:00:00. > :00:00.- so it's goodbye from me - and on BBC One we
:00:00. > :00:08.The air link between North and South Wales sees a drop of 43%
:00:09. > :00:18.Is it time to stop the ?1 million subsidy?
:00:19. > :00:23.I find it very useful for business meetings and cutting down on time
:00:24. > :00:26.for travel. It's more cost effective.
:00:27. > :00:30.A new report warns it faces serious decline because
:00:31. > :00:33.The human brain and how scientists here make a major
:00:34. > :00:40.And is it so long Snowdonia, Brecon Beacons and Pembrokeshire?
:00:41. > :00:46.The call to have one single National Park authority.
:00:47. > :00:48.Good evening from the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow
:00:49. > :00:57.Olympic silver medallist Fred Evans is out of the Games after having
:00:58. > :01:04.Rythmic gymnast Frankie Jones is given the honour of carrying
:01:05. > :01:27.Falling passenger numbers and poor value for money for the taxpayer.
:01:28. > :01:30.That's the conclusion from a committee of Assembly Members
:01:31. > :01:33.on the air link service between Cardiff and Anglesey.
:01:34. > :01:36.A report by the Public Accounts Committee says several improvements
:01:37. > :01:40.will need to be made to if the subsidised service is to continue.
:01:41. > :01:49.Here's our political reporter, James Williams.
:01:50. > :01:55.Time to check for this afternoon 's Cardiff to Anglesey flight but with
:01:56. > :02:04.fewer of us doing so could be the final for the service? At its height
:02:05. > :02:07.in 2009 the flight had around 14,700 passengers but now the 18 seater
:02:08. > :02:10.service is readily running at less than half full as passenger numbers
:02:11. > :02:20.have dropped by around 43% in the last five years. But for some, it's
:02:21. > :02:30.a valued service. It saves time when you are travelling to various
:02:31. > :02:34.meeting. In terms of lifestyle as well as business style, it is a
:02:35. > :02:41.significant to a lot of people that use the flight. We are all hoping it
:02:42. > :02:44.stays for the future. Up till April last year around 65,000 passengers
:02:45. > :02:52.used the service which has received more than ?9 million in subsidy.
:02:53. > :02:54.This is not value for money according to the assemblies Public
:02:55. > :03:00.Accounts Committee. It's all very well having a service but I think
:03:01. > :03:06.it's the extent of the public subsidy and in the current economic
:03:07. > :03:09.climate, the cuts to the health service and social services, we have
:03:10. > :03:16.to make sure we're getting value for money. This report states we are not
:03:17. > :03:20.convinced as a committee for Welsh Government is getting value for
:03:21. > :03:36.money. Launched in 2007, the flight was stabbed -- was named after the
:03:37. > :03:39.Assembly Member for Anglesey. The report says a strong marketing
:03:40. > :03:43.campaign is needed to reverse the decline in passenger numbers. But
:03:44. > :03:49.what do the people on Anglesey think of the flight that cats travelling
:03:50. > :03:53.time I more than four hours? Any improvements you can make to
:03:54. > :03:59.Anglesey is worth it. It would attract more tourists. It's a good
:04:00. > :04:05.idea but it needs to be expanded to Scotland and be more of a regional
:04:06. > :04:10.thing. We live in a country that is quite small geographically but has
:04:11. > :04:16.very long journey times between the north and the South. It is very
:04:17. > :04:21.important that people in the North can come down to the capital. But
:04:22. > :04:25.the current contract is due to end in December. The Welsh Government
:04:26. > :04:29.has said today it has started afresh tendering process, suggesting that
:04:30. > :04:33.is the political will for a new service to take flight.
:04:34. > :04:36.Gwent Police is the only force in Wales and one of only three
:04:37. > :04:39.in the UK to be criticised for the way it's dealing with budget cuts.
:04:40. > :04:41.Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary said that
:04:42. > :04:44.while more officers may need to be cut to save money, the force could
:04:45. > :04:47.be putting crime fighting at risk as it tries to find savings.
:04:48. > :04:50.Gwent Police say they have already saved ?28 million pounds
:04:51. > :04:52.in the last five years, but have another ?20 million to save
:04:53. > :05:08.Patrolling the streets of Newport as budget cuts bite. Across the Gwent
:05:09. > :05:14.area like other parts of Wales and England the police force your have
:05:15. > :05:19.been receiving less and less money from the UK government since 2010.
:05:20. > :05:24.But in the last 12 months inspectors say there has been a notable decline
:05:25. > :05:29.in the Gwent force's response to crime. Her Majesty 's Inspectorate
:05:30. > :05:32.Constabulary says it's concerned that by simply not replacing staff
:05:33. > :05:38.as they leave to save money it may mean the service the force provides
:05:39. > :05:43.could suffer. It also says Gwent Police was not recording how long it
:05:44. > :05:48.took at officers -- its officers to respond when somebody calls with an
:05:49. > :05:52.emergency. But do people in Newport Quay where the response times are
:05:53. > :05:59.monitored at all? I think they should keep a record on how long
:06:00. > :06:04.they take to get to certain people. I don't think they are doing their
:06:05. > :06:16.job right. You never see anybody around. When we ask them to come to
:06:17. > :06:18.the store they respond quickly. When policing expert says Gwent could
:06:19. > :06:23.look at what neighbouring forces are doing to finances. Gwent should be
:06:24. > :06:28.looking at what other forces have done in order to crack this
:06:29. > :06:35.conundrum. To try and do these reforms in a context where there is
:06:36. > :06:38.no more money really does sharpen the nature of the challenge. It is
:06:39. > :06:43.going to be quite difficult for senior management teams to deliver
:06:44. > :06:47.this. The Inspectorate points out the huge amount of planning Gwent
:06:48. > :06:50.Police have to do for the NATO summit at the Celtic Manor in
:06:51. > :06:54.September could have an effect on their ability to address some of the
:06:55. > :06:57.issues they have raised today. Nobody from the police and crime
:06:58. > :07:01.Commissioners office was available for interview today but in a
:07:02. > :07:02.statement they said they were confident in the leadership of the
:07:03. > :07:07.force. Hundreds of thousands
:07:08. > :07:09.of visitors flock to the It's one of Wales's most popular
:07:10. > :07:13.tourist attractions along with They attract millions of visitors
:07:14. > :07:17.every year and are now under review. It's possible that Snowdonia, Brecon
:07:18. > :07:19.Beacons and Pembrokeshire Coast will Our Environment Correspondent ,Iolo
:07:20. > :07:22.ap Dafydd, is at the The review has yet to be launched
:07:23. > :07:39.formally, but John Griffiths the Natural Resources Minister has told
:07:40. > :07:55.me here at the show that it will As well as possibly merging
:07:56. > :08:04.the park authorities, they'll consider whether members
:08:05. > :08:25.should be elected in future. They were established in the 1950s
:08:26. > :08:30.to enhance and protect some of our most striking landscapes. Speaking
:08:31. > :08:41.here at the Royal Welsh Show, the Natural Resources Wales the said the
:08:42. > :08:46.reviews will start within weeks. We are looking at the governance, where
:08:47. > :08:49.the Finn might be direct elections for the councillors that sit on the
:08:50. > :08:55.national parks. Whether there might be one national park for the whole
:08:56. > :08:58.of Wales. Most complaints made about national parks tend to be about
:08:59. > :09:04.planning issues. This man is part of a company that leases this island
:09:05. > :09:09.near Tenby. He wants to turn historic fort a tourist attraction
:09:10. > :09:15.with a cafe and a shop and underwater cameras but the plans
:09:16. > :09:20.have been rejected. The National Park authority wants to promote the
:09:21. > :09:27.park and it does that well but when it comes to planning they are
:09:28. > :09:31.stifling economic development. In our case, it takes three and a half
:09:32. > :09:43.years to get into that -- this planning stage. There has been some
:09:44. > :09:48.local opposition. Following an appeal, the planning Inspectorate is
:09:49. > :09:51.assessing his case. The suggestion of stripping planning powers away
:09:52. > :09:54.from the parks and transferring them to new councils was made by the
:09:55. > :09:59.Williams commission. That review into reorganising local councils
:10:00. > :10:05.publishes wreck -- published its recommendations last January. The
:10:06. > :10:10.question that needs to be asked is whether this will create a better
:10:11. > :10:14.service? The majority of services delivered by the three national park
:10:15. > :10:18.authorities are local services. Local services that have grown out
:10:19. > :10:21.of the political that particular character of the three parks. They
:10:22. > :10:32.were mixed feelings in Llanelwedd today. I think they should keep it.
:10:33. > :10:40.It's up to the individual areas to keep their own environment. If they
:10:41. > :10:46.can work together as one it will mean less costs. If there is a
:10:47. > :10:50.merger, the government will look to cut costs and the planning
:10:51. > :10:55.application process is bound to be scrutinised as well as the National
:10:56. > :10:58.Park's annual contribution to the Welsh economy.
:10:59. > :11:04.We can expect a range of theories during the next year but the one
:11:05. > :11:08.thing we do know is that lots of people will have a view. 12 million
:11:09. > :11:11.people every visit the National Parks in Wales and they know they
:11:12. > :11:13.spend a lot of money in those parks. Any changing of the brand name may
:11:14. > :11:20.be viewed with certain trepidation. Plans to set up Wales' first
:11:21. > :11:22."software university" are being prepared by businesses,
:11:23. > :11:24.which are concerned about skill BBC Wales has learned
:11:25. > :11:28.a team based at an office in Newport is already designing two-year degree
:11:29. > :11:30.courses for the project. Here's our Economics Correspondent,
:11:31. > :11:41.Sarah Dickins. Without the software industry many
:11:42. > :11:44.of the daily things we take Paying for a meal, learning an
:11:45. > :12:05.instrument, finding your way around The shortage of graduates with the
:12:06. > :12:11.right skills is holding back the economy. In Wales the university
:12:12. > :12:16.systems as a total Arab putting around 300 year and we need 3000 to
:12:17. > :12:19.stand still. That is a definite need to get software engineers better
:12:20. > :12:28.educated and you can do that by offering a fast course, so two-year
:12:29. > :12:34.courses, and have a very high industrial collaboration content to
:12:35. > :12:37.the course. They would not be a campus and funding could be
:12:38. > :12:39.controversial. The choice is between public money, or privately run for a
:12:40. > :12:47.charitable contribution. Eysys, set up in Cardiff two
:12:48. > :12:50.and a half years ago, now employs It?s just taken
:12:51. > :12:54.on 5=five new people but wanted 10 and offers students work experience,
:12:55. > :13:03.and in this case a job. I'm doing software development in
:13:04. > :13:10.Cardiff. There are four people on the course this year. It's a new
:13:11. > :13:16.course and we develop software, deal with customers and fix bugs.
:13:17. > :13:29.We have more projects than staff. Our biggest meeting each week is our
:13:30. > :13:32.resource meeting. We want to grow our business here and we don't want
:13:33. > :13:38.to be looking overseas to bring people in. We are happy to take
:13:39. > :13:41.Welsh graduates if we can find the skill sets here.
:13:42. > :13:43.The Software university would be more like industry.
:13:44. > :13:45.Online and applied learning and campus negotiations are
:13:46. > :13:47.continuing about which universities would accredit its degrees.
:13:48. > :13:52.The first trail course would start in September.
:13:53. > :13:57.I'm in Glasgow getting ready for the start of the Commonwealth Games.
:13:58. > :14:08.And the temperature in Llanelwedd reached 24C today.
:14:09. > :14:23.There's plenty more dry and very warm weather to come.
:14:24. > :14:25.Scientists from Cardiff University say they've made a
:14:26. > :14:26."huge jump" in understanding the causes of schizophrenia
:14:27. > :14:30.by identifying over 80 genes that could play a part in the illness.
:14:31. > :14:31.It's hoped the discovery could eventually lead
:14:32. > :14:34.to the development of new treatments which could benefit tens
:14:35. > :14:43.Our health correspondent, Owain Clarke, has the details.
:14:44. > :14:48.24 million people around the world have a schizophrenia diagnosis.
:14:49. > :14:52.Over 220,000 of them live in Wales and England.
:14:53. > :14:56.It's a serious mental disorder which often develops early
:14:57. > :15:01.in life when someone's in their teens or early twenties.
:15:02. > :15:07.But it can have a devastating and lifelong effect on how someone
:15:08. > :15:24.My experience that got me the diagnosis was hearing and seeing
:15:25. > :15:31.things. They were things that I found very frightening. They would
:15:32. > :15:34.make me want to run away and escape. If someone tried to stop me
:15:35. > :15:41.escaping, I would flatten them. This offers us a chance, rather than to
:15:42. > :15:42.consider schizophrenia as a whole, we can look at the individual impact
:15:43. > :15:47.on different people 's lives. The new research led by experts
:15:48. > :15:50.at Cardiff University also involved more than 300 scientists
:15:51. > :15:52.around the world. They looked at around 80,000 DNA
:15:53. > :15:54.samples. Around half were
:15:55. > :15:58.from people who had schizophrenia By analysing
:15:59. > :16:03.the differences they found over 100 genes that can be linked to
:16:04. > :16:19.the disease, 83 of them new. We have been able to provide over
:16:20. > :16:24.100 solid foundations for the rest of the neuroscience community to
:16:25. > :16:27.focus on. So instead of I guess this molecule is involved, now it is I
:16:28. > :16:33.know this molecule is involved. So it's a very solid foundation.
:16:34. > :16:35.So this ground-breaking study gives scientists hundreds of new clues
:16:36. > :16:38.in the search for new and perhaps more specific treatments.
:16:39. > :16:40.If they're found, the personal and social benefits
:16:41. > :16:42.could be enormous because the burden of schizophrenia is substantial.
:16:43. > :16:45.Some estimate around a third of the money for mental health
:16:46. > :16:51.It's no wonder then that the experts are describing today's
:16:52. > :17:01.Hospitals in Wales have the lowest number
:17:02. > :17:05.of beds in Europe for patients with acute life-threatening illnesses.
:17:06. > :17:07.That's according to a report written for Welsh ministers.
:17:08. > :17:10.It says inappropriate use of these beds also contributed to cancelled
:17:11. > :17:14.operations, and patients leaving critical care when it was unsafe.
:17:15. > :17:21.Ministers say more beds would be provided by better use of resources.
:17:22. > :17:24.The Conservative MP Guto Bebb says Conwy County Borough Council needs
:17:25. > :17:27.to explain its decision to pay a senior officer
:17:28. > :17:30.a redundancy package after he'd said he was going to retire.
:17:31. > :17:33.A council report last year said that the head of education,
:17:34. > :17:37.Geraint James, was due to retire this summer.
:17:38. > :17:40.But he was given a redundancy package during a reorganisation.
:17:41. > :17:48.The authority says legal advice indicates it acted properly.
:17:49. > :17:50.A scheme aimed at easing congestion at peak times
:17:51. > :17:54.on a stretch of the M4 at Port Talbot will start on 4th August.
:17:55. > :17:57.During the six-month trial, the westbound on-slip of Junction
:17:58. > :17:59.41 will shut twice a day during the week.
:18:00. > :18:02.There had been plans to completely close the junction during the trial,
:18:03. > :18:09.but this was changed after complaints by traders.
:18:10. > :18:11.Scottish companies should relocate to Wales if Scotland
:18:12. > :18:15.becomes independent, according to some business leaders here.
:18:16. > :18:19.Cardiff's Business Council has written to companies like RBS,
:18:20. > :18:22.Standard Life and Scottish Widows to make the case
:18:23. > :18:25.for a Welsh move if there's a yes vote in September's referendum.
:18:26. > :18:34.Here's our business correspondent, Brian Meechan.
:18:35. > :18:40.The docks in Cardiff were built by the Marquess of Bute, the economic
:18:41. > :18:46.links between Scotland and Wales has a long history. The development
:18:47. > :18:50.helped fuel the iron industry. Links remain significant today but the
:18:51. > :18:55.Cardiff business Council has thrown down a challenge to Scottish
:18:56. > :18:58.businesses to relocate here. Plenty of business is famously done over a
:18:59. > :19:03.round of golf and the Cardiff business council is keen to tell
:19:04. > :19:07.Scottish businesses that it's not just golf courses that is on offer
:19:08. > :19:14.here in Wales. With an enterprise zone in the capital targeted towards
:19:15. > :19:17.financial service companies, the council believes the country can
:19:18. > :19:22.prove a real attraction away from the uncertainties of Scottish
:19:23. > :19:27.independence. You have to have the full offer and it comes down to the
:19:28. > :19:34.quality of the staff, they imply meant issues are right up there on
:19:35. > :19:40.the agenda, and we have been working with universities to make sure the
:19:41. > :19:45.graduates and that we are getting the right skills. The council has
:19:46. > :19:51.written to companies including standard life after it warned it
:19:52. > :19:52.might have to leave due to uncertainty over issues including
:19:53. > :20:00.the future currency and independence. Many companies in
:20:01. > :20:03.Scotland are relaxed about independence and the Scottish
:20:04. > :20:08.government's has already said corporation tax will be lower than
:20:09. > :20:12.UK levels to help firms. Business groups in Scotland question the
:20:13. > :20:24.council 's tactic -- tactics. If we focus on broadening our business
:20:25. > :20:28.case -- base, that is how we deal with the sort of long-term economic
:20:29. > :20:36.issues we are struggling here -- with here. The business group has
:20:37. > :20:43.blinded its flag for Wales. It's only after the referendum result
:20:44. > :20:44.that is Mrs in Scotland will decide whether the grass you're really is
:20:45. > :20:48.greener. Team Wales are making final
:20:49. > :20:50.preparations ahead of the Commonwealth Games
:20:51. > :20:52.which starts on Thursday. Let's get the latest from Claire
:20:53. > :20:54.in Glasgow. Good evening
:20:55. > :20:55.and welcome to Scotland. But we start with news of a real
:20:56. > :21:01.blow for Team Wales tonight, with Olympic silver medallist Fred Evans
:21:02. > :21:08.is out of the Games after having his accreditation refused, based on
:21:09. > :21:11.checks completed by the Home Office. Ashleigh Crowter has been
:21:12. > :21:28.following the latest developments. Fred Evans is one of Wales' top
:21:29. > :21:33.amateur boxers. A European champion and an Olympic silver medallist. The
:21:34. > :21:35.Commonwealth games authorities refused to give him the
:21:36. > :21:41.accreditation he needs to get into the boxing venues. The problem is a
:21:42. > :21:45.recent criminal conviction. He admitted assaulting somebody in a
:21:46. > :21:52.lap dancing club earlier this year and was fined more than ?400. When
:21:53. > :21:55.that came out in the Home Office checks, the authorities decided not
:21:56. > :21:59.to issue him with accreditation. Team Wales wanted him to be here and
:22:00. > :22:05.think his rehabilitation would be best served by taking part in the
:22:06. > :22:12.games. They tried to change the decision and use legal experts but
:22:13. > :22:15.that has not been successful. So Wales is without another major medal
:22:16. > :22:20.contender on the eve of the games. Well, in the last few minutes, Welsh
:22:21. > :22:34.boxing's Performance Director has Glasgow 2014 have enlisted the Home
:22:35. > :22:39.Office to do various home checks and they have a criteria for criminal
:22:40. > :22:47.convictions and Fred has raised the flag and has had a criminal
:22:48. > :22:50.conviction in April and that has caused him to be declined
:22:51. > :22:55.accreditation. How much of an embarrassment is this just a few
:22:56. > :23:01.days before competition starts? It's not an embarrassment. A lot of
:23:02. > :23:09.agencies have worked hard -- worked hard over the last few weeks. We
:23:10. > :23:16.have taken it as far as we can because we believed in Fred. It is
:23:17. > :23:20.certainly not an embarrassment. Fred is a fantastic athlete.
:23:21. > :23:24.Well that news a real blow, but it's onwards and upwards for Team Wales.
:23:25. > :23:26.They've announced that rhythmic gymnast Frankie Jones will carry
:23:27. > :23:30.The 23-year-old, who won silver in Delhi, will retire after the Games
:23:31. > :23:33.but during her career she's been credited with putting gymnastics
:23:34. > :23:36.Earlier, at the lively athlete?s village, she told Tomos Dafydd
:23:37. > :23:58.It came as such a shock last night when I found out. Some athletes in
:23:59. > :24:02.the past have said it has been a distraction, playing a part in the
:24:03. > :24:07.opening ceremony. You will be competing within hours so is it
:24:08. > :24:11.going to be a distraction? It is quite an early finish so I can get
:24:12. > :24:16.in and get back to bed and back to business. If you had to be there
:24:17. > :24:20.until midnight, I am not sure I would be able to do it. It is quite
:24:21. > :24:25.an early finish so it's not too bad. You have spoken in the past about a
:24:26. > :24:31.problem with a few injuries. Are you training through the pain to be here
:24:32. > :24:35.in Glasgow? I am used to it now. It's been quite a few years of
:24:36. > :24:43.management but I am in the best shape I've been in for a while. I've
:24:44. > :24:48.had great support from the physio. There is another welcoming ceremony
:24:49. > :24:52.at the athletes village. Can we expect a medal this time around?
:24:53. > :24:56.It's hard to tell because it is stage a strong field. -- such a
:24:57. > :25:05.strong field. Tomorrow night,
:25:06. > :25:07.we'll be looking ahead to the Games Just behind me,
:25:08. > :25:11.you can see they've rigged fireworks They're planning to open the Games
:25:12. > :25:19.with a bang! Well, fingers crossed
:25:20. > :25:21.for more sunshine here in Glasgow. Let's return to the Royal Welsh Show
:25:22. > :25:24.now and join Derek. I understand it?s been
:25:25. > :25:35.a lovely day back home too. It certainly has. Welcome back to
:25:36. > :25:42.Llanelwedd. Tomorrow is a big day for the
:25:43. > :25:45.Royal Welsh Show. It?s Welsh cobs day and with me is
:25:46. > :25:49.Yargo, a stallion from Caerphilly So good luck to him and his owner,
:25:50. > :25:52.Rhys. Weatherwise today,
:25:53. > :25:54.it's a bit cloudy this afternoon If you're coming to the Show
:25:55. > :25:58.tomorrow, it?ll be dry again. A few clouds in the afternoon
:25:59. > :26:05.and very warm. The temperature rising to a peak
:26:06. > :26:09.of 25C with an easterly breeze. The cloud inland will
:26:10. > :26:19.tend to melt away. Meanwhile, some low cloud and sea
:26:20. > :26:24.fog may roll onto the coast of Lowest temperatures,
:26:25. > :26:29.15C in Whitland. Tomorrow's chart shows high pressure
:26:30. > :26:34.over Scandinavia and that's Tomorrow,
:26:35. > :26:38.more fine weather and sunshine. Any low cloud and mist first
:26:39. > :26:41.thing will soon vanish. A few clouds will develop
:26:42. > :26:43.in the afternoon Warmer than today in the north
:26:44. > :26:48.and west. The temperature in Aberystwyth
:26:49. > :26:50.rising to 26C with Tomorrow evening, the heat and
:26:51. > :26:56.humidity may be enough to trigger one or two heavy and thundery
:26:57. > :26:59.showers in the south and west. Otherwise, a dry end to the day
:27:00. > :27:02.and staying dry overnight. On Thursday,
:27:03. > :27:05.once again plenty of fine weather. Very warm or hot with
:27:06. > :27:11.an east or north-easterly breeze. Later in the day, a few showers will
:27:12. > :27:14.break out in the south and west. These may be heavy with thunder but
:27:15. > :27:18.the showers will be hit and miss As for the outlook,
:27:19. > :27:22.Friday will be dry and very warm. Sunny spells and the chance
:27:23. > :27:27.of a shower. From the Royal Welsh Show,
:27:28. > :27:38.it?s back to you, Jamie. We'll have an update for you here
:27:39. > :27:40.at 8:00pm and again after the BBC News
:27:41. > :27:43.at 10:00pm. From all of us on the programme,
:27:44. > :27:44.good evening.