05/01/2017 Channel Islands News

Welcome to BBC Channel Islands. These are Thursday's headlines:

Flight and passenger numbers continue to fall

Final call to claim these abandoned cars.

The glitz, glamour and speed of powerboat racing

And we have another cold, bright day tomorrow; all change though as we

head into the weekend, but milder air. The details later in the

programme. New figures show the number

of people flying between the Channel Islands has continued

to drop in recent years, with last year seeing the biggest

decline of nearly 10%. The airline Blue Islands

says it's regrettable , but that the fall in demand

is outside its control. However, many in the sports

and holiday industry Lizzie has just flown

into Jersey from Guernsey. She's not impressed

with inter-island travel. We think everything's running

smoothly, then all of a sudden we get phone calls quite a lot

saying it's cancelled or they've moved the flight times,

and it's not ideal. And it seems she's not

the only one being put off. Over the past three years,

the number of people flying between the Channel Islands has

continued to fall, with a 4% drop Last year the decline

was even worse, at 9% - The airline Blue Islands says it's

partly due to unprecedented weather disruption in 2016,

and to businesses increasingly using tele-conferencing rather

than inter-island travel. But many in the sport and leisure

industry are blaming flight The prices have gone

up quite considerably to what they were 12 to 18 months

ago, and people are looking at the cost of taking

children, not only teams, at the cost of taking children,

not only teams, but also... across the board, choirs,

you name it, everything that affects the two islands is costing a lot

of money to do a ten-minute flight. The airline points to the increase

in airport fees it's faced, and insists it provides enough

choice, with up to 16 flights a day. Although some islanders

may hark back to a time With the plane sizes now, they're

definitely bigger than they were. Those of us that remember

the Trislanders hopping backwards and forwards,

it was like a bus service. Now, the airlines use 40-plus seats

and therefore there can't be the number of flights

that there were. Blue Islands operates

the Jersey-Guernsey route with Flybe as its franchise partner,

after Aurigny withdrew last year - a deal that's currently

being investigated by And the outcome will no

doubt watched closely by passengers like Lizzie,

who feel inter-island flying has The Channel Islands

are going through one Rainfall has been so rare that

in Jersey it was the second But as Mike Wilkins

reports, some are more These are probably the happiest cows

in the Channel Islands today. It's the first time these calves'

hooves have ever touched grass. The farmer who owns them told me

it's much easier to introduce them to the outdoors with the sun

on their back, rather He says the good weather

is helping his farm. We are not collecting as much slurry

because the rain isn't as much. So that saves a bit of haulage cost. So

it's just nice to not have to walk around in the rain, really.

And in Jersey, the arid weather's helping its world famous

At the moment we're not too worried, clearly we do need rain at some

point. If you look at reservoirs, they are half empty. But from the

perspective we are now back with ideal conditions for planting.

But whilst it's been good news for some farmers, it's not so great

The water levels behind me at the reservoir look lower than they

should be at this time of year. We have approached Guernsey Water for

the latest figures, but they haven't been able to talk to us. But it

shouldn't come as much of a surprise considering that this December has

been the driest since 1879. It's unclear what impact a dry

summer and now a dry winter could have on water reserves

and prices, but for now, many are happy to enjoy

this unseasonal weather. It's a New Year clean-up that many

say has been needed for a long time. Tomorrow, nearly 30 vehicles left

unused or abandoned on a Jersey trading estate will be towed away

if not claimed. Businesses on the Rue des

Pres Estate in St Saviour welcome the move, but are also concerned

that stricter measures due to be brought in have not

been thought through. Alison Moss is there now,

and can explain more. It's quite clear this

van is going nowhere - and nor is that one,

or that car. These are just some

of the 28 vehicles published in the paper last week -

which, if not claimed by tomorrow, will be towed

and possibly destroyed. Rue des Pres is a busy trading

estate for people in Jersey, it's probably best known

for being the home of Jersey Post - when you need to pick up

a parcel you come here - and anyone who has done

will know how busy it is. all with employees and customers,

so space is at a premium. These abandoned vehicles

take up precious room - and that means legitimate visitors

to the trading estate are parking on roadsides, corners etc,

and that's become a safety issue. People can park anywhere they want

to. There are no designated spaces. There are a lot of people but have

got no business interests on the estate that are using it for free

parking during the day, and it's obviously leaving a lot of employees

and businesses on the estate without any safe parking.

The States say they're taking the action to try and improve

parking road usage around the Rue des Pres Trading Estate -

and this is the start of that - but there is wider parking reform

about to take place, which is proving contentious.

The Infrastructure Department, which is to take over the roads,

wants to charge for parking - the same charge as in

the centre of St Helier - but that potentially has a huge

impact on businesses, and traders are so unhappy that

they're meeting with the minister Deputy Eddie Noel next week

A tax office worker accused of stealing hundreds of pounds

in Jersey has been cleared of all charges.

40-year old Carl Robert Frankum, who worked at Cyril Le Marquand House,

denied two counts of stealing from the States of Jersey

between June 2012 and August 2014.The prosecution claimed he took

tax cash payments for himself, but a jury acquitted him

after a two-day trial in the Magistrates Court.

Pressure on hospital beds in Jersey is said to be "easing",

after being on red alert before Christmas.

During the holidays, bed capacity at Jersey General Hospital varied

A hospital spokesman says this was due to a "planned reduction

in the number of operations over Christmas and New Year",

plus new measures which help make beds available

But flu and norovirus levels are still high.

Guernsey is stepping up its efforts to become a firm fixture

Many of us can remember the heyday of the Formula 1 offshore

racing in the '80s - and now plans are under way to bring

the glitz and glamour back, albeit on a smaller scale.

The sound of engines will resonate around Guernsey's shore this summer,

as Powerboat Week makes a return to the island.

Guernsey is just such a fantastic nautical place.

If you look back, we've got the strong currents,

we've got the navigational challenges, we're got

Certainly for us we've got the spectator's view,

because we're going to put two of the races...

Two of the races are going to be inshore.

With 17 local boats set to take part too, it's got all the ingredients

to be a memorable week, planned to coincide

with the Red Arrows, Proms on the Pier, and the visit

This will be the race headquarters for a whole week.

Castle Emplacement will become a focal point -

not only for competition, but for the celebrations and social

The event has been part-funded by the States.

Tourism bosses hope it'll help showcase the island as a vibrant

sports-loving destination - promoting Guernsey to

It is spectacular, and the world is looking in to try to bring these

events back to Guernsey, and if we can make this a success -

then who knows what the future holds?

Organisers are hoping local businesses will now come on board,

to help make the event a roaring success.

Well, as you heard earlier, we've been experiencing a dry

spell in the island, and it's been a bright

Yes, change to perhaps milder conditions, no real change in terms

of rainfall though because the rainfall amounts are again likely to

be pretty small, pretty dismal. The forecast for the day tomorrow and

into the weekend I think is for us to continue on a dry theme. We

haven't quite yet got the milder air, so some sunny spells through

the morning but still quite cold, and then some patchy drizzle and the

milder air arrives overnight. You can see the cloud starting to

approach the more western parts of Ireland, couple of weather fronts

heading towards us, slow progress as them with -- get closer and closer,

and we still have the influence of the high pressure so we can't expect

too much of a change for much of the day tomorrow. This weather front

however will be a featured tomorrow night, and into the start of the

weekend, but it is trapped within an area of high pressure so it will be

a wee creature and little if any appreciable rain. The detail for

overnight tonight, the sky is clear tonight. Temperatures will get lower

I think than they were last night, two or three degrees, cold enough

for some frost to fall first thing tomorrow morning, so we are going to

be cold, dry, bright, with some sunshine, but through the afternoon

the cloud will continue to stream in. Not overly warm, you will need

to wrap up. Birth at times of high water. -- there are our time of high

water. Any surf on west facing beaches are likely to be choppy.

There is a reminder of the forecast as we head into the weekend; it is

warmer, but also, at times, rather cloudy. C. -- back to you, Charlie.

I'll be back at 8pm. Traders in one Cornish town

are warning that a major shake-up of their business rates could be

the final straw for many of them. From April, some shops in St Ives

will have to pay hundreds But while the changes will leave

some paying extra, others Tamsin Melville has been to meet

some of the winners and losers. Packed out for the New Year,

but there are some stark warnings from shop owners in St Ives,

facing bigger business-rate This will be the straw that breaks

the camel's back for an awful lot of businesses in the town that

are struggling already. The tax is based on the yearly rent

for which a property could be let and the so-called rateable value

is reviewed by the government every five years, to reflect changes

in the property market. In St Ives town centre,

it is leading to some big rises. Neil has owned this fish

and chip shop just back His business-rate bills will be

going up by around ?400 a month. They perhaps see that St Ives

is the jewel in the crown of Cornwall and so it's

buoyant and rich. It's very quiet in the

winter months still. A lot of businesses, you know,

will struggle to survive. And at this restaurant just down

the road, it means finding The people owning these

properties are not having It's the business owners

that are paying them, so it's a win-win situation

for the owners of the properties and a lose-lose situation

for the business owners. Businesses here in St Ives

are losing out, but it's definitely In fact, the government

says three-quarters of businesses are either

going to stay the same Like here in Torquay,

where a general fall in the amount businesses are paying

is being welcomed as a John's rates bill should be

going down by ?300 a month, meaning he can keep price

rises in check. But he has got every sympathy

for those facing increases. It's the one tax you

have no control over. It does not link in any way,

shape or form to your performance, so your business performance,

and so it is a cost. The government says there

will be transitional help In St Ives, there are plans

to oppose the changes. It may not be on the scale of some

parts of the UK, but the South West has a long history of welcoming

families from countries In the 1960s, Spotlight reported

on a small group of people from Poland who had made a new life

at a camp near Newton Abbot, having been deported from their

homes during World War II. In the late '70s, families

fleeing the Vietnam War We followed some of them,

as they got used to And now, as John Danks reports

from Bude, the South West is The war Syria in has been going for

more than five years and claimed more than 250,000 people. The images

of suffering have travelled all over the world. And no Greek community in

Cornwall is hoping to help some of them. Seeing these awful pictures

last year of all the migrants droning that really made me feel we

must do something. Merely runs a refugee support group. They are

helping to resettle to community families under the community

sponsorship scheme, launched by the government last year. The people

they do not all of them towns and cities. We think it is one of the

most beautiful places to live. It is a very healing place. The people are

nice here so they will get a warm welcome and be well supported. Like

always god knows how desperate the situation can get for those fleeing

war-torn countries. He recently volunteered on a boat helping to

save migrants trying to cross the Mediterranean. I have helped these

families out in the ocean and for them to be welcomed into my home

community, I am very cloak proud and pleased. Enough money has been

raised to settle one family Syria from. If all goes well, the family

could be here by Easter. It is easy to forget that, before

the days of television, the only way of knowing what Britain looked

like was either to visit the towns and villages yourself or look

at photos and artwork. But those still images can

be just as revealing. Here is a very quiet Lyme Regis,

nowhere near as busy as it is today. There are carts, not

cars, here in Polperro. And what about a donkey

ride in Clovelly - These are the works

of a South West painter. John Shapland was prolific and, yet,

forgotten - until now. Andrea Ormsby has been having

a flick through a new book, Exeter's Lost Artist,

which is the culmination of 40 years The life and work of John Shapland,

recorded forever in this book. Shapland, his wife and their 12

children lived in Exeter. What you're looking at is just

a small collection of some of the items that was actually found

in the John Shapland studio. Across the floor was paintings,

etchings, picture frames, For years, the artist

and his family travelled all over the country in an open-top

car, painting hundreds and hundreds of scenes.

He called them brunotypes. These are what you would

really need to see. This was the end result

of the family's work. What you're looking at here,

with the brunotypes, nobody knows of their existence.

This is a revelation. We are seeing scenes

that will have changed beyond all recognition,

some of them, so they are very nostalgic.

They are also historic. The work will go on show

at an exhibition in March at the newly-opened

Exeter School of Art. John Shapland was the headmaster

of Exeter School of Art back in the turn of the century,

so rediscovering all the works and having all of the artefacts that

Peter has unearthed and presented in his book and at the exhibition

is going to be a really important and exciting connection

with the past, as we look For those interested in art,

the author says this book will be a revelation and can be considered

as quite a coup for the South West. Good to see he is getting some

recognition at last. Plymouth Argyle finally appear

to have the funding for their It may please the fans, who rely

on the increasingly out-of-date 1950s stand, and it could

also help to transform But it is not the first time such

an announcement has been made, as our business correspondent

Neil Gallacher explains. Three saves a modern stadium, fourth

side terracing which cannot be used understand from the 1950s. This area

finally all accept that redevelopment which could transform

Plymouth Argyle. Not just the bigger stand, but conference facilities, as

well. We should bring income even on non-match days. Today's announcement

is possible because of further investment from the most important

overseas supporter. I first came here in 1966. I stood at that end. I

left at the age of 18 to go to university. I have been following

the mother since. This is a labour of love. This has been a long time

coming. We have been planning this ever since we took over the club

five years ago, so it is a very important day. The club chairman has

not only been planning it, he is also announced that before. There is

an aspiration to finish off the stadium. We will start work in

autumn this year. We will be in a position to do that and that is what

we are certainly planning. I am not going to make the mistake of

committing to another date. Their skin never took least because it

relied on income from commercial outlets which never took place. This

is being funded by additional investment. In other words, you can

see where the money is coming from? Exactly. I am an investment

professional by trade. The new investment today is clearly not been

made on commercial terms. This is being made on soft terms. This is my

contribution to Plymouth Argyle and to the city. A few years ago, all

that matters was for it to survive, first as a business and then as a

weak side. Both of these objectives have no been achieved and this could

be the moment that opens a door into a greater future for the club into

the 21st century. A new stadium is something

for Pilgrims fans to look forward to in the longer term,

but more immediately excitement is building for their FA Cup match

against Liverpool this weekend. Tickets for the game are now

highly sought after, so when one of the players,

Paul Arnold Garita, decided to hide five of them around the city today,

it prompted a frantic search. Here are the magic tickets. Good

luck, everyone. And we will meet some of the winners

lucky enough to find the tickets Did you know that was one head in

here? I did not, as Charlie! Now, it might not be spring yet,

but spring has certainly sprung This ewe has given birth to quads

on a farm near Truro. Farmer Treve Gay knew there

were four on the way after a scan. And it is not the first

time, either. Last year, the same ewe had five

lambs all in one go, Now, we can catch up

on the latest weather outlook. Good evening. There are clear skies,

and that means temperatures will be following.

There is some cloak, which will bring in some outbreaks of rain.

Although Weill, we have weather fronts trying to approach from the

West. That somewhat takes the sting out of these areas of low pressure.

The high pressure is pushed out of the way for the middle of the day

tomorrow. At the time we get into the "Mother had a pleasurable

re-establish itself. There will also be a lot of cloud with it. Quiet

conditions going into the weekend. The wind will freshen going into the

head of this band of rain. It will bring higher temperatures but a lot

of cloud. You can see the structure of that cloud, thickest to Cornwall.

We had a lovely sunset. Of course, it gets down pretty early at this

time of the year. A lovely view of the crescent moon. The sun has set

and the cloud will continue to approach from the West. Later in the

night, the cloud just taking off from the odd bit of drizzle.

Generally drive for most of us. High temperatures to the West 7-9 C. To

the east, temperatures just dropping down below zero. A rather cloudy day

tomorrow. That will produce a few sports of rain and drizzle.

Temperatures finally inching up towards double figures. Here is the

forecast for Scilly. He ran the water claims. Not much for people

who like surfing. There are in the coastal waters forecast. The outlook

for the weekend is quite and also slightly warmer. That doesn't sound

too bad. We are back with headlines

at eight o'clock and the late news at 10.30pm.

Bye for now. We're looking for someone

who can sing, someone who can move. Someone who can keep an audience

on the edge of their seat. Something like this

could change my life. When you're born to perform,

Let It Shine... Magical new drama...

The Worst Witch.