03/01/2014 BBC Oxford News

Fewer places for victims of domestic violence to escape from their

abusive partners. Claims that council cutbacks will reduce the

number of beds available in safe houses. Handling four times as many

patients as it was designed for, calls for a new A department to be

built at this hospital. The stories behind some of the

weather photos sent to us in 2013. For victims of domestic violence, a

safe house or a refuge may be the only place to get away from an

abusive partner. But the number of beds available in Oxfordshire could

be reduced if funding is cut. That's according to the county's Domestic

Abuse Services. They say their budget could be cut by almost 40% if

planned savings by the council go ahead.

It is thought as many as one in three women will experience domestic

abuse during their lifetimes. Women and men can be beaten so badly they

need hospital treatment, or even be killed by the partner who claims to

love them. Clear king escaped from an abusive relationship. I remember

being in a ball on the floor while he was kicking hell out of me and

thinking, this is not what Christmas is about. That is probably one of

the worst feelings because it is a time when people should be looking

after each other and a time for family, but not in so many cases.

She managed to get away after seeking help from an Oxfordshire

charity which offered her advice and a bed in a refuge. I know if I had

not used that service and they had not given me the options and hope

that they gave to me I probably would never be sat here talking to

you. The charity which helps her, Oxfordshire Domestic Abuse Services

is facing funding cuts from the council. Almost 40%. The manager of

the charity says it will hit the front line. We may have to reduce

helpline hours, and close refuge beds. It means that people will have

less options to stay safe, to get the right advice, to be able to

escape from an abusive relationship. The council are battling to save

?264 million by 2018 and said... They stress that no decision has

been taken yet. A block of flats in Aylesbury's been

damaged after being struck by lightning during a storm this

morning. These images were captured by people living nearby. Four

families have been moved from the flats on Cockton Road into temporary

accommodation. The road has been cordoned off while checks are

carried out to ensure the flats are safe.

The Environment Agency says it's monitoring river levels across

Oxfordshire as further storms and heavy rain has battered parts of our

region. Engineers have been out this afternoon clearing tributaries along

the River Thames. Officials say they are comfortable with the situation,

but are warning residents to be prepared for possible flooding, as

water levels are continuing to rise. We are looking at monitoring river

levels and deploying resources based on those river levels and working

with colleagues at the Met Office and the forecast centre to ensure we

can understand when the rainfall is coming and where it is likely to hit

and match that with resources on the ground.

There are calls for a new Accident and Emergency department to be built

at Milton Keynes General Hospital. The current department is handling

nearly four times more patients than it was designed to and it's

consistently failed to meet waiting time targets. But the hospital says

emergency government funding meant it did meet targets over this year's

festive period. This was the calm after the storm.

When I visited on those they many bays were empty and patients were

being seen within the recommended times. I tripped and I fractured my

thumb. How long have you been here? My experience has been quite good. I

was extremely within 15 minutes. It was a different story on New Year's

Day. To help ease the pressure in the summer, they were given ?2.7

million, some of which paid for new beds to prevent ambulances stacking

up outside. We have to ambulance bays or assessment base that we can

adjust in the past few weeks so that we can start investigations, give

pain relief. The money also paid for extra staff and services but many

believe the only option is a larger A We are putting together a case

for funding for a new A and an integrated front of the hospitals or

people with minor injuries can still come to the site and be treated in a

timely way but we will also make sure we have the acute A

capacity. The case for a new A might seem clear`cut but with public

money very much in short supply, where the funding might come to pay

for one is not clear. Meanwhile, Oxford University

Hospitals Trust says nearly 3,000 people attended A between

Christmas Eve and New Year's Day. 93% of those were dealt with within

four hours, 2% below the recommended target.

Plans to charge people for some waste collection in Swindon have

been approved. The changes mean anyone who wants green waste

collected will have to pay ?40 a year from April. The council has

also approved a change from weekly to fortnightly recycling collections

in some parts of the town. The government has insisted there's

no delay in Oxford's City Deal, a ?200 million plan to expand science

and technology and bring thousands of jobs to the area. The project

would see the major science centres at Harwell and Culham combine with

Oxford's universities. The plans should have been approved by the

government at the end of last year. So far the City Deal has not been

signed off, but officials say it will be finalised soon. Negotiations

have taken a little longer than expected because it is a

comprehensive programme, we are looking to work with governments to

bring that forward. We are very confident will will be able to do

that over the course of this month. It will be a much more comprehensive

approach and the amount of innovation built into it in housing

and transport is greater than many other deals.

Campaigners have staged a protest in Oxford to try to save the city's

former greyhound stadium. The track closed in 2012 and plans have been

submitted for more than 200 new homes on the site. But the

proposals, which are due to be considered next week, have been

recommended for refusal. Here to hand in their petition. More

than 2,000 people have signed it. They want to see greyhound racing

and speedway return to Oxford. I am hoping the people that wants to

build on this will see the depths of heartfelt opposition to it to give

us the pleasure, not only for the people of Oxford and the local

community, but also for the Thames Valley. The dog track closed just

over a year ago and remains unused. Other businesses are still operating

from the stadium, like go`karting. If the plans go ahead, the

businesses say they would be forced to close down. I cannot see another

suitable venue. I could not raise the money needed to set up from

scratch again. It is not just about the land, it is about laying down

the track and things like that. It is not a viable option for us to

move. It would be the end of go`karting. If you look at the

businesses that are there, it is viable. There is so much happening

there for the community. I do not see a why anybody would want to lose

that. The application for homes to be built on the greyhound stadium

has been recommended for refusal. But some argue that this is a

necessary development to meet the demand for housing in Oxfordshire.

This site is not zoned for housing, it is for recreation, it has been a

stadium for more than 70 years. Housing is very important and there

are other sites where housing should take less full is The Greyhound

Racing Association and developers Galliard Homes haven't commented.

Top the final decision on whether these homes will be built will be

made by the City Council next Wednesday.

Our next bulletin is at 10:25pm. his favourite hotel. Mrs house can

welcome back a valued customer. Still to come, we showcase some of

the very best weather pictures that you have taken and hear the stories

of some of those behind the lens. Young offenders who commit crimes

could be sentenced by other youths in a radical new scheme being

piloted in Hampshire. Community courts will see young people act as

prosecutors, defenders and jurors to sanction those who admit to

low`level offences. It's the first time a scan of this kind has been

trialled in the UK. The hope is that using positive peer pressure will

help reduce youth offending rates. Our home affairs correspondent

reports. The next case is a matter of

criminal damage. It looks and sounds like a criminal court, but there's a

difference. This is a community courts, where young people decide

suitable sanctions for the young peers who have committed crimes.

This is only a dramatisation, but from April, during site this will

take place in Hampshire. It's not a court of law in the same way that a

magistrate's courtiers. It's reversing, to a degree, the peer

pressure that is often causing people to commit crime. Rather than

having a young person tell someone to commit crime, they will say, you

shouldn't have done that. The genetic will only deal with

low`level offences, such as those eligible for the police warnings or

a caution, such as setting fire to a bean. It won't determine guilt. The

offender must have accepted responsibility for their actions and

be willing to take part. The victim can choose to be present to explain

the impact of the crime. It won't determine guilt. The offender must

have accepted responsibility for their actions and be willing to take

part. The victim can choose to be present to explain the impact of the

crime. It's or ask the offender to carry out work in the community. The

scheme will be supervised by Hampshire Police. We don't want

people to think this is an easy ride. If you've done wrong, you will

be more accountable to your peers. The difference is that we will have

your case heard, but your sentence will be about rehabilitation and

repairing relationships between the community and victims. This open day

was the young people interested in taking part in the community court

project. They have to apply to be a juror or advocates, and undergo full

training. For the young offenders, it is have someone of their age help

them or advise them or give them support, I think it's good for them.

It might make them see sense. They could understand their problems.

Such as peer pressure. I think it's quite nice, because we will be

around the same age, so trying to talk to them and know what they are

going through. There are some with reservations. Solicitor Emma Smith

works with young offenders. People who may appear on the panel may have

no idea what it is like to come from a family where a mother or father is

an alcoholic or drug dependent. It may work, but I have reservations

that they might see the people who are judging them as having very

different backgrounds to where they came from. We the jury, find you

should be given a community resolution. They could be a

requirement to several years jury in future. Eventually they will become

part of efforts to tackle youth crime. Whether this pioneering

project helps reduce reoffending will determine if it's rolled out

past its three`year pilot. Onto sport, and it's FA Cup

third`round weekend as the Premier League and Championship sides enter

the competition. On the eve of Reading's tie at Brighton, though,

the club's ownership is back in the news.

This is going to be one of the key developing stories of the month

ahead. We told you before Christmas that Reading were talking to

investors about a possible takeover. Tonight, the club is expecting a

renewed bid from an American consortium who have been talking to

them since the autumn. With Anton Zingarevich seemingly on the way out

at the Madejski stadium, remember he hasn't been to a game at the ground

since September. Reading have been searching for a solution. With key

decisions to be made during January about players in and players out,

time is of the essence. I'm told the Americans are in pole position.

Reading are just one of our region's clubs involved in the third round of

the FA Cup this weekend. They travel to Brighton tomorrow with boss Nigel

Adkins, now one of the bookies' favourites for the West Brom job,

hoping for a Cup run. You always want to do well in the FA

Cup. We've got Brighton away, a quick turnaround. But I want us to

have a good run. We want to have the strongest possible team up that we

can do. Obviously the injuries and suspensions we've already alluded

to. I'm not one to use them as excuses. Don't like excuses. But

there are reasons and factors for thing.

Southampton have refused to accept a decision by the Premier League's

refereeing body not to investigate further comments made by Mark

Clattenburg in an incident involving Adam Lallana last week. Saints'

initial complaint was thrown out by the referees body, who considered

the matter over. But Saints hit back this afternoon, claiming that

Clattenburg's comments ` he's alleged to have said, "You're very

different now you have played for England, you never used to be like

this" ` merited further investigation. They've restated

their desire for Clattenburg not to officiate any of their upcoming

games. Meanwhile, Saints host Burnley in

the FA Cup tomorrow. If selected, Saints striker Jay Rodriguez will be

facing his former club. Rodriguez was born and bred in the Lancashire

town, making his steps as a footballer in the north`west.

Tomorrow, he faces the club who sold him to Saints for ?7 million.

It would be a great feeling. It's an occasion to look forward to.

Obviously I'm still a professional, and I have to perform for the team,

which is Southampton. I've got to do my best and work hard to improve for

myself and for my teamates. And the full interview with Jay

Rodriguez can be seen on Football Focus tomorrow at 12:00pm on BBC

One. One player not involved tomorrow is Dani Osvaldo. He's

received a three`game ban today for his part in a scuffle in the dugout

at Newcastle last month. 30 years ago, Bournemouth pulled off

one of the great FA Cup upsets when they beat Manchester United at Dean

Court. Tomorrow, they host Burton Albion of League Two. Manager Eddie

Howe is likely to make some changes, including a return in goal for Ryan

Allsop. Elsewhere, MK Dons are at the

holders, Wigan. Oxford's tie at Charlton will now be played next

Wednesday due to a waterlogged pitch at the Valley. Portsmouth's league

match with Accrington has also been postponed.

Michael Carberry's England career is hanging by a thread after the

Hampshire batsman failed to score on day one of the fifth test in Sydney.

It's thought Carberry needs to finish the tour well, but was

dismissed for a duck early in England's reply to Australia's first

innings of 326 all out at the SCG. The 33`year`old has averaged 30

during the series, but England may turn to younger talent this summer

if Carberry doesn't register a high score.

With the arrival of the New Year, some people's thoughts turn to

moving home. There's one particular house at Palestine near Andover

which might catch the eye of Southampton football fans.

The ?695,000 four`bed house looks like any normal home when you walk

into the hallway ` but down in the basement, there's a surprise in

store, as Sean Killick has been finding out. That second innings

important In estate agent speak, it's an ideal family home in the

countryside just over an hour's commute from London.

But this 4`bed detached house has unique features, as owner Richard

showed me. Down in the basement, there is a sizeable piece of

football history, the dugout from Southampton's old football ground,

the Dell. It's five metres wide, and the basement of the self`build home

was redesigned to accommodate it. Lifelong Saints fan Richard bought

it in 2001, when items from the ground were being auctioned off

after the final game there. Richard was building his house at the time

and decided the dugout would make a winning feature for his underground

sports room. For ?240, it was his. Since then, he and his family have

watched hundreds of matches in it on TV, sitting in a dugout used by some

of the greatest managers in English football.

It still gives me goose bumps to actually include names like our

current England manager, Roy Hodgson, Blackburn in '98. Sir Alex

Ferguson, Sir Bobby Robson. It's a who's who of English

football, isn't it? Yeah. Kevin Keegan, Brian Robinson.

Glenn Hoddle, Terry Venables. The list is endless.

As well as the dugout, the other star attraction is this turnstile,

which dates back to 1898. It's amazing to think how many people

must have walked through this on their way into the Dell. There's

plenty of other memorabilia in this basement shrine to the Saints, which

was given an official opening by club legend Lawrie McMenemy. One of

the rooms has been named in his honour. But Richard and his wife,

Jean, are downsizing, and prepared to sell the collection with the

house, separately. Gut`renching. If I thought we could

take any of it with us, we would. I don't know what Lawrie would think

of it, especially his suite. When the final whistle blows, this

is one loss Richard will find particularly hard to take.

Every night on South Today, we offer you the chance to show off your

fabulous weather pictures. Hundreds of you get out ` in all weathers `

across the south every day, and send us your view of the region.

We can only show a few on the programme each night, but our

Facebook page has become home to many of the pictures you send us.

Alexis Green has been taking a look back at some of the best photos you

sent in 2013, and has been to hear the stories of some of those behind

the lens. Weather`wise, 2013 gave us

everything from frost and snow to the blue skies of summer. And

through the year, you've sent us your pictures taken around the

region. We show some of them on the programme, and post more on Facebook

as often as we can. One of our regular contributors, Raymond, took

this picture of Salisbury Cathedral back in September. But I went to

meet him at another of his favourite locations in Guildford.

I do like historic Guildford in itself. I think we are blessed in

this area because of the history of the castle going back to about 1086.

I think it's a fitting composition. You've got a massive selection of

photos that you sent in. Tell me about this one.

I think that was a pretty cold day when I took that. This is down by

the River Way. A lot of people feed their pigeons. I'm learning all the

time. I learn from photography magazines, the Internet, YouTube,

and when I'm out and about, I always come across professional

photographers who are willing to give advice.

Lynn Roger's husband, Graham, was another keen photographer who

enjoyed sharing his pictures with South Today.

This lifeboat station is a special place for both of us. It was his

favourite place. Graham was passionate about photography. He

really loved it and he was especially proud to see it used on

the television. Just before he passed away, it was the lifeboat

station that was his favourite photo that he sent in to South Today, and

to see it there really lifted his spirits. He wanted to go out and

take more photos, which made the last few days really happy for him.

Over the water in Gosport, Maureen Coles has a room with a view.

This is the view. Look at that! Portsmouth Harbour. It's incredible.

As day turns to night, the picture changes dramatically.

About ten minutes later, the clouds came over the moon and I would never

have got the chance again. I'm here at all times of day, so I can get

the views first thing in the morning. The afternoon is wonderful

because of the light. I like to try to catch the light on the buildings,

if I can. I absolutely love sending my photos in. It's so exciting to

spot something, and you think, "That would be brilliant to send in". You

send them off and wait for them to appear, and of course you get all

the people who are the Facebook followers, and it's wonderful when

you get a good response to your picture.

Here are some more of your photos from 2013.

Lovely pictures. Thank you to everyone who sent us a

picture last year. Sorry we can't name you all. Please keep them

coming this year. Our email address is [email protected]. And there

are more pictures on our Facebook page, BBC South Today. Beautiful

pictures. We've had some lovely ones, despite the weather. We've

shown a few storm winds, but we've had a mixed bag today. We had a few

hailstorms. Take a look at these hailstones

collected by Henny Grant. The peas give you an idea of how big they

were when they came down just north of Hungerford.

Incredibly big waves at Stokes Bay ` two walkers there about to get a

soaking by the looks of it. Thank you to Roger Forster for braving the

storm. But it wasn't all thunder and

lightning ` Sandy Burnfield captured this beautiful sunset over the River

Test at Longstock in Hampshire. We have some more of those scattered

showers to come over the next few hours. Plenty of weather warnings

through the weekend. One or two downpours this evening. More hail

and blunder. They showers do is the first part of the night. The winds

is down. We've seen the peak now, but we could see gusts up to 70 mph

early this evening. Later tonight, we see another area of wet weather

arriving. This could bring us some intense spells of rain, again some

hail and rain too. Temperatures for all five degrees. A warnings about

southeastern corner seeing up to 30 millimetres of rain. That band of

rain shifts quite nicely into the afternoon. Dry conditions, brighter

paps as well if you are lucky. A glimmer or two of sun shines.

Temperatures up to 10 degrees, and the wind is lighter than today.

Tomorrow evening, more intense showers. Once again, maybe some rain

or fund. For tomorrow night, this spells developing. Some patchy fog

developing. Temperatures close to freezing. We could see Frost versus

being Sunday morning. A risk of ice as well. This is the area of low

pressure that is taking out whether through during the day on Sunday.

Not quite as terrible as we first thought, but the find will still

bring is substantial rain once again will stop we could see up to 30

millimetres in some localised spots, especially coastal counties like

I'll `` Isle Of Wight. Wind is not quite as strong as today. Those

still a gusty day. Warnings were both days this weekend. More intense

spells of rain. As we start the new working week, scattered showers on

the way, but easing down for Tuesday. Still plenty more weather

to come, so disruption is possible. Localised flooding.

Thank you so much. Take care of this weekend. For the latest on travel

and traffic, listen to your local BBC Radio station.

We'll be back with a bulletin at 10:25pm. That's it from us this

evening. Good night.