04/11/2011 BBC Wales Today

Good evening from Wales Today. The headlines: A hospital apologises

for the care of 84-year-old Marion John after her surgery. Her

daughter says she was neglected. mother had died. I pressed the bell

and nobody came. One in three children living in

poverty and the number rising. A charity says it is a national

disgrace. This woman struggles to fill in the fridge. I cannot give

them the things they need. carrier bag charge. Research shows

a dramatic drop in the number being used. More people are stealing

trollies and baskets. In tonight's sport: 30 years ago,

Swansea City at Anfield, John Toshack at the helm. Tomorrow the

clubs lock horns once again. And the Welsh weather could spoil

tonight's Welsh derby as the regions get their World Cup stars

back - it's a washout at Rodney Parade.

The daughter of an 84-year-old woman who died of complications

after heart surgery says her mother was neglected in her final days and

the family kept in the dark about her condition. She has told an

inquest that Marion John was moved 17 times in 19 weeks while she was

receiving hospital care. The health board at Withybush Hospital in

Haverfordwest have apologised. Megan Busby arrived at Milford

Haven's Coroners Court with a husband with one question. Why her

mother went from being an independent woman to never

recovering from an operation. Marion John underwent heart surgery

for a new valve at Morriston Hospital in surgery. She developed

a series of infections. When transferred to Withybush Hospital,

her family described communication here as dire. They said she was

made numerous times between hospitals in the final months of

her life. Mum's care, 19 weeks in hospital,

she was moved 17 times. There was poor communication. It was dire at

the end. The end of her life was not as it should have been. We were

left alone in a room in Withybush Hospital and my mum had died. I

pressed the bell and nobody came. Marion John died five months after

the initial operation. The original cause given on the death so that it

was bronchial pneumonia. The family disputed for the cause of death and

it was changed to a condition related to internal bleeding from

the autumn. A post-mortem showed there was no signs of bronchial

pneumonia. The health board responsible apologise to the family.

The health board regrets the distress caused by the

circumstances surrounding this case and apologises to her family. We

will review the case in the light of the inquest to ensure any

relevant lessons are learned. Megan Busby says she can take comfort in

the accidental death verdict recorded today and hopes the family

can move on from one of the most distressing times of their lives.

A leading charity is warning the Welsh government could miss his own

target of eradicating child poverty by 2020. One in three children in

Wales lives in poverty. Save The Children says it is a disgrace.

Caroline Evans has been to Glyntaff Estate in Rhydyfelin near

Pontypridd to speak to people there about life on the poverty line.

The ones with the orange stickers on. How much of a saving is that?

About �5. I just looked in the aisle and in the bread stall, I get

bread for 15p if I go after 6pm. I can get cheap things. Mandy told me

she was embarrassed litter fridge is filled with cut-price fruit. --

food. I have been here some nights and cried. I cannot give him the

things he wants. Christmas is round the corner and I have not got the

money to go out and get everything that he wants. He wants Labour. I

cannot afford that. I have not got the money. But Mandy is by no means

alone. -- Lego. Child poverty is growing in Wales. One of the

official definitions of poverty is where a single parent with two

children lives are less than �37 a day. The Welsh Government has

pledged to eradicate child poverty by 2020. But increasingly, those

working in the field fear that target could slip. It means having

a life which is effectively stunted. It means having a life where

opportunity is denied to you. Opportunities that are their

children get. It means going to bed at night hungry in a cold bedroom.

A means not being able to study properly, not having health

outcomes that match other people, not having a life that is less than

it should be. That is a disgrace. We are allowing this to happen to a

younger generation. There are 200,000 children in Wales living in

poverty. 90,000 in severe poverty. It is the highest rate in the UK.

As a conference to address the issue, the minister responsible

told me she believed the Welsh government is making a difference.

But she seemed less confident that they would hit their own target.

are committed to working right across the Welsh government to take

positive steps on this. We know Wales is the first country in the

UK to legislate for Child poverty and we know in law we have those

responsibilities as have other public bodies. You have pledged to

eradicate child poverty by 2020, is that there are going to happen?

have to be positive about that. It is going to be difficult. It would

not be realistic for me to say otherwise. But with the Palace that

we have got, we will do our very best to alleviate the effects of

poverty and to deliver for our children. A child's eye view of

poverty at this school. The pupils have been exploring what it means

in their lives. It hurts my heart and other people. It is not fair

that people are poor and they get treated like they are animals.

council should give everybody in poverty a home to stay in. While

for them it is about wanting safer places to play, for others it is a

question of survival. Back here on the Glyntaff Estate, no-one is rich.

Managing his extra hard for some. One young woman told me because her

partner has moved back in with her this week, a benefits -- her

benefits have been stopped and she has no money to buy milk for her

baby. She is managing by borrowing from friends and family. Mandy is

grateful for the money she gets. In a way, she does not think it should

go up. But she also knows how just a little more could make a huge

difference. It is heartbreaking. I did a shop yesterday and a boy came

in and had no money. I had 10 pence change and I said, they you are,

get yourself some sweets. But it is hard to see their little faces.

Tata Steel is cutting 70 jobs at its Llanwern site in Newport. It is

closing the part of the business responsible for products like road

barriers and flooring for the construction industry. The Welsh

Government says it is disappointed by the news. Union officials are to

meet with the company to discuss ways to avoid any compulsory

redundancies, but Tata bosses say the operation has been making a

loss and is no longer viable. has been a really difficult time in

the business following economic downturn. Particularly, what has

happened with the construction market. It has a direct impact

negatively on the local business here.

A woman who admitted stealing �50,000 pounds from a Wrexham

charity for herself and her family was rushed to hospital earlier

after taking tablets during a court hearing. Miriam Beard pleaded

guilty to nine counts of fraud and theft from the Plas Madoc project.

She is due to be sentenced in December.

The commission examining whether the Welsh Government should gain

additional powers has held its first meeting. The Silk Commission

met at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. Over the next few months,

it will discuss whether Wales should have the power to raise its

own taxes in areas like rubbish dumping and air passenger duty. But

even the power to raise income tax will be discussed. The chair of the

Commission, Paul Silk, hopes people from across Wales can have their

say before it reports back next autumn.

We will have mechanisms where we go all over Wales, meeting people who

have things we want to here. Already people have things they

want to say to us. We want to talk to them.

Talking of politics, with news of a special series of reports next week,

here is our political editor. Have you ever wondered where your

money goes? And how the Government spent it? From now on, the Welsh

government is making it easier to find out where your pounds, if not

your pennies, go. Everything that is spent over �25,000 will be made

available online every month for you to seek at the click of a mouse.

So the data is all there. But what does it tell us? Join me throughout

next week to find out. Still to come: They certainly look

pretty but on the eve of Bonfire Night, there are new calls for

Chinese lanterns to be banned. biggest concern is injury to

animals. Injury with the wire. It has been at one month since we

started paying 5p for a carrier bags and the first research has

been done into its impact. Researchers at Cardiff University

suggest there has been a dramatic reduction in the use of bags. But

there have been a few teething problems with more people stealing

baskets and shopping trolleys. Our reporter is at the supermarket.

I bet you, like many other people, have got one of these in the car

boot. It is a bag alive. Since stores have started charging 5p per

bag, more of us are bringing our own. Research proves that is just

the case. More than 90% of stores are now charged 5p per bag. That

does mean that some are charging more and some are still not

charging a tall. Of those that are, some retailers have reported 95%

reduction in a number of bags they are giving out. For 70% of shoppers

agree with the charge. Since the charges come into play, it seems

some people are turning to stealing trollies? Yes. Whilst the majority

of us are bringing our own bags and reducing them, apart from reduction

in the number, they are reporting a reduction in the number of trolleys

they have. Customers are using them to take they did so. Apart from

that, we are seeing people are using for bin bags to take their

route home. On top of that, shops have said they have seen customers

stuff items into their pockets, handbags. They are carrying their

goods in their hands. Police have concerns it is difficult now to

detect shoplifting if that is the case. Yes. We did speak to a few

individual police officers during our survey and that was one of the

concerns they raised. For them, it could prove more difficult for them

to prove a case of shoplifting. Because we are putting things in

our pockets. I guess for all of us, we have got to remember to take on

receipt home. What about stores that are not charging? Will they be

prosecuted? It depends on why they are not charging. Some shops said

they will not hand out carrier bags. They'd found the whole thing in the

legislation to difficult. Others said they would change the quality

of the bags. For others, if you do not charge a minimum for a bag that

fix -- that fits a paper bag, yes, they could be fined up to �5,000.

Thank you. Since we have been here, shoppers have been coming from the

tills and have been armed with these bags, ready to go. Obviously,

the message is getting across. A hotel that was once owned by the

family of Laura Ashley has been placed in administration.

Llangoed Hall, near Brecon in Powys, will remain open while

administrators try to find a buyer for the business.

The Plaid Cymru MEP Jill Evans is to pay a �500 fine after refusing

to pay her TV licence. The party's president was taking part in a

protest by the Welsh Language Society over changes to S4C funding.

She pleaded guilty at Pontypridd Magistrates Court and says she now

Politicians and opinion formers should take a stronger stance on

the threat to English language broadcasting in Wales. That's

according to the former director of BBC Wales. Menna Richards is giving

a lecture on the subject in Aberystwyth this evening. Ms

Richards understands most of recent debate surrounding broadcasting

here has focused on S4C, but says she's surprised how little

attention has been given to cutbacks in English language

programming. I think people have been

preoccupied by the future of S4C, understandably so. I think that

perhaps people haven't realised what has been going on behind the

scenes with English-language television programmes. The people

who make those programmes at BBC and ITV do a fantastic job. I think

audiences in Wales deserve more output, more programme that tell

them something about their lives, reflect their interests and their

obsessions and passions. Now if you were watching last

night's programme, you'll have seen our story about the problems some

disabled people have had getting their NHS wheelchairs replaced or

repaired. We featured 16-year-old Zoe Walker from Rhos-on-Sea, who's

been waiting nine months to get her manual chair fixed. Her motorised

one is also broken. Well, after last night's programme we had call

from businessman Sir Stanley Thomas, he's offered to make a substantial

contribution towards the cost of buying a new specialised chair for

Zoe and he hopes others will be moved to step in and help too.

The weather is taking its toll tonight in Newport. The fire

service dealing with a number of flooding incidents.

Torrential rain in Newport over the past few hours. The pitch at Rodney

Parade is pretty waterlog. We will be there in a moment to see if

tonight's game is going ahead between the Dragons and the Blues.

Let us start with football. A big game for Swansea City this

weekend. There has been plenty of history between these Keven Mealamu

side. It was back in October 1981 that John Toshack took his Swansea

side to Anfield. Their first year in Division One after winning

promotion. As a former player, Liverpool was a special place for

John Toshack. It was an emotional afternoon. Days before, the funeral

had been held for Bill Shankly. In his honour, Toshack unveiled a

Liverpool shirt underneath his Swansea tracksuit. It caused a stir.

Playing that day was a young Alan Curtis. The game ended two-two. He

remembers it fondly. Anfield still is now one of these

iconic grounds. It was one of the first games to play Liverpool.

Certainly at Anfield, a tremendous occasion. Fortunately, on the day,

we actually performed to a reasonable standard.

Swansea City players training today. Brendan Rogers says playing

Liverpool tomorrow will be special and he says this is the level he

wants his players to be at Week In Week Out.

The players are obviously looking forward to coming to the big

grounds and going and performing. It is a brilliant occasion, and

field, as everyone knows, is a real stadium that is renowned trout the

world. It is one we are really looking forward to going and

playing and hopefully getting a result.

Wales internationals still have a presence at the Reds. It is now

home to Craig Bellamy. He says he is proud of what Swansea are

achieving in the Premier League. For me I feel the Premiership would

be a better place with Swansea in it. The way they go about it and

with me being Welsh, I'm Cardiff. Would I prefer to see Cardiff doing

it? Of course I would. At the same time, I am Welsh. Following Swansea

and seeing how Swansea go about it makes me proud.

1990 was the last time Swansea City faced Liverpool. It was a third

round FA Cup replay at Anfield. They lost 8-0 that day, thanks in

part two of Ian Rush. 20 years on, the class of 2011 are out to show

they belong in the Premier League and can compete at the highest

level. Aaron Ramsey has responded for the

first time since he was pictured in a Team GB touch. This is what he

As the debate over whether Welsh players should be allowed to play

in the GB team, Gary Speed has named his 24 man squad for the

friendly against Norway a week tomorrow. There is a recall for

Robert Earnshaw, despite his thigh strain. More from Craig Bellamy as

you saw him earlier on Sport Wales tonight. Radio Wales has a special

programme debating the whole Team GB football issue. Back Paste

Special is at 8:30am tomorrow. Cardiff City have fitness concerns

ahead of tomorrow's game against Crystal Palace who are a place

above them in the table. They are assessing David Marshall, who came

off in their win over Derby. Malky Mackay is hoping the side can build

on recent good form. They are currently 5th in the championship

table. I know how much work they are

putting in at Crystal Palace. They have also got the experience of an

ex Cardiff City manager. He is a good man and someone who had given

them a lot of his experience. A good management team there. I wish

them all the best, apart from tomorrow.

Let us head back to the torrential rain at Rodney Parade which could

spoil the weekend's double Welsh derby. The Ospreys welcome the

Scarlets tomorrow but first, kick off for the Dragons against the

Blues is due to be at 7pm but right now we don't know if the game is

going ahead. Let us go live to Rodney Parade. Nice to see you

drive. I understand the pitch is pretty waterlogged. Is it going

ahead? The situation here at Rodney Parade

is uncertain. You can probably see behind me that the ground staff are

working to try and clear some of the surface water. We have had

Monsoon like conditions for the last few hours in Newport and it

looked as though the game would be called off. Nigel Owens, the

referee, has arrived. He is inspecting the pitch and the call

will rest with him. It is all to do with players' safety. Dragons coast

Darren Edwards once the game to go ahead. One option is to push back

the kick-off to 7:30pm. That is looking more likely. I am joined by

Richard Parkes, Kingsley Jones and Tom Shanklin. Congratulations on

your achievements this year. You have seen some extreme conditions

in your travels. How does this compare?

I have seen some extreme environments and this is pretty

close to the jungles of Indonesia. It is a massive game and a lot of

the World Cup stars are back. The Pro12 kicking of tonight. This is

hugely frustrating for the coaches? It is. I can understand Darren

Edwards wanting to play this. They had a tough game in Italy and had a

hiding last week and they want to put that right. It is the opening

of the new stand here at Rodney Parade tonight. Many reasons to

want to get the game going. We have seen the players in the

tunnel. Massively frustrating for them could rack it is.

As a player, you probably look at the water and think it is too much.

Saying that, speaking these -- Kingsley Jones did spot a rainbow

earlier. It is like trying to empty it for

Bath with a teacup. The situation looking increasingly

uncertain but fingers crossed it will go ahead. Join us at 7pm for

Scrum V Live. We will have the score in the

evening bulletin if it goes ahead. This weekend, many of you will be

out enjoying the fireworks. Hopefully the weather stays drive.

On the eve of Bonfire Night, there are calls for Chinese lanterns to

be banned. Flintshire council, backed with the

North Wales Fire Authority, says they are dangerous and are calling

on the government to ban them. They are the latest craze to make a

wedding day or Bonfire Night Extra Special. A symbol of Good Hope and

prosperity. Chinese lanterns have the potential to cause serious

injury. The family of one of those wanting to see them banned narrowly

avoided an accident during a holiday in Gwynedd.

I heard a lot of screaming and shouting. My daughter had been to

the toilet with her mum. She was running down 30 yards, screaming.

What it was in the distance was a Chinese lantern heading for the

tent. It hit the tent, the flames. She pulled it off. If she hadn't

have got it, those two little boys were inside. With the tent, how

quickly it would have taken hold, I don't know. It could have been a

very, very bad accident. This little boy wasn't so lucky. He

was burnt at a bonfire party in Wrexham last year. He has now

recovered and while his mother campaigns for a ban, farmers here

are also convert -- also concerned about the effects lanterns are

having on the land and livestock. This man farms in North Wales and

is worried about the cost on cattle. My biggest concern is injury to

animals with that final of wire which carries it. If it falls, we

have find bits of wire in the field. Chinese lanterns are a cheap

alternative to fireworks, you can buy one for less than a pound. You

won't find any year in this Italianate village.

Some of these buildings have areas of scientific interest. In general,

they are not easy to control. This comes on the eve of one of the

busiest nights for police and the fire service. Between Hallowe'en

and Bonfire Night last year, there were more than 500 calls to

officers asking them to deal with anti-social behaviour. This year,

police have launched a campaign launched at clamping down on those

who put lives at risk. Wet weather at Rodney Parade

It has been a wet afternoon across much of Wales. Lots of surface

water around. The radar picture shows heavy showers near the border.

We saw the pitch at Rodney Parade. Localised flooding in Newport where

we have the brighter green colours. Very unsettled. We can be

cautiously optimistic about the weekend. It is looking largely dry

with some sunshine, turning cooler. The chart shows low pressure

dominating our weather at the moment, making things very

changeable. France -- France trying to push in from France. The

heaviest of the showers should be this evening, Clearing north

eastwards to leave drier conditions overnight. The warmth will radiate

away and it will be a chilly night with temperatures down to six

Celsius. A few early mist and fog patches tomorrow morning and a

largely dry day with sunny spells. Turning cloudy through the south-

east through the afternoon with an outside chance of drizzle. More

than a winds making it feel cooler. Top temperatures 14 Celsius. For

Bonfire Night, it should stay dry for most of us but with a small

risk of drizzle in south-east Wales. It is largely dry on Sunday but

brightest in the West. Cloudier in the east and cooler with

temperatures of 10-12 Celsius nearer the seasonal average. As the

winds continue to bring in cold air from the North, we keep the cooling

trend into next week and it is remaining unsettled.

Looks like the sparklers will stay alight.

Tonight's main headline: French President Nicolas Sarkozy has

closed the summit of the G20 with a pledge they will fight to defend

Europe and the euro. That is Wales Today. We will have