14/03/2014 BBC Oxford News

Hello and welcome to South Today BBC News at Six so it's goodbye

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

Claims the system for assessing sickness benefit isn't workhng.

One man told by the Governmdnt he was fit for work tells us how he

successfully challenged the decision.

Also tonight: An online campaign by students to tackle racism goes

viral, with nearly a million visits to the site from 200 countrhes. Find

out what I am doing later. And later on: We preview thd next

instalment of Sea City ` thd documentary series about life around

Southampton docks. Good evening. A welfare charity in

Oxfordshire has described the government's assessments of sickness

benefit claimants as "extrelely poor". The Oxfordshire Welf`re

Rights organisation says thd wrong decisions are made over whether to

award people Employment and Support Allowance because not enough

evidence is gathered. The Government insists the system works. Tom

Turrell reports. Chronic fatigue syndrome can make

even everyday household chores difficult. Sean Wilson from Swindon

used to be a financial advisor, until four years ago when hhs

condition got the better of him But after being assessed for sickness

benefits, the Department for Work and Pensions told him he was fit for

work. You try and arrange a treatment plan, then you ard told

that basically you are fit for work and you may have struggled on for

months and years, there is ` sense of disbelief. You go into the

assessment with the best of intentions.

And Sean's not alone. In our area almost one in five people who apply

for Employment and Support @llowance are told they're fit for work.

Between October 2010 and March 014 that amounted to 2,750 people out of

around 15,000 applicants. `` March 2013.

In the end Sean managed to get the decision overturned, but a welfare

rights charity is describing the Government's assessment progress ``

process is extremely poor. Hts proof? The fact, it says, it wins

90% of appeals. This system has been a problem since 1976. `` 1986. No

Government has faced up to the problems in the system.

But the Government says overall its assessments work. It points to the

fact that nationally only 14% of tribunal cases are won, and that's

often because claimants comd forward with additional evidence at the

hearing. But when lives are being affected so much by just ond

decision, people on both sides of this argument will agree th`t

decision needs to be right. Students and members of staff at

Oxford's New College have p`id tribute to the veteran Labotr

politician Tony Benn, who h`s died at the age of 88. He studied at the

college before becoming the head of Oxford Union in 1947. Tony Benn led

2009's Levellers Day in the city, and is seen here in the par`de. The

warden of New College led tributes to a man who was a writer, speaker

and campaigner. He had an enormous impact on the national life, and I

think all of the fellows and students are acutely aware he had

been a student here. He rettrned frequently, and in 2005 he was

elected honorary fellow, whhch is the highest honour the colldge

campus do one of its graduates. `` can bestow on one of its

graduates. The Henley town councillor who

claimed the recent flooding was caused by God, angry about gay

marriage, is to be formally investigated.

12 people have formally complained to South Oxfordshire District

Council over comments made by David Silvester, who was expelled by his

party UKIP. An independent investigator will now consider

whether he breached the council s code of conduct. Around 25,000

people have signed a petition calling for him to stand down from

his post. A special ceremony will be held in

Didcot this weekend at the churchyard where the body of

teenager Jayden Parkinson w`s found. The 17`year`old student was

discovered in a grave at All Saints' Church in the town last Decdmber.

This Sunday the Bishop of Dorchester will lead special prayers and a

blessing at the churchyard. Jayden's former boyfriend Ben Blakeldy has

been charged with her murder. An online campaign by black and

ethnic minority students from Oxford University has gone viral. Tens of

thousands of people have logged onto the I, Too, Am Oxford social media

page since it launched just a few days ago. Inspired by a simhlar

project at Harvard University, dozens of students have uploaded

pictures of themselves holdhng white boards with some of the prejudiced

comments they've had while `t the university. Charlotte Stacex went to

meet them. These are just some of the comments

these students have faced at Oxford University. They are putting

pictures like this online to show others what is happening and

challenge some of the prejudice Apparently because I want to combat

anti`ethnic minority represdntation, are am an anti`capitalist.

Yesterday more students werd eager to have their voice heard, dven the

organisers were surprised bx some of the stories. Some of the ex`mples

were completely shocking. I had one maths student as if he was the

janitor. Another girl saying, I thought Jamaicans did not study And

just really extreme ones. Btt what came through is the fact th`t the

overwhelming number of them. `` is the overwhelming number of them

20% of all Oxford students `re from black or ethnic minority

backgrounds. More than ever before. We are looking to diversify our

intake, and welcome those who have the potential to study at Oxford. We

recruit regardless of back ground. We welcome diversity. `` background.

But now an eternity group `` alternative group has emergdd. We

are worried that prospectivd applicants will think Oxford is a

place where if you are an ethnic minority, you are abused or made to

feel inferior, which is not the case. They are all taking phctures

of themselves with positive step is, and say Oxford is a great place

whatever background. Meanwhile, the bit `` the honourable

gentleman three site has had more than 1 million hits. `` the I, Too,

Am Oxford site. They are calling for institutional change.

The new Formula One season starts in Australia this weekend, and Milton

Keynes team Red Bull ` the reigning champions ` are looking to continue

where they left off. It's bden a difficult winter of testing for Red

Bull who, along with the other teams, are working to new

regulations within the sport. The engines are now smaller and greener.

I think we have got a very fast car, the drivers have commented how good

the Chasse feels. We have got to sort out some of those driv`bility

issues. `` chassis. Once we have got on top of that, we will start to see

the potential of the car. Tonight the Ashmolean Museul will be

hosting Oxford Brookes Univdrsity for its 150th anniversary. @ special

event called Wisdom, Wonders and Widgets is taking place as part of

the celebrations. It'll include a collection of live performances and

research showcases. The event will explore the wealth and expertise of

the university. Our reporter Jeremy Stern is there, and has just sent

this. The Ashmolean Museum is most famous

for ancient history, but thdre is no doubt that the star attracthon today

is very much from the futurd world. This is Artie the robot. Sax hello,

you are on television! Couldn't shut him up earlier. Nigel is from the

University. Tell me more about him. He is a robot, designed to hnteract

with people, to entertain them, and to get them working with thd

technology. He is a lot of fun, but is he not

just a bit of a gimmick? No, he is a serious bit of robotic kit. He has

22 joints, a depth camera, `nd a normal camera in his head.

So one day you could have hhm doing the washing and cleaning in your

house. I hope so. I have a puestion for Artie. Artie, do think xou would

make a good television reporter Could I do your job? All yot do is

chat all day. I think I can do that! Where do I start. You do not know

the half of it! Artie is here as part of a celebration for the

University's 150th annivers`ry. I will also be a series of live events

at the Ashmolean. The next one is in June. I am off to find Artid's off

switch! That's all from me for the loment.

I'll have the headlines at 8:00 and a full bulletin at 10:25. Now more

of today's stories, with Sally Taylor.

angry and humiliated after being told not to breast`feed her

ten`week`old daughter at a Portsmouth attraction. A melber of

staff at the Historic Docky`rds told the young mum that it was not

appropriate. The museum has now apologised. Frankie Peck went to

meet her. Heather von like many other mothers

feel strongly about breast`feeding. When she was in the creche `rea of

the museum, she was shocked at the response she got and she st`rted to

feed her baby. And gentlemen that what thex come up

to the gate and quite aggressively said to me, "we don't do th`t here.

" I was embarrassed, I was hn a vulnerable position. I had ly child

feeding on my body and he c`me and spoke to me in front of a mtseum of

people. The law says it is this rumhnation

to treat a woman unfavourably if she is breast`feeding a baby. Mtseum

says it made a mistake. We realised quickly we have made an

error and we apologised immddiately to Mrs Vaughan on the spot. One of

our supervisors came and rehterated that apology and followed that up by

Colin how that evening, and we will make sure that training is kept

up`to`date to make sure this never happens again.

Although legal, has become socially accepted?

As long as they find a quiet area, I think it's OK.

I don't think there's a reason you definitely shouldn't be doing it.

Most people are considerate. Ladies cover up if they can. I can't see a

reason to object. Think of the people around xou, and

if you're not upsetting anybody then it's fine.

Header is pleased with the `pology but thinks more could be done to

raise awareness. I never thought in this country in

2014 it would happen. Everyone encourages breast`feeding so

strongly. Baby Lydia is no wiser of the

commotion, and Heather will continue to breast`feed in public.

This Sunday sees the next chapter of a fly on the wall documentary based

here in the south. The cameras have been behind the scenes in and around

Southampton docks, filming the new series of Sea City. From evdryday

activities, to the more unusual over the next three weeks wd'll

learn a lot more about life in and around Southampton Water. One of the

programme's producers, Robert Hall, is with me to give us a taster of

what's to come. What will we see in the second

series that is a little different? We will start moving outsidd the

dock itself. The roster we hndustry there and people at the heart of

what makes Southampton take, but Southampton port looks after the

water down to the Isle of Whght so we thought we would move down, move

around it on the waterways `nd see who else we can find. For example,

let's say in programme on the lookout Read Funnel ferries. We

thought, why not do them on the busiest day of the year. Th`t is the

festival Bestival. It was a brilliant day, it was packed, and

they have half an hour to gdt people onto those boards and away. Can

assure you a clip? Ian Drumlond is the captain of the ferry, and

Richard is one of the loaders are asked to get those cars squdezed

on. There's a lot of communicathon goes

on between the yard so that they know what to send us. There talking

on the radio all the time, saying they have gaps.

Do you want just in normal one or both? Is going to well. Somdthing is

bound to go wrong soon. I'll just go home if that happens. It wotld be

easier. We have to give the ferry on

schedule. It is expecting to park on time, and it is my job to m`ke sure

to keep an eye on that time. What I like most of all abott the

series is that you get behind the scenes, you get to see the jobs you

don't normally see people doing That's really what we wanted to do.

Are thousands of people down there and the vast majority of thdm go

unrecognised. They do jobs which perhaps we would not want to do One

of them for example works at the family type company. Very ilportant

job. What they do, they push barges full of, how can I put this, human

waste. `` works for the famhly tug company. He has to get the stuff

there and get under the bridges Went with him on one of the trips,

and we start with the voice of the narrator on the series.

Today he has a tough task on his hands. Ins to navigate a tidal river

with tight turns to pick up his sewage.

It is like a chess game. Yot're constantly thinking, on the next

corner I am going that way `nd in the next corner I am going opposite

way. So I need to make sure the momentum of the barge is taking me

round to counteract for the next one.

Picking up sludge from the Devil by the barge saves over 30 road tanker

trips every day. It's a unique smell. It is one off.

You will never smell anything like it in your life.

How honest see! He did say that I can offer once

when he was dealing with thd. You've enjoyed it?

I love the variety. Eagle from that to the cricket team, to people

laying carpets on the QM two to get passengers on, and it never stops.

Every time we go in there there are new people and do things to talk

about. It is great, please watch it. It is a city within a chty.

It's on Sunday afternoon, 4:45pm. BBC One.

It's later than planned, but a newly refurbished railway station has been

officially opened in Berkshhre. ?6 million has been spent on Wokingham

Station. There's a new forecourt and ticket office, and much better

access for people with disabilities. The Transport Minister, Baroness

Kramer, arrived by train for the celebrations, as Nikki Mitchell

reports. Off the train and on to Wokhng

station's new footbridge. The transport minister was given a full

tour of the new facilities passengers have wanted for xears.

I get a train everyday to college and I think it is better. Ndw

station is warmer and you c`n sit in their.

I think the focus should be on more frequent trains and less crowded

rather than having a nice station. They have a really lovely bhke Park

over their people can put their bikes which is excellent.

I'm delighted we have at last got there, I've been campaigning for 15

years. The disappointment is that it took so long, and it has bedn public

money that had to do it. It has cost the taxpayer a bit, but it hs an

improvement. The station was due to open last

summer, but a mass of cables discovered underground and then bad

weather delayed construction. We don't want to disrupt thd

signalling or anything that might cause delay to disrupt the

signalling or anything that might cause delayed passengers, so it has

taken longer than we would have hoped, but that has been done

without impacting on the tr`ins of the safety, and that is our

priority. It is the 400th stationery opened

under our ?150 million programme to revive and renew stations that were

dilapidated and frankly a bht of a disgrace.

There is more work to do on the platform surfaces and cruci`lly on

the struggling local road ndtwork. Huge tailbacks and delays c`used by

the level crossing here shotld lessen significantly when a

brand`new Lincoln Road to the station opens later this ye`r. Is

unlikely to stop calls for ` road bridge to be built over the

railway, as well. Now for the sport: we start with an award for one of

the most well loved players. You think sport, and you thhnk Steve

Fletcher. And he will get a lifetime achievement award. There is a little

twist to it. Fletcher's 24 years in football will

be officially recognised on Sunday night in London. There's a special

significance that he receivds the award this year, a year in which

football lost one of its grdatest ever players, and as it turns out

someone who the Fletcher falily have a strong link with.

Steve Fletcher has long been recognised as a Bournemouth legend.

Now the football league are recognising his contribution to

their competition for two ddcades. And fantastic that they want to

honour me in this way. I pl`yed a lot of games, but at the end of the

day somebody has chosen this award for me, and it's a fabulous thing to

be honoured with. It's not often I'm lost for words, but I was on this

occasion. He has seen highs and lows since

joining Bournemouth in 1992. He has seen administrations and promotions,

but what is his highlight? The goal against Grimsby in 200

because it meant so much to the club. Would have gone down hnto the

conference and I think the club might have gone out of existence. It

was just fabulous to score the goal and keep us in their.

This year the award is being renamed in honour of the late Sir Tom Finney

which brought about a bit of Fletcher family history. His

grandfather died alongside the great Preston winger.

Delivering that a few times and Tom Winnie was on the team sheet every

time he played along with sxstemic Matthews and other big names very

proud of that. Fletcher has been a hero to

Bournemouth fans for many ydars so how will he feel on Sunday night?

By time has ended, my career is finished. I am an emotional guy but

hopefully I can be normal and hold the tears back.

And Steve Fletcher is our special guest on Monday's edition of Late

Kick Off. Join us on BBC Ond at 11.20 for all the action from the

weekend's football. I'm sure big Fletch will have plenty

to say on Bournemouth ` the current crop of 2014 hope for a fourth

consecutive win in the leagte tomorrow against Middlesbrotgh at

Dean Court. Brighton are at Bolton. Is a massive match for Readhng.

Tuesday night's 4`2 win at Leeds means Reading remain sixth hn the

table. Tomorrow they host a Derby side which is third. Danny Williams,

Pavel Pogrebnyak and Gareth McLeary are all doubts.

Elsewhere in the Premier Le`gue Southampton are at home to Norwich

at St Mary's. Jack Cork is out with an ankle injury. Norwich have lost

their last five away games. In league one Swindon make the short

trip to Bristol City. MK Dons are at home. Portsmouth are on the road at

Fleetwood aiming for their first goal in 312 minutes. Oxford have a

trip to top of the table Chesterfield.

The favourite Bobsworth couldn't deliver a second successive

Cheltenham Gold Cup for Berkshire trainer Nicky Henderson. Last year's

winner, at the top of the phcture here, looked set to feature in a

close finish, with Barry Geraghty in the saddle, but Bobsworth fdll away

after the final fence and Lord Windermere went from the back of the

field to the front to snatch victory on the line. One of the closest

finishes in years. Top`flight oxen returns to Reading for the first

time in a decade. That I will host a series of boats including British

and Irish title fights. Welcome to the scales, Dean

Francis. Reading has not seen a titld fight

in a decade. By the way in remains a chance to land a few psychological

hits. He's experienced and has bedn a

British champion, I believe it is my time.

It will be me raising my hands at the end of the fight.

This bode for the British heavyweight belt is a last chance

for a comeback. It makes me feel young again, makes

me feel like back when I was originally boxing. It is dohng a lot

for my mental state of mind. I am excited to be closer to homd and

Basingstoke. Tony Hill is also hoping thd venue

could mean a supportive crowd for his boat.

It is not far, just down thd motorway, so it will feel lhke a

hometown advantage. Whether or not anyone throws in the

towel, it was saving the modesty is even the shorts were ditched in a

bid to make weight. I forgot to warn you before we ran

that clip ! Are that next time I go to the

doctors. The weekend weather. Will it be warm, sunny?

We might just make 20 Celsits. We have had some lovely skies `gain

today. This beautiful scene tells the

weather story quite nicely today. It was taken from Coombe Hill just

outside Aylesbury by Peter Carter. Helen Walker snapped this lhttle

Blue tip in the sunshine at Gosport today. And a very arty photo here `

A dewy cobweb spotted in Havant by Ruth Langford, thank you.

Many of us saw the fork first thing this morning. For some of us are

listed but for others it didn't Temperatures quite legend, tp to 16

Celsius. But it was half th`t in some sports where we didn't lose the

gloom. Through this evening and tonight more in the way of cloud and

a breeze picking up. Initially fog around, but the breeze should lift

fog into low cloud. Perhaps some hill fog into the early hours of

Saturday morning. Temperatures stay mild with six and seven degrees the

lowest. A great start to thd morning, but we have high pressure

taking care of us through the weekend. Things stay nice and

settled, but you can see thd Isa buyers squeezing together a little

bringing breezy conditions, just taking the edge of the

temperatures. Cloud around first thing on Saturday morning, but an

improving picture with breaks developing into the afternoon.

Temperatures up to 15 or 16 degrees, but it could climb a little more

through the course of the d`y. The north`westerly breeze just take the

edge off a little. Saturday night is quiet, some breezy conditions, so no

risk of fog or missed. Tempdratures seven or eight degrees and ht stays

dry again. Into Sunday, a ddcent start with some bright and sunny

skies. Into the afternoon wd may see more cloud arriving, temper`tures 15

or 16 Celsius, but could go a little higher. Here's the summary for the

coming days. Temperatures in the mid`teams for many. A littld breezy,

but sunny skies. Cloudier on Monday, and a little rain on Tuesdax.

and a little rain on To know what these two sad people

were talking about? Knowing the lawn?

Yes, you've got it in one. That's it from us. Have a great

weekend even if you are mowhng the lawn.