were examining the

scene to investigate why it started. It could be a rough sleeper at

making a fire to get warm. It was a derelict property. It could be that

somebody has deliberately set fire to the premises. Or it could be

accidental. For there is a fear that the

remains of the building could collapse onto the road. Contractors

moved in this afternoon to knocking down and make sure it is safe so

the road can be reopened. The demolition workers have moved into

night. This evening it is more about a preparatory work. Tomorrow,

the big machinery moves in. While this is going on, the road remains

closed. They have opened up the promenade say that pedestrians can

get through. Those going to the theatre this evening can get to see

their show. This is causing problems for Torquay. It is

difficult to get from one side of the town to the other. You have to

weave through some narrow lanes up and down hills to do so. Torbay

council say they are doing all they can to keep traffic moving.

Hopefully this road will be open soon.

We will have an update on that situation later on tonight.

Meanwhile, 40 firefighters are tackling a blaze at another hotel.

This is in North Devon at the Southcliffe Hotel in Ilfracombe.

The cause is unknown. It is thought half of the building has been

damaged by the fire. Some rail fares in South West are

going up by more than 8% in January. The Government decided to offer the

new operator of the Great Western Frenchay as a 15 year contract. A

current deal with First Group ends in 2013 with more than one year to

go. Passengers and politicians are demanding faster trains, less

overcrowding and better connections. Local MPs raised the issue of rail

travel in a debate in the Commons this morning. It comes as the Great

Western franchises up for renewal in 2013. It is an opportunity to

improve rail services in the South West. The West Country does not

stop at Bristol. Although Bristol is important, a lot of the West

Country is west of Bristol. Some of the glitter may be tarnished but

that -- by news that fares are to rise by an average of 6%. Some

increases will be higher. A ticket from Plymouth to London rises from

Commuters and season-ticket holders will be hit hardest. Passengers

today told me they accepted the increased. Gas and electricity have

gone up 20%, so compared to that it is not that much. Everything is

going up. Considering all my wages have gone down, it is bad enough

because you cannot afford fuel. They are now making it more

difficult to get the train. train operating companies claim

that price hikes are essential for the investment in infrastructure.

Rail campaigners are unconvinced. We fear that another year of

inflation and fare rises are will take us further away from the value

for money rail network that we all need to meet the economic

challenges we face. New fares come into effect on the 2nd January. A

consultation will begin in the New Year on the franchise renewal.

Tomorrow we will put your concerns about train services to First Great

Western. As you heard, lots of MPs are calling for improvements to our

trains. Will the Government invest in the Great Western franchise to

make this happen? In terms of seeing significance it

improvements to rail services, it is the only game in town. Business

is in the South West can only look on with envy at the plans to roll

out High Speed Rail links from London to Birmingham and eventually

to north-west and Scotland. Huge improvements are being made to the

Great Western line, but those infrastructure projects are

happening at the East End of that, Paddington, Reading, Swindon and

Bristol. Everything rests on the way the Government frames this

franchise and awards it. It is nearly the end of the

coalition's first full year in government. What has the region

gained from having all of its MPs in the two governing parties?

The obvious thing that stands side is the �50 reduction in water bills.

There were a lot of MPs lobbying behind the scenes and in Parliament

for that. The Chancellor mentioned it personally and Number Ten got

involved to push that through. It was the most radical solution. One

year ago, none of our MPs expected that to happen in that way. Leyburn

reminders that this is based on a suggestion which came at a major

review which they are implemented. They work it out of office before

they could make any final decision on it. Nonetheless, it was the

coalition which make that final decision.

What about challenges for the year ahead?

The really big challenge, as for the rest of the country, is the

economy. The Government has launched a lot of initiatives to

boost private enterprise. There will be further cuts in the public

sector. It is looking at closing the gap between public and private

sector pay. That could be significant in the South West. We

have a large pay gap between the two sectors. The Government are

also decided to go ahead with a pilot bicycles. Some people are

supporting that and some people are appalled. There will probably be a

legal challenge and protests in the New Year. Farmers will have to wait

for a widespread rolling out of that Carl. -- Cole.

The row over the new proposed constituency boundaries will roll-

on into the new year. Will we end up seeing the situation where an

account in shares an MP with people in Plymouth?

Thank you. Tomorrow, the boss of First Great Western will be with us

to answer your questions about train services. A charity which

helps the homeless in Exeter has been awarded �250,000 to help

people sleeping rough to get off the streets. St Petrock's is one of

90 organisations in England to be awarded the Government funding.

Being homeless is demanding. For many, it is not a choice. Friends

of mine cannot release let me stay at their houses all the time. By

about stately welcome. -- my welcome. He has been homeless for

10 years. Visiting St Petrock's has become a daily ritual after being

kicked out of his hostel in January. He says that accommodation in the

City is sparse. It is hard to find accommodation. When you do find

accommodation, they do not accept home as benefit. There's a long

waiting list to get into local hostels. Lucan regularly sleeps

rough. Is this way state last night? Yes. This is where I stay

most nights. White you stay here? To get away from the hustle and

bustle of town and all the drunks. You are safer down here. It is very

cold. It is warmer than most places. Warmer, perhaps, but not a long-

term solution. The aim of this new funding is to get help to homeless

people fast. The aim of the project is to prevent people from spending

a second night on the streets. It is about getting to people quicker,

getting out to more people. Targeted outreach, getting people

to access services so we can make full assessment of needs and get

people into accommodation quickly. While his new venture of selling

the Big Issue is going well, it is not enough to draw him off the

streets. He is one of 45 homeless people who depend on St Patrick's

for shelter and food. He will continue to sleep rough until more

provisions are available. Once In Royal David's City is the

carol from the Military Wives Choir at the end of the programme tonight.

Before that, selling off part of the Quantock Hills and the campaign

to keep it in public ownership. And we will reveal our Disabled

Sportsperson of the Year. Dave Gibbins went to Manchester to

present the award. More than 500 foster carers will be

needed in the South West next year. The Fostering Network says that

without extra families, children could end of living a long way from

their home, their siblings or school. Local councils are stepping

up their recruitment campaigns. Somerset has 250 carers at the

moment. It plans to find in other 50 next year. Plymouth City Council,

with 145 carers, wants to recruit what -- 25 a year for the next

three years. Devon has to find another 30 years -- canoe -- carers

in 2012. Our reporter has been to Putting away the Tories is

something that this lady is used to. She has been a foster carer for 16

years. If you have a little child to comes into your house who is

frightened, has never been able to play or been booked after or fed

properly, and we see them blossom within a short time, it is very

rewarding. But there is a desperate shortage of people like this. The

south-west needs 550 foster carers next year. We have a lot more

children coming into care at the moment, some of that as a result of

a happened with the baby Peter incident. And also a large number

of foster carers who are retiring or choosing not to carry on. And

that number is not being replaced by new people coming forward.

Devon there are 400 children in foster care and to cater for that

number at the authority needs to find their denude foster families

every year. Everyone is suitable to be a foster carer, they could be

single, married, employed or unemployed. We also accept same-sex

couples, absolutely anyone. They just need a willingness to help.

Foster carers receive allowances for looking after children. In view

of will this woman has given a home to more than 50 and for her it has

never been about money. It you can give a child those few months of

consistency, love and care, then you have given them a good start in

life. Now you may remember that earlier

this year the government had to abandon its plan to sell off a

number of our forests because so many people objected. Well, now the

BBC's learnt that Somerset County Council is planing to sell some

woods and moorland it owns - many of which are in Areas of

Outstanding Natural Beauty. Spotlight's Hamish Marshall reports.

The Quan top hills are loved by walkers, cyclists and horse-riders.

But Somerset County Council has put almost to a 1000 acres up for sale.

It is a mixture of woodland and open moorland. Footpaths would stay

open to the public that members of a local charity are angry. They're

worried that the land would not be managed properly if it was in

private hands. Some things are just for the good of the public and the

land here is. This area is currently leased by the Forestry

Commission which says it is interested in buying it. But we

have seen council reviews of more than 30 parcels of land. A number

of those could be sold to private owners. We own a lot of things that

I suppose in this day and age, we would it not really want to own. We

still have massive debt, so to get any income from the sale of these

assets would help towards building a new schools. People have until

this Friday to comment on the first bits of land up for sale.

Campaigners are promising a fight to keep Somerset's hills public.

The Government is to take over Cornwall's Wave Hub project at the

start of the New Year. Until now the offshore marine energy scheme

has been run by the South West regional development agency which

is being wound up. The hub was set up last year to allow developers to

test new wave energy technology. So far it's not been used.

The UK Borders Agency says it'll continue a crackdown on illegal

immigrants in the South West after nearly 200 people were found

working here illegally in the first nine months of the year. It says

it's been tracking them down at a rate of more than five a week in

Devon and Cornwall. The agency says all the illegal workers have now

been removed from the country. More than 4,000 jobs have gone at

councils across Devon as a result of cost cutting. In March 2009,

18,500 people worked for the county's local authorities. That's

now dropped to just 14,000, which is a fall of almost 20 percent.

Many of the jobs have now been taken over by private sector

companies. These are not easy times for

businesses and since the downturn began in 2008, we've been following

the fortunes of three south west firms to see how they've coped with

the difficult trading conditions. The businesses included a bed and

breakfast, a garage conversion firm, and a restaurant. We've been back

to see how they're getting on - starting with Derek Braithwaite's

B&B in Looe. Our business correspondent Neil Gallacher

reports. Another Christmas, another late

Keri to end to his dear. This bed and breakfast has been busy with

three years of constant growth. But there is a catch. What we are

facing is that although we're getting more repeat visitors, we

are getting more people to stay with us, we're finding that the

profit margins are shrinking as the bills go up. Mainly utility bills,

that is the real killer. One of the first things Derek learnt is how

hands on it is to run your own business. Literally knocking down

walls to create new rooms. In January last year his confidence

was growing as the nation seemed to discover that stay at home holiday.

Would she have to do in this business is keep Updating. The

advantage for people like us is that people stop going abroad. It

was too expensive, too much hassle, too many security checks. It was

easier to get on the train and make the journey down here. This year

Derek is converting an office to a small bedroom which has brought in

more staying guests. But not that much more profit. Our problem is we

cannot pass it on to the customer. We live in a massively competitive

business. I have to look at what competitors in the west of Cornwall

are charging. We have to keep upping our game and that is where

the margins keep shrinking. still building the business, but in

his own words, possibly running to stand still.

And tomorrow we'll be with Robert Wood, seeing how his garage

conversion business is performing during the economic downturn.

Time now for the next BBC South West Sports Award for 2011. Tonight,

it's the disabled sportsperson of the year and Dave Gibbins has been

to Manchester to present the trophy to a Cornish paralympic swimmer who

just keeps on winning. We're here at the Manchester

aquatic Centre, home of the Great Britain Paralympic swimming team.

The venue for the Commonwealth Games as well. It has been a record

breaking year for Jonathan Fox from Cornwall. He has won gold at the

European parallel big championships in Berlin, twice. -- Paralympic.

For the second year running you have the BBC south-west disabled

sports person of the year award for 2011. Well done. Thank you very

much. Thanks to everyone at home. It is a long way from her will all

the way to Manchester but I would like to thank all my family and

friends who have stuck up for me. And hopefully you will see me in

the 20 told Paralympic Games. there pressure and you too will --

to win a gold medal? And would not say pressure, but I am hungry for

it. Hull is the training going? It's really, really hard. I have

been to a competition this weekend and from now until February it will

be the hardest training for 2012. Have a lovely Christmas, or the

best in 2012. And congratulations on winning the award.

Coming up in a moment, the latest Carroll for Christmas from the

military wives choir. But first a military wives choir. But first a

look at the weather. Just a token snowflake is aware

been to seek! The mild air is already sweeping in. The mild theme

continues right through the Christmas period. The reason for

that is that big gap in the cloud down here. That is an area of high

pressure which is slow moving. So we will see some pretty good

temperatures. One weather system moves out of the way tonight and

then it much of the day tomorrow is bright and dry but rather cloudy.

The wet weather will be turning up on Friday. Looking at that in more

detail, those brighter colours coming through. So the range this

CD is light and patchy but then tonight becoming quite heavy

especially after midnight for the time. That introduces much more

mild air but quite humoured. Overnight temperatures no lower

than perhaps seven or eight degrees. So tomorrow morning we have a

drizzly start. Quite a bit of a hill fog as well. Into the

afternoon, at some breaks developing in the cloud. That will

allow him sunshine to come through in the afternoon. Quite a few

degrees above what we would normally expect to see it this time

of year. A dry day in the Isles of Scilly. Last week we had some

really big waves. Many people did not even go in the water. This week

it is quieter. Still a little choppy, however. So taking a look

at the forecast all the way through to Christmas Eve. It is a dry story

apart from Friday. On Thursday we have cloud for much of the day.

Friday We have a cold front coming in which will introduce some rain

around the middle of the day. And behind that, showers and clearer

skies. Christmas Eve at the moment looks dry, cloudy and temperatures

of nine or 10 degrees. If you are travelling out of the region, go to

be a sea's new weather site to find be a sea's new weather site to find

information for your region. That's it from us tonight, we'll

leave you with the Military Wives choir. Their latest carol for

Spotlight is Once in Royal David's City. Good night.

# Once in royal David's city, Stood a lowly cattle shed.

# Where a mother laid her Baby, In a manger for His bed.

# Mary was that mother mild, Jesus Christ, her little Child.

# He came down to earth from heaven, Who is God and Lord of all.