14/03/2014 BBC Oxford News

Good evening. People who ardn't well That's all from us.

Good evening. People who ardn't well enough to work are being rejected

for sickness benefit becausd of flaws in the Government's assessment

procedures, according to a welfare charity in Oxfordshire. It says not

enough evidence is being collected. In our area, almost one in five

people who apply for Employlent and Support Allowance are told they

can't have it. Tom Turrell takes up the story.

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, and then yot are basically told you are fit for work.

You may have struggled on for months or years and so there is a sense of

disbelief, because you go into the assessment with the best of

intentions. In the end Sean managed to get the decision overturned. But

a welfare rights charity is describing the Government w`s Mike

assessment process is extrelely poor. This system has been dxtremely

poor since 1996. Although the name of the test has changed, thd process

hasn't, and no Government h`s faced up to the problems with the process

itself which is going wrong in so many cases.

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 shdes of the fence will agree that ddcision

needs to be right. Oxford's New College has pahd

tribute to the veteran Labotr politician Tony Benn, who studied

there in the 1940s. The former Labour Cabinet mhnister

became head of the Oxford Union debating society in 1947. Hd took

part in Levellers Day in thd city in 2009 ` and is seen here in the

parade. He had an enormous hmpact on national life, and I think `ll of

the fellows and students ard acutely aware that he had been a sttdent

here. `` were acutely aware. In 2005 he was elected honorary fellow.

The Henley town councillor who claimed the recent flooding was

God's response to gay marri`ge is to be formally investigated. 12 people

have made official complaints 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.

An online campaign by black and ethnic minority students from Oxford

University has been viewed by around a million people in 200 countries.

The campaign is called I, Too, Am Oxford, and is designed to highlight

racism. Students have uploaded pictures of themselves with

prejudiced comments they've received while at the university. Ch`rlotte

Stacey has the story. These are just some of the comments

the students have faced at Oxford University. They are putting

pictures like this online to show others what is happening, and try to

challenge the prejudice. Apparently because I want to combat ethnic

minority representation I al anti`white, anti`capitalist. That is

simply not true. Yesterday more students werd eager

to have their voice heard. Some of the examples were completelx

shocking, one maths student being asked if he was the janitor. Another

girl saying, why are you at Oxford, I thought Jamaicans didn't study X

Mac `` I thought Jamaicans didn t study. We are looking to diversify

our intake, and welcome those who have the potential to study at

Oxford, and we recruit regardless of background. We welcome diversity.

But now an alternative group has emerged. They say the I, Too, Am

Oxford project is not representative. We are worrhed that

prospective applicants think Oxford is a place where if you are an

ethnic minority you are abused or made to be `` made to feel hnferior.

Which just is not the case. They are all state `` all t`king

pictures of themselves with positive statements, and say Oxford hs a

great place, whatever your background. Meanwhile the I, Too, Am

Oxford site has had nearly 0 million hits, and more students are coming

forward to take part. They say they want a discussion on race to be

taken seriously, and are calling for institutional change.

A robot that's been programled to work out your age, gender and mood

has been showing his true colours this evening. He's called Artie and

has been created at Oxford Brookes University. He's been on display at

the Ashmolean Museum ` wherd the University has been marking 150

years since it was founded. Jeremy Stern reports.

Hello. My name is Artie. The Ashmolean Museum showed a step

into the future today. Artid the robot has been programmed bx

engineers. He was designed for fun originally, but we are using him to

research into ways in which we can make it comfortable for people to

interact with robots. Artie's on display as part of the

celebrations for the university s 150th anniversary. Tonight

singer`songwriter Sian Magill, a Brookes student, performed `t the

museum in a concert. Living in Oxford you have all the old

buildings, but it is really modern, so you have the best of both worlds.

But it was Artie who was thd star of the show. I have been competing with

Artie all week. We have had so many schoolchildren saying, he is going

to be there isn't he? Everybody loves Artie.

Artie's heading back to Brookes technology department. The people

who programmed him say one day every household could have a robot like

Artie to help do the chores. That's it from us for now. Now, with

the weather, here's Alexis Green. `` Sarah Farmer.

`` Sarah The tales of this morning's fog

seemed to be a thing of the past. Tonight, the breeze picking up. That

should leave `` lift any mist and fog. Temperatures six or seven

degrees. A grey start to thd day for Saturday, but on improving picture

with bright and sunny intervals into the afternoon. North`westerly breeze

just taking the edge of those temperatures, but still ple`sant.

Highs of 14 or 15 degrees, laybe a touch higher. Sunday we are staying

settled with good sunshine on offer. Clouding over later. Now it is time

for the national weather picture.