13/03/2014 Spotlight

A major shake`up in school funding. On BBC

A major shake`up in school funding. The South West could be in line for

an extra ?24.5 million. Good evening. It comes after a b`ttle for

fairer funding for rural ardas. We'll be looking at how much of a

difference it could make to schools here.

Also tonight: A safety warnhng for surfers and beach users aftdr the

recent storms. Coastguards `re warning that the sand has shifted

right around the coast caushng rip currents and dangerous condhtions.

And trying to protect the hhstoric steps on Exmoor and stop thdm being

washed away. Schools across the region are in

line for an extra ?24.7 million next year after the government announced

the first stage of a major shake`up in school funding. It follows a long

campaign from rural education authorities to get the fundhng

formula changed. Today the Government outlined plans for what

it said was a fairer funding settlement. The details werd

announced by the Schools Minister and Yeovil MP, David Laws.

No local authority or school or lose. Around four in ten ardas were

again. We are able to delivdr at least using money from our protected

school's budget and because of money from the Treasury, so while this is

the start of the transition to fairer funding, it is the bhggest

step towards fairer school's funding in a decade. I'm joined by our

political editor. As I mentioned, there's been

campaigning on this for years. Devon has been at the forefront. Hf you

look at the league tables, Devon is very near the bottom. Following

today's announcement about next year's money, it will gain `nother

4.5% in its education budget, and according to the North Devon MP

that amounts to almost ?200 per pupil. And will the rest of the

South West benefit? Yes. Only a minority will get more monex. Almost

everyone else, with the excdption of Torbay, will do. Cornwall and

Somerset are all getting more or less 1% more, and Plymouth getting

0.4% more, so clearly it is not rural areas. But this is just a one

year adjustment before the system is fundamentally changed? Yes. The

government announced a constltation on moving towards a new funding

beyond next year, and you c`n be sure companies will keep up the

pressure on the government to achieve that. The local authority

group say today they welcomd this, but they see it as a down p`yment or

first step towards a new and bearer system. They do acknowledge that

today amounts to a huge step forward.

A woman has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a fire at

a care home in Cornwall. Thd arrest comes six years after the fhre at

Rosewyn House Residential Home in Truro. One of the residents.

96`year` old Gladys Rowe, dhed several days later in hospital from

the effects of breathing in smoke. Eleanor Parkinson reports from

outside the home. The fire at this home broke out in

one of the resident's rooms in the middle of the night back in November

2008. Two of the residents, 96`year`old Gladys Rowe and another

woman she shared a room with, had to be rescued from their beds by

firemen. Gladys Rowe was taken to hospital but died a week later from

the effects of smoke inhalation An inquest into her death wasn't able

to conclude how this fire started. Six years on and the police have

revealed that they have arrdsted a woman on suspicion of murder in

connection with this fire. She hasn't been named but is understood

to be 40 and from the Redruth area. She has been released on bahl.

Rosewyn House is a privatelx owned care home and caters for up to 0

residents. A recent Care Qu`lity Commission inspection rated it as

good but said it had some concerns about staff shortages at certain

times of the day. We contacted those running this care home for `

statement today, but we werd told there would be no comment.

For the first time in years the Royal Devon and Exeter Hosphtal has

admitted it's having diffictlties with its finances, but has promised

there'll be no impact on patient care or any job cuts. The RD is

preparing to announce losses of more than ?2.5 million. John Henderson

reports. A very busy A department. The most

recent figures show that 100,00 people were treated in A `t the

Royal Devon and Exeter Hosphtal And it's growing every year But this

year the RD is about to m`ke a loss of almost ?3 million.

Extra demands from an aging population have combined with a

squeeze on income for treathng patients. We have looked at the

figures. For our patients, on average we get a less than ht would

cost us to treat every patidnt who comes into hospital. So despite

saving ?50 million pounds in the last four years, the RD, known

nationally and internationally for excellence in specialist ardas, is

now being forced to dip into its reserves. The fact they are

recognised around the world but treatment is being forced to dip

into its reserves as alarms some. It is rolling when eight high`profile

hospital has two run this shze deficit to ensure it has to provide

its patients with safe care. That says there is something wrong in the

system as a whole. The Department of didn't respond but a spokeslan said

they are working to make sure it provides good quality care for

patients at the same time as balancing its books and over the

next five years they will fhnd savings totalling ?80 million. Some

219 MPs voted in support of the budget call. It follows the lead of

a review into two pilot schdmes helping Gloucestershire which is

understood to have found thd numbers of badgers killed fell well short of

the target, but the vote won't affect government policy.

An inquest has heard how a lan who drank water from a contamin`ted

supply in Cornwall was later found to have four times the norm`l level

of aluminium in his brain. 60`year`old Richard Gibbons died

four years ago. He'd been "fit and healthy" before consuming the

poisoned Water, which was mhstakenly supplied to 20,000 homes in

Camelford in 1988. A link bdtween his epilepsy and the water could not

be proven. Coastguards and the RNLI ard warning

that changes to Southwest bdaches caused by the storms have created

new dangers. Last week therd were a number of rescues off the North

coast of Cornwall as surfers were dragged out to sea by strong rip

currents. Spotlights David George reports from Chapel Porth ndar St

Agnes. The foggy conditions means we can't

see really see much out there today. The storms of the last month have

completely changed the profhle of the beach, washing away all of the

sand and changing the currents, which have led to at least two

rescues in the last few days. The incidents we are getting, pdople are

going surfing on their own puite a bit. That is not a great thhng. The

rip then caught them out and then dragged them straight out to sea, so

they get pulled out through the surf and they're in quite heavy. Once

they get pulled deeper down into heavier waves, they are getting more

tired, and once they are tired they really are in trouble. We h`ve

shallow water here. Chapel Porth photographed yesterday with its new

big rip current right in thd centre of the beach. We are seeing some

quite deep channels, which causes rip currents. We are seeing sand

heaped upon sandbanks, which feed these currents. We are lookhng at

some slightly more dramatic environmental issues than wd have

had before. It is not just hn the water where the storms have created

new dangers. All along the north coasts of Devon and Cornwall the

storms have washed away the sand dunes, creating what are effectively

sand cliffs. This one here `t Perranporth must be five metres 16

feet tall. They are going to be attractive to people to jump off

them and dig into. As the s`nd dries up, especially where you have a dune

system above it, that sand hs going to pour down, and we have h`d

tragic, tragic episodes in the past with people being buried, and we

don't want to see a repeat of that. There is concern these new dangers

won't be understood by the visitors who will head to the South West

coasts for the Easter break in just a few weeks time.

Her plight made headlines around the country, as floodwater engulfed her

home, and the waters crept higher up her white front door. Carol John's

house in East Lyng in Somerset has been under water since Christmas.

The rising water forced her, and her family, to move to a hotel hn

Taunton. Today she's been b`ck for the first time. Fiona Lamdin was

with her. Much of this house has been sitting

underwater since Christmas. I was with the family back debris as they

were forced to leave. Five weeks on and the last of the water h`s

finally drained away. In its place though losing mode, dead rats and a

filthy stench. This is the first time I've seen your door not

underwater. It is the first time Carol has been back home. This is

just awful. You can't believe your whole house has been underw`ter and

it has gone like this. Nothhng is salvageable. Water has ended

cupboards. It is mouldy and wet I don't know where to look because it

is horrendous wherever you go. The water was not then just below the

work service at its peak. Shlly things like the kids' hot w`ter

bottles. They can't use thel again. It is stupid things like th`t. The

fridge has floated six but `cross the kitchen and every look hnside

this would be shoved Carol did a month ago, the day before they had

to leave, will have to go. Ht has gone off. This is the loungd.

Everything has got covered hn water. And now covered in ftngus.

The same room a week ago. You can see tide marks going round the

walls. For many, this tour was the image of the floods, but behind it

lives a family who are starting from scratch again. They are finding that

incredibly hard. Coming up next: We'll investigate an

inland route for the main r`il line first considered in the 1930s. Plus.

Protecting this ancient crossing. Find out what steps are being taken

to ensure it isn't washed away And the twins taking on an Arcthc

challenge with one foot in the past. This week we're looking at how the

railway maps of the past cotld shape a future inland rail line into the

region. Rail planners are considering a new route to

supplement the Dawlish line. One much`discussed line is an idea from

the 30s that was never built. Trains to London would leave Newton Abbot

and veer inland, passing north of Teignmouth and Dawlish. Thrde

variations were considered. One rejoining today's line at D`wlish

Warren, rejoining near Starcross, or rejoining at Exminster. Our business

correspondent Neil Gallacher has been finding out more.

Travellers can soon enjoy the thrill of the Dawlish mainline oncd again.

From the train, it's not necessarily obvious why Brunel chose thhs

extraordinary route. Well, landscape forced his hand. He saved a huge

amount of tunnelling by darhng to go right along the sea wall. Btt by the

30s the Great Western Railw`y had already repaired the line enough to

know how problematic this route was. They began drawing new lines on the

map Now, unlike the North D`rtmoor route or the Teign Valley, there's

no old track bed here, convdniently awaiting re`use. These scheles would

take a new railway track in land here somewhere to go behind

Dawlish, to rejoin up by thd vestry. `` estuary. And of course ndar the

coast there've now been dec`des of development that must be gr`ppled

with. If they chose the particular route that heads off towards

Exminster, this salvage yard could be in line for compulsory ptrchase.

And the owner is currently trying to sell the adjoining house. Wd just

refurbished it and it will go on the market soon, so does concern me

there may be sent uncertainty over the rail line. It also concdrns me

they may have to knock it down to put in the Junction, which would be

a shame. But then if the line went a few hundred yards farther to the

north this place might stay almost peaceful as it is right now. The

1930s scheme is a serious contener to be the inland route that everyone

from the Prime Minister down has said we may need. That wonddrful

scheme was designed down to the finest culverts, and if any member

of Cobra or the Prime Minister can spend time, they need only look at

the Tower at the place in Westminster where the other

posited. Network Rail have clearly done just that behind the scenes.

Their published long list of future options includes all three variants

of the scheme from the 30s. Many in South Devon support the so`called

Dawlish Avoiding Line, not least as they fear that a new line north of

Dartmoor might one day becole the only line. But an inland rotte

around here needs more tunndls and wouldn't be cheap. A big ask,

because it'll take ten to 14 years to achieve, but potentially is what

gave significant time savings with other parts of improving thd South

Devon Railway. It wound up hn another part of Devon and possibly

call more as well `` won't open But it would guarantee South Devon's

rail link, even if the sea wall one day collapsed forever. This could be

down the powder room, or cotld be near Dawlish, either way thhs would

be the railway to somewhere that doesn't have it, but for a lot of

people that is part of the attraction.

Tonight's film and the prevhous two, about the Okehampton route `nd the

old Teign Valley line, can now all be seen on our Facebook pagd.

A treasure trove of work by Cornish artists has been discovered in one

of the oldest galleries in St Ives. The paintings and sculptures were

unearthed during refurbishmdnt work at the Penwith Gallery. Spotlight's

John Danks has been for a special viewing. This was a space which was

a store room. We came here to clear it out. There were still pahntings

all the way of to the Windows. It just looked like there were lots of

paintings. It needed collecting by people who have left things behind.

Nobody realise what could bd there. In taking each individual work out,

we found some incredible artworks from potentially back into the

1960s. Among the dozen or so works of art

was this painting by Penzance born Alethea Garstin. I don't know if she

was a member here, but I thhnk she was in a society. Her father Norman

belonged to a society as well. Some artist can be precious and they can

have work exhibited. They c`n forget about it. We found other works from

artists who are still around and I been ringing around, saying we have

found your work. They were saying, oh, that is where it is. Whhle the

art work has been taken awax for safekeeping and to be valued, the

new findings have piqued thd interest of local artists. Because

it wasn't just paintings th`t were discovered. This goes back 40

years. Their between differdnt paintings, old programme notes and

various posters. I find that fascinating. This photograph of

sculptor Barbara Hepworth, ` founder member of the Penwith Society of

Artists, was also discovered. The gallery is due to reopen in the

spring and that's when some of the store room treasures will fhnally be

revealed. A pair of identical twins from the

South West are preparing thdmselves to explore the arctic, one dressed

in modern protective clothing, the other in the sort of gear worn by

polar explorer Sir Ernest Shakleton 100 years ago. Hugo and Ross Turner,

from Christow in Devon, are hiking 340 miles across the polar hce caps

to raise money for spinal rdsearch. Our South Devon reporter John Ayres

has been to meet them. If I was brave enough to do this, I

know which gear I would choose. Being trends makes it easy to

compared new were bald. He will wear the old clothing? I don't know. I

would like to have a go. It would be an honour to be one of only a

handful of people to wear this. I put myself forward. It is ehther

this or that. Hugo putting on the modern gear, fractured his neck when

he was 17. He had surgery and was millimetres away the coming

disabled. They put a Cajun `nd put bone grafts in as well. I h`d

infusion as well `` cage in. I'm quite stiff in the neck. Thdy are

raising money for spinal research. Their father Nick, and Engl`nd under

23 's rugby player, had his career cut short by the same injurx. Being

twins mean they are setting new records and this trip allows an

accurate comparison between then and now. We are comparing old and new

and seeing what the difference is. How hard was it one Explorer 10

years ago? This has caught the attention of Kenneth Branagh. Good

luck you, good luck Ross. Wd will be following you and willing you on. It

is not the first time they `re taken on an adventure like this. Two years

ago they were in the Atlanthc. I could be moving and it was ` massive

encouragement. I could have been watching at home in a wheelchair. It

was really tough but it was the best thing I have done. Training awaits

them in Norway. Efforts are being stepped up to

protect one of the region's most historic sites. Tarr Steps on

Exmoor, which are said to d`te back around 3000 years, were washed away

by a swollen river following torrential rain 15 months ago. Now,

trees along the river bank, which could be washed downstream `nd

damage the clapper bridge, `re being removed. Hamish Marshall reports.

They have helped people across the hundreds of years. User project down

missiles and some weighed up to turn on more, and when they came

downstream where of force, xou can see the size of some of these

stones. If you can imagine, the whole thing was wrecked. Thd wire on

this device is strong enough to pull ships, but it was broken in 201 , is

another plan is to stop somd of the trees getting into the river in the

first place. The area has bden marked and dozens of trees, which

could be a danger, are being felled. Others are being retained. We have

to be careful not to remove those features which are doing good. We

have to keep an eye on this thing and make sure it is not

deteriorating and becoming ` risk in the future. On the other side there

are things? You can see this tree which has come down in the storms.

You can imagine a situation where water levels rise, that could move

and cause damage to the steps downstream. The power of th`t water

is crazy. This is a listed building, so the Exmouth totrism

industry is intrigued. They recognise what needs to be done and

at the same time the looking after the woodlands. It is not as simple

as saying we can cut down every tree. These trees have been here for

more than five years. They have survived a torrent of 2012. Not only

do they stay in place, but they ensure that the ecological balance

of the river is there. The `rea will remain open as the work goes on

What a stunning part. Fine weather again. Will it continue? Thdre is

dry weather now. There is a difference in temperature bdtween

those of had the sunshine and those who've had and fog. This is a

picture sent by Graham. Lands End was just shy of 16 degrees. That

shows you the contrast. That is the warmest day of the year along the

south coast. The forecast for tomorrow will be a similar problem.

We have some areas in the mhst and fog stick around all day, ghven a

cold day, others seeing the sunshine. Where that happens it will

feel warm. Not a great deal of change in the weather pattern. We

still have a high pressure pattern involved. We still have the risk of

fog as well. More fog than we saw last night. This warning covers the

whole of the south`west of Dngland. Most of the action and weather

fronts are a long way from ts. We still have a high pressure hn

charge. It moves slowly back into the Atlantic as we head into the

weekend. That gives a changd of wind direction. There is less of a

problem of mist and fog, and we won't see that temperatures we have

been used to in the sunshind. That was a satellite picture frol earlier

today. There are still strands of fog through the English Channel

still some creeping into Lands End and West Cornwall. All of us, after

some clear sky, will see th`t mist and fog become more extensive and

very thick in places too. Some awful driving conditions tomorrow morning.

There is also the possibility of some frost, so some of the fog will

be freezing fog tomorrow. Some very and misty, and that cloud whll be

stubborn to remove. Part of South Cornwall, the southern half of Devon

Macy Sunny spells, with top temperatures of 10 degrees `` may

see Sunny spells. It is a north`west winds setting in tomorrow. These are

the times of high water. Thdre is a coastal waters. There is a change in

the wind direction. It will become west or north westerly, forced

three. Sunday will be cloudx and cooler. That is it from us. You can

watch our special report on the future of the rail line in the

south`west on our Facebook page and we will be back at 6:30am tomorrow.