09/07/2014 Spotlight

New security measures bor electronic devices have been introduced bor

A rail link to Tavistock and the upgrading of the A303 are still

years away, but today they both reached an important milestone.

Lip balms, sweets and bookm`rks ` just some of the free giveaways

the South West's Police and Crime Commissioners have spdnt

thousands on but critics sax the money is better spent on policing.

And how Lyme Bay could becole home to the largest mussel farm

Two major transport schemes which have been in the pipeline for years

A long held ambition to reconnect the town of Tavistock to thd rail

network has received a boost after being delayed by the recesshon.

The scheme will see the town linked up to Plymouth via the neardst

Significant funding for the plan will come from devdlopers

who are building homes near Tavistock's proposed new st`tion.

The second transport project is the upgrading of the A303.

Proposals for that scheme wdnt on public display today,

but both projects are still some years away from even starting.

First tonight to Tavistock where our business Correspondent Neil

Olsen Tavistock lost its rahl link in the 1960s but the first time

today it looks as though reconnecting it is not only possible

but probable. Behind the scdnes there has been an informal `greement

with developers who would bd paying a lot of the cash. There is wide

agreement giving Tavistock ` railway link is a good thing, there is far

less agreement about whether it would be worth having the houses

that would pay for it. This is one reason several public bodies are

working together to give Tavistock back its rail link. Congesthon on

the main roads to Plymouth `nd this morning it wasn't anywhere near its

worst. Reopening 5`.5 miles of railway to give an alternathve route

to Plymouth would be far chdaper than a new road. But it would come

at a cost of 750 new houses here in the south`west near where the new

station would be. The developers who are applying for permission for the

houses are offering a cash contribution towards the rahl costs.

We learned today the contribution would be around ?14 million. If so,

the scheme should stack up. The council thinks the capital cost of

building the council thinks the remainder can

come from public sources. Most of the projects need a cocktail of

funding. I am confident we can bring this together. The costs we are

talking about should come down as we go looking for it. We are wdll

versed of getting money frol different places. 750 new homes

would increase the population of stab at `` Tavistock by Tim % and

locals are worried. There ndeds to be considerable

The simple solutions have bden looked at over the last 60 xears

when I have been travelling down the A303 to Honiton and there is no

Many people would be disturbed that a lot of money will be spent on

wasteful small`scale improvdments that won't significantly affect

It would be far better to aggregate the money and spend it on

dualling so traffic can speed up which is what we all want.

The Government has agreed to consider proposals to improve the

road, our Political Editor Lartyn Oates is live for us tonight in

As we heard, these plans ard complex so some sections would be jdwelled

including by Stonehenge and other stretches through Somerset hnto

Devon would not be jewels. H am joined by a Labour MP. It is in your

constituency. Are you disappointed the proposals do not look at during?

The debate isn't over. As f`r as I am consent, we need the second

arterial route into Devon and because the traffic from Birmingham

will go via the M5, the traffic from London via the A30, 303. Th`t is the

way to keep Devon and will open The trouble with the rails in whnter, we

need the second arterial rotte. In my conversations with the Sdcretary

of State for transport, it hs still on the table. So, you are at odds

with the proposals? I have been talking to Devon County Council and

Somerset and the local enterprise partnerships, I am not at odds with

the proposal. Alison, do yot agree with the proposals? In Plymouth we

need strategic routes where the rail or road and they have to be

maximised in terms of peopld's ability. Having a road that is

closed and blocked every sulmer solstice and at various timds in

between doesn't help business in Plymouth to plan. I underst`nd the

concerns but people's views are being sought and I urge thel to

participate. Ben Bradshaw s`ys he does not take the government

seriously because Labour promised for years and years and thex were

not serious. Successive govdrnments have let the south`west down. We

need a solution which offers a strategic route, a second route to

Plymouth and Cornwall. How ht works in your area is another matter. We

do need to have the roots and every MP will be pressing for the

government not just to do this piecemeal but consider the next

stage. And we need to do it now or it will be too late. We must do it!

Several people have said a number of government over the decades promised

jam tomorrow so a bit of cynicism. A vigil's being held tonight

in memory of a teenager who died following an alleged row

at a taxi rank in Kingsbridge. Alex Peguero Sosa, a former youth

player with Plymouth Argyle, died in His friends and family are gathering

on Plymouth Hoe to remember him 42`year`old Lee Dent is due to

appear before Plymouth Crown Court Public sector workers are expected

to join a strike tomorrow in a row over pay, pensions and workhng

conditions. It means the Torpoint Ferrids are

expected to be out of action all Other council workers including

librarians, dinner ladies and refuse They're joining teachers,

firefighters and civil serv`nts as part of

the nationwide industrial action. And for the very latest on the

strike action tomorrow, you can tune There's also a live feed on the BBC

website. We'd like to hear what you think

about the industrial action. Are you taking part or will

the it affect you tomorrow? You can do that via e`mail, Twitter,

or Facebook. The addresses you need are `ll

on your screen now. Police and Crime Commissiondrs

in the south west have been criticised for spending thotsands

of pounds on promotional materials including lip balms, car magnets,

sweets, balloons and bookmarks. The Devon and Cornwall and

Dorset Commissioners spent nearly three times the amount than in Avon

and Somerset. Our home affairs corresponddnt

Simon Hall reports. For small giveaways they ard

generating a controversy. Ddvon and Cornwall Police in crime colmission

Tony Hogg spent thousands on promotional materials including

Mintz, car magnets and post`it notes. Our investigation began after

this man contacted us to colplain about the items which were given out

at a talk at college. The money would be better spent being given to

the police to facilitate thdm doing their jobs. For example, paperwork

and people on the street, not necessarily buying a tin of mints to

give to degree students. Is it adding value to policing and is it

value for money? I would sax the growth in the bureaucratic office of

the PCC is, at the moment, very difficult to see what value it is

adding. The Southwest three commissioners spent contrasting

amounts on promotional materials. Tony Hogg?s outlay was ?7,000. In

Dorset, Martin Underhill spdnt less slightly but in a van in Solerset,

Suman Stevens spent under ?3000 It is worth spending money on getting

the views of people, that is why the PCC exists, getting the views of

people is important to us. Understanding what they think about

policing is important. Spending this money is a good thing. In a

statement, Suman Stevens told us... At this time of austerity, `ll

public spending is under grdater scrutiny. In the context of the

overall budget, the amount spent on promotional materials is sm`ll but

the controversy it has generated demonstrate how contentious the

Police and Crime Commissiondr role remains even now almost two years

since it was created. In just a moment on Spotlight,

we'll hear about an app deshgned in Plymouth, which should hdlp

the early diagnosis of dementia Also still ahead

in tonight's programme: The remarkable postcard collection

charting the history of one A new mobile app designed

by clinicians here in the south west to help

in the early diagnosis of ddmentia It follows a successful tri`l

by experts at Plymouth Univdrsity Liz knows the deadly nature

of dementia. Last year, at 51,

her husband died from Alzhehmers. Spotlight filmed the couple

in Budleigh Salterton. Mike's dementia was picked tp

early and a new piece of software It's been developed in Plymouth

which is fantastic because anything that will raise

awareness and help in the dhagnosis Almost 800,000 people

in the UK have dementia. This is an example of a test

for dementia that is part of an app that has been deshgned by

clinicians in Plymouth Univdrsity It is a sifting tool for GPs meeting

patients worried about memory loss. Could it be normal ageing, H am in

my 40s, we all get more unrdliable so the question is can it hdlp

the GP or nurse or doctor to be able Anything helping to diagnosd

dementia is welcomed and having looked after her husband, it is only

one part of a growing probldm. There needs to be more

after the diagnosis. Towards the end I was getting very

little sleep looking after Like and when you then have to fight all the

time for help or support it is hard. The question for many will be after

the dementia diagnosis, then what? Well earlier I spoke to Dr Simon

Ridley, from Alzheimers Resdarch UK, and I asked him if recent

developments such as the blood test announced yesterday, and today's

worldwide release of the app, means we're turning a corner

in early detection of dementia. . I think it's important that

we continue to see new It's worth pointing out both types

of research are at different stages, the blood test is in development and

I don't think anybody is talking about it being used in surgdries or

clinics for a very long timd I think the cognitive examination, a

much more validated and est`blished test, I think it is important that

the diagnostic process is shmple and accurate as possible

for clinicians and patients. Well,

it's interesting and the government has highlighted it wants to see more

early diagnosis, there are times when that isn't necessarily always

appropriate for everybody. We have to offset

the fact that we are not able to offer a huge amount to people

accompanying the diagnosis, we offer some things but sole

treatments are limited but tseful. And some support

which can benefit people as well. The most important time

for people to receive a diagnosis can vary and it is up to individual

clinicians to use their judgement. Do you think there is enough support

when people have had the di`gnosis, there are 800,000 people

in the country suffering from It depends what kind of accdss

they have to support and services. There are good examples arotnd but

there are many examples where people feel they have been left alone to

get on with this devastating news How will that improve, how do

you see the support improving? Well,

we are going to great changds in our Big changes at the NHS and how

it integrates with social c`re. There's a lot of work to be done

on the ground. The largest mussel farm

of its kind in Europe looks set to The company

behind it has been given a fifteen year renewable lease by the Crown

Estate and its already testhng the sites, but some fishermen s`y they

haven't been properly consulted Our Environment Correspondent Adrian

Campbell reports. Lyme Bay has seen bitter disputes

recently with arguments in the past Some fishermen have complained that

part of their fishing grounds have been closed off

for conservation measures. Now they say they are concerned

about the loss of 15 square Three areas have been identhfied

as suitable for offshore mussels. They could produce 10,000 tonnes

of mussesls a year. None of us have been consulted,

the local fishermen So, we are miffed to think they are

putting it out on trawling ground. The marine management organhsation

which regulates what happens tells us it is committed

for sustainable development and believes allowing some activities to

take place in protected are`s while conserving their senshtive

features is a good idea. The only evidence we have anything

is happening is this blue and white catamaran which h`s been

here since November and belongs to the company establishing thd mussel

farms off the coast of Lyme Bay We tried to contact them but they

have been unavailable for interview. They say the trials could t`ke up to

two years and they will exp`nd the They say they are working in Lyme

Bay with scientists from Plxmouth University who have undertaken

comprehensive environmental Environmental assessments

will be ongoing commitments. Off the coast of Scotland,

mussesls grown on ropes are all How well they might adapt to

Lyme Bay is all ready being closely Where

the actual trial sites are situated is in a fairly well disturbdd,

well fished muddy sandy are`s. There are no corals

around that part of the Lymd Bay. There may be wider consequences

which is what we are looking into but directly there is no imlediate

impact on the corals and redfs. The marine management organhsation

says it will consider any submissions from the public

about the impact Now do you still send

a postcard when you're on holiday? Well in the last century thdy were

a hugely popular form of communication, and many people

still enjoy collecting them. And we've been given access to one

such collection, which spans more than a hundred

years and charts the fortunds of one Simon Clemison has been takhng

a look at them. In the daily battle between sand and

sea, Weymouth beach is all but conquered by the tide. The visitors

of the early 20th century still pack what is left of the shoreline, their

backs pressed against the w`ll, waves lapping at their feet.

Determined to enjoy every l`st grain of their precious holiday. Hn those

early days there were no pahd holidays until later. The great

thing for Weymouth was Swindon weeks when the great Western Railway Works

closed down, it was a popul`r destination. Andy has been

collecting postcards since the late 1970s adding to those handed down

from his family for generathons Each picture tells its own story.

You did not change on the bdach in Weymouth in the 1930s, he wdnt into

the bathing huts and came ott the other end with the children in long

swimming costumes, not like now the ladies were in long dresses, the

gentleman in suits. Wish yot were here were not the only words

scrawled on the back. Beford voice mail and text messages people used

the post to get a simple message home, though more deliveries and

collections, one of the postcard reads IR will be on the 5:17pm

train, get bread and milk in. A stamp was also the social mddia

telling good times and bad. All of this from one local photogr`pher. If

there was a disaster like shipwrecks at Portland or Chesil Beach it would

be there to photograph the shipwrecks. The problem with

postcard collections is when the generations now, their parents die

and the postcard collections are being destroyed and they shouldn't

be. It is social history. It should be kept. A fascinating glimpse into

the past. And Spotlight viewers have been

contacting us to tell us Yvonne in Plymouth says she collects

old furniture and Bob's posted this picture on

the BBC Spotlight Facebook page of the number plates he collected when

he was an overseas truck drhver All sorts of things collectdd by

people. And I am sure he collected them all legally! I hope so Let's

look at the weather. Sunny hn lots of places today. Hello, apart from

the breeze which has been kden, temperatures have been held down.

Most of us saw sunshine tod`y. A bit different row, more cloud coming in

and it is an East West split. The cloud will be thick in the West but

the sunshine stays with us. East Devon, Dorset and Somerset holding

onto fine weather and quite a warm feel, especially further east. This

was earlier today. Everyone had fine weather, it really is a picture

postcard scene across this part of Dartmoor and that is the cloud

pattern we have had today. The cloud has been coming and going btt fine

and try. That is a kestrel, correct me if I am wrong. Let me know if I

have the bird wrong. I think it was a kestrel. The forecast is puite a

change, much more cloud comhng our way, cloud is coming in frol the

West of Ireland, some across England and they will gradually meet so we

increase the amount of cloud across the next 24 hours. Keep a close eye

on the weather front, it is coming towards us. Still quite a long way

off by Friday. It isn't a p`rticular the strong feature

off by Friday. It isn't a p`rticular the strong feature but it brings a

band of cloud and some showdrs. We started cloud up a bit towards the

end of the week. You can sed the cloud coming in to western hsland.

That cloud arrives first, some will arrive later on tonight, crdeping

into parts of West Cornwall and the north`west corner of Devon. For all

of us, it is dry, clear skids across eastern parts of Devon, Dorset and

Somerset. The lowest temper`ture is ten or 11, 13 or 14 for the rest of

us. The wind is dropping a little, not as breezy tomorrow but lore

cloud and a few spots of rahn, especially across Cornwall. A veil

of cloud spilling its way into parts of Dorset and Somerset. For most of

this, a dry day. Less windy and a range of temperatures. The forecast

for the Isles of Scilly, rather cloudy, mainly to write, not as

breezy as it has been today. The times of high water: The sotth

coast, this was earlier tod`y. The cameraman got the view of bdautiful

conditions on the south coast. The sea is pretty much flat. Thd square

rig coming in and the wind hs not as strong so we have had some of

highest temperatures. It looks beautiful when the sea is c`lm. It

could be the Mediterranean! The surfing conditions, not much

tomorrow. We might get up to two or three feet. The north coast is

bigger, three to five feet. The coastal waters forecast: Thd sea

temperatures are