0:00:44 > 0:00:48In the South West: Torbay will have its new road, but will do bypass
0:00:48 > 0:00:58deliver the it 1000 new jobs being promised?
0:00:58 > 0:00:58
0:00:58 > 0:34:35Apology for the loss of subtitles for 2016 seconds
0:34:35 > 0:34:39Should public sector workers brace Hello and Welcome to the Politics
0:34:39 > 0:34:41Show in the South West. In a week that has seen the Autumn
0:34:41 > 0:34:45Statement provoke accusations of hitting some of the poorest hardest,
0:34:45 > 0:34:48Torbay has emerged as one of the few areas in the country to be
0:34:48 > 0:34:51offered a sliver of hope. Amid the gloom, George Osborne announced
0:34:51 > 0:34:53funding of nearly �80 million for the Kingskerswell bypass, news many
0:34:53 > 0:35:00people in this economically deprived area have been waiting 50
0:35:00 > 0:35:02years to hear. In a minute we'll be discussing this with the
0:35:02 > 0:35:07Conservative MP for Newton Abbot, Anne Marie Morris, and Torbay's'
0:35:07 > 0:35:10only Labour councillor, Darren Cowell. But first, as Jenny Kumah
0:35:10 > 0:35:17reports, there is some scepticism in the Bay as to whether the
0:35:17 > 0:35:23Chancellor's plan for growth will work.
0:35:23 > 0:35:26Beyond the picturesque seafront lies some of the worst levels of
0:35:26 > 0:35:31deprivation in the country. Problems include high unemployment
0:35:31 > 0:35:37and low household incomes. Teenage pregnancy rates have been among the
0:35:37 > 0:35:40highest in England, but are now beginning to come down. Businesses
0:35:40 > 0:35:45and politicians said the recently announced funding for at the new
0:35:45 > 0:35:49link road would change all these problems. In the south-west the
0:35:49 > 0:35:54Bristol link road and bypass will go ahead. This was the moment some
0:35:54 > 0:36:01in Torbay had been waiting for for over 50 years. Supporters say the
0:36:01 > 0:36:07scheme will ease injection - - congestion and create 8000 jobs and
0:36:07 > 0:36:11boost tourism. Here at this job club in Torquay I found some
0:36:11 > 0:36:16scepticism. Tracey Turner is being made redundant from her job as a
0:36:16 > 0:36:22shop manager. It is closing down because it is not making enough
0:36:22 > 0:36:24money. They just hope that they are right. And it is an awful lot of
0:36:24 > 0:36:31money to spend considering there are other things that need
0:36:32 > 0:36:39concentrating on here. Hopefully people will get employed, but there
0:36:39 > 0:36:44is a lot of other things that could be benefiting from this.
0:36:44 > 0:36:48Campaigners against the project argued that it is a waste of public
0:36:48 > 0:36:56money. Businesses like this one disagreed, but questioned how a
0:36:56 > 0:36:59bigger difference it can make. bypass is 15 or 20 years too late.
0:36:59 > 0:37:05A lot of the manufacturing businesses moved out a long time
0:37:05 > 0:37:12ago and I think will be difficult to get them back in again. I think
0:37:12 > 0:37:16we need to sit down and create a plan of action on how to get the
0:37:17 > 0:37:21money to stay in Torbay. Work should be completed by the end of
0:37:21 > 0:37:272015. It will involve a six kilometre dual-carriageway by
0:37:27 > 0:37:34passing the village of Kingskerswell. The government will
0:37:34 > 0:37:36pay �76 million, Torbay and Devon County Council will put in 33
0:37:36 > 0:37:41million and Toomebridge District Council will contribute a further
0:37:41 > 0:37:46half a million. Another measure that could help businesses in
0:37:46 > 0:37:52Torbay is a 40 billion pound credit easing scheme. We must do more to
0:37:52 > 0:37:58help those small businesses you can get access to credit them. It would
0:37:58 > 0:38:02involve the government under like them - - under writing small
0:38:02 > 0:38:11business loans. They aim is to cut the rate of interest on these loans
0:38:11 > 0:38:14by 1%. This company sells tools to the building trade. The managing
0:38:14 > 0:38:21director is interested in the scheme to expand his business but
0:38:22 > 0:38:26he has some concerns. And with our experience of the small loans
0:38:26 > 0:38:34guaranteed, he did it quite a long time for the banks to negotiate
0:38:34 > 0:38:40with the government departments that process does. If there was a
0:38:40 > 0:38:45landslide, a lot of companies that were looking to use that facility,
0:38:45 > 0:38:48that might slot the process even more. The Treasury says it is still
0:38:48 > 0:38:53finalising the details of the scheme but the plan is to have cash
0:38:53 > 0:38:58available during the first quarter of next year. So, can these
0:38:58 > 0:39:01national policies really benefit Torbay? The leader of the
0:39:01 > 0:39:05opposition Lib Dems are things they cannot, but things the right
0:39:05 > 0:39:10leadership at a local level is what is really needed. We have got to
0:39:10 > 0:39:14make sure that the move away from any vested interests. We need to
0:39:14 > 0:39:19protect the tourist industry, but we need to look at the Nortel
0:39:19 > 0:39:24legacy. It was a very important firm that closed down, but it did
0:39:24 > 0:39:28leave added of the footprints behind and there are still a number
0:39:28 > 0:39:33of small firms and skills out there that can be built on and we need to
0:39:33 > 0:39:38be thinking about how we can use that to improve the job offer
0:39:38 > 0:39:44locally. The Labour Party is calling for the Conservative mayor
0:39:44 > 0:39:48and to provide a good economic strategy, something he says he is
0:39:48 > 0:39:53already doing. We have got a very large report coming to council
0:39:53 > 0:39:58shortly which looks at the opportunity for employment land,
0:39:58 > 0:40:04the amount of land available, how we can bring services to that, how
0:40:04 > 0:40:08we can do it using business rates, how we can work together for our
0:40:08 > 0:40:13young people to create and maintain better-paid jobs. But has been the
0:40:13 > 0:40:20crux of our problem for 20 years or more. We want to get to the bottom
0:40:20 > 0:40:27of that, examine it and see how we can solve it. He feels, like others,
0:40:27 > 0:40:30that the bypass announcement has bought a new sense of optimism.
0:40:30 > 0:40:32Jenny Kumah reporting. Well, let's turn to our guests now. Labour
0:40:32 > 0:40:39councillor Darren Cowell and Conservative MP Anne Marie Morris,
0:40:39 > 0:40:46welcome both of you to the programme.
0:40:46 > 0:40:51A much-needed ray of sunshine, or is it? His �80 million to build a
0:40:51 > 0:40:56road really going to turn Torbay's fortunes around? First of all what
0:40:56 > 0:41:01I would say is this is not just about Torbay. This is about
0:41:01 > 0:41:09regeneration for the south-west. If you think about it when you come
0:41:09 > 0:41:12down from the M5 you have got the A38 and the 380, and of those two
0:41:12 > 0:41:19roots don't work effectively, but even Cornwall is going to be in a
0:41:19 > 0:41:24difficult situation. This is good news, not just for Torbay, but for
0:41:24 > 0:41:28the whole area. We will be creating 8000 new jobs. Is that in the
0:41:28 > 0:41:34building of the road? No, there are two different types of employment
0:41:34 > 0:41:41generated. There will be the teams that will be recruited and actually
0:41:41 > 0:41:45involved in building the road. That is going to give us... local jobs?
0:41:45 > 0:41:50The way these things work is that when a contractor has been selected,
0:41:50 > 0:41:57then there is a process by which they will recruit local labour.
0:41:57 > 0:42:02What they will do is they will sub- contract to local businesses. The
0:42:02 > 0:42:09other jobs which are being created, the additional 8000, will be spread
0:42:09 > 0:42:14between unskilled manual labour, and they will be... at their long-
0:42:14 > 0:42:20term jobs question mark absolutely right. You are guaranteeing 8000
0:42:20 > 0:42:24long-term jobs. What industry is that in? What we have in this area
0:42:24 > 0:42:29is a great history in the Engineering, which are probably
0:42:29 > 0:42:34don't know that in the 1950s Newton Abbott was the centre of the
0:42:34 > 0:42:41engineering business. Those employees were taken over by other
0:42:41 > 0:42:49businesses... there are a lot of people with many skills still left
0:42:49 > 0:42:55and we also have at very good college... a where will these
0:42:55 > 0:42:59industries come from? There will be two ways he will do that. You are
0:42:59 > 0:43:09attracting them but you can guarantee them? Nothing is
0:43:09 > 0:43:14
0:43:14 > 0:43:21guaranteed. I assume you're pleased by this road. The Conservative spot
0:43:21 > 0:43:26this in and Labour did not manage to. Along with all the regional MPs,
0:43:26 > 0:43:29we lobbied very successfully, and it was in the priority list,
0:43:29 > 0:43:33toppled the list of spending projects for the incoming coalition
0:43:33 > 0:43:40government. Yes it is the Conservatives who have ticked the
0:43:40 > 0:43:46box, but it has been a cross-party effort. You believe it will work?
0:43:46 > 0:43:49The economic benefits of building the wrote is beyond doubt. Torbay
0:43:49 > 0:43:56is in terminal decline at the moment. It is absolutely essential
0:43:56 > 0:44:05that we send it the right signals to inward investors. What about
0:44:05 > 0:44:08this guarantee obit 1000 jobs, where are they coming from? Just
0:44:08 > 0:44:18building a road does not guarantee the companies will come and open up
0:44:18 > 0:44:19
0:44:19 > 0:44:21shop? It does not. That is why I have been calling for an hour
0:44:21 > 0:44:31coherent economic plan that we consented to investors to say these
0:44:31 > 0:44:32
0:44:32 > 0:44:37are being - - these are at the skill sets and the opportunities.
0:44:37 > 0:44:45We need industry. With the �80 million but had been better spent
0:44:46 > 0:44:51giving grants to small companies to start up. There is a lot going on
0:44:51 > 0:44:58in government to give that sort of support. In the autumn statement
0:44:58 > 0:45:03there was a specific fund set aside to provide support for start-up
0:45:03 > 0:45:07businesses. They will get tax relief. There are lots of measures.
0:45:07 > 0:45:13I don't think we can look at this and say it is just about this
0:45:13 > 0:45:17figure of money and wouldn't it be better spent summer else. There are
0:45:18 > 0:45:22other pots of money that can do that. It will open up the whole
0:45:22 > 0:45:27feel of prosperity and once you have an area that investors feel
0:45:27 > 0:45:30comfortable investing in, then frankly there are no limits. Thank
0:45:31 > 0:45:34you both and stay with us because we would like your thoughts on our
0:45:34 > 0:45:37next item, the news the Chancellor is considering a move to close the
0:45:37 > 0:45:40public private pay gap. In the South West people in the public
0:45:40 > 0:45:43sector generally earn more than those doing comparable jobs in the
0:45:43 > 0:45:46private sector. The Government wants to even this out by
0:45:46 > 0:45:49introducing local pay rates. It is a step which would please
0:45:49 > 0:45:53businesses in the region, but one which could see some of our best
0:45:53 > 0:45:56paid jobs suffer significant salary cuts. The South West economy is, of
0:45:56 > 0:45:59course, heavily dependent on the public sector, and figures studied
0:45:59 > 0:46:07by the Chancellor show the region has the biggest pay gap in England.
0:46:07 > 0:46:10Ben Woolvin reports. Thousands of public sector workers
0:46:10 > 0:46:15took to the streets on Wednesday protesting at changes to their
0:46:15 > 0:46:19pensions. The anger on display here has been brewing for almost the
0:46:19 > 0:46:24year. On Tuesday the Chancellor added to the bad feeling when he
0:46:24 > 0:46:32announced more job losses and said public sector pay will be held down
0:46:32 > 0:46:38longer than expected. 700,000 jobs and the public sector to go.
0:46:38 > 0:46:45700,000 people to be thrown on the dole. If we weren't itching for a
0:46:45 > 0:46:48fight yesterday, we are today. Elsewhere in his often statement,
0:46:48 > 0:46:55the Chancellor said something that could be especially significant in
0:46:55 > 0:46:59the south-west. I am also announcing that we're asking the
0:46:59 > 0:47:04independent pay review bodies to consider how public sector pay
0:47:04 > 0:47:09could be made more responsive to local labour markets and we will
0:47:09 > 0:47:12ask them to report back by July next year. Earlier this year the
0:47:12 > 0:47:17Institute for Fiscal Studies published research on regional
0:47:17 > 0:47:21salaries. Reduce the south-west has the biggest public private pay gap
0:47:21 > 0:47:25in England. Men who work in the public sector in the south-west are
0:47:25 > 0:47:29estimated to earn about 8% more than those with similar skills in
0:47:29 > 0:47:36the private sector. And the south- east the average difference is much
0:47:36 > 0:47:40smaller, around one or 2%. Business leaders here have welcomed the news
0:47:40 > 0:47:47that the Chancellor is considering closing but public private pay gap,
0:47:47 > 0:47:53but union officials are not as pleased. This is basically another
0:47:53 > 0:47:57attack on the poor workers of the public sector. One wonders when it
0:47:57 > 0:48:02is ever going to end. He started a pack - - attacking the pensions,
0:48:02 > 0:48:07now he is attacking the wages. The reason behind this is not paying
0:48:07 > 0:48:11what the job is worth, it is paying as little as they can get away with.
0:48:11 > 0:48:16The Chancellor says closing the gap would create a more balanced
0:48:16 > 0:48:23economy and stop the private sector being squeezed out of the labour
0:48:23 > 0:48:27market. Well, back to our guests. Why should a nurse in Cornwall or
0:48:27 > 0:48:32Devon beat paid less than their equivalent counterpart and the
0:48:32 > 0:48:35south-east? You need to ask yourself what you are trying to do
0:48:35 > 0:48:38when you consider people for the work that they do. You're trying to
0:48:38 > 0:48:42give them a sum of money that will give them a certain standard of
0:48:42 > 0:48:48living. It seems to me it is perfectly reasonable, and remember
0:48:48 > 0:48:53this is only a suggestion, but it is not unreasonable to try to look
0:48:53 > 0:48:59at whether or not you like that different regional pay rates to
0:48:59 > 0:49:03ensure people have the same standard of living comparatively.
0:49:03 > 0:49:07Interestingly, this has already happened and the Prison Service and
0:49:07 > 0:49:12it is the same model but they haven't a company like Jon Lewis.
0:49:12 > 0:49:17This is about fairness between the worker and the taxpayer. Would you
0:49:17 > 0:49:22agree? The only thing I would say that would be fair would be if
0:49:22 > 0:49:29there was a levelling of public and private pay is that if there were
0:49:30 > 0:49:34being levelled upwards. Other like the his it - - but the likelihood
0:49:34 > 0:49:38is that it will fall. Any fall in income will have a terrible effect
0:49:38 > 0:49:42on an already fragile economy. We need to be looking at this as
0:49:43 > 0:49:47another attack on public sector workers. We have had the attacks
0:49:47 > 0:49:53already on their pensions. We're having another attack on their pay
0:49:53 > 0:49:59rates. It is a similar argument when Labour introduced them minimum
0:49:59 > 0:50:03wage that uprated the pay in places like the south-west. We are full of
0:50:03 > 0:50:09public pay in the south-west and if you start to cut public sector pay,
0:50:09 > 0:50:18he will be spending the money in the region? Gordon Brown suggested
0:50:18 > 0:50:22this in 2004, so this isn't a new idea. And then disregarded it.
0:50:22 > 0:50:28never developed a further, didn't disregard it. The other assumption
0:50:28 > 0:50:35that the south-west would necessarily lose out, our costs of
0:50:35 > 0:50:40living a very high. How can you work it out between places in towns
0:50:40 > 0:50:45that have high costs of living, and other regions were it is cheaper.
0:50:45 > 0:50:48You are way down the road of detail, and this is looking at the idea,
0:50:49 > 0:50:53just a concept. All those sorts of things, if we ever went down that
0:50:53 > 0:50:57road we need to be like that. you support a pay cut for public-
0:50:57 > 0:51:03sector workers in the south-west when some of the could be given in
0:51:03 > 0:51:07the south-east? What I support this fare paid for their work. Until we
0:51:07 > 0:51:11see the numbers, I don't that we're in a position to make any
0:51:11 > 0:51:16assumptions. The private sector jobs are those which are growing
0:51:16 > 0:51:21and will study need to grow. That is crucial. In the Budget there
0:51:21 > 0:51:27were a lot of suggestions to help that. There is quite clearly not
0:51:27 > 0:51:36the recovery led by the private sector. Unemployment has risen, the
0:51:36 > 0:51:41Office for Budget Responsibility is estimating a rise of 2.8 million.
0:51:41 > 0:51:46One does help the private-sector? don't see how it well. Evening up
0:51:46 > 0:51:52the wages? The south-west it is a very high cost of living area. High
0:51:52 > 0:51:57water rates, and in ready - - incredible ratio of earnings to
0:51:57 > 0:52:05property values are the makes it impossible for people in the
0:52:05 > 0:52:09private sector to buy property, let alone the public sector. David
0:52:09 > 0:52:12Cameron has been saying we're all in this together, yet suddenly we
0:52:12 > 0:52:20get the Autumn Statement and it is women, people on the lowest incomes
0:52:20 > 0:52:26who are being hit. Families will lose 7%. That is not true. It is
0:52:26 > 0:52:31not true that the private sector is having a bad showing. This sort of
0:52:31 > 0:52:35suggestions you are making are not borne out. In terms of going
0:52:35 > 0:52:39forward to try to get the economy booming, the number of initiatives
0:52:39 > 0:52:43that are being put in place are very varied. Particularly for the
0:52:43 > 0:52:46very smallest of businesses. Looking at research in America,
0:52:46 > 0:52:50most of the new jobs that were created come from the smallest of
0:52:50 > 0:52:53businesses. George Osborne's promise of �50 for
0:52:53 > 0:52:56every South West Water customer has been welcomed by the region's MPs,
0:52:56 > 0:53:00but one of them warned many customers could see that payment
0:53:00 > 0:53:04cancelled by future price rises. Dan Rogerson said the Government
0:53:04 > 0:53:07needed to go further if it wanted to fully address the problem. He
0:53:07 > 0:53:17called on Ministers to spread the cost of the Water Sure scheme,
0:53:17 > 0:53:22
0:53:22 > 0:53:27which helps the poorest customers. For those customers who are still
0:53:27 > 0:53:34struggling with those higher water charges, water sure is a real
0:53:34 > 0:53:40lifeline. For those just above that threshold, I think it would be
0:53:40 > 0:53:46unjust, having secured this recognition and support from
0:53:46 > 0:53:54government to see some of that �15 clawed back in a significant way to
0:53:54 > 0:53:57fund water Show, and also further regional tariffs.
0:53:57 > 0:54:01Well, the Minister told Mr Rogerson the imminent Water White Paper
0:54:01 > 0:54:04would address the issue of long- term water affordability.
0:54:04 > 0:54:07Over the years, many developments have been held up by European
0:54:07 > 0:54:09conservation laws protecting wildlife. Now the Government says
0:54:09 > 0:54:12it is examining the habitat regulations to make it easier for
0:54:12 > 0:54:15large-scale projects to be given the go ahead, but the Royal Society
0:54:15 > 0:54:17for the Protection of Birds says the Chancellor shouldn't interfere
0:54:17 > 0:54:27with European legislation which protects species of international
0:54:27 > 0:54:29
0:54:29 > 0:54:33importance. Amy Cole reports from the Exe Estuary.
0:54:33 > 0:54:41Jocelyn for space having flown thousands of miles. During the
0:54:41 > 0:54:46winter, flocks of these birds come to bowling green marsh nature
0:54:46 > 0:54:51reserve. During high-tide be riskier, but when the tide drops,
0:54:51 > 0:54:58they make their way downstream to be done that nutritious mudflats of
0:54:58 > 0:55:01the estuary. Stephen Garrett runs boat trips up and down the estuary
0:55:01 > 0:55:05and that is precisely because of the vibrant wild bird population
0:55:05 > 0:55:11that he is able to extend his tourist season into the winter
0:55:11 > 0:55:20months. In the winter we can cater to a completely different market,
0:55:20 > 0:55:24people coming to CD wildlife that is steaming in the estuary here.
0:55:24 > 0:55:29Because of the site international importance than it is designated as
0:55:29 > 0:55:32a special protected area. That means it is caste - - classified in
0:55:33 > 0:55:38accordance with the European Commission directive and there are
0:55:38 > 0:55:43strict rules governing any type of development here. Because it is a
0:55:43 > 0:55:46unique situation, it is completely undeveloped at the moment and we
0:55:46 > 0:55:52would like it to stay like that. Upstream and the birds are
0:55:52 > 0:55:56attracting a lot of attention. The RSPB owns this nature reserve and
0:55:56 > 0:55:59Tony Whitehead is keen to keep an eye and her progress. The
0:55:59 > 0:56:05fundamental principle of the organisation is to protect birds
0:56:05 > 0:56:07and their habitats and a lot can help to support their efforts.
0:56:07 > 0:56:11Habitat regulation set up a detailed environmental framework
0:56:11 > 0:56:16that developers must appear to win planning. In his Autumn Statement,
0:56:16 > 0:56:20the Chancellor said he is keen to ensure that compliance with the
0:56:20 > 0:56:24habitats and wild birds directive does not Beatson necessary costs
0:56:24 > 0:56:29and delays to development. We need to go further to remove the lengthy
0:56:29 > 0:56:32delays and high costs of the current system with new time limits
0:56:32 > 0:56:36on applications and the responsibilities for statutory
0:56:36 > 0:56:41consul Tees. We will make sure that the gold plating of European Union
0:56:41 > 0:56:46rules on habitats aren't placing ridiculous costs on British
0:56:46 > 0:56:55businesses. Planning laws need reform. But the RSPB believes that
0:56:55 > 0:57:01is not necessary. The conservation movement think that these rules do
0:57:01 > 0:57:08not stand in the way of development. The regulations in themselves do
0:57:08 > 0:57:12not stand in the way of development. What can be made more of this, is
0:57:12 > 0:57:17that conservationists and developers were together to come up
0:57:17 > 0:57:21with creative solutions. That is the way forward. Into Cornwall,
0:57:21 > 0:57:24their habitat regulation to working robustly. End-October an
0:57:24 > 0:57:28application for an incinerator in some Denis was blocked by the High
0:57:28 > 0:57:32Court for failing to properly consider the effect on to nearby
0:57:32 > 0:57:36wildlife habitats and in Falmouth plans to dredge the town's harbour
0:57:36 > 0:57:41have been held up while planners consider the impact on marine
0:57:41 > 0:57:49wildlife. To what extent camp the government manipulate the habitat
0:57:49 > 0:57:55regulations? The Chancellor will not be able to require deferent to
0:57:55 > 0:57:59look at the wording of the legislation. They will look at how
0:57:59 > 0:58:04the regulations are implemented in practice, so how the regulators
0:58:04 > 0:58:07look at the burdens of proof that developers need to establish in
0:58:07 > 0:58:12order to show that their development will not have
0:58:12 > 0:58:16unacceptable effects on the integrity of the European habitats.
0:58:16 > 0:58:21The government is clear that it continues to support their