08/03/2017 Spotlight

I'm in Tavistock to ask how pub landlords feel about business rates

and ask whether in this low-wage economy the Chancellor may be taking

And I'm in St Ives, where I have been speaking

to shop owners about the Chancellor's announcement

And we'll have local reaction to the extra money for social care

plus our Political Editor will assess how the South West has

fared in today's budget. Also tonight:

how familiar songs are being adapted

to provide important reminders for people with dementia.

And David Knopfler, one of the founding members

of Dire Straits, will be playing live for us ahead

There was just one mention by name of the south west

in the budget today - a reference to Exeter

But many of the Chancellor's measures will still be felt

Measures such as rises in National Insurance for self

employed people; and the reduction in the amount of dividends

that small business owners can take tax-free.

But there was also some welcome relief for those concerned

about planned increases in business rates.

Live now to Tavistock and our business

Yes, Tavistock is a well favoured market town as they go, but even

here it is a load wage economy, and the town has more than its fair

share of small businesses and self-employed people. So the rise in

national issuance contributions for the self-employed will apply a bit

of a squeeze and in fact the Federation of Small Businesses

locally describe it as a good way of putting people off running their own

firms. What about infrastructure? West Devon is one of those areas

which feels it's in danger of being bit out on a limb, a previous

Chancellor has had more to say in the budget about south-west

transport. ... She was also a rep as a state of the business community.

Well, the concern was the omission, as you say, lots about

north and the Midlands, lots about Wales, Scotland and Ireland,

nothing about the south-west at all, and

given that we've had assurances previously,

we were really hoping to get those firmed up

in terms of some commitment in terms

So what about business rates? They have been lots of rises, expected in

this budget, and the announcement today that small and medium-sized

pubs would get a ?1000 discount was welcomed as far as it went. How much

of a difference will that make in practice? The landlord here is John

Hooker. What do you make of that, John? The discount is very well

welcomed. ... It is a discount however of what was already a hike.

Even with that is discounts you will face a rise? Yes, and going forward

it needs to be looked at and radicalised, the way business rates

are issued, especially digitally, because more businesses like

ourselves, and only has to read are going to suffer penalties in the

future. I am optimistic? I am optimistic. That is the even west

Devon. Neal, thank you very much and apologies for the sound problems we

had in that report. The Treasury said that 1,600

businesses nationally would benefit from ?150 million of targeted

support for smaller companies, while others

may receive sums from But in a region that

depends on small employers Tamsin Melville is in

St Ives to find out. Yes, well there were winners and

losers across the south-west, with the latest revaluation of business

rate, and many have said for a long time that the system is flawed. Here

many businesses see increases and today's announcement that there will

be short-term help for some, and a porous of possible long-term reform

is getting a cautious welcome here. I've got white chocolate

and lemon tart, or I've Not a budget of big

giveaways but for struggling From April, Neal was one of those

facing a big hike in business rates, more than ?300 extra,

and he'd be taken over Now those increases

for people like him will be It means we won't have

to pass on so much of the price increases

to our customers or absorb

the price rises ourselves. It's a great day, but there

is still the need for long-term reform for

the future to ensure that long-term reform for the future

to ensure that doesn't happen And that long-term reform

promised today that people Her rates are going down

but she is struggling with online competition

and low takings. It's not covering the overheads,

the rent, the rate or If I know what I know now,

I wouldn't be here. The current business

rates just tax a business whether a customer walks

through the door or not and I think anybody would say it's fair to tax

on profits, and that makes it more

competitive and investment strategy for businesses rather than just

having big rises just for actually existing and opening

your door on day one. The reform time scale given

by the Chancellor was for the next revaluation due

in five years' time. In the meantime, a sweetener

in the form of a ?300 million fund for councils to help

the hardest hit. Well, Cornwall Council has said

tonight that it will be urgently seeking clarity from the government

on exactly how this ?300 million fund is going to be shared out

between councils. The Federation of Small Businesses has accused the

Treasury of just tinkering around the Eddery 's with this business

rate issue and say that what is really needed is it to be tackled

properly. Well, as we know, social care

in the South West is under immense pressure as it is in the rest

of the country, so councils here were eagerly awaiting news

of any possible help Today he announced an extra

?2 billion nationally over How much of a difference

will that make? I'm joined now by our

Health Correspondent Jenny Walrond. As we have mentioned before on

Spotlight this is all over a really big issue for the south-west? We

have an older than average population and so a greater need for

social care. Recently south-west councils collectively warned

Westminster that they are not going to have enough money to pay for it,

many of them in the next financial year and we see the impact of that

in a daily basis in hospitals where at any given time there are dozens

of people ready to be discharged but stuck there waiting for care

packages. Some mentioned an extra in 2 billion over the next three years

nationally. What about locally? It has been broadly welcomed, and weeks

ago south-west councils were failing to -- devilment was failing to

address what south-west councils described as a crisis in social care

with funding. Today Cornwall Council says it's pleased that the

government has listened to it concerned but while and that a

longer term solution is required and we are likely to find out what

that's long-term solution is later this year when the government

publishes its proposals in a green paper, a kind of consultation

document. We have also heard today from Sir Wollaston MP a former GP,

saying she is pursued with his new funding, not from other budgets but

is it a question mark one think tank, the local government

information unit says definitely not.

Senior Conservatives in the Southwest have criticised

the budget proposals to spend yet more money on brand new schools.

The leader of Devon County Council told us the Chancellor had

"got his priorities wrong" and should instead be increasing

Simon Hall reports from Devon County Hall in Exeter.

The government have made a point of talking up the new money

Chancellor has found for schools but in some councils,

including Conservative controlled ones like Devon, here,

there is concern about the way that money is being spent.

Same thing, graph equals zero, that's the route.

The maths for Exmouth community College is worrying.

A new formula designed to provide fairer funding

for schools will cost it ?80,000 per year and here they believe

the money allocated in the budget for building

new schools would be better spent lifting standards at existing ones.

Money is of paramount importance because on that depends the number

of stuff I can employ, the number of support staff I can

employ in terms of teaching assistants, in terms of

assistants to help children with special needs, to reduce class

The leader of Devon County Council told me he believed the

Chancellor had got his priorities wrong in allocating money

Extra schools, free schools created in areas like this simply

will mean that schools will be all fighting for pupils.

We have the right number at the present moment

What we do need is more money to actually

fund schools so that we have teachers

Jess? Minus 12.

The budget did include plans to spend ?200 million

The Chancellor said the new money for schools was

designed to increase opportunities for young people but whether that

will be the result is already being challenged and by political friends

Well, our Political Editor Martyn Oates has been following the day's

Apart from that brief mention of Exeter mathematics school, not much

specifically aimed at the south-west, Martin? Yes we have used

to in recent budgets have little list of goodies from the south-west,

reeled off, if not then the speech itself but in supporting literature

published afterwards. The only other thing announced today, a slightly

strange thing done in the context of the budget, was the name that

Plymouth MP will be the government official representative for the

Mayflower at 400 separations in Plymouth. That anniversary

celebration has been heavily involved in by the MP, anywhere.

Nothing from any of the other leaders of the groups for lobbying

for better rail links, for example. We used to joke a lot about the

former Prime Minister David Cameron was frowned of his own worth and

Cornwall. -- south-west and Cornwall. I have heard others

recently saying that may be with the change of the Prime Minister the

south-west isn't as prominent in the government affections. The Cornwall

chairman, of the Federation of Small Businesses, said based on the budget

today it looks as if the north and the Midlands are currently the

teacher's pets. Two of the big announcements today, business rate

relief and social care we have featured tonight. Any indication how

the south-west by benefit from those? Previous social care

allegations could mean an extra ?10 million for the county. The Somerset

MP who campaigned for better funding for rural areas like the south-west

picked up this issue of bed locking that Jenny raised and said that

Devon and Cornwall are among the best, the worst affected. -- the

worst affected counties in the country.

A look now at some of the other stories across the south west...

Police searching for a 26-year-old missing woman in North Devon have

confirmed she's a junior doctor from Bristol.

Lauren Phillips' car was last seen in Woolacombe almost two weeks ago.

Dozens of women from the southwest born in the 1950's, have been

protesting in London today angry about changes to their pensions.

They say they've had up to six years added to their retirement age

Devon Councillors are threatening to refer plans to close

71 Community Hospital beds to the Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt.

They want health commissioners to assure them it's good

for the local health service and the consultation

Investigators believe plastic packaging accidentally left

on a sauna heater caused a major fire in Exeter.

The Riverside Leisure Centre was severely damaged in the blaze

A University for Somerset has taken a major step forward today.

Bridgwater and Taunton College is launching what it's calling

From fine art and design to nursing,

it'll offer degree level courses in a range of subjects.

Our Somerset reporter Clinton Rogers has been to meet some

of the students already working towards their degree.

The educational landscape in Somerset is being redrawn.

Their own promotional video is nothing if not dramatic.

But what exactly is going to change here?

Sculpting, fine art, textile design, all these students are already

studying for a degree, though right now this isn't a university.

The courses are accredited elsewhere,

In future, their degree certificates could be branded Somerset University

I think it does because I think then we can go on

and we have that status a bit more.

The University Centre Somerset, the college insist this is

For one thing, they plan thing to launch new

degree courses from nucluear science to nursing.

We won't be offering traditional history degrees, and

geography degree than things like that, this is very much about a shop

focus on industry and the type of people that

industry needs today, so

it won't be an the additional University format.

There are many hoops to jump through yet, but it is

now a declared aim, part of a campaign to persuade more higher

The use of music to help people with dementia is not a new concept,

but changing the lyrics of well know tunes to help them is.

Including subtle verbal hints within music tracks,

memorable to the listener, helps remind people living

The idea was devised by a Torbay organisation and is now

Johnny Rutherford has been to see the system being installed

in a house in Threemilestone near Truro.

A lot of people like Frank Sinatra or celibacy and what we have done we

found the person who is living with dementia, we asked the family lots

of things to like and we chose for three or four of them and during the

break and the vocals we have actually added our own message. So

you could be relaxed just listening to some music and get a gentle

reminder. Have you had something to eat? Heard that? Think I'll have

something to eat. This is a new idea trials in Cornwall. The audio is set

up each day and runs for 24 hours only coming on for an hour or two at

meal ordering times. It has shown some positive results, from a man

living with dementia. Since this has been trials, we have noticed that he

is eating the food that we leave for him. Beside his meals, we don't need

to be there saying you've got to read this and drink that he is doing

out automatically. And this is really early dales, at the moment,

so we're quite pleased at the success already. So far the

experiment has shown that the music machine needs to be hidden. If

they've got some ornaments on the mantelpiece, that would frustrate

them if you are to move the ornament so if they see this piece of

equipment that hasn't been there before, for them, they would wonder

what it is, why it is there and I don't think they probably would

accept it in their house as well. As well as a voice speaking advice

between lyrics, Michael he has rewritten some famous songs,

unchanged lyrics to form reminders. For example coming to come fly with

me and getting tired and weary eyes can off the fire, that's all that's

required, and its most part of something where I'm helping people

that are sick filled out of themselves, not just singing at

people of parties. The developers hope to rule out the system

throughout south-west. And staying with music, later this

month, Dartington hall in Devon is to host a concert to fund raise for

Sands School in Devon, run by the students and staff to make the

students -- decisions together. The student council sought out

day-to-day issues, and there is no headmasters. The alternative

education supporter, David Salone macro is supporting. He is one of

the founding members of dire Straits. You have now been so low

for three decades. I left in fairly early days, around the three albums

and I was done. I am going on tour. I 40th anniversary tour, quite

frighteningly. We have just finished one June and will dovetail into

another one. The cusp of the last concert of the previous two, then

the first concert will be the next one. Why are you keen to do this? My

daughter was at the Sands School and my wife teaches there, so... It

wasn't too hard for them to persuade me. Do you many concerts like this?

I don't do lots of benefits, I think the other one was years ago in the

Roundhouse in London. A rare opportunity for people in the

south-west. That's kind of you to say so. I am a big fan of

progressive education, and I read at a very early age as a result of

impressionable teenage age you were reading philanthropists and such,

there was a bit in this book when they were talking about a mother

coming in, the care other side of a S Neill, and the mother comes in and

the child dances around all over the furniture and she says look out free

my daughter is to a S Neill, and he says to add your child isn't free,

your is ruined. It isn't really as free-form as it looks from the

outside. Your songs are described as songs of substance and do did write

a song of the great nowhere, and arrives in saying that construct but

mother memory loss. I did indeed. When I phoned up and said mum I'm

currently see you, oh, David, why didn't you phone, she says. Why do

you think of the idea we have just seen there, using to adapt lyrics

and help people? I will be needing it pretty soon myself. I work lyric

sheets for my work on stage and even for this little two-minute song that

we're going to do I am nervously thinking I have no way to remember

this because that is so used to having the lyric sheets to help me,

even though we did hundreds of concerts a year. It shows the power

of music, doesn't it? It is wonderful stuff. I never tire of it,

it excites me all the time. And you will perform for us in a moment.

What will we hear customer a song for true north, if I can remember.

We will look forward to it. In a moment. Thank you very much for

coming in and well done on the concert on the

19th. Now, time for the weather. David,

what is it looking like? It looks like we will

continue to have some problems with mist and low cloud. That continues

overnight tonight, drizzle which will eventually clear southwards

giving a hint of some slightly brighter conditions. Less breezy

tomorrow, but still feeling quite wild. The biggest point tonight is

going to be the mist and fog, quite extensive and a problem along the

coast or over high ground if travelling. Poor visibility

overnight, easy local radio of course has updates if it causes

problems. It's weather Brand is going to lie draped across Cornwall

for much of the Daisy Murray, with little movement on it, and meaning

Cornwall will suffer again with the weather we have seen today, drizzle,

low-power, fog. Friday, that weather front will have moved a long way

north but we are still in the type of air. Mile, humid, and the

continued risk of low cloud and mist. I'd no definite change to the

pattern until the weekend, a cold front sweeping through from Saturday

introducing fresh air, but availability, and by the time we to

Sunday we have quite a rush of showers developing around the

Midlands, and some sunshine. The week and not too bad, but somewhat

fresher, somewhat cooler. We have the mild air overnight in a

south-west winds continued to drop through the nights to come, meaning

with the air much stiller, the ability of the club to be a bit

lower as it sinks means poor visibility for all of us and as you

can see there is a great cover of cloud over the most of the south

west at the moment, producing a ski spots of light rain and drizzle.

Through the evening and night there is not a great deal of change in

that, winds falling light, and variable by the morning meaning

there is a lot of low cloud around, greeting us early in the day, but

mild overnight, temperatures below are done for most of us 10 degrees.

15 in Fahrenheit. -- 50. By what had been good in the day a few weeks

ago, so it is mild, some mist, but a clearance from the north, so during

the course of the date gradually this guys will brighten, across the

north of Devon, northern parts of Somerset and especially part of

Dorset where here we should start to see some breaks in the cloud and

sunshine coming through. Contrary do that, though, the layer of cloud

across the good part of Cornwall continues with the mist and fog, and

spits of drizzle, for all of us being a mild day, 11 or 12 typically

for most of us and if the sunshine is out, temperatures up to 13 or 14

degrees. For the Isles of Scilly Dumais here, cloud or mystique for

most of the day, lighter winds and we have seen today, and generally

feeling pretty mild. Onto the times of high water and there we are for

the ports and harbours. Far south-west, say Mary's 204 and 1438.

Plymouth, 257, and 1536. For surfers, still quite messy. Big

waves to start with but quite quickly those ways quietened down

because there are lighter winds tomorrow, a variable three or four,

eventually becoming south of south-westerly three Dutch War,

occasionally drizzle, moderate that poor visibility through the English

Channel, but better visibility along the north coast across the weather

front stalling across Cornwall. Friday a similar day, temperatures

13-14 degrees, briefly some brightness, maybe some sunshine, and

temperatures as night still quite high, but by Saturday into Sunday,

slightly fresher air, cold at night and the risk of a view showers

around, some showers on Sunday turning out to be quite heavy. Have

a good evening. The Justin, back to you.

As promised we leave you tonight with Dire Straits founding member

You are my true north, my dreams, my truest, true north, the one that I

love best. I will remember this, our perfect knife of perfect place. Yes

and your soft caress, I will remember this. I will remember all

of this, how we burned, how we kissed, after all this loneliness, I

will remember this. I'm the one that blessed. I'm the one that blessed.

You are my true north my true east and my true west. Honey, you're my

true north, the one that I love best. I will remember this, my love

beyond the leaf of death, the passion and the truth at last. I'm

the one that blessed. I'm the one that's blessed. You are my true

novel, my true east, my true west. Oh, honey, you're my true north, the

one that I love best. The one that I love best. The one that I love best.

Let's Sing And Dance exploded onto our screens,

setting the stage alight...literally.

Stars were a-swinging... Could somebody help me?

Join the party, as new stars perform on...

You can still see her - but it has to be supervised.

You thought it was YOU I was afraid of.

Now it's happened, not only have I got nothing to lose,