16/02/2016 BBC Wales Today

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Louisa Tanner had a breakdown but ended up in a police cell.

Tonight, calls to improve care for mental-health patients.

It is frightening because you can hear other people who have been

locked up for committing crimes and they are vocal, banging on the

cells. You are already in a distressed state and it just makes

you more distressed. They don't shut properly so in the

window we can't shut them openly. They don't open properly so in the

summer we can't have any ventilation. It is not pleasant for

our students. Leaking windows and cold classrooms

- the teaching union which wants to double the amount

spent on schools. The council facing an unprecended

cut of ?21 million. They want to build a windfarm here,

on common land near Swansea. Now a public inquiry will decide

if it'll ruin this landscape And, the kids are in the creche

while Mum's in the gym - more of us are getting

active, but fewer women Should someone in the middle

of a mental-health crisis ever end That's the reality

for too many patients, according to mental-health experts

who've spoken to Wales Today. They've described support

here as patchy, and are calling for more appropriate

places of safety - As part of the BBC's In The Mind

season, Carys Notley has Rowan has lived with chronic

depression and anxiety Now at 22 she blogs about her mental

health and how her conditions mean she sometimes has breakdowns

which can leave her vulnerable. It's almost like a flick kind

of switches in your brain and you think, the only thing

I want to do right now And, you know, take

it out on yourself. Two years ago Rowan had a severe

breakdown, harming herself badly, But she says the poor care

she received in A would deter her I felt like I was being a bit

of a burden because I had done it to myself, so I was just asking

somebody else to clean up my mess rather than being a patient

who deserved care. There was no mental-health nurse,

nobody came to talk to me, it was just stapled

up and on your way. A departments are not

always equipped to deal They often don't have specialists

working there who can advise and identify onward routes

of referral for individuals. So people may end up in A

departments but they may not be best Whilst Rowan said she would have

benefited from further care, many others experiencing a crisis

are detained for their own safety Last year 1181 people in Wales

were admitted to a health-based place of safety but when there

are no hospital beds available often the only safe place for people

to go is a police cell, which is where 541 people

in distress were held. She has borderline personality

disorder, which affects her moods In 2014, aged 21, she started

experiencing unbearable suicidal thoughts and ended up spending

the night in a cell. It is very frightening

because you can hear other people who have been locked up

for committing crimes and they are being vocal,

banging on the cells, and you are already in a distressed

state and it just makes you feel There are calls for more suitable

places of safety where people can go to recover, places like this crisis

house run by the charity Gofal in partnership with Cardiff

and Vale health board. This crisis house in Cardiff

is currently the only one in Wales with private bedrooms,

homely living areas and support It's a place of safety and sanctuary

where people can come to recover from their crisis whilst

maintaining their independence. Gofal wants to see the creation

of more services like this 93% of people who stay here return

home after a seven-day stay, whereas in a hospital you can expect

to stay for a minimum of 28 days. So this is an environment that

for some people supports a much better and quicker

process of recovery. But some experts say more research

is still needed on their benefits. The Welsh Government says spending

on mental-health services in Wales is rising and points to an agreement

signed in December between police forces, charities, the NHS,

councils and other agencies. The idea is to bring these bodies

together to improve crisis care. For Rowan, who could experience

a crisis at any moment, an alternative couldn't come soon

enough, as she is unsure Dr Ben Hannigan is an expert

in mental-health care at Cardiff University,

and used to work in the community Why does the help on offer for some

mental health patients appear to be so patchy? I wouldn't underestimate

the advances that have been -- been made over a period of time but I saw

your package and I know there are people who experience a poor quality

of service. I think that we will always need a system in which we

have mental health hospitals, extremely important. But hospitals

of course not the most appropriate place for some people, they can be

far from people's homes, they can be stigmatising for some people, so I

hear very clearly some people saying that they would much prefer crisis

houses all community crisis resolution and home treatment teams

providing a much more community focused service. What is the

solution? Is it about spending much more money, often the answer given

by many people, or a different approach, organisations

communicating better with each other? It is probably all of those

things. If we look historically at how mental health care has been

funded and supported it has not received the kind of support that

services for physical health problems has had, so there is a real

issue around parity of esteem. I think we need a mixed system of

services, so we certainly need hospitals. I wouldn't envisage a

system with momentum health hospitals. But we need alternatives,

we need alternatives like the Gofal crisis house. We also need community

crisis resolution and home treatment, there are some real good

examples of that in Wales and across the UK, so they will provide

intensive face-to-face care and support to people in their own homes

who would otherwise be in hospital. Thank you very much.

Tomorrow night we'll be reporting on the calls to improve specialist

services for people who are deaf and living

The Welsh Government needs to double the amount it's spending

That's according to a teachers' union here, amid claims that many

school buildings aren't "up to scratch".

One Newport headteacher has told BBC Wales that some buildings

The Government has described its record on new school

This high school in the 1970s. And now. Not a lot has changed. Despite

being judged good it is feeling its age. With holes in the canteen hall,

leaking roofs and windows and abandoned classrooms. The

headteacher, who has improved the GCSE pass rate by 16%, says some

buildings are deplorable and blames Newport council and the Welsh

government for not doing enough to improve buildings like his. There is

a whole generation of school stock with leaking roofs, for windows,

poor heating, classrooms which are too small or cramped. I think there

is a whole generation of schools and education out there that are very

close to that picture. But this evening it has emerged that these

plans to improve the school could still become a reality. They were

rejected by councillors over fears the site may flood but tonight

Newport council says it has resubmitted the proposals to

refurbish the school. Lauren, an English teacher at the school, hopes

the plans will become a reality so she won't have to teach in a room

where students get wet when it rains. We can't shut them properly,

they don't open properly so in summer we can't have any

ventilation. It is not pleasant for the students. In 2010 the auditor

general for Wales said there was a long way to go before all school

buildings here were fit for purpose. The Welsh government says it is

investing nearly ?2 billion in schools and colleges through its

21st century schools programme. It says it is the most ambitious school

building an improvement programme since the 1960s but the Association

of teachers and lecturers in Wales disagreed and they want the Welsh

government to increase the amount they spending. They agree with the

National Union of Teachers here that many school buildings are not up to

scratch. Definitely doubled the amount we asked seeing going in. We

need to get the school stock right and give youngsters the best start

in life. This evening, a glimmer of hope for pupils here and for those

hoping to attend Newport's first medium secondary school. But other

children across Wales may not be so lucky.

Councillors in Denbighshire have voted to push ahead

with controversial plans to close Ysgol Llanbedr Primary School

There were more than 900 objections, but the council says the closure

in August comes as part of its review into school provision

Councils across Wales have been discussing their budgets

and Flintshire Council has agreed to making what it describes

as "unprecedented" savings of ?21 million.

It says it is protecting core services but they will be at risk

Deeside Leisure Centre in Queensferry is a place

skate and even go curling, and from next month you'll also be

It's about to become home to a ?130,000 centralised library

hub as part of Flintshire Council's plan to save ?50,000 a year.

It will replace three local libraries, including one

in the village of Mancot, where the community has decided

I particularly don't like the hub they have in Queensferry but if

people can get books from there I am reasonably happy about that. I am

more happy about the way we are going here in man cut. The county

council are gifting us all the books. -- in Mancot.

Today Flintshire Council has agreed its budget for the next year

and approved what it calls unprecedented savings

The position of Flintshire is something we have articulated to

government, we will continue to do so and we are an efficient and

innovative council but the threat of austerity means that those risks

will be there in years to come but we will continue to fight and defend

services. In Quinn the council is debating whether to cut funding to

the Lord George Museum until next year.

In Gwynedd the authority has been identifying ?5 million

of potential savings - today it's deferred a decision

on whether to cut funding to the David Lloyd George Museum

In the weeks ahead councils across Wales will have to make

similar tough decisions as they join Gwynedd and Flintshire in trying

More of us are getting active, except, however, women

And, it's her song - Welsh singer/songwriter Amy Wadge

celebrates winning the biggest prize in music.

A public inquiry to consider whether or not a windfarm can be

The proposal at Mynydd y Gwair is on common land and the inquiry

will decide if land can be exchanged for the building of 16 turbines.

The developer, RWE, says the project will benefit the environment

and the local economy, but objectors say it

Mynydd y Gwair and the rolling hills that look down over Swansea Bay.

But there could be some significant changes to this landscape

if the Welsh Government gives the go-ahead

Swansea Council has already granted permission for the project but today

a third public enquiry got under way to decide if suitable land can

be found in exchange for the common land used by farmers,

The last offer made was said to be unsuitable and the development

was blocked so a third enquiry has frustrated objecters.

We have been fighting this battle since

They just don't know the meaning of the word no.

It's common land, it's not just any old land,

it's common land that we all have the use of.

These hills are often covered with grazing sheep

Farmers say if the development goes ahead it will interfere

with a tradition going back hundreds of years.

The farming community on Mynydd y Gwair,

it's estimated that it is worth ?5 million to the local economy

every year, through sales of beef, sheep,

We use it to graze animals so that we can produce food to sell

You know, that is there, and for every one farmer who grazes

on Mynydd y Gwair he supports ten other people.

RWE says it has listened to concerns and alterations

This time the company is offering four sections of replacement land

as an alternative to the areas that will be taken up

It also says the overall space for grazing and

public access will increase once the building work is complete.

We will not need to stop access to the

common during the construction or operation period.

We have put in place measures, particularly crossing points for

members of the public so they can use the land as they normally would.

The public enquiry is due to last for three days. The planning

inspector will then report to the Welsh government before the minister

makes a final decision. Health, education, and the economy -

the things Plaid Cymru wants to talk about before May's

assembly election. But Leanne Wood, the party's leader,

says they have to keep working to tackle misconceptions

about her party. For the latest in our series

of interviews with party leaders, Daniel Davies went back

to the classroom with Leanne Wood. You came when you were 11?

Back to school, even visit to this community college. When Leanne Wood

was in their schools she wanted to be television newsreader. Now she

aspires to be First Minister. The only way now we can make sure that

our country moves forward is to shake up the political system. That

is that lesson getting through to voters? The opinion polls are not

what I would like them to be at the moment, I would like to see

improvement, but I think that can be achieved by communicating with

people on the ground. What would First Minister Leanne Wood do? In

education Plaid Cymru with write-offs six hundred thousand

pounds Best ?6,000 a year for students. -- right half ?6,000 a

year. But does Leanne Wood have a message for people who pigeonhole

Plaid Cymru as the party of the Welsh language? Across the country

it is clear that it is health, education and the economy that are

top priorities, so they are our top priorities as well. But do people

realise that or do you still come up against people who say, well, Plaid

Cymru doesn't represent this part of Wales, it is the party of Welsh

speakers? There are still misconceptions about Plaid Cymru...

How much of the problem is that? I still spend a lot of time, I was in

a meeting in Mountain Ash last night talking about exactly these things,

and it is up to our party to make sure that we scotched those

misconceptions. Leanne Wood, the secondary school tubal. Her hair has

changed since the mid-19 80s but she says many of her political

convictions have not. A stones throw from the school, the area she still

lives and the community where she hopes to unseat the local Labour

member in May. Plaid Cymru launches its election campaign tomorrow.

The number of adults taking part in sport three times a week or more

has increased, according to Sport Wales.

However, the research also says that a million adults

Women, disabled people and those from deprived areas are also less

Dragging yourself to the gym, to a swimming pool or throwing on a pair

of trainers, it comes easier to some than others. People in Wales Young

and old are realising the importance of being active. As you get older

you need the exercise to keep your heart healthy. It makes you feel

good. I wanted to lose weight and I lost four stones in two years. 41%

of adults according to a new Sport Wales survey take part in some kind

of sporting activity at least three times a week. It is a slight 2%

increase on the 2013 figures but participation in other parts of the

UK has declined. We are delighted, we are proud in Wales to see that we

saw a significant increase since the Olympics and Paralympics. That bucks

the trend in the UK and the drops in England. It is not just about elite

sport but activity for everybody. The survey found gaps in

participation, progs between men and women. Childcare and day-to-day

schedules can be valid reasons for not being active but it isn't a

problem at this child friendly gym in Cardiff. We know -- sickness is

important to me, not just physically but to keep my mind access --

active. Without this I wouldn't be going to the gym and I wouldn't be

as healthy. Sport Wales are also aware that more work needs to be

done to get people with disabilities involved in sport. Just 29% are

active at least three times a week. Access to classes and gym sessions

is still an issue according to this charity in Blackwood. There is

nowhere near enough activities. Leisure centres and community

centres are trying to put on more activities for people with

disabilities, physical, learning and mental health problems, but there

are not as many activities that people who do have health

conditions. As many as 67% of people who are not already hooked on sports

would like to be more active. There is work to be done but it seems to

be a step in the right direction. Snooker, and the controversy over

that maximum break that wasn't seemed to have little effect

on Ronnie O'Sullivan He took less than 40 minutes to beat

China's Tian Pengfei 4-0 and move Also through are Wales'

Michael White and Matthew Stevens. Welsh singer/songwriter Amy Wadge

is celebrating after winning She picked up a Grammy award

in Los Angeles last night for co-writing Ed Sheeran's hit

single Thinking Out Loud. Our arts and media correspondent,

Huw Thomas, reports. # Till we're 70...

# It's the record that's been sold

and streamed millions of times around the world, and has reached

number one in at least And while it's Ed Sheeran who stars,

Amy Wadge from Church Village near Pontypridd helped

compose the lyrics. Together they collected the Grammy

award for Song of the Year, with Amy Wadge alongside

Sheeran on stage. They've since been

swamped with praise, and after the ceremony Amy Wadge

tweeted that she was so, # Darling, my heart could still

fall as hard at 23... writing songs together for years,

and before heading to the Grammys she explained how their success

had changed her life. To be egotistical, the general

respect thing has changed. You go to award ceremonies

and when people used to go "Oh, no, it's Amy Wadge",

they don't do that any more! And it's quite nice,

and I take it with a pinch But, yeah, life has changed a lot

in terms of the job I do but in lots of other ways it hasn't

changed that much because luckily There were big celebrations in LA

after last night's ceremony, We remained in text contact right up

to the point where the ceremony started, and we spoke to her

imediately after and she was very hyper, very emotional,

and just deliriously happy. Amy Wadge's success

is no surprise to those She was a popular artist

in her own right. Started co-writing with quite young

artists, so when she and Ed Sheeran first started writing together

she was very much mentoring a really young writer, and I think

their friendship blossomed Amy Wadge's song has already had

record-breaking success - now her award-winning partnership

with Ed Sheeran has earned them the world's most

prestigious music prize. You may remember towards the end

of last year comedian Rhod Gilbert joined Wales Today as

the team's newest reporter. Nobody expects this. If I can ask

you to just come forward a bit and I will press record. We are recording.

If you can direct your answers to me. Are you a motorist? Know. So

that is no good, is it? You should have asked that first. Cut!

You can see that tonight at 10:30pm. Today, though, started

cold and frosty. This picture taken by our

Weather Watcher, Gerald Actually last night was one

of the coldest nights of the winter. In parts of Powys the temperature

dropped as low as -6. dry for a while but rain on Anglesey

will become more widespread Gusts 50, 60 mph in the northwest

with temperatures above freezing. Here's the picture for

eight in the morning. No frost and no sunshine but dull,

cold and wet. Some heavy rain and poor travelling

conditions. The hills and mountains too,

but in the west it should dry up Highs between four

and eight Celsius. In the Heads of

the Valleys tomorrow. In the Vale of Clwyd, cloudy

tomorrow with rain. Tomorrow evening, rain,

sleet and snow, mainly in the east, Most places dry overnight

with frost and icy patches. Thursday will start frosty and icy -

otherwise a better day. Some sunshine and drier,

just one or two showers. fronts will move in from

the Atlantic bringing Saturday windy and mild

with rain and drizzle. However it should turn colder

and brighter on Sunday So not a great day tomorrow but much

brighter on Thursday. Mental health experts are calling

for more crisis homes for people facing a mental health crisis. They

have described the support here as Apache. -- patchy.

I'll have an update for you here at eight o'clock and again