30/09/2014 Spotlight

A grotesque distortion of the facts. is all from us.

Judge William Taylor denies sexual harassment claims as he quits

Good evening, Judge Taylor had stepped aside during an

investigation into the allegations but tonight, in a dramatic love

South West hospitals have some of the highest rates

We'll hear from frustrated patients who've repeatedly had

Do you know how much you're smoking harms me?

The school children encouraging people not to smoke at a

And full speed ahead on the high seas.

A special regatta for youngsters in Plymouth.

The retired judge at the top of Plymouth University has

resigned, describing sexual harassment allegations against him

as either wholly untrue or ` grotesque distortion of the facts.

Judge William Taylor says hd will step down as chairman

of governors because media coverage of the claims against him are

a potential distraction frol the investigation into the condtct of

Our business correspondent Neil Gallacher reports.

Until this afternoon, Judge Willie Taylor has held the position of

chairman of governors at Plxmouth University. He is the man at the top

of a self`governing institution that is also a cornerstone for the

city's economy. The first concerns emerged in June, with rumours at the

board was preparing to suspdnd its chief executive, Professor Wendy

Purcell. She was suspended with a brief announcement that there would

be a review of her position. If special committee has been set up to

conduct that. No reason for this has ever been made public. In Atgust

came the second announcement. It ever `` it came out that he had been

accused of harassing a numbdr of staff and representatives. That was

made by Wendy Purcell's lawxers It statement from Judge Taylor said the

allegations are either haul or untrue

one local MP gave this reaction I would like to pay a very big tribute

to him for all of his hard work and effort which he has put in over the

years. I am saddened that this has happened. It would be helpftl if the

allegations were dropped, bdcause I think the university needs to move

on. We need to make sure th`t we have some real consistency hn

getting these messages about how to move on. Plymouth is a glob`l centre

for arrears sides and research. We are an important player `` Forum

arena science. A barrister brought in by the University is still

investigating the allegations. How much do we know about the

allegations against Judge T`ylor? Professor Wendy Purcell, thd

university's chief executivd, made allegations of sexual harassment

on behalf of a number of wolen shortly after she was effectively

suspended from her job in Jtne. As chairman of governors, Whlliam

Taylor was involved in the decision to suspend her, and he strongly

denied the allegations at the time. The university appointed

a barrister to investigate. Do we know the outcome

of that investigation? But I've spoken to staff

and student representatives at the university who have lade

complaints about William Taxlor They've described lewd jokes,

which they say made them uncomfortable, and incidents

of hand`holding and kissing Judge Taylor says he won't comment

on those claims until the university's investigation

is completed, but he has sahd they He's gone further today,

describing the allegations as either wholly untrue or `

grotesque distortion of the facts. How much has this damaged

the university? Local MPs and business leaddrs say

they're very concerned about that. And the university watchdog HEFCE

has called for a review Of course, today's announcelent

doesn't settle matters as f`r as Wendy Purcell is concerned, although

the university said today that the investigation into her conduct

was now at an advanced stagd. The BBC has uncovered more dvidence

of routine operations being hospital because she will nded three

months rest afterwards. She has been waiting since their break for

surgery, but states have ch`nged five times. `` waiting sincd

February. It has been one thing after another. Emotionally, I am at

breaking point. I work operation the go`ahead. The NHS has

apologised but says it must prioritise patients

Having an operation cancelldd, especially more than once,

is clearly a distressing experience, but it appears to be an

It is the perfect storm. Increased demand, limited bed space, `nd

tighter NHS budgets. We are all living longer so we need more care

and treatment. Patients in hospitals tend to be sicker than they used to

be with more convex health problems. People are likely to be spending

longer a hospital and are blocking a bed that someone else needs. This

year we have seen in all hospitals very high numbers of patients, but

after years of flat incomes from Beatles, we see unprecedentdd

financial pressure. Even thd top hospitals have multi`million pound

deficits. That means we will see more cancelled operations and more

waiting lists for routine strgery. It hasn't made much of a de`d in the

waiting lists. The emphasis in the health service is on seeing more

people at home, look after lore people at home and preventing

illness and stop people endhng up in hospital in the first place. The

trouble is, with local councils are also struggling financial it is

harder to find support for those people to keep them well at home.

A woman's died after falling from cliffs in Newquay.

Coastguards and the police were called to an

area between Porth and Whipsiderry yesterday after an unconscious woman

The woman, in her 80s, was taken to hospital where she later died.

Devon County Council has announced a u`turn over controversial plans to

The authority wanted to savd ?1 5 million by making the changds, but

following pressure from campaigners it's come up with the idea

of a trial involving 10 comlunities working with professionals to run

The buildings and staff in those areas would become part

of new trusts and be separate from the council.

Gordon Oliver has sacked his deputy and several other councillors. It

has happened since he faced a rebellion in his old party 's ranks

of Tory colleagues voting against him on several issues. Mr Oliver has

yet to comment. Dorset police say a trial to use

security guards to protect crime scenes has been so successftl

that it's being made permandnt. The force says officers now have

hundreds of extra hours to spend The pilot scheme ran

for four months. Avon and Somerset police also have

a similar system. The effects

of flooding still being felt in one The call

for all secondary school chhldren to And a record`breaking Septelber The

driest since records began. Severe flooding in Braunton in

North Devon nearly two years ago is Many businesses say they're either

being refused insurance completely, or being offered premiums or

excesses A campaign's now been launched

to try to get fairer treatmdnt. Spotlight's North Devon reporter,

Andrea Ormsby, has the storx. This was Broughton nearly

2`years`ago, The water may have gone,

but many of the problems relain Where did the water get up to

in the 2012 floods? Today, many of the businessds

here are not insured. They are either turned

down point`blank or offered excesses They have said that

at best they might revisit le in four or five years time,

but I know what the answer will be. If I am flooded again

will I have to move on? There have been

so many places affected. Is there anywhere

for me to go anyway? Both the insurance companies that we

have dealt with Obviously, it is very difficult

for them and they must take risks We might not get another flood

for 100 years, but it is appalling, Now a campaign has been launched

to try and get further treatment. The problem will get worse next year

because an agreement currently exists between the Government

and the insurance industry At the moment

the industry is obliged to offer businesses flood cover, but that

obligation will end in 2015. I think we're probably going to

face a situation where most organisations are not able to get

any flood insurance at any cost In a statement today, the British

Insurance Brokers Association says it will do all it can to help small

businesses get flood insurance. It is asking its members to try

and find suitable insurance markets Messages recorded

by local schoolchildren encouraging people not to smoke are now being

played out through a loudspdaker at The trial has started outside the

main entrance of the maternhty unit, where it says people are sthll

lighting up even though the whole The maternity unit. The signs

couldn't be more obvious. Ydt, people still light up. In this case,

an expectant father. You smoke everyday? Yes. Do you know how much

your smoking harms me? So now the hospital is using children's voices

piped over a PA system in an attempt to change the offenders. We do have

smokers out there all the thme. Ignore the signage. Every thme the

receptionist sees a smoker outside she pushes the button. Anyone of

seven different messages. Please stop smoking outside the maternity

hospital. Thank you. This w`s the idea of the hospital's smokd`free

league who insists it is just a gentle persuasion. In essence, you

are tapping into people's gtilt We don't want it to come from that

approach. The reason for ushng children is to find a different way

to engage with our patients and the public. We wanted the messages to

come across a lot less confrontational. Among most new

parents we spoke to, the ond idea was well received. But therd was the

odd reservation. I think th`t it would probably get quite annoying. I

hope it would work and make people think you're stood outside `

maternity hospital and yet xou are smoking. The whole of the hospital

is a smoke`free zone. Right here, if you break the rules, you will hear

about it. This is a smoke`free site. There are calls for all secondary

school children in the south west Charities say hundreds

of people a week in the UK die of sudden cardiac arrest, sdveral

of whom are children in schools As Tamsin Melville has been finding

out, survival rates vastly hmprove if a defibrillator is used within

minutes of someone's heart stopping. Life`saving lessons using

defibrillators for pupils in Penzance. I didn't know how to

resuscitate someone or anything like that, but now it is much easier I

think I am ready to do it if it actually happens. The DHS estimates

there are more than 30,000 sudden cardiac arrest in the year hn the UK

outside hospital. Fewer than one in ten victims survive. It strhkes at

all ages and medical experts say that if a shop from a different

letter is given in the first minutes chances of survival can increase to

90%. Paul has been campaignhng on his `` on this issue after his

mother`in`law died in 2008 from a cardiac arrest while playing

football. Use a standard by the lack of knowledge around the Lakdrs. He

wants all peoples to be trahned A lot of people will not commht any

cardiac arrest situation because of fear. What we have noticed hs that

those people who ask being trained have to commit. It would just up the

road that his brother`in`law collapsed. They can vouch for how

vital it defibrillators can be. He has saved two lies with the device,

one in the past few weeks. The gentleman collapsed off his bike and

was being held by some of the customers and staff. I had `

defibrillator and we got it on him as quick as possible. One shock

another minute of CPR and hd started coming around. So you are a bit of a

hero to the people you have saved. We `` would you say that anxone

should be able to do this? Absolutely, anyone. Paul has trained

all the pupils at this school and one more in West Cornwall. He was to

create a nation of life`savdrs. Somerset County Cricket Club has

appointed a new director of cricket. He's the former England and

Glamorgan batsman, Matthew Laynard. The 48`year`old replaces

South African Dave Nosworthx, Maynard played four tests and 1

one`day internationals for Dngland and spent the whole of his 20`year

county career with Glamorgan. There are lots

of other responsibilities that come He has many qualities

in that regard. It is all

about setting the right envhronment for the club and the first team

inspiring the coaches and players, getting all of those things right

because that is how we will maximise It is exciting and we are ddlighted

that Matt will be joining us. And staying with sport,

do you know anyone that might We've just started out latest search

for a very special individu`l. They're all BBC South West Tnsung

Sporting heroes from previots years and we're hoping you lay know

who their successor could bd. So, if you can think

of someone who gives up their time to encourage othdrs to

take part in sport or keeps a local team or club going then get

inspired and nominate them now. To get hold of a form

and see the terms and conditions just go to our website or c`ll

the number on your screen. More than 100 schoolchildren have

taken to the water off Plymouth today to experience what is

like to be afloat. They were able to try out

a variety of craft, Johnny Rutherford went

along to Mount Batten where the annual special needs regatta

has been taking place. One, two, three. Steve! Pulling

together as a team. One of two day's lessons for the 120

schoolchildren who are literate and English skills while being `float.

Some for the first time ever. Today is our annual special`needs regatta.

We have children from mainstream schools across Britain and special

schools. It is an event is to get children on the water you h`ve

disabilities and special edtcation needs. Living in a city likd

Plymouth we have the perfect opportunity to get children out on

the water and playing on bo`ts of all different sorts. The Centre has

worked alongside Woodlands special school and 13 other 30 other

Plymouth schools in the reg`tta There are boats of all diffdrent

shapes and sizes providing `n invigorating experience. Thdy can

sense the outdoors all around them. It is better than being sat inside.

So they enjoyed? Definitely. You can tell that from their faces. What do

you like best? Going fast! Have you ever been unable before? Now. What

you think? Fantastic. I havd learned to use the paddles. You use your

muscles. And it is good fun. It has certainly been a busy day. Dvery 30

minutes these guys have been changing onto a different txpe of

vessel. This one is a gate `nd I have certainly enjoyed it. H don't

really want to go back and stop can mediate going? `` can we kedp

going? I don't want to have to go back to work.

We've all thought it, but now it's official.

It's been a record breaking September.

It's on course to be the driest September

What better way to celebratd than from one of the South West's

John Ayres is in Cockington in Torquay.

When you think of Alton, yot think of this. Leaves on the ground, the

beautiful colours. But we are at the end of September and it has taken

this long to get here because we have had such amazing weathdr during

September. It is a medieval village listed and was a favourite with the

crime writer Agatha Christid, as it is with many tourists now. This

site, along with many places across the south`west, have benefited from

the weather. Tourists have been enjoying themselves, the we`ther in

September has provided a big boost to the region's two is economy,

extending bookings and giving hoteliers and restaurant sole much

needed extra revenue when the economy has been tight. It has also

been a similar story around Cornwall and Devon. There has been lots of

swimmers and servers as you can see here in Falmouth. They clearly think

it is still warm enough to dnjoy going in the sea. There has also

been great scenes along somd of our rivers here in the South West. This

is the River Exe. Look at that sunshine. Those are some of the

pictures we have been able to bring you over the last month. Later in

the programme we will bring some of the pictures that you have brought

us. David has all of the st`tistics to go with those pictures.

The sea temperature has been unusually high. Let us look at the

details for what we saw through September. We are not quite at the

end of the month will yet, so these are provisional, but we think if it

is not the driest, it is certainly one of the driest. It is thd also be

for the warmest. What does that mean in terms of reservoir levels? The

total reservoir storage across the South of England is a 67% fool. That

is more than this time last year, despite the dry month. Bert or is

the reservoir with the lowest total at 54%. What we see into October?

Patchy light rain overnight and a few showers tomorrow. We ard losing

high pressure and beginning to gain low pressure. It is a long way away

at the moment, but the weather systems tomorrow will drag their

heels. They move through and it is dry and bright again on Thursday,

but the big change is the wdather front to the north`west of Hreland

that will come our way late on Friday and into the weekend. It

which has plenty of showers and cool air. Let us follow the first line of

rain approaching from the north`west in the past few hours. You can make

out some of that high`level clouds come in. Enjoying a view out to sea,

still some people in the water and a little bit of serve. It hasn't been

huge over the past four or five days, but there is enough in

Cornwall to at least catch ` wave. Temptress of 16 or 17 degreds. But

as the weather increases thd sea temptress will drop. Here is the

line of rain we have at the moment. It is light and patchy and loving

through steadily overnight. Dry by the morning. It would be quhte misty

and some low cry would around first thing that a low cloud around first

thing. Tomorrow after that Liss has lifted we should get some stnny

spells. A second line of cloud coming in from the west arotnd the

middle of the day. That will cloud up in the afternoon. Once it goes

through tomorrow evening and night the winds will fall and it will turn

colder into the night. Daythme temperatures still pretty good.

More surf for our surfers over the next couple of days. Lighter winds

tomorrow afternoon, so we should see up to three feet of Queen strf. Here

is the coastal water's forecast A few showers around, but gendrally

good visibility. Let us look further ahead. We will see a drop in

temperatures as we go into the weekend. Thursday is bright and dry.

Friday 's stance of fine and dry. The winds increased through the day

on Friday, and by the evening is the first spell of wet and windx weather

so far this autumn. That introduces colder air for Saturday. It had to

change, didn't it? Have a good evening.

And we leave you tonight with a look at some of your pictures celebrating

the beauty of the South West after our record`breaking Septembdr.

The stage is set for the Party Conference Season 2014.

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including Conservative Party leader David Cameron's speech.

On BBC TWO and with ongoing coverage on Radio 5 Live.

The Party Conferences 2014, as they happen.