30/01/2014 Spotlight

The chief executive who appointed her daughter's boyfriend as a

manager ` an employment tribunal issues a damning judgment.

Good evening. Welcome to Spotlight. Torbay Hospital has been described

as dishonest and manipulating over the affair. Tonight the Chairman has

resigned. We'll look at where the verdict leaves some of its most

senior figures. The armed forces and firefighters

will try and alleviate the distress caused by the recent bad weather.

And accident investigators reveal details of the speedboat crash that

killed a TV executive and his daughter in the Camel Estuary.

One of the region's hospitals is in disarray tonight, following damning

criticism of its handling of a whistle`blowing case and the

subsequent resignation of its chairman. An Employment Tribunal

found Torbay Hospital had acted in an astonishing way, with a dishonest

attempt to suppress the findings of a report into the issue. The

judgment also contained serious criticism of the hospital's Chief

Executive, Paula Vasco`Knight ` a prominent national figure in the NHS

` saying she breached important guidelines. Our correspondent Simon

Hall reports. After a two year fight, Penny Gates

and Clare Sardari have been vindicated. They turned

whistle`blowers, accusing their chief executive of nepotism and

favouritism in giving her daughter's boyfriend a job.

An Employment Tribunal has now found they were victimised for their

actions. Claire and I are absolutely

thrilled. It's great for us, in terms of having told our story at

the hearing, to have the judge reflect back everything we said. We

are thrilled with what he has written. I think the judge was very

perceptive will stop I don't think you needed to be perceptive, because

all of the information was there. It must have been easy for him to

make that judgement. The Tribunal's findings are damning

for Torbay hospital and its two most senior executives. It concluded the

hospital had made an astonishing and dishonest attempt to manipulate the

investigation into the women's claims, accuse them of malice to

suppress the report and mislead others about its contents. About

Chief Executive Dr Paula Vasco`Knight, the tribunal said she

should have disclosed her relationship with her daughter's

boyfriend to the recruitment panel which she was on. That, the tribunal

said, was a breach of NHS guidelines and recruitment policy. And of the

hospital's chairmen, Peter Hildrew ` the tribunal found some of his

evidence ludicrous, and much of it quite simply incredible and plainly

wrong. This afternoon he resigned, in a statement saying: I am truly

sorry for damaging the hospital's reputation.

I think if you have values and principles, you have to stick by

them. Sometimes, that means you have to stand up to the organisation in

order to address these things. The tribunal will now hold a remedy

hearing, to determine what compensation the women should be

awarded. Both have left the NHS. No one from Torbay Hospital would be

interviewed. A statement said they are considering their judgement with

legal advisers. They are calling a board meeting to discuss the report

in detail. After weeks of being ignored `

suddenly the Somerset Levels find themselves at the heart of a

political and military operation to roll back the flood waters.

Yesterday, the Prime Minister took personal charge of the situation `

and he sent in the army and the marines! Scott Ellis reports.

Not here in force ` but now taking a closer look at the floods around

Muchelney. Two Royal Engineers ` attached to the Royal Marines.

Supporting Somerset County Council ` if flood victims need more help.

We have boats, we have bridging. After driving around today, you

don't really get to the extent of how big a task it is until you can

download yourself. There are 100 commandos based in

Taunton on stand`by to help. But all this was declared a major incident

zone almost a week ago. Residents are wondering why all the fuss now.

We are managing quite well now. It's just gone on too long.

But you wouldn't say no to military help?

I wouldn't know how to say no. More rain and high tides are on the

way. And more high volume pumps ` ten of them. The Fire Service are

also bringing in two hovercraft ` and more four by 4s.

The military can bring a very quick response, with additional resources

should we require them. We are very comfortable with the resources that

we have in place. While everyone gears up for another

wet weekend ` the area's drainage baord published a new report. It

maps out what action they think needs to be taken to improve

drainage on the Somerset levels in future years. Top of the list `

dredging the rivers Parrett and Tone. But aslo measures to slow and

reduce water run off further up. There is a need for a sluice gate

below Bridgwater to hold back the tides. Finally, they admit that the

most vulnerable households will have to reloacte.

Eagle may need help to become more resilient. It will need to adapt. ``

at the end of the day, people may need help.

The scale of dredging will be enormous. 200`thousands tonnes of

earth and silt will have to be moved. And no decsion yet on who'll

pay the majority of the ?4 million estimated costs.

There is the amusement here this evening, and anger at the fact that

there have been more mixed messages, more promises, more

changes. Let's rewind ` last night the Environment Secretary came out

of a meeting and said we will have military specialist vehicles on the

street in Somerset, within 24 hours. This evening, having looked

at the situation, the military don't think they are needed on the streets

of Somerset. People who thought help was about to arrive, are now being

told that it isn't required. The military is on stand`by, and will

react if we get more flooding over the weekend. But people here just

wants to know what is happening. He was in control? Is its national

government? Local government? Who is calling the shots?

Well, this has been one of the wettest Januarys on record.

David's here with more details. Just how wet has it been, and how does it

compare to other Januarys? We know, generally, from December

through to the last couple of days, we've had twice the rainfall we

normally expect to see. That's in two combined months. Across central,

southern and south`east England, it is being recorded as the wettest

January since records were started. The records go back to 1910. For us,

it's the fifth wettest January so far. We've got until the end of the

month ` and we have some more rain coming tomorrow, so that's going to

add up as well. The sort of rainfall we are talking about, is an average

of around 230 millimetres of rain, widely across the south of England

for January. But it's quite a few locations, and we've had several

e`mails about this. Tony Newman has recorded over half a metre of rain

in the months of January and December. It's a phenomenal amount

of wet weather. Similarly, Nick hasn't recorded quite as much, but

it's 180 millimetres or so. Twice what anyone would expect to see. In

Dorset, Peter says he's had 190 millimetres of rain ` a lot more

than we would expect to see. We know the Somerset Levels have had some of

the highest rainfall levels, but we haven't got the official statistics

of how wet it's been. We won't get those until the first couple of days

in February. We are getting very used to seeing

these amber triangles. Can we expect more of those this weekend?

Yes, we have another warning for heavy rain, particularly for the

Somerset Levels, but widely across the South West. We are looking at

another inch of rain. Additionally, we are also expecting some very high

tides, and there could be a risk of coastal flooding. The strength of

winds on Saturday could build the water up through the English

Channel. It is something we are watching very carefully for.

What about the long`term forecast? It says unsettled, so expect a very

windy weekend. Next week, there is more rain ahead in the forecast as

far as I can see. Accidents investigators have

revealed that a senior TV executive and his young daughter were killed

by their out of control speedboat, after he suddenly took over the

steering from his wife. Nick Milligan, eight year old Emily and

four other members of the family were thrown out of the boat into the

Camel Estuary as he tried to make a fast turn.The accident report said

no`one on the boat was wearing a kill cord, which could have stopped

the boat's engine. Eleanor Parkinson reports.

This chilling video shows the Milligans speedboat out of control

with no one on board. Today, the official accident report gives an

account of what happened in the seconds leading up to this moment.

The boat was being steered by Victoria Milligan, who was making a

wide turn before one last run. Her husband became concerned by how

close they were to the beach, and leaned over and took the wheel. He

then accelerated to make a tighter, faster turn. The back of the boat

lifted up, and the whole family were thrown into the water. The boat

carried on circling around the family. Nick Milligan and his

daughter Emily were killed. Two other family members were seriously

injured. To have anybody in the water around

a boat of that size and speed is going to be a risky business. To

have that number of people in the water ` at that point, everyone

realised how serious the situation had become.

The Milligans had both done a powerboat course, but were not aware

of the dangers of turning a high`powered boat at speed. The boat

was also fitted with a kill cord, which cuts out the engine if the

skipper falls overboard. But neither adult was wearing the device. It was

also revealed that Nick Milligan had had a glass of wine at lunch,

although, he was well within the drink drive limit.

I'd like leisure boat users to take away three lessons. Try to remain in

control of the boat as far as possible. Know your own limitations,

know the boat's limitations. Make sure that the crew and passengers

are securely seated. Particularly, if you are travelling at high speed

or manoeuvring. Finally, make sure that the driver is wearing a kill

cord, so that if the driver is thrown away from the helm, the

engine will stop. A kill cord looks like a red cord

hanging off the main control box. To kill the engine, it would come off

with the person driving, and the engine will stop.

Milligan family say they've lost a loved one. Emily's life was just

beginning will stop If you've just joined us ` hello, welcome to the

programme tonight with Natalie Cornah and Simon Clemison.

Still to come: Beating the bulge ` Devon could triple its spend on

obesity in schoolchildren. Environmental campaigners are

calling on the authorities to do more testing of the air quality near

new incinerators in Exeter, Plymouth and Cornwall which will start

burning waste soon. They say it's important to gather

data NOW to see how it compares once the plants are fully operating but

the Environment Agency disagrees. Our Environment Correspondent Adrian

Campbell reports. Dr David Santillo from the

Greenpeace Laboratories in Exeter is using a very sensitive but

relatively cheap monitor to measure air quality. We asked him to carry

out a spot check on the number of microscopic particles in the air

close to the new incinerator being built at Marsh Barton before it

starts burning rubbish and producing electricity.

The incinerator will be an additional source of pollution. The

people of Exeter have a right to know how significant a burden that

will be. We need to get good baseline data now, before it starts

to operate. Microscopic particles called pm2.5s

can lodge within our lungs causing cancer and heart disease. Most of

these pm 2.5's are related to vehicle emissions but with more

incineration of our rubbish scientists at the greenpeace

laboratories say they're concerned about ANY further increase in

particulates which might worsen air quality.

The company building the plant says it's designed to meet standards

which are closely monitored by the Environment Agency will stop

emissions from the plants are continuing to be monitored. That

data is available online. It will be available for people to look at as

it occurs. The Environment Agency does have rights of entry at all

times, and have made both planned and unplanned visits as they choose.

The Environment Agency insists there's no need to test the

background air quality around incinerators beofre they're

oprating. It says it will closely monitor what comes out of the stack

but from there it's somebody elses responsibility.

If local authorities choose to add additional monitors, that's fine. We

are very confident that the emissions from this incinerator are

meeting such high standards that we don't think there will be very much

impact on the total emissions that we are exposed to.

Exeter's new incinerator will be operating within months so time is

running out for any extra testing of air quality.

A scheme to help people save money on domestic heating oil is

celebrating its second birthday. The Devon Oil Collective says it has

already saved its members tens of thousands of pounds. And the not for

profit organisation that runs it is hoping more people will sign up.

Scott Bingham reports. Like many people living in the

countryside, Rob Ingram depends on oil to heat his home. There's no

mains gas in this part of rural North Devon He joined Devon Oil

Collective two yeasr ago and has already saved more than ?600

compared to the highest market price.

It's a no`brainer. My tank holds 2500 litres. I only put in 500 at

any time, because the prices vary from month to month. It makes sense

not to sell it in case the price gets. That's the point ` collecting

power at the lowest price allows these savings to be passed on.

There's been quite a bit of interest. I hope it will grow,

because its power in numbers. The number... More people on board, the

more pressure we can apply to the suppliers.

Since the scheme launched, many have signed up. They have collectively

purchased 850,000 litres of oil, and think they have saved ?37,000 on the

average market price. Are you surprised that more people haven't

signed up? Yes, because there's no catch. Maybe

the membership fee, which is ?24, could be a deterrent. But if you

don't make that living in a year, we'll give you the money back.

Businesses such as pubs and farms are now being invited to sign up.

Earlier, I spoke to our consumer affairs expert Peter Shears and

asked him what he though of the scheme.

I think it's brilliant. People getting together, people saving

money. It can't be wrong. If it's so good, why aren't more

people taking it up? Because it's new. The idea isn't new

` for example, the Which? Organisation helped 30,000 people

change electricity and gas suppliers, a year or so ago. They're

all saving ?200`300 each. Are there any catches at all?

No. It really is as good as it looks. If

people keep their eyes open, and see if they can be part of one of these

corporate entities, it's very good. If that isn't for some people, how

else can customers save themselves money on fuel prices?

Speak to your current supplier. Make sure you're on the best tariff for

you. They're all having to reduce their tariffs to only four. Within a

couple of months, they will have to tell you whether you're on the

cheapest one. Make sure you're paying by direct debit. They'll give

you discounts for that, even if you don't really like the idea of direct

debits, you get a discount. If you're not making any progress that

way, change suppliers. Check the comparison websites ` there are

loads of them. Use two compare the comparisons! It's easy to at least

try and pay less for your energy. It sounds like a lot of work.

The comparison website will do it for you. They'll charge for that

part, but they'll do the check for free. Once you've got to cheaper

electricity and gas, try and save it. Use less. If you want to use

less, I would recommend a website called Energy Saving Trust. Google

it. They've got lots of tips. It's got a mass of great information. I

recommend it. The New Year get fit season began

with a claim that more than half the population was in danger of being

obese by 2050. Children in Devon who will be adults by then may now get

more help as the County Council looks to triple the amount it spends

on the problem in youngsters. About a third are overweight by the time

they reach the final year of primary school. Jenny Kumah reports.

Here at Dartmouth Academy, the healthy eating message is getting

through. If you don't eat healthy foods, your

teeth can rot. You can get belly ache.

My mum and dad like to make sure that we get enough greens. We often

have lettuce and tomatoes. If you don't eat enough healthy food

and exercise, you'll get obese. The school has teamed up with GPs,

supermarkets and the local children's centres to promote

healthy living in the community. The canteen has a new chef, fizzy drinks

and unhealthy snacks are off the menu.

We did some nice healthy chicken and called it chicken fajitas. They

didn't know what's chicken fajitas were, and said we don't like those!

We renamed them as chicken nuggets and they chose them!

But one in five, four to five`year`olds in Devon are classed

as obese. While one in three children in their final year of

primary school are overweight. The County Council plans to spend an

extra 200k on tackling the problem next year.

For families and individuals who wants to lose weight, it's a

combination of needing to increase their physical activity, and needing

to look at what they eat, both in size and what they eat in terms of

content. But it's also about behavioural change. So what we'll be

offering is a variety of different programmess suited to those

individuals and families which address all of those issues.

Families will be able to access help through their GPs, health worker or

school. Exeter Chiefs winger Jack Nowell has been named in the England

team for the Six Nations opener against France. The 20`year`old from

Newlyn is the current BBC South West Sportsman of the Year. The

Cornishman, who broke into the Chiefs side last season will make

his full international debut in Paris on Saturday.

You can see more from him and his family on spotlight tomorrow.

2014 is the centenary of the First World War. A specially commissioned

banner and quilt were unveiled today, commemorating a hundred years

since the start of the First World War. Today, The banner, called We

will Remember depicts a trench, with a horse standing on a bridge. The

banner and quilt will be making a tour of Devon over the year.

Spotlight's John Ayres has been to take a look.

It's the sort of senior people will recognise from the great War. This

banner was unveiled today at the annual craft show in Exeter. It was

designed by Adrian Howells, and detects a scene based on pictures

found by her son. This picture is based on a horse

which went to war, called Holly. It was nice to have a proper records,

something that actually wants to war.

The Royal British Legion wrote a long a real horse to date to launch

the banner will stop the message is a reminder of the significance of

the great War, and their symbol ` the poppy.

There can't be a town in the country which doesn't have a war memorial.

Whilst we should not let its dominate our lives, we should never

forget. It's about all veterans and their

families. They go through as much of a hard time as we do. It's all about

supporting everyone that needs support.

The quilt detecting the poppy fields was put together by 50 members of

the South West quilters. They each made a block and it was sold

together. We are delighted to be able to hand

it over to the British Legion, to raise lots of money for the young

boys. And everybody who protest unpaid is `` participated on this

quilt really enjoyed it. The banner will be taken around

Devon into schools and community groups.

Now for the weather. We'll have a quiet nights, but

tomorrow and into the weekend, the weather becomes very noisy. Strong

winds, with some heavy rain tomorrow. The risk of further

flooding. Not just inland flooding, as several flood alerts along the

coastline. The heavy rain will be quite white tomorrow, causing a few

problems. Southerly gales forced winds, and the south coast could be

very rough. There is a hook developing in this lump of cloud

that coming across the Atlantic. That is a rapidly deepening area of

pressure. That swings across the Atlantic, becoming deeper and

deeper. By Saturday, it's a very vigorous affair. Look how tightly

packed the isobars are. Through the Bristol Channel, we could have gusts

of up to 70 mph. Tomorrow, it will be a windy affair, which turns

showery as we move into Saturday. Look how fast those winds are

blowing. The risk of some big tides this weekend. Some of the highest

tides of the year are likely on Saturday and Sunday. The Environment

Agency's flood line number is there for you to use, or you can go to

their website. Let's look at that satellite picture in more detail. A

strand of cloud and that light rain trying to get into parts of

Cornwall. His link out tonight, and by the end of the night will start

to season clear skies develop. The potential, briefly, for a touch of

frost. Tomorrow will be a completely different day. These were pictures

from earlier today, across the Avon River. Some hazy sunshine in the

sky, and very light winds. The flora and fauna seems to be doing all

right despite this wet weather. There is plenty of water coming down

the river. At least the catkins seem to be coming along nicely. A cold

starts tomorrow morning. The rain will whiz in. Winds along the south

coast particularly strong. Turning a bit more showery. Temperatures into

the double figures, but not until the end of the afternoon. Eight or

nine degrees in Devon and Somerset. Windy conditions, with rain clearing

two showers. 550 and 1820 ` big waves. Southerly seven to eight,

there are a westerly 728. Take care.