08/01/2014 BBC Wales Today

from the BBC News at Six. So it's goodbye from me. On BBC One we now

join the BBC's news Welcome to Wales Today. Our top

story. Our Accident Emergency departments

under pressure. Some patients are being asked to stay away.

An internal e-mail describes Wrexham Maelor Hospital as being log-jammed

with patients. nursery education - councils across

the country prepare to slash budgets this year.

They are decisions I would much prefer not to be making.

The arts are facing the axe too. Hollywood star Michael Sheen is

urging local authorities here not to cut funding.

A man's jailed for six years for starting a fire which destroyed this

crisps factory in Crumlin. And the body that governs world

rugby warns it won't give its backing to any break away by the

Welsh regions. One of North Wales' biggest

hospitals has been described as being log jammed with patients. An

e-mail sent to staff at Wrexham Maelor and seen by BBC Wales

indicates the pressure our hospitals are under at the start of the year.

In the Abertawe Bro Morgannwg area, patients have been asked to avoid

going to Morriston and the Princess of Wales emergency departments after

a surge in admissions. It follows a similar plea from Hywel Dda Health

Board at the weekend. Our reporter Steffan Messenger was granted rare

access to the A unit at Morriston. Packed full and under pressure.

Agents behind the scenes at Morriston Hospital A Almost every

bed here is taken. This man was admitted after suffering a

haemorrhage. I don't know when I will get out of here. You have got

to be grateful that we have got places to come to. There are too

many patients attending to few. They are doing an excellent job but there

aren't enough of them any more. As the health board tries to coax with

the increase in emergency cases, beds have had to be freed up in

other parts of the hospital 's, with some routine operations cancelled.

Two wards have also been closed due to a rise in the winter vomiting

bug. We have had a bit of a crisis in the last few days. Very often

people have had a context problem brewing for some days and if they

have managed to see their GP, it could have avoided them ending up in

A They are a little bit frightened, they don't know where to

go and the problems reported in casualty don't necessarily mean GP

surgeries are not accessible all available. Sometimes people don't

make the right choices. Across Wales it is a similar picture. Patients

An e-mail sent to staff at Wrexham have been asked to avoid emergency

An e-mail sent to staff at Wrexham Maelor Hospital and seen by BBC

where describes how the hospital is logjam with patients. It may have

been a mild winter but it is taking its toll. People are being told to

think twice before attending A Steffan's here with me now. So what

more do we know about the situation in North Wales and at Wrexham Maelor

Hospital in particular? BBC Wales has seen an internal e-mail which

describes the situation at the hospital as being logjam with

patients. He says it has led to high levels of inappropriate patients at

A and long delays of ambulances. The e-mail also calls for staff to

review all patients to see who might be eligible for discharge as a

matter of urgency. As a result of the e-mail being made public, the

health board has updated the statement they sent as earlier as

regards the situation in A departments across Wales. They say

it has been a peak in demand to the three main hospitals in North Wales.

This has led to delays in patients being admitted. They say staff are

informed and measures are in place to ease the situation and they

emphasise that no planned surgery has had to be postponed as a result

of the situation. But this is another illustration of the pressure

A departments are under. As all 22 of Wales' local

authorities prepare to make major budget cuts this year, tonight one

of our biggest councils has said it will go ahead with plans to increase

the age children can start full-time education. But it has delayed when

the change comes into force. The plans are part of proposals to save

?70 million over four years and also include closing libraries and day

centres. Our reporter Daniel Davies is at the council's headquarters for

us now with the latest. The Welsh government says it has

managed to protect local councils from the worst of the spending cuts

so far. That is going to change this year and if you want to know what it

means for public services, you can look at Rhondda Cynon Taff council

where the cabinet pushed through some pretty unpopular cuts today.

School is a few years away for this girl but her big sister goes

full-time. Her parents have been fighting plans by the local council

that would mean children can't have a full-time place until they are

four years old. We understand that cuts need to be made but we

understand that cuts need to be made but we

the county would rather see the cuts made elsewhere.

the county would rather see the cuts can deal with cuts far more than

children perhaps can. We can deal with cuts far more than

as guinea pigs. After angry protests, Rhondda Cynon Taff

Council's Cabinet today agreed protests, Rhondda Cynon Taff

changes in September instead of April but Ross is still worried. She

will be four in September so the psychological impact on her, we

don't know what it will do to her and how we will explain it to not

being able to go to school her friends. Nursery classes are not the

only service threatened. Ten day centres for the elderly will close

as well as libraries across the county. Meals on wheels will be

delivered throughout the week but no longer on the weekend when they will

be chilled. And there will be a consultation on more cuts. The

council is looking at closing the Museum and Art Centre in Pontypridd.

Some paddling pools and some sports centres could close and streetlights

will also be switched off in some nonresidential areas. Whatever

decision we make, unfortunately it is going to affect some section of

the community. It has been a very unpleasant day and I feel we will

have many more similar days in the future. This Labour led council

blames the cuts on the UK government's austerities squeeze.

These people are losing much loved services.

The local council is saying that people in the area should be

prepared for more cuts. Meanwhile, those parents, they say they could

try and stop the changes to nursery schools by taking it to the courts.

It is a pretty bleak start to 2014 but it is a reminder that councils

right across Wales are going to be facing similar situations.

Meanwhile, Hollywood star Michael Sheen is urging local authorities in

Wales not to cut funding for the arts. It comes after Neath Port

Talbot Council decided to withdraw its support for the West Glamorgan

Youth Theatre Company, a drama group Sheen used to perform with. The

council says third sector organisations can't be exempted as

it tackles a funding gap of nearly ?40 million over the next four

years. Cemlyn Davies reports. For nearly 40 years, the West

Glamorgan Youth Theatre Company has mentored young actors like these.

But its future is uncertain after Neath Port Talbot Council decided to

withdraw its contribution of more than ?13,500. That's a third of the

theatre's annual income. It is obviously a very sad sign of the

times. We understand that the council is under huge financial

pressure but it makes it sad that youth arts seem to be taking a big

hit at the moment. I think it is a short-sighted view. My worry is that

in ten years time when there is money floating around, that area

needs a new youth Theatre. It had one. The drama company has a

sparkling alumni that includes Gavin and Stacey's Joanna Page and Steffan

Rhodri, and Dr Who writer Russell T Davies. But

Rhodri, and Dr Who writer Russell T graduate is Michael Sheen. The

actor, promoted the work of a fostering

team in his promoted the work of a fostering

luxury when times are hard. It will be too late when the day comes when

people discover it is not an add-on, it is at the heart of how we

perceive ourselves, how we find a sense of who we are, the stories we

tell and how we connect with each other. Art and culture is at the

very heart of that. If it all dries up, it will be too late so it needs

support now. Neath Port Talbot Council says it recognises the value

of the contribution of organisations like this one but the third sector

can't be exempted as it looks to make savings in light of significant

budget cuts. Other local authorities are facing the same challenge. Some

local authorities are doing very well in terms of maintaining their

commitment but the majority are saying they are finding it

increasingly hard to find what is discretionary expenditure for the

arts in the face of competing pressures for other statutory

services. These young people are focussing on a performance they'll

give in South Africa over Easter. But behind the scenes the search for

alternative funding is already underway as council cuts continue to

take their toll. We will be tracking what the

councils across Wales decided over the next few weeks.

So there we saw two examples of how councils are proposing to make their

books balance. How typical are the examples we've seen today? Councils

are looking at what they have to do and what they can get away with not

doing or getting other people to do for them. Many things we have taken

for granted over the last generation is that the councils have them, for

example in Carmarthenshire, the council is looking at either handing

over playing fields to the rugby feels that run and use them, and if

they don't want to run them because of the costs, putting their freezer.

Putting them up five fold. For example, from ?50, going up to ?250.

We are going to see lots of different things like that in the

next few weeks. In Anglesey, one of the proposals is that the gallery

will not have as many staff and the lighthouse would be open for as many

days. What happens next? In every area it is different but they have

got until mid-March to decide. It might be libraries in one area,

schools in another area and streetlights in another area. They

have got to balance the books. They have got to decide how much they put

up council tax for have got to decide how much they put

much they cut. And the bad news is, there will

much they cut. And the bad news is, A group of Assembly Members

much they cut. And the bad news is, examine the response to storm damage

much they cut. And the bad news is, on the coast in the last few weeks.

The Environment and Sustainability Committee will also see if there's

Government's coastal protection strategy since it recommended

improvements more than a year ago. In Westminster, the Welsh Secretary

told MPs Wales would get a share of any extra flood repair funding spent

in England. All A 43-year-old man has been given a life sentence for a

string of sexual offences which were described by a judge as chilling and

terrifying. Barry Rosedale admitted rape, sexual

assault, robbery and possessing a knife at Mold Crown Court. The

attacks on women happened over a three-month period in the

Queensferry area of Deeside. The courage of all the victims

involved, who have either talked to him or tried to fight off his

attacks, and I do believe because of their courage and the way they have

dealt with these incidents has prevented his finding from going any

further or becoming more serious the night in question.

Police are investigating after a 51-year-old man was airlifted to

hospital following reports of a possible stabbing in Pontypridd.

Paramedics were called to a Tesco Express on Taff Street at lunchtime

after a man had walked in and collapsed with a puncture wound to

his abdomen. He was flown by air ambulance to the University Hospital

of Wales in Cardiff where his injuries are not believed to be

life-threatening. An MP is calling for tougher

sentences for motorists convicted of driving offences which cause death

or serious injury. Susan Elan Jones has been prompted by the case of

nine-year-old Robert Gaunt from Overton near Wrexham. He was killed

in 2009 by a hit-and-run driver who served ten months in jail.

This tribute on the side of a busy road outside the village of Overton

marks the spot where a day out playing with friends ended in

tragedy for a nine-year-old boy and his family. The driver -- the boy

came out of this public footbath and he was struck by two cars. The

driver of the second stopped but the driver of the first left the scene

and was later arrested trying to conceal the damage to his car.

61-year-old David Lunn was jailed for 22 months but sentencing

guidelines meant he served just ten months. Ten months is one present of

your lifetime. This family have got a life sentence for as long as they

live. They will miss Robert. There has to be some measure of punishment

fitting the crime. Robbie Gaunt's case moved the local MP to call for

a change in the way those convicted of causing death whilst driving are

punished by the courts. Drivers who end the lives of innocent bubo have

their sentences reduced, reduced, reduced, until it declines to a

matter of months. Longer sentences for drink driving would be welcomed

by the family of Kieran Lea Arnold. The 21-year-old from Cymau in

Flintshire was killed last June when his car

Flintshire was killed last June when twice the legal drink drive limit

and twice the legal drink drive limit

let down by the British law system and I think the judge who was

sitting and I think the judge who was

"my hands are tied by the British and I think the judge who was

legal system" , because he felt himself this should have been a

bigger sentence. Each family touched by these tragedies say no sentence

could ever equal their own but believe higher sentences will

promote higher standards. You're watching Wales Today. Plenty

still ahead. Dealing with early onset dementia in

your 40s - warnings not enough is being done to diagnose younger

people. And it's a familiar sight -

forecasters are warning of more rain. Sue will have the details.

A worker who lost his job after the Real Crisps factory burned down says

he's disappointed at the sentence given to the man responsible for the

blaze. 31-year-old Colin Goulding was jailed for more than six years

today after admitting arson. Jordan Davies has more.

Completely gutted. This is what was left of the Company macro factory

after the blaze. 60 firefighters fought to save the fight but it was

a losing battle. Some of the 60,000 litres of oil used to Friday phrase

is -- crisps fuelled the fire. A little bit disappointed, to be

honest. I think everybody is still in shock from it. A little bit

surprised that it was not more. But it was interesting to hear what was

said in there with regards to what had gone on. But still a very sad

day. Colin Goulding was sentenced to six years and three months in

prison. He admitted tricking a lit cigarette in any area that did not

allow smoking. This footage shows him around the time of the start of

the blaze. Later the court was told he went outside to film what was

happening, fully aware of both his parents were working in the building

that night. The court was told that Colin Goulding's intellectual

capacity was equivalent to a 14-year-old. The judge said he took

this into account and accepted he did not start the fire deliberately.

He said the amount of loss and damaged suffered by the community

said -- meant this was a serious case. The most prominent thing that

has come through to us during the investigation is how it has affected

the families of the workers. 77 people have lost their jobs. Others

have had to relocate to the North of England and Ireland. Three quarters

of the site was completely destroyed. None of the specialist

machinery was salvageable. The owners of its jobs at other plants

but few to owners of its jobs at other plants

leaving about 80 people out of work. This blaze

this building but the livelihoods of many people in a place already short

of stable jobs. Not enough is being done in Wales to

correctly diagnose younger people who are displaying

correctly diagnose younger people the Alzheimer's Society. The charity

is warning that dementia sufferers in their 40s risk having their

symptoms misread as fatigue or depression by GPs, which can lead to

a delay in getting the right treatment. Carwyn Jones reports.

A weekly art class for the over 40s, but with a difference. Everyone here

has early onset dementia. Until recently, they all had careers,

mortages, families to provide for. Gail Morgan was working in adult

education at a university. My memory was not as good as I thought it was.

That is why I retired. I had to retire really. I had a Masters

degree. It is crazy, isn't it? Like Gail, everyone at this class in

Cwmbran has been diagnosed with dementia. But Katie Beresford, who

also lives in the town, believes that diagnosis came too late for her

husband David. He had Alzheimer's disease and died eight months ago.

He'd started showing early signs of dementia when he was in his 40s.

Katie noticed the changes in her husband but it took a further six

and a half years for David to be formally diagnosed with dementia by

his doctors. Getting past the GP was the issue. GPs do need training now

will stop there are so many young people that GPs need training to

look beyond chronic fatigue, depression. They need to be looking

at memory loss. The Alzheimer's Society says it's concerned that

people like David who have early onset dementia are slipping through

the cracks. It is important for younger people to be diagnosed as

soon as because quite often they will have experienced symptoms for

quite a while before going to their GP. The journey through dementia is

quicker for young people so the sooner they have the medication and

the support they need, the sooner they can live with dementia.

Dementia in younger people is a growing cause of concern but it's

still a rare condition when compared to the number of patients over the

age of 65 who visit their GP with the same symptoms. People who

present with memory problems at a younger age, you immediately think

of different diagnosis and depression seems to be top of the

list. The problem when you get a patient who has got very young onset

dementia, it is almost certain going to be a delay in diagnosis. The

Alzheimer's Society believe there could be up to 50,000 people in the

UK living with early onset dementia. People like David Beresford, whose

condition initially went unchecked. It's hoped that younger people with

the condition get the The governing body of world rugby is

warning tonight that clubs who break The governing body of world rugby is

their current dispute. Our sports reporter Ashleigh Crowter is here.

How significant is this? We have had this statement from the IRB. They

run the game and appoint match officials. There is no doubt tonight

that the Welsh Rugby Union top brass will be delighted to hear the

custodians of the game say it is very clear that cross-border rugby

competitions should be organised and run by the unions, not the clubs.

The reason this is important is that the Welsh regions are backing a plan

by clubs in England to set up a rival tournament to the Heineken

Cup. The Heineken Cup. But rugby union are having nothing to do with

that and are refusing to back the idea. Today, the IRB seemed to

support their position. They are seeing anyone who plays in the

tournament not sanctioned by the national governing body will be

outsiders. But there may be some crumbs of comfort in this statement.

The IRB say it strongly believes in the establishment of what they say

is a truly representative pan European Rugby cup edition, which

seems to imply that what is there at the moment, the Heineken Cup, is not

truly represented. The IRB appeared to be open to some change in

European Rugby Cup provided it is backed by the unions. The regions

want to change and to be fair they say they would rather have that

change in partnership with the Welsh Rugby Union rather than going for a

nuclear option of some sort of breakaway.

Stayin with rugby, and the Newport Gwent Dragons have announced the

double signing of Wales internationals Lee Byrne and Aled

Brew. Byrne, the former Ospreys fullback, is returning to Wales from

Clermont Auvergne, while winger Brew rejoins the Dragons after two years

at Biarritz. Both will arrive at Rodney Parade in the summer.

Ole Gunner Solskjaer has made his first signing as Cardiff City

manager. He's bought fellow Norwegian Magnus Wolff Eikrem from

Dutch side Heerenveen. The international midfielder has

previously been coached by Solskjaer at Manchester United reserves and

Molde in Norway. Among the nominations announced for

this year's BAFTA Film Awards was one for a first-time Welsh director.

Kieran Evans from St David's in Pembrokeshire has made music videos

for the likes of the Manic Street Preachers and Kylie Minogue. Kelly

and Victor is his first feature-length film. He's been

nominated in the outstanding debut category.

It's a familiar warning of more rain tonight. Sue has the details.

Mixed weather at the moment. A band down over the next few days, turning

wet and windy tonight. This rain will move eastwards across Wales

tonight. Possibly wintry in the hills and a Met Office warning is in

place. Any further rain and welcome after the recent flooding. Becoming

increasingly showery through the early hours. Quite brisk winds.

Tomorrow, if you missed and fog patches first thing. A cloudy start.

Showery outbreaks of rain. But clearing eastwards through the day.

A few isolated showers lingering but it turns much drier and brighter

with sunny spells in the afternoon. Also feeling fresher in the breeze.

Temperatures in single figures. Tomorrow night, much calmer. Turning

drier and clearer. A few showers around but we could see some frost

and ice patches early on Friday. A cold start on Friday. Some rain

arriving from the West late morning but not amounting to much. But the

pressure chart shows that front clearing later on Friday. High

pressure building from the south to give a much more settled day on

Saturday. But this is -- Atlantic low is heading our way on Sunday. A

bright day on Saturday with sunny spells but quite cold. Frosty

overnight into Sunday. It starts dry and bright but the wind strengthened

with rain moving in from the west later on Sunday. After a relatively

mild start to January, things looked to be turning colder next week.

Today's picture is from Paul Johnson. Welcome sunshine after all

the recent flooding. The main news again from the BBC.

An inquest jury has concluded that the fatal place shooting of Mark

Duggan in the summer of 2011 was lawful. His death sparked riots

which spread to a number of cities in England.

We'll be back at 8.00pm and again after the BBC News at 10.00pm.

That's Wales Today. From all of us here, have good evening.