0:00:03 > 0:00:05From waste and recycling...
0:00:05 > 0:00:09to pest control and trading standards...
0:00:09 > 0:00:12the taxes that we pay to our local councils are used
0:00:12 > 0:00:15to provide many of our most essential services.
0:00:15 > 0:00:18I like people who are keen to recycle.
0:00:18 > 0:00:21In this series, we follow the front-line staff
0:00:21 > 0:00:25working behind the walls of Tameside Town Hall in Greater Manchester.
0:00:26 > 0:00:30Like council officers across the country, these local heroes
0:00:30 > 0:00:34are waging war on those blighting our communities...
0:00:34 > 0:00:37- Oi, oi, oi!- Excuse me. - Excuse me, love. You can't do that.
0:00:37 > 0:00:41- ..they're protecting us from hidden dangers...- If there's rodent activity in your kitchen,
0:00:41 > 0:00:43you won't be opening tonight. It's that simple.
0:00:43 > 0:00:46..making sure our cash is spent on those who need it most...
0:00:46 > 0:00:50I'm at a loose end. I do not know where to turn.
0:00:50 > 0:00:53..and responding to their residents when they call the council.
0:00:59 > 0:01:03Coming up, the council race to rescue residents
0:01:03 > 0:01:06when a Victorian mill teeters on the brink of collapse,
0:01:06 > 0:01:08putting homes and lives at risk...
0:01:08 > 0:01:11We do need to start getting people away from the area.
0:01:11 > 0:01:15..officers tackle one of the most potentially dangerous situations
0:01:15 > 0:01:18they've ever faced and help residents on one street
0:01:18 > 0:01:22who live on toxic and potentially explosive land...
0:01:22 > 0:01:26The situation's still the same now as it was from day one.
0:01:26 > 0:01:28It's just a living hell.
0:01:28 > 0:01:31..and raid a business suspected of trading alcohol
0:01:31 > 0:01:32without a licence...
0:01:32 > 0:01:34This does not apply to us.
0:01:34 > 0:01:36What makes you think that?
0:01:46 > 0:01:48Across the UK, our local councils
0:01:48 > 0:01:50are the bedrock of the boroughs they serve.
0:01:50 > 0:01:54Heroic council officers nationwide fight hard to use our taxes
0:01:54 > 0:01:57to protect us and improve our lives.
0:01:57 > 0:01:59To do this job, you've got to be very firm,
0:01:59 > 0:02:01you've got to be very clear
0:02:01 > 0:02:04and other times when you've got to be very caring
0:02:04 > 0:02:06and very, very supportive of individuals.
0:02:06 > 0:02:09You're going to need a massive cross section of skills
0:02:09 > 0:02:11and be very pragmatic at the end of it.
0:02:11 > 0:02:14From hygiene inspections and bin collections
0:02:14 > 0:02:16to licensing and trading standards,
0:02:16 > 0:02:19hard-working council officers normally deal with
0:02:19 > 0:02:22the day-to-day tasks that keep our communities running.
0:02:27 > 0:02:30Today, officers have woken up to a crisis.
0:02:30 > 0:02:32Residents have called the council because their homes
0:02:32 > 0:02:34and lives are in danger.
0:02:36 > 0:02:40Overnight, heavy winds battered this giant Victorian mill
0:02:40 > 0:02:44situated next to a row of 14 terraced houses.
0:02:44 > 0:02:48The extreme weather has exposed weak points in the building's ageing walls
0:02:48 > 0:02:51that are now crumbling and close to collapse.
0:02:52 > 0:02:57You can see, obviously, the wall's bulging there.
0:02:57 > 0:03:01Council environmental services officer Mike Robinson
0:03:01 > 0:03:03is first on the scene.
0:03:03 > 0:03:06The mill that is home to almost 20 small businesses is
0:03:06 > 0:03:10fortunately empty, so his priority is the safety of local residents.
0:03:12 > 0:03:14I've spoken with the police inspector.
0:03:14 > 0:03:17Yeah. He's going to close the road off...
0:03:17 > 0:03:21With Mike busy on the ground, at the town hall,
0:03:21 > 0:03:23the emergency planning team has gathered.
0:03:23 > 0:03:26Made up of the council's key heads of department, the team is led by
0:03:26 > 0:03:29environmental services boss Ian Saxon.
0:03:29 > 0:03:32Make that decision with me and we'll have a discussion about it,
0:03:32 > 0:03:34but we'll err on the side of caution.
0:03:34 > 0:03:37It's fundamental that we protect public safety, and we have
0:03:37 > 0:03:40that kind of parental responsibility for the community, if you like.
0:03:40 > 0:03:43When we get the call, public safety is right at the top of the list
0:03:43 > 0:03:45of our priorities.
0:03:45 > 0:03:48With over 20 years' experience, environment and operations boss
0:03:48 > 0:03:52Mike Gurney knows just how serious this situation is.
0:03:52 > 0:03:55What's ironic, I should be at an emergency planning meeting now
0:03:55 > 0:03:58to talk about how to deal with an emergency situation.
0:03:58 > 0:04:01I think half of them think it's a table-top exercise. It isn't.
0:04:01 > 0:04:03- TELEPHONE RINGS - It's live. Hello.
0:04:05 > 0:04:07It is looking precarious
0:04:07 > 0:04:09and we've got to plan for the worst-case scenario.
0:04:09 > 0:04:11It's a very old Victorian mill.
0:04:13 > 0:04:17If you look at the end there, you can see the wall bellying.
0:04:17 > 0:04:20They are extremely close, the houses are, aren't they?
0:04:20 > 0:04:24This one on the end, that shows the gap between the houses and the mill.
0:04:24 > 0:04:25Doesn't look good, does it?
0:04:25 > 0:04:28But there's an even more pressing problem.
0:04:28 > 0:04:32Head engineer Lee Holland's worried that the bad weather might return
0:04:32 > 0:04:35and cause more damage to the vulnerable wall of the mill.
0:04:35 > 0:04:38Have you had the update on the weather for tonight,
0:04:38 > 0:04:40- in terms of wind more than anything? - That's a good point, Lee.
0:04:40 > 0:04:45If we get some high winds tonight, it will affect the gable even more so.
0:04:45 > 0:04:47That's the issue. It's the winds for tonight.
0:04:47 > 0:04:50Right. We'll pick up on that.
0:04:50 > 0:04:53With the threat of worsening weather, it's imperative that
0:04:53 > 0:04:57everyone in danger is evacuated as quickly as possible.
0:05:02 > 0:05:05Are you going to be leaving now?
0:05:05 > 0:05:09Because we do need to start getting people away from the area.
0:05:09 > 0:05:11All right. Give me a minute.
0:05:11 > 0:05:15- What a day! What a day! - Tell me about it!
0:05:15 > 0:05:18Most people are heading to stay with friends or family,
0:05:18 > 0:05:21but for those without anywhere to go, the council will use a fund
0:05:21 > 0:05:24set aside for emergencies to put them up in a hotel.
0:05:28 > 0:05:31But it's not just residents that are at risk.
0:05:31 > 0:05:34The owners of the small businesses who are based in the mill
0:05:34 > 0:05:37are also being kept clear from the hazardous site.
0:05:38 > 0:05:40I run a gym in there.
0:05:40 > 0:05:43I've got customers, clients, that I'm telling I'm shut.
0:05:43 > 0:05:47My whole livelihood's in there, basically, so...
0:05:47 > 0:05:49it's scary.
0:05:50 > 0:05:53It's very difficult for businesses. I can completely understand
0:05:53 > 0:05:58the frustration. That's people's livelihoods. They've put lifelong savings into those businesses
0:05:58 > 0:06:01and they won't be able to get in. The cordon's there to protect them.
0:06:01 > 0:06:03It's going to be very, very frustrating.
0:06:03 > 0:06:06But neither businesses nor residents can return
0:06:06 > 0:06:09until the structural engineers decide whether the building
0:06:09 > 0:06:12can be saved or has to be demolished.
0:06:12 > 0:06:14I can see it being a few days, this.
0:06:14 > 0:06:17This is not going to be sorted out tomorrow.
0:06:17 > 0:06:21Still to come, the council's fight to get residents home quickly
0:06:21 > 0:06:22suffers a major set-back.
0:06:24 > 0:06:26HE SIGHS
0:06:26 > 0:06:27Not great news.
0:06:38 > 0:06:41While council crisis teams across the UK are responding
0:06:41 > 0:06:44to the emergency needs of their residents,
0:06:44 > 0:06:48elsewhere, other departments are working tirelessly to ensure fair play.
0:06:49 > 0:06:54Trading standards. Yes, I'll just put you through. Thank you.
0:06:54 > 0:06:56Illicit vodka, it would appear.
0:06:57 > 0:07:01Nationwide, trading standards officers like Carl Jones
0:07:01 > 0:07:05are responsible for making sure anyone selling alcohol to the public
0:07:05 > 0:07:08or to businesses has a licence to do so.
0:07:08 > 0:07:12Licences are strictly controlled and only granted to responsible
0:07:12 > 0:07:14businesses that adhere to their conditions.
0:07:14 > 0:07:17Failure to comply with licensing laws
0:07:17 > 0:07:20can result in a fine of up to £20,000
0:07:20 > 0:07:22or six months in prison.
0:07:29 > 0:07:30After receiving a tip-off from the police,
0:07:30 > 0:07:34Carl and the council team have been gathering intelligence
0:07:34 > 0:07:37on a business suspected of selling alcohol without a licence.
0:07:37 > 0:07:40Today, they're carrying out a dawn raid on the premises.
0:07:43 > 0:07:46This unit specialises in the wholesale sale of alcohol.
0:07:46 > 0:07:48There are beers, spirits and such
0:07:48 > 0:07:51and as such it's an offence for it to trade without an alcohol licence.
0:07:53 > 0:07:57Traders operating illegally are often hard to catch in the act.
0:07:58 > 0:08:02But the council's warrant allows the officers to break in
0:08:02 > 0:08:05and potentially pounce when they're least expecting them.
0:08:05 > 0:08:08Carl knows that the business doesn't have a licence to sell,
0:08:08 > 0:08:12which is curious when it has a name like this.
0:08:13 > 0:08:17It's not long before the team finds invoices for sales of alcohol.
0:08:17 > 0:08:20There you are. Vodka.
0:08:21 > 0:08:25Lamb's rum. Jack Daniel's.
0:08:25 > 0:08:27Courvoisier.
0:08:27 > 0:08:31- There's more alcohol. - Is that purchased?
0:08:33 > 0:08:35There's no alcohol as such to be found.
0:08:35 > 0:08:37The paperwork does appear to show at this moment in time,
0:08:37 > 0:08:41we've only just had a quick look, that they are dealing substantially
0:08:41 > 0:08:44in alcohol and they don't have a licence to do that.
0:08:44 > 0:08:47Just hanging around for a few minutes.
0:08:47 > 0:08:51With evidence found, it's been a successful start to the officers' day.
0:08:57 > 0:09:00Coming up, Carl and Dave confront the traders with the proof
0:09:00 > 0:09:02that they're selling alcohol without a licence.
0:09:02 > 0:09:05You do need a licence to sell alcohol. That is the law.
0:09:14 > 0:09:18Across the borough, like councils nationwide, Tameside council
0:09:18 > 0:09:22is continuing to care for its residents in their hour of need.
0:09:23 > 0:09:24It is looking precarious
0:09:24 > 0:09:27and we've got to plan for the worst-case scenario.
0:09:27 > 0:09:28Following stormy weather,
0:09:28 > 0:09:32a Victorian mill is close to the point of collapse.
0:09:32 > 0:09:35In a bid to keep the residents of the 14 neighbouring terraces safe,
0:09:35 > 0:09:37the houses have been evacuated.
0:09:40 > 0:09:43Anna Squires and her young family have just minutes to prepare
0:09:43 > 0:09:46for an indefinite spell away from home.
0:09:46 > 0:09:47Still there.
0:09:49 > 0:09:52I've got no idea what's happening.
0:09:52 > 0:09:53No idea what's happening today.
0:09:53 > 0:09:56The rubbish collection was supposed to be today.
0:09:56 > 0:09:58Two weeks' worth of rubbish in my bin.
0:10:01 > 0:10:04Taking stuff, I don't know if I can go back to my house or not
0:10:04 > 0:10:08or what will be left after they start moving the mill. It's bizarre.
0:10:08 > 0:10:12But police constable Anna's situation is even more problematic
0:10:12 > 0:10:14because this week she's working the night shift.
0:10:14 > 0:10:16I don't like not knowing.
0:10:16 > 0:10:19I don't like not being in control, as I found out the last few hours.
0:10:19 > 0:10:23It's really hard to deal with and trying to stay positive
0:10:23 > 0:10:26for the children, and I'm supposed to be on nights this weekend,
0:10:26 > 0:10:28so I don't know what I'm going to do
0:10:28 > 0:10:32if we're getting asked to check out from the hotel tomorrow morning...
0:10:32 > 0:10:36I finish nights at ten o'clock tomorrow morning, don't know where I'm going to be sleeping.
0:10:36 > 0:10:40Little things like that are all still up in the air, but got to keep going.
0:10:44 > 0:10:47While the council wait for the mill to be made safe,
0:10:47 > 0:10:52they're booking residents without friends or family to stay with into a hotel.
0:10:52 > 0:10:54The council will cover the expense
0:10:54 > 0:10:58until residents can claim it back from their household insurance.
0:11:02 > 0:11:05- You're sleeping where? - I'm sleeping here.
0:11:05 > 0:11:08- Where are you sleeping, Gabriel? - Where's your bed?
0:11:08 > 0:11:11- That's your bed.- Luckily, Anna and husband Simon's children
0:11:11 > 0:11:15are totally unaware of the threat their family home is under.
0:11:15 > 0:11:18Their worried parents are already desperate to get back.
0:11:18 > 0:11:20It's been a long day since we found out.
0:11:20 > 0:11:23- Yeah, and it was only a few hours ago.- Definitely been a long day.
0:11:23 > 0:11:25It's been a bit of a roller coaster.
0:11:27 > 0:11:30I think psychologically we have to psych ourselves up
0:11:30 > 0:11:32for being away from the house for at least a week.
0:11:32 > 0:11:36After two nights that have been booked, we don't know where we're going
0:11:36 > 0:11:38cos we haven't got anyone we can go to.
0:11:44 > 0:11:48Only the council can decide when it's safe for evacuated residents
0:11:48 > 0:11:50like the Squires to return home.
0:11:52 > 0:11:55Environmental services head Ian Saxon is well aware that
0:11:55 > 0:11:57this needs careful management.
0:11:57 > 0:12:00The really important thing is that these residents don't feel like
0:12:00 > 0:12:03we've kind of evacuated them and then left them and forgotten them.
0:12:03 > 0:12:07The first night you can cope with. But after the first night, it's going to become a bit of a pain.
0:12:07 > 0:12:10A really challenging aspect of this job is not knowing how long
0:12:10 > 0:12:12it's going to go on for. That's the challenge for me
0:12:12 > 0:12:14cos I don't know how long I need resources for.
0:12:14 > 0:12:18For the families that were evacuated, that must be absolute hell.
0:12:18 > 0:12:20And that's frustrating for everybody involved.
0:12:22 > 0:12:24But there is some good news.
0:12:24 > 0:12:27With the area cleared of anyone who could be in danger,
0:12:27 > 0:12:31the building contractors have been given the green light to start work.
0:12:31 > 0:12:34They'll begin with the dangerous outer wall, before more damage
0:12:34 > 0:12:38- is done by the weather. - The equipment's coming together.
0:12:38 > 0:12:41You can see from the scale of the equipment that it's not going
0:12:41 > 0:12:44to be a two-minute job. So we need to be thinking,
0:12:44 > 0:12:49looking forward about how we support the residents, maybe over a continued period of a few days.
0:12:49 > 0:12:52But things are starting to come together.
0:12:52 > 0:12:54The sooner they can start that work,
0:12:54 > 0:12:57then the sooner we can get the residents back in.
0:12:58 > 0:13:02Still to come, just as the council starts to make progress,
0:13:02 > 0:13:07Ian receives a call that puts his plans to get people home quickly on hold.
0:13:07 > 0:13:09Not great news.
0:13:14 > 0:13:17While the council battle with an emergency that needs
0:13:17 > 0:13:20immediate attention on one side of the borough,
0:13:20 > 0:13:23residents elsewhere also need help.
0:13:23 > 0:13:25But homeowners here on Redmond Close
0:13:25 > 0:13:29have been under the council's care for 20 years.
0:13:29 > 0:13:33Across the UK, there are over 20,000 former landfill sites.
0:13:33 > 0:13:39Houses on one half of this close have been built on top of one such previous landfill.
0:13:39 > 0:13:40To adhere to regulations,
0:13:40 > 0:13:44a ventilation system should have been fitted to allow toxic gases
0:13:44 > 0:13:47to escape safely as the waste decomposes.
0:13:47 > 0:13:52Unfortunately for the residents of these 11 houses, that didn't happen
0:13:52 > 0:13:56and they're living under the constant fear of being blown up.
0:13:57 > 0:14:00I think it's been recognised as one of the most dangerous sites
0:14:00 > 0:14:03in the country with the gases that are coming out into these houses
0:14:03 > 0:14:05from the waste underneath them.
0:14:05 > 0:14:07So it comes back again to public safety
0:14:07 > 0:14:11for these residents living on this time bomb, really.
0:14:11 > 0:14:14We've had various evacuations already taken place on that street
0:14:14 > 0:14:17and it's been difficult to get them to go back into their homes
0:14:17 > 0:14:20on those evacuations because of the fear.
0:14:20 > 0:14:23So we have a statutory obligation to make sure this situation
0:14:23 > 0:14:25is resolved for them.
0:14:25 > 0:14:27As well as helping manage the crisis at the mill,
0:14:27 > 0:14:31council officer Mike Gurney has been doing all he can to keep
0:14:31 > 0:14:33this situation under control.
0:14:33 > 0:14:35Today, Mike is inspecting the area
0:14:35 > 0:14:38with environmental services manager Gary Mongan.
0:14:38 > 0:14:41So, this is the old site which used to be clay pits
0:14:41 > 0:14:45for the production of bricks. After the clay was all excavated,
0:14:45 > 0:14:49a private contractor then came in and basically filled the entire
0:14:49 > 0:14:52empty pitch with domestic and commercial waste.
0:14:52 > 0:14:55Once the site was filled, it was then capped
0:14:55 > 0:14:57and more or less left as it is now.
0:14:58 > 0:15:02In the UK, there are over 4,000 active landfill sites.
0:15:02 > 0:15:04Capping them is common practice,
0:15:04 > 0:15:07but building on them is highly regulated.
0:15:07 > 0:15:11Unfortunately, in the 1970s when these houses were built,
0:15:11 > 0:15:13planning controls weren't as strict
0:15:13 > 0:15:17and the current councillors now inherited this problem.
0:15:17 > 0:15:21The houses built we believed to be on the edge of the tip,
0:15:21 > 0:15:24although in subsequent years, we've later found that this first row
0:15:24 > 0:15:27of Redmond Close was in fact built on top of the tip
0:15:27 > 0:15:29and the waste runs underneath them.
0:15:29 > 0:15:32As all this waste is decomposing, obviously the methane gas
0:15:32 > 0:15:36is coming out of the ground and it's coming into their properties.
0:15:36 > 0:15:39Methane generated from the decomposing waste
0:15:39 > 0:15:41is fatal when trapped in a confined space.
0:15:41 > 0:15:44Inhalation causes nausea, vomiting
0:15:44 > 0:15:49and in extreme cases can induce a coma and death by suffocation.
0:15:49 > 0:15:53But even more significantly, it's highly explosive.
0:15:53 > 0:15:57There could be a build-up of gas and these houses explode and demolish
0:15:57 > 0:16:00the row and the residents' houses facing, depending on the blast.
0:16:01 > 0:16:04Gas levels are constantly monitored
0:16:04 > 0:16:08and on occasions the residents have had to be evacuated.
0:16:08 > 0:16:10To release them from living under this constant fear,
0:16:10 > 0:16:12the council have two options -
0:16:12 > 0:16:16demolish the houses or install pipework to enable
0:16:16 > 0:16:17the lethal gases to escape.
0:16:18 > 0:16:22That will have ongoing maintenance costs to the council,
0:16:22 > 0:16:25ongoing risks still, we're not removing the risks doing that.
0:16:25 > 0:16:29The other solution would be to purchase their properties,
0:16:29 > 0:16:32give the families the money of the valuation of the house
0:16:32 > 0:16:34and then demolish. That would remove all the risks
0:16:34 > 0:16:38and that would seem the most obvious and practical solution.
0:16:40 > 0:16:41Because of their situation,
0:16:41 > 0:16:44the houses currently aren't worth a penny.
0:16:44 > 0:16:47But the council has had three independent valuations
0:16:47 > 0:16:50made of each house and offered residents a guaranteed price
0:16:50 > 0:16:53based on their market values.
0:16:53 > 0:16:57But to take any action, they need the residents to reach a consensus.
0:16:57 > 0:17:01Residents Carol and Keith Stockwell are desperate to move
0:17:01 > 0:17:03before an explosion takes place.
0:17:03 > 0:17:06It is constantly on my mind all the time.
0:17:06 > 0:17:10I mean, you talk to people that you don't see very often
0:17:10 > 0:17:12and they say, "How are you going on with the problem?"
0:17:12 > 0:17:16They just can't believe that the situation's still the same now
0:17:16 > 0:17:20as it was from day one. It's just a living hell.
0:17:20 > 0:17:24You've got that anxiety all the time, hoping that...
0:17:24 > 0:17:29it won't happen. But one time, it may happen.
0:17:29 > 0:17:33Still to come, can the residents of Redmond Close come to an agreement?
0:17:33 > 0:17:36Will they stay where they are and opt for an engineering solution
0:17:36 > 0:17:39or accept the council's offer and leave Redmond Close for good?
0:17:39 > 0:17:45This close, in my opinion, is going to be a close what's a ghost town.
0:17:50 > 0:17:54At the council HQ, officers' persistence means traders
0:17:54 > 0:17:57operating outside of the law are about to be taken to task.
0:17:59 > 0:18:02After a dawn raid revealed documents proving a wholesaler is
0:18:02 > 0:18:06selling alcohol without a licence, council officers Carl Jones
0:18:06 > 0:18:09and Dave Smith have invited the traders into the council
0:18:09 > 0:18:11for questioning.
0:18:14 > 0:18:18We've removed paperwork which shows evidence you've been trading
0:18:18 > 0:18:20in alcohol products.
0:18:21 > 0:18:25Really, that is the reason why we've asked you here today.
0:18:25 > 0:18:28This is correct because we are allowed to sell alcohol.
0:18:28 > 0:18:29We're not selling to the public.
0:18:29 > 0:18:33If we are selling directly to the public, then we need the licence.
0:18:33 > 0:18:37- Who are you selling to?- We are selling to the shopkeeper only.
0:18:37 > 0:18:42We are not selling to the public at all, so this does not apply to us.
0:18:45 > 0:18:48- What makes you think that? - This is the law.
0:18:48 > 0:18:51You do need a licence to sell alcohol. That is the law.
0:18:51 > 0:18:54- But we were thinking that this is the licence here.- What, this?
0:18:54 > 0:18:57They gave us classification of what we can sell,
0:18:57 > 0:18:59what we are selling here.
0:18:59 > 0:19:02- They allowed us. - But that's to do with the VAT.
0:19:02 > 0:19:05It's nothing to do with your alcohol licence.
0:19:05 > 0:19:08The fact they haven't got a licence means he can't deal alcohol, full stop.
0:19:08 > 0:19:10We found proof they'd been dealing in alcohol,
0:19:10 > 0:19:14and that was enough, because we knew he didn't have an alcohol licence.
0:19:14 > 0:19:16It's nice to meet you both, anyway.
0:19:16 > 0:19:19- You can sit back through there. - Cheers.- Thanks for your time.
0:19:20 > 0:19:24The officers gave the traders seven days to apply for a licence,
0:19:24 > 0:19:28but were later informed that they'd stopped selling alcohol altogether.
0:19:28 > 0:19:31The work of the heroic officers on this case is another example
0:19:31 > 0:19:36of our local council keeping on top of traders operating outside of the law.
0:19:41 > 0:19:44Alongside the day-to-day demands
0:19:44 > 0:19:47of keeping their communities running smoothly,
0:19:47 > 0:19:50the UK's local councils also have to make provisions
0:19:50 > 0:19:52for dealing with the unexpected.
0:19:52 > 0:19:56For Tameside council, the problems are coming thick and fast.
0:19:56 > 0:19:59For the past two days, engineers have been trying to make the mill
0:19:59 > 0:20:02that's perilously close to collapse safe.
0:20:02 > 0:20:04The mill owner is paying for the structural work,
0:20:04 > 0:20:07but the council is using their emergency fund to cover the cost
0:20:07 > 0:20:10of making the site secure and re-homing residents
0:20:10 > 0:20:13until their home insurances pay out.
0:20:17 > 0:20:21Ian Saxon is leading the council's emergency planning team,
0:20:21 > 0:20:24and is pushing for a swift resolution to protect their budgets.
0:20:24 > 0:20:26I'm down at Park Road.
0:20:26 > 0:20:29I was just looking for a bit of an update in terms of your...
0:20:29 > 0:20:33plan of attack and time frame?
0:20:33 > 0:20:36But there's a major set-back.
0:20:36 > 0:20:39That cement material, the cladding?
0:20:39 > 0:20:42Asbestos has been discovered in the mill.
0:20:42 > 0:20:46The news that there's asbestos in the building does come as a little bit of a shock,
0:20:46 > 0:20:48but, again, we've got to protect public safety,
0:20:48 > 0:20:52so what we don't want to do is make a bad situation even worse by ignoring that.
0:20:53 > 0:20:56No activity? So it's just a kind of holding position
0:20:56 > 0:20:57from a security point of view?
0:20:57 > 0:20:59All right, bye-bye. Bye.
0:21:04 > 0:21:06HE SIGHS
0:21:06 > 0:21:08Not great news.
0:21:09 > 0:21:14Asbestos is the single greatest cause of death at work in the UK.
0:21:14 > 0:21:17Every year, thousands of people die after exposure,
0:21:17 > 0:21:20mainly through contracting lung cancer
0:21:20 > 0:21:23after inhaling the deadly asbestos fibres.
0:21:24 > 0:21:26Before work on the mill can continue,
0:21:26 > 0:21:30the asbestos has to be removed by specialist contractors,
0:21:30 > 0:21:34which means more time away from home for the residents.
0:21:34 > 0:21:37I don't think they're going to be angry residents,
0:21:37 > 0:21:40hopefully they're not angry. There are good reasons for that delay.
0:21:40 > 0:21:43In all honesty, asbestos is a dangerous material.
0:21:43 > 0:21:46What we don't want to do is expose demolition contractors to a risk.
0:21:48 > 0:21:50For Anna, this is seriously bad news.
0:21:50 > 0:21:53With two young children, living in the hotel is tough,
0:21:53 > 0:21:56and she's desperate to get home.
0:21:56 > 0:21:57Do you think we'll get in today?
0:21:57 > 0:22:00He's running low on school uniforms and stuff!
0:22:00 > 0:22:05As far as I'm aware, there's still no access beyond the cordon.
0:22:05 > 0:22:08My kids want to go home. It's, erm...
0:22:08 > 0:22:11Little things like that are starting to worry me.
0:22:11 > 0:22:15Access to the homes is strictly controlled,
0:22:15 > 0:22:17but Mike Gurney's on hand to assess the danger,
0:22:17 > 0:22:22and lets Anna and husband Simon get some much-needed supplies.
0:22:22 > 0:22:24There's no work started at the moment.
0:22:24 > 0:22:28If you can escort her to her house, very quickly grab what you need.
0:22:28 > 0:22:31Thank you. Appreciate that, Mike, yeah. Brilliant, thank you.
0:22:33 > 0:22:35Thank you kindly.
0:22:35 > 0:22:38The news that there's asbestos kind of slows things down,
0:22:38 > 0:22:40and again it leads to frustration within the community.
0:22:40 > 0:22:43It's not easy to understand that when you're evacuated from your home
0:22:43 > 0:22:46and you've got another two or three nights in a hotel.
0:22:46 > 0:22:48That's not just a bow any more, that's leaning.
0:22:48 > 0:22:50Ready to go, isn't it?
0:22:50 > 0:22:55Grabbed a few essentials, just more uniform changes for the boys,
0:22:55 > 0:22:58some tops for me, selfishly.
0:22:58 > 0:23:00- And...the iron! - SHE LAUGHS
0:23:01 > 0:23:06But, for the displaced residents, good news is just around the corner.
0:23:07 > 0:23:10Quick update from the scene.
0:23:10 > 0:23:13Mike and I have just been down and seen
0:23:13 > 0:23:16demolition contractors are there, asbestos removal contractors are there,
0:23:16 > 0:23:19so it looks like they're about to press the "go" button.
0:23:20 > 0:23:22Still to come,
0:23:22 > 0:23:25with asbestos cleared, the fate of the mill is decided,
0:23:25 > 0:23:28but the residents must wait to find out just how much longer
0:23:28 > 0:23:30they'll be away from home.
0:23:30 > 0:23:33I keep looking at my door key longingly.
0:23:33 > 0:23:37When can I use that again?
0:23:42 > 0:23:45In contrast to road repairs, waste collection and pest control,
0:23:45 > 0:23:49many of the essential services our country's local councils provide
0:23:49 > 0:23:51go on unseen.
0:23:51 > 0:23:54Unless, that is, you do something wrong.
0:23:54 > 0:23:57Trading standards officers Carl Jones and Tracy Jones-Lacy
0:23:57 > 0:24:01are now dealing with a call to the council about a beautician
0:24:01 > 0:24:04who could be selling more than pedicures and highlights.
0:24:04 > 0:24:06We do a lot of work with other agencies,
0:24:06 > 0:24:08and we were contacted by the UK Border Agency,
0:24:08 > 0:24:10who informed us that a hairdresser's in Denton
0:24:10 > 0:24:14was allegedly dealing in counterfeit handbags.
0:24:14 > 0:24:17Together with their trading standards colleagues across the country,
0:24:17 > 0:24:22Carl and Tracy face an enormous task to stem the tide of fake goods.
0:24:22 > 0:24:27Counterfeit products cost the UK economy over £1 billion a year.
0:24:27 > 0:24:32In one year alone, Border Force agents seized 32,000 items
0:24:32 > 0:24:36in the post and 1,300 consignments at the country's ports.
0:24:39 > 0:24:44The report is that it's selling items imported from India.
0:24:44 > 0:24:48Could be anything, so we'll go in and see what we can find out.
0:24:48 > 0:24:51Carl and Tracy have received details of the flights
0:24:51 > 0:24:55the business owner, Mrs Maguire, has taken in the past few months.
0:24:55 > 0:24:58She's made many more trips abroad than they consider normal
0:24:58 > 0:25:00for a casual holiday-maker.
0:25:00 > 0:25:04- Warmer in here.- It's a bit warmer in here.- Hello, Cleopatra's?
0:25:04 > 0:25:08While Mrs Maguire takes a booking, Carl takes the opportunity
0:25:08 > 0:25:11to check out what could be counterfeit handbags and purses
0:25:11 > 0:25:13for sale in the display cabinet.
0:25:13 > 0:25:16We've received some intelligence that, erm...
0:25:17 > 0:25:20- ..that you travel quite a lot to India?- Oh, God, that again?
0:25:20 > 0:25:23- Mrs Maguire, is it?- Yeah.
0:25:23 > 0:25:27And that you're bringing stuff back that maybe you shouldn't do.
0:25:27 > 0:25:30- Right. - Is that what it is, is it handbags?
0:25:30 > 0:25:33It's just... Yeah, I just bring two or three back, that's all.
0:25:33 > 0:25:37Right, OK. Are these the items that you...you bring back?
0:25:37 > 0:25:41- Just that handbag. - Just this handbag?- Actually, that handbag was mine.- Right.
0:25:41 > 0:25:44Where do you buy these from, when you're abroad?
0:25:44 > 0:25:47Just from a little shop in...where I go on holiday.
0:25:47 > 0:25:48Because they're not genuine.
0:25:48 > 0:25:51- No, I know, darling.- I know,
0:25:51 > 0:25:54but by bringing them back and selling them in this country,
0:25:54 > 0:25:56you're committing an offence.
0:25:56 > 0:26:00Selling fake designer goods like these carries a maximum penalty
0:26:00 > 0:26:04of a £5,000 fine and six months in prison per offence.
0:26:04 > 0:26:08As well as avoiding tax, sellers deprive manufacturers of revenue,
0:26:08 > 0:26:12and trick unsuspecting consumers into buying inferior goods.
0:26:12 > 0:26:15I know they're fake, but I really didn't know I was doing any wrong
0:26:15 > 0:26:20by...by selling these, because the price says it all.
0:26:20 > 0:26:22But you're trying to...
0:26:22 > 0:26:24- No, I do tell people.- Right.
0:26:24 > 0:26:27I do tell them, I don't say that they're real.
0:26:27 > 0:26:29Strangely enough,
0:26:29 > 0:26:33the money I try to make from this I put to the children's home.
0:26:33 > 0:26:37I'm not really doing anything wrong, but obviously I am in your eyes.
0:26:37 > 0:26:42- Yeah, unfortunately.- Here you are, Tracy. There's a load here.
0:26:44 > 0:26:46As the investigation continues,
0:26:46 > 0:26:50Carl and Tracy uncover 60 fake bags and purses.
0:26:50 > 0:26:53- Are there any more anywhere, Mrs Maguire?- No.- No?
0:26:53 > 0:26:58- You didn't tell us about these, did you?- I'm all confused here.
0:26:58 > 0:27:01'We discovered approximately 60 counterfeit handbags,'
0:27:01 > 0:27:05counterfeit of, say, Radley handbags, Prada, very expensive items
0:27:05 > 0:27:07I think would cost four-figure sums.
0:27:07 > 0:27:10And they were nice-quality counterfeits. They looked nice, they looked the part.
0:27:10 > 0:27:14There's too much here to just, you know, let it go, really,
0:27:14 > 0:27:17so what we're going to do, we're going to have to seize all these items, OK?
0:27:17 > 0:27:21You'll get a receipt for the items, and then we'll be in touch, OK?
0:27:21 > 0:27:24We didn't expect to find this kind of seizure
0:27:24 > 0:27:27in a little backstreet hairdresser's.
0:27:27 > 0:27:31We reckon there's probably about three or £4,000 worth of genuine stock here.
0:27:31 > 0:27:34I know she's only selling it for £10, £5,
0:27:34 > 0:27:37but there's still no excuse.
0:27:37 > 0:27:39They're trying to be what they're not.
0:27:39 > 0:27:42- I won't do it again.- Right.
0:27:42 > 0:27:45We'll be in touch, Mrs Maguire, OK? Thank you.
0:27:47 > 0:27:50'When I do go to India, and I haven't done it for a long time,'
0:27:50 > 0:27:54but I do try to sell them for the children of the streets in India.
0:27:54 > 0:27:59I do go to the children's orphanages, and I help out there.
0:27:59 > 0:28:03These children, if they don't eat, they die.
0:28:03 > 0:28:0670.
0:28:06 > 0:28:10After examination, the handbags and purses were destroyed by the council,
0:28:10 > 0:28:13who issued Mrs Maguire with a formal caution.
0:28:13 > 0:28:15She's still operating as a beautician,
0:28:15 > 0:28:19and still selling handbags, only now they're unbranded.
0:28:19 > 0:28:21We deal with each thing individually.
0:28:21 > 0:28:23We've never had a problem with that lady.
0:28:23 > 0:28:26She's a long-standing trader, a very nice person,
0:28:26 > 0:28:29and I think the most appropriate course of action is to say,
0:28:29 > 0:28:30"Look, please don't do this again."
0:28:30 > 0:28:33Maybe she didn't realise what she was doing, to be honest with you,
0:28:33 > 0:28:37the full implications of it, and I'm sure she won't do it again.
0:28:37 > 0:28:42Tracy and Carl's is a small success in the national war on fake goods,
0:28:42 > 0:28:47and if you think something seems too good to be true, it probably is.
0:28:47 > 0:28:50To protect yourself against buying counterfeit goods,
0:28:50 > 0:28:51check the quality of the product,
0:28:51 > 0:28:54and look for giveaways like spelling mistakes.
0:28:54 > 0:28:56You can also ask the trader whether they offer
0:28:56 > 0:28:59an after-sales service or guarantee.
0:29:08 > 0:29:11Across the country, the UK's local council officers
0:29:11 > 0:29:15are fighting a determined battle to keep us safe from danger,
0:29:15 > 0:29:17whatever form it takes.
0:29:18 > 0:29:21Residents on one side of Redmond Close in Tameside
0:29:21 > 0:29:24are living under the watchful eye of their council.
0:29:24 > 0:29:28Their houses have been built on an old landfill site
0:29:28 > 0:29:31that's emitting toxic and potentially explosive gases.
0:29:31 > 0:29:33The council inherited this issue,
0:29:33 > 0:29:37and is now dutifully helping the residents find a resolution.
0:29:37 > 0:29:40They presented the homeowners with two options,
0:29:40 > 0:29:44an engineering solution, or the council's preferred choice,
0:29:44 > 0:29:46purchase and demolition.
0:29:46 > 0:29:50But, for the council to act, the residents must reach a consensus,
0:29:50 > 0:29:53something which is proving hard to do.
0:29:56 > 0:29:58Until enough residents agree,
0:29:58 > 0:30:01council officers like Andy make frequent visits to their homes
0:30:01 > 0:30:05to monitor the levels of the dangerous gases.
0:30:05 > 0:30:08- Hiya, come in. - Hi, Mrs Stockwell.
0:30:08 > 0:30:09As you know, Andrew,
0:30:09 > 0:30:15our property is the epicentre of Redmond Close with this methane gas.
0:30:15 > 0:30:17Yeah, it's always had the worst readings
0:30:17 > 0:30:20out of the whole street, really, hasn't it?
0:30:20 > 0:30:22So, has it been OK for you
0:30:22 > 0:30:25- since last time I checked it?- It's been quite low since you last came.
0:30:25 > 0:30:27OK, that's good.
0:30:27 > 0:30:31The council fitted each house with a monitor 14 years ago.
0:30:31 > 0:30:34If the concentration of methane hits dangerous levels,
0:30:34 > 0:30:36an alarm is triggered.
0:30:36 > 0:30:41This is the alarm panel in here, and it's got two sensors on it.
0:30:41 > 0:30:44So it's on channel one, it flicks between channel one and channel two.
0:30:44 > 0:30:475% methane by volume is 100% LEL.
0:30:47 > 0:30:49It's about zero at the moment.
0:30:49 > 0:30:52LEL is the lower explosion limit.
0:30:52 > 0:30:56If the LEL reading reaches 100%, the house could blow up.
0:30:56 > 0:31:00At 40%, they start to evacuate the homes.
0:31:00 > 0:31:05We've found concentrations up to about 75% LEL,
0:31:05 > 0:31:08but that's only in little kind of locations
0:31:08 > 0:31:11near to where the gas is ingressing.
0:31:11 > 0:31:13Once you measure outside of that area,
0:31:13 > 0:31:17the gas is kind of dispersing within the atmosphere,
0:31:17 > 0:31:19so it's not building up to a concentration.
0:31:19 > 0:31:22However, there's an indication that the gas is still getting in,
0:31:22 > 0:31:26which is the reason why we're doing all the works that are necessary
0:31:26 > 0:31:28to try and fix the site.
0:31:28 > 0:31:30So, I'll just download the data,
0:31:30 > 0:31:34and it looks like the alarm system is working fine.
0:31:34 > 0:31:37- It's zero... - What's all these high blue ones?
0:31:37 > 0:31:40- Possibly just a bit of gas, maybe. - They look quite high, those.
0:31:40 > 0:31:44- I mean, compared with the red ones. - It's dependent on the scale, you see.
0:31:44 > 0:31:48Here, it's only going up to a maximum of 6.5 at the top up here,
0:31:48 > 0:31:51so it's reading from about 0 up to about 6.5.
0:31:51 > 0:31:54I can check in the back, if that's OK,
0:31:54 > 0:31:57just to see in the worst-case areas whether there's any gas there,
0:31:57 > 0:32:00and also just to check the readings at the sensor
0:32:00 > 0:32:02just to make sure that this, that my machine...
0:32:02 > 0:32:05- That one corresponds with the other? - Yeah, just to make sure.
0:32:05 > 0:32:08The sensors that trigger the alarm are placed at several points in the house.
0:32:08 > 0:32:10BEEPING
0:32:10 > 0:32:12To check they're sending correct readings to the alarm,
0:32:12 > 0:32:18Andrew uses a portable sensor that analyses the molecules in the air.
0:32:18 > 0:32:20Just, erm... The sensor's over here,
0:32:20 > 0:32:23so I'll just take a reading down here to make sure that...
0:32:23 > 0:32:25What we've got on the sensor at the moment
0:32:25 > 0:32:29from when we looked at it just before was a reading of about zero,
0:32:29 > 0:32:32so it should be holding at zero.
0:32:33 > 0:32:36You've had a reading of 30 there in the past, haven't you?
0:32:36 > 0:32:40- I think we had it up to 75 here. - Up to 75 in that corner.
0:32:40 > 0:32:43If that sensor had been here,
0:32:43 > 0:32:48we'd have been having the fire brigade out every few seconds
0:32:48 > 0:32:52to evacuate the close, that's what happens when it reaches 40.
0:32:54 > 0:32:57You can't really imagine what it's like to be going to bed at night,
0:32:57 > 0:32:58looking at your alarm,
0:32:58 > 0:33:02and seeing that the alarm is starting to go up to the degree
0:33:02 > 0:33:05where it could go off in the night, where there's gas coming in.
0:33:05 > 0:33:07I just can't imagine what they're going through.
0:33:07 > 0:33:09It doesn't bear thinking about, really.
0:33:09 > 0:33:13The alarms have sounded over 100 times in the last 14 years,
0:33:13 > 0:33:17resulting in residents being forced to ventilate their homes immediately.
0:33:17 > 0:33:21With the constant threat of explosion, the council needs to act.
0:33:21 > 0:33:24They believe the best solution is to demolish the homes
0:33:24 > 0:33:26so they're offering to buy them.
0:33:26 > 0:33:28The houses aren't worth anything as they stand,
0:33:28 > 0:33:30because they're contaminated with gas,
0:33:30 > 0:33:34but some people may feel they want to hold out for more money,
0:33:34 > 0:33:36and there's a whole range of issues of why
0:33:36 > 0:33:39they may or may not want to sell to the council.
0:33:39 > 0:33:43But not enough residents can agree, and time is running out.
0:33:43 > 0:33:47The pot of money the council has ring-fenced to solve the problem
0:33:47 > 0:33:49is being put under increasing pressure,
0:33:49 > 0:33:52and could be spent on other essential services.
0:33:52 > 0:33:55As things are, everybody's not in the same boat,
0:33:55 > 0:33:59so...we're back to square one,
0:33:59 > 0:34:02that we don't know whether we're going or we won't be going,
0:34:02 > 0:34:06because we can see the offer being withdrawn in the near future,
0:34:06 > 0:34:10and an engineering solution installed,
0:34:10 > 0:34:14and, after all that, at the end of the day,
0:34:14 > 0:34:17the properties are still worthless.
0:34:17 > 0:34:22This close, in time, in my opinion, when I'm thinking about it,
0:34:22 > 0:34:26is going to be a close what's a ghost town.
0:34:26 > 0:34:31Coming up, the fate of the residents hangs in the balance.
0:34:31 > 0:34:33We've been talking about it for far too long
0:34:33 > 0:34:35and not actually brought it to a conclusion.
0:34:45 > 0:34:47While the council and residents of Redmond Close
0:34:47 > 0:34:49wait for their future to be decided,
0:34:49 > 0:34:52Mike Gurney turns his attention to his duties
0:34:52 > 0:34:54at the council's crematorium.
0:34:54 > 0:34:58In the UK, there are around 14,000 cemeteries,
0:34:58 > 0:35:03and it's the job of our councils to manage the majority of them.
0:35:03 > 0:35:07Mike and his team maintain Tameside's eight cemeteries.
0:35:09 > 0:35:12Today, Mike is dealing with a call to the council
0:35:12 > 0:35:15from a resident who's arranging a funeral.
0:35:15 > 0:35:19Mike's first task is to find the family's plot, which is not easy.
0:35:19 > 0:35:22A lot of them don't have headstones, so it's not always straightforward,
0:35:22 > 0:35:26cos sometimes we've found headstones have been put on the wrong grave,
0:35:26 > 0:35:28so we don't take that for granted it's right, we check the plans first.
0:35:28 > 0:35:31Reopening a grave is not a job taken lightly,
0:35:31 > 0:35:34and Mike can draw on an extensive archive
0:35:34 > 0:35:38created over centuries gone by to get it right.
0:35:38 > 0:35:41So, this was a grave bought in 1933, and, as you can see,
0:35:41 > 0:35:44we're opening the grave next week for another burial.
0:35:44 > 0:35:48Grave found, Mike now has to find the plot in the cemetery
0:35:48 > 0:35:51by working his way through the headstones,
0:35:51 > 0:35:54some of which date back to the 17th century.
0:35:54 > 0:35:58All the graves have got numbers on them, obviously. That's important.
0:35:58 > 0:36:01When the headstones come in, we insist on the grave numbers going on
0:36:01 > 0:36:04to make it, you know, easier to locate graves.
0:36:04 > 0:36:07I'm just going to get a copy of my plan up now.
0:36:07 > 0:36:09My guess, then, it's round about here.
0:36:12 > 0:36:15- Can we hand-dig this, or the machine can get it, can't it?- Yeah, machine.
0:36:15 > 0:36:17OK, so just take a piece out for us, John.
0:36:17 > 0:36:20We're identifying the grave so that if John isn't here
0:36:20 > 0:36:23when somebody comes to dig it, we know which grave it is.
0:36:23 > 0:36:25They'll have the ticket, they'll have the number,
0:36:25 > 0:36:27and it's just to show it's been picked as the right grave.
0:36:27 > 0:36:31This'll be checked again when it's dug by the supervisor to make sure it's dug to the right size,
0:36:31 > 0:36:34and, on the day of the funeral, the registrar will double-check
0:36:34 > 0:36:37before the funeral arrives that everything's in order,
0:36:37 > 0:36:39so there's various checks take place behind the scenes.
0:36:41 > 0:36:45Once marked, the grave-digging can commence.
0:36:45 > 0:36:49Come rain or shine, that job falls to Jeff and Danny.
0:36:49 > 0:36:52Between them, they've dug thousands of graves.
0:36:56 > 0:36:58- It's just sucked that into the ground.- What has?
0:36:58 > 0:37:01Today, they're digging a new grave ahead of the funeral
0:37:01 > 0:37:04that's taking place in just a few days' time.
0:37:04 > 0:37:06But they are battling against the waterlogged ground
0:37:06 > 0:37:09after the recent bout of bad weather.
0:37:11 > 0:37:13This ground is unstable.
0:37:13 > 0:37:17It'll just fall in. If we don't shut it up, it'll just collapse.
0:37:17 > 0:37:20If it was solid clay, it's got a stability,
0:37:20 > 0:37:22but because it's sand, it's not.
0:37:22 > 0:37:25As I was trimming the side, it kind of fell away.
0:37:25 > 0:37:28The ground on here's so dodgy that we have to get sets in
0:37:28 > 0:37:31as soon as we can, really, otherwise there's a risk of collapse.
0:37:31 > 0:37:33The metal sets shore up the sides of the graves,
0:37:33 > 0:37:37making it safe for Jeff and Danny to continue digging.
0:37:37 > 0:37:40Carrying out this arduous task gives them time to reflect
0:37:40 > 0:37:42on the job in hand.
0:37:42 > 0:37:45Being a grave-digger definitely does give you a different aspect
0:37:45 > 0:37:49- on death, doesn't it?- Yeah. - Like, you accept it more...
0:37:49 > 0:37:51- don't you?- Yeah.
0:37:51 > 0:37:53Cos, like you said, being a grave-digger, it makes you...
0:37:53 > 0:37:56- it's just an everyday part of life, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:37:56 > 0:37:57The amount of people that we bury...
0:37:57 > 0:38:00It's a bit emotional, yeah, if you know the person,
0:38:00 > 0:38:03especially if they're about the same age as you. Yeah.
0:38:03 > 0:38:06Or it's a young person. Yeah.
0:38:08 > 0:38:11The burden these council officers carry is often overlooked,
0:38:11 > 0:38:14but their work is part of an essential service
0:38:14 > 0:38:16offered by all of our councils nationwide.
0:38:16 > 0:38:19Danny got the good deal, he was on the machine.
0:38:19 > 0:38:23I got, er, the short end of the straw.
0:38:23 > 0:38:25I had to go in the hole!
0:38:25 > 0:38:29This is the final one, but it's the most awkward one.
0:38:29 > 0:38:30The most awkwardest one,
0:38:30 > 0:38:33cos it gets pretty tight once you get down to the bottom.
0:38:33 > 0:38:36The grave is shored up and ready for the funeral.
0:38:36 > 0:38:39- Sorted, Jeff. - Yeah, we're in, aren't we?
0:38:39 > 0:38:42Thanks to the work going on behind the scenes at this cemetery,
0:38:42 > 0:38:45another family can be reassured that their council is helping
0:38:45 > 0:38:48to lighten their load at this difficult time.
0:38:48 > 0:38:52We always like to do a proper job, and we always do our best.
0:38:52 > 0:38:55I think if you do your best, that's...
0:38:55 > 0:38:58I think that should be good enough, you can say you've tried.
0:38:58 > 0:39:01Sheet. Shut it up, and sheet it up.
0:39:01 > 0:39:04Shut it up and sheet it up. Yeah.
0:39:15 > 0:39:19Across town, there's progress on Redmond Close.
0:39:19 > 0:39:23Owners of the 11 houses at risk from explosive gases
0:39:23 > 0:39:24have formed a consensus,
0:39:24 > 0:39:28and all but one homeowner has accepted the council's offer
0:39:28 > 0:39:31to buy their houses from them so they can now be demolished.
0:39:32 > 0:39:37Environmental service boss Ian Saxon has also secured the funds
0:39:37 > 0:39:39that were in danger of being spent elsewhere.
0:39:41 > 0:39:45Well, the latest update is that we've got the money through,
0:39:45 > 0:39:48the council's still got the money to actually purchase
0:39:48 > 0:39:51and demolish the whole of the row of houses that you can see there.
0:39:51 > 0:39:53All the residents now, bar one,
0:39:53 > 0:39:56are quite comfortable with the purchase and demolition option.
0:39:56 > 0:40:00That just leaves one house, right at the very end, which will remain,
0:40:00 > 0:40:03and we can do an individual engineering solution on that,
0:40:03 > 0:40:06so it kind of works very well, really, for everybody.
0:40:06 > 0:40:09This is great news for families like the Stockwells,
0:40:09 > 0:40:13who will finally be able to move on and make a fresh start.
0:40:14 > 0:40:19They gave us a good price, which we were quite happy with, wasn't it?
0:40:19 > 0:40:21- Yeah, quite happy to accept that. - And we were willing to go.
0:40:21 > 0:40:24I personally feel relieved that this has been concluded.
0:40:24 > 0:40:27We've been talking about it for far too long
0:40:27 > 0:40:29and not actually brought it to a conclusion, so to bring it,
0:40:29 > 0:40:34hopefully, to a speedy and safe conclusion is a massive relief.
0:40:34 > 0:40:37For nearly 20 years, Ian and his council colleagues
0:40:37 > 0:40:40have been protecting the people who live here.
0:40:40 > 0:40:43Now, residents and council can begin to plan for a future
0:40:43 > 0:40:46where lives aren't at risk and resources are better utilised.
0:40:54 > 0:40:57While the future for one set of residents has been decided,
0:40:57 > 0:41:00others are also nearing the end of their ordeal.
0:41:00 > 0:41:03RUBBLE CLATTERS
0:41:04 > 0:41:07With asbestos removed, the mill that was threatening to collapse
0:41:07 > 0:41:11next to a row of houses is finally being demolished.
0:41:16 > 0:41:18After four weeks away from home,
0:41:18 > 0:41:21the residents whose houses were under threat can begin to plan
0:41:21 > 0:41:23for life returning to normal.
0:41:23 > 0:41:26I keep looking at my door key longingly.
0:41:26 > 0:41:29When can I use that again?
0:41:33 > 0:41:34On inspection of the site,
0:41:34 > 0:41:37it's obvious to council officers Mike and Ian
0:41:37 > 0:41:40that evacuating the residents to safety was the right decision.
0:41:40 > 0:41:44The contractors have just said to me that it came down very easily,
0:41:44 > 0:41:47and the...assessments last week were right.
0:41:47 > 0:41:51- It was still moving over the last couple of days, the top two floors. - I got that impression.
0:41:51 > 0:41:55They didn't have to drag it down. They nudged it and the whole lot's come down, really.
0:41:55 > 0:41:58- You can see that's coming down so quickly.- Yeah. Yeah, yeah.
0:41:58 > 0:42:01Because of the council's swift intervention,
0:42:01 > 0:42:04the residents of this street were taken out of harm's way
0:42:04 > 0:42:07and protected by these heroic officers.
0:42:07 > 0:42:10And the day they can move home is in sight.
0:42:12 > 0:42:16It would be nice to get home now, as well as looking at it!
0:42:16 > 0:42:18- Are you going to fix the mill? - Yeah.
0:42:18 > 0:42:21- I can do it.- You can do it, you can do anything.
0:42:21 > 0:42:23I...I'm big and strong.
0:42:23 > 0:42:25You are big and strong!
0:42:27 > 0:42:29Like their council colleagues nationwide,
0:42:29 > 0:42:33it's been another successful shift for these heroic officers.
0:42:33 > 0:42:35They've offered to buy residents' toxic homes
0:42:35 > 0:42:39to enable them to move out and on with their lives...
0:42:39 > 0:42:42To bring it hopefully to a speedy and a safe conclusion
0:42:42 > 0:42:44is a massive relief.
0:42:44 > 0:42:48..clamped down on a business selling counterfeit goods...
0:42:48 > 0:42:51There's too much here to just let it go, really,
0:42:51 > 0:42:54so what we're going to do, we'll have to seize all these items.
0:42:54 > 0:42:57..and helped local residents return to their homes
0:42:57 > 0:43:00once the threat of a collapsing mill was removed.
0:43:00 > 0:43:02But, most importantly, they've worked tirelessly
0:43:02 > 0:43:05to help their residents when they called the council.
0:43:05 > 0:43:08If you get your motivation and you come into work for a pat on the back
0:43:08 > 0:43:11from the community, then you're not necessarily in the right job!
0:43:11 > 0:43:14But in terms of seeing improvement within the community,
0:43:14 > 0:43:16seeing impact, then it's a great job,
0:43:16 > 0:43:21and that's what makes people give that extra ten, that extra 15%,
0:43:21 > 0:43:24which makes all the difference.