11/02/2014 Spotlight

Getting the South West back on track ` the Prime Minister promises

whatever it takes. Good evening and welcome to

Spotlight. David Cameron was visiting the rail line at Dawlish to

see the scale of the damage. If money needs to be spent, it will be

spent. If the military can help, they will be there. We must do

everything, but it will take time to put these things right.

Tonight, we'll have reaction to his visit as critics question whether he

can deliver on his promises. The flooding is costing the

south`west between ?5 and ?7 million a day. The figures confirm new fears

that the region will take longer to recover than had been first

thought, with the tourist industry that Italy fundable.

And, the threat to our wildlife, a charity steps in after hundreds of

birds are found dead on our beaches as a result of the storms.

The prime pledged the cash, resources and military to get the

rail line repaired. On the second day of his visit to storm damaged

areas of the south`west, David Cameron visited Dawlish to see for

himself the scale of the work needed to get the line fixed. He also

repeated the pledge to look at all the alternative options for

re`routing the line. In a moment we'll have reaction to the Prime

Minister's promises for the region, first Chloe Axford reports on day

two of his visit here. David Cameron has spent his time in

the south`west alongside engineers and rail workers are builders,

police officers and soldiers. In short, the people whose job it is to

get on and deal with the practical effects of the bad weather. The

message he was at pains to get across in Dawlish this morning was

this. When it comes to getting things back on track, the government

will do whatever it takes to get normal service resumed. We have two

recognise it is going to take time before we can get things back to

normal. We are in for a long haul. But the government will do is

everything it can to coordinate the resources. If money needs to be

spent, it will be spent. If the military can help, they will be

there. We must do everything, but it is going to take time to put these

things right. In a nearby cafe, the promise of help got a mixed

response. He speaks a lot of sense. The fact he has come to Dawlish, he

cares. I think he has come here just to gain more votes. I can't see what

he is going to do about it. He seems to be doing things, yes. Rather than

sitting up at Westminster. The premise of them returned to

Somerset, his second visit in seven days. This time he met emergency

teams at the Flood control centre. He promised not to leave waterlogged

flood victims high and dry. We are going to look at what we can do to

help farmers and businesses suffering from the floods. That

means insurance companies acting quickly and we will be on to them to

do that, but we will also continue to consider whether wider help is

needed for those businesses that have been very disrupted. While

David Cameron can't control the tide or the weather, he has been keen to

give the impression at least of having a firm grip on the fallout.

Labour have called tonight for a speedy decision by the government on

a reliable and resilient rail route in and out of the South West. The

Exeter MP Ben Bradshaw wants a review into any alternative routes

around Dawlish to be completed by the summer at the latest. Mr

Bradshaw joins me now from Westminster. You must welcome the

Prime Minister's commitment to throw all resources necessary to get the

line open and to look at possible alternatives in the future. Yes, I

welcome the new sense of urgency we have seen in the last two days, and

also the language from the government about money being no

object. But we must judge them on the delivery. We were made the same

promises after the floods last winter. ?31 million was promised to

improve the protection of the railways and that money still has

not been livid. Let's judge on the delivery, rather than just the

words. I spoke to the Department for Transport about that ?31 million,

and they said they are still looking at the funding options for that. But

they say the maintenance work at the Whitehall tunnel is part of the

plan. You have the Prime Minister on the one hand saying the money is no

object, and been the Department for Transport saying they are still

looking at funding options. The Prime Minister was clear today that

money should be no object, but we need to see that in reality. Why

didn't Labour do more about this track and the vulnerability of it

while you were in office, because there were plenty of warnings. In

the late 90s the route was closed regular. The former Totnes MP led a

long campaign for re`routing it, but in 2006, Derek take `` Twigg said it

did not need re`routing. We have had the biggest capital investment since

the Second World War... But you did not reboot the line. The advice from

Network Rail was that the Dawlish line would be OK for the foreseeable

future. They got that advice badly wrong. It was overoptimistic. The

climate change experts in Exeter have told me for years that the line

is not viable in the long term. Yes, we need to get it running in the

short`term as quickly as possible, but we need an alternative for the

well`being of the south`west. If Labour win next year's election,

will you match the commitment that the primers that has made today to

commit every resource needed, but also to look at every possible

alternative? I have no doubt that we will. We set up the kit review after

the terrible floods of 2007 which had 92 recommendations. They were

being implemented until we left office. The government is not

publishing its response any more. Ed Balls has said that the Labour

government has spent more on capital investment. We desperately need for

this outdated infrastructure. Ben Bradshaw, thank you. New figures

compiled for the BBC suggest that the disruption caused by flooding is

costing the region's economy between ?5 million and ?7 million a day. The

figures for Devon, Cornwall and Somerset confirm new fears that the

region will take longer to recover than had been first thought.

Hoteliers in particular are already worried about the impact of

cancellations for the half term holiday next week and for Easter.

Simon Hall reports. It is the south`west's biggest

industry, the tourist trade. Economists fear for it most

following the storms. For a region which trades on its natural beauty,

the negative publicity from the damage caused may be hard to

counter. At Dukes in in Sidmouth they have already had bookings for

Valentines weekend cancelled because of the storms, and are worried about

the longer impact on visitor numbers. We have had some people who

were due to come down for the Valentines weekend, and now some

have been concerned about whether we are still here. An analysis for the

BBC by one of the south`west's leading economists estimate the

storms and flooding are costing the economy up to ?7 million a day.

Kevin Butler, who was an adviser to the Bank of England, expects the

problems to include fitful in shops down, college issues causing delays,

passengers on trains and road suffering delays and cancelling

journeys, the sodden ground meaning building work is delayed, and

fishermen being unable to get to see. Undoubtedly their weather is

affecting footfall in the shops, and consumer spending is important in

the West Country. Unfortunately, perceptions may be that the West

Country is cut off at the moment, but it will improve as the weather

improves through the year, and I hope that things will return to

normal. Following the storms, any losses for the region's tourist

industry this year would be keenly felt as it follows a very strong

visitor season last year. It is particularly unfortunate that this

damage to the economy comes as the south`west is finally starting to

recover from the long economic downturn. Even more worryingly, the

weather is showing no signs of relenting yet.

Tonight, the Prime Minister announced that he is cancelling his

visit to the Middle East next week to try and resolve the floods

crisis. He also said he is setting up a new Cabinet committee to

oversee the recovery. Martyn Oates is with me now. Good news for the

South West then? He opened his press conference by building on that

financial pledge he made at Dawlish this morning saying that across the

country money is no object in this relief effort. He says that Network

Rail are working 18 hours a day to mend the breach in the track at

Dawlish and that capacity will increase on the Somerset Levels to

pump water out more quickly. And this is a bigger role for the Armed

Forces? Yes, he says the government will now be contacting councils in

flood stricken areas and asking them if they want the military to come

in, rather than waiting for the Council is to request it. His advice

to local authorities is not to think twice, the military are there to

help. He also says that we are to be clear about what the military are

going to do to help may arrive. He said when they arrived in Somerset,

apparently the County Council were not sure how best to use them. And

he announced a number of schemes to help people recover from the floods.

There are a specific number of schemes to help householders,

farmers and businesses to recover from the floods. He said there will

be a big review to look at where flood defence schemes should be

placed in future. He also said there should be a particular emphasis on

transport infrastructure. Thank you.

On the subject of the future shape of our railway, politicians and

business leaders in Plymouth are relieved that the Prime Minister

says all options for a possible inland rail route will be

considered. He met them during his visit to the region after it emerged

Network Rail had already identified Okehampton as their preferred route.

Neil Gallacher reports. The Prime Minister's intervention

being held today as crucial came after he had visited Plymouth to

hear about the massive rail implications further down the line

from the Dawlish breach. Plymouth politicians and business leaders are

insistent that any inland rail route that is built to back`up the

mainline on the coast is fast and direct. They backed a route that was

proposed in the 1930s. This would go inland from a point near Newton

Abbot, go behind Teignmouth and Dawlish, and rejoin the main line on

the X history. Plymouth feels the option that Network Rail told the

BBC was their preferred route, which would see trains to London head out

West and then branch east from the Olsen towards Tavistock, as

currently proposed, and then go along the old track to join today's

freight line at Malden, and then curve around Okehampton towards

Exeter. The Prime Minister said all options will be considered. In

Plymouth today, those words brought a sense of relief. This is our

moment to get the railway we need. By all means get the current coastal

route up and running. Of course we need that. We need that as soon as

possible, but for the immediate future, for the immediate future we

need a decision, and we need to get on with the Dawlish inland route.

That view chimes with opinions from Dawlish where there is a fear that

any route through Dartmoor might eventually eclipse the coast route

altogether. In West Devon, the council leader said he was excited.

This could go on for months or years.

Homes and families on the Somerset Levels are still suffering from

rising floodwaters tonight. The village of East Lyng has seen water

rise by more than 12 inches in the past few days, and some have now

abandoned their homes. Andrew Plant has this report.

Some of Somerset's most picturesque countryside now under five feet of

water. That is his front door. In the back garden of this home, a

prized possession. It was left standing in the rush to save people

and pets before the water came in. The worst it has been by a long way.

The family that were here have fled. Their neighbour says someone

has already tried to break in. The locks have been damaged. There is

nothing left in there to steal. It is all floating around, it is all

ruined. This was the house over the road on Saturday. Neighbours working

to make a protective wall. This morning, that water is now afoot

deeper. These tiny palms are working flat out, and still the situation is

tense. Everything feels like it could just crumble at any second.

This is part of the plan. Lorries lined up with huge pumps on their

backs. Giant machinery, making sure the Somerset Levels have better

weapons to fight this war on water. This is the king said Schwartz ``

Khin Sedgemore drain. They are building a solid platform which will

house eight of those huge plates we have seen over the last few weeks.

At high tide when the river has trouble flowing out to sea, they

will suck up the water off the Somerset Levels and blasted out into

the river and straight out to sea. That will ease the whole system

here. A couple came in early today because they needed toothbrushes.

They had to leave everything they had. Nearby in Bridgwater, the

relief effort has supplies, the essentials and basics which for many

are now floating in dirty water. The only way to this farm means walking

the plank. With luck, this defence will be the difference between

living at home with water outside every window, or having to escape as

it finally pours inside. Hundreds of birds have been found

dead on beaches across the region following the relentless storms.

Many have become exhausted from the high winds and lack of food. Some

have been coated in oil that has been washed in. Janine Jansen has

been to the West Hatch RSPCA centre in Taunton where rescued birds are

being treated. There are reports that hundreds of birds have been

found dead on our region's beaches. Around ten rescued birds a day are

coming in here to West Hatch, and this is the holding area where many

birds are waiting to be cleaned. There are guillemots, puffins and

razorbills. One of the worst places was Chesil Beach in Dorset, but also

dead and oiled birds have been found in Kingsbridge, Seaton and Lyme Bay.

It has been an exceptional year. It started way before Christmas with

seals coming in. We are full to the annals of grey seals. They are

taking up some of our bird pool space which is causing us real

problems. We are having to juggle animals around just to fit them in

and give them the right conditions as they progressed through the

rehabilitation system. More than 50 birds have so far been brought in to

be cleaned. They are not really bad. They have small amount of oil on

their chest and wings, but it is not that bad. Staff here believe the

ferocity of the waves has whipped up pockets of oil in the sea. Many of

the birds are thin and exhausted. These killer marts are almost ready

to be released. `` guillemots. They have had their final wash. They have

been here for a couple of weeks and we are now doing the final tests on

their waterproofing. They won't be released until the weather improves,

but there is no letup yet. Five more birds came into night and nine more

are due tomorrow. Other news now, and a charity is

claiming people on average wages in the region would need to take home

around ?22,500 more a year, just to keep up with rising house prices.

The report from Shelter reveals the South Hams in Devon is one of the

most expensive areas to live. It comes a day after a group of young

people from South Devon who are priced out of the property market

travelled to Westminster to lobby the housing minister. Anna Varle

reports. Charlotte has been homeless for

months, despite working full`time as a carer. She can't afford rental

prices, never mind getting on the property ladder. I am just under

?600 a month. To rent in Totnes just for a room it is between ?300 ` ?450

a month, sometimes not including bills. Once you have paid bills and

the necessities of feeding yourself, getting yourself to work, I am left

with nothing. Research from the charity Shelter shows the gap

between wages and house prices continues to grow. It says the South

Hams is the most expensive place to live in the region. You would need

to be earning ?29,000 more than the average salary to buy here. That is

over ?47,500. The cheapest place to buy is in West Devon, where you

would only need to earn ?33,000 to get on the property ladder. In the

late 1990s, a property like this would of course due on average

around five times your salary. In 2012, this figure rose to ten times

your income. Charlotte's situation is not uncommon. Sasha was 15 when

she left home. Being in full`time education, she found she could not

afford rent and food. She is now living with a friend, but the mental

stress has taken its toll. I had extreme sleep paralysis. I had to

just push through, and each night I would have horrible nightmares.

Extreme stress, I would wake up and feel exhausted. Then I would have to

carry on with my education. Keep whooshing through. To highlight the

issue, Charlotte, Sasha and a group of other young people travel to

Westminster yesterday to try and persuade the housing minister to

address the shortage of affordable homes.

The treatment of two whistle`blowers by bosses at Torbay Hospital may

deter staff from speaking out in future, according to a leading NHS

investigator and health unions. However, the news that the

hospital's chief executive has been suspended while her behaviour is

investigated has been welcomed. Sally Mountjoy reports.

Paula has been suspended while the board looks into concerns raised at

an employment tribunal. Two women had accused her of nepotism over the

appointment of her daughter's boyfriend to a job at the hospital.

The tribunal said the hospital trust have tried to cover up the claims

and victimised the women who had blown the whistle. Health unions say

it is right to suspend the Chief Executive while she is under

investigation, but the case will deter NHS staff from flagging up

their worries in future. Many trusts are facing serious financial crises

in the south`west, and staff have got to have the confidence to be

able to point those things out when they arise, and if they see members

of staff elsewhere who have suffered a detriment and have to go to and

implement tribunal, it will not give them the confidence to come forward.

Robert Francis wrote the pivotal report into the care failings that

led to the deaths of hundreds of patients in Stafford. He says what

is happening at Torbay Hospital is an example of oppressive behaviour

that is hugely damaging to the confidence of staff alternating

raising concerns. The South Devon board insists those who speak out

will be treated fairly. The issues here are nothing to do with health

care. The health care here is excellent, but we agree that people

should have the ability to raise concerns without fear, and so we

would encourage any staff with concerns to raise them with us and

they will be treated very fairly when we investigate. Local union

officials say staff have been left appalled and worried by the

whistle`blowing case, and says the trust has much to do to restore

confidence. It's like a plot from EastEnders `

that's how the case of a Plymouth woman who cancelled her brother's

wedding because she didn't like his fiancee was described in court

today. The woman was jailed for what the judge said was her spiteful and

vindictive conduct. And Duffy arriving at court today,

not keen to discuss the call she made last year, cancelling her

brother David's wedding because she didn't like his choice of bride. The

court heard 20 days before the ceremony was due to take place, she

called Plymouth register office here pretending to be his fiancee. She

cancelled the wedding and then called her brother saying I have

saved you on the divorce. Distressed, the couple alerted

police. Duffy later admitted she wanted to cause upset and

inconvenience to her brother's fiancee. The court heard there were

disagreements over the care of Duffy's mother. The prosecution said

it was like a lift from an East plotline, only this was the sad

reality that confronted the complainers in the case. Duffy

pleaded guilty to harassment without violence, and was sentenced to eight

weeks in jail. She was also given an indefinite restraining order against

Sandra Hardy. As for the couple, they did rebook the ceremony and,

unsurprisingly, Duffy was not on the waiting list. `` guest list.

In tonight's football, there are two important matches for local clubs

with bottom`of`the`table Yeovil take on fellow strugglers Millwall in the

Championship. And, in League Two, Chris Hargreaves' Torquay side face

Northampton, the only team beneath them in the table, after the game

passed a pitch inspection this afternoon. It'll be Chris's first

home game since taking charge five weeks ago.

Fingers crossed that the weather holds for that. Not only have we had

wind and rain to contend with, we have now had some snow in the

region. Yes, good evening. The main threat

for us tomorrow is the wind picking up again. It was lively enough in

the small hours of the morning, but tomorrow there will be even stronger

gusts of wind, possibly up to 70 mph. Inland, 50 or 60 mph, but those

could be damaging gusts of wind. The only saving grace with this band of

rain is that it is moving quite fast. We have just been hearing the

showers that have been falling wintry over the last couple of

hours. There are more to come overnight tonight. We are between

weather systems, but we have tracked in some cold air. The white you can

see on these charts shows you where the snow is likely to be. It is

mostly across Northern Ireland and Scotland, but every now and then, a

wintry showers will come further south, which will be a problem for

the next couple of days. This is the area of low pressure. Mostly rain

coming out of this, but a sharp band of heavy rain sweeping across the

south`west of England. Plenty of ice bars on the chart, which means some

very windy conditions, and it also means some big seas with waves

increasing in height again right through into the evening. On

Thursday, or more wintry showers that will be blown in on that brisk

breeze. Even to quite low levels there is a possibility of wintry

showers to the day on Thursday. Focusing on tonight, already we have

seen some snow, and a few more snow showers to come will stop it is

mainly over higher ground, and by the morning, just slightly less cold

that means most of those showers will turn out to be rain. The winds

will ease for a short while before picking up again tomorrow, and

tomorrow we start the day at around a couple of degrees above freezing.

Slightly miles along the coastline. The band of rain tomorrow will be

quite intense for a short while as it sweeps across the south`west, but

it moves pretty fast and by the afternoon there will be some

sunshine and showers, and then those showers yet again turning

increasingly wintry. It is the strength of wind we are most

concerned about rather than the, and those gusts could be up to 70 mph.

Up to 10 degrees is likely for a short while tomorrow, but once that

main area of rain moves through, templates will start to go back down

again as the cold air returns `` temperatures. Still several flood

warnings in place. Two are severe. There is the phone number for the

Flood agency. Or you can go to their website.

Quite strong gusts of wind for the Isles of Scilly, with rain moving

through quite quickly. A scattering of showers following behind.

Some dangerous waves for our beaches yet again. The winds are likely to

increase on the north coast to give even higher waves, possibly 20 foot

waves crashing on to our shores. Quiet on Thursday, but still with

the risk of some wintry showers. More wet weather returning on

Friday. Have a good evening.

Your BBC local radio station will have the latest updates on the

weather, so do stay tuned. Join us again at 10:25pm. Good night.