:00:00. > :00:08.a little bit mixed over the next few days. That is
:00:09. > :00:15.Hello and welcome to South Today from Oxford. In tonight's
:00:16. > :00:19.programme, anger, sadness and shock. Emotions run high as hundreds
:00:20. > :00:24.of people squeeze into Banbury's town hall to have their say on
:00:25. > :00:30.services which are under threat. I hope the council are listening and
:00:31. > :00:38.listening with their hearts. Also tonight, taking the case on HS2 to
:00:39. > :00:42.the highest court in the land. Later on, the students from the
:00:43. > :00:52.south learning Mandarin in the hope it will open doors in the East.
:00:53. > :00:57.Good evening. Parents angry at plans to cut children's centres in
:00:58. > :01:02.Oxfordshire will be able to express their views directly to the council
:01:03. > :01:05.tonight. The second of five public meetings is taking place to discuss
:01:06. > :01:11.how a further ?61 million of cuts can be made to services. More than
:01:12. > :01:21.300 people packed into Banbury's town hall yesterday. Tonight it's
:01:22. > :01:24.the turn of people in Oxford to have their say. Emma Vardy is live at
:01:25. > :01:31.County Hall. And Emma a big turnout last night. What are we expecting
:01:32. > :01:36.this evening? It was standing room only yesterday and the council are
:01:37. > :01:41.preparing for a similar turnout when the meeting gets underway in just
:01:42. > :01:45.under an hour's time. This is a chance to ask questions to the key
:01:46. > :01:49.decision makers and a chance to debate issues across the board. Last
:01:50. > :01:56.night, it was the issue of the possible closure of children's
:01:57. > :02:01.centres which dominated the agenda. We feel so passionate about this. We
:02:02. > :02:05.are angry and shocked. Children's services are not optional, they are
:02:06. > :02:09.vital to this community. We need these services. I hope the council
:02:10. > :02:13.are listening with their hearts because this is about Oxfordshire's
:02:14. > :02:17.values. Do you want to be a county which does not look after its
:02:18. > :02:23.families and its most vulnerable children? The council says it is
:02:24. > :02:27.listening but realistically, this authority does not have much room to
:02:28. > :02:32.manoeuvre. It was pointed out last night that to avoid any cuts at all
:02:33. > :02:38.we would all have to pay an extra ?250 a year or thereabouts in our
:02:39. > :02:41.council tax. That is not going to happen but other ideas like letting
:02:42. > :02:47.communities raise their own money to keep check centres open was
:02:48. > :02:55.suggested to councillors. There was an interesting range of views. I
:02:56. > :03:01.thought for public participation, it was what this was designed for.
:03:02. > :03:06.Tonight, senior managers and elected councillors are preparing once again
:03:07. > :03:10.to face the public. In the coming months they will have to nail down
:03:11. > :03:13.those tough details which will determine what our slimmed down
:03:14. > :03:16.public services will look like. Thank you.
:03:17. > :03:20.One of five men accused of accepting stolen metal at a scrap yard in
:03:21. > :03:22.Oxfordshire has told a court undercover police officers tried to
:03:23. > :03:28.badger him into buying a suspicious load of material. Simon Rogers, seen
:03:29. > :03:33.here in the white trousers, said in the past he had helped police
:03:34. > :03:36.destroy illegal weapons and knives. He also claimed in previous official
:03:37. > :03:42.visits officers never criticised the way he traded. All five men deny
:03:43. > :03:45.attempting to conceal, disguise or sell stolen copper cabling last
:03:46. > :03:50.year. The trial continues at Oxford Crown Court.
:03:51. > :03:55.Campaigners have taken their fight against the planned high speed rail
:03:56. > :03:57.line HS2 to the Supreme Court. They're claiming the Government
:03:58. > :04:00.didn't carry out enough environmental checks on the
:04:01. > :04:04.controversial route. The railway, which would cut through the
:04:05. > :04:08.Chilterns, has a price tag of more than ?46 billion. Seven judges at
:04:09. > :04:12.the Supreme Court are hearing the case. Victoria Cook has spent the
:04:13. > :04:15.day there and joins us live from Westminister. Victoria this is an
:04:16. > :04:25.important day for campaigners, isn't it? It is an important day. The
:04:26. > :04:29.Supreme Court is one of the highest courts in the land. This follows a
:04:30. > :04:33.year of not being very successful in other court hearings. They have
:04:34. > :04:37.brought it to the Supreme Court. This is an unusual court because it
:04:38. > :04:43.is a panel of judges who listen to the hearing. There are usually five
:04:44. > :04:46.but in this case there are seven. This has been about the
:04:47. > :04:50.campaigners' side. Legal representatives have been talking
:04:51. > :04:52.about how the government needs to do more on the HS2 route. Campaigners
:04:53. > :04:59.say they have not done enough checks. The Government says they
:05:00. > :05:05.have not made a final decision on whether HS2 is going ahead or not.
:05:06. > :05:10.In court was Richard Halton from the HS2 action Alliance. The government
:05:11. > :05:14.says this is vital for the country so why are you opposing it? We do
:05:15. > :05:18.not think there is a business case for it and it is not the right
:05:19. > :05:27.solution for the capacity problems we have on the row away at the
:05:28. > :05:31.moment. `` the railway. So far, the campaign groups have not been
:05:32. > :05:37.successful, have they? There has been a year of fighting in the
:05:38. > :05:40.courts. How successful do you think you will be? We are confident we
:05:41. > :05:46.will get a good result. If you're going to force through a 15 billion
:05:47. > :05:48.pound railway you must do it as environmentally soundly as you can.
:05:49. > :05:53.The fact that we have been given leave to appeal at the highest court
:05:54. > :05:58.in the UK means we feel the judges beforehand felt we had a case. One
:05:59. > :06:03.of the options is it could go to Europe. How do you feel about that?
:06:04. > :06:09.If the judges in the Supreme Court cannot make a final decision, we are
:06:10. > :06:13.happy to go to Europe. That will delay it by some considerable time,
:06:14. > :06:20.went it? We think it will be complete in 12 months. Thank you. A
:06:21. > :06:26.new chairman is about to take over. His name is Sir David Higgins. He
:06:27. > :06:32.has been defending the estimated ?46 billion project. There is
:06:33. > :06:35.connectivity from the north, a north`south conductivity but also a
:06:36. > :06:39.connectivity between the great cities of the North which we need to
:06:40. > :06:44.explain and show the benefits of that. And also get the maximum
:06:45. > :06:48.benefit in what this will do for regeneration in major cities in the
:06:49. > :06:51.north and explain how that will happen now and that these cities
:06:52. > :06:56.will not be blighted for years to come. The Department for Transport
:06:57. > :07:01.has reiterated how vital this is for the country. It says attempts to
:07:02. > :07:07.obstruct HS2 have been firmly reject it by two courts and it says the
:07:08. > :07:10.government will continue to defend any challenge in the Supreme Court.
:07:11. > :07:16.We will know the outcome in about a month's time. If the campaigners are
:07:17. > :07:20.successful, it will be a blow to the Government. If not, this could go to
:07:21. > :07:26.Europe or their challenge may end here. Back to you. Thank you.
:07:27. > :07:30.A man's been airlifted to hospital from the set of Brad Pitt's new
:07:31. > :07:33.film, which is being shot in South Oxfordshire, after being stabbed in
:07:34. > :07:35.the shoulder with a bayonet. The professional stuntman was
:07:36. > :07:42.accidentally injured during a rehearsal just before midday. The
:07:43. > :07:47.World War Two film Fury is being filmed near Henley. The Health and
:07:48. > :07:50.Safety Executive has been informed. Chiltern Railways has announced it
:07:51. > :07:57.is to run some services on Boxing Day for the first time. It says
:07:58. > :08:03.trains will call at Bicester North and Thame on the way to London. Car
:08:04. > :08:06.parking will be free for the day. The firm says its trialling the
:08:07. > :08:10.Boxing day services to help shoppers and football fans heading to games.
:08:11. > :08:12.Rural broadband is often slow, and unreliable, but now people living in
:08:13. > :08:16.one Buckinghamshire village believe they could have found an answer.
:08:17. > :08:19.After years of campaigning for a faster internet connection, they've
:08:20. > :08:23.now managed to secure help from on high, as Angela Walker reports.
:08:24. > :08:27.All Saints Church in the Buckinghamshire village of
:08:28. > :08:34.Hillesden. Parts of this church date back to the 12th century but it's
:08:35. > :08:37.outlook is far from archaic. Today, high`speed broadband transmitter was
:08:38. > :08:43.fitted to the church tower to bring the broadband connection in the
:08:44. > :08:47.village up to 21st century speeds. It enriches our life and is
:08:48. > :08:52.important for business and rural enterprise life and also family
:08:53. > :08:56.support. A lot of people use Skype and the Internet and we do not have
:08:57. > :09:02.the capacity in the broadband. We are happy to support the parish
:09:03. > :09:08.council by lending our flagpole. Poor Internet speeds continue to be
:09:09. > :09:13.an issue in rural areas. This small aerial can transmit wirelessly to
:09:14. > :09:18.properties in the line of sight. Constant demand is increasing all
:09:19. > :09:21.the time. Conventional broadband will not reach everybody everywhere
:09:22. > :09:27.in the next few years so people are turning to us as an alternative. A
:09:28. > :09:31.couple of miles away, Mike Ghirelli was running a business from home
:09:32. > :09:36.with his wife. Very frustrating indeed. We have got very slow
:09:37. > :09:42.speeds. You sit in front of the screen just watching the little
:09:43. > :09:45.we'll go round and round. We have got this opportunity coming up and
:09:46. > :09:51.we are looking forward to being able to make contact very quick play with
:09:52. > :09:57.the outside world. We are almost isolated at the moment. `` very
:09:58. > :10:02.quickly. The aerial is due to be switched on on Thursday. We could
:10:03. > :10:07.soon see broadband transmitter is in other churches in the area. Ten
:10:08. > :10:12.other villagers have expressed interest in similar projects.
:10:13. > :10:16.Patients across Wiltshire are to get a new service aimed at reducing
:10:17. > :10:25.unnecessary emissions to hospital. `` admissions to hospital. GP
:10:26. > :10:31.coordinators will help people manage long`term health problems like
:10:32. > :10:34.diabetes. A 16`year`old boy from South
:10:35. > :10:39.Oxfordshire is hoping to becoming the youngest person to row across
:10:40. > :10:45.the Atlantic but he only has a month to raise ?25,000 sponsorship to fund
:10:46. > :10:50.the trip. Eoin Hartwright is hoping to take between 50 and 60 days to
:10:51. > :10:56.row from Spain to Antigua. He is raising money for the Helen and
:10:57. > :11:03.Douglas House children's Hospice. I'm quite nervous. I am losing a lot
:11:04. > :11:09.of sleep at the minute. However, I am really excited. I have had more
:11:10. > :11:13.than a few sleepless nights and I think that will get worse as the
:11:14. > :11:20.time gets nearer. But I am very proud of him. That is all from me. I
:11:21. > :11:23.will have the headlines at 8pm and I will be back at 10:25pm. I will hand
:11:24. > :12:15.you over to Alex Forsyth. Good buy. Midlands. And we preview the elite
:12:16. > :12:18.grand final later in the programme. In the second of our reports on
:12:19. > :12:20.China today we look at education. It's worth more than ?1.7 billion
:12:21. > :12:23.to the UK economy. Around one in six of all Higher Education
:12:24. > :12:25.students now come from China. The number of Chinese students being
:12:26. > :12:27.taught here in the South's universities has doubled in ten
:12:28. > :12:31.years to almost 7,000, with 1,800 at Southampton University. But
:12:32. > :12:35.education doesn't just mean educating the Chinese. 16% of state
:12:36. > :12:40.schools now offer some form of Mandarin lessons. Let's cross to
:12:41. > :12:44.our Business Correspondent, Alastair Fee who's at Wellington
:12:45. > :12:50.College in Berkshire. Mandarin is even more popular in independent
:12:51. > :12:54.schools? That's right. There's twice as many Independent Schools
:12:55. > :12:58.teaching Mandarin. But very few have a dedicated centre like this.
:12:59. > :13:03.Every day language classes take place here. Wellington College
:13:04. > :13:11.began building links with China in 2008 and the school has big
:13:12. > :13:13.ambitions for the future. At Wellington College, these pupils
:13:14. > :13:17.aren't learning European languages, they're being taught Mandarin. As
:13:18. > :13:25.the Chinese economy has grown, so has an interest in improving our
:13:26. > :13:27.communication. They will have a huge advantage if they speak
:13:28. > :13:41.Mandarin and can easily tap into the Chinese market. And also it's
:13:42. > :13:43.about networking. It will be easier to develop important relationships
:13:44. > :13:46.when they work in China. For six years they've had a dedicated
:13:47. > :13:55.Mandarin school. When it opened they taught just 15 pupils, that's
:13:56. > :13:59.now risen to 105. Learning a language offers a gateway into the
:14:00. > :14:05.culture and having that basis of understanding will be important in
:14:06. > :14:10.the future. There is no other language like Mandarin and I think
:14:11. > :14:13.it can open up opportunities. Chinese students are coming here in
:14:14. > :14:16.increasing numbers. Every year the number studying at Reading
:14:17. > :14:19.University increases. It now teaches more than 700 young people.
:14:20. > :14:24.It's a lucrative business, bringing in more than ?10 million. That why
:14:25. > :14:38.a visit to China next month is likely to pay off. I'm going to see
:14:39. > :14:49.first hand the partnerships we have with universities in China and meet
:14:50. > :14:51.the ministry of education in China. It's got such close links with
:14:52. > :14:54.China, Wellington has built an exact replica near Beijing ` with
:14:55. > :14:55.the aim to make it the country's leading international school.
:14:56. > :14:59.Whether it's university education or classes in our schools. These
:15:00. > :15:08.could be some of the most important lessons when it comes to doing
:15:09. > :15:10.business in the future. I'm joined here outside the Mandarin school at
:15:11. > :15:16.Wellington College by Matthew Oakman. The school predicted this
:15:17. > :15:26.language would grow in popularity ` how has demand increased? Almost
:15:27. > :15:33.one`third of students are now studying Mandarin and many are
:15:34. > :15:40.taking it through into GCSE. Many are also going on to study by
:15:41. > :15:43.oriental studies as well. Wellington has a school in China
:15:44. > :15:50.already. There's a second opening in Shanghai next year and rumours
:15:51. > :15:56.of a third. With the growth in the Chinese economy and a greater
:15:57. > :16:01.opportunity for British businesses, and we feel it is important to have
:16:02. > :16:13.the ability to flourish in this particular language. Last year just
:16:14. > :16:15.over 3000 pupils across the country took a GCSE in the language ` but
:16:16. > :16:33.it's likely that will rapidly increase in the coming years. The
:16:34. > :16:35.owners of the former Southampton liner QE2 have signed a contract
:16:36. > :16:38.with a Chinese shipyard. COZCO near Shanghai, seen here, will refurbish
:16:39. > :16:40.the ship as a floating hotel. The 900 cabins will be replaced by 400
:16:41. > :16:43.larger suites. Other changes will include a shopping mall and updated
:16:44. > :16:45.restaurants. A price tag of ?62 million has been mentioned, with
:16:46. > :16:50.the work finished in less than a year. A permanent home in Asia for
:16:51. > :16:52.the ship has still not been decided. Plans to drill for oil or gas in
:16:53. > :16:55.the South Downs National Park are due to be submitted this month. An
:16:56. > :16:59.energy company is looking at drilling at Fernhurst in West
:17:00. > :17:01.Sussex. Ahead of the application the body that oversees planning in
:17:02. > :17:09.the park held an information meeting today about oil and gas
:17:10. > :17:15.development. Mark Sanders reports. After a summer of conflict, this
:17:16. > :17:22.could be the next flash point in Sussex. Some are concerned at the
:17:23. > :17:31.applications for exploratory drilling. We think it is a poorly
:17:32. > :17:35.chosen site within an national park. Other sites would certainly be
:17:36. > :17:41.technically suitable boat would have less impact on the village.
:17:42. > :17:45.The company says it is looking at conventional pruning here but has
:17:46. > :17:50.not ruled out seeking permission for fracking in the future. The
:17:51. > :17:54.South Downs National Park Authority would have to consider it any
:17:55. > :18:01.planning application for drilling and today it heard from experts
:18:02. > :18:06.about gas and oil development. This is a meeting for National Park
:18:07. > :18:09.Authority members to give them the opportunity to ask questions from
:18:10. > :18:14.the experts and find that more about what is behind the
:18:15. > :18:20.exploration. This is about getting at the facts. One of the speakers
:18:21. > :18:26.said fracking could go ahead in Britain but only with tight
:18:27. > :18:30.restrictions. He believes there are questions surrounding energy
:18:31. > :18:37.security. Most people drive, most people have gas and electricity. We
:18:38. > :18:43.have to ask, are we happy to have other countries provide that for
:18:44. > :18:50.us? What is the ethical nature of this supply? Today was about
:18:51. > :18:59.talking. Decisions are far another day. The applications for during is
:19:00. > :19:01.expected to be submitted this month. Details have been announced of the
:19:02. > :19:07.first town`wide cycle hire scheme here in the south. Funding for the
:19:08. > :19:09.venture in Reading has come in part from central government and comes
:19:10. > :19:11.in the same week plans will be considered for a cyclist and
:19:12. > :19:18.pedestrian bridge across the Thames, to try to cut rush hour congestion.
:19:19. > :19:22.Katy Austin reports. A new mode of transport is coming to town in
:19:23. > :19:25.Reading. Hire bikes will hit the city's roads by next summer. The
:19:26. > :19:33.council's chosen a Surrey based firm to try and get more people on
:19:34. > :19:40.two wheels. The company we have a pointed has already been involved
:19:41. > :19:43.in establishing schemes in Great Britain and also in Moscow. So
:19:44. > :19:51.there has international experience to be drawn upon. The idea's proved
:19:52. > :19:53.popular in London. The hire bikes nicknamed Boris Bikes have changed
:19:54. > :19:57.the way thousands of people get around the capital, even if they
:19:58. > :20:03.have proved costly to run. Cycling's enjoying time in the
:20:04. > :20:05.spotlight here in Reading. A new bridge is being considered to cater
:20:06. > :20:08.for the increasing number of cyclists ` as well as keeping them
:20:09. > :20:17.and pedestrians apart from the traffic. I know how busy a place it
:20:18. > :20:22.is from a commuting and a residential point of view. So for
:20:23. > :20:26.me this had all the main key ingredients. There'll be 200 bikes
:20:27. > :20:29.for hire to start off with. What makes this scheme different to
:20:30. > :20:31.others in the south, is the way the bikes will be distributed. Instead
:20:32. > :20:34.of being all together, they'll be spread right across the town. If
:20:35. > :20:44.they're a success, these same bikes could soon be rolled out to
:20:45. > :20:49.neighbouring towns too. Yesterday it was bucketing down in Birmingham.
:20:50. > :20:51.But tonight the Poole Pirates hope to reign supreme as their delayed
:20:52. > :20:58.speedway final gets underway in the next hour. They go into the final
:20:59. > :21:01.leg of the Elite League Grand final with a 21 point lead over the
:21:02. > :21:05.Brummies, so hopes will be high for getting their hands on a trophy
:21:06. > :21:13.they last won in 2011. Tony Husband sent this from the Perry Bar
:21:14. > :21:18.stadium. The weather it in the Midlands is considerably better
:21:19. > :21:23.than it was 24 hours ago. Heavy rain led to the match being
:21:24. > :21:30.postponed last night. Today they had to work hard on the track to
:21:31. > :21:40.try to get the surface ready. This is still pretty heavy but it will
:21:41. > :21:50.be OK for a 7 o'clock start. This is a commanding 21. Lead going into
:21:51. > :21:58.this final. How do you approach it here tonight with the home team
:21:59. > :22:05.seemingly out of it? Are there have been a very good side all season.
:22:06. > :22:12.We just have to consolidate the lead that we have got. We have got
:22:13. > :22:16.the lead but we just have to go out and try to win every race and get
:22:17. > :22:32.as many points on the board as we can. You have some real stars. But
:22:33. > :22:39.they cannot win it on their own, the other boys have to play their
:22:40. > :22:44.part. You're on the brink, how begin achievement would this be? If
:22:45. > :22:51.we can pull this of tonight, this would be the best one. We clawed
:22:52. > :23:08.our way into the play`offs and here we are in the Grand Final. Well we
:23:09. > :23:13.wish you well. The trophy is ready. BBC Radio Solent has live coverage
:23:14. > :23:16.of that match. Now if you're a football fan, the mention of a
:23:17. > :23:18.penalty shoot`out may send a shiver down your spine. The spot kick has
:23:19. > :23:24.been the Achilles heel for England in many major tournaments. But two
:23:25. > :23:26.non`league teams from Hampshire have just put the national side to
:23:27. > :23:34.shame, after racking up 29 successful penalties in a single
:23:35. > :23:39.shoot`out. And it could be a world record. David Allard explains. It's
:23:40. > :23:44.the penalty shoot out that went on. And on. And on. 29 goals in a row
:23:45. > :23:53.were scored, before Brockenhurst keeper Scott O'Rourke kept out
:23:54. > :24:02.Claudio Herbert's strike. He will never be taking a penalty again it!
:24:03. > :24:11.I was nervous but confident at the same time. Despite losing the
:24:12. > :24:13.Hampshire Senior Cup tie, the marathon shootout could put Andover
:24:14. > :24:16.Town into the record books, in their first season in existence.
:24:17. > :24:24.It's raised the profle of a side who are still looking for a major
:24:25. > :24:28.sponsor. It was certainly a showpiece for the Hampshire Cup tie.
:24:29. > :24:35.We are pleased to be part of some history. But I think I would take
:24:36. > :24:37.the win over the history! Today three Andover players ` and the
:24:38. > :24:39.boss ` are coaching at the Sparsholt College Football Academy.
:24:40. > :24:47.And penalty practice is bringing back memories of last week's epic.
:24:48. > :24:52.I was really nervous, I'm normally quite a confident lad. But I was
:24:53. > :24:56.really nervous coming up to the second penalty. So can double
:24:57. > :25:16.penalty scorer Lloyd show the lads here how it's done? Oh well, better
:25:17. > :25:23.luck next time. Sunrise over Langstone Harbour this morning by
:25:24. > :25:28.Ian Drain. Portchester Castle in the morning sunshine captured by
:25:29. > :25:38.from Phil Currier. And Barney with his fungi trove in Pamber Forest in
:25:39. > :25:42.Hampshire snapped by Roy Venkatesh. It was a quiet day but tomorrow we
:25:43. > :25:48.are expecting some mist and fog to form through the night. With the
:25:49. > :25:59.increasing breeze for the western areas in the early`morning, that
:26:00. > :26:03.will link into low cloud. Already he can see that band of rain that
:26:04. > :26:07.will culminate in the early hours of the morning and spread to most
:26:08. > :26:14.parts tomorrow around late morning and lunchtime. That clears western
:26:15. > :26:23.areas during the latter part of the day. Temperatures around 14, 17
:26:24. > :26:30.degrees. Temperatures returning to their seasonal average. Some late
:26:31. > :26:35.evening sunshine on offer before the cloud increases in the early
:26:36. > :26:47.hours of Thursday morning. Some showers dotted around the coast.
:26:48. > :26:54.And temperatures falling. On Thursday the mild air comes in from
:26:55. > :26:57.the south`west. It will be breezy, a mixture of the sunny spells and
:26:58. > :27:03.scattered showers throughout the day. Then it turns on settled on
:27:04. > :27:13.Friday. That rain edging in and with that, strong wind.
:27:14. > :27:19.Temperatures mild in spite of that. We are expecting some rain tomorrow,
:27:20. > :27:24.heavy in some places. Clearing western areas by the afternoon.
:27:25. > :27:31.Scattered showers on Thursday and a breezy day. Further rain on Friday
:27:32. > :27:39.and showers for at the weekend. That is all for it this evening. We
:27:40. > :27:40.have a full bulletin at 10:25pm.