:00:07. > :00:10.700 jobs affected - all tax offices are to close with
:00:11. > :00:13.staff expected to transfer to new centres in Cardiff and Liverpool.
:00:14. > :00:15.And the plan to boost the economy across South East Wales.
:00:16. > :00:18.Welsh ministers pledge over half a billion pounds and ask
:00:19. > :00:40.A massive shake-up of tax offices has been announced in Wales, which
:00:41. > :00:43.Offices in Swansea, Wrexham and Porthmadog are to close
:00:44. > :00:46.with a new regional office to be based in Cardiff.
:00:47. > :00:52.But HMRC says the overall result could be more jobs created here.
:00:53. > :01:06.There has been a mixed reaction to today's message from the taxman.
:01:07. > :01:08.A re-organisation which will bring efficiencies to
:01:09. > :01:11.A devastating cut which will hit staff and communities.
:01:12. > :01:14.Two very different views of today's announcement.
:01:15. > :01:17.But whichever way you look at it now, tax workers face
:01:18. > :01:27.It will all be worthwhile, says the HMRC.
:01:28. > :01:29.The net increase is up to 3800, a really big increase
:01:30. > :01:36.Nothing will happen overnight, but the phased changes over the next
:01:37. > :01:39.four to six years continue a trend which started almost a decade ago.
:01:40. > :01:44.Since then a network of High Street Tax offices has steadily contracted.
:01:45. > :01:47.Now we are left with Merthyr, where the closure had already been
:01:48. > :01:51.Cardiff, Swansea, Wrexham and Porthmadog.
:01:52. > :01:54.By 2021 all the work will be done at new regional hubs in Cardiff
:01:55. > :02:02.Workers in Porthmadog would have to move to Cardiff if they want
:02:03. > :02:04.to continue their work dealing with Welsh language returns.
:02:05. > :02:06.And critics from opposition parties and the
:02:07. > :02:09.unions point out that even if the total number of tax jobs in Wales
:02:10. > :02:13.stays the same or even goes up, those jobs will be concentrated in
:02:14. > :02:17.the capital weakening the economies of other parts of the country.
:02:18. > :02:21.Losing 350 jobs is not just about the workers there, it is about the
:02:22. > :02:23.public service those people give, the local shops and communities
:02:24. > :02:26.where they spend money and so on, and in some communities we have
:02:27. > :02:29.found that the closing of an office has led to
:02:30. > :02:38.It is if you listen to the bosses at HMRC.
:02:39. > :02:40.And today's announcement will have been cleared by ministers
:02:41. > :02:44.But don't expect the critics to go down without a fight.
:02:45. > :02:47.The news that those hundreds of jobs will be centralised
:02:48. > :02:50.in Cardiff comes on the day that plans aimed at bringing jobs and
:02:51. > :02:54.infrastructure across south-east Wales moved a step closer.
:02:55. > :02:58.The Welsh Government says it's earmarked nearly ?600 million to get
:02:59. > :03:01.the scheme going, but now needs the UK Treasury to do the same.
:03:02. > :03:14.Here's our Political Editor Nick Servini.
:03:15. > :03:17.It feels like a long way from the city, but it is one
:03:18. > :03:21.of the areas in their heads of the valleys looking to join up with the
:03:22. > :03:28.It is talking about a city deal here, and if you think about it,
:03:29. > :03:32.it is a risk for a local authority leader in an area like this that at
:03:33. > :03:35.the time of tight public finances they are prepared to put their lot
:03:36. > :03:37.in with their neighbours, possibly at the expense of carrying
:03:38. > :03:45.I asked the leader of the local council whether
:03:46. > :03:49.the fear of losing out was a problem in putting the bid together.
:03:50. > :03:53.There is a shared understanding of how it would work.
:03:54. > :03:56.Every local authority leader is elected by his own people
:03:57. > :04:05.and therefore we need to make sure there is fair representation,
:04:06. > :04:08.We need to make sure there is a fair spread of projects.
:04:09. > :04:13.The council says, for a start, new roads to open up housing
:04:14. > :04:15.developments, and new park-and-ride schemes.
:04:16. > :04:21.But the city deal will mean different things to different areas.
:04:22. > :04:24.From the country to the city, the boss of this company which develops
:04:25. > :04:31.computer games in the centre of Cardiff would like to see better
:04:32. > :04:34.rail and bus services that would form part of the new Metro system
:04:35. > :04:36.that is widely expected to be included
:04:37. > :04:41.commute from the valleys, and it is not straightforward, and it is time
:04:42. > :04:58.I think if that could be improved it would make a big difference.
:04:59. > :05:00.All local authorities in south-east Wales have contributed
:05:01. > :05:04.The Welsh government has pledged 580 million, and the UK Treasury has
:05:05. > :05:07.been asked to stump up the same, starting with the Chancellor's
:05:08. > :05:11.There is no reason why it should not be approved.
:05:12. > :05:12.Local authorities have shown their commitment,
:05:13. > :05:20.it is now up to the Treasury to fulfil its side of the bargain.
:05:21. > :05:24.It is over to the Treasury to see whether it will support the plan
:05:25. > :05:36.That is unlikely to happen before the spending review,
:05:37. > :05:40.But the chances are still good because George Osborne thinks city
:05:41. > :05:43.deals can raise prosperity. Emergency services are searching
:05:44. > :05:45.for a man who was seen entering Coastguards, lifeboats
:05:46. > :05:49.and a rescue helicopter have joined Lifeboats crews say weather
:05:50. > :05:52.conditions are difficult because The Crown Prosecution Service say
:05:53. > :05:56.they will not bring any criminal charges, following an explosion
:05:57. > :05:59.which killed four workers at an oil The blast at the Chevron Refinery,
:06:00. > :06:03.now Valero, also left another The CPS says there's insufficient
:06:04. > :06:10.evidence to pursue a corporate manslaughter case
:06:11. > :06:16.against the companies involved. A fund
:06:17. > :06:18.for cancer patients will be set up in Wales, if the Conservatives win
:06:19. > :06:22.the next Assembly Election. The party says it would spend ?16.5
:06:23. > :06:25.million of the Health Budget on improving access to cancer drugs
:06:26. > :06:27.and treatments. It follows debate over whether the
:06:28. > :06:30.Welsh Government should emulate the Ministers in Cardiff Bay say the
:06:31. > :06:41.fund would deliver a lesser service. Football, and Wales manager
:06:42. > :06:44.Chris Coleman insists international matches should not be viewed
:06:45. > :06:47.as an opportunity to rest players. Coleman and Arsenal boss Arsene
:06:48. > :06:49.Wenger had a public argument last week about an injury to midfielder
:06:50. > :06:53.Aaron Ramsey, which has ruled him Wales host the Netherlands
:06:54. > :07:02.in a friendly tomorrow, and Coleman says all international
:07:03. > :07:18.fixtures are important. We are not a vehicle for clubs to
:07:19. > :07:25.think the players can come with us and have a nest because we have
:07:26. > :07:28.probably 25 - 30,000 Welsh people on Friday night and they will not
:07:29. > :07:32.expect our boys to dig it easy and have a nest. They will be performing
:07:33. > :07:37.for whales and that is the endgame, as simple as that. All the build-up
:07:38. > :07:39.to the big game on tomorrow night's programme.
:07:40. > :07:41.The Wales Rally GB has been officially launched tonight
:07:42. > :07:44.It's the last stage of the World Rally Championships.
:07:45. > :07:47.70 teams from around the world will compete over 193 miles across Conwy,
:07:48. > :08:00.Let's get the weather forecast for Wales - here's Derek.
:08:01. > :08:07.We are under the influence of storm Abigail tonight, located to the
:08:08. > :08:10.north-west. The worst of the storm affecting the north and north-west
:08:11. > :08:14.of Scotland tonight and tomorrow morning. In Wales, not quite so bad
:08:15. > :08:23.with clear spells and shattered showers. Turning colder. That sets
:08:24. > :08:28.the scene for tomorrow with the cold and windy day and some heavy showers
:08:29. > :08:31.moving through what he learnt under possible and some snow on the
:08:32. > :08:37.mountain tops, but some dry weather and sunshine as well. Across the
:08:38. > :08:42.rest of the UK, a mixture of sunshine and blustery showers with
:08:43. > :08:46.the showers heavy in places, some snow on northern hills particularly
:08:47. > :08:52.in the Scottish mountains. Cold everywhere with a gusty wind, eight
:08:53. > :08:56.Celsius in Belfast and 12 in London. In Wales, these AF not windy,
:08:57. > :09:02.feeling cold with scattered showers and some snow on the mountain tops.
:09:03. > :09:08.Sunny spells and the temperature lower than recently. Tomorrow
:09:09. > :09:13.evening, more heavy showers but easing overnight, becoming dry with
:09:14. > :09:16.lighter winds for a while. On Saturday, all change again, a dry
:09:17. > :09:21.start but it will not last and more wet and windy weather arriving. Some
:09:22. > :09:27.headed in especially on the hills and mountains in the South West and
:09:28. > :09:32.North West. Some of the most prolonged rainfall in north-west
:09:33. > :09:37.Wales the weekend especially on Snowdonia and considering rivers are
:09:38. > :09:40.already swollen, the risk of further flooding. The risk of some flooding
:09:41. > :09:45.on the course this weekend due to high tide and strong onshore winds,
:09:46. > :09:47.so it a lot going on and keep an eye on the forecast.
:09:48. > :09:50.We'll be back in Breakfast from 6:25.