08/04/2014 BBC Wales Today

League final. That's all from us. A first look at

the papers on Is Good evening. After seven years

of economic uncertainty, businesses in Wales say they're more confident

about the future. In a survey by the South Wales Chamber of Commerce of

660 small and medium sized businesses across the country, 61%

say they expect their profits to increase in the next year. 95% of

them say they are looking to retain their existing workforce or recruit

in the next three months. But the survey also found more than half had

problems recruiting, especially in computer technology and engineering.

Here's our Business Correspondent Brian Meechan.

At this engineering company in Newport, they're putting the

finishing touches to their latest product. IEC make control systems

which operate heavy machinery in industrial plants like steel mills.

I asked the managing director, Peter Lewis, what he made of the

increasing confidence. We haven't seen it yet. Big industry is still

looking after the billions that they have in the bank and we are waiting

for them to share some of that out and place some orders. But

construction seems to be picking up. But it's not all good news. The

survey found a shortage of skills, particularly in the areas of

engineering and technology. IntaPeople is a recruitment agency

that specialises in these areas. There are engineers that are looking

to retire at the moment, and engineers at graduate level, but

there is a gap in the middle for 25-45-year-old engineers. On the IT

side, technology is moving so fast, at an unprecedented rate, and there

just aren't enough developers. How is Wales doing in the export

market? More than half of what is made at IAC is exported. This unit

is being shipped to Dubai. The survey shows that 85% of Welsh

businesses trading internationally have seen sales remain constant or

increase, but the chamber warns this figure is not as high as in other

parts of the UK. I think there is more businesses

with good products and services that could explore those opportunities.

We have seen inroads being made into the Middle East and into southeast

Asia. But there are massives market there for quality products, and

quality services that people want. Increasing confidence is a good sign

for the economy, it makes it more likely that businesses will invest

and take on extra workers. But the warnings over skill shortages and

sluggish exports will be ringing alarm bells. Most realise that we

are not out of the woods yet when it comes to recovering from the worst

economic crisis in generations. The biggest bus operator in Wales is

to close one of its depots in the Gwent valleys in July putting 77

jobs under threat. Stagecoach is blaming a misguided drop in support

from the Welsh Government and reduced local authority investment.

The government says it's extremely disappointing news. Blaenau Gwent

council says it has not reduced its subsidy to Stagecoach despite having

to find millions in savings in the current financial year.

We are hoping very much to avoid as best we can redundancy situations by

offering relocation to depots close by. Looking probably, when we close

the depot, to have a small out station here, taking up to 20 staff.

Staying with transport, passengers in Mid and West Wales will soon be

able to use new peak-time hourly train services between Aberystwyth

and Shrewsbury. It's being paid for by the Welsh Government and will run

from May next year. The services are part of a number announced for the

Cambrian and Heart of Wales rail lines.

A former mine manager at the Gleision colliery has told a jury

how he warned his successor about water in the mine. Ray Thomas, in

the dark suit, ran the pit before it was taken over in July 2011 by

Malcolm Fyfield. Four men drowned when the Swansea Valley mine flooded

two months later. Mr Fyfield denies four counts of manslaughter through

gross negligence and the mine operators deny corporate

manslaughter. The judge in the trial of the former

Shadow Welsh Secretary Nigel Evans has told the jury his good character

is something they should take into account. The Swansea-born MP, in the

middle of your picture, denies nine charges including rape and sexual

assault. The judge is summing-up the case before the jury considers its

verdicts. They risk their lives to save

others, but one of the mountain rescue teams covering north west

Wales is warning it'll struggle to survive unless it gets money from

Government. The Aberglaslyn Rescue Team was called out more than 50

times last year. Almost all the money it needs comes from donations.

Our reporter Aled Hughes has been with them on a rescue exercise.

This is what a mountain rescue team does. On this occasion, saving a man

swept 1000 feet down Snowdon by an avalanche. Rescuers got him off the

mountain on a stretcher. By comparison, a mock exercise was

carefully organised and conducted with nothing but my safety in mind.

I'm somewhere on the mountain. Tonight, I'm playing the role of an

injured walker as the Aberglaslyn Mountain Rescue team go out and try

and find me. I've just put the call in, they should be getting back to

me soon. This man is about to put his son to bed. My call puts and end

to that. He drops everything and makes his way to base. We have been

paged by the police with an incident.

They received 59 similar calls last year but practice makes perfect and

these mock rescues keep their skills up to date. The team deploys. They

have a rough idea of my location, but nothing concrete. The same goes

for their funding. All this costs money. We can't survive without a

lot more funding and relying on just donations from the public, we're

struggling to achieve that. About half an hour since I put the call

in. I can see the lights. Even though they do not know what they

will face, it's still very rewarding work.

It's nice to see the relief on someone's face when you get there,

they see you and your team and they know they are going to be OK and

help is with them. The relief on someone's face is the nicest thing.

The Welsh government says it appreciates the work they do and

will try and find ways to help. Meanwhile, the UK government said in

the Budget that money could be available to voluntary organisations

such as this. Getting into difficulties in the mountains in

North West Wales happens regularly, but finding regular funding to help

those who help them is a different matter.

Football, and Newport have lost their League Two match against

Plymouth at the Rodney Parade tonight. The final score 2-1.

And in cricket on the third day of their County Championship match at

Surrey, Glamorgan made 209 in their first innings. In their second

innings, Surrey reached 50 for two, a lead of 121 runs.

Some decent spells of sunshine today but will it last? Derek.

I think tomorrow will not be quite as sunny as it was today because

more cloud is expected. That goes for the next few days. Having said

that, I can promise mostly dry weather. Dry tonight with a few

breaks in the cloud and missed forming in some places. A touch of

ground frost. Temperatures higher on the coast. High pressure over

Brittany, more unsettled in the North, these fronts bringing

moisture and brain to Scotland. -- and rain. Plenty of cloud around

tomorrow, more cloud than today. Some sunshine in the north coast.

Breezy in the North, rain for Scotland. Further south, the odd,

late shower, but most places drive. -- dry. Four wheels, most of the

country drive tomorrow afternoon. More cloud than today. Feeling

milder, up to 14 degrees. Tomorrow night, generally dry with spots of

drizzle. Not quite as cold as tonight. For Thursday, more dry

weather. A few showers breaking out. This front could bring rain to the

far north-west. Friday looks generally dry. More dry weather to

come over the weekend. That's all from me. Good night.

Thank you. Jeremy Paxman's got Newsnight starting over on two now,

asking Martin McGuiness why he's toasting the Queen tonight. We're

back in Breakfast from six tomorrow morning. That's Wales Today, thank

you for watching. From all of us on the programme, goodnight.