12/12/2013 BBC Wales Today

Welcome to Wales Today. Our top story: They're doing well but

elsewhere the latest banding results see fewer schools making it into the

highest band. But what does it all mean?

I don't think it actually gives parents a right view of the school

and its performance. Our other headlines tonight: An

investigation is underway after a 14-year-old boy is found hanged in

school grounds in Pembrokeshire. Our entire air ambulance cover along

with one of our police helicopters is grounded for checks.

Housing benefit changes. The man behind the overhaul to welfare tells

us why the shake-up is good for Wales.

Should electronic cigarettes be banned in public places? Health

watchdogs say they undermine efforts to quit smoking.

And demolish Colwyn Bay Pier. Councillors say it's now the end of

the road. Good evening. How well is your child's secondary school

performing? The latest banding results have been released with

schools being put into one of five groups. And we've seen fewer schools

making it into the top band compared to last year. So let's take a look

at some of results. Ysgol y Moelwyn in Gwynedd has the best score in

Wales. At the other end of the scale with joint worst scores, Barry

Comprehensive in the Vale of Glamorgan and Coleg Cymunedol y

Dderwen in Bridgend. And for the first time one school, Ferndale

Community School in Rhondda Cynon Taf, has bounced from Band 5 last

year, to Band 1 this year prompting concerns that the system is too

volatile. Our education correspondent, Arwyn Jones has more.

Cowbridge comprehensive school has some of the best GCSE results in

Wales. But it's not in the top band. This year, like last year, it's in

Band 2. Bands are calculated according to the results at GCSE.

The overall performance in English, Welsh and mathematics.

The attendance record of pupils and how the school improves the

performance of the poorest pupils. There are issues regarding the

banding system. I don't feel it necessarily gives parents and

accurate or appropriate view of schools in Wales. You will know for

example some schools have been in Band 1 and the following year the

Aryan band three of one and number four. What does that tell parents

about the schools? There is, however, plenty of room to celebrate

in this school. Ferndale Community School in the Rhondda have managed a

first. No other school has ever managed to jump from Band 5 all the

way up to Band 1. It could lead to a ghetto system where certain bad

schools never get the opportunity to improve. Pupils have automatically

gone to the natural choice of school where now they might make more

informed about where they would like to send their children. But when

they were in Band 5, there was a range of support available to them.

Money as well as consultants to improve the school. It's clearly

succeeded, but how sustainable is the improvement? We have had the

support from the director and his team and the funding to ensure that

the strategies we put in place to succeed as sustainable will stop the

offending dependent. Schools have bounced up and down the

bands over the last three years. As a result, unions say they're pretty

much meaningless. People did take them as gospel, the measure of the

school. That is potentially damaging. For schools that were put

into a low band, that low with their standing in the community and made

the staff feel bad. We know realise the banding isn't something we

should be worrying about too much. We hope that the public has the

wisdom to see through it. But they're here to stay. Although

there may well be changes in future. Banding will be a permanent feature

of the educational landscape in Wales. I am currently taking a look

at whether the banding mechanism is sensitive enough to measure that

attainment gap, that stubborn attainment gap between those

children from poorer households and the rest, which is a feature of the

Welsh education system. I am not quite sure if the form and we use at

the moment emphasises that element of things in. I am taking a look at

it. So today, some will celebrate, others will wonder what's gone

wrong. But since banding is here to stay, for most schools, there's

always room to improve next year. Arwyn joins me now.

It is a fine line between improvement and failure for want of

another world. One headteacher I spoke with today said just 12 of his

pupils secured a grade higher in GCSE, that would've then the

difference between band for an Antoine. That is why it is difficult

to think of a single issue which so unites the teaching unions in their

opposition more than school banding. A great debate tonight

about what we actually really learn from banding. The Welsh Government

is absolutely adamant that banding is here to stay. The Education

Minister said today, he refuted any idea of volatility. He said give all

take eight out of ten school, we remained in the same band. Most of

the pupils I spoke to saw it as a spur. They wanted to improve their

standing compare to live there near a school. That is a good thing. The

Education Minister saying there will be changes but more about the issue

of how the deal with poverty, they infuriate the teaching unions. For a

full list of all the secondary schools in Wales and which band they

are in, go to our website. An investigation is underway tonight

into the death of a 14-year-old boy found dead at a secondary school in

Pembrokeshire. Our reporter Jenny Rees is in our Carmarthen newsroom.

What more do we know? It is understood the 14-year-old

boy's body was found around two o'clock. That is nearly wooded area

near the school, this is Pembroke School. An area has been cordoned

off by police. The police have confirmed they are investigating the

circumstances surrounding the pupil's. It was reported pupils were

in tears when they heard the news. Wien on the eve of the Christmas

holidays, there is only a week left in term. The boy 's family have been

told of his death. The Pembrokeshire coroner has been informed. The

police have described this as a tragic death. School liaison

officers have been at the school just to support the pupils at this

difficult time for them. Pembrokeshire county council and

expected to release a statement about the boy's death tomorrow.

Police investigating allegations of historic child abuse in care homes

in north Wales have arrested a man from Old Colwyn on suspicion of a

number of physical and sexual assaults. The offences are alleged

to have taken place against seven boys when they were between eight

and 16 years old in the late 1970s and early '80s. The 76-year-old is

the 18th person arrested as part of Operation Pallial.

At one time it had 25 stores across Wales, now the DVD rental chain,

Blockbuster, is closing all of its remaining stores within days.

Administrators were unable to find a buyer. The company went into

administration for a second time in October.

Welsh MPs have urged the car manufacturer Ford to pay former

Visteon employees their full pensions in a debate in the Commons.

Visteon UK, which had a plant in Swansea, went into administration in

2009 with hundreds of job losses in Wales. The majority of workers

transferred to Visteon from Ford and were promised their terms and

conditions would be protected. The company says it was not their

responsibility once Visteon was created. They promised us our

pensions would be OK. When the company went into administration

that is proved not to be the case. Our pensions have been reduced, they

are under threat, we just want Ford to pay up and sort out the

attainment for the hard-working people who worked for the company

for decades. Wales' three air ambulances and one

of our police helicopters were grounded earlier because of safety

concerns. Bond Air Services suspended flights of all of its

EC-135s after a fault was found on one air ambulance in England. Our

reporter Natasha Llewellyn is at Swansea Airport tonight, where one

of the air ambulances is based. Just behind me through those gates

is the Swansea Wales air ambulance base. This site along with two

others in Caernarfon and Welshpool usually provide around 13 or 14

hours every day of cover that that is not been the case this afternoon.

Their fleet of helicopters have been grounded. Tonight, in the last few

hours we have been told to have the helicopters are back in action. It

has meant disruption to services. Taking a patient at Cardiff

University Hospital of Wales earlier this week. Just one of the 2000

life-saving journeys Wales is air ambulance is make each year. Similar

services have been stopped across the UK after a defect is found of

the Northwest England air ambulance. It is now being investigated by

engineers. These emergency service helicopters operate in very

difficult environments. As we saw in Glasgow, they operate over city

sentence. It is right for a sensible operator to be cautious and that the

circumstances. The EC-135 is the same model that crashed in Glasgow

two weeks ago. Ten people died after a police helicopter came down on a

busy pub. The Air Accidents Investigation Branch says it has

found the evidence of major mechanical perception. A helicopter

used by Gwent and south Wales Police has also been grounded. They say

their cover for the region is being provided by the sources and safety

is the number one priority. Operator Bond Air Services said in a

statement its decision to temporarily suspend operations was a

precautionary measure. Tonight, Wales air ambulance says two of

their fleet have returned to service both checks were continuing on a

third aircraft. Bond Air Services says they hope

those final maintenance checks will be carried out by tonight so all

helicopters can be back up and running. As it stands, one air

ambulance service remains grounded and south Wales and Gwent Police

forces remain affected. Wales will see greater benefits from

welfare reforms than anywhere else in the UK, that's according to the

Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith. He spoke to our

political editor, Nick Servini at a community centre in Pontarddulais

where 11% of the working age population have never had a job.

I think Wales for too long, has been neglected and we want to help reform

and change that so that more people in Wales can't get the skills they

need and get access to work. You're far too many people who somehow

slipped through the grid of education and now find it difficult

to be able to make any application. You'd if you can't write with

applicant -- confidence, you can't write an application. If you can't

communicate your interview is going to be a disaster. That is where we

have to focus before we try to get somebody back into work. The

greatest impact, from a positive or negative sense, your political

opponents as the net effect will be about ?1 billion will be removed

from the Welsh economy as a result of these welfare reforms. The key

form the key thing is this will give people a shot to get back to work.

We have a real problem with people living in overcrowded accommodation.

Councils and governments have turned a blind eye to the fact they have

lots build enough housing, we have to build more housing. An awful lot

of people have been living in housing where the act and occupying

that house. We are subsidising that wayward -- while we have people in

overcrowded accommodation. There is a cry coming from people, families,

cool as squatting in one room and the need to move into digger

housing. We need to get that rationalised the people in larger

houses can move will stop all importantly, it is about restoring

the sense that if you want to stay in places like that you need to take

on a bit more work, you need to work longer so we can have more work

incentive into some of those groups and families living in those houses.

When we have looked at the housing benefits, changes on the programme,

time and time again the issue that comes up is there is a real shortage

of smaller properties for people to move into. This is where councils

need to think about what they are building and how they can convert

larger homes. I have been talking to people across Wales and England,

then a big house swap organisations. The councils don't want to use them

but they are not counselled rant that people need to look at those

websites. There are hundreds and thousands of moves and swaps going

on. We do need to think about the problem of those in overcrowded

accommodation. Much more to come before seven

o'clock. Should electronic cigarettes be banned in public

places? Health watchdogs say they undermine efforts to quit smoking.

And it's the end of the pier show. At least if councillors in Conwy

have their way. They've voted to demolish the Grade II-listed

structure. Crime figures in the Gwent area

could be 8% higher than first thought. That's one of the findings

of a report which the area's police and crime commissioner Ian Johnston

has ordered to be carried out. Official statistics suggest the

force had a larger reduction in crime than anywhere else in Wales or

England last year. Our Gwent Valleys reporter Paul Heaney is here.

What concerns did he have? Crime figures error important to lots of

people. We report on them every year. That is why this is it a big

deal. Ian Johnston thinks there was a problem in Gwent Police with the

way in which they were being recorded. It was one of the

criticisms of one of the previous chief constables. If crime

statistics were low last year and it takes a rise, he thinks there might

be an issue here. What did the review look at? Id looked back to 50

incidents in July and in more than half of those incidents he found

things were not being recorded as crimes when they should've been. He

asked the victims what they thought and 90% thought they had a very good

service from Gwent Police. He talked to police officers and sat, looked

at the Home Office report, guidance, and look at the incidents and tried

to marry them up. That is where we get that 8% figure from. This report

will be published tomorrow, officially. It will be handed over

to the elected officials in the Gwent and crime panel. -- Gwent

police and the panel. Ian Johnston will give us his reaction after the

meeting tomorrow. Electronic cigarettes should be

banned in public places. Public Health Wales says they undermine

efforts to encourage people to quit smoking. It also says users can't

tell if they're safe. But the industry, and many of those who've

taken up so-called "vaping" disagree, and say e-cigarettes help

people quit far more harmful tobacco products.

Some look like the cigarettes they designed to replace, others not,

festooned in fashionable colours filled with exotic flavoured

liquids. It's a growing business helping those trying to quit smoking

but also attracting many who have never smoked. Despite the

significant health benefits over tobacco-based products, Public

Health Wales wants them banned in public as they say it normalises

smoking. We understand very little about the potential impact, we have

a theoretical risk that the safest thing from us to do is to say they

should not be allowed and should be regulated like any other tobacco

product until we have real assurances they weren't any

concerns. Those selling the vaporisers say

they're proving very popular. This company in Cardiff has 16 branches

across the country, and is expanding rapidly. They're in favour of

industry regulation and believe that despite there being a small amount

of nicotine in some electronic cigarettes, they're perfectly safe

and a public ban is not necessary. I think it is crazy because as I

say, when you inhale it than nicotine stays in your body and what

comes out is the vapour. If they are going to and that what are they

going to ban next? Coffey? T? This is an electronic cigarette. This end

has liquid nicotine with a battery over here. They give the smoker then

nicotine hit. Unlike normal cigarettes you don't get to heart

and it is tar in normal cigarettes that kills.

Many ex-smokers have found electronic cigarettes have helped

them quit smoking in favour of so-called "vaping" and they feel

healthier for it. My loan capacity has improved. I work out and my

cardio has improved. I know of for five people who have used it have

never smoked again. It is two months now I have been on this and I

haven't touched a cigarette. But Prestatyn GP, Dr Eamonn Jessup,

who's also a spokesman for the British Medical Association, says

there's a danger users could become addicted to nicotine which brings

its own health problems. Many have got nicotine, many have chemicals

in. I would feel uncomfortable in a lift as somebody who was smoking one

of these cigarettes. Having said all of that, perhaps in some patients

when it is critically important they stop smoking it can be used as an

aid. The day -- despite today's call, the recent poll for the BBC

reported the majority of people questioned supported the use of

electronic cigarette in public places.

Knock it down. That was the verdict today on Colwyn Bay's ailing century

old pier. It's been closed for five years and is falling into disrepair.

There had been plans to restore the pier at a cost of up to ?15 million

but Conwy councillors have been told there's now doubt over hoped-for

grant aid. Here's Roger Pinney. They were putting up signs today,

nothing to do with the planned demolition, just warning people to

keep away from a structure now in a pretty sorry state. The ?50 million

restoration was planned today councillors were told they were

unlikely to get the grounds they needed to pay for it. There was a

prospect the authority would have to pick up the tab. It is a major risk

and we take -- can't take it in this day and age. We don't know what kind

of funding is going to come through. As a council it is a common-sense

approach. There is a shortfall of ?6 million. In its heyday the pier was

Colwyn Bay's main attraction. In truth it had been in decline for

decades. A string of private owners fail to deliver a restoration. The

council took over last year but its ownership is the subject of legal

action. The man behind that action warned it could ramble on through

the courts for months if not years. Campaigners insist they will

challenge attempts to remove the peer's listed status. It would have

to happen before demolition. The fight goes on. Pier Even to demolish

the pier there are significant challenges ahead. We are urging the

public to get behind and lobby their councillors to get this decision

reversed. The decision of the current investigation won't come

through until next June, assuming that decision comes fully in my

favour. If it doesn't, I will appear at again to the High Court which

will take until the end of the year to get a resolution. This seems set

to ramble on and on. The reserve prominence of a challenge to the

list the pier. The peer has been standing here for more than 100

years, my guess is it'll be standing for a few years yet.

Swansea City are on the brink of qualifying to the next stage of the

Europa League. They're currently in action in a foggy Switzerland. The

Swans need a point tonight and they will be comfortably through to the

knockout stages of the tournament. Leigh Halfpenny is the latest Wales

star being linked with a move to France with both Toulon and Clermont

appearing to be interested in the full-back. The publication, The

Rugby Paper, is claiming the British and Irish Lions full-back has

decided he'll leave Wales when his contract expires at the end of the

season. The 24-year-old won the BBC Cymru Wales Sports Personality of

the year on Monday. The Dragons will be looking for

their second straight win over Bordeaux. The Dragons currently sit

three points behind pool leaders Bath after recording an impressive

win over the French side at Rodney Parade last Friday.

The short list for the Artes Mundi prize has been announced. Artists

from eight countries have made the list. The award is the UK's biggest

cash prize in the Visual Arts and happens every two years. An

exhibition of the short listed works opens in October next year before

the winners is announced in January 2015.

Let's get the weather picture now. It is still fairly mild for December

is with highs of 13 Celsius today and it will remain mired tonight.

But it will bring in cloud and rain. We had a lot of cloud around this

afternoon. There will push through quickly thanks to the wind but the

temperature is not shifting very much from the daytime values. At

lowest around 10 Celsius. We have got another cold fronts bringing in

more rain tomorrow and a ridge of high pressure settling things down

tomorrow night. It is very brief as we will see another weather front

bringing in wet and windy conditions through Saturday. First thing

tomorrow morning, strong winds from the south. The good news, by the

afternoon we will see brighter conditions especially parts of

Pembrokeshire writer to Anglesey. Temperatures reaching a high of 13

Celsius. Tomorrow night, fairly quiet night to come. It will feel

cold compared with the night. We have clear skies, light winds.

Temperatures will lead to single figures. Three Celsius along the

border. The wind will pick up again as you go through Saturday but first

thing on Saturday morning, it is a bright start. Fairly quiet and quite

quickly we will see the next weather system making its way in from the

west. We will have rain for the afternoon across parts of Anglesey

to Pembrokeshire. It is still fairly mild with highs of 10 Celsius in the

Brecon Beacons, 12 Celsius in north-east Wales. Saturday night

will see the rain band pushing eastwards. It will clear by Sunday.

On Sunday and Monday to be quiet. It will be cloudy with outbreaks of

rain at times. Breezy as well through the start of early next

week. We would love to see more of your pictures. Please send them in.

The forecast for next week it will become unsettled, rain times, some

brightness but still remaining mild for December. The average

temperatures for December is seven degrees but we will stick -- hold on

to the double figures. degrees but we will stick -- hold on

to the She was secondary schools in Wales have achieved the highest band

rating compared to last year. That is according to performance ratings.

20 secondary schools have been placed in Band 1 compared to 28 in

2012. The Education Minister has rejected criticism that the system

is volatile. An investigation is underway into

the death of a 14-year-old boy who was found hanged at a secondary

school in Pembrokeshire. Dyfed Powys Police discovered the boy this

afternoon in woodland near Pembroke conference of school reception. His

family and the coroner have then informed.

I'll have an update for you here at eight o'clock and again after the

BBC News at ten. That's Wales Today. Thank you for watching from all of

us on the programme, good evening.