17/02/2012 Spotlight


17/02/2012

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Members of Devon and Somerset fire authority vote to give themselves a

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25 percent pay rise and put up council tax. It is grossly out of

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order and contentious. It is almost like the bankers. Good evening, The

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Devon and Cornwall Police authority has also voted to put up council

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tax. We'll have a full report on today's contentious budget

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decisions. Also tonight. Volunteers who save lives. The

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first responders who say cuts to the NHS are putting them under

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increasing pressure. And Damien Hirst, the controversial

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artist behind this, wants to build environmentally friendly homes in

:00:49.:00:59.
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North Devon. Council tax bills will be going up across most of the

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region as the the governing bodies which oversee two of the emergency

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services have been setting their budgets for the coming year.

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Controversially, the Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Authority

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have voted to increase their allowances by 25%.

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That's on top of a decision today to increase their share of the

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council tax bill by 3%. The Police Authority in Devon and Cornwall is

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also increasing its part of the bill by 2% despite an offer of a

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grant from the Government which would enable them to freeze their

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bills. Our Home Affairs Correspondent Simon Hall joins us

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now from Exeter. Simon. At this time of austerity, it is no

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surprise that the way they emergency services spend their

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budget is under scrutiny. But at Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue

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today, what was a surprise was the issue of expenses. A surprise and

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rather more than that. This is about the front line in

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fire-fighting. Today, the politics behind the bravery. The decision to

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put allowances for everyone in this room up by 25%. It was called

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obscene by one member. I think it is grossly out of order. It is

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going to be very contentious. And heavily criticised by the public.

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It is 25%, which is a huge allowance. It is behaving like the

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bankers. Disgusting and unfair says that the union. We appreciate the

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fact that they work hard, but so do the employees of the fire service.

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Fire fighters go out there a protect life and to fight fires.

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They have not had anything more than a 1% pay increase this year.

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Next a decision on whether to race there but of the council tax. The

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coalition government did not want them to and offered them a one of

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financial incentive. But the authority said that would only help

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this year I caused problems ahead. So kinds of tax goes up 3%. -- so

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council tax. If this offer is taken now, there will have to be a bigger

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hike next year. We are tried to be innovative for this year.

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authority says it is becoming more commercially minded and hopes one

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day to be the first of free of charge fire authority in the

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country. Unprecedented scenes as the police authority met and

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initially failed to set a budget. That prompted a warning of

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financial meltdown unless a compromise could be found.

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Devon & Cornwall Police are again poor team controversy -- courting

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controversy. The number of officers is expected to remain as 700, at a

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cost to council tax payers. The police authority decided to reject

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a one off Government grant which would have frozen his chair of the

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council tax. All other police authorities and the South West have

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accepted the ground. Instead, Devon and Cornwall's portion of council

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tax bills will rise by 2%. Had we taken the 3% tax freeze for next

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year only, there would not have been an adverse impact next year.

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But for every you subsequently, the police service would have been a �3

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million worse off, which would have affected for a line police officers.

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Today's meeting was initially deadlocked. An emergency budget had

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to be drawn up. It means that everybody in Devon and Cornwall

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will have to pay something towards an increase in council tax. With

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the current pressures on everybody's budget, even the small

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amount we are talking about here is something that will be noticed by

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people. It means we are still in an area of a larger reduction of

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police officers. We are still looking at a reduction of 700. The

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police authority could have cushion do that slightly by 60 or 70 not

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having to go. Senior officers say levels of neighbourhood policing

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should be maintained. They had feared they levels would be damaged

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in future years. And more headlines to come for Devon and Cornwall

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police. They have to find a new chief constable. Then in November,

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election for commissioners. More days of prominence in the

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headlines to come. Well, soon after the police

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authority agreed the council tax rise I asked the Chief Constable

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Stephen Otter what it would mean for Devon and Cornwall Police.

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means a 2% increase which allows us to continue with the plan that we

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haven't place and maintain our service. I am very pleased with the

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result of this. It was a difficult decision for the police authority.

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By building this increase into our base budget, it means it is a

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sustainable increase over a long period of time which means that we

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will end up with a broadly similar number of police officers. For

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effectively a three pound a year increase, I think this is a good

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deal. That means that people will be paying more, but still be

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getting less from Devon & Cornwall Police. If we were not see him that

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extra -- if we were not see him that extra, I was seriously

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concerned that their neighbourhood policing or approach that we

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currently have that would be under great threat. These cuts are

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significant as they are, but to have even more cuts over the next

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four years was good to be a very difficult issue for us. -- was

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going to be. The very visible major or policing would have been

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diminished so much that the police would have notice a very

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significant difference. You wanted to something like 4%. That is not

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the case. I did not say that I wanted 4%. That was one of the

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options other police authority are looked at. I wanted a budget that

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was sustainable moving forward. This gives as that, that ability to

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plan for the future. It is a difficult time for all of the

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public sector. It does not take away from the fact that the we need

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to make say that then cuts, but it is achievable. -- we have to make

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significant cuts. My concern was that if we did have a freeze on

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council tax, although we might have had the money in next year's budget,

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we would have lost up money for ever after that. That would have

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been a significant consequence for policing.

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For more on this we're joined now by our Political editor Martyn

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Oates. Martyn, this is a local government matter, but ministers

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have got very strong views on it, haven't they?

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That is an understatement. The government does not dispute the

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fact that taking Dumfries money will make it difficult for councils

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and police authorities to base their financial planning on

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inexorable increase in council tax over the next few years. Eric

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Pickles said it was ludicrous for them to the use that argument to

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justify not taking the money. He said they were missing the point.

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:09:56.:09:57.

The whole idea of the phrase was to take councils... Take the money and

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get your base down. Recognise that you population probably has not had

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an increase in their salary this year, so short some respect to the

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population and stop trying to grab money from hard-pressed families.

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We have already heard from the police and fire authorities who

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argue that increased council tax is essential to maintain essential

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services. We have this black hole after one year when the freeze it

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disappears. How do we felt that black hole? -- how do we felt that

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black hole? We have cut our services so much that we have

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pretty much have taken all the efficiency savings they can find.

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:10:59.:11:01.

Having decided to put council tax up, the councillors will now have

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to face Minister's in Whitehall accusing them of kicking the

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taxpayer in the teeth. Volunteers who provide life saving

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care before an ambulance arrives have told BBC Spotlight they are

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coming under increasing pressure because of cuts to the NHS. There

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are more than 600 first responders across the south west. They're

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often first on the scene in rural areas and drastically improve a

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patient's chances of survival. Emma Thomasson reports from Salcombe.

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This lady knows more than most how vital first responders can be.

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She says she owes her life to them after having her first big asthma

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attack. I was gasping for breath. It is very, very frightening. I

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cannot tell you how frightening it is. It is really reassuring to know

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someone is coming to you quickly. Her husband trained to become a

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volunteer first responder himself after realising how vital the early

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intervention can be. We had to wait 35 minutes for the ambulance. Since

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I have been doing first responder, it can be anything from 10 minutes

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to 45 minutes before the ambulance gets there. They can have to come

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from Plymouth, Torbay. We have two here, but if they are both out, we

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take pot luck. Tim works with two others work on Salcombe Peninsula.

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This week, I went out and I said, the ambulance is only 10 minutes

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behind me. Then I got a call on my pager saying there was an incident

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that was more urgent. Therefore, I was waiting 45 minutes for an

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ambulance. In April, there will only be two ambulances instead of

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three covering a 24 hour period. But they will have the backup of a

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paramedic response car for 10 hours a day. Having a car, it is less

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likely to be out of the area transporting people to and from

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hospital. It is more likely to remain in the area and they will be

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more likely to respond quicker. first responder team fears about

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the demand on their services will continue to be high and they are

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now hoping more volunteers will come forward to help provide life-

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saving care come day or night. You're watching Spotlight from the

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BBC. Thanks for joining us. Still ahead.

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Home is where the art is. Damien Hirst's eco plans for Ilfracombe.

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And the youngsters whose dancing is strictly for Twickenham.

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Pendennis Shipyard in Falmouth, which specialises in superyachts,

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is about to begin the mammoth task of whittling down hundreds of

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applications for 12 apprenticeships. For the lucky dozen, it could well

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be a passport to the sort of highly skilled career many people no

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longer associate with Britain. Our business correspondent Neil

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Gallacher reports. 360 people work at Pendennis Shipyard and nearly a

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third have come through the yard's own apprenticeship scheme.

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They have a dozen places on a new intake starting this August. An

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open evening was packed with people all knowing that the shipyard will

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be very choosy. It is important we train people who are enthusiastic

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about getting better because we are always pushed in technology. Even

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something like plumbing is advancing. Every product we do has

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a different set of priorities and specifications. Those who make the

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grade will be practically minded people with initiative who probably

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are not set on going to university. The present apprentices are on hand

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to show their experiences. I did not want to go to university and

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this was before the fees rise. I wanted to learn and be paid at the

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same time. It is right on my doorstep in Falmouth as well.

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apprentices will get training as well from the college. We are

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giving specific skills which is important for Pendennis Shipyard as

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a business. The standard of their paint finishing is of such

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importance to them and that is something we really major in. What

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do the would-be apprentices think of that? I've been interested in

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entering since I was little. think the opportunity to work on

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the super yacht is phenomenal. First year apprentices are paid

:15:57.:16:01.

�110 a week. But that rises as they go through the scheme. In a few

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years, they could end up with skills that are in demand worldwide.

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Sport now and success stories to report on!

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Exeter Chiefs are aiming high in rugby's Premiership. They're on the

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brink of the top four and that brings end-of-season play offs for

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the title along with a European Heineken Cup berth. They go to

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Wasps tomorrow intent on claiming a hat-trick of wins against the next-

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to-bottom side. The Chiefs have already taken care of them in the

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Premiership and in the Anglo-Welsh Cup.

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We have to show we are at an ambitious club. If the players what

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Heineken Cup will be, to play in big games, they have to be highly

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motivated what ever the opposition. The top attraction in rugby's

:16:54.:16:56.

Championship is undoubtedly at the Mennaye Field in Penzance where

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second meet top on Sunday. The Cornish Pirates are out to put one

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over leaders Bristol to whom they lost at the Memorial Stadium,

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despite leading 33-17. At the Brickfields, Plymouth Albion play

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their final home match against Nottingham before the relegation

:17:11.:17:18.

play-offs begin in March. Torquay United could go clear at

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the top of League Two if they overcome Bradford City at Plainmoor

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tomorrow. Martin Ling's unstoppable team chalked up their seventh

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straight win on Tuesday night with a single goal win at Cheltenham. It

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took them up to third on level points with Southend and the

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Gloucestershire club. On their current form, they should attract

:17:36.:17:43.

bigger crowds to Plainmoor. The people that come and have been

:17:43.:17:47.

prevent, let's make that clear. They are vocal, a brilliant set of

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:17:57.:18:04.

supporters. In terms of numbers, we are only averaging 2600. We cannot

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change that, we cannot make people come in through the gate.

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The rest of the South West League teams have relegation problems to

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contend with. Exeter City strive to find the form which beat Sheffield

:18:19.:18:22.

Wednesday last weekend for the visit of Bury to Devon. Yeovil Town

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could move further away from trouble by beating Colchester at

:18:25.:18:28.

Huish Park. Plymouth Argyle attempt to stay out of League Two's

:18:28.:18:32.

relegation spots with a good result at Accrington Stanley.

:18:32.:18:34.

Cornwall's World and National track pursuit champion Wendy Houvenahgel

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is among Britain's elite cyclists at this weekend's World Cup in

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London's new Olympic Velodrome. It's classed as a test event for

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:18:50.:18:51.

the Games with Wendy at the forefront of expectations.

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In Cornwall's quite and narrow country lanes, Wendy Houvenahgel

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can think about her bed to win a gold medal in July. She is getting

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used it to the new Olympic facility in London where the former dental

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surgeon is trying to perfect her strengths of. Endurance is my main

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background. That bodes well for the second half of the race. With the

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Olympic format, there are three rounds to take part in. Last year

:19:24.:19:31.

was a golden for Wembley. -- last year was Golden for Wendy

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:19:42.:19:46.

Houvenahgel. But she knows that an Olympic gold is the ultimate aim.

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expect them we will do well in London. -- I expect that we will do

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well in London and I do not think that any of us will be satisfied if

:19:58.:20:03.

we do not get that gold medal. she succeeds, it will be at the

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London velodrome where dreams are made.

:20:07.:20:10.

Buckfastleigh is the location for this Sunday's point-to-point racing

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in the South West. There's a total of 150 entries with under-starters

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orders at 12 noon. Lovely, thank you.

:20:19.:20:22.

While many of you are limbering up for this year's Sport Relief, a

:20:23.:20:25.

group of school children from Somerset is gearing up for the

:20:25.:20:28.

performance of a lifetime. Around 80 pupils from schools in the

:20:28.:20:31.

Bridgwater area have been chosen to dance at the Premiership rugby

:20:31.:20:33.

final at Twickenham later this year. Spotlight's Andy Breare has been

:20:34.:20:41.

watching them rehearse. Half-term has been a bit different

:20:41.:20:45.

for the Somerset pupils. Every day, six hours of intense choreography

:20:45.:20:50.

ahead of their appearance at Twickenham in front of more than

:20:51.:20:55.

80,000 at rugby fans. From small beginnings with Law League football

:20:55.:21:00.

shows and things like that, we were taking these young people from

:21:00.:21:10.
:21:10.:21:10.

Bridgwater to the biggest rugby stadium in the world. The dance

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will be led by a TV star. That adrenalin rush when you are

:21:19.:21:24.

standing in the tunnel with all those children behind you. 82,000

:21:24.:21:31.

people. But they will be supporting you, right behind you. More than

:21:31.:21:35.

400 Bridgwater pupils auditioned with just 80 been chosen. They

:21:35.:21:42.

cannot wait to entertain the crowds. We have put in a lot of effort, but

:21:42.:21:51.

it has been worth it. It is just the feel at Twickenham, the stadium,

:21:51.:22:00.

it is just electric. Which side eventually left some the coveted

:22:00.:22:10.
:22:10.:22:11.

trophy at the end of May remains to be seen. But they are hoping to

:22:11.:22:16.

raise a quarter of a million pounds between them for Sport Relief. To

:22:16.:22:22.

find out how you can get involved, log on to that BBC website.

:22:22.:22:24.

He's been called Britain's most successful and controversial artist.

:22:24.:22:27.

But now the King of BRIT-art is turning his atttention to something

:22:27.:22:31.

much closer to home. The man who brought us pickled

:22:31.:22:33.

sheep and sharks is moving into property development in North Devon,

:22:34.:22:43.
:22:44.:22:51.

as our Environment Correspondent It is his subversive creativity

:22:51.:22:56.

which has made Damien Hirst a house of them. He is Britain's most

:22:56.:23:03.

renowned, or outrageous, artist. But now he has been linked with

:23:03.:23:08.

plans to develop an eco chic settlement of around 800 homes on

:23:08.:23:17.

the out -- the outskirts of Ilfracombe. What do visitors and

:23:17.:23:21.

residents think? He is the one who keeps sheep them bottles in his

:23:21.:23:30.

fridge. I think he could definitely add to the area. Could he bring

:23:30.:23:36.

something to the whole thing? Probably, yes. No, I do not think

:23:36.:23:44.

so at all. Ilfracombe's landmark theatre shows that the town has not

:23:44.:23:49.

been afraid to experiment with architecture in the past. But

:23:49.:23:59.
:23:59.:23:59.

people here today want it all to be built it to the highest standards.

:23:59.:24:04.

We bent to the field with the hope Damien Hirst can sprinkle some

:24:04.:24:14.
:24:14.:24:19.

artistic Stardust. A lot of people... I see this as very much

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part of Ilfracombe. Eco homes come and all -- come in all shapes and

:24:27.:24:31.

sizes, but what Damien Hirst is planning is still open to

:24:31.:24:35.

speculation. Time for the weather forecast now.

:24:35.:24:45.
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What can we expect? It is another cloudy and mild night

:24:51.:25:01.
:25:01.:25:03.

for tonight. We have had I pressure with us for a week -- high pressure

:25:03.:25:09.

with us for a week, but that is getting squeezed away. Rain to come

:25:09.:25:12.

first thing tomorrow morning. It is a fine start initially tomorrow,

:25:12.:25:22.
:25:22.:25:29.

but a lot of cloud and quite breezy. We have had some drizzle today. Our

:25:29.:25:34.

cameraman has been out to capture some of the breaks in that cloud

:25:34.:25:39.

however. People have been out and about enjoying the Nice calmer

:25:39.:25:49.
:25:49.:25:50.

weather. It has been feeling quite spring-like at times. Tonight,

:25:50.:25:55.

mired again. Some clear skies for the first half of tonight. Thicker

:25:55.:26:05.
:26:05.:26:09.

cloud moving in during the second half of the night. A fairly cloudy

:26:09.:26:14.

start tomorrow. Rain just starting to creep into the north coast. We

:26:14.:26:18.

will all see some wet weather as that rain band makes its way across

:26:18.:26:24.

the region. Some fairly squally rain for a time, gusty winds. The

:26:24.:26:27.

wind will become more north- westerly for a time. Once that rain

:26:27.:26:31.

clears, we will all see some sunshine by the end of the day.

:26:31.:26:33.

Temperatures peaking at 10 degrees. For the Isles of Scilly, some rain

:26:33.:26:43.
:26:43.:27:09.

For the outlook. Sunday looks like being the best day of the weekend.

:27:09.:27:19.
:27:19.:27:20.

It will be a much cooler day. But after a glimpse of winter on Sunday,

:27:20.:27:25.

we are back to milder conditions on Monday. Mild but damp conditions on

:27:25.:27:30.

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