01/07/2012 Sunday Politics West Midlands

In the Midlands: What should be our Olympic legacy? The torch is here

right now, in Evesham. But in the long run, how precisely will it

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 1682 seconds

Hello again from the Midlands. I'm Patrick Burns. And with us here

today: Philip, now Lord, Hunt of Kings Heath, is Labour's Deputy

Leader in the Upper House. And Karen Lumley is the Conservative MP

for Redditch. Lord Hunt, we have been talking about Lords reform.

Call yourselves a progressive party? You are putting all sorts of

roadblocks in the wake of this, and not signing up to the government's

timetable. Not at all. I'm in favour of reform, happy to stand

for election. Whether this is the right time to do it, the country

faces his huge problem with the National Health Service, the

economy, it wouldn't be my main priority. I would certainly let the

people decide. If we are dithering about a referendum in Europe, wire

and it can we not have won about the Lords reform? Karim, your party

is at sixes and sevens as well. Your Prime Minister says now is the

time to get on with this, where do you stand? I stand here with Philip.

I think people do not want me to be talking about House of Lords reform

in these difficult and challenging times. I am facing a dilemma next

week when the Bill comes before the House, whether to buy it for a

second reading or not. At the moment I'm listening to what people

have to say, and I'm not finding much encouragement for it in

Redditch. But surely if major reform is desirable, there is no

time like the present? We reform the Education Act when we were at

war! We may have done, but this Bill is ill-thought out. They have

not sorted out what the power to be between two elected chambers, there

is a real risk of gridlock. I think it would be better to do a proper

job, then put it in a referendum to the people rather than spend 12

months in Parliament when we should be debating the health service and

the economy. Is your party divided? We are, some of us think we should

be talking about more important issues like the housing and the

health service, I think the electorate may not forgive us for

having another layer of politicians. Coming up a little later: what's

guaranteed to give most local politicians sleepless nights?

Protests over hospital cuts. Why yet another accident and emergency

department could go. Our top story this week: what will be the real

Olympic legacy here in the Midlands? The torch is in our part

of the country, right now. These are the latest pictures coming in.

This was from Redditch, this morning. The relay left Birmingham

just before six this morning, waved-off by crowds including

members of the city council. Jackie Kabler was there as well.

5.30am on a Sunday, and the party had already started in Birmingham's

Victoria Square. A dry sunny morning brought around a thousand

people out to see the torch. think it is great, it but to

Birmingham on the map. We are hosting the Jamaican and American

teams as well. It is really good, I'm glad everybody has come out to

support everybody, these wonderful people who have got the chance to

carry it. The first torchbearer today, 18-year-old Birchfield

Harriers athlete Melissa Hanson, a 2016 Olympics hopeful, nominated by

Birmingham City Council for her dedication to athletics. This is

day 44 of the torch relay. It has travelled 99.95 miles, carried by

157 torch bearers, through 17 communities, including Birmingham,

Warwick, Evesham, Stratford upon Avon and Coventry. But what do

events like this mean for the region? What will be the legacy?

The Jamaican and athletics teams will be here, there is a lot to

come. I think the legacy of that will be long-lasting. The Olympic

flame had spent the night in Birmingham after the cauldron was

lit in Cannon Hill Park. Today the youngest torchbearer in the entire

relay got his turn - 12-year-old Dominic MacGowan, who represents

his school in football, swimming and badminton, carried the flame

along Stratford Road. In total, it'll have visited 73 communities

across the West Midlands, shining a spotlight on some of the region's

finest cultural destinations and bringing with it an undoubted feel-

good factor. The question now is will it leave a lasting legacy. And

the torch will be in Coventry for tonight's big celebration. Jackie

is now in the city's War Memorial Park for us. You gave us a flavour

of the excitement in Birmingham this morning. How is the build-up

going there in Coventry? certainly has started. The torch is

due to arrive here just before 7:00pm. You can see the stage,

where they are gearing up for a music and dance extravaganza. If we

see anything like the crowds we saw in Birmingham and Solihull, it will

be quite a night. But are we going to see some long-term benefits? I

am joined by David Moorcroft. And also the leader of Coventry City

Council. David, which can T the short-term benefits, everyone

having a great time, what about the long-term legacy, is there one?

think Ferriter. As an immediate boost to the West Midlands economy,

�531 million worth of contracts, the biggest figure outside of

London and the south-east has been that immediate boost. But the

repetition of those companies is enhanced. They believe now they can

compete on the world sporting stage. World and European events, it is a

growing business. These companies are perfectly placed to carry the

irritation through in the way the Australian companies did after the

Sydney Games. Locally here, are you seeing an impact? We are already

seeing an impact, some of the public roadworks has encouraged

massive investment in the city centre, there is a �50 million

project teaches start, some of the shops in the City centre will be

having a revamped as well. More importantly, the prestige that the

City gets from this. We are the only city outside London that has

had alone... So far there has been 33,000 downloads from across the

world, from over 100 countries. That is the kind of publicity you

could never get anywhere else. Thank you so much. If you could

bottle the feel-good factor, we would all be on a winner. Thank you

Jackie. And you'll be able to watch BBC Coventry and Warwickshire's

coverage of the Olympic Torch arriving in War Memorial Park, live

Everybody we have been hearing from, they are all saying there is a long

lasting legacy, but are you convinced? There are fears that

sport particularly at grass roots level, and among young people, may

suffer as a result of investment at the top? The reason the last Labour

government pushed his bid so hard was because of the end people,

encouraging them to dissipate young people in sport. We have seen an

increase, 90% of youngsters now spend over two hours participating

in sport every week. My concern is the latest cutbacks in education,

particularly in school sport, main impact on that. That would be a

great pity. The more young people take part in sport, it is a real

foundation for their future life and health. You have been watching

a celebration to in Redditch. Is there a sense that you're part of

the world is going to get a long- term benefit? We have companies in

Redditch making things for the Stratford Park, seating companies...

But it is all a drop in the bucket compared to east London?

Olympics have to be somewhere, I think this shows the world that

Britain is open for business. It shows that we are able to compete

at the highest level, able to produce a stadium on time, on

budget, and that shows the rest of the world that we can compete in

the global market. I think that is good for British businesses in

these Economic times. Thank you very much for the moment. Our other

main talking point this week, the threatened closure of Accident and

Emergency services at Redditch. Fears of hospital departments being

shut are the stuff of nightmares for any community, and its MP.

That's exactly what's hanging over Karen Lumley's constituency. Bosses

at Worcestershire's three main hospitals need to save �50 million,

as BBC WM's Political Reporter Elizabeth Glinka explains: The

Alexandra Hospital in Redditch could lose... It is all part of a

review... Massive changes to a hospital in was to share in a bid

to save money... There are certain things guaranteed to upset the

British public. Summer downpours, penalty shoot outs, and it seems,

meddling with the local NHS. In Redditch savings proposals which

could see the town lose its A&E - have given rise to a petition with

over 13,000 names in just 2 weeks. In the round of cuts stay working

at, if they had gone ahead, leaving them with no maternity, our second

child would have been born on the M5 somewhere. That is unacceptable

to me and to the people of Redditch and North Worcestershire. The

closure of Redditch A&E is at the more extreme end of six proposals

being put forward by the Worcestershire Acute Trust. On

Wednesday these people in Bromsgrove were amongst the first

to attend a meeting where managers explained the options. I don't want

to hear political speak. I want to hear something I can understand. I

want to try and get a solution. That is what I am saying. People in

this area would have to travel to Worcester for urgent treatment.

They could be dead by the time they get there. Unfortunately health

managers said they didn't want us to film the meeting. And they're

certainly in a difficult position. As a London Hospital was threatened

with administration this week, one local health chief's was on Twitter

warning campaigners the same could happen here if savings aren't made.

Back in Redditch there's only one story in town. We have been here

before, we knew what was coming, we knew the Alex was under threat, we

have always been prepared to fight for our local hospital, and that is

what people are doing again. In the late 90's a similar campaign to

save Kidderminster A&E saw the area's MP swept from power by a

local doctor who has his own prescription for the current

crisis: Start again. The current budget is 900 million. Go through

that with a tooth comb. I can't believe that a significant amount

of that 900 million across the whole county could be saved before

we even consider what out -- what are draconian cuts. Those

responsible must know THIS case will be under close observation.

Since that report was completed, the Save the Alex campaigners tell

me their petition has now attracted well over 14,000 signatures. They

will no doubt be hoping for even more at a rally tomorrow afternoon

in Redditch, which Karen Lumley will be at. Philip Hunt is a former

health minister. Wouldn't a better solution be to look for a county-

wide solution to this, rather than put red lines around A&E in

Redditch? I think we will have to, but the trust itself has put itself

in financial difficulties. They have got to get their books in

order. They have got to get their house in order, this is about two

things - saving the money, which we have got to do, and making sure

that our services are safe, wherever they are. This review has

been led by a commission to and doctors. I think it is important

that we listen to them. We have had all sides of the Aardman. As a

former health minister, what is the way out of this as far as you're

concerned? What is tragic is that the health service, two years ago,

it was in good shape. Waiting times have come down, many new hospitals

were being built. PFI cost about 1% of all expenditure in the NHS.

in Worcestershire it doesn't. has also brought lots of new

hospitals. Now, the real problem that Worcestershire and other

places space is the government is taking a �20 billion out of NHS

expenditure over a four year period. That is his huge amount of money,

and that is forcing places up and down the country to have to make

savings. I thought health spending was being ring-fenced? We pledged

18 million into health. But the PFI was built in the wrong place,

should have been built in Droitwich. The negotiations, the contract, it

wasn't good enough. Now the people in Redditch are expected to be

paying for a PFI contract for a hospital that is 20 miles away. To

be frank, there is a red line as far as I'm concerned, about the AMD

Inn at Redditch. But at the end of the day, will people go to

Worcester if they are poorly? Will they come into Birmingham? There

may be a case for looking at it differently, from saying that

Redditch is good for maternity, Kidderminster is good at elective

surgery. Is it that the answer? There is always a way for looking

at how you provide services, can they be more efficient? But you

also have to look at the impact on Redditch if you close their A&E.

The Worcestershire authority make assume they will go to Worcester,

but what happens if they come to Birmingham? Although it has to be

looked at. What is tragic is that while this is going on, the

government is reorganising the NHS yet again. All the effort that has

been put into sorting this out is being spent in a bureaucratic

change. A couple of points arising from my latest blog post, saying

that this is aimed at both government. In the last decade we

have seen advances that require a huge capital investment, sadly,

ministers have failed to grapple with these questions are we have

seen a widespread failure of basic care and the organisation. I don't

really agree. We have seen huge investment, lot of my hospitals,

new staff, waiting times have come down. Instead of trying to improve

it, we have gone backwards, because of the cutbacks, and his wretched

reorganisation, which is taking so much attention away from improving

services. Another e-mail here, successive ministers of failing to

keep up with the successive pace of health services. I take a different

view. We were the only party went into the election promising to put

more into the health service. It was our party they did that, and

I'm actually pleased that this review is being led by clinicians

in Worcester, because it is them... One commission says it should be a

line-by-line examination of the entire �9 million health economy of

Worcestershire. Isn't that the answer? Dr Taylor was saying that I

was wrong to try and save the A&E, now he is changing his mind. I say

there should be a red line at the Alex, and I say the commissioners

and the doctors we're going to introduce to the commission will

want to commission services in Redditch. But remember, before the

election, Mr Cameron said no A&E closures. What I would do is stop

this stupid reorganisation and concentrate on services. That may

be for another programme. Now our regular round-up of the political

week in the Midlands in 60 seconds with BBC Radio Stoke's political

High Court judges have been asked to save the lives of badgers.

There's opposition to a government cull in Gloucestershire as part of

plans to reduce TB in cattle. You can expect more delays on the

M6 with the start of a �120 million roadwork scheme. It'll be the

fourth bit of the motorway to use the hard shoulder.

Staying with roads, and has the Leek roundabout story finally

stopped going round in circles? Protestors who want to keep the

town landmark have been moved off ahead of building work on a new

supermarket. Flash floods hit the region. The

emergency services dealt with thousands of calls. But there's a

warning about how they will cope in future. These are things we could

easily deal with. You ask me about how all this will be in two years

after the cuts come it will be different. And could the council

bin-round become a thing of the past? A local government conference

in Birmingham warned by the end of the decade, councils may only have

enough cash to pay for social services.

As a former councillor yourself, Karen, had you feel about local

services potentially being pared down to the bone? I don't see it

like that, I talk to my councils and they are having to save money,

but they are protecting front line services. This is overdrawn, surely.

We all know that in the real world, the outlook for local authorities

is not as gloomy as that suggests. I think it is tough. If it takes

social services, hospitals are under great pressure to discharge

patients more quickly than they now do. But to do that you need good

social services, providing support in the community. My concern is

that support is not going to be there. In the meantime, the chief

fire officer appears to have a graph of doom of his own. He is

warning that an emergency like we have seen in the past week will be

difficult to cope after the cuts he will have. I spoke to the Chief

Constable of West most here, who gave a fairly upbeat... A fairly

upbeat assessment. So there are difficult times ahead, there is a

lot of money to be saved, we were left in a bad situation. We left

the economy with a 2% growth, we didn't... My thanks to Karen Lumley

and Lord Philip Hunt. We'll be back in a couple of weeks, with another