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From waste and recycling to pest control and trading standards. | 0:00:02 | 0:00:07 | |
The taxes that we pay to our local councils are used to provide | 0:00:08 | 0:00:12 | |
many of our most essential services. | 0:00:12 | 0:00:15 | |
I like people who are keen to recycle. | 0:00:15 | 0:00:17 | |
In this series, we follow the front-line staff working | 0:00:17 | 0:00:20 | |
behind the walls of Tameside Town Hall in Greater Manchester. | 0:00:20 | 0:00:24 | |
Like council officers across the country, | 0:00:25 | 0:00:28 | |
these local heroes are waging war on those blighting our communities. | 0:00:28 | 0:00:32 | |
Oi! Oi! Oi! Excuse me, love, you can't do that! | 0:00:32 | 0:00:36 | |
They are protecting us from hidden dangers... | 0:00:36 | 0:00:38 | |
If there is rodent activity in your kitchen, | 0:00:38 | 0:00:40 | |
you won't be opening tonight, it's that simple. | 0:00:40 | 0:00:42 | |
..making sure our cash is spent on those who need it most... | 0:00:42 | 0:00:45 | |
I'm at a loose end. I do not know where to turn. | 0:00:45 | 0:00:49 | |
..and responding to their residents when they call the council. | 0:00:49 | 0:00:53 | |
Coming up in today's programme, council officers turn detective | 0:01:00 | 0:01:04 | |
after a resident dies alone. | 0:01:04 | 0:01:05 | |
It doesn't feel right, somehow, going through somebody's personal belongings. | 0:01:07 | 0:01:10 | |
Unfortunately, it's something we have to do. | 0:01:10 | 0:01:12 | |
-Hello! -A resident calls the council after discovering | 0:01:12 | 0:01:16 | |
an unwanted ingredient in her curry. | 0:01:16 | 0:01:19 | |
Halfway through we discovered black beetles. | 0:01:19 | 0:01:23 | |
And officers respond when shoppers and staff | 0:01:24 | 0:01:27 | |
are put in danger at a cash and carry. | 0:01:27 | 0:01:29 | |
-I'm losing confidence, really. -You don't need to. -I am. | 0:01:29 | 0:01:32 | |
In the UK, over 400 local councils employing over two million people | 0:01:39 | 0:01:44 | |
are charged with putting our money to the best possible use. | 0:01:44 | 0:01:48 | |
Every hour of every day, these local authorities | 0:01:48 | 0:01:51 | |
and local council officers work around the clock | 0:01:51 | 0:01:53 | |
to keep us safe, caring for us from cradle to grave. | 0:01:53 | 0:01:57 | |
Hello, Bereavement Services. | 0:01:57 | 0:01:58 | |
Mike Gurney is in charge of the council's bereavement service. | 0:01:58 | 0:02:02 | |
Based at Tameside's crematorium, | 0:02:02 | 0:02:04 | |
it's his job to care for the deceased and their families. | 0:02:04 | 0:02:07 | |
I don't think people do realise how much | 0:02:07 | 0:02:09 | |
the council are involved in their lives in many ways. | 0:02:09 | 0:02:13 | |
Everybody at some point has got to come to me. That sounds awful. | 0:02:13 | 0:02:17 | |
People get scared when I say, "See you soon." They start worrying. | 0:02:17 | 0:02:20 | |
Today Mike's dealing with a call from the police | 0:02:20 | 0:02:23 | |
asking for the council's help, and for him to turn detective. | 0:02:23 | 0:02:27 | |
We've just received a phone call from the coroner's office, and it's | 0:02:27 | 0:02:30 | |
regarding a gentleman that has been found dead in his property locally. | 0:02:30 | 0:02:35 | |
Initial enquiries haven't revealed any relatives | 0:02:35 | 0:02:38 | |
whatsoever at the moment. | 0:02:38 | 0:02:39 | |
What I need to do now as part of our service is to do more enquiries, | 0:02:39 | 0:02:43 | |
as to whether he's got any family or not, and I need to get into | 0:02:43 | 0:02:47 | |
the property now to go through his belongings and to establish | 0:02:47 | 0:02:50 | |
if there's any monies available to arrange a funeral for him. | 0:02:50 | 0:02:54 | |
In cases like this, | 0:02:56 | 0:02:57 | |
when someone dies without any known surviving relatives, | 0:02:57 | 0:03:01 | |
it becomes the council's responsibility to arrange | 0:03:01 | 0:03:04 | |
what's known as a community funeral. | 0:03:04 | 0:03:06 | |
A community funeral is where somebody dies in Tameside, | 0:03:06 | 0:03:10 | |
and there's no known relatives | 0:03:10 | 0:03:13 | |
and there's no-one to sort their funeral out. | 0:03:13 | 0:03:15 | |
We have a statutory obligation to make sure we arrange a funeral in those circumstances. | 0:03:15 | 0:03:19 | |
Local authorities in England and Wales carry out | 0:03:20 | 0:03:23 | |
around 3,000 community funerals a year, at a cost of £2 million. | 0:03:23 | 0:03:28 | |
To recoup some of these costs, | 0:03:30 | 0:03:32 | |
councils are allowed access to any assets the deceased leave behind. | 0:03:32 | 0:03:36 | |
We literally have to go in the house, people's houses, | 0:03:38 | 0:03:40 | |
and find any bank details. If there's no actual money available, | 0:03:40 | 0:03:44 | |
maybe there's anything valuable there, we can sell it, | 0:03:44 | 0:03:47 | |
to pay towards the funeral. | 0:03:47 | 0:03:49 | |
But in a lot of the cases, there's no money whatsoever. | 0:03:49 | 0:03:52 | |
In a bid to find out | 0:03:52 | 0:03:53 | |
if the deceased man has any surviving family or remaining funds, | 0:03:53 | 0:03:57 | |
Mike's preparing for the difficult task of searching his home. | 0:03:57 | 0:04:01 | |
OK, so we've got some disposable suits we need to take with us just as a precaution. | 0:04:01 | 0:04:06 | |
A face mask, because it can be not very nice, shall we say, | 0:04:06 | 0:04:11 | |
the smell, sometimes, it depends on the circumstances, | 0:04:11 | 0:04:14 | |
how long the person's been there, so face masks. | 0:04:14 | 0:04:17 | |
These are my shoes that I wear when I go in these properties, | 0:04:17 | 0:04:19 | |
because some of them are pretty horrendous. | 0:04:19 | 0:04:22 | |
These are our big socks. | 0:04:22 | 0:04:23 | |
These are to go over our shoes, should it be extremely bad. | 0:04:23 | 0:04:27 | |
We've been involved in lots of things, exhumations, | 0:04:28 | 0:04:31 | |
and we were very much involved in the Shipman Inquiry a few years back, | 0:04:31 | 0:04:34 | |
and my staff were involved in exhuming bodies. | 0:04:34 | 0:04:37 | |
I do go home and off-load sometimes to my wife, and I've got a great | 0:04:37 | 0:04:40 | |
family network, so I think it's talking things through | 0:04:40 | 0:04:43 | |
amongst the staff, but my coping mechanism is probably a sense of humour. | 0:04:43 | 0:04:47 | |
I don't know, I think I've got a good sense of humour. | 0:04:47 | 0:04:49 | |
My wife would kill me if she saw this. Not ironed! | 0:04:49 | 0:04:52 | |
You know, it's not being disrespectful, but it's probably just a coping mechanism. | 0:04:52 | 0:04:57 | |
If Mike can alert any relatives to the man's death or find some funds, | 0:04:58 | 0:05:02 | |
he can reduce the burden on Tameside's taxpayers | 0:05:02 | 0:05:06 | |
and help give the man a respectful funeral. | 0:05:06 | 0:05:08 | |
Coming up, the officers discover some valuable information. | 0:05:12 | 0:05:15 | |
-I found a big metal box. -Is there a key in it? -No. | 0:05:15 | 0:05:18 | |
-There's no key in it? -No. | 0:05:18 | 0:05:20 | |
But will it help them find any family for the deceased? | 0:05:20 | 0:05:23 | |
Local councils nationwide do their best to help out | 0:05:30 | 0:05:32 | |
whenever a resident calls about life or death. | 0:05:32 | 0:05:36 | |
That would be Bereavement Services. | 0:05:36 | 0:05:38 | |
If you bear with me, I shall put you through. Thank you. | 0:05:38 | 0:05:41 | |
But not all queries from the bereaved are easy to resolve. | 0:05:41 | 0:05:45 | |
Cheapest and legal way to dispose of a dead body... | 0:05:45 | 0:05:48 | |
Yeah, and wasn't the story that, | 0:05:48 | 0:05:50 | |
"Can I carry them round in my boot, of the car?" | 0:05:50 | 0:05:54 | |
Yeah. I mean, that's weird, isn't it? | 0:05:54 | 0:05:57 | |
I had one lady once, she requested to hire a helicopter. | 0:05:57 | 0:06:01 | |
She wanted her husband's ashes spreading across Tameside. | 0:06:01 | 0:06:05 | |
I were like... "No!" | 0:06:05 | 0:06:08 | |
Alerted by the police, | 0:06:17 | 0:06:18 | |
Mike Gurney has arrived at the home of a resident | 0:06:18 | 0:06:21 | |
who's thought to have died without leaving any surviving relatives | 0:06:21 | 0:06:25 | |
to help with his funeral. | 0:06:25 | 0:06:26 | |
Got some steps to make it easier. | 0:06:28 | 0:06:29 | |
He needs to find out more about the deceased gentleman's life | 0:06:29 | 0:06:33 | |
and begins his investigation by speaking to a neighbour. | 0:06:33 | 0:06:36 | |
Mrs Harrison? Hello there. Just to let you know, | 0:06:36 | 0:06:39 | |
we're going in the property now to see what we can find. | 0:06:39 | 0:06:41 | |
Are you the lady that reported you hadn't seen the gentleman? | 0:06:41 | 0:06:44 | |
I hadn't seen him, but Jill across the road informed me that his | 0:06:44 | 0:06:47 | |
curtains hadn't been opened for a few days, because we'd been away. | 0:06:47 | 0:06:50 | |
-Right, OK. -So the window cleaner was due that same day, and Duncan knocked on the door | 0:06:50 | 0:06:54 | |
and said, "Would you like me to look through his bedroom window?" | 0:06:54 | 0:06:57 | |
-Right, OK. -So we said, "Yes, if you would, Duncan." | 0:06:57 | 0:06:59 | |
-Could he see him through there? -He could do. | 0:06:59 | 0:07:01 | |
He went up on his ladder, Duncan, and came back round immediately and | 0:07:01 | 0:07:05 | |
told me he'd found Stephen through the window collapsed on his bed. | 0:07:05 | 0:07:08 | |
The man suffered a fatal heart attack. | 0:07:10 | 0:07:12 | |
Now it's up to Mike to explore the house for clues | 0:07:12 | 0:07:15 | |
that might confirm he died without any family. | 0:07:15 | 0:07:18 | |
Shall we do a sniff test? | 0:07:19 | 0:07:21 | |
HE SNIFFS | 0:07:21 | 0:07:23 | |
I think it's... HE SNIFFS | 0:07:23 | 0:07:26 | |
I think it's going to be all right, actually. | 0:07:26 | 0:07:28 | |
What we do need is gloves. Can you get my gloves? | 0:07:28 | 0:07:30 | |
They're in the black bag in the boot. | 0:07:30 | 0:07:32 | |
The man's body was removed by funeral directors, | 0:07:32 | 0:07:35 | |
so Mike's task shouldn't be too unpleasant. | 0:07:35 | 0:07:38 | |
Most circumstances, | 0:07:38 | 0:07:39 | |
these people have been dead in their house for days, weeks, | 0:07:39 | 0:07:42 | |
sometimes months, and as soon as you open the door, | 0:07:42 | 0:07:44 | |
the smell can be quite horrific, for obvious reasons. | 0:07:44 | 0:07:47 | |
So we always have a quick check first, we do a simple sniff test. | 0:07:47 | 0:07:50 | |
That sounds ridiculous, but to see if we can bear the smell in there. | 0:07:50 | 0:07:53 | |
If Mike fails to find any information that identifies | 0:07:54 | 0:07:58 | |
any surviving relatives, the local authority will fund the funeral. | 0:07:58 | 0:08:01 | |
Let's open the curtains. | 0:08:01 | 0:08:03 | |
So Mike and his colleague Andrew begin a thorough search of the flat. | 0:08:03 | 0:08:07 | |
What we're looking for is any personal stuff that will tell us a lot about | 0:08:07 | 0:08:11 | |
who the gentleman is, we need birth certificates, | 0:08:11 | 0:08:14 | |
any bank books, any bank details, | 0:08:14 | 0:08:15 | |
anything that would link us to another member of his family we can contact. | 0:08:15 | 0:08:19 | |
That's what the aim, really, is today. | 0:08:19 | 0:08:21 | |
And also to take out any valuable belongings of the gentleman | 0:08:21 | 0:08:24 | |
that we can, well, for safety purposes, | 0:08:24 | 0:08:27 | |
but we may have to sell them in order to pay towards his funeral. | 0:08:27 | 0:08:30 | |
-Mike? -Yeah. -I've found a big metal box. | 0:08:30 | 0:08:35 | |
-Is there a key in it? -No. -There's no key in it? -No. | 0:08:38 | 0:08:41 | |
We find all sorts when we're going through people's belongings - | 0:08:42 | 0:08:46 | |
criminal records, all sorts of issues in some of them, | 0:08:46 | 0:08:49 | |
but that's not for us to judge. | 0:08:49 | 0:08:51 | |
We're just there to make sure the funeral is carried out | 0:08:51 | 0:08:55 | |
in the right and proper way. | 0:08:55 | 0:08:56 | |
He looks organised. | 0:08:56 | 0:08:58 | |
Yeah, passport, everything here, bank statement, that's great. | 0:08:58 | 0:09:02 | |
This helps us paint a picture of this guy, | 0:09:02 | 0:09:07 | |
maybe lead to who he is and who his family are. | 0:09:07 | 0:09:12 | |
What we'll do, we'll take this file back, go through that in detail. | 0:09:12 | 0:09:15 | |
Having uncovered personal information, | 0:09:15 | 0:09:17 | |
Mike and Andrew set about searching for any valuables. | 0:09:17 | 0:09:20 | |
Just take that. Magnetic therapy, | 0:09:20 | 0:09:22 | |
but I'll take it because it's classed as jewellery, isn't it? | 0:09:22 | 0:09:25 | |
Doesn't feel right, somehow, going through somebody's personal belongings. | 0:09:27 | 0:09:32 | |
It just feels like you're intruding a bit, but unfortunately, it's | 0:09:32 | 0:09:35 | |
something we have to do, because there's nobody else to do it. | 0:09:35 | 0:09:39 | |
What's that? Here we are. A picture of him. | 0:09:39 | 0:09:43 | |
Ah. I always find it, | 0:09:43 | 0:09:44 | |
when you see a photograph it makes it more real, doesn't it? | 0:09:44 | 0:09:48 | |
You can relate to the person who lived here then. | 0:09:48 | 0:09:50 | |
I think anyone who works with the council should have that enjoyment | 0:09:52 | 0:09:55 | |
in making sure we are delivering services well for the public. | 0:09:55 | 0:09:59 | |
And I just want to make sure things go well for people, | 0:09:59 | 0:10:02 | |
particularly in the bereavement side of things. | 0:10:02 | 0:10:04 | |
That last chapter of people's lives, really. | 0:10:04 | 0:10:06 | |
There's Christmas cards here, so | 0:10:06 | 0:10:09 | |
we could find phone numbers on Christmas cards, Andrew. | 0:10:09 | 0:10:12 | |
-You know, for a family member, anything. -Yeah, yeah. | 0:10:12 | 0:10:15 | |
Here we are. What's this? | 0:10:16 | 0:10:18 | |
We'll take these back and go through them in detail. | 0:10:19 | 0:10:22 | |
Don't drop them. They might be in some sort of order, that lot. | 0:10:22 | 0:10:26 | |
Mike and Andrew leave the property with just a small amount of cash | 0:10:26 | 0:10:29 | |
and some valuables but the box they've discovered could | 0:10:29 | 0:10:32 | |
provide them with vital information. | 0:10:32 | 0:10:34 | |
Coming up - the officers continue their investigation. | 0:10:39 | 0:10:42 | |
Here you are - birth certificate. Brilliant. That's what I'm after. | 0:10:42 | 0:10:45 | |
But will they be able to find out enough to help give the man | 0:10:45 | 0:10:48 | |
a fitting funeral? | 0:10:48 | 0:10:49 | |
Despite having no legal duty to provide burial space, | 0:10:58 | 0:11:01 | |
most local councils in the UK | 0:11:01 | 0:11:03 | |
maintain and manage cemeteries for their residents. | 0:11:03 | 0:11:07 | |
Estimates suggest that there are around 4,000 in the UK. | 0:11:07 | 0:11:11 | |
Tameside Council looks after eight cemeteries, which means grave-digger | 0:11:11 | 0:11:15 | |
Geoff Dale and his assistant Matt Smith are always busy. | 0:11:15 | 0:11:19 | |
Right, Matt? | 0:11:19 | 0:11:20 | |
Today, they're performing essential checks on headstones. | 0:11:21 | 0:11:24 | |
Checking a big headstone like that, | 0:11:27 | 0:11:29 | |
obviously you've got to stand clear of it in case it goes. | 0:11:29 | 0:11:32 | |
That's passed, that. | 0:11:34 | 0:11:35 | |
-Passed? -Yeah. | 0:11:35 | 0:11:37 | |
In the past, somebody's been killed by a falling monument. | 0:11:37 | 0:11:40 | |
So it were brought to the attention of the HSE and that's why we do it. | 0:11:40 | 0:11:44 | |
We have to do these annual checks on all the headstones | 0:11:44 | 0:11:47 | |
to make sure that it's a safe place for the public to come into. | 0:11:47 | 0:11:51 | |
It's passed at the front. | 0:11:52 | 0:11:54 | |
Aye. | 0:11:54 | 0:11:56 | |
It's failed at the back. | 0:11:56 | 0:11:57 | |
They're testing the stability of every headstone, applying | 0:11:57 | 0:12:00 | |
the same amount of pressure as a person leaning against them would. | 0:12:00 | 0:12:07 | |
That's failed. | 0:12:07 | 0:12:09 | |
A fail means they have to secure the headstone, | 0:12:09 | 0:12:12 | |
ensuring no mourners are in danger. | 0:12:12 | 0:12:14 | |
-That's not coming off, is it? -No. Don't want it coming off. | 0:12:16 | 0:12:20 | |
While our local authorities manage our cemeteries, | 0:12:20 | 0:12:23 | |
the graves within them belong to the families who've purchased the plots. | 0:12:23 | 0:12:27 | |
It's their responsibility to repair headstones like this, | 0:12:27 | 0:12:31 | |
so for now, the lads make this one safe. | 0:12:31 | 0:12:33 | |
The family will be contacted if they're contactable and then | 0:12:33 | 0:12:37 | |
this is supposed to stay on for three months then. | 0:12:37 | 0:12:40 | |
And if after three months nothing happens, | 0:12:40 | 0:12:43 | |
it's supposed to be taken off and laid down. | 0:12:43 | 0:12:46 | |
In this cemetery, | 0:12:46 | 0:12:47 | |
there are currently around 4,000 graves to check. | 0:12:47 | 0:12:50 | |
Jeff and Matt are up to 1,464. | 0:12:50 | 0:12:54 | |
But finding graves with 17th-century maps is not | 0:12:57 | 0:13:00 | |
a walk in the park for these 21st-century council workers. | 0:13:00 | 0:13:03 | |
1,797. | 0:13:06 | 0:13:09 | |
1,797. | 0:13:09 | 0:13:10 | |
No, I've got 1,796. | 0:13:12 | 0:13:15 | |
Not 1,797, though. | 0:13:16 | 0:13:19 | |
Have you got 1,798? | 0:13:19 | 0:13:21 | |
-No. -No? | 0:13:21 | 0:13:22 | |
No. | 0:13:22 | 0:13:24 | |
-The one we want, 1,896, is that way. -Right. | 0:13:24 | 0:13:28 | |
We're getting somewhere now, aren't we? | 0:13:28 | 0:13:31 | |
Cos it might be round the corner, you know. | 0:13:31 | 0:13:34 | |
-You know, past them shrubs. -Right. 93, 94. | 0:13:34 | 0:13:38 | |
Do you reckon it's in there, then? | 0:13:39 | 0:13:44 | |
-Oh, aye, yeah - it's here. -You got it? -Yeah. | 0:13:44 | 0:13:46 | |
Yeah. You just get in. Just have a check of that one, eh? | 0:13:46 | 0:13:50 | |
-You just have a check of it, mate. -I've got, er, Aaron Townsend. | 0:13:50 | 0:13:54 | |
-That's it, mate. Townsend - 1928? -Er, 1928, yeah. -That's it. That's 1,896. | 0:13:55 | 0:14:02 | |
That's a pass. | 0:14:02 | 0:14:03 | |
-Yeah, it's a pass. -Right. | 0:14:03 | 0:14:05 | |
-We're making progress. -Yeah. | 0:14:07 | 0:14:10 | |
My map skills aren't the best but they're getting better. | 0:14:10 | 0:14:13 | |
Jeff's map skills - yeah, he's about as good as me! | 0:14:13 | 0:14:16 | |
With one more grave ticked off, there's just 2,635 to go. | 0:14:19 | 0:14:25 | |
Just one of them days. | 0:14:25 | 0:14:26 | |
Across the UK, council officers are working day and night | 0:14:36 | 0:14:39 | |
on our behalf, trying to keep their borough and its inhabitants safe. | 0:14:39 | 0:14:43 | |
Today, after finding an unusual ingredient in a takeaway, | 0:14:44 | 0:14:48 | |
a concerned resident has called on the council for help. | 0:14:48 | 0:14:51 | |
A lady had purchased a curry from a restaurant in the Tameside area. | 0:14:53 | 0:14:56 | |
Upon eating this takeaway, she thinks she may have stumbled | 0:14:58 | 0:15:02 | |
across what might be an insect of some description. | 0:15:02 | 0:15:06 | |
Worried Emma Sandbach e-mailed Bev Hursthouse | 0:15:06 | 0:15:08 | |
after making the discovery. | 0:15:08 | 0:15:11 | |
We brought a takeout home from the restaurant | 0:15:11 | 0:15:14 | |
and halfway through, | 0:15:14 | 0:15:15 | |
we discovered a black sort of beetle. | 0:15:15 | 0:15:19 | |
Despite being a delicacy for over two billion people worldwide, | 0:15:21 | 0:15:25 | |
some insects like cockroaches can cause illnesses like dysentery | 0:15:25 | 0:15:29 | |
and gastroenteritis - | 0:15:29 | 0:15:30 | |
exactly the potential risk to public health | 0:15:30 | 0:15:33 | |
council heroes like Bev are fighting to stamp out. | 0:15:33 | 0:15:36 | |
The restaurant where they picked the takeaway up from, | 0:15:36 | 0:15:39 | |
it's got a really good reputation. It carries the five stars. | 0:15:39 | 0:15:42 | |
It's had a recent routine hygiene visit. | 0:15:42 | 0:15:45 | |
They've got a pest-contracting place. | 0:15:45 | 0:15:47 | |
-Hiya. Is it Emma? -It is, yeah. | 0:15:47 | 0:15:49 | |
If Emma's suspicions are correct, the restaurant will be | 0:15:49 | 0:15:53 | |
in for a nasty surprise, because it could be closed down. | 0:15:53 | 0:15:56 | |
OK, so this is the... | 0:15:56 | 0:15:58 | |
The complaint we got from you, um - you purchased a chicken masala. | 0:15:58 | 0:16:02 | |
-Mhm. -So you dined in and brought a takeaway out for husband. | 0:16:02 | 0:16:05 | |
-Is that right? -Yeah. -Yeah, OK. | 0:16:05 | 0:16:07 | |
-And this is...you think it may be an insect of some description? -Mm-hm. | 0:16:07 | 0:16:11 | |
What I'm going to do, I'm just going to have a look while we're here. | 0:16:11 | 0:16:14 | |
If for any reason we do think it may be, obviously what I'll do is take | 0:16:14 | 0:16:17 | |
that away and we'll do some further investigation. If it was a beetle, | 0:16:17 | 0:16:21 | |
obviously nobody wants to find a beetle in their food. | 0:16:21 | 0:16:24 | |
Nobody wants to find that in any food business. | 0:16:24 | 0:16:26 | |
I'm going to tip that out there. | 0:16:26 | 0:16:28 | |
A beetle may just be one, you know, on its travels, | 0:16:28 | 0:16:30 | |
whereas a cockroach would sometimes indicate that there's a problem, | 0:16:30 | 0:16:33 | |
an infestation, and then we've got a problem in a food business. | 0:16:33 | 0:16:37 | |
I can identify that for you. It's not an insect. You're all right. | 0:16:38 | 0:16:42 | |
-Oh, good. -What it is, it's one of the cardamoms, called a cardamom pod. | 0:16:42 | 0:16:46 | |
-Oh, right. Yeah. -People react differently. | 0:16:46 | 0:16:49 | |
I mean, if I found what I felt was an insect in a curry, | 0:16:49 | 0:16:51 | |
I'd probably dissect it and investigate further. | 0:16:51 | 0:16:55 | |
However, a member of the public that's not, you know, familiar | 0:16:55 | 0:16:58 | |
with all the different forms of species and different forms of spices | 0:16:58 | 0:17:02 | |
and you know, may just be quite alerted at the fact | 0:17:02 | 0:17:05 | |
that something doesn't normally look like it should be in a takeaway | 0:17:05 | 0:17:09 | |
or a curry or any food item, really, | 0:17:09 | 0:17:11 | |
is obviously a bit of a problem. | 0:17:11 | 0:17:12 | |
What sometimes triggers the concern off is | 0:17:12 | 0:17:16 | |
-these little spikes here. -That's what it was. | 0:17:16 | 0:17:19 | |
No, rest assured, it's definitely a cardamom pod. | 0:17:19 | 0:17:22 | |
I can tell that just from experience. | 0:17:22 | 0:17:24 | |
-You don't need to worry. -OK, brilliant. | 0:17:24 | 0:17:27 | |
One thing I will say to you and it's the restaurant in question, | 0:17:27 | 0:17:30 | |
we've just had a recent food hygiene check, | 0:17:30 | 0:17:32 | |
so we know they're above board and everything's fine. | 0:17:32 | 0:17:34 | |
-They've been rated the five stars, as well. -Oh, good. | 0:17:34 | 0:17:37 | |
Do you want me to leave you with that? | 0:17:37 | 0:17:40 | |
Yeah, I'll throw it in the bin now. | 0:17:40 | 0:17:41 | |
-I feel better now. -Let hubby know that it was a cardamom pod, | 0:17:41 | 0:17:45 | |
-rather than something nasty. -Yeah. -We really do appreciate your call. | 0:17:45 | 0:17:48 | |
We are here to advise and the aim of our job is to prevent people | 0:17:48 | 0:17:52 | |
from being harmed or becoming unwell. | 0:17:52 | 0:17:55 | |
If it is something that potentially could make you poorly, | 0:17:55 | 0:17:58 | |
or could cause you harm, or could cause any further harm, | 0:17:58 | 0:18:01 | |
or requires a product recall | 0:18:01 | 0:18:03 | |
or, you know, absolutely get in touch. | 0:18:03 | 0:18:06 | |
Bye-bye now. | 0:18:06 | 0:18:08 | |
I thought it's best to check because if it was a beetle, | 0:18:08 | 0:18:11 | |
and we didn't do anything about it, then... | 0:18:11 | 0:18:13 | |
lots of people would be eating beetles. | 0:18:13 | 0:18:16 | |
I'm glad I didn't go back to the restaurant with it, anyway, asking for my money back. | 0:18:17 | 0:18:21 | |
That would have been even more embarrassing. | 0:18:21 | 0:18:24 | |
For the nation's unsung local heroes like Bev, | 0:18:30 | 0:18:33 | |
keeping us, the public, safe is an ongoing battle. | 0:18:33 | 0:18:36 | |
My job is really very varied. | 0:18:36 | 0:18:39 | |
We would look at investigating any sort of food borne illnesses, | 0:18:39 | 0:18:43 | |
or food outbreaks, you know, health and safety. | 0:18:43 | 0:18:46 | |
You know, we prevent them accidents. | 0:18:46 | 0:18:48 | |
We want to make sure people are doing a day's work | 0:18:48 | 0:18:51 | |
and going home at the end of the night. | 0:18:51 | 0:18:53 | |
Bev has joined forces with colleague Sian Dyer | 0:18:54 | 0:18:57 | |
to check up on a business that they've visited four times | 0:18:57 | 0:19:00 | |
in the last seven months. | 0:19:00 | 0:19:02 | |
On her last visit to this cash and carry, | 0:19:02 | 0:19:04 | |
Bev found numerous causes for concern. | 0:19:04 | 0:19:07 | |
So today they're making a surprise inspection. | 0:19:07 | 0:19:10 | |
The last visit there was some butchery equipment, | 0:19:10 | 0:19:14 | |
band saw machines. They've got some lifting equipment. | 0:19:14 | 0:19:17 | |
They're things that we need to double check on whilst we're here, as well. | 0:19:17 | 0:19:22 | |
Latest estimates show that workplace injuries and ill health | 0:19:22 | 0:19:26 | |
in Great Britain cost us £13.8 billion. | 0:19:26 | 0:19:29 | |
But without the vital inspections and spot checks | 0:19:29 | 0:19:33 | |
of council officers like Bev and Sian | 0:19:33 | 0:19:35 | |
these figures might be even higher. | 0:19:35 | 0:19:37 | |
Good afternoon. | 0:19:37 | 0:19:39 | |
-We're just here today to do your routine food inspection. -OK. | 0:19:39 | 0:19:42 | |
Just to have a look at your butchery area, as well. | 0:19:42 | 0:19:45 | |
-At the end of the visit we'll have a chat with you. -OK. | 0:19:45 | 0:19:48 | |
Great, all right, thanks very much. | 0:19:48 | 0:19:50 | |
We kind of look really at procedures. | 0:19:50 | 0:19:52 | |
We look at what they're doing. We look at how they're doing things. | 0:19:52 | 0:19:55 | |
We look to make sure they've got things in place | 0:19:55 | 0:19:58 | |
to keep things safe. | 0:19:58 | 0:20:00 | |
What we're doing at the moment, we're looking to make sure that all of the walkways are all clear. | 0:20:01 | 0:20:06 | |
Obviously, we look for cleanliness, we make sure there's no obstruction | 0:20:06 | 0:20:10 | |
and nobody's at risk of getting hurt, or anything. | 0:20:10 | 0:20:12 | |
Should illness or injury occur, the business itself could be prosecuted. | 0:20:12 | 0:20:16 | |
The council's responsibility is to check that health and safety protocols are being followed. | 0:20:16 | 0:20:21 | |
If they aren't, the business could be closed down. | 0:20:21 | 0:20:25 | |
-Is it all just raw meat that you cut up in here? -Yeah. | 0:20:26 | 0:20:29 | |
-You don't buy any cooked-in foods, or anything? -No, just fresh. | 0:20:29 | 0:20:32 | |
It's all fresh, raw meat. | 0:20:32 | 0:20:35 | |
The officers have longstanding concerns about health and safety in this cash and carry. | 0:20:35 | 0:20:40 | |
Previous problems have arisen with the butcher's electric saw. | 0:20:40 | 0:20:44 | |
Is this isolated? | 0:20:44 | 0:20:46 | |
It's turned off? | 0:20:46 | 0:20:48 | |
Safety procedures have not been followed. | 0:20:48 | 0:20:50 | |
If not used with the protective guard, the saw could be lethal. | 0:20:50 | 0:20:54 | |
A lot of the work that was noted last time, | 0:20:54 | 0:20:57 | |
they've been actioned now, | 0:20:57 | 0:20:59 | |
so we can say some improvements have already been made. | 0:20:59 | 0:21:02 | |
I assume that the guards on the band saw, | 0:21:02 | 0:21:05 | |
I think when Sian has gone to have a look, | 0:21:05 | 0:21:07 | |
that was maybe one of the problems that was picked up last time. | 0:21:07 | 0:21:10 | |
-It's good, you've got your guard in place there. -Yeah. | 0:21:10 | 0:21:13 | |
It's good news. Atif the owner has acted on the council's previous guidance. | 0:21:13 | 0:21:18 | |
But Bev and Sian aren't finished yet. | 0:21:18 | 0:21:21 | |
-There's a storage room upstairs. -Storage, OK. | 0:21:21 | 0:21:23 | |
As they head upstairs, more potential problems appear. | 0:21:23 | 0:21:28 | |
-So this is all your dry stock up here, is it? -Yeah. | 0:21:29 | 0:21:32 | |
-I notice some of your levels are stacked quite high. -Mm-hm. | 0:21:32 | 0:21:36 | |
-Can you see? -Yeah. | 0:21:36 | 0:21:37 | |
If that tumbles, somebody's underneath that, you're in trouble. | 0:21:37 | 0:21:42 | |
-Does prayer take place up here, as well? -Yeah. | 0:21:42 | 0:21:45 | |
Yeah, OK. My concern is that your prayer mat here, | 0:21:45 | 0:21:48 | |
somebody's going to end up with bottles of Iru-Bru on their head. | 0:21:48 | 0:21:51 | |
Again, that's just something, we need to bring them levels down. OK. | 0:21:51 | 0:21:55 | |
As Bev's investigation goes on, one major issue emerges | 0:21:55 | 0:21:59 | |
and it's putting the store's employees and customers in danger. | 0:21:59 | 0:22:03 | |
How is the stock brought up here? | 0:22:03 | 0:22:05 | |
Is that brought upstairs? | 0:22:05 | 0:22:07 | |
A lift. | 0:22:07 | 0:22:09 | |
Do you not have a guard that stops anybody falling over that? | 0:22:09 | 0:22:13 | |
It's just... | 0:22:13 | 0:22:14 | |
The balcony opens onto an unguarded 15-foot drop. | 0:22:14 | 0:22:17 | |
There's nothing in place to prevent the dangerously high stock, | 0:22:19 | 0:22:22 | |
or employees, falling to the floor below. | 0:22:22 | 0:22:25 | |
Atif tries to solve the problem with a quick fix | 0:22:28 | 0:22:31 | |
- a flimsy piece of wood. | 0:22:31 | 0:22:34 | |
But it's nowhere near enough to satisfy the officers. | 0:22:34 | 0:22:38 | |
Let me check. | 0:22:40 | 0:22:42 | |
-Let me call the guy who will deal with it. -That'd be great, thanks. | 0:22:42 | 0:22:47 | |
An employee tries to help out and comes to his boss's aid. | 0:22:50 | 0:22:53 | |
But Bev's concerns remain. | 0:22:56 | 0:22:58 | |
Am I right in thinking that guard's not being used at the moment? | 0:22:58 | 0:23:02 | |
Somebody is coming and using this one as well. | 0:23:02 | 0:23:06 | |
-Right, so it's normally when the forklift's... -Yeah, yeah. | 0:23:07 | 0:23:11 | |
-It's used... -The forklift's not too much used in the week, or day, sorry. -OK. | 0:23:11 | 0:23:15 | |
The makeshift barrier is simply not good enough for Bev and Sian. | 0:23:17 | 0:23:21 | |
If stock was to fall from this height, | 0:23:21 | 0:23:23 | |
anyone below could be seriously injured. | 0:23:23 | 0:23:27 | |
If anyone falls onto here, it's going to topple over. | 0:23:27 | 0:23:30 | |
If you've got customers walking below, | 0:23:30 | 0:23:32 | |
you don't want that falling onto them. | 0:23:32 | 0:23:34 | |
We don't encourage customers, there's one yellow line... | 0:23:34 | 0:23:38 | |
You might not encourage it but as you've found yourself, | 0:23:38 | 0:23:41 | |
if you're not by the till and somebody else is, | 0:23:41 | 0:23:43 | |
it's going to be very difficult, isn't it? | 0:23:43 | 0:23:46 | |
-So when can the, erm... -Definitely in a few days. | 0:23:46 | 0:23:50 | |
It needs to be done today. | 0:23:50 | 0:23:52 | |
I will try to do it today. | 0:23:52 | 0:23:54 | |
I'm short of staff, it's not easy, so... | 0:23:54 | 0:23:56 | |
My suggestion would be, close the door for ten minutes and do it. | 0:23:56 | 0:24:01 | |
Yeah, that's true. | 0:24:01 | 0:24:02 | |
-My concern is this has been mentioned before. -Has it? -Mmm. | 0:24:02 | 0:24:06 | |
I'm losing confidence. | 0:24:06 | 0:24:08 | |
-You don't need to. -I am. -Trust me. | 0:24:08 | 0:24:10 | |
I'm losing confidence that one, it's going to be done today... | 0:24:10 | 0:24:13 | |
This shop is like, I'm running this shop from recently. | 0:24:13 | 0:24:18 | |
This used to be my brother's company, I bought from him. | 0:24:18 | 0:24:22 | |
And now... This is first time I have... | 0:24:22 | 0:24:25 | |
So definitely I will do it. | 0:24:25 | 0:24:27 | |
It is bread and butter for me, you know, I don't want to lose it. | 0:24:27 | 0:24:32 | |
-If it's not, we will look at serving notice, to make sure it gets done. -No problem. | 0:24:32 | 0:24:36 | |
Coming up, Bev and Sian's inspection uncovers even more hazards | 0:24:37 | 0:24:42 | |
putting lives and the future of this business at risk. | 0:24:42 | 0:24:46 | |
I keep getting a smell of smoke. | 0:24:46 | 0:24:48 | |
Our country's unsung council heroes are on the front line | 0:24:51 | 0:24:55 | |
everyday fighting to make best use of the nation's money. | 0:24:55 | 0:24:59 | |
But because we're all paying for their services, | 0:24:59 | 0:25:01 | |
we've all got an opinion on their work, both good and bad. | 0:25:01 | 0:25:05 | |
I think overall, the council do a good job, but I do think they've | 0:25:06 | 0:25:10 | |
got to keep their priorities right and not waste money on stupid things. | 0:25:10 | 0:25:14 | |
I suppose they do their job reasonably well. | 0:25:16 | 0:25:20 | |
The council is very, | 0:25:20 | 0:25:22 | |
very good at making sure you pay your council tax. | 0:25:22 | 0:25:26 | |
They are not so good at checking up on some of their employees, | 0:25:26 | 0:25:30 | |
the bin men, for example. | 0:25:30 | 0:25:32 | |
They missed three streets not so very long ago | 0:25:32 | 0:25:35 | |
and when their department was phoned up and asked about it, | 0:25:35 | 0:25:40 | |
we were informed that all our bins had been emptied. | 0:25:40 | 0:25:43 | |
But in actual fact, | 0:25:43 | 0:25:44 | |
they were standing on the pavement full waiting to be emptied. | 0:25:44 | 0:25:47 | |
We are under austerity times | 0:25:48 | 0:25:49 | |
and there is only so much money in the pot. | 0:25:49 | 0:25:51 | |
At the end of the day, I think society has been spoiled | 0:25:51 | 0:25:54 | |
over the past 20 or 30 years with all | 0:25:54 | 0:25:56 | |
this increase in public spending, and the reality of it is we have | 0:25:56 | 0:26:00 | |
all been living beyond our means for a very, very long time. | 0:26:00 | 0:26:03 | |
And sooner or later, we have got to face the music. | 0:26:03 | 0:26:05 | |
We are now starting to face the music. | 0:26:05 | 0:26:08 | |
Local authorities nationwide might be battling funding cuts | 0:26:16 | 0:26:20 | |
but demand for their services doesn't cease, | 0:26:20 | 0:26:23 | |
neither does the determination of heroic officers like Bev and Sian. | 0:26:23 | 0:26:27 | |
Their inspection of a local cash and carry | 0:26:28 | 0:26:30 | |
has already highlighted some potentially lethal hazards. | 0:26:30 | 0:26:34 | |
-I'm losing confidence, really. -You don't need to. -I am. | 0:26:34 | 0:26:38 | |
Now the officers are heading down into the bowels of the building. | 0:26:38 | 0:26:42 | |
Does your light work in here? | 0:26:42 | 0:26:44 | |
It does on this one, but that one it's not working. | 0:26:44 | 0:26:47 | |
It's not working really, it needs tidying up, doesn't it? | 0:26:47 | 0:26:50 | |
Is smoking taking place down here? I keep getting a smell of smoke. | 0:26:50 | 0:26:55 | |
I don't smoke. | 0:26:55 | 0:26:56 | |
There is no evidence but I keep getting a smell of smoke | 0:26:56 | 0:26:59 | |
so you need to make sure your staff are not coming down and smoking. | 0:26:59 | 0:27:02 | |
Smoking in the work place is illegal. | 0:27:04 | 0:27:07 | |
I think we've found the smoke room. | 0:27:07 | 0:27:09 | |
Fines of up to £2,500 can be issued, | 0:27:09 | 0:27:12 | |
a huge sum for small business owners like Atif. | 0:27:12 | 0:27:15 | |
OK, this is something that needs to be stopped. | 0:27:15 | 0:27:18 | |
It's not the smell that's the problem, the problem is it's not | 0:27:18 | 0:27:23 | |
legal to smoke in a work business or indoors in a place like this. | 0:27:23 | 0:27:28 | |
The problems continue to mount for Atif. | 0:27:28 | 0:27:31 | |
And the more they investigate, the more Bev and Sian uncover. | 0:27:31 | 0:27:34 | |
Is there a light down here? | 0:27:36 | 0:27:38 | |
Yeah, there is a light... | 0:27:39 | 0:27:41 | |
-This one here? -Yeah, that's the one. | 0:27:41 | 0:27:44 | |
-OK. Little bit wet, that one. -Is it? -Where's the moisture coming from? | 0:27:45 | 0:27:51 | |
The water running down the light switch is a serious breach | 0:27:51 | 0:27:54 | |
of health and safety guidelines. | 0:27:54 | 0:27:56 | |
-Don't touch it. -No, I'm going to not touch that one. | 0:27:57 | 0:28:00 | |
It increases the chance of an employee suffering | 0:28:00 | 0:28:02 | |
a potentially fatal electric shock. | 0:28:02 | 0:28:05 | |
In one year alone in Great Britain, 350,000 people were injured, | 0:28:05 | 0:28:10 | |
and 28 people killed | 0:28:10 | 0:28:11 | |
by low voltage electrocutions. | 0:28:11 | 0:28:14 | |
-I need to change it, definitely. -Who's put this on for you? | 0:28:14 | 0:28:18 | |
-This one guy. -He's an electrician, is he? | 0:28:18 | 0:28:22 | |
He's a proper electrician, qualified, yeah. | 0:28:22 | 0:28:24 | |
You need to get him back out to have a look at that. | 0:28:24 | 0:28:27 | |
-Definitely, it's a bit risky. -It's a lot risky! | 0:28:27 | 0:28:31 | |
Sometimes you can see that problems have occurred that perhaps could be | 0:28:31 | 0:28:35 | |
rectified quite quickly, | 0:28:35 | 0:28:38 | |
and problems that are occurring that is probably not something | 0:28:38 | 0:28:40 | |
they've picked up on. But on the other end of the scale, | 0:28:40 | 0:28:43 | |
you have businesses that are flouting the law, | 0:28:43 | 0:28:46 | |
they're cutting every corner to make... | 0:28:46 | 0:28:49 | |
Money really is just what's important to them and nothing else. | 0:28:49 | 0:28:52 | |
With customers and employees at serious risk of electrical shock, | 0:28:52 | 0:28:57 | |
stock piled dangerously high and an unguarded drop | 0:28:57 | 0:29:00 | |
of 15 feet, this business has a lot of work to do. | 0:29:00 | 0:29:05 | |
I think what we'll probably do is call back a little bit later. | 0:29:05 | 0:29:08 | |
As I said to you earlier, I'm not sure | 0:29:08 | 0:29:11 | |
if you have got any more employees coming in tonight to do | 0:29:11 | 0:29:13 | |
an evening shift or anything, but I think it is all hands on deck | 0:29:13 | 0:29:16 | |
at the moment, and even if it means closing the business for | 0:29:16 | 0:29:19 | |
10 or 15 minutes and just bringing that to a reasonable level. | 0:29:19 | 0:29:22 | |
But we will pop back later this afternoon and have a look at that. | 0:29:22 | 0:29:26 | |
Thank you very much. | 0:29:26 | 0:29:27 | |
The owners now have two hours | 0:29:27 | 0:29:28 | |
to address these vital health and safety issues. | 0:29:28 | 0:29:31 | |
If they don't make significant changes, | 0:29:31 | 0:29:34 | |
Bev and Sian have the power to close the business until they do. | 0:29:34 | 0:29:37 | |
Across the borough, at the council's crematorium, Mike Gurney is going | 0:29:46 | 0:29:51 | |
through the documents he found at the recently deceased man's home. | 0:29:51 | 0:29:54 | |
Main thing we're looking for is contact with family. | 0:29:56 | 0:30:00 | |
So let's get some... | 0:30:00 | 0:30:01 | |
-Let's get that. Is that the issue paper? -Yeah. | 0:30:01 | 0:30:04 | |
It seems that the man died without any surviving relatives. | 0:30:05 | 0:30:09 | |
In the UK, when this happens, | 0:30:09 | 0:30:11 | |
it's the council's job to arrange their funeral. | 0:30:11 | 0:30:14 | |
Mike and his team work hard to ensure that everyone is given a | 0:30:14 | 0:30:17 | |
respectful farewell, no matter what their personal circumstances are. | 0:30:17 | 0:30:22 | |
The council have a funeral director contracted to work with us, | 0:30:22 | 0:30:26 | |
so we do get a reduced price, | 0:30:26 | 0:30:28 | |
and we have a funeral director that we use regularly. | 0:30:28 | 0:30:30 | |
And it's about £1,300 for a basic funeral. | 0:30:30 | 0:30:33 | |
Here y'are. Look. Birth certificate. | 0:30:33 | 0:30:35 | |
Brilliant. That's what I'm after. | 0:30:35 | 0:30:38 | |
That'll give us more information, won't it? Look at these. | 0:30:38 | 0:30:41 | |
Oh, this is good. | 0:30:42 | 0:30:44 | |
This will give us... Copy of birth certificate. Born, Tameside Hospital. | 0:30:44 | 0:30:49 | |
-He had a driving licence. -That is good. | 0:30:49 | 0:30:53 | |
We found that he was a man who'd been in employment for most of his life. | 0:30:53 | 0:30:56 | |
We found he'd been a bus driver, he'd done engineering, got certificates | 0:30:56 | 0:31:00 | |
in engineering. He was very into his films. He enjoyed doing quizzes. | 0:31:00 | 0:31:05 | |
This looks like old job stuff. | 0:31:05 | 0:31:07 | |
It looks like he has been looking for work for a long time. | 0:31:07 | 0:31:09 | |
He kept a log of all the jobs he had applied for and couldn't get a job. | 0:31:09 | 0:31:13 | |
He was obviously a very organised man, that's what came across. | 0:31:13 | 0:31:17 | |
We've got his confirmed date of birth there is 31 May 1958, | 0:31:17 | 0:31:21 | |
what does that make him? 55, isn't it? | 0:31:21 | 0:31:23 | |
Mike's efforts are paying off. | 0:31:27 | 0:31:28 | |
He's discovered a lot about the dead man, Stephen Jones' life. | 0:31:28 | 0:31:32 | |
Four blank cards. No addresses on any. | 0:31:32 | 0:31:37 | |
But he hasn't found anything to link him with relatives. | 0:31:37 | 0:31:40 | |
It's looking like we can't find any family details. | 0:31:40 | 0:31:44 | |
I'll be taking this on board now to raise a funeral | 0:31:44 | 0:31:46 | |
so we can stop any further delay. | 0:31:46 | 0:31:49 | |
And give him a good send off. | 0:31:50 | 0:31:52 | |
With no remaining family, Mike's quest to arrange a fitting farewell | 0:31:54 | 0:31:58 | |
for Stephen is not easy. | 0:31:58 | 0:32:00 | |
Still to come, | 0:32:02 | 0:32:03 | |
the day of the funeral arrives but will Mike be able to galvanise the | 0:32:03 | 0:32:07 | |
community to pay their respects to a quiet neighbour they barely knew? | 0:32:07 | 0:32:11 | |
It's been two hours since enforcement officers | 0:32:18 | 0:32:20 | |
Bev and Sian told the cash and carry | 0:32:20 | 0:32:22 | |
with a dangerous drop to make its premises safe. | 0:32:22 | 0:32:26 | |
I'm losing confidence that it's going to be done today. | 0:32:26 | 0:32:29 | |
If it's not, then we will look at serving a notice. | 0:32:29 | 0:32:32 | |
How have we done up there? Can we have a look? Is that all right? | 0:32:32 | 0:32:38 | |
Now the officers are back. | 0:32:38 | 0:32:41 | |
If the owners haven't made the business safe, | 0:32:41 | 0:32:43 | |
the store could be shut down. | 0:32:43 | 0:32:44 | |
This is better, OK. So, the pallets they'll be taken away, will they? | 0:32:44 | 0:32:51 | |
-Yeah. -OK, so the issue we've got we need to lower these. -Definitely. | 0:32:51 | 0:32:55 | |
With the barrier in place, the shop has taken some steps towards | 0:32:55 | 0:32:58 | |
improving safety, and Bev and Sian decide it can stay open. | 0:32:58 | 0:33:02 | |
We will monitor that business. | 0:33:02 | 0:33:04 | |
It will still come up in the programmed inspections, | 0:33:04 | 0:33:06 | |
and revisits will occur obviously to check that they are complying | 0:33:06 | 0:33:10 | |
with any contraventions that were identified at the time. | 0:33:10 | 0:33:14 | |
-Thanks very much. -Thanks very much. | 0:33:14 | 0:33:16 | |
So I would say now that the business has become compliant. | 0:33:16 | 0:33:21 | |
They are more aware, obviously, of the dangers. | 0:33:21 | 0:33:23 | |
They will continue to work with myself | 0:33:23 | 0:33:25 | |
and my colleague to put right what was wrong. | 0:33:25 | 0:33:27 | |
The council will keep a close eye on this business to ensure | 0:33:28 | 0:33:32 | |
the public and employees stay safe and secure. | 0:33:32 | 0:33:35 | |
Across the country our heroic local council officers share | 0:33:45 | 0:33:49 | |
a strong sense of commitment to the people they serve. | 0:33:49 | 0:33:52 | |
And their dedication often extends to days | 0:33:52 | 0:33:55 | |
when they're supposed to be off duty. | 0:33:55 | 0:33:57 | |
This morning, the borough's annual triathlon is taking place, and | 0:33:57 | 0:34:01 | |
as always, officers from the local authority are on hand to help out. | 0:34:01 | 0:34:05 | |
A lot of council officers live and work in the borough | 0:34:05 | 0:34:09 | |
and it's not unusual to see them in different roles. | 0:34:09 | 0:34:12 | |
You might see them one day at work, you might see them | 0:34:12 | 0:34:15 | |
the next day leading or marshalling in the triathlon, or other events. | 0:34:15 | 0:34:20 | |
Council staff like Ian have volunteered to help out, | 0:34:20 | 0:34:23 | |
ensuring the event runs smoothly and keeping competitors safe. | 0:34:23 | 0:34:27 | |
I get involved in the triathlon because I'm involved with the local cycling club | 0:34:27 | 0:34:30 | |
and it is about the community giving something back, | 0:34:30 | 0:34:33 | |
bringing the community out and giving people a go. | 0:34:33 | 0:34:35 | |
Hiya. | 0:34:35 | 0:34:36 | |
What we wanted here was something that anybody could come and have a go at. | 0:34:36 | 0:34:40 | |
There'll be different abilities in the group and you can have a go | 0:34:40 | 0:34:43 | |
and you'd be supported in a friendly environment. | 0:34:43 | 0:34:45 | |
People might go away and think, "I'll take up cycling, I might join the gym. | 0:34:45 | 0:34:49 | |
"I might start running." That's only going to be a good thing. | 0:34:49 | 0:34:53 | |
The triathlon starts with a 500-metre swim, | 0:34:53 | 0:34:56 | |
followed by a 15-kilometre mountain bike ride. | 0:34:56 | 0:34:59 | |
To finish, competitors have a 10-kilometre run to complete. | 0:34:59 | 0:35:02 | |
To show how it's done, the council's chief executive, | 0:35:02 | 0:35:05 | |
Steve Pleasant, is taking part. | 0:35:05 | 0:35:07 | |
I'm very nervous at the moment | 0:35:07 | 0:35:09 | |
because I have never done anything like this before in my life. | 0:35:09 | 0:35:12 | |
I don't know how I got convinced to do it. | 0:35:12 | 0:35:14 | |
It was an act of bravado but now, actually, I'm very, very anxious. | 0:35:14 | 0:35:17 | |
This is all about survival today, from me. | 0:35:20 | 0:35:23 | |
If I can just get through and get round, I'll be very, very happy. | 0:35:23 | 0:35:26 | |
For chief exec, Steve... | 0:35:28 | 0:35:30 | |
One down. | 0:35:30 | 0:35:32 | |
..and council officers, like Mike... | 0:35:32 | 0:35:34 | |
and Bev, giving up their time is a way to do | 0:35:34 | 0:35:37 | |
more for their residents and have a bit of fun. | 0:35:37 | 0:35:42 | |
I love it. I get to tell people I'm taking part in the triathlon | 0:35:42 | 0:35:44 | |
and they just think, naturally, that I'm riding, | 0:35:44 | 0:35:47 | |
swimming or running. I'm not, I'm just doing the easy bit | 0:35:47 | 0:35:49 | |
of standing here and making sure they stick by the path. | 0:35:49 | 0:35:53 | |
Yeah, it's good fun. | 0:35:53 | 0:35:54 | |
Straight right. Well done. | 0:35:54 | 0:35:56 | |
It's a wet and windy Sunday morning | 0:35:56 | 0:35:58 | |
and it's not just the competitors keeping Mike busy. | 0:35:58 | 0:36:01 | |
You're going right. Oh! | 0:36:01 | 0:36:04 | |
Come on, Dobbin. | 0:36:04 | 0:36:06 | |
OK. | 0:36:07 | 0:36:09 | |
I didn't know that was in my job description! | 0:36:11 | 0:36:14 | |
It's just a great team at work, it really is. | 0:36:14 | 0:36:16 | |
There are so many organisations relying on charitable work, these days. | 0:36:16 | 0:36:20 | |
You know, councils can't always support them like they used to. | 0:36:20 | 0:36:22 | |
So we just want to get involved with the community, the best we can. | 0:36:22 | 0:36:26 | |
It's good fun, it's keeping healthy, it's keeping fit. | 0:36:26 | 0:36:28 | |
That's what it's about. | 0:36:28 | 0:36:31 | |
CHEERING | 0:36:37 | 0:36:39 | |
After a gruelling two hours, | 0:36:39 | 0:36:40 | |
the council's chief executive is coming to the end of his ordeal. | 0:36:40 | 0:36:43 | |
That was hard. | 0:36:43 | 0:36:47 | |
That was really hard. | 0:36:47 | 0:36:48 | |
Anyway, I'm very happy now, very happy indeed. | 0:36:48 | 0:36:51 | |
I need you to just leave me alone while I sit down and die somewhere. | 0:36:51 | 0:36:54 | |
Thank you very much. | 0:36:54 | 0:36:55 | |
Steve is one of over 100 people who took part. | 0:36:59 | 0:37:02 | |
He decided to lead by example and, having done months of training | 0:37:02 | 0:37:06 | |
ahead of the event, he's eager to see where he finished. | 0:37:06 | 0:37:09 | |
I came 19th. | 0:37:11 | 0:37:13 | |
Very respectable, I'm very pleased with that. | 0:37:13 | 0:37:16 | |
This is the first time I've ever done a triathlon, so, really good. | 0:37:16 | 0:37:20 | |
What a great event. What a fantastic event. All these people doing this. | 0:37:20 | 0:37:24 | |
The weather was OK. | 0:37:24 | 0:37:27 | |
Everyone has had a really great time. | 0:37:27 | 0:37:28 | |
In first place, our champion for 2013, | 0:37:28 | 0:37:32 | |
in a time of 1:47:31, | 0:37:32 | 0:37:34 | |
representing the High Peaks Cycles, | 0:37:34 | 0:37:36 | |
-Gregg McNally! -CHEERING AND APPLAUSE | 0:37:36 | 0:37:38 | |
The hard work of the dedicated volunteers has ensured | 0:37:38 | 0:37:41 | |
the event was a huge success. | 0:37:41 | 0:37:43 | |
If you're working in the public sector | 0:37:43 | 0:37:45 | |
then your motivations will be very much about improving the lot of the local community. | 0:37:45 | 0:37:50 | |
It's no surprise that you'll find people who work in the Town Hall | 0:37:50 | 0:37:53 | |
actually involved with the church, involved with the food bank, | 0:37:53 | 0:37:56 | |
involved with organising triathlons | 0:37:56 | 0:37:58 | |
because they want to make a difference locally. | 0:37:58 | 0:38:01 | |
Ian and his colleagues will be back at the council in the morning. | 0:38:02 | 0:38:05 | |
For some, the work doesn't end here. | 0:38:05 | 0:38:08 | |
My work's not finished, no. | 0:38:08 | 0:38:10 | |
I've got to go out and collect all the signs in now! | 0:38:10 | 0:38:14 | |
It's a new day and, at the crematorium, Mike Gurney | 0:38:27 | 0:38:30 | |
is making last-minute preparations ahead of the funeral | 0:38:30 | 0:38:33 | |
of resident Stephen Jones, a man who died with no surviving family. | 0:38:33 | 0:38:38 | |
It's Mike here from the Environmental Services. I'm dealing with a community funeral. | 0:38:38 | 0:38:42 | |
It's absolutely critical to me that things go well. | 0:38:42 | 0:38:45 | |
You know, all sorts can go wrong but it's for us | 0:38:45 | 0:38:47 | |
to make sure the public don't know what's gone wrong | 0:38:47 | 0:38:49 | |
and to make sure their service is spot-on, really. | 0:38:49 | 0:38:52 | |
The minister taking the service thought it would be appropriate if I did a reading today. | 0:38:54 | 0:38:58 | |
I don't know the gentleman but you feel like when you've been through his belongings at home | 0:38:58 | 0:39:02 | |
you start to get a picture of the chap. | 0:39:02 | 0:39:03 | |
I've chosen a reading which I thought was appropriate for today's funeral. | 0:39:03 | 0:39:08 | |
Mike and the council team have been working hard to ensure that | 0:39:08 | 0:39:11 | |
Stephen gets a good send-off. | 0:39:11 | 0:39:14 | |
We've notified a lot of the neighbours near where Stephen lived | 0:39:14 | 0:39:17 | |
because a lot of these funerals there's nobody there. | 0:39:17 | 0:39:20 | |
This one today, I think, there will be a number of people coming which will be great. | 0:39:20 | 0:39:24 | |
There seems to be a lot of community spirit in the area where | 0:39:24 | 0:39:26 | |
Stephen lived and they are all wanting to pay their respects. | 0:39:26 | 0:39:30 | |
Mike's efforts have paid off. | 0:39:36 | 0:39:37 | |
Stephen's neighbours and other members of the community | 0:39:37 | 0:39:41 | |
have arrived at the crematorium. | 0:39:41 | 0:39:42 | |
Normally for community funerals there's nobody there except myself, | 0:39:42 | 0:39:45 | |
or my staff, who always sit in on a funeral. We never let a funeral go ahead with nobody there. | 0:39:45 | 0:39:50 | |
Stephen's was a different one because he lived in an area | 0:39:50 | 0:39:52 | |
where neighbours looked out for each other. | 0:39:52 | 0:39:55 | |
And, erm, it was a good turnout for him. I was pleased, yeah. | 0:39:55 | 0:39:59 | |
In front of the gathered mourners, it falls to Mike to give | 0:39:59 | 0:40:03 | |
a reading about a man he never met but has recently come to know. | 0:40:03 | 0:40:08 | |
I would like to say thank you, on behalf of Tameside Council, | 0:40:09 | 0:40:12 | |
for attending Stephen's funeral today. | 0:40:12 | 0:40:14 | |
What's become clear in arranging this funeral is the community spirit | 0:40:14 | 0:40:17 | |
in the Dukinfield area, where Stephen lived | 0:40:17 | 0:40:20 | |
and the desire to give Stephen, your neighbour, your friend, | 0:40:20 | 0:40:23 | |
your drinking partner, maybe, a proper send-off. | 0:40:23 | 0:40:26 | |
Going through all his belongings in his house, you feel like you get to know somebody a little bit | 0:40:26 | 0:40:30 | |
and nobody else, there was no other family. | 0:40:30 | 0:40:33 | |
It just felt fitting that I should do a reading. | 0:40:33 | 0:40:36 | |
"You can remember him and only that he is gone. | 0:40:36 | 0:40:39 | |
"Or, you can cherish his memory and let it live on. | 0:40:39 | 0:40:42 | |
"You can cry and close your mind, be empty and turn your back, | 0:40:43 | 0:40:48 | |
"or you can do what he would want, | 0:40:48 | 0:40:50 | |
"smile, open your eyes, love and go on." | 0:40:50 | 0:40:54 | |
Thank you. | 0:40:54 | 0:40:56 | |
In helping to galvanise the community, | 0:41:00 | 0:41:02 | |
Mike has ensured that Stephen received a gracious send-off. | 0:41:02 | 0:41:06 | |
He had a smile for people, as we know. | 0:41:09 | 0:41:13 | |
We would see him shopping, we'd say hello, | 0:41:13 | 0:41:16 | |
pass a few words but not too many. | 0:41:16 | 0:41:19 | |
We didn't know too much about him. | 0:41:19 | 0:41:21 | |
I think it went very well, really. | 0:41:21 | 0:41:23 | |
It was good to see so many people there | 0:41:23 | 0:41:25 | |
and it was good that community spirit, that was clearly evident. | 0:41:25 | 0:41:29 | |
A lot of them commented how lovely the service was. | 0:41:29 | 0:41:31 | |
They all said they learnt a lot about him they didn't know, | 0:41:31 | 0:41:34 | |
which was from the information we found in his flat, really. | 0:41:34 | 0:41:36 | |
You know, I think it went really well and I feel we've done him justice. | 0:41:36 | 0:41:40 | |
Mike's hard work has ensured a respectful funeral for a man | 0:41:44 | 0:41:48 | |
who died without any family to say farewell. | 0:41:48 | 0:41:51 | |
It's another vital role our councils perform | 0:41:51 | 0:41:54 | |
and one that most of us don't even think about. | 0:41:54 | 0:41:57 | |
There's probably lots of things in the council that people are doing that the public aren't aware of. | 0:41:57 | 0:42:01 | |
It's not something you advertise, it's something that's done quietly | 0:42:01 | 0:42:05 | |
and, you know, without too much fuss. | 0:42:05 | 0:42:07 | |
It's something that we do regularly | 0:42:07 | 0:42:09 | |
and it's sad to think there are people out there, in our borough, | 0:42:09 | 0:42:12 | |
living alone, on their own, that people haven't noticed | 0:42:12 | 0:42:15 | |
they're missing, which I find quite sad in many ways. | 0:42:15 | 0:42:19 | |
That's the way society is, I suppose. | 0:42:19 | 0:42:22 | |
There's probably people in all our streets that are living alone | 0:42:22 | 0:42:25 | |
and recluse and people don't realise they've died. | 0:42:25 | 0:42:28 | |
Once again the country's dedicated council officers have been | 0:42:35 | 0:42:38 | |
hard at work. | 0:42:38 | 0:42:40 | |
They have reassured worried residents. | 0:42:40 | 0:42:42 | |
-It's not an insect, you're all right. -Good. | 0:42:42 | 0:42:44 | |
-We call it a cardamom pod. -Oh, right. | 0:42:44 | 0:42:46 | |
Ensured businesses keep their premises safe for customers | 0:42:46 | 0:42:49 | |
and employees alike. | 0:42:49 | 0:42:51 | |
Do you not have a guard there that stops, obviously, anybody falling over that? | 0:42:51 | 0:42:55 | |
And looked after their residents in life and in death. | 0:42:55 | 0:42:58 | |
I'd just like to say thank you on behalf of Tameside Council | 0:42:58 | 0:43:01 | |
for attending Stephen's funeral today. | 0:43:01 | 0:43:04 | |
All this when we call the council. | 0:43:04 | 0:43:06 | |
Hello, Bereavement Services. | 0:43:06 | 0:43:08 | |
I don't know what will be on my gravestone but people often ask | 0:43:08 | 0:43:11 | |
what's going to happen to me when I die. | 0:43:11 | 0:43:13 | |
I've told them I'm going to be cremated | 0:43:13 | 0:43:15 | |
and I'm going to have my ashes scattered at Harvey Nichols in Manchester. | 0:43:15 | 0:43:18 | |
That's because at least my wife will visit me twice a week! | 0:43:18 | 0:43:22 |