28/02/2012 BBC Channel Islands News

Good evening and welcome to the BBC in the Channel Islands. Here are

tonight's top stories. The half million pound golden handshake to a

former civil servant has prompted States guidelines. Plus fear as

virus which causes birth defects in sheep could be in the islands.

And as diabetes is on the rise, are sufferers losing out from a lack of

Jersey's Chief Minister has revealed the former top civil

servant, Bill Ogley, left his job last May with a payment of more

than �500,000. That's around double his annual salary. Bill Ogley

speaking to the BBC in 2006. He was a States chief executive and he

earned around �250 ,000 a year. But when Mr Ogley stepped down last May

he was give an payout of just over 500,000. That was funded by the

taxpayer. I wanted the figures to be revealed but equally importantly

I wanted it to be brought out how these decisions had been arrived at

and who had taken these decisions. I don't mean who had taken the last

step. I mean what was the whole process? Why had we reached this

point where we were almost compelled to pay very large sums to

people? Terry Le Sueur was chief Minister

when Ogley oog received his pay-off. Beckie joins me now. Why has all of

this come to light now? This happened under the former chief

Minister Terry Le Sueur. When he took over he wrote to the likes of

Bill Ogley and other civil servants to find out out of the golden

handshakes were. Today we found out his was �500,000. Is anything being

done to stock market this happening again? Yes, the Auditor General

will look at how many payouts there've been, how much they are

worth and compare it to the UK. The Auditor General is separate to the

States. Secondly, the employment board today released these

guidelines. So from now on any civil servant earning more than

�100,000 will have to have it cleared by the board. I asked Ian

Gorst whether we should have a separate body to over see things.

I don't think we do. The States Employment Board is the employer of

all States employees. We've published the policy that we intend

to work to, subject to any changes that the independent review by the

Comptroller and Auditor General might suggest, and that's right and

proper. Senator Gorst hopes the guidelines as soon as the Auditor

General has completed his review. Beckie, thank you.

Jersey's Government is promising no new tax rises for at least three

years, more help for the unemployed, improvements to social housing and

more cancer screening. The announcements come as the

Government revealed it underspent by �40 million last year. One group

to benefit will be residents at Le Marais housing estate in St Clement.

Rachel Royce went to see what they think. It's been ten years since

the four high-rise blocks at Le Marais last underwent refurbishment,

and it is beginning to show. Nick Morris and his family have been

here for 20 years, living on the tenth floor. The extear yo of the

building is beginning to look at that timey. There's moss growing on

it and it gives the wrong impression of the place, that the

inside and the flats will be as unpleasant looking, when a lot of

them are really nice. Housing isn't the only area the Government's

identified as in need of new funding. Parents to get �1.4

million but the unemployed are to get �7.5 million. Some of that

money will go to new back to work schemes. There's �100,000 put aside

for more screening of bowel cancer. Tourism, a cold weather bonus and

other legislation will get more funding. I'm pleased to report that

States departments have risen to the challenge of saving money and

becoming more efficient. To a large extent the underspent budgets

throughout the States. That's encouraging, because it gives me

confidence that we are going be able to reach the �65 million

commitment of savings that we promised to do by 2013.

understands that when money is tight the Government has to make

choices. The lifts at Le Marais will now be refurbished. When you

are living ten storeys up, that's important.

A man in Newcastle has been charged with the murder of a woman reported

to be from againsy. Police found 41-year-old Sarah Gosling. She was

taken to hospital, where she died. Ian Hope has been charged with her

murder. A 38-year-old man has appeared in

Guernsey's Magistrates' Court charged with indecently assaulting

a girl under the age of 16. Gerrard Beswick Addison of Trafalgar Road

in the Vale pleaded guilty to the charge, which relates to an

incident on 26th February this year. He will appear before magistrates

again on 15th March. There's concern a virus which

causes birth defects in livestock could make its way to the Channel

Islands. There have been dozens of reports of the Schmallenberg virus

across England. And if it has spread this far, it's likely to

affect local sheep farmers first. Penny Elderfield reports. They may

have a healthy appetite, but for this farmer the health of his sheep

is a worry, after news a new virus which affect sheep, cows and goats

has spread to more farms in the UK. Passed on by midges more than 70

farms have reported cases. As of yet there've been none in the

Channel Islands. Lambing season due to start in the next few weeks it

should be clear whether this virus has made it to Guernsey. The

biggest impact won't be on the sheep you see today but on the

unborn lambs. In sheep and goats it causes deformities of the foetal

lamb as it is growing, particularly if the mother is affected in the

first tryst moster of pregsy. Farmers should be vigilant. The

first clue is foetal deformities. There seem to be more reports that

at first there were only a few cases but now I hear there are 74.

I'm fairly optimistic that we will avoid it but you never can tell.

There's more than 100 lambs expected here this spring and this

farm won't be the only busy one in the Channel Islands or the only one

hoping for the best. Not enough people with diabetes are

having their regular checks, according to a diabetes consultant

in Jersey. It comes as recent figures show over 1 million people

in the UK aren't having the check- ups to prevent other problems that

can come with the disease. Emma Chambers reports.

Geraldine was diagnosed with diabetes 30 years ago during her

second pregnancy. She has learnt to live with it and keeps on top of

her checks, but she says having the disease is expensive. I have to go

for additional hygiene checks at the dent is because I'm prone to

problems with my gums. Care op di is important, probably three times

a year for preventive treatment. I worked it out that possibly its

costing me � 00 a year for treatment and equipment. And that's

having some things subsidised. in the UK care for diabetic

patients is free. Recent figures show 1.3 million people aren't up

to date with annual health checks. Patients need these to diagnose

kidney failure, heart problems and blindness. It is worth in Jersey.

The hospital provides the eye checks but the rest is down to the

patients. Over the last ten years that I've been in the island we've

seen the number rise from less than 1,500 to now getting on to 4,000

people with difpblts during that time there hasn't been a lot of --

with diabetes. During that time there hasn't been a lot of money

for health services, so an increasing amount of the burden in

looking after these people has gone to general practitioners and

practice nurses. Geraldine says she is fortunate to be able to keep on

top of her checks, but others aren't.

Jersey patients will have to keep on top of their health checks and

lead a health yeah lifestyle as Good evening. The mist and fog is

going to clear. It will clear overnight tonight and once that

happens tomorrow promises much more in the way of sunshine. We should

have a fine day tomorrow. And feel warmer because of it too.

It is due to a change in the wind direction. At the moment we have

winds from the south. Still giving us moisture to create low cloud and

mist, but that will improve this evening. As the high pressure moves

away from us we see southeasterly winds. Drier air is coming from

France. Better visibility and more sunshine. Even though we move to

the end of the week with that high pressure across us there's a good

deal of fine weather. The cloud may come back as the winds change

direction, especially by Friday. Tonight the mistiness is around for

the first half and then the low cloud will stick with us. Between

3-5 in the morning the cloud clears. 7 degrees the starting temperature

tomorrow. Tomorrow should be a fine day. A few shallow mist patches

first thing but once they go there should be decent sunshine. 11-12

degrees, 5 4 Fahrenheit. A gentle south or southeasterly winds. The

coastal waters forecast has winds south or southeasterly, 2-3, mist

and then fair and visibility For the rest of this week - on

Thursday, a similar day. Perhaps more cloud in the second half of