:00:09. > :00:12.They've been described by the chief constable as a
:00:13. > :00:14."vital resource", but now fhgures suggest more volunteer workdrs are
:00:15. > :00:19.Critics claim its down to a lack of support and job satisfaction
:00:20. > :00:25.The force says it's now tryhng to recruit more special constables
:00:26. > :00:32.Special constables, they have the same uniform and powers as ` regular
:00:33. > :00:38.People become specials to gdt out there and be on the front lhne.
:00:39. > :00:46.They went to all kinds of commitments, burglaries,
:00:47. > :00:51.car accidents, even murder investigations, serious fights.
:00:52. > :00:54.Andy Hubble now runs a fireworks company.
:00:55. > :01:05.The role of the special Constable moved from the front line policing
:01:06. > :01:07.over to more community`based policing, things like crime
:01:08. > :01:09.prevention, getting out and doing talks, going on special events
:01:10. > :01:18.The number of special const`bles in the Thames Valley had risen
:01:19. > :01:22.Recently there's been a drop, but some constables voluntedr more
:01:23. > :01:31.In a statement Thames Vallex Police say special constables are
:01:32. > :01:45.There was less structuring last year, some specials choose to leave.
:01:46. > :01:47.There was structuring last year, some specials chose to leave.
:01:48. > :01:50.Adding that a third of special constables go on to have
:01:51. > :01:53.The Police Federation support the volunteers as long
:01:54. > :01:56.as they are employed in addhtion to, not instead, of paid staff.
:01:57. > :01:59.You have to do a lot more whth less, if you have volunteers who have
:02:00. > :02:01.a positive view of policing, why not utilise it?
:02:02. > :02:04.Thames Valley Police want to recruit more special constables
:02:05. > :02:10.and are offering better trahning to improve retention rates.
:02:11. > :02:12.A man charged with child sex offences
:02:13. > :02:16.37`year`old Mohammed Imran, from Bradford, is one of a total
:02:17. > :02:19.of 11 men now facing charges over child exploitation.
:02:20. > :02:22.Police in Buckinghamshire c`rried out a series of raids
:02:23. > :02:29.10 men have already appeared at court in Milton Keynes
:02:30. > :02:33.No action is to be taken ag`inst South Central Ambulance Service
:02:34. > :02:37.after the personal data of staff was accidentally published online.
:02:38. > :02:40.The ethnicity, sexuality, religion and age of nearly 3000
:02:41. > :02:44.staff members was posted on the service's website.
:02:45. > :02:47.The Information Commissioner's Office said it was satisfied
:02:48. > :02:51.that the error wouldn't be repeated.
:02:52. > :02:54.A man who died in a house fhre in Kidlington earlier this lonth
:02:55. > :02:56.55`year`old Christopher Butler died
:02:57. > :03:00.in the blaze at his home on Wilsdon Way on Friday the 5th of September.
:03:01. > :03:01.It's thought the fire startdd in the roof.
:03:02. > :03:05.An inquest is due to be opened tomorrow.
:03:06. > :03:06.Police in Aylesbury are trying to discover
:03:07. > :03:09.if there's a link between an escaped prisoner and an incident in
:03:10. > :03:13.which a terrified driver fotnd a man hiding in the back of hdr car.
:03:14. > :03:17.43`year`old Michael Rothery absconded from Spring Hill prison
:03:18. > :03:21.Hours later a woman in Pitstone discovered a man crouching
:03:22. > :03:23.in the back of her car as she was driving.
:03:24. > :03:32.A new report suggests the thousands of new homes needed
:03:33. > :03:36.in Oxfordshire should be buhlt on green belt land around the county.
:03:37. > :03:39.The authors also suggest farmers should sell the land to devdlopers
:03:40. > :03:43.at a fraction of the price to help pay for local infrastrtcture.
:03:44. > :03:53.Where in Oxfordshire to build the 100,000 homes planners say we need?
:03:54. > :03:56.A new report suggests the m`jority should be built on the green fields
:03:57. > :04:01.that surround places like Oxford, Bicester and Witney, creating what
:04:02. > :04:07.The problem is when you build houses you also need to build roads,
:04:08. > :04:13.The authors say they have the answer.
:04:14. > :04:16.They say the average price of agricultural land in the UK is
:04:17. > :04:23.around ?15,000 per hectare, but as soon as that land is granted
:04:24. > :04:29.planning permission to build on its value leaps to more than ?2 million.
:04:30. > :04:35.The authors claim we should change the law and force farmers to sell
:04:36. > :04:40.at the lower price, allowing us to spend the difference on things like
:04:41. > :04:44.Oxford City Council is backhng the idea
:04:45. > :04:47.of extending large towns and cities to accommodate more homes, but it's
:04:48. > :04:50.leader agrees with the organisation that represents farmers.
:04:51. > :04:56.I think it is a bit fanciful to go down that track at the presdnt
:04:57. > :04:58.moment, as far as we are concerned, we are working within existhng
:04:59. > :05:04.arrangements to use the land value in the most effective way possible,
:05:05. > :05:07.as we have done at Barton and as we will at Grenoble Road, where
:05:08. > :05:12.The report has been well received by some and it recently won
:05:13. > :05:16.an economic award, but it sdems it may not make easy reading for all.
:05:17. > :05:32.A campaign group in South Oxfordshire says plans for ` new
:05:33. > :05:35.gravel pit and concrete processing plant near Abingdon will le`d to
:05:36. > :05:38.more noise, pollution and traffic. Waste disposal company Hills wants
:05:39. > :05:41.to extract nearly five millhon tonnes of minerals over 25 xears
:05:42. > :05:47.The firm says it will assess any impact on the environment
:05:48. > :05:49.before submitting a formal application ` but says more
:05:50. > :05:52.sand and gravel is needed to meet the county's housing needs.
:05:53. > :05:55.Authorities say questions mtst now be asked as to why a recyclhng plant
:05:56. > :05:58.in Swindon was allowed to bdcome over`crowded and a fire risk.
:05:59. > :06:00.The Averies site in the town caught alight two months
:06:01. > :06:05.It had been licensed to store 5 00 tonnes of waste material,
:06:06. > :06:07.but according to investigators far more was being kept there.
:06:08. > :06:09.The company are yet to respond to the allegations.
:06:10. > :06:12.We need to get to the bottol of those questions
:06:13. > :06:15.as to why this site was allowed to get into the state it was.
:06:16. > :06:21.And why the Environment Agency and other agencies didn't act sooner.
:06:22. > :06:22.Tonight's football, and in League One,
:06:23. > :06:25.MK Dons suffered a 2`1 home defeat against Bradford, while Swindon had
:06:26. > :06:31.to settle for a 2`2 draw ag`inst Oldham at the County Ground.
:06:32. > :06:34.Oxford United have their first League Two win of the season, they
:06:35. > :06:38.beat Accrington 3`1 at the Kassam Stadium. We'll have the best of the
:06:39. > :06:42.action for you in South Tod`y tomorrow night at 6.30pm.
:06:43. > :06:45.We're back in BBC Breakfast tomorrow morning,
:06:46. > :06:48.but for now goodnight and whth the weather here's Alexis Green
:06:49. > :06:51.Good evening, a lot of low cloud, mist and fog through the cotrse
:06:52. > :06:53.of the night, courtesy of the clear skies initiallx.
:06:54. > :06:56.That low cloud is arriving on the North East, temperattres will
:06:57. > :07:02.There is the risk of the odd shower tonight,
:07:03. > :07:07.We start on a grey note, but gradually, we will see
:07:08. > :07:12.Feeling warm in the sunshind, warmer than today.
:07:13. > :07:19.Looking ahead, there is a thunderstorm on Thursday
:07:20. > :07:25.In between them, there will be sunny spells, mainly dry tolorrow.
:07:26. > :07:31.Coming up next is the national weather forecast.
:07:32. > :07:57.you now with Darren Bett and the national weather.
:07:58. > :08:06.This cloud looks worse than it is. Glitching the extreme south-west
:08:07. > :08:11.overnight. Ahead of it we've got an easterly air flow. That low cloud
:08:12. > :08:15.that never cleared the North Sea coasts is pushing through the gaps,
:08:16. > :08:20.running on to high ground. We'll have clearer skies further west but
:08:21. > :08:23.the low cloud is more extensive leading to mist and fog over hills
:08:24. > :08:30.and coasts in the east, where we could have drizzle. Another warm ni
:08:31. > :08:36.ahe Tomorrow starts slowly for many of us, grey and misty. We could she
:08:37. > :08:38.sunshine in sheltered western areas. Eastern areas could hang on to the
:08:39. > :08:40.cloud and