09/02/2016 BBC Wales Today

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Most of the cuts planned for higher education are reversed.

It is not just universities, some rural councils are given more rural

protection as the last budget clears its final major hurdle.

Questions were raised as far back as 2002 over whether a teenage Welsh

soldier did kill herself at an army base, an inquest hears.

Feeling the heat - but UKIP leader in Wales Nathan Gill

says he's staying put despite calls to resign.

Students from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama perform

for a star-studded audience of supporters.

When you sat there, what did you think? When I was watching my group,

two of them were in the Shirley Bassey scholarship. Wow!

It's been a long time since glamorgan fans have had reason

to celebrate, but can new head coach Robert Croft help bring back

A climbdown tonight less than three months before the Assembly election.

Cuts planned for the higher education sector here have been

reversed in the Welsh Government budget.

It says it's listened to concerns about the impact of the proposed

Extra funding has also been found for the rural councils hardest hit.

The budget, worth around ?16 billion, also includes more

Here's our political editor Nick Servini.

and in Welsh higher education in recent years but university leaders

has said that continued success depends on the right level of

funding. This time around, they said it wasn't forthcoming and there was

a stand-off. University leaders said part-time courses and research were

in the firing line, with a potential cut of ?42 million from the cough is

that the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales. That was around a

third of their budget. The Welsh government said universities could

afford it pointing to reserves of ?1.3 billion. Until this afternoon

when the finance Minister reversed around three quarters of the cuts.

The proposed cut to the budget was also raised during these gritter

scrutiny period. This was made up of two elements. Following further

discussions with the sector, we have decided not to proceed with the

transfer for 2016-17. The government said it was always a draft budget

and liable to be changed. Nevertheless it is a climb-down from

its original standpoint a fortnight ago. We have a sector that has eight

times as many reserves as the government itself! This doesn't

square with the kind of semi-hysterical shroud waving that

we are hearing from universities Wales and I have to say it from

individuals to. The Higher Education Funding Council for Wales said it

was delighted the contribution to the universities to the economy and

society 's to Wales was being acknowledged. It is what makes us

attractive to investors, enables companies to spin off from the best

ideas at universities and supports part-time learners. Councils across

Wales are being affected by cuts. Protesters took to streets in

Cardiff this week and objective to reductions in arts budgets. But in

rural areas, today there was an agreement to give an extra two and

half million pounds to three rural councils. People will be content

that local government views have been recognised by the finance

minister in the budget debate today. But this budget is about far more

than rural Daugherty and higher education. The main headlines are a

broader settlement for councils that was better than expected. Labour

doesn't have a overall majority but this forms part of a deal struck

with the liberal democrats who claim to have one valuable concessions

themselves. The Conservatives set out their concerns. Year on year of

previous failures of underfunding the health service. These sums will

not make up for previous cuts. It is too little, too late. This draft

budget was passed, it goes to a final vote next month to be

So a climbdown or a U-turn to be rubber-stamped.

What was interesting that the government gave the clear impression

that they were reluctant to do it. Not just with the outburst two weeks

ago but in the chamber today with the First Minister saying

universities had big reserves and as a result they should be called upon

as a result of that. I guess the political calculation here is if

they could deal with this, then it was probably best to do it.

Particularly as it was starting to get messy and the whole of the

government's policy on university tuition fees was beginning to get

sucked into the debate. This is the last budget before

the Welsh election in May. And important because of that. The

central theme I think will be funding on the NHS. Labour will try

to use it to show what they believe will be their commitment to funding.

The Tories conversely will say they should have done this kind of thing

for five years ago. The Lib Dems will say it shows they are a party

that can punch above their weight and Plaid Cymru will look to use

these discussions to illustrate problems as they see it with that

university tuition policy. One final thought, this is the last budget of

the last full assembly term we have had since the start of devolution

governed by cuts rather than budget increases. With the state of

finances at the moment, this won't be the end of it and stays like this

no matter who forms the next government.

Questions were raised as far back as 2002 over whether a Welsh soldier

did commit suicide at an army base, an inquest has heard.

18-year-old Private Cheryl James from Llangollen was found shot dead

The army apologised for leaving her and other trainee soldiers

But friends and family told the coroner they refuse to believe

Within weeks, the Army concluded Cheryl James had killed herself.

Deepcut Barracks where she was found, since the subject

of claims of bullying and sexual assault.

In court today Des James repeated his

criticism of Surrey Police's investigation into his daughter's

Leads, he said, were not followed up.

The coroner was told that in 2002, a police officer also

questioned whether Cheryl did kill herself.

Together, he said, those indicators asked questions about the way

and the manner of Private James's death.

The court was also told about three suspects around the time of Cheryl's

death and concerns that they hadn't looked into those suspects

Surrey Police themselves have concentrated on

Cheryl's state of mind before she died.

Lydia was a close friend of Cheryl's for six years.

She told that there were times Cheryl had

struggled to come to terms with family bereavement and harmed

In a previous statement, she said, on finding out

John Beggs QC representing Surrey Police put it to her that...

But crucially, Cheryl's friend said while she did believe

it was suicide 20 years ago, now she couldn't be certain.

Cheryl's mother gave evidence explaining the last phone call

Racking her brains, she said, to see if she was trying

Are a trained nurse, she told the coroner,

Then the man in charge of Army welfare admitted failures at

He apologised to Cheryl's parents saying they

shouldn't have put inexperienced new recruits on guard duty

The company behind plans for the world's first tidal lagoon

power station has warned the UK Government must decide

if it is going to back the billion-pound project

Building work on the lagoon in Swansea has already been delayed

by a year, after negotiations over how much public money it

Last month, the prime minister, David Cameron said he was less

enthusiastic about the project, saying the cost would be quite high.

We have our planning permission, we have the money to build.

We have the huge backing of industry and here in the bay itself,

start in the water. We need to start in the water in March 2017.

So it is very important for us to have a position

A man and a woman who were arrested in connection with the murder

of Liam Hill in Rhyl have been released on bail.

The body of the 44-year-old was discovered at a flat in the town

in January, two days after he was last seen.

Firefighters have a extinguished a car on fire in Cardiff city

The vehicle caught fire on Westgate Street at around 4

It's thought to have been accidental.

Some in his party have said he should stand down,

but the UKIP leader in Wales, Nathan Gill, has told this programme

that he won't, and that he has the support of most UKIP members.

He said he'd stood up for Wales in the party

and that claims he was failing to represent rank-and-file

Our political correspondent Daniel Davies has been to meet him.

The outlook for Ukip should be good, opinion polls suggest they are on

course to win their first catch up seats in the assembly. The row about

choosing candidates has rocked the boat with calls for their leader in

Wales Nathan Gill to quit. At his home on Anglesey, a family run B,

he told me most party members are on his side. There are people obviously

who don't like me, there are people who do. I think the people who back

to me by far outweigh those who don't. A lot of those people who

have spoken out, they have done for personal reasons. Why carry an?

Because we have the most important election in Wales. We must get Ukip

representation in the assembly. Other then leaving the EU, what does

Ukip once? Education, they would bring back at grammar schools for

some pupils with vocational courses for others. They say voters should

elect the local health boards that run the health service. And they

want voters to have a say on income tax powers for the assembly to.

Saying they shouldn't be devolved without a referendum. Deep divisions

are the last thing that Ukip need in the run-up to an assembly election.

There have been bitter rows about who should stand for the party in

that election and some blame Nathan Gill for failing to close those

rifts. Some in Ukip via this man, Mark Reckless, and another ex-Tory

MP Neil Hamilton will be foisted upon them as candidates. But Ukip 's

national executive committee has decided party members will rank

their lists of regional candidates for the assembly. I have worked for

Ukip in Wales for 11 years. I know the vast majority of members, I have

canvassed with people all over Wales in every single area. I know the

quality of the people we have, the passionate membership, the

capability that we have and I have stood up for them. Maybe some of the

members haven't seen that because it has happened behind closed doors but

I have stood up for Wales. Mr Gill, a father of five and an MEP wants to

swap Brussels for Cardiff Bay and become an assembly members in May.

Whether he gets the chance will depend on party members. He says he

has their support, that will soon be tested.

And we'll be speaking to the leaders of all the main parties over

On stage at Buckingham Palace - students of the Royal Welsh College

of Music and Drama perform to a star-studded audience.

And can new head coach Robert Croft help bring back the glory

There are questions tonight over whether plans to restore Margam

opencast mine near Port Talbot will be completed on time.

Coal hasn't been extracted from the site in a decade,

and people living nearby say they're concerned a delayed planning

application means trees won't be planted or a footpath installed

It is almost ten years since coal was last extracted from this site

and for a long time there have been no plans to restore the land.

An agreement between the energy company

and the landowners was made with Neath Port Talbot

All parties decided the best way forward is for what has been

described as an alternative restoration.

Given the small amount of money to carry out any kind

The only realistic option is to maintain a safe level

of water to plant trees and put a public path through the site.

That there are still those who feel that

A fund of just ?5.7 million has been left to do the work.

A strict time frame was set out in September to ensure

the restoration gets done but a delayed planning

application submission which has since been deemed as invalid has

left some people living in the shadow of the site to doubt

I am confident to the extent that Neath Port Talbot put

options before committee to achieve what they call the alternative

restoration, which in fact is no restoration at all.

It means that this area has been betrayed.

In a statement, Neath Port Talbot's council spokesperson said...

Bridgend council says it will be considering the proposals

of the planning application in due course.

If the alternative restoration isn't complete within

the given time frame, Neath Port Talbot council has said

The ultimatum was to serve enforcement notice on what would be

the coal authority, the energy supplier and the landowners.

That would be the ultimate sanction that the planning authority

would have to do and it is only Neath Port Talbot

that can actually undertake that enforcement action.

That would mean full restoration, but there is no

It is not so much a full restoration, it is actually

enforcing conditions that were originally put

It is hoped work can start here in May, but it appears

this saga may yet have some way to go.

A Welsh Labour MP has claimed the party leadership has already

decided to oppose the renewal of the Trident nuclear weapons

Bridgend MP Madeleine Moon, who sits on the Commons Defence

Select Committee, says the view is out of touch

The Shadow Defence Secretary, Emily Thornberry, says the party

You can't have an open and honest debate if what you are saying

is I would never use the deterrent, I don't support the deterrent

That is not an open and honest discussion.

It is perfectly valid to have a position

where you don't support Trident, that is valid.

But to say that your position is that you are willing to discuss

it, when you are clearly not, that is not honest.

A law to improve the protection of Wales' castles and monuments has

been passed by the National Assembly.

The Historic Environment Bill will make it easier to prosecute

In 2013 a stretch of Offa's Dyke was damaged.

The bill will also introduce new powers to stop unauthorised work

to, and prevent historic buildings from, falling into disrepair.

The Prince of Wales mixed with Welsh showbiz royalty at Buckingham Palace

to celebrate a college that's produced some

Students from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama took

to a special stage in Buckingham Palace last night

in a concert to mark five years since the college

Our arts and media correspondent Huw Thomas was there.

Rocking the palace - the students hoping to make a name

for themselves put on quite a show in Buckingham Palace's famous

As patron of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Prince Charles

hosted the event, and was joined by celebrity supporters.

Among them Michael Sheen, who's an ambassador for the college.

Because in Wales we have this extraordinary infrastructure,

The college is a conduit for that talent, whether it's in Wales

The invited audience saw music, drama and song before some

of the famous faces joined the students on stage.

They shared tips and offered support.

Dame Shirley Bassey already helps pay the fees for some

Two of them are in the Shirley Bassey scholarship.

And you think it is important to support them with scholarships?

That was the call from the Prince of Wales.

Because I started off with nobody supporting me and I made it,

A lavish setting for a grand performance tonight by students

from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, all celebrating

five years since they moved into their new home on the edge

for the students, job prospects on their doorstep have also

The growth in the creative industries has provided

opportunities for graduates on screen and behind the scenes,

including roles on productions like Da Vinci's Demons.

As Wales itself has developed its role in particular

the sectors we work in, drama, TV, film, and all

The Prince said it had been a joy to see the students perform.

They'll be hoping to impress beyond the palace walls

when their time at the college comes to an end.

28 years after making his debut for Glamorgan Cricket Club,

Robert Croft has been unveiled as their new head coach insisting

The former England spinner says he'd like to oversee a side that's

competitive, but he takes over a team that's been languishing

in the second division of the County Championship for more

He has been a player, and an assistant coach.

And after nearly three decades with Glamorgan,

But now I've had the opportunity to see

it from another side so I'll be looking forward to putting

everything into it and ensuring that we get everything out of every

In a long and eventful career, Robert Croft made

71 appearances for England in Test cricket and one-day internationals.

Here at Glamorgan, he took more than 1000 wickets.

There was Sunday league successe too.

Back in 1997, he was an integral part of the team

He played a big part in the celebrations, too.

But Glamorgan have had very little reason to

They have been stuck in the County Championship

It is a success for me as a side now that is

fiercely competitive on the field and good people off the field.

Let's make no bones about it, everybody

that supports Glamorgan cricket wants is a winning team.

To get up into that division one would be

Croft's predecessor talked of tight budgets but the new man in charge

today was keen to stress the strength of the Academy bringing

But it is the players that brought success in the 90s who are now

in charge at Glamorgan with former captain Hugh

Morris now Chief Executive, Steve Watkin, kept on as assistant

The question is, can some of the most

iconic figures in cricket in Wales bring the good times

First up, Leicestershire on April the 17th.

Rugby now, Wales will decide whether outside-half Dan Biggar

is fit enough to play against Scotland later this week.

Biggar was forced off in the first half against Ireland on sunday.

The Wales management says Biggar has made excellent progress

with his recovery following the ankle injury.

Wales will name their side later than expected,

The Winter Olympics hopeful Laura Deas, who's been included

in Great Britain's squad for the Skeleton World Championships

in Austria later this month, says she's aiming to bring

The athlete from Wrexham is ranked 4th in the world.

She says preparations are also going well ahead

of the Winter Olympics in Pyeong-Chang in South Korea in 2018.

To win a gold for the first half of the season and then a bronze

the second half of the season, I think

And reminding people of my presence and hopefully that means other

people see me as a bit of a threat as well.

Because I would like people to be concentrating more on what I am

doing them what they are supposed to be doing!

After several pitch inspections, Wrexham's National League game

at Altricham will go ahead despite persistent,

Calmer weather for the rest of the week?

No sign yet of any more storms on the way this week.

Sunshine in places but more rain and showers, as well.

And cold enough on higher ground for snow.

This photo take by Andrew Powell shows a covering of snow

at the Brecon Beacons Mountain Centre this afternoon.

This evening, rain and showers will spread south with gusty winds.

The wind easing with temperatures inland falling close to freezing

A chilly, cold start with lighter winds.

A few showers mainly in the north and west.

The best of the sunshine in the south-east.

A few showers in the northeast in the afternoon but for most of us

Dry and brighter with more in the way of sunshine.

The wind lighter than today as well with top temperatures reaching 5

Tomorrow night, most places dry, although a few showers are possible

A cold night with a widespread frost.

On Thursday, a frosty start for some of us with one or two

Some fine weather and sunshine but a few showers here

On Friday, another area of low pressure to the west of Ireland

Some uncertainty about the position of the rain on Friday.

Over the weekend, most of the UK cold and windy with milder air

On Saturday, there's a risk of more rain in the south.

Sleet and a little snow possible, too.

Sunday may become dry and brighter with lighter winds and frost.

Mind you, the forecast for the end of the week is not straightforward.

There is a lot of uncertainty in how far north the rain will get and how

It is coming up to seven o'clock. Nine people have died and 80 had

been injured in one of Germany's worst train crashes for years. Two

trains collided head on this morning. Investigators say they will

look at why an automatic braking system was not trigger. Cuts planned

for the higher education system here have been reversed in the

government's budget. The government says it has listen to concerns about

the proposed ?42 million cut. The budget also includes more money for

the NHS. I'll have an update for you here

at 8 o'clock and again after the BBC From all of us on the

programme, good evening.