09/01/2017 BBC Wales Today

Welcome to Wales Today. Our top stories:

Steel workers, their pension offer and the future of Tata here.

Politicians are told to let workers decide -

It's great for politicians who sit on the outside and want to make

political gain out of this but you're talking about people's

lives and the future of an industry we all love.

Down the pub for the dementia patients' social gathering.

Now a new strategy to listen to patients and their families.

I didn't feel that there was a care plan in place.

I don't think it was until much later on that those types

The death of David James Kingsbury in Old Colwyn.

Police arrest three more people on suspicion of murder.

As winds start to turn more northerly across Wales,

And in tonight's sport: Referees say no more of this...

But as stricter punishments for high tackles come into force,

will too many yellow cards spoil the game?

Politicians are being told not to interfere with Tata workers' vote

on whether to accept less generous pensions in return for

One of the biggest unions at the site, Unite, was reacting

to the Plaid Cymru economy spokesperson, Adam Price, who called

Here's our business correspondent Brian Meechan.

Tata says it is explaining to the staff what the changes will mean to

them. If workers accept the deal, it will allow them to invest an extra

billion pounds over ten years in the Port Talbot plant, but only if other

savings can be made at the site. Tata has also pledged to keep the

two blast furnaces operating for five years and to try to avoid

compulsory redundancies over the same period. It is a huge about turn

by the company that had planned to sell all its Welsh operations. Adam

Price accuses Tata of opportunism and brinkmanship and he is urging

workers to renegotiate on pensions. Workers that have contacted me have

real concerns about the lack of clarity over the guarantees that

have been offered in terms of future employment and investment and also

in terms of the current and future deficit in the existing pension

scheme. I think those concerns are well founded. But have conditions in

the steel industry really improved? Well, the value of steel has risen

on the world market. It was $385 per tonne of hot rolled

coil last January when Tata announced over a thousand job losses

but, by August, when the company put the sale of its Welsh operations

on hold, it had gone up to $536 per tonne - an increase

of nearly 40%. China had been accused

of producing too much steel, driving down the price,

but last summer the European Union continued imposing tariffs

on foreign imports, with up to 22% levied on cold rolled steel,

which is used in cars And the turnaround plan put in place

at Port Talbot saw the reported losses of a million pounds a day

at the site reduced. Adam Price says this means that

situation has been radically transformed from this

time last year. The local MP is calling for Adam

Price to apologise and withdraw his comments. If it is rejected, I think

there is no doubt that the industry will be plunged once again into

crisis and I think it is completely unacceptable for a politician to be

coming in and saying the things that Mr Price has said. Mark Durnan has

worked at Port Talbot for the last 15 years and he says staff should be

left to make their own decisions. Each person they will have their own

feelings, their own ways of looking at it, depending on age, where you

are in your career, there are lots of things you have to weigh up. I am

50 odd years of age, I was looking to retire at 55. Unfortunately this

is not a political issue so we would like the politicians to keep their

opinions to themselves. The union which represents the workers across

Tata says it is vital that workers understand the proposals. Tata said

it would comment while it is still consulting workers.

Brian, there's been a lot of talk about this deal.

When do workers at Port Talbot have their say?

We are expecting the ballots to go out to workers at the end of January

and to have the results by around mid-February. I think one of the

issues about this is the level of trust that exists between the

workers and Tata. A lot of workers are now questioning just what this

investment had been put forward by Tata actually amounts to. And these

people have been put through an incredibly difficult year last year.

And they are now being asked to make an incredibly tough decision that

will hit them financially personally, but may guarantee the

future of the Port Talbot site. So it is not an easy solution, it is

not straightforward. I think the two questions it raises are, will Tata

be likely to come back with a better offer if this is rejected on

pensions? And if not and other bidders come in, are they likely to

keep the final salary scheme Western Mark thank you.

People affected by dementia are being asked for their experiences

to help shape Wales' first ever national dementia plan.

Dementia, which affects memory and language,

is now the leading cause of death in Wales.

It's thought between 40,000 to 50,000 people are living

And the experts fear this number could rise by 40%

Today, the Welsh Government launched a two-month consultation.

It says improving the quality of life and care for people who have

or are at risk of dementia is a key priority.

When was this taken? About 63, so not long before he had his

diagnosis. He was diagnosed with dementia when he was 65. He now

lives in a specialist facility for people who develop dementia at a

younger age but Kath says things were far from easy at the start. At

the date of diagnosis, we were just sent home. Therefore, what that

meant, as you can imagine, is that for a number of days, we were in

utter turmoil. I didn't feel that there was a care plan in place. I

don't think it was until much later on that those types of words were

used. Now the Welsh government aims to change that. It has worked over

the past five years to improve diagnosis rates in particular. But

over the next two months, people like Kath and John who are affected

by the condition are being asked for their imperious -- experiences to

help inform a new dementia strategy for Wales that focuses on a number

of keys themes such as diagnosis, helping dementia patients to live

well and improve access to specialist care and support,

particularly in the community. While more and more people have dementia,

no two individuals are exactly the same. Their experiences will be

different and the impact will be different as well. But individual

understanding is really important and it really is about health and

the wider sector joining up around those people. Conwy Council funds a

service called Trio provided by a charity which partners people in the

early stages of dementia with similar diagnosis. Every week they

meet for days out or a catcher over a coffee. We are unique in what we

do because we match the people to their needs. Their choices and what

they do. So it is individual based and it is individual focused. And

they say it is accessed -- exactly the kind of support that helps them

lead fuller lives. I would miss it if it wasn't there because my wife

takes me out motes of the time. It gives them a break as well. I enjoy

coming out once a week on this trip. A lot of places around Colwyn Bay I

never knew existed. The project is now being piloted in Denbighshire

but the Welsh Local Government Association says the financial

pressures on social care budgets are already unsustainable. There are

many good things appearing at their presently in terms of local

government, particularly in terms of dementia friendly communities, but

this will add massive pressures into the system which is already

struggling with some of the financial challenges we face. The

government's oscillation will close at the end of March. But the debate

about how best to care for dementia patients and how much it will cost

is sure to continue. Residents in Cwmfelinfach say

they're overjoyed that plans for a waste processing plant have

been rejected by Local people were concerned that any

emissions from the plant may be trapped in the valley

because of a weather phenomenon that can hold cloud

over the town for days. The local health board said

emissions from the plant A blanket of fog over the steep,

green Sirhowy Valley. Locals say it can linger for days. And they were

concerned that emissions from a planned new waste processing plant

to be built here would also be trapped. But today those plans were

rejected by the environment body Natural Resources Wales. We all

believe that this was in the wrong place and we have been vindicated.

They told us that it was not going to be a problem. They told us we

were only going to have steam coming out of the chimney and it is not the

case, it was going to be nitrogen dioxide. Locals fought from the

outset to stop the development, worried about lorries and noise. And

this. It's called temperature inversion. Cold air is trapped in

the Valley by warm air above. Locals were concerned about the impact that

it would have had on their health. They were concerned about the amount

of gases that may have been released. Wendy told me about her

concerns. I'm asthmatic, I have got two granddaughters, 13 and 14, and I

am worried about what they will breathe in while they grow up. On

Sundays you can see really plain and it is thick and we don't want it.

The plan would have seen thousands of tonnes of waste that would have

normally gone to landfill turned to fill. The company behind it says

it's extremely disappointed and that no air quality limits would have

been breached. They will be appealing as soon as possible. But

Natural Resources Wales say they believe the plant could have had a

negative impact on people's health. So today a win for these locals and,

for now, clean air in their green valley.

A body found in the Talgarth area of Powys has been confirmed

He was last seen leaving his home for a run last Tuesday morning.

Mountain rescue teams, firefighters, police and a drone

Staff at Cardiff and Vale University Health Board are being urged to take

Three wards have been closed at UHW in Cardiff to prevent the spread

less than half of the health board's staff had received the jab.

Labour support in Wales has reached new lows,

according to an opinion poll by YouGov for ITV Wales

It suggests that 31% of people would vote for Labour in Assembly

constituency elections - that's down three

That's the lowest rating since YouGov's first

Both Tory and Plaid Cymru support rose by one point,

UKIP are down one to 12% and the Liberal Democrats up two, to 8%.

North Wales Police have arrested three more people on suspicion

of murder following the death of a man in Old Colwyn last week.

A post mortem examination found David James Kingsbury died

The police say three men are in custody.

A woman who was arrested earlier has been released on bail.

Roger Pinney joins us now from Old Colwyn.

Roger, the police have issued a fairly lengthy statement.

Yes, and they have issued two statements and the most recent,

which came out around an hour and a half ago, the police confirmed that

the woman who had been arrested earlier in the investigation has now

been released on police bail. The police today have described this as

a fast moving enquiry in which there have been some significant

developments in the last day or so. They say they have now arrested

three men, two in their 30s, one in their 50s, on suspicion of murder.

They are all said to be from the old Colwyn area. David James Kingsbury

died on Thursday evening and the police investigation then involved

sealing off much of the centre of old Colwyn. The police say they have

acted today because of information which has been brought to them by

members of the public. And tonight police are appealing for more

information? They are, and they are being specific about the information

they are after. They want to speak to anyone who saw a silver two dot

Vauxhall Corsa being driven around old Colwyn between 8:30pm and 9pm on

Thursday evening and they also want to speak to anyone who was on the

number 12 bus in old Colwyn at around the same time. That is

between 8:30pm and 9pm on Thursday evening. As I say, the police say

this is a fast moving enquiry so I think we should be looking out for

some further developments. Much more to come before

seven o'clock No more But as stricter punishments for high

tackling come into force, will too many yellow cards

spoil the game? And that northerly front moving down

through Wales means a risk of snow Could Wales become the first part

of the UK to introduce an outright ban on parents

smacking their children? New powers heading to the Assembly

will make it possible. And tonight, the Children's

Commissioner has repeated her call More from our political

correspondent Daniel Davies. Perhaps once it was taken for

granted but attitudes change and now some say the law should change to.

Recently there have been repeated calls for the Assembly to ban

smacking. Now powers will be devolved here to make that easier.

It revolves around what is reasonable. In cases of assault

against children there is a defence of reasonable punishment and

campaigners want to scrap it. First and foremost, it is a human rights

issue. Children should have the right to not be heard in the same

way that adults do will stop at the moment, if you hit another addled,

there is no defence in the law for why you have hit them. But if a

parent hits their child, they can say it was reasonable punishment. I

think children should have the same protection from assault as parents

do. Two years ago, the Welsh government saw off a call for a ban,

saying the time wasn't right. Now ministers want to build cross-party

support to outlaw smacking. But just like in the Assembly, there were

people for and against a ban at this play centre in Cardiff today.

Smacking children years ago, it happened, and I had a smack from mum

and dad, but there are so many cases today where it has got out of hand

and parents to take it a dark -- too far, maybe it wouldn't be the third

worst thing in the world. I wouldn't say a ban because personal choice,

but for me, my son, I wouldn't smack him. If he sees other children in

the playground being naughty, I don't want him to think it is OK to

smack someone if they are bad. Campaigners say they don't expect a

wave of parents being prosecuted after a ban. Instead they hope it

will send a message about what is deemed acceptable. The Welsh

government tried to do something similar when it banned smoking in

cars carrying children. Now the children Commissioner hopes

ministers will use these powers and put an end to a debate which she

says has been going round in circles for years.

Days after stricter sanctions were brought-in around

high tackles in rugby, referees are spoiling

the game and fans could be turned-off the sport.

That's the warning tonight from the former Wales

It comes after players from the Scarlets, Ospreys

and Ulster were shown yellow cards in the Pro12 on the first

weekend since tougher punishments came into force.

Is that a high tackle? A new year and a new clamp-down on high

tackles. It is a high tackle, preventing a possible try. A yellow

card and a penalty try. A raft of yellow cards was handed out at the

weekend. He has gone again. Where are we going? Now the referees are

under scrutiny. Under the new directives, that is high. Is it

reckless? It is up to them to referee each incident on its

individual merits and then decide but sometimes it just spoils the

game. It is a contact sport and people like the big collisions. They

have got to be clean and fair and they have got to be kept in the

game. But if it's getting too sterile, people aren't going to want

to watch. A new tougher approach to reckless and accidental... While the

laws of the game haven't changed, the level of punishment players can

expect have. The game's governing body says player welfare is their

number one concern. One of the most respected referees, Nigel Owens,

says a degree of empathy and common sense is needed, but he says there

has been a greater clamp-down on reckless tackles some time. I come

in to tackle you, if I tackle you here and by hand slips up like this,

that has always been a high tackle and a penalty. But if I come in high

and I catch you here with force and it goes on to your head, that is

going to be a red card. But that was a red card six months ago. But we

could be seeing more cards being dished out on the rugby field. Does

that increase the pressure on the referee? I'm not quite sure if it

is, to be honest with you. What these directives have done is

refocusing everybody concerned that we as referees need to be strict

with this type of tackle. The changes are aimed at minimising

this, the treatment of concussion, which is high on the agenda, and

tonight World Rugby says the way George North's latest head injury

was handled during a game for Northampton last month was

disappointing. Some Pro12 coaches say the changes are making the game

impossible to referee. The challenge for those running the game is to

make a physical contact sport as safe as possible. Without alienating

fans and players. Wales international Liam Williams

will join Saracens next summer. The 25-year-old moves

to the English Premiership from the Scarlets on a three-year

deal at the end of the season. The move could limit his

international appearances. The senior selection policy only

allows three non-Wales based There's no Welsh interest

in the fourth round draw New Swansea City boss Paul Clement

lost his first game in charge 2-0 as they crashed out

of the competition at Hull. Cardiff City were the last Welsh

club to be knocked out, They lost 2-1 to Fulham in front

of a crowd of just over 5,000. Manager Neil Warnock said he didn't

blame the fans not turning up Not many athletes manage to move

successfully from one sport to another but Welsh 100m sprinter

Mica Moore is hoping to combine her love for athletics

with the huge challenge The 24-year-old from Newport

is determined not to pick between her winter and summer

sports, insisting her future could include success in both

and her dream is to represent Team If you'd asked Mica Moore

about the bobsleigh not long ago she would have talked about the 1993

film Cool Runnings. She certainly didn't think

she would end up the brake woman I don't think I could ever pick

between them because they are both so much fun and they are perfect

sports alongside each other. One is a summer sport

and one is a winter sports As a sprinter, she competed

at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games for Wales in the relay,

and that led to being asked She was a natural and for someone

who doesn't like roller-coasters, travelling at speeds of 125 mph

for the first time didn't phase her. I think I got out of the bobsleigh

and said, that was so much fun. I must be a little bit bonkers

because I wasn't too nervous. I think I rang my dad before

for some comforting words and he's my coach so he just manages

to calm me down really well. It's been an incredible

journey so far. Her dad is amazed at how

quickly she has adapted. I couldn't be prouder

as a dad, predominantly. And for somebody who is relatively

inexperienced in bobsleigh, the accelerated development

is really quite incredible actually. Next month she is hoping to get

into the GB squad and compete at There's a lot of work I need to do

before I can do that and I need to make sure I am running as fast

as I can and make sure But it would be a massive

dream to compete there. And I'm really excited

for the season ahead. If all goes to plan,

2018 could be busy. She knows it would be

a massive challenge. and a summer representing Wales

at the Commonwealth Games. That would be a perfect

year, I think. Snow is the big feature of this

week's weather charts. The Met Office has issued a yellow

warning for wind and snow as parts of Wales and the rest of the UK

looks set for an Arctic cold spell. The weather front is different

from the one hitting Snow has covered the Greek

islands and southern Italy, Temperatures in Russia

have plunged to -30. So let's get Sue Charles to flesh

out the detail in the forecast. Our weather has been quiet in

comparison but there is a change on the way. After a relatively mild but

unsettled start of the week, it will turn colder by the end of it with

wintry showers possible. The risk of snow for some but a completely

different scenario from the bitter easterly winds that brought the cold

weather across continental Europe. Later in the week, the air coming

from Iceland. And as the fronts moving from the west, they could

bring rain, sleet or possibly snow. But tonight, heavy rain and

scattered showers will continue on and off. Feeling colder in the

strong winds. This front brought today's rain. A brief respite and

then another arrives from the west tomorrow. Some dry spells and just a

few early showers tomorrow. And then ploughed thickens as the fog pushes

through from the West. Our bricks -- outbreaks of rain. Temperatures

above average. Tomorrow night, some dry spells, just the odd shower on

and off. Some mist and hill fog developing. Still quite cold at six

to eight Celsius. The wind starts to turn more north-westerly on

Wednesday. The isobars closer together signalling stronger winds

making it really feel colder for the end of the week. Wednesday it self,

some dry spells, just a few showers, but the Empress is really on these

winds. Very strong north-westerly winds could reach gale force along

the coast. Highs of eight or 10 Celsius. But the wind chill will

make you feel colder. By Thursday we are into the colder air, very

blustery. Try and write for many but cold enough that any of these

showers could fall as sleet and snow by Thursday.

Northern Ireland is in political crisis tonight after the shock

resignation of Martin McGuinness. Under the power-sharing agreement,

this automatically means that the First Minister Arlene Foster of the

Democratic Unionist party, can no longer stay in her role.

And politicians are being told not to interfere with Tata workers' vote

on whether to accept less generous pensions in exchange for better

investment in Port Talbot. Adam Price called for staff to reject the

deal. I'll have an update

for you here at 8pm and again From all of us on the

programme, good evening.