14/01/2014 BBC Oxford News

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Hello and welcome to South Today from Oxford. In tonight's programme:

Under water, and tens of thousands of pounds out of pocket. The farmer

who says the Environment Agency didn't do enough to protect his land

from the floods. Also tonight: Would it be charity or

simply another source of funding? The council considering asking for

donations to help pay services. And, later on, and the clock makers

turned car manufacturers who changed rural life in the South.

Farmers in Oxfordshire say the Environment Agency hasn't done

enough to protect them from flooding. Thousands of acres of

farmland are still under water. The Environment Agency says it has spent

millions on maintenance and has more planned. Farmers say that's not

enough. Tom Turrell reports. Not a lake, but Otmoor Farm on the

edge of Oxford. You can see my land is completely under water. We have

been for the last five weeks now. Believe it or not, water levels are

actually falling here, but with 200 acres still largely submerged, the

farmer says it's ruining his grassland, leaving him with nothing

to feed his animals. Worse still, he believes it could have been avoided.

I would have thought the Environment Agency have become too complacent

and they don't keep the rivers up to scratch to how it was years ago,

back in the 60s. Terry used to have more than 200 cattle, but he says

with all the flooding he can only harvest enough hay to feed 50. But

the Environment Agency insists they're spending ?45 million

nationally on clearing the rivers to prevent flooding, but concede they

do fill back up again as part of the natural process. As roads in towns

and cities across our region reopen, it seems for parts of the

countryside there could be a costly journey yet.

If you had a bit of spare money, would you consider donating it to

your local council? Oxfordshire County Council is looking at setting

up a website to allow people to donate money to help it run

services. It's facing cuts of ?93 million over the next four years.

Helen Catt reports. Shoppers in Oxford spending their

money in the January sales. But, would anyone here consider donating

cash to the County Council? I probably wouldn't, no. We pay tax

and rates, don't we. What is this donation business? I would, but it

would depend on how the reporting would be done on the money that is

collected. It was actually the Oxfordshire public who inspired this

idea. At a series of public meetings in October, many people said they

would pay more to protect services threatened by millions of pounds'

worth of cuts. The idea behind projects like this is that lots of

people give a little amount of money, and that adds up to a

significant sum. If every council taxpayer in Oxfordshire gave 11p per

day, the council would have enough to run its entire Fire Service.

People would be able to decide where their money went. For example, you

could donate ?63, the cost of fixing a pothole, for example, to the

overall highways budget. I have had donations from the public, so there

is a willingness for people to pay a bit more money. We are trying to

provide people with a mechanism to pay more and see if it works. The

council doesn't yet know how much it would cost to collect the money, as

the idea is still at a very early stage.

The new chairman of HS2, the high speed rail line that would cut

through parts of Buckinghamshire, has pledged to deliver the project

more cheaply. Sir David Higgins has told the BBC his priorities are to

build the ?50 billion project more quickly. Critics argue costs are

spiralling and that the line would damage the environment, but

ministers believe HS2 will create jobs and boost the economy.

Transportation is crucial for economic growth in the country, and

also for rebalancing a very London centric economy. This amount of

money that will be spent on HS2 is about the same as the amount of

money we spent doing that period on the existing rail network. It is not

a case of either or. The government says it will speed up the

improvement work at a Community Hospital in Oxfordshire saved from

closure by campaigners. Health bosses have given the go`ahead for

an ?8.7 million refurbishment of talent hospital in Henley`on`Thames.

I recognise that the decision lies with the NHS property services, but

with the secretary of state join with me in using whatever influence

we have two put pressure on them to get a move on? I have spoken to the

honourable gentleman about this scheme, and it sounds excellent. We

want to encourage it, working within the correct processes. The minister

from the Department has agreed to meet with him to do everything we

can to speed it along. A Greenpeace activist who was held

in a Russian prison for two months says the experience hasn't deterred

him from taking part in further protests. Phil Ball, from Chipping

Norton, was among a group of 30 people facing seven years in jail

for attempting to board a Russian`owned oil platform in the

Arctic. All the charges have now been dropped. I asked him if he knew

he was running the risk of going to prison by taking part in the

process. There is always the risk of some

imprisonment, but usually with these kinds of things, you would expect,

and are best legal advice was that we would expect something like 48

hours before being thrown out of the country with very minor charges, or

just a slap on the wrist. We were carrying out a peaceful protest. But

some activists were trying to board that oil platform, weren't they,

which was a state owned oil company.... Yes, and it is

justifiable when you look at what the oil company is trying to do in a

pristine place like the Arctic. But people might say that if you are

boarding somebody else's property, you run the risk of being arrested.

But being arrested and being charged with piracy are very different

things. We understood there was a possibility of being arrested, but

15 years? Really? You were allowed home after an amnesty bill in Russia

was passed. Do you think that is the only reason the charge was dropped?

I think the Russian authorities found themselves in an embarrassing

situation. It did not just shines a light on their corrupt judicial

system, but the world got a look inside their presence through our

eyes. That was something that they really wanted to end quickly.

Especially with the Olympic Games coming up. That set the timetable

and meant that they wanted to finish it as soon as they could. You have

said you would do it again. Have your family, I guess, if you ever

consider doing it because you were away for so long without any

knowledge of when you would come home. I will carry on protesting

about Arctic oil and climate change. I cannot not do so it would not be

responsible for me to stop. But the issue of how it affects my family is

something I take seriously, so I certainly won't be going to Russia

again. Phil Ball, thank you. Helen Thompson from Long Wittenham

died suddenly in December from a blood clot. She'd just set up a

fundraising internet page to raise ?200 for typhoon victims in the

Philippines. Since she died, over ?15,000 has now been donated.

Charlotte Stacey went to meet her husband.

Memories of happier times. James and his wife Helen spent months in

Thailand in 2005, helping people rebuild their lives after the

tsunami. It was part of a lifelong passion Alan Howard for helping

others. Helen set up the web page before she passed away, trying to

raise ?200 for the international volunteers for the Philippines, and

basically, we posted a link on Facebook to her page after she

passed away, and it has just gone crazy since. It is now approaching

?16,000. The couple married last year after getting engaged at the

Reading Festival. Then, just days before Christmas, Helen died

unexpectedly from a blood clot on the brain. With donations to her

just giving page now pouring in, James is hoping to continue the work

that Helen started. I just need to spend my time doing things for her

and in her memory. People can be helped through this disaster that

has happened in my life. It is no consolation for me, but it is

brilliant for other people. It is not going to make the pain any less,

but it gives me a purpose to carry on doing things now. James plans to

go to the Philippines later this year to see that the money is being

spent as Helen would have wanted, and to keep inspiring people through

her memory. That's all from me for the moment.

I'll have the headlines at 8pm. Now more of today's stories with

to operate in British waters. The ferry will be built in France and

cost ?225 million. Still to come in this evening's

South Today: AFC Bournemouth have their eye on

the prize. Sally, we have got rain, we have got

cup football, we have Liverpool waiting for the winners. Bournemouth

against Burton Albion for a place in the fourth round of the FA Cup. Join

with the sport later. `` join me for.

There's an appeal for more people in the south to take on the role of a

"shared lives" carer. It's part of a scheme whereby vulnerable adults who

might have gone into residential care live with people who take on

some of the care roles needed. Southampton needs to double the

number of shared lives carers on its books. Katy Austin has this report.

You've heard of fostering and adoption for children, but where can

vulnerable adults go? Some go to live in households where families

help them to become more independent. This arrangement is

called "shared lives" care, and Paul, who has Down's Syndrome and

learning difficulties, lives with Kevin and Karen. It makes me really

great and happy. Have you learned things here? Yes, I have. Do you

think one day you will be able to live on your own? Yes, I could.

Research by the council found that shared lives is much more suitable

for many people than going into a residential home. It wants to expand

the scheme to 100 more vulnerable adults, but there is a shortage of

carers. 35 more are urgently needed in Southampton over the next two

years. That will nearly double the amount that fulfil the role in the

city, but is shared lives just NHS Cancer care done on the cheap? Not

at all, it is all about being person focused, all about making the most

of that person's skills and abilities, making it so that person

can move forward with its own lives. Anyone over 21 can apply to

the scheme and they do get financial help, but Kevin and Karen do not do

it for the money. It's very rewarding. It is a rewarding role to

play in the community. We get so much out of it seeing Paul smile.

When he achieves something that he hasn't achieved before, it's a great

sense that you've done good. Everyday tasks are now easier for

Paul. Cooking, putting clothes on, everything. You have learned to do

all those things which are Mark yes. The search continues to find more

people with a space and time to make a difference.

A Southampton school has closed temporarily after legionella

bacteria was found in its water system. Mason Moore Primary School,

in Millbrook, will be shut until Thursday while the water system is

disinfected. Legionella bacteria can cause Legionnaires Disease, as well

as other less`serious conditions. Southampton Council says the

bacteria does not represent an immediate hazard.

The traditional image of a military wife is holding back employers from

taking them on as staff. That's according to one organisation set up

to help army wives and husbands get into work. A Wiltshire based group

says it's supported hundreds of clients who've been turned away for

jobs, because potential bosses are concerned about their commitment and

flexibility. Efforts are now being made to highlight military partners

as a valuable resource. Poonam Bahal's been to meet one army wife

in Aldershot. Working in a pharmacy, doing a job

she loves, but for Michelle Taylor, getting here wasn't easy. Six months

ago, she admits she would have taken any job after facing a number of

rejections. She believes potential employers in the UK were put off by

two things `her address and her status as a military wife. Not many

jobs would even consider me, because I was part of the military and it is

kind of off`putting, when you're trying and willing to work, and I've

had good work experience, but that wasn't really good enough. Efforts

are being made to highlight the benefits of employing military

spouses, something Michelle's boss is fully aware of. We have had very

positive experience, all of the stuff we have had, the ones who have

relocated to other locations, we would take them back without any

hesitation. Partners welcoming home returning troops. It's homecoming

scenes like these that show the support role military spouses play.

But one army wife from Wiltshire says although this is vital, she

wants employers to recognise the group as a valuable pool of talent.

It is amazing, really. We have criminologists, lawyers, and really

skilled people who are finding it difficult to get a normal job and

just to get into that employment space, mainly because most

businesses see us as too transient to employ. We could be gone in two

years. But what we say to them is look at the person you are

employing, very adaptable, resource for the individual. From 20 16,000

of military spouses will leave bases in Germany to come back to the UK.

Many other more subtle in locations across the South, which means more

potential job seekers. We are talking to big national

organisations, so that when they do come back into those local

garrisons, we can say, we all have these people ready for you to work.

As Michelle dishes out the medicines, it seems getting this job

has certainly had a healing effect on her. We're hard`working. Our

husbands are known to work hard, so why are the wives not? It's nice.

Just give someone a try. You never know. I could be the best staff

you've ever had. Michelle Taylor ending that report

by Poonam Bahal. Salisbury Cathedral has been

provisionally awarded half a million pounds for a new exhibition to

showcase its copy of Magna Carta. The document was originally drafted

in 1215 and outlines many basic rights, including the principle that

no`one is above the law. The cathedral has the best surviving

example of the document, as Jo Kent reports.

Magna Carta, or "great charter", has been described as the greatest

constitutional document of all time, and has formed the basis of legal

systems around the world. It was signed in 1215 at Runnymede by King

John, and this here at Salisbury Cathedral is one of only four

surviving copies of that original 1215 document. And it is said to be

the best preserved. Now, to mark the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta,

the cathedral is planning a new exhibition. We can talk to Canon

Edward Probert, who is the acting dean here. You have been awarded

half a million pounds of Lottery funding for this, haven't you? Just

tell me about the new plans. We have. We will have a much bigger

display than we have at the moment and it will be much more

interactive, people will be able to engage with it much more readily. It

will involve a wider part of the cathedral here, the cloisters as

well as the chapterhouse, and it will go with a larger educational

programme, which will engage people of all ages. You already have an

exhibition here but this is about really bringing Magna Carta to a new

audience. Yes, it is whole new audiences, which are international

as well as British, and as I said before, all ages. It is a document

which has a lively presence in all sorts of cultures besides our own

and we want to help people understand that. Now, you have a bit

of work to do before you get this money, haven't you? We do, we have

to generate another ?200,000 of support, which we are confident of

doing. We already have a major partner in Wilsons solicitors, and

there will be others too, I have no doubt. And we need to demonstrate to

the Lottery people that we have what it takes to do what we say we are

going to do. Thank you very much. We will find out if they get that half

a million pounds in June and, all being well, the new exhibition will

be open for the 800th anniversary in February 2015.

Yesterday, we showed you a remarkable electric car built on the

Isle of Wight as part of a series by our transport correspondent Paul

Clifton, looking at forgotten car makers in the south. Paul's here

with me, and you've solved a little mystery.

And it is quite close to home. This has been fascinating, it has been so

absorbing. The last 15 years, I have had this picture on my wall at home

and it shows the first bus to come to my village, it went past my front

door. It was a really important occasion, it was the first person

that people from my village could get to Salisbury and back again on

market day, so it changed the nature of rue rove live, they turned it

into a postcard. `` Vural I knew that cars had been built in

Salisbury, but I didn't know the bus was as well.

Tucked away, out of sight in a garage behind Wilton House. A car

made just a couple of miles away at Churchfields in Salisbury. This

Scout was built just before the First World War. 200 were made.

Today, just two remain. It is incredibly basic. I mean, in this

driving compartment, there are pedals, steering wheel, clock, porn

and some whether the petrol to go in. That is it. Scout Motors was

founded by the Burden brothers. Before cars, they made clocks. By

1912, they were one of the city's biggest employers, with 150 men

making cars. I think a lot of people are quite surprised about the fact

that we had in Salisbury and industrial base in the nadir 19th

and early 20th century. This one has twice narrowly avoided the

scrapheap. It was originally down in Devon but by the 1940s, it ended up

on a scrapheap. In the 50s, it was bought by a man called Mister Bond,

who completely restored it. It then for a second time went out of use

and ended up almost bricked up in a garage. Last year, it was bought by

Salisbury Museum. The car has been lovingly restored, and the engine is

original. But at the moment it doesn't actually work. But we are

planning to restore it. There is a local chap who lovingly restored

cars like this and he's going to be working on it the next year, so

hopefully it will be back on the road. Scout made buses too. This one

was the first charabanc from Shrewton on Salisbury Plain to

market days in the city, carrying 20 passengers and changing previously

remote rural life. This forgotten car will now come out for shows and

festivals. The Scout company was wound up in 1921. Albert Burden went

back to making clocks. And another great story from Paul

tomorrow, when he is looking at a classic supercar which was built at

Southampton airport. On to sport and a glamour tie with

seven`time FA Cup winners Liverpool is waiting for the winners of

tonight's match between Bournemouth and Burton Albion. The tie should

have been played earlier this month but was postponed due to the

weather. Tony's live at the Goldsands Stadium tonight and a good

atmosphere is guaranteed, isn't it? This is lovely camaraderie between

both sets of fans. It certainly is, yes. We say there

is a football family, very much in evidence ahead of this FA Cup tie.

We have got rain this evening but it is not looking too bad, should be

all right, but ten days ago, just 90 minutes away from kick`off when the

referee deemed the pitch waterlogged. The Burton fans had

already come 150 miles down and had to go back, then they had to come

back again for the rearranged game. So enter David Whitehead, who came

up with the idea of raising the funds to bring them back on their

coaches. What a win it proved to be. I know, unbelievable response. In no

time at all, we smashed our target, which was originally 800. By the end

of the day, we were up to nearly ?3000, enough to pay for America for

coaches, fantastic. We've taken back `` where you taken aback by the

support? We can see pictures of the Burton fans getting on the coaches.

Football really rallied round. Absolutely, it wasn't just

Bournemouth supporters. We had people coming from all sorts of

clothes, full, Liverpool, Scunthorpe, Guy from Sweden,

Denmark, all over the world, it was heart`warming, the whole response.

Let's speak to the Burton Albion chairman Ben Robinson, a great

gesture of your supporters? It is amazing, isn't it, what kindness. It

has to be a first in football. I know in football, supporters take

some stick from certain factions but this is an absolutely amazing

gesture and a bit of history has been created, it all started before

the Liverpool game was drawn and what is at stake there, and I have

very fond memories of 2010, when Bournemouth got promotion, and what

a very special day. And we were delighted to share their

celebrations, the excitement and in the boardroom, the champagne was

flowing. Supporters mingled on the pitch, the groundsman looked the

other way and they gathered in front of the main stand for a great

celebration. A lot of stake tonight. Chris Temple, any early headlines?

Eddie Howe said he would not make any changes on the basis that he

will play Liverpool, but has made five changes, but they were regulars

at the start of the season. Elsewhere tonight, Oxford will hope

to play their tie with Charlton at the third time of asking. The pitch

at the Valley has been unplayable for the past ten days but passed a

pitch inspection. MK Dons' home tie with Wigan is a

replay after they held the holders to a 3`3 draw in the north`west.

And in League One, Swindon are at Stevenage. Full commentary of all

those games is on BBC Local radio. The Burton Albion fans have actually

made a banner, which they are going to parade here before the game, and

it is going to have the crest of both clubs at each end and in the

middle, it will say" Thank you, Cherries fans" . Football is the

winner, we always say, but the winner tonight gets Liverpool, so so

much at stake and fingers crossed, from Bournemouth perspective that

is, that they will be hosting the Anfield club in the fourth round.

Tony, thank you, that is a wonderful story.

We will be watching that must the sofa, next week, won't we?

I think he will shave it off. A glorious day today.

Absolutely, frosty start, but we do have Dawn over the Needles from

Friars Cliff Beach in Mudeford by Julie Anne.

Alberto Ferrone from Swanmore in Hampshire took this close up of a

robin in the sunshine today. And Trevor Darling photographed Hole

Punch Clouds over Emsworth Harbour. They are a rare form of cloud and

their formation is very complex. Rain in the

their formation is very complex. Rain in forecast overnight tonight,

it could be heavy at times, it will become light and patchy as we had

through the course of the night and then maybe some hilltop missed and

some fog to be had as well. So that rain band will gradually ease its

way eastwards, and following it, some dry up periods that Wiltshire

later on, so we were out the frost. Lows of three to six Celsius. That

rain band will stay with us on and off but despite the rain, we will

have warm air move up from Spain and France, so a fairly mild day

tomorrow, temperatures 3`4d above what they should be at this time of

year. Certainly a damp day tomorrow, with that rain band easing its way

eastwards through the course of the day. The rain could become quite

heavy during the afternoon period, even with a bit of Thunder mixed in

and some hail, sunlight and patchy rain initially but turning heavier

jeering the afternoon and the wind is brisk from the south of the

south`west. We are expecting highs tomorrow of 10`11dC. Normally at

this time of year, we have a high of around seven Celsius. Overnight, the

rain showers will continue, merging into longer spells of rain, possibly

Thunder and hail mixed in, with temperatures falling to around 659

Celsius, so another mild night to come, no frost on Thursday morning.

Thursday, we are looking at a Sherry regime, which sets the theme for the

rest of the week. No pressure is in charge of the weather, the winds

circulating anticlockwise, so we see the weather coming in from the

south`west. Showers coming in through the course of the day,

perhaps hail and Thunder and the winds are brisk, you consider

squeeze on the isobars. That is the theme on Friday and Saturday.

Tomorrow, a band of rain pushing through, heavier in the afternoon,

light and patchy in the morning. Showers right through until Saturday

and the wind will stay brisk, so a breezy week, all in all, with

showers on and off. Rain at times tomorrow and as we head towards the

weekend, it turns slightly cooler. Thank you. Every time I see the

rain, I can't help but thinking of all of those poor people who have

been flooded and the sodden ground just getting worse.

It is just going to hold the drying out process. It is.

That is it from us, more at 8pm and 10:25pm. We are back tomorrow at

half past six as well, thank you for watching, enjoy yourselves.

Good night.