02/06/2014 BBC London News

wet and chilly day. That's all from me. We can now join

the BBC News teams where yot are. Could this seven year`old have died

as a result of poisoning His family claim their search

for answers is being blocked. Agencies have said

the land is not contaminated. Last seen almost a week ago,

100 people join the search for the London backpacker missing

in Malaysia. A gang attack left this man inches

from death ` now a City Hall summit targets

the culture behind the violdnce And,

remembering the contribution made off the pitches by our sportsmen

during the First World War. of a seven`year`old boy frol Surrey

who died during the winter floods have criticised the authorities as

their search for answers continues. Lawyers representing his falily are

Lawyers representing his family are investigating whether their home in

Chertsey was affected by hydrogen cyanide gas released when flood

water run off what they believe cyanide gas released when flood

water run off what they believe to be contaminated land. Environment

Agency maps show the house was built on historic landfill. The county

council say they won't comment while council say they won't commdnt while

investigation continues. He was always a happy, fun,

extremely talented, special ray of sunshine. They are couple still in

morning. For this father, hd has morning. For this father, hd has

already been left paralysed from the waist down from what ever killed his

only child. I'm broke and emotionally as physically. @nd I

don't worry too much about lyself. It would be wrong to, considering

what happened to my sun It is the what happened to my sun It hs the

more than four months since the floodwaters receded, yet thhs shows

floodwaters receded, yet this shows what was caught in a single moment

of time, the night the boy died The family believed that on that night,

contaminated flood water filled their basement. As theirs was

contaminated flood water filled their basement. As theirs w`s the

only one open to the soil, they think poisonous vapours inftsed the

house. The boy lost consciousness house. The boy lost consciotsness

and woke in intensive care, `` the father woke in intensive care to be

told his sun was died. He s`ys he told his sun was died. He says he

and his sun suffered from hxdrogen and his sun suffered from hxdrogen

cyanide poisoning. When these concerns were put to the cotnty

concerns were put to the county council, they denied the site had

ever been used as a landfill, saying:

properties search will reveal the area is shown as landfill. The

report says there is the potential for significant ground contamination

for significant ground cont`mination to exist.

For those who live here, there is still deep concern. I think they are

trying to cover`up. The longer it goes on, the more momentum gathers.

A lot of people are really concerned. Not just neighbours

A lot of people are really concerned. Not just neighbotrs from

concerned. Not just neighbours from around here, but people who live

locally. Those concerns are shared by the family. It seems as though

the various agencies involvdd are the various agencies involved are

actively working against providing any information and that should

cause some concern as to the any information and that should

cause some concern as to thd trust that we should have as a public. An

inquest into the death has been opened and adjourned pending

toxicology report. For his parents, they hope that will finally give

them the answers they're looking for.

Alex joins me now. You've spoken to the county council. What have they

said? They have been reluctant to said? They have been reluct`nt to

account for that apparent discrepancy between their stated

view that this was not a landfill site and the various public records

detailed that say definitivdly it detailed that say definitively it

is. They say that because the investigation is ongoing, they won't

be drawn and will not comment, although that hasn't stopped them,

frankly, before. In their ddfence, frankly, before. In their defence,

what is most important is not whether it was a landfill site but

whether it was a landfill shte but whether it was contaminated,

poisonous, whether it killed the boy. The family want answers. The

father has been left crippled, the father has been left crippldd, the

mother is inconsolable with grief, both morning the loss of thd

seven`year`old. We won't get anywhere towards those answdrs

seven`year`old. We won't get anywhere towards those answers until

anywhere towards those answdrs until toxicology reports come back and

that may be some time yet. Thank you for that.

Coming up: Emotions run high after a council steps in to save a London

school from closing to make way for a free school.

David Cameron has been in touch with the Prime Minister of Malaysia about

the ongoing search for a London backpacker who went missing while

tracking there. Gareth Huntley's mother has arrived in the country,

saying she wants to be therd mother has arrived in the country,

saying she wants to be there when saying she wants to be therd when

they find him. The 34`year`old hasn't been seen since last Tuesday.

Checking their maps, hunting for clues. It's almost a week since

clues. It's almost a week shnce Gareth Huntley went missing and the

rescue effort to find Tim h`s rescue effort to find Tim has

intensified. But it isn't jtst rescue effort to find Tim h`s

intensified. But it isn't just the intensified. But it isn't jtst the

Malaysia military who are here trying to find him. They've been

joined by his mother, who h`s trying to find him. They've been

joined by his mother, who h`s flown in from the UK. She remains

optimistic that her sun will be found. The search effort that has

been put in by everybody me`ns I'm been put in by everybody means I'm

sure we are going to find hhm been put in by everybody me`ns I'm

sure we are going to find him alive. There's plenty of water arotnd

sure we are going to find hhm alive. There's plenty of water around and I

can't see that we're not gohng to can't see that we're not going to

find him. The Malaysia and authorities were initially

criticised for how they conducted their search, some saying they were

slow to respond. But their hncreased activity in recent days has left

David Cameron to give a call of thanks to the Malaysia primer list

thanks to the Malaysia primdr list of their extensive efforts. We have

a chance to find him. I pray that we a chance to find him. I prax that we

will find him very soon. He may have been tracking in a well`known

tourist route but the dense jungle campers and challenges. As experts

campers and challenges. As dxperts come to be Ireland, thousands of

miles away, Gareth's friends were doing what they can to keep him in

people's thought and the headlights. He's great. He's

intelligent, funny, sociabld. headlights. He's great. He's

intelligent, funny, sociable. He's intelligent, funny, sociable. He's

got a very large so cool `` circle of friends in London and Ledds and

of friends in London and Leeds and the fact that so many peopld

of friends in London and Ledds and the fact that so many people rallied

the fact that so many peopld rallied around is such a testament to his

character, his personality and how well loved tea is that we'vd all got

behind this. Friends and falily remain upbeat but this can't mask

their deep concern. They're hoping this increased rescue effort will

lead to Gareth Huntley's safe return.

A cyclist has died after colliding with a lorry in Vauxhall. Police

said the accident happened shortly before 7am this morning and involved

a male cyclist, believed to be 52 years old. He is the sixth cyclist

to die in London this year. With more than 200 gangs in London,

experts from around the world have attended a summit at City Hall

experts from around the world have attended a summit at City H`ll today

attended a summit at City Hall today to explore ways of stopping the

violence they cause. It comes the violence they cause. It comds the

day after an 18`year`old was killed when a fight broke out between a

group of young people in sotth`east group of young people in south`east

London. My friend was kidnapped, got

involved with drug dealing on a serious level, got himself in some

serious level, got himself hn some situations which may be he couldn't

have handled. Chris Douglas talking about a close friend who was

murdered by rival gang membdrs. While growing up in Croydon, he too

struggled to stay out of trouble and ended up with a five`year jail

ended up with a five`year j`il sentence for robbery. For me

ended up with a five`year jail sentence for robbery. For md it

sentence for robbery. For me it would be anything that would make

money quick, such as robberies, money quick, such as robberhes,

selling drugs, robbing people that sell drugs. You get by by any means

necessary. If you have to rob somebody, you have to Taser them,

you have to use a weapon... Now 25, Chris Woakes with teenagers at risk

of following in his footsteps. Go back ten years ago and someone had

asked me if I was again, I would say no. I thought it was my friends

asked me if I was again, I would say no. I thought it was my fridnds and

no. I thought it was my friends and my family. It's only now I realise `

this is the point I'm trying to get across to young people. Carl is also

an ex`offender who got into trouble with gangs. He has the scars to

prove it. These wounds are the result of being shot at point`blank

range in a nightclub. It mentally broke me down. Mentally, phxsically,

emotionally, it all broke me down. emotionally, it all broke md down.

Knocking on my door every day. I had to find the strength to pick myself

up. The latest figures show there are more than 220 known gangs in the

capital, with nearly 3500 gang members. Almost all are mald and

members. Almost all are male and over two thirds aged between 17 and

23. The majority are from a black and ethnic minority backgrotnd. At

an anti`gang summit today, Boris Johnson announced his ambithon to

focus on preventing and web are gang violence before it happens. We know

we have a gangs problem abott violence before it happens. We know

we have a gangs problem abott which there can be absolutely no cause for

complacency and we need to think about what we're doing right, where

we're going wrong and what more we we're going wrong and what more we

we're going wrong and what lore we can do to help. And Junior Smart,

himself an ex`offender, is one of those helping. He runs the largest

anti`gang project in London, servicing 15 borrowers. It needs to

be properly resourced and that can only happen through proper funding,

long`term funding, because what we're trying to do here is developed

young people to actually turn them away from their previous choices.

Gang crime has dropped by almost a quarter in the past year but over

the next decade, London's tdenage population is predicted to rise by

15%. All the more reason, the mayor says, for concentrating on

prevention. It's one of the Mayor's flagship

transport schemes and Barcl`ys in the end will have paid ?25

million to sponsor it. But

following their decision to pull out of the bike hire scheme, the Mayor

is now looking for a new backer The Barclays deal has been

criticised for being too So how much will

a new sponsor have to invest to get their names on the bikes

and what will they get in rdturn? Here's our transport

correspondent Tom Edwards. Hire bikes a are common sight now in

the capital, and while there have been gripes over fees, capacity and

customer service, many like them. It's a convenient option

and gets you around town It was much more comfortabld,

especially with the weather. It's green,

it's just a cool experience. Now, though, Transport for London

want a new sponsor. They're looking for at least ?5 5

million a year over eight years. As well as the branding,

we could feasibly see a whole new The controversial cycle

superhighways won't be included They're at the moment also

sponsored by Barclays. We could, though, see

a new sponsor for them next summer. Critics say the deal with B`rclays

was far too favourable. It had pledged ?50 million until

2018 but getting out after five Part of the deal meant that

payments were linked to usage. Do you think it was a fair deal

at the time? The work that we've done since says,

even now, that it is a good deal. There are lessons

that we've learned. I think particularly

the fact that the initial contract at factors in like the number

of people who use the schemd. The hire scheme cost ?140 million

to set up but the sponsorshhp only Latest figures show it cost ?24

million a year to operate and that need the sponsorshhp to

bring in 12.9 million. The rest comes from the public

purse, TfL, 11.1 million. The expectation now is

for a much better deal than the Barclays sponsorship, especially

as the scheme's got bigger. There have been lots of numbers

thrown around but the reality is they've never put in the money that

we thought that there should have been and the publicity you get from

sponsoring the cycle hire should mean that you should pay a huge

amount of money for it and H think going forward, we need a re`lly

enthusiastic sponsor, someone who is into cycling, wants to promote it,

get their staff cycling and put some fun and creativity back into

the cycle hire scheme in London Transport bosses say there's

already been lots of interest. This is an extremely high

profile scheme but that will also We can talk to Tom now. What is your

assessment of this? What it's really about is cash and how TfL is

changing as an organisation. I've mentioned before, they've got to

make savings, efficiencies, of 4 make savings, efficiencies, of 4

billion over the next four years make savings, efficiencies, of ?4

billion over the next four years or so but they've also got to lake

billion over the next four xears or so but they've also got to make a

so but they've also got to lake a lot of money. I've got the latest

figures here. ?3.5 billion over the next ten years, ?1 billion in new

activity. Huge numbers. That means, I think, we will probably sde more

of this, more sponsorship. Also, we of this, more sponsorship. @lso we

will definitely see TfL becoming more commercial. Thank you, Tom

Edwards. Still to come: Is this guy the

limit? How is the skyline going to change over the next decade and who

is it changing for? Join me later. And from the sports field to

fighting for their country, we look at the contribution made by the

capital's sportsmen during the First World War.

The newly elected Labour leader of hazards and Fulham Council has

promised to try to save a school that was under threat of closure.

Sullivan primary was due to merge with a nearby school, with its site

with a nearby school, with hts site taken over by a new preschool.

It's been an incredible year. A roller`coaster is an

underestimation. But the amazing underestimation. But the amazing

staff in this room have carried us through.

APPLAUSE An assembly with a difference at

Sullivan primary this morning. No pupils but plenty of emotion. Until

last week, these teachers thought this school was going to close in

September to make way for a new secondary free school for boys. But

the recent elections have changed all that with the new Labour council

saying it will build more homes locally so the school will still

believe it. We cannot ignord the believe it. We cannot ignore the

fact that this administration will build homes for UK residents instead

of overseas investors and wd'll have of overseas investors and wd'll have

a significant change in population a significant change in population

so we need to consider how that will affect school places and hospital

places. Here in the middle is affect school places and hospital

places. Here in the middle hs me as places. Here in the middle is me as

a young teacher in my first year, with year six. And behind me a

a young teacher in my first year, with year six. And behind md a pupil

with year six. And behind me a pupil on my half.

be able to continue on our journey. That journey is not over. There may

be challenges to the decision. I have had six children come to this

goal. They have all done well in life. The council and the Government

say they will continue to look for a new site at the boys school.

It's a continuing debate ` in an increasingly crowded city, should we

be building upwards to satisfy the demand for office space and homes?

More than 200 high`rise towers are planned

But critics, including the Prince of Wales, believe such developments

are threatening some of our best`known historic landmarks.

Let's get more on this from Alice Bhandhukravi.

You will see behind me some of London's most famous tall

buildings, the gherkin, the cheese grater and the walkie`talkie as they

grater and the walkie`talkid as they are affectionately known. It's the

London Festival of architecture this week and tonight, the key debate

centres on whether London ndeds week and tonight, the key ddbate

centres on whether London needs more centres on whether London ndeds more

tall buildings. I've been speaking to some of those making their

tall buildings. I've been speaking to some of those making thehr case.

to some of those making their case. A vision of the future, an `rtist's

impression of what London's skyline will look like once the 200

skyscrapers that are in the pipeline have gone up. This one, which is in

Blackfriars, was nicknamed the Boomerangs. That is going to be a

housing scheme. Here, they say it is inevitable that as the city grows we

build upwards. I like tall buildings. I think the gherkin and

the Shard have hugely improved the guidelines. I think we've got to

aspire to delivering the same guidelines. I think we've got to

aspire to delivering the sale sort aspire to delivering the same sort

of quality to buildings right along the river, down Canary Wharf. I

think if we get the right qtality, these can really enhance the skyline

these can really enhance thd skyline and provide the accommodation London

needs. Nobody is arguing th`t point. needs. Nobody is arguing that point.

The need for accommodation will only become more desperate as we grow.

But some believe that in thd become more desperate as we grow.

But some believe that in the quest But some believe that in the quest

for housing, we've been too quick to embrace the tall. I think London

needs a much higher level of thoughtful planning and it's getting

now. It's facing an incredible challenge of a population growth and

housing need. The addiction to building towers is a sign of failure

of that policy, not success. We re of that policy, not success. We re

addicted to building towers? We re getting that way, yes. It is seen as

an easy solution to knock a few numbers of the housing targdt. The

view from this bar shows how much of element is taking place. The Labour

element is taking place. Thd Labour group on the London assembly say

group on the London assemblx say developers are building for the rich

at the expense of those who need it most. The amount that has bden

at the expense of those who need it most. The amount that has been given

for affordable housing is qtite derisory. It isn't on`site. The

affordable housing will be some distance away and what you are

doing, therefore, is physic`lly doing, therefore, is physically

reenforcing the segregation of communities and one of the

distinctive hallmarks of London is its mixed income communities.

Another of its distinctive hallmarks is its skyline, skyline that is

likely to appear more populated the likely to appear more popul`ted the

future. It would be unfair to say that any

of those people I spoke to on this subject are dead set against the

idea of skyscrapers in general. In fact, recently become aggregate in

came out as the most popular skyscraper but what is key hs how

skyscraper but what is key is how skyscrapers are built, who they are

built for and where they ard built. on both the sport and the outcome of

the war. 100 years on from the First World War, this rugby club in

south`west London is unveilhng a World War, this rugby club hn

south`west London is unveiling a new memorial to the fallen. As part of

the commemorations, I have been asked to put the boots back on, to

play in a special match, exactly asked to put the boots back on, to

play in a special match, ex`ctly as play in a special match, ex`ctly as

it would have been in 1914. In August of that year, Britain

declared war on Germany and the Government immediately asked for

volunteers to fight for King and country. Rugby, as an amateur sport,

country. Rugby, as an amatetr sport, was very quick to volunteer. 90% of

was very quick to volunteer. 90 of the guys in the study volunteered in

August or September, the first two months of war. The reason so many

rugby players signed up, it goes back to the public school ethos.

back to the public school ethos They understood with privilege

back to the public school ethos. They understood with privildge comes

They understood with privilege comes responsibility. They knew that when

the country was in peril thdy had to the country was in peril thdy had to

sign up and do their bit. That ferment leading from the front,

getting up in the line of fhre, to lead men into battle. Bravery,

gallantry, heroics. All words associated with these players at the

time. One such rugby player was Jack. His great nephew, Edw`rd, is

fortunate to still have the letters Jack wrote home from the front. He

grew up with three other brothers. There were 16 children altogether.

He was brought up at a housd called Ivy Lodge. There is an example

here. I hope you are keeping well. I asked to have a new glass put

here. I hope you are keeping well. I asked to have a new glass ptt in

here. I hope you are keeping well. I asked to have a new glass put in my

watch. The garden is looking so well under his care. This is the last

letter he wrote. He actually under his care. This is the last

letter he wrote. He actuallx died letter he wrote. He actually died

two days later. Without plaxers such two days later. Without plaxers such

as Jack from clubs like Rosslyn Park volunteering with gusto, thd

as Jack from clubs like Rosslyn Park volunteering with gusto, the outcome

could have been very differdnt. People with boots like howitzers.

Injury time in war lasts a whole lifetime. The whole team dods

Injury time in war lasts a whole lifetime. The whole team does not

get to go home for a beer after the game. You can see the full programme

tonight at 7:30pm for here on BBC One. Let's see how the weather is

shaping up. It is the beginning of June.

It is the start of summer. @ very difficult week. No two days the

same. I am trying to go with something approximating a hdadline.

something approximating a headline. We do have some rainy days. No two

days of the same as we go through the next view. Let's take it day by

day. We have had some warm sunshine. A slice of sunshine is just across

the London area. We had somd cloud the London area. We had somd cloud

bubbling up for the second day in a row. It felt like summer. As we go

through this evening and ovdrnight, a B'nai night. Quite a bit of cloud.

The odd shower floating arotnd. Not a cold start tomorrow morning. There

will be quite a bit of cloud. Some sunshine at times. Showers to work

their way through. As we go through the afternoon, we have the chance of

all of seeing some showers cropping up. Because there is not much wind,

it could be quite slow moving. You could avoid them altogether. We

could have some good spells of sunshine. Best 19, 20 Celsius. House

were 16, 17. Through tomorrow night into Wednesday, and into thd

were 16, 17. Through tomorrow night into Wednesday, and into the early

hours of Wednesday, an area of low pressure tracking up from the south.

This brings rain right the way through the early hours of Wednesday

and then for Wednesday at South. There will be occasionally some

breaks in the rain. It stays with us through the day as it slowly

breaks in the rain. It stays with us through the day as it slowlx tracks

its way north. We are looking at a very wet day for Wednesday. Because

there will not be any sunshhne there will not be any sunshhne

around, it will feel quite chilly. You will notice a marked difference

on Wednesday. The area of low pressure does pull away in the early

hours of Thursday morning. As it hours of Thursday morning. As it

pulls away, we will see a rhdge of pulls away, we will see a ridge of

high pressure building in. @s that high pressure building in. As that

happens, it turns into a much nicer day on Thursday. If you are looking

for a day to get out and about, you will be dodging the showers. On

Thursday, a much better day is likely. It will feel cold and rainy

on Wednesday. Temperatures struggling below where they should

be. Back to square one on Friday with more rain. I have noted the

state is the day. Thank you. A reminder of the day 's headlines.

The number of sexual abuse victims of Jimmy Savile could be ovdr 5 0

according to panorama. Most of the victims are between 13 and 05

according to panorama. Most of the victims are between 13 and 15 but

victims are between 13 and 05 but the entrance was just two. Peter

says an investigation into allegations of corruption over Qatar

's bid to host the World Cup will be over by next week. The King of Spain

is to abdicate after nearly 40 years on the throne. The 76`year`old said

the time had come for a younger generation to take the country

forward. The head of counterterrorism at Scotland Yard is

to be investigated by the police watchdog. It is said he met with an

undercover officer who was spying on the family of Stephen Lawrence. The

family of a seven`year`old boy from Chertsey who died joined the

family of a seven`year`old boy from Chertsey who died joined thd winter

Chertsey who died joined the winter floods have accused the authorities

are blocking their search for the truth. His parents believe he died

from contaminated flood watdr. Surrey County Council will not, it

well an investigation was ongoing. That is it for now. Plenty more

well an investigation was ongoing. That is it for now. Plenty lore on

That is it for now. Plenty more on the website. I will be back with the

latest for you during the Ten O'Clock News on BBC One. For now,

thanks for joining us and do have a lovely.