09/09/2014 BBC Oxford News

There simply isn't enough money to fix all the potholes in Oxfordshire,

It says it is ?160 million short of the amount needed for repairs,

and that it's now in the position of having to manage

As soon as you fix one, another appears.

Nearly 18,000 Oxfordshire potholes have been repaired since April,

They are ready dangerous, and for a famous city like Oxford, it is

terrible. We ride bicycles in our family, so we had to avoid them.

Sooner or later somebody is going to come off. The damage to the car is

very poor indeed. The council's road repair budget is

the biggest in a decade, plus Government added ?4 million,

so Oxfordshire has a bumper budget Oxon's Road are better than the

national average. They are graded by colour. Currently, half the road

budget goes on fixes red routes. The rest goes on high amber ones. What

we can only afford at the moment is to patch and meant as best we can.

And there is not going to be any danger of those red roads getting

much worse? No, it is our job to make sure that the red Road don't

get to the stage where you can't drive on them. We have two

prioritise to make sure some get repaired, and we want to make sure

that the amber roadstead become red roads.

Whatever the council decides next Tuesday, reductions in Government

budgets, plus colder weather, means Oxfordshire's pothole problems

A 63`year`old man is being questioned on suspicion of attempted

murder after another man was stabbed in the neck in a shop in Aylesbury.

The 25`year`old was attacked yesterday in the Babs Food and

His injuries are said to be in life threatening.

A further two men have been charged as part of an ongoing operation

into sexual offences against children in Buckinghamshire.

Ten men, picked up in raids across the county last week,

have now been charged with sexual offences against young girls.

Police have also arrested a 31`year`old man from Aylesbury and

An aircraft company in Oxfordshire has won a ?35 million contract to

maintain the entire fleet of police helicopters across England

Airbus Helicopters, based at London`Oxford Airport will now be in

It's been an anxious wait for staff here at the Airbus site in

Kidlington, but now the deal's been signed off, the Business Minister

I am impressed by the work you do and wish you all the best for the

future. The company will now do

the maintenance work for all police helicopters, like

this one, over the next five years. It's a lucrative contract,

worth ?35 million. But the knock

on effects go much further. I have been here today in

Oxfordshire to learn about these business success stories. Over the

last four years, there have been more than 2500 new businesses

started, and some of the big existing businesses like airpass

have expanded. Airbus fought off stiff competition

from firms in other parts of the UK The new contract is a big deal

for Oxford and surrounding areas. Airbus is the world's biggest

helicopter manufacturer and makes 70% of police,

air ambulance and fire and rescue Airbus has given people

like Josh a key job opportunity. He started his apprenticeship

when he was 17. We get to stick to an aircraft from

maintenance right way through to the end, progressing onto modifications.

As well as providing job security for staff, this new deal

Ministers say business investments in Oxfordshire

Apprenticeships have become an increasingly popular route

But people with learning disabilities can be hampered

by needing qualifications in English and maths.

Now a college in Oxfordshire has teamed up with

Stuart Tinworth has been finding out more.

this place, I don't know what I would do. I do a bit on the tail,

and I got my first pay cheque last week. I am feeling happy and proud

of myself. The apprenticeship route is

proving more and more popular. But last year

a government`commissioned report found those taken

on with autism or learning