:00:05. > :00:10.Hello. I'm Edward Sault. Welcome to BBC Channel Islands. Your top
:00:10. > :00:12.stories tonight: Smashed to pieces - the last house
:00:12. > :00:17.on Guernsey's most controversial housing estates is raised to the
:00:17. > :00:23.ground. Also tonight: A scooting success -
:00:23. > :00:27.the shop forced to make a U-turn because of public pressure.
:00:27. > :00:34.And stand by for battle - but find out why judges are in the firing
:00:34. > :00:38.line. I think the Battle of Flowers Association are trying to please
:00:38. > :00:48.tourism more than a scimitars and that is not sitting well with the
:00:48. > :00:52.
:00:52. > :00:54.Good evening. It was Guernsey's worst housing
:00:54. > :00:57.estate, where for some crime and antisocial behaviour were part of
:00:57. > :01:00.everyday life. Well, today the final reminder of its blighted
:01:00. > :01:03.existence was smashed to pieces. The last house on the Grand Bouet
:01:03. > :01:12.was bulldozed this morning to make way for a mix of new social and
:01:12. > :01:16.part-ownership housing. Mike The final destruction of a
:01:16. > :01:19.troublesome past. The last house on this estate was demolished this
:01:19. > :01:29.morning as the Grand Bouet and all its troubles were consigned to the
:01:29. > :01:33.history books. If the area itself has had a lot of stigma attached to
:01:33. > :01:36.it for reasons that are historic. That is no longer the case and we
:01:36. > :01:38.are moving forward and looking forward to the future. A new
:01:38. > :01:42.chapter has already begun. The first phases is complete - the
:01:42. > :01:45.solar panels are on, the flowers are out and some have already got
:01:45. > :01:47.the washing on the line. There's going to be a mix of rented
:01:47. > :01:50.accommodation and partial ownership for first-time buyers, but with the
:01:50. > :01:58.area's blighted past, how can the authorities ensure there will be a
:01:58. > :02:03.sense of community and social cohesion? In terms of the designer,
:02:03. > :02:06.we are mixing things in. We would try to break down any potential
:02:06. > :02:09.damaging attitude. It has been done elsewhere but it needs careful
:02:09. > :02:12.planning. But this latest phase has been delayed by forces of nature.
:02:12. > :02:15.Swifts used to nest in the old buildings, so before the last
:02:15. > :02:18.buildings could be knocked down, new nesting boxes were installed on
:02:18. > :02:28.the new houses in a bid to encourage the swifts to return next
:02:28. > :02:31.summer. In tis a long programme. I know it is going to get least five
:02:31. > :02:35.years before we get the might of birds back that ought to be here.
:02:35. > :02:38.But we would try and get something back next year if we can. The area
:02:38. > :02:41.is unrecognisable to what it used to be. And as hopes are pinned on
:02:41. > :02:47.the wildlife returning, there are others hoping the new estate
:02:47. > :02:53.doesn't return to its wild old ways. The BBC understands that Jersey
:02:53. > :02:55.police are reintroducing motorcycle patrols. The bike unit was
:02:56. > :02:58.disbanded seven years ago in order to concentrate efforts on
:02:58. > :03:01.persistent offenders. But it's understood that Jersey's new chief
:03:01. > :03:05.police officer has signed off the purchase of the new bikes in the
:03:05. > :03:10.past week. States Members in Jersey may not
:03:10. > :03:14.get a pay rise next year. A review body is recommending the current
:03:14. > :03:19.salary of �41,000 stays the same. But the expenses allowance may
:03:19. > :03:23.increase by �350. The average price of a local market
:03:23. > :03:30.property in Guernsey has risen by nearly 8% in the last year. The
:03:30. > :03:33.average price of a house is now to just over �427,000.
:03:33. > :03:36.Disabled customers in Guernsey are delighted after a shop brought back
:03:36. > :03:39.its mobility scooters. The BBC contacted B&Q earlier in the year
:03:39. > :03:46.to find out why it was advertising motorised scooters without
:03:46. > :03:49.providing them. Emma Thomas reports. Gina Johnson has MS and can't walk
:03:49. > :03:55.far without help, but today there was no stopping her, thanks to this
:03:55. > :03:58.scooter. And while wandering around a DIY store might sound like your
:03:58. > :04:04.idea of hell, for Gina there's nothing better. Crumbs, it's made
:04:04. > :04:06.an enormous difference. I just love shopping and looking at stuff.
:04:07. > :04:12.Earlier this year, we brought you the story that despite advertising
:04:12. > :04:14.they had a mobility scooter, B&Q weren't providing one. After being
:04:14. > :04:18.contacted by the BBC they've decided to bring them back after
:04:18. > :04:23.nearly two years. It's a move that's delighted disabled customers
:04:23. > :04:31.like Gina. Today the manager of the store apologised for the delay in
:04:31. > :04:41.repairing the one that broke down. It's important to the customer.
:04:41. > :04:41.
:04:41. > :04:44.They can get round the store much easier. And it's going to cater to
:04:44. > :04:47.whatever needs they've got and it's going to make their experience
:04:47. > :04:51.better. So anything that can make it simpler and easier for the
:04:51. > :04:54.customer to shop in our store is going to be helpful. It means so
:04:54. > :04:57.much to me because before I couldn't even walk around here, but
:04:57. > :05:00.now I can go shopping independently and I just love plants! I tend to
:05:00. > :05:03.buy too many plants, though! despite her obvious delight, there
:05:03. > :05:07.is one word of warning for Gina's husband. Now she has the freedom to
:05:07. > :05:11.shop, there'll be no stopping her. In two months' time, Jersey will go
:05:11. > :05:14.to the polls and for the first time you'll be able to vote for Senators,
:05:14. > :05:17.Deputies and Constables on the same day. But that won't be the only
:05:17. > :05:21.change. A polling station will open for a month before election day in
:05:21. > :05:25.an effort to get more islanders to vote, as Anisha Shah reports.
:05:25. > :05:29.This is the front line in the fight against voter apathy. Islanders
:05:29. > :05:39.need to register by 5th September if they want to vote. But will that
:05:39. > :05:42.
:05:42. > :05:46.attract more people? I think it is important for a non-Josie Bon
:05:46. > :05:51.person to have a say. It is important that my voice gets heard
:05:51. > :05:56.as well because I'm paying taxes as well. If you vote for somebody to
:05:56. > :06:01.get them in, hopefully you'll get changed. You need to vote. I don't
:06:01. > :06:05.know anybody that votes either. I think we are all in the same bag. I
:06:05. > :06:09.don't think it makes no difference how long you have got to vote.
:06:09. > :06:12.think a lot of young people are not really interested. Young or old,
:06:12. > :06:21.you're being encouraged to register your vote by filling out a form to
:06:21. > :06:29.send to your parish hall. If you are 16 or over and have lived in
:06:29. > :06:33.the island for two years, you can But once registered, many choose
:06:33. > :06:38.not to vote. At the last election, the turnout was as low as 25% in
:06:39. > :06:47.parts of St Helier. It's hoped opening a month earlier will
:06:47. > :06:52.improve that figure. You can turn up for weeks prior to the election
:06:52. > :06:55.or turn up on polling day or vote by post. Making the system as easy
:06:55. > :06:58.as possible is one thing, but whether it gets your vote is
:06:58. > :07:00.another. Guernsey FC drew their first away
:07:00. > :07:04.match in the Combined Counties League division one last night,
:07:04. > :07:09.Ross Allen scoring both Guernsey's goals. It's the Sarnians' first
:07:09. > :07:12.season in the British League and they are now in second place.
:07:12. > :07:16.You're watching the BBC in the Channel Islands. Later in Spotlight
:07:16. > :07:24.with Justin and Rebecca: Wish you were here - how this summer is
:07:24. > :07:27.shaping up for tourism leaders in Now, islanders will be working
:07:27. > :07:30.through the night as they put the final touches to their floats.
:07:30. > :07:33.Tomorrow is of course Jersey's Battle of Flowers, and while
:07:33. > :07:37.sticking on flowers is the priority, for some vying for the Prix
:07:37. > :07:47.D'Honneur, changes to the judging is more of a concern. Emma Chambers
:07:47. > :08:01.
:08:01. > :08:04.has been to get a taste of the The race is on to finish the floats.
:08:04. > :08:07.Jersey's Battle of Flowers is only hours away, and while the White
:08:07. > :08:12.Rabbit is usually late, he's keeping an eye on the time - and so
:08:12. > :08:21.is St Clements. They ran out of time and flowers last year, but
:08:21. > :08:24.that didn't stop them from winning the Prix D'Honneur. It was an issue
:08:24. > :08:28.in several people's minds. I know that is probably something they are
:08:28. > :08:35.going to look out for this year, which is why we are pulling out all
:08:35. > :08:38.the stops to make one of our best exhibits ever. The Optimists Club
:08:38. > :08:47.came second, but changes to the judging this battle could work in
:08:47. > :08:51.their favour. We built the roads that are fun to do. I will be
:08:51. > :08:54.surprised if anybody puts on a better show than us. The awards
:08:54. > :09:03.won't be given until the end of the parade - a decision that's not
:09:03. > :09:07.pleased everyone. I thought we were asked to stage where the judging
:09:07. > :09:13.was really great for the paying viewers. However, that is out of
:09:13. > :09:18.our control and so we will have to wait and see. We will be to any in
:09:18. > :09:23.to BBC Radio Jersey because we will be having as refreshing beer when
:09:23. > :09:25.the judge in results come out. I think the Battle of Flowers
:09:25. > :09:30.Association are trying to please tourism rather than exhibitors and
:09:30. > :09:33.that is not sitting well with the exhibitors, to be honest. Everybody
:09:33. > :09:43.involved in the Battle across the island get stuck in - even our very
:09:43. > :09:49.
:09:49. > :09:52.own Pudsey Bear. Not sure how much And I'll be at Battle tomorrow to
:09:52. > :09:55.bring you all the colour and excitement from this year's parade.
:09:55. > :09:58.And if that's not enough, join us for a specially extended edition of
:09:58. > :10:08.BBC Channel Islands on Friday when we'll feature every float from this
:10:08. > :10:11.
:10:11. > :10:15.years parade. But will the There is a change to come by the
:10:15. > :10:20.end of the week with wet weather heading our way. This cold front is
:10:20. > :10:30.heading down from the North winning increasing cloud for the light and
:10:30. > :10:30.
:10:30. > :10:34.rain tomorrow. Rain for a time on Saturday but dry by the end of the
:10:34. > :10:38.weekend. For this evening, dry initially with some clear skies,
:10:38. > :10:42.then increasing amounts of cloud moving in by the early hours of
:10:42. > :10:46.tomorrow morning. Fairly mild overnight. 13 the minimum
:10:46. > :10:50.temperature. For tomorrow morning, fairly cloudy and the rain will
:10:50. > :10:54.arrive through at the morning. * Some Rain around for the afternoon
:10:54. > :10:59.and the wind still from the south- west. Temperatures no higher than
:10:59. > :11:03.20. If you are heading out for the Battle of Flowers tomorrow, I know
:11:03. > :11:13.they say it never rains for battle but there is a chance for rain to
:11:13. > :11:34.
:11:34. > :11:37.be at the start at 2:30pm. The Tomorrow will be quite cladding
:11:37. > :11:41.outbreaks of rain at times throughout the day. Friday looks
:11:41. > :11:44.Drive, they are still fairly cloudy and still with the breeze from the
:11:45. > :11:48.south-west. By the time we get to Saturday, some rain initially in