:00:03. > :00:07.Welcome to Wales Today. Tonight's headlines: Hospitals under pressure
:00:07. > :00:17.this winter. A health board shuts down some community hospital
:00:17. > :00:28.
:00:28. > :00:31.Also in the programme tonight: This fire burned for months. Now the
:00:31. > :00:35.owners of the wood recycling firm have been fined for putting people
:00:35. > :00:38.and the environment at risk. We have a report from Japan on how
:00:38. > :00:41.Toyota with hundreds of workers back here in Wales has recovered
:00:41. > :00:49.after the tsunami. Swansea look ahead to some
:00:49. > :00:54.Christmas cheer at home after another away defeat.
:00:54. > :01:04.And singing on as they fight to save their church. Campaigners say
:01:04. > :01:07.
:01:07. > :01:10.they won't give up the battle in Good evening. Services at some
:01:10. > :01:13.community hospitals in North Wales are to be scaled back to save cash.
:01:13. > :01:15.Critics say it's an example of underfunding in the Welsh NHS. The
:01:15. > :01:18.Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board says the changes are
:01:18. > :01:24.temporary. And are being introduced partly because of staff shortages.
:01:24. > :01:27.A ward will be closed at Ysbyty Bryn Beryl in Pwllheli. As well as
:01:27. > :01:37.the Minor Injuries Units in Ruthin, Colwyn Bay and Flint. Services at
:01:37. > :01:39.
:01:39. > :01:41.bigger hospitals are to be boosted. Roger Pinney reports. This woman
:01:41. > :01:48.was at Colwyn Bay hospital today for a physiotherapy to help with
:01:48. > :01:54.her MS. She was treated last year at the minor injuries unit there.
:01:54. > :01:59.The unit is one of three that will be shut temporarily in the new year.
:01:59. > :02:09.It is a shame because they did not realise that. It is important that
:02:09. > :02:10.
:02:10. > :02:13.it is here. Their nearest hospital for me is quite a distance away.
:02:14. > :02:19.slightly different story here. The minor injuries unit here will
:02:19. > :02:23.remain open but the 15 bed unit is to close. The health board says it
:02:23. > :02:29.is acting because of staff shortages and a �16 million
:02:29. > :02:31.overspend. We're getting mixed messages from the trust. A trust
:02:31. > :02:38.official said this was a temporary arrangement for three months and
:02:38. > :02:44.would then be reviewed. I was told it was definitely reopening after
:02:44. > :02:48.three months, so where does the truth lie? These closures will be
:02:48. > :02:52.temporary until the end of March and the aim is that we consolidate
:02:52. > :02:57.where our staff work across the organisation. Their main issue here
:02:57. > :03:02.is patient safety. We really do not want to have our service is spread
:03:02. > :03:08.too thinly. Especially at a time when we are seeing excessive
:03:08. > :03:15.pressures due to illness, not only in our staff but in our population.
:03:15. > :03:18.When the board speaks of consolidation, they mean that staff
:03:18. > :03:28.working in units that are closing are expected to move to other
:03:28. > :03:28.
:03:28. > :03:33.hospitals. There will be more beds elsewhere. Critics talk of a crisis.
:03:33. > :03:38.The Welsh Conservatives say a shortage of cash is the real issue.
:03:38. > :03:42.I am very concerned that it is an omen for the future of the health
:03:42. > :03:47.services here. It shows that we were absolutely right to warn about
:03:47. > :03:51.the effects of the Labour cuts on it NHS services, which are
:03:52. > :03:59.frontline services across the country. These cuts are happening
:04:00. > :04:04.elsewhere in Wales and we're very worried about this. In a statement,
:04:04. > :04:10.the Welsh government insists it is an operational matter for the
:04:10. > :04:12.health board. On Monday, it says NHS operations in Wales have
:04:12. > :04:17.significant budgets and are expected to operate within their
:04:17. > :04:20.means. They say they are also working on recruitment. Our Health
:04:20. > :04:24.Correspondent is here. Earlier in the week, we saw minor injuries
:04:24. > :04:28.units being closed temporarily in west Wales. Now it's happening in
:04:28. > :04:32.north Wales too. Is it all about money?
:04:32. > :04:37.It is not the only reason but it is hard to conclude otherwise than
:04:37. > :04:42.that it is the main reason. NHS Wales faces one for every single
:04:42. > :04:45.year and knows what is coming. Last year acutely created the biggest
:04:46. > :04:49.challenge in the ever had. This year is not forecast to be the same
:04:49. > :04:54.but the financial climate is more ACE. They are under pressure to
:04:54. > :04:58.save money and they have to say �50 million across Wales before the end
:04:58. > :05:01.of March. These very short-term measures are being introduced to
:05:01. > :05:07.try to save money and be more come efficient as well. Will these
:05:07. > :05:12.closures really be temporary? is suspicion among local
:05:12. > :05:15.campaigners that this will become a long-term solution. I have been
:05:15. > :05:20.speaking to the Chief Executive of the Welsh NHS and he has told me
:05:20. > :05:23.they will be monitoring at very closely. If things do not go back
:05:23. > :05:29.to the normal service, he will want answers from the health board as to
:05:29. > :05:33.why not. On tomorrow's programme, an exclusive interview with the
:05:33. > :05:37.Chief Executive. He has been telling the interesting things
:05:37. > :05:42.about the future of her hospital services, and ultimately, why there
:05:42. > :05:45.is a greater need than ever for change. The owners of a wood pallet
:05:45. > :05:48.recycling firm, where a fire burned for months last year, have been
:05:48. > :05:51.fined for putting human health, and the environment, at risk.
:05:51. > :05:54.Magistrates heard William and Dale Butcher have failed to move
:05:54. > :06:04.thousands of tonnes of waste wood from the site near Cross Keys in
:06:04. > :06:05.
:06:05. > :06:09.the Gwent Valleys. Until they do, there's a risk it could re-ignite.
:06:09. > :06:14.October 2009 and dozens of firefighters are called here. They
:06:14. > :06:19.were faced with a giant bonfire with thousands of tons of recycled
:06:19. > :06:25.wood smouldering. This more could be seen for a distance. We filmed
:06:25. > :06:29.the shot from eight miles away. Six months later, fire broke out again.
:06:29. > :06:34.That's when the company broke the rules because the huge fire of wood
:06:34. > :06:37.was posing a risk to the health of people nearby and the environment.
:06:37. > :06:44.It was the responsibility of father and son William and Dale butcher to
:06:44. > :06:50.move the lead. 18 months on, it is still there. They wear today fined
:06:50. > :06:55.�2,000 each. Environmental crime is the same as normal crime. If you
:06:55. > :06:59.commit offences against the environment, there were simply harm
:06:59. > :07:04.to the environment here where a fire had ignited from waste which
:07:04. > :07:09.ran off into the nearby aromas. There was also harm to human health
:07:09. > :07:13.or where people were caused nuisance by the fires. The site is
:07:13. > :07:19.just a few hundred yards from people's corms and four months
:07:19. > :07:29.after the fire started, the smoke had an impact on their lives. Janet
:07:29. > :07:31.
:07:31. > :07:38.Smith has emphysema. Everybody was talking. I was made to feel awful
:07:38. > :07:45.breathless. The smell was of was well. I'm on oxygen 15 hours a day
:07:45. > :07:49.now. For months, the whole community suffered. You could not
:07:49. > :07:54.leave your windows open. Especially during the summer, you would have a
:07:54. > :07:59.smell of the smoke wafting into the house full stop it was not nice.
:07:59. > :08:02.Magistrates were told that a buyer is interested in the site and there
:08:02. > :08:04.would could be moved early next year. The Environment Agency and
:08:04. > :08:07.the community will be watching closely.
:08:07. > :08:11.Police have been given more time to question three people arrested for
:08:11. > :08:13.a robbery in Gwynedd. A farmer was shot in the leg during the raid
:08:13. > :08:17.close to the village of Rhydyclafdy, near Pwllhelli last week. Police
:08:17. > :08:21.say two men aged 18 and 19 and a 23-year-old woman from Blaenau
:08:21. > :08:25.Ffestiniog are being held in connection with the incident.
:08:25. > :08:29.Wales will get an extra �9 million as a result of spending on next
:08:29. > :08:31.year's Olympics by the UK government. It settles a long-
:08:31. > :08:35.running row with Westminster about whether the devolved
:08:35. > :08:38.administrations should get a windfall because of the games. The
:08:38. > :08:46.Welsh government said it was owed money from public funding spent on
:08:46. > :08:49.transport and regeneration in London.
:08:49. > :08:52.The UK Government has rejected a claim it has acted with complacency
:08:52. > :08:55.over a plea to fund mine rescue services. It follows the Gleision
:08:55. > :08:58.colliery tragedy in the Swansea Valley. Neath MP, Peter Hain, has
:08:58. > :09:01.reiterated his calls for the rescue service to be allowed to access
:09:01. > :09:11.Treasury money. He said the rescue attempt in his constituency relied
:09:11. > :09:12.
:09:12. > :09:16.on goodwill. If local mines had not poured down and put their men in
:09:16. > :09:20.and paid for diesel bills and provided other resources, the whole
:09:20. > :09:25.rescue effort could have gone belly-up. This is not a criticism
:09:25. > :09:29.of anybody involved. They all behaved heroically, but nobody was
:09:29. > :09:33.willing to put up the bills. This is a situation the Government seems
:09:33. > :09:36.in different too. In response, the Department for Work and Pensions
:09:36. > :09:38.say any suggestion it didn't take the matter seriously was utter
:09:38. > :09:40.nonsense. A row over the running of two
:09:40. > :09:43.mosques in Newport which led to a Conservative Assembly Member being
:09:43. > :09:48.served with an injunction, warning him to stay away from prayers, has
:09:48. > :09:51.been resolved tonight. It's claimed Mohammad Asghar acted aggressively
:09:51. > :09:59.in opposing plans to hold elections at the mosque. He denies the
:09:59. > :10:01.allegation. Tomos Dafydd reports. Newport has a sizable Muslim
:10:01. > :10:09.community with hundreds of worships attending mosques right across the
:10:09. > :10:11.city. But a power struggle at two of the city mosques, between one of
:10:11. > :10:14.the city's most prominent politicians, and the interim
:10:14. > :10:17.management committee. The interim council want to hold elections here
:10:17. > :10:27.and claim Mohammad was aggressively opposed to any vote, something he
:10:27. > :10:30.
:10:31. > :10:37.denies. I think it is fabricated. I definitely never grabbed the
:10:37. > :10:38.microphone and was never aggressive to anybody else, ever. What has
:10:39. > :10:47.been a reaction with the Conservative Party about this
:10:47. > :10:51.episode? I am sure they have not welcomed this. I spoke to my good
:10:51. > :10:54.friend Andrew Hart Davis and he completely supported me when I told
:10:54. > :10:57.him. The row ended up before the civil courts which had already
:10:57. > :11:05.issued an interim injunction to stop the Assembly Member from going
:11:05. > :11:08.to the mosques. Here at Cardiff Civil Justice Centre, they said
:11:08. > :11:13.their core do not have their ability to extend the injunction
:11:13. > :11:20.but invited both parties to reach a resolution. Tonight, they finally
:11:20. > :11:24.reached a deal. The main focus is that they were not willing to
:11:24. > :11:30.recognise us. We are the interim committee and we are here to hold
:11:30. > :11:33.the election and by 23rd February, at Newport will have elections.
:11:33. > :11:35.both sides say there are still outstanding issues over the
:11:35. > :11:38.ownership and management of both mosques. Following today's meeting,
:11:38. > :11:44.elections for the mosques will be held in the new year.
:11:44. > :11:47.You're watching Wales Today. Still ahead tonight.
:11:47. > :11:57.They tried in vain to save their church in the Rhondda - six months
:11:57. > :11:58.
:11:58. > :12:00.on we're back in Maerdy to see how The economic downturn has led to
:12:00. > :12:03.more families turning to charity and in some cases, the local
:12:03. > :12:08.council, to help with the cost of Christmas. Carmarthenshire Council
:12:08. > :12:10.is co-ordinating a toy appeal to help those in difficulty. And
:12:10. > :12:18.charities have been busy building a stockpile of gifts. Abigail Neal
:12:19. > :12:25.reports. Clare Bingham knows she will be
:12:25. > :12:30.able to give her baby a good Christmas this year. Thanks to
:12:30. > :12:33.Pembrokeshire charity, Patch, who helped out when she was homeless.
:12:33. > :12:38.If it wasn't for them, social services would have been involved
:12:39. > :12:43.and she would have been taken off me. We got that sorted out and with
:12:43. > :12:48.the help I have received, social services are pretty happy with us
:12:48. > :12:55.just now. The charity helps families all year round but the
:12:55. > :12:59.runs a special toy appeal at Christmas. Demand is up. �500 has
:12:59. > :13:04.been donated. Tracey has had a lot more children needing guests this
:13:05. > :13:09.year. 17 new requests a day, which keeps her busy buying and the
:13:09. > :13:16.public keeps donating. One lady said to me, would you like toys or
:13:16. > :13:21.money? I said whatever is easiest and she got �100 from a cashpoint.
:13:21. > :13:24.That is happening all the time. Agencies like this, which helps
:13:25. > :13:30.with housing, pass on the names of children whose families are
:13:30. > :13:37.struggling. Many for the same reasons. Government cuts, funding,
:13:37. > :13:42.lack of employment, particularly in the Pembrokeshire area. It all
:13:42. > :13:46.impact on their income. In fact, Demand for toys is so high this
:13:46. > :13:52.year that local authorities are also getting involved. For the
:13:52. > :13:58.first time, Carmarthenshire Council has launched its own appeal. They
:13:58. > :14:02.have asked people to donate what they can. We had a seminar some
:14:02. > :14:05.months ago about an illegal money- lending and the way in which loan
:14:05. > :14:10.sharks went about getting the money back when people could not pay
:14:10. > :14:16.interest. If we can stop one or two families getting into those
:14:16. > :14:20.difficulties, we have done some good. Clare Bingham has now become
:14:20. > :14:29.a volunteer for the charity, giving what she knows is so gratefully
:14:30. > :14:36.This week we have been bringing new stories about Welsh expatriates in
:14:36. > :14:39.Japan and how they have been coping since the natural disaster in March.
:14:39. > :14:47.Today we look at the economic effect and the knock-on effect it
:14:47. > :14:54.has had for manufacturers here. A disaster which shoot a country. The
:14:54. > :14:59.earthquake caused thousands of deaths and widespread destruction.
:14:59. > :15:03.Inevitable economic destruction followed. -- economic damage.
:15:03. > :15:10.Investors reacted to the consequences and values plummeted.
:15:10. > :15:17.Tony Evans is from Wales. He has been working in banking in Japan
:15:17. > :15:26.for several years. There has been an exodus of people
:15:26. > :15:31.from Tokyo. But lots of people are still here. We have to counteract
:15:31. > :15:36.it as a business. We look at where manufacturing was based. It was
:15:36. > :15:45.based in the north, around Fukushima, so this had a massive
:15:45. > :15:50.effect on an export-driven economy. Toyota are was the world's top-
:15:50. > :15:57.selling car company but was close - - forced to close down operations
:15:57. > :16:03.in places following the earthquake. When the plant in Wales closed down
:16:03. > :16:07.operations for several days to conserve parts.
:16:07. > :16:12.We were normally for the past few months because the supply pipeline
:16:12. > :16:22.was uninterrupted. In the next few months we reduced volume by eight
:16:22. > :16:23.
:16:23. > :16:33.2/3. Now we're starting to recover. It was not just Toyota are feeling
:16:33. > :16:36.
:16:36. > :16:41.the effects. 3,000 people in Wales are employed by Japanese companies.
:16:41. > :16:48.The relationship between the two countries goes back many years. It
:16:48. > :16:53.started primarily in the electronics industry.
:16:54. > :17:02.We had a strong recovery towards the end of the summer. But people
:17:02. > :17:09.can understand the uncertain times within Europe. So we look for work
:17:09. > :17:14.to 2012 as likely continuing to be uncertain.
:17:14. > :17:18.After early signs of economic recovery, since August the pace has
:17:18. > :17:25.slowed in Japan as a result of uncertainty about the global
:17:26. > :17:31.economy. But there are still opportunities for people like Tony.
:17:31. > :17:37.This is still one of the largest economies in the world. Financial
:17:37. > :17:42.services always provide some thing for you to -- somewhere for you to
:17:42. > :17:50.go and speak to. You just have to focus, look at the positives
:17:50. > :17:53.instead of the negatives. The good thing is that from a
:17:53. > :17:59.manufacturing point of view the two countries respect one another. We
:17:59. > :18:06.have learnt a lot from one another. We have an excellent relationship.
:18:06. > :18:09.There is mutual understanding and respect.
:18:09. > :18:17.Travelling through this country you see what the phrase displayed over
:18:17. > :18:21.and over again. When translated, it means, let's move for work together,
:18:21. > :18:31.Japan. The country is desperately trying to recover and is very much
:18:31. > :18:34.open for business. Football, and Wales defender, Adam
:18:34. > :18:39.Matthews, has received an invitation for the Great Britain
:18:39. > :18:43.Olympic team. The Celtic player is one of three players at the Glasgow
:18:43. > :18:47.club to be contacted about the possibility of taking part in
:18:47. > :18:53.London. The English Football Association have sent letters to
:18:53. > :19:02.all the British players who may be eligible despite the opposition of
:19:02. > :19:05.the A three FA's in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
:19:06. > :19:10.In tomorrow's programme we will show you how the array effort using
:19:10. > :19:18.Internet technology to make sure that their families can receive
:19:18. > :19:28.crest -- soldiers' families can receive Christmas messages.
:19:28. > :19:38.This is our first Christmas without him. We miss him. He is still my
:19:38. > :19:39.
:19:39. > :19:44.boy. More on that tomorrow.
:19:44. > :19:48.Swansea City manager, Brendan Rodgers, says they must capitalise
:19:48. > :19:54.in their next two Mac games after their barren run continued. There
:19:54. > :19:57.are still waiting for their first away victory in the Premier League
:19:57. > :20:01.after the match against Everton. There is no doubt there are
:20:01. > :20:06.difficult team to beat but they do find it hard to score goals away
:20:06. > :20:15.from home. Everton created the best chances in the first half at
:20:16. > :20:20.Goodison Park. Several goal-bound efforts where denied. Although the
:20:20. > :20:26.home crowd thought they should have a penalty when the ball hit the arm
:20:26. > :20:31.of Ashley Williams. On the hour mark, this corner was headed home
:20:31. > :20:37.and Everton had the lead. Slack marking was a blemish on an
:20:37. > :20:41.otherwise decent defensive display. Swansea should have equalised
:20:41. > :20:48.moments later but their top scorer, Danny Graham, headed straight at
:20:48. > :20:57.the goalkeeper. But swans now have the worst away record, along with
:20:57. > :21:00.Coventry, of any club in the for divisions.
:21:00. > :21:05.The players continue to gain in confidence but winning games away
:21:05. > :21:09.from home in the Premier League is always difficult. We will keep our
:21:09. > :21:17.focus and concentration. But it does mean there is extra pressure
:21:17. > :21:24.on us in home games. The next two games are vital -
:21:24. > :21:31.Queens Park Rangers and Tottenham are the visitors.
:21:31. > :21:34.World 400 metres hurdles champion, Dai Greene, is the only Welshman on
:21:34. > :21:43.the 10 spokesman short list for the BBC's Sports personality of the
:21:43. > :21:53.what -- of the Year. But Gareth Wyn Hughes from the Rhondda is in
:21:53. > :21:57.
:21:57. > :22:07.contention for the unsung hero of water.
:22:07. > :22:10.
:22:10. > :22:20.La Salmons, the Paralympic athlete, will also be honoured.
:22:20. > :22:30.
:22:30. > :22:34.Campaigners at All Saints in the Rhondda -- it is a highlight of the
:22:34. > :22:40.Christmas Callander, even for churches that should not be open.
:22:40. > :22:45.All Saints was officially closed this summer but a number of
:22:45. > :22:54.residents are campaigning to return it to a place of worship. The
:22:54. > :23:00.repairs needed total �500,000. But the fund is growing.
:23:00. > :23:08.We have had lots of help and opened a charity shop. But we do have a
:23:08. > :23:13.lot of money coming in, and lots of enthusiasm to keep raising money.
:23:13. > :23:19.There are now plans to speak out with the heritage minister in the
:23:19. > :23:28.assembly. We will last the Government for
:23:28. > :23:32.assistance. This is our culture, history, our place of worship.
:23:32. > :23:37.After a determined campaign the Church in Wales offered to return
:23:37. > :23:44.the building to the community for �100,000. But talks have stalled
:23:44. > :23:48.since then. We want to sit down and get things
:23:48. > :23:53.on a proper footing, because as things stand we are not on a proper
:23:53. > :23:59.footing, we do not know where to go. We're just anxious to sit down and
:23:59. > :24:02.get matters resolved. We need a meeting with the
:24:02. > :24:06.Archbishop and the building supervisors, then we can get real
:24:06. > :24:12.progress. We won the archbishop to say that when the building is back
:24:12. > :24:22.in the condition it should be in, it will be returned.
:24:22. > :24:26.
:24:26. > :24:32.Until that is resolved the fund- And now the weather. No chance of a
:24:32. > :24:39.white Christmas. If you want some know you will have to make your own.
:24:39. > :24:49.-- if you want snow. From a temperature of point of view this
:24:49. > :24:50.
:24:50. > :24:54.has felt more like her late spring. 13 Celsius the peak temperature.
:24:54. > :25:02.About five degrees of of the seasonal average. But it will turn
:25:02. > :25:07.cold tomorrow. -- 5 degrees above the seasonal average. Tonight, a
:25:07. > :25:13.cloud the picture. Sports of light rain and drizzle. The winds will
:25:13. > :25:20.pick up. Strong winds. The low temperatures are only around ten
:25:20. > :25:26.Celsius. Tomorrow's chart shows an active cold front. That will bring
:25:26. > :25:33.a spell of heavy rain. Tomorrow morning, at the far south east
:25:33. > :25:38.including Newport, will start dry but it will not last. Elsewhere we
:25:39. > :25:45.ate with heavy rain. Still mild, the 11 Celsius. But that will
:25:45. > :25:49.change. A spell of heavy rain for everyone tomorrow. But during the
:25:49. > :25:55.afternoon it shall clear away. It will brighten but Shearer's will
:25:55. > :26:00.fall again. After a mild start it will turn colder as the wind
:26:00. > :26:07.changes direction, swinging around into the north-west. Becoming dry
:26:07. > :26:11.tomorrow night. The wind gradually easing. Then on Christmas Eve, it
:26:11. > :26:17.will start cold and dry but it will cloud over with patchy rain and
:26:17. > :26:24.showers. The wind will pack up and it will feel chilly. Christmas Day
:26:24. > :26:29.- mild but Wendy. A little drizzle in the west and north-west.
:26:29. > :26:39.Temperatures above average with fresh to strong gales in the north-
:26:39. > :26:44.west. Boxing Day? Mild and windy weather continues. No snow this
:26:44. > :26:50.Christmas, it will be mild and windy. But not too many problems if
:26:50. > :26:54.you are travelling, apart from some fork on high ground. At the moment,
:26:55. > :27:04.no sign of really cold weather between Christmas and the start of
:27:05. > :27:07.
:27:07. > :27:13.January. Here are the Christmas pictures. Snow-capped mountains.
:27:13. > :27:23.This Christmas card was designed by William. And finally this Christmas
:27:23. > :27:29.
:27:29. > :27:34.pudding. Thank you all. I hope you The main news: a wave of co-