:00:00. > 3:59:59Adebowale show nod remorse. That is all from us. Now we join our news
:00:00. > :00:24.teams where you Welcome to Wales Today. Our top
:00:25. > :00:27.story: The Council saved millions closing a care home and turning off
:00:28. > :00:29.street lights. But the executives at Caerphilly
:00:30. > :00:32.pocketed unlawful payments and we still don't know who was
:00:33. > :00:34.responsible. I don't have any confidence that there might have
:00:35. > :00:36.been other things going on we were not told about.
:00:37. > :00:39.Our other headlines: It's been a familiar sight across the country,
:00:40. > :00:42.patients waiting outside A E. Tonight plans for a major
:00:43. > :00:44.reorganisation of the ambulance service.
:00:45. > :00:46.The four Welsh rugby regions ask our politicians to sort out the games'
:00:47. > :00:50.troubles. They might want more to eat but
:00:51. > :00:54.we'll be finding but why there are no more second helpings on some
:00:55. > :00:56.school lunch menus. The portion sizes are too small and
:00:57. > :00:59.it doesn't always taste nice. And we've had snow, sleet, thunder,
:01:00. > :01:01.hail and rain today. Tonight a warning of ice, and there's more
:01:02. > :01:29.severe weather on the way! Good evening. One local council
:01:30. > :01:33.agreed to half ?1 million in unlawful payments to some of its top
:01:34. > :01:38.bosses, and more than a year on it is still no clear tonight who at the
:01:39. > :01:41.Council authorised them. The new report by the Wales Audit Office
:01:42. > :01:45.says no records were kept off the meetings between officers about more
:01:46. > :01:46.cash for some staff, and that was a conflict of interest for those
:01:47. > :01:57.involved. A big pay rise for Caerphilly
:01:58. > :02:03.Council's boss sparked these protests. Today it has ruled
:02:04. > :02:09.unlawful. Key weaknesses in managing people. Half ?1 million of taxpayers
:02:10. > :02:13.money paid out unlawfully. There has been controversy at Caerphilly
:02:14. > :02:19.Council 4/12 months. Protest is over unlawful pay rises. The chief
:02:20. > :02:23.executive and his deputy arrested and released on bail after a police
:02:24. > :02:29.investigation into those pay rises. More payments totalling more than
:02:30. > :02:34.?200,000 were also deemed unlawful by the Wales Audit Office. To date
:02:35. > :02:41.they told us exactly why they were unlawful. Meetings were held to
:02:42. > :02:43.decide how much executives would be paid in view of car and holiday
:02:44. > :02:48.allowances but they were discussing how much to play themselves. A clear
:02:49. > :02:52.conflict of interest not declared. No clear record of minutes of those
:02:53. > :02:56.meetings, a lack of clarity as to who made the final decision on the
:02:57. > :03:01.pavement, and elected councillors were kept in the dark which was
:03:02. > :03:05.unlawful. Once the decision had been taking it should have been properly
:03:06. > :03:09.recorded, very clear who took the decision and why, and it should have
:03:10. > :03:12.been published. The leader of the opposition says there is a way to go
:03:13. > :03:16.to restoring public confidence. Things are in the process of
:03:17. > :03:22.changing. I don't have any confidence now that there were not
:03:23. > :03:29.other things going on that we still have been told about. Throughout
:03:30. > :03:31.this year BBC Wales have ask to speak to the former and current
:03:32. > :03:36.chief executive about the lack of transparency. We were told again
:03:37. > :03:40.today nobody was available for interview from the Council or the
:03:41. > :03:43.collective Cabinet. But some feel the previous leader of the council
:03:44. > :03:47.should take some responsibility. My deepest concern is this could
:03:48. > :03:54.happen under the previous administration and they could know
:03:55. > :04:01.nothing about it, now the leader of the council knew nothing when he was
:04:02. > :04:05.deputy leader, and if you take his word that he knew nothing about it,
:04:06. > :04:10.it was an appalling failure of leadership under the administration.
:04:11. > :04:19.In response the former deputy -- Peter leader says Labour are trying
:04:20. > :04:24.to score political points. In a statement I am told steps have been
:04:25. > :04:29.taken to address some of the issues of concern here. Next month elected
:04:30. > :04:32.councillors will be able to vote on any further action and next year
:04:33. > :04:42.another auditor 's report will look at whether this kind of practice was
:04:43. > :04:46.more widespread. Big changes could be on the way for
:04:47. > :04:49.the Welsh Ambulance Service. A It's been confirmed tonight that it could
:04:50. > :04:52.be renamed and overseen by a commissioner. It comes at a
:04:53. > :04:56.turbulent time. Just weeks ago it emerged patients here wait longer to
:04:57. > :04:59.be transferred to A E than anywhere else in the UK. Let's talk
:05:00. > :05:04.to our reporter Jenny Rees. What's the background here?
:05:05. > :05:07.Viewer probably remember the pictures of ambulances queueing
:05:08. > :05:11.outside hospitals or stories of patients having long waits for an
:05:12. > :05:14.ambulance. A review was held earlier in the year looking at how the
:05:15. > :05:17.ambulance service operated and how this consultation which is out to
:05:18. > :05:23.date is looking at the change the way it is delivered in Wales. We are
:05:24. > :05:28.talking even right down to the very name. It could be called the Welsh
:05:29. > :05:35.Emergency and Clinical Services NHS Trust. Long may that the Minister is
:05:36. > :05:39.hoping that would reflect the broad range of cover, perhaps triage over
:05:40. > :05:44.the phone or a paramedic at home who treats you. One of the elements as
:05:45. > :05:47.well is there would be a committee set up. Local health boards would be
:05:48. > :05:53.part of that, they would decide what local services they need, then there
:05:54. > :05:58.would be a commissioner, a new post created, who would oversee the role
:05:59. > :06:01.and advise the work done by the local health boards, and then they
:06:02. > :06:06.would also potentially take action if needed, if agreed set standards
:06:07. > :06:08.are not that they would take action. We don't quite know what that would
:06:09. > :06:14.be yet. This all comes at a turbulent time
:06:15. > :06:18.for the Welsh Ambulance Service. Yes. We have had recently, for
:06:19. > :06:24.example last month was the first for 80 months when targets were met, and
:06:25. > :06:29.we are talking reaching 65% of the most serious emergencies in eight
:06:30. > :06:34.minutes. When you are looking at the transfer time from the ambulance to
:06:35. > :06:38.departments a recent investigation by the BBC found patients in Wales
:06:39. > :06:45.are waiting longer on average than others around the UK. Have had some
:06:46. > :06:48.reaction from the Conservatives, a cautious welcome, they say it will
:06:49. > :06:52.take more than a name change to make significant changes. Remember, these
:06:53. > :07:06.are just the puzzles, and the public has a chance to give their feedback
:07:07. > :07:15.until February the 13th. Heavy snow is causing disruption. The preset
:07:16. > :07:19.conditions are treacherous. This was Powers earlier today. It has seen
:07:20. > :07:26.heavy snowfall in the last few hours. Similar pictures across the
:07:27. > :07:30.country. This afternoon snow was falling in the Brecon Beacons. More
:07:31. > :07:33.heavy rain forecast for tomorrow. Natural resources Wales or urging
:07:34. > :07:39.people to be vigilant all next week, a full forecast later.
:07:40. > :07:42.Ian 'H' Watkins, a former member of the band Steps, has received a
:07:43. > :07:46.public apology at the High Court after his photo was used on a
:07:47. > :07:47.website reporting on the Ian Watkins abuse case.
:07:48. > :07:53.E! Entertainment Television apologised for using the picture of
:07:54. > :07:56.the pop star, who's from Treorchy. If The US company's solicitor
:07:57. > :07:59.expressed regret for the "distress and damage" its publication had
:08:00. > :08:03.caused. A man has been given a whole life
:08:04. > :08:06.sentence for the murder of 17-year-old Georgia Williams, whose
:08:07. > :08:09.body was found dumped in North Wales. Jamie Reynolds, who's 23,
:08:10. > :08:14.killed Georgia at his parents' house in Shropshire in May. He pleaded
:08:15. > :08:19.guilty to her murder earlier this month.
:08:20. > :08:21.Wales's four rugby regions have written to their local politicians
:08:22. > :08:26.in their increasingly bitter row with the Welsh Rugby Union. The
:08:27. > :08:29.Scarlets, Blues, Ospreys and Dragons are refusing to sign a new
:08:30. > :08:36.Participation Agreement because of what they view as unfavourable
:08:37. > :08:44.financial terms. Our reporter Cemlyn Davies is outside Parc Y Scarlets
:08:45. > :08:49.tonight. I have spoken to a number of fans to
:08:50. > :08:53.date, and they are getting increasingly anxious for the
:08:54. > :08:57.future. Desperate times call for desperate measures. Yesterday of
:08:58. > :09:03.course the four regions including the Scarlets united behind the
:09:04. > :09:08.banner bearing the slogan protect our game. We have learned they have
:09:09. > :09:13.invited politicians to intervene in this long-running dispute. Amongst
:09:14. > :09:17.the Christmas cards a letter will be arriving on the doorsteps of MPs and
:09:18. > :09:20.assembly members in the next few days. Signed by the fall of the
:09:21. > :09:25.regions it will be a direct appeal to try to gain political backing for
:09:26. > :09:31.their cause. Yesterday as the four regions came together to launch
:09:32. > :09:33.banners saying protect our game Scarlets coach Simon Easterby
:09:34. > :09:38.passionately spoke about how the regions are not just rugby clubs but
:09:39. > :09:43.as Mrs having to employ the local people. He warned livelihoods are at
:09:44. > :09:48.risk. In the letter the four regions will state that combined pay
:09:49. > :09:54.employee around 1000 staff -- they employ. They claim with a combined
:09:55. > :09:58.turnover of ?30 million they make a direct economic contribution to
:09:59. > :10:03.Wales in excess of ?50 million per year. The regions have called for an
:10:04. > :10:08.independent public enquiry to examine how they are funded. If the
:10:09. > :10:12.regions are looking for strong opinions, politicians will not hold
:10:13. > :10:19.back. The leader of the Welsh Conservatives is tonight echoing
:10:20. > :10:23.that call for an enquiry, although Owen Smith has not received his
:10:24. > :10:29.letter yet. The shadow Secretary of State for Wales, a keen rugby fan,
:10:30. > :10:37.relieves cloak -- believes club rugby is failing because supporters
:10:38. > :10:42.haven't warmed to the regional make up.
:10:43. > :10:48.It has been in crisis for the last decade or more. Each week I see
:10:49. > :10:53.fewer and fewer fans watching the game, interest at a club level
:10:54. > :10:57.dwindles. Others are not so sure the political
:10:58. > :11:00.route is the right one. It is dangerous for politicians to
:11:01. > :11:06.intervene themselves. We could support the establishment of some
:11:07. > :11:10.kind of independent arbitrator to find a way through but I wouldn't
:11:11. > :11:15.want politicians to be part of that. Many people have got their agendas,
:11:16. > :11:18.we need independent people, politicians are not independent when
:11:19. > :11:25.it comes to this, they will be starting it from one angle. I want
:11:26. > :11:27.to see what the supporters want. Many disillusioned Scarlets fans
:11:28. > :11:32.show their concern for the future. It is a great pity this problem has
:11:33. > :11:46.written. In a professional game. It needs crowds. We need a team here.
:11:47. > :11:51.The villages, area needs the Scarlets.
:11:52. > :11:55.With the letters on the way the Welsh Rugby union remained tight
:11:56. > :11:58.lipped. The Welsh government says it hopes issues can be resolved quickly
:11:59. > :12:03.and the clock is ticking. The regions have until New Year's Eve to
:12:04. > :12:08.agree to a new deal. This evening there is perhaps a
:12:09. > :12:12.further illustration of the challenges facing the regional game
:12:13. > :12:16.in Wales and a possible blow to the Scarlets after Leicester Tigers
:12:17. > :12:27.confirmed they have contacted Rhys recent's representatives regarding a
:12:28. > :12:30.possible move. -- Rhys Rhys Flint. Elijah was excluded from school but
:12:31. > :12:34.he has found his feet and made it as an international gymnastics.
:12:35. > :12:36.A white Christmas comes early, but the weather heading our way looks
:12:37. > :12:44.pretty severe. If Many schools in Wales have
:12:45. > :12:52.clamped down on giving pupils second helpings to prevent childhood
:12:53. > :12:54.obesity. The restrictions are based on new
:12:55. > :12:57.guidelines from the Welsh Government. But some parents and
:12:58. > :12:59.school governors are complaining that older children aren't getting
:13:00. > :13:05.enough to eat. Charlotte Dubenskij reports.
:13:06. > :13:09.Lunchtime at the school in Powys. All meals are based on Welsh
:13:10. > :13:11.government guidelines, but a BBC survey has found how councils
:13:12. > :13:17.interpret them varies across the country. Many schools are now
:13:18. > :13:24.clamping down on second helpings in the drive to curb childhood obesity,
:13:25. > :13:26.but that has led to concern. Children and school governors and
:13:27. > :13:29.teachers have raised with me that even after the school meals they
:13:30. > :13:35.were very quickly getting hungry, said that led to them snacking late
:13:36. > :13:39.afternoon. That was an issue. The council wasn't allowing schools to
:13:40. > :13:42.have second helpings and was giving the same portion size to children
:13:43. > :13:45.whether they were four years old or 11.
:13:46. > :13:50.Since that complaint things have improved. Children at the school are
:13:51. > :13:54.allowed second helpings of vegetables or bread if there is any
:13:55. > :13:59.leftovers that the county council says any extra portions of puddings
:14:00. > :14:03.are forbidden. The children here have already had their second is
:14:04. > 0:07:08today. Portion sizes are too small, and it doesn't