09/04/2014 BBC Oxford News

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

More compensation for homeowners affected by HS2. But some s`y it's

still not enough for the impact the line will have on their livds.

Also tonight: trying to preserve more pubs for communities: Calls for

tighter controls on supermarkets taking over the sites.

Training to row across the Pacific ` despite having Parkinson's disease.

How researchers want to see how Alex's body copes ` compared to his

rowing partner Darren who doesn t have the condition.

And later on: She nearly lost her sight in a dog attack but the family

of this girl ask WHY it's still roaming the neighbourhood The

government has announced improved compensation for homeowners affected

by the planned HS2 rail route. The government has announced

improved compensation for homeowners affected by the planned HS2 rail

route. Homes closest to the proposed line will be bought by the

government for their full m`rket value plus 10% and a rent`b`ck

option is being offered to those who don't want to move. But somd

residents say the compensathon is still too little. Our Transport

Correspondent, Peter Plisner told me who will benefit.

The biggest winners will be those living closest to the line hn the

so`called safeguarding zone. The government will effectively by their

properties for the un`blighted market value and pay an extra 1 % up

to a value of ?47,000 and they will also pay moving costs and stamp duty

on houses that people go on to buy. The transport minister said more

people will be compensated `s a result. It is important we try to

preserve communities. We do not want to see whole villages being blighted

by a mass exodus and it could change the whole character. We are keen to

help people staying as well as offer compensation to people who need to

sell their properties. What about those who live further away but

their properties are still blighted? Previously, there was discrdtionary

blight compensation but now we are told there is a voluntary scheme

where the government may bux a property up to 120 metres from the

centreline of the road. Thex will make cash payments to those who do

not want to move dash up to ?100,000. And is a need to sell

scheme and homeowner payments for people up to 300 metres awax from

the centre line of HS2. Compensation of up to ?22,500 available. Despite

that, some residents say thdy are still not happy. We will not get

anything. Even if they give us the money, we still have not sold the

house. We may have to drop `nother god knows how much. Does thhs mean

the cost of HS2 will go up dven further? I asked that two mhnisters

this morning. We are told it will eat into the contingency budget

which is already built into the global costs we saw publishdd in the

past. But construction costs rise over time. Ultimately, it could well

push HS2 even higher. Thank you.

A man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a woman

was stabbed in Aylesbury. The woman was flown to hospital with serious

chest injuries after being `ssaulted in Friarscroft Way on Fridax. A

32`year`old man is being qudstioned by police.

Thames Water says it's removed what it calls a "fatberg" from a sewer in

the centre of Oxford. The congealed fat has been blasted away whth a

high pressure water jet. Thd pipe has to be replaced, but the road

will re`open ahead of schedtle at the weekend. Thames Water is asking

people not to pour fat down the sink or flush away items such as wet

wipes to avoid a similar situation ` with the accompanying traffhc

disruption. Police have arrdsted a man from Swindon following ` spate

of graffiti attacks. Swastikas have been painted at around 20 locations

including buildings, street signs and cars. A similar spate of

graffiti happened in the sale area in January. The 28`year old is being

held in custody on suspicion of criminal damage.

Part of the Didcot power st`tion site has been sold off with homes

and new businesses planned for the area. A deal's been agreed between

Npower and Clowes Developments UK. The land that will be redevdloped is

about the size of 65 football pitches. It's not yet known what

will be built there. A planning application is expected this autumn.

Tighter controls have been called for to stop more pubs in Oxford

being converted into mini supermarkets or betting shops.

Oxford City Council is one of the first to urge the government to

change the law to make it h`rder for pubs to be sold off to big name

chains. It wants local commtnities to have a better chance of taking

over their pubs. Jeremy Stern reports.

Pints have been served at the Bull Inn in Great Milton for centuries,

but last year it nearly closed down. There was talk of the pub bding sold

and converted into houses btt local people got together and bought it

themselves, calling it a victory for the village. It was massively

important as evidenced by the financial support we got and

customers coming back. Other people have a vested interest in it. It is

a much more popular venue than it was. Other pubs have disappdared.

What was the Fox and Hound, is one of six pubs in Oxford bought by

Tescos. We would rather it had stayed as a pub. In practic`l

terms, I confess we are finding it useful. If they are taking custom

away from independent or local businesses it is not a good idea.

Tesco's seems to be taking over the world. Supermarkets are useful to

people who haven't got cars so I think it is a good idea.

Oxford city council wants to stop this trend, and is calling on the

government to give it greatdr control over changes to the uses of

pubs. We are keen to maintahn the local pub in the local area. We are

especially keen to save those which I Heritage assets. The council

accepts some derelict pubs lay not have futures, but before owners can

change the use of the pub w`nts the public to be consulted.

Oxford Stadium has been listed as a conservation area. The greyhound

track there closed in December 012. Since then, plans to build 200 homes

on the site have been rejected, but the developers are challenghng that

decision. Campaigners hoping to keep the stadium say the conserv`tion

order will mean it's harder for housing to be built there. Ht is

Heritage in Oxfordshire. It was a stadium that kept going durhng the

war years and kept people whth their minds off the wall. It has ` lot of

Heritage and cultural aspects to it. Scientists in Oxford are monitoring

the movements of a man with Parkinson's disease who's preparing

to row across the Pacific. @lex Flynn from Goring is training with

his friend Darren Taylor who'll also be in the boat, rowing more than

2,000 miles. The researchers from Oxford Broookes University want to

compare the way the men's bodies cope with the ordeal. In thd last of

our reports about Parksinson's this week, Adina Campbell has bedn to

watch Alex and Darren in tr`ining. With dozens of marathons under his

belt, Alex has been training since last summer for his next grtelling

challenge, rowing from California to Hawaii, which could take up to 0

days. There is one big difference between

them. Alex was diagnosed with Parkinson's and six years ago.

Despite being on medication and coping with side effects, hd has

pushed his body to the limits. Quite honestly, diagnosis doesn't

necessarily limit you. You can always push the envelope. If your

challenge is getting across the room, ten feet, that is your

Everest. With dozens of mar`thons under his belt, he has been training

for his next gruelling challenge. Rowing from California to H`waii...

But he's not doing it alone. Alex managed to persuade Oxfordshire

firefighter Darren Taylor to be his rowing partner which meant Darren

quitting his job. I see this as a way of helping tens of thousands of

people around the world. I love my job but choices had to be m`de. I

had to give up my career to do it. Alex and Darren are also taking part

in a new physical challenge, a research project by Oxford Brookes

University. The headcap and arm studs here are being used to monitor

Alex's brain activity. This will help to understand how people with

Parkinson's cope physically and emotionally under intense exercise.

This study will provide a unique opportunity to observe two people,

one with and one without Parkinson's, and see the impact of

that amount of exercise on their health. They still need raise

?15,000 before they set off for their rowing challenge. Thex're

hoping months of hard work won't go to waste.

If you're wondering why our studio looks different, we're in a

temporary one while a new one is fitted. You'll be able to sde it

after Easter. I'll be back `t 1 .25. Benguit's family and they s`y they

will fight on but it is mord difficult for Jong Ok`Shin's family,

because at the heart of this is their daughter who was murddred

Still to come, something to chew over. Dorset Cereals says a number

of buyers are interested in the business.

A young girl from Hampshire has suffered serious facial injtries

after being bitten by a neighbour's dog. The 10`year`old was pl`ying in

her front garden in the New Forest when she was set upon. Now her

father has asked why the German Shepherd crossbreed, which he calls

a dangerous dog, is still on the streets. With more, here's Frankie

Peck. Lucy underwent a 90 minute operation

that required 11 stitches after she was bitten by the neighbour's dog.

My daughter and stepdaughter came out to play and they asked hf they

could stroke the dog and thd owner said it was fine. As she was

stroking the dog, suddenly the dog attacked her, biting her. It

happened in a split second. The ramifications are that she will have

permanent scarring. Lucy sustained four punchier wounds, with one below

her arrive. Her father says the police response has been too slow. I

wish it had been taken more seriously. You don't ever w`nt your

child bitten but you naturally think that if she is bit under police will

react immediately. Hampshird police have said the investigations are

ongoing. We approached the owner of the dog but did not get a rdsponse.

I think the best thing to do for the protection of the public is if the

animal is put to sleep. For Lucy, the experience has made her more

wary of strange dogs but `` strange dogs. But it has not stopped her

getting a get well card all from her own dog, Max. `` get well c`rd ``

cuddle. The president of the Nation`l

Farmers' Union has been in Dorset today. He says his members feel let

down and angry after plans to extend the cull of badgers to the county

were stopped. Last week inddpendent assessment of the two pilot culls

found they had not killed a number of badgers they planned to. And

questions were raised about how humane their methods were. Opponents

say other measures to combat TB such as vaccinating badgers need to be

pursued instead. Briony Leyland reports.

Father and son Paul and Andrew are bracing themselves for a totgh week

ahead. In a few days a quarter of the herd will have to be sl`ughtered

because of TB, including all 31 of these pregnant cows. Paul bdlieves

badgers are to blame. It will be the worst day of all, trying to load

them all on. Tragic. Last stmmer the government started pilot culls of

badges in Gloucestershire and Somerset. Farmers in Dorset

understood their county would be next at the roll`out has bedn put on

hold. An assessment showed too few badgers were killed and a tdst for

humane treatment was failed because it took some too long to did but the

president of the National F`rmers' Union says he believes the lethods

are necessary. We can't just do nothing and the politicians have to

do something strong and roll out the policy. The government says it is

learning from the pilot culls and needs to assess the changes it is

making before it is rolled out to any other areas. At the momdnt it is

working on a TB vaccine for cattle but admits it could be ten xears

before that is ready for usd. There is a vaccination for badgers but the

government says it is only tseful to create buffer zones in low risk

areas and will no have `` h`ve no use on badgers already affected

Other things `` others think it should be used much more widely

Vaccination is much cheaper and more effective and it will build herd

immunity. Paul says he thinks vaccination in his area is `

nonstarter. His remaining hdrd will now be tested every two months the

TB. The Over 100,000 people are having their housing benefit cut

because their homes are too big But many say they're trapped because

they can't move to a smaller property. A new UK`wide study

suggests that strong demand for smaller homes means many ard unable

to downsize. Our reporter Rob Powell has been to meet a Hampshird woman

who moved her brother into her home, to avoid being penalised.

Carol Collins lives in this village near Romsey. She claims dis`bility

benefits but was told last xear that her benefits would be docked because

she was living alone in a two`bed flat. As my sons got older they

moved out and my husband didd and left me here. Then the bedroom tax

started. They said it was ?05 per week. To avoid the charge, Carol

moved her brother in. There was nowhere to downsize to. Thex have

not darted through, they're just picking on the most vulnerable they

disabled and older people. They are not hitting the right peopld.

Research suggests that Carol is not alone. It says that over 100,00

people are paying extra bec`use the home is to bed but they are still

unable to downsize because smaller housing is not available. The

history of housing has not been to allocate to the precise sizd of

housing you need, because if you're a young family and need thrde

bedrooms, you don't suddenlx expect them to move home when their

children start to move away. The Government disputes the findings

and says the changes will s`ve 5 million a year. `` ?500 million We

have always subsidised for people to live in accommodation that they

don't fully occupy. It is qtite right, I think, to ask people in

social housing to make the choice. Housing benefit changes are in the

early days and, ultimately, they say they could see people forced into

the private rental sector. One of the South's leading

businesses could end up in new hands. Dorset Cereals, based on

Prince Charles' Poundbury estate, has grown from humble beginnings

into a multi`million pound business. But as Simon Clemison reports,

there's concern about what hmpact a potential sale will have on the

workforce and the Dorchester factory.

For generation after generation companies have been competing to get

their cereal in your breakf`st bowl. But one manufacturer from the

south`west is now selling 24 million packets back to countries lhke

America, which brought us some of the biggest brands. In fact, Dorset

Cereals are even selling mudsli to the Swiss. It is a sense of pride

for people from Dorset having the name attached to a quality product

on shelves around the world. It is also a company that has grown up and

stayed here, so people identify with it and other companies aspire

towards it. It is not clear who the interested buyers are or whdther a

sale is in the offing but if it has, any new owners' plans will be

examined carefully. `` if it is It is a big name for the countx. 1 0

people's jobs depend on the production line. It could bd that a

British company has spare c`pacity and its own branch is already using

oats like Weetabix and they would be happy to close one factory `nd move

everybody to their own to ctt costs. It may not be like that at `ll, they

may just want to expand the capacity and keep the brand separate. Away

from the factory floor, there are highly confidential negotiations

taking place. Onto sport now and it was a case of

the Cherries on top last night in that crucial game in the

Championship. Kris Temple is with me now.

The big game in the Championship last night had a huge bearing on the

race for the play`off places. Let's look at the league table.

The Cherries' goal difference is also worth noting, as at thd moment

it's the worst of the four. Last night's clash was billed as one of

the biggest games of the football season so far, and if you'rd a

Bournemouth fan it didn't disappoint. The win over Re`ding

means Royals fans are starthng to look over their shoulders. Reading

arrived at Dean Court as thd Championship's most potent visiting

team, while Bournemouth werd hunting a fifth straight win. After a

first`minute save, the Cherries blew Nigel Adkins' side away. Shortly

afterwards, Matt Ritchie sl`mmed one in. After laying on the first,

Cherries' top scorer Lewis Graban had a hand in the second too as it

eventually fell to Ritchie once more. And the Royals' defence was

left floundering again by a 3`0 half`time lead. Reading did improve

after the break but a long strike was the only bright point of a poor

night for the Royals. It was a eighth win in ten games for

Bournemouth and Eddie Howe's side are now the team to fear in the

Championship play`off chase. It s going to be exciting. I can't say

what's going to happen, but we are going to go all`out to win our five

remaining games. We are certainly confident and believe in wh`t we do,

and we are enjoying ourselvds. We didn't expect to be in this

position, so we will make the most of it. We had a great chancd but

goals changed games. There were three goals we gave away but

Bournemouth were good, let's not hide away from that. We are in the

race with five to go. Contr`sting views from the fans about which side

is best`placed to win the r`ce. The way we have been playing, I think

everyone is scared of us. F`ntastic. It is the best football we have ever

seen including Harry Redknapp's days. I don't think we're rdady for

the play`offs. The defending was shocking. No midfield. Really pretty

shocking. So it's all bubbling up into a

thrilling finale. Who is gohng to be happier with the final games? Let's

start with Cherries, they go to bottom club Yeovil this weekend who

are battling to stay up. Possibly the key game is Ipswich awax on

Easter Monday. They're currdntly directly above Bournemouth. Millwall

on the final day could also still be trying to stay up. Leicester are

already promoted and Wigan heralded secure `` are already securd. Former

Southampton executive chairlan Nicola Cortese was paid almost 2

million by the club, during their first season back in the Prdmier

League. Club accounts published today at Companies House show that

Cortese earned around ?38,000 a week, following Saints' prolotion

from the Championship. That was a rise of around ?500,000. Cortese

resigned in January, and last week, new Saints director Hans Hofsteter

said the new board had inherited a 'difficult financial situathon' from

Cortese's tenure. Poole Pirates begin the defdnce of

their domestic speedway title tonight, with a home meeting against

Eastbourne Eagles. Poole ard without captain and star rider Darcx Ward,

who suffered a hand injury racing in New Zealand at the weekend. He's

likely to be out for a month, and Pirates are hoping that forler

skipper Chris Holder will bd able to cover. Tonight, Belle Vue's Craig

Cook steps in to the Poole line`up. Despite rain playing a big part in

the games, there were results in two of the opening County Champhonship

cricket matches locally. In Division One, despite losing more a whole day

of the game to the weather, Sussex thrashed Middlesex by an innings at

Hove. Surrey crumbled from 40 for two overnight, to 81 all out, in

their game with Glamorgan at The Oval. The Welsh side knocked off the

target of 153 without losing a second innings wicket. And

Hampshire's game with Worcestershire ended in a rain`ruined draw.

Meanwhile, Hampshire's overseas signing Kyle Abbott has arrhved for

his stint at the Ageas Bowl. He will add some firepower to their line`up.

Hopefully we will get the wdather! You will be glad to hear thhs week

that high pressure is buildhng an even further and we're expecting it

to be settled mainly dry. Lots of sunshine on offer this weekdnd. Mist

and fog with light winds ovdrnight. Let's take a look at your phctures.

Ian Drain took this shot of Halnaker Mill beyond the rapeseed fidld in

West Sussex. And forget six lambs ` this duck has

to deal with at least a dozdn ducklings. Tonight we can expect if

you clear spells but let's have a sneak preview of what we can expect

the weekend to look like. Try and write with sunshine to be h`d. Mild

days with temperatures abovd the seasonal average. Nights might be

Charlie and we might start Saturday on a frosty note. `` nights might be

chilly. Where we have clear skies there is the risk of mist and fog

patches. Elsewhere there will be a lot of cloud with temperatures of

five to seven Celsius. The slim chance of frost in the countryside

tomorrow morning. Through tomorrow morning, mist and fog initi`lly but

there will be sunshine to bd had. It might be fleeting so variable

amounts of cloud. More cloud in the afternoon with stray showers and

height of 14 Celsius. Tomorrow evening, clear skies but thdn we

have a weather front moving its way southwards across the country. It is

fragmented, so will produce the odd spot of drizzle. There will be a lot

of cloud so most places will stay dry, with lows of seven or dight

Celsius. Friday will start off on a cloudy note but high`pressure will

build, meaning the weather front slips away. And improving phcture

with lots of sunshine to be had and temperatures rising to a nice 1 or

maybe 16 Celsius. It cloudy start to Friday and a frosty start on

Saturday but plenty of sunshine with MacLeod on Sunday. `` more cloud.

The resignation of Maria Miller as culture secretary. It has jtst been

revealed that the Basingstoke MP will be getting more than ?07,0 0 to

a local charity. The money `s severance payoff that ministers

received when standing down from Cabinet.

There will be a news summarx at 8:00pm and a bulletin at 10:25pm.

Join us then. Goodbye. 'But mostly,

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