:00:00. > :00:00.Good evening, I'm Charlie McArdle. Welcome to BBC Channel Islands.
:00:07. > :00:14.Making sure the islands are not forgotton when it comes to Brexit.
:00:15. > :00:23.is charging too much for new social housing.
:00:24. > :00:29.If their rent is fully covered it's not a problem for them that it is a
:00:30. > :00:34.problem for the taxpayer and there are questions about inflation in the
:00:35. > :00:37.whole housing market. Safety concerns means more
:00:38. > :00:48.of La Cotte's secrets And we've got a cold day in store
:00:49. > :00:52.for the islands tomorrow. Some sunshine, strong winds and low
:00:53. > :00:56.temperatures. All the details later than the programme.
:00:57. > :01:00.That's the message from a senior Guernsey politician
:01:01. > :01:03.following the UK's justice committee visit today.
:01:04. > :01:06.The three MPs are responsible for making sure the interests
:01:07. > :01:09.of the Crown Dependencies aren't forgotten, when it comes
:01:10. > :01:16.to Britain's exit from Europe, as Mark Inchley's been finding out.
:01:17. > :01:18.If there's one thing that Brexit's promised to deliver
:01:19. > :01:22.And the Channel Islands are by no means immune.
:01:23. > :01:25.But this week's visit by members of the UK Justice Committee has
:01:26. > :01:28.at least gone some way to reassure the islands' governments that local
:01:29. > :01:44.I'm cautiously optimistic but I'm absolutely sure of one thing,
:01:45. > :01:47.that there is no room for complacency which is what makes
:01:48. > :01:49.visits such as the one from the Ministry of
:01:50. > :01:50.Justice Select Committee so important.
:01:51. > :01:53.The committee's here to make sure the Channel Islands feel well
:01:54. > :01:54.represented and to hear where concerns lie.
:01:55. > :01:58.One is the whole question of uncertainty affecting
:01:59. > :02:02.That's exactly the same as we've got to handle in the UK as well.
:02:03. > :02:04.And the second one, again common to the UK,
:02:05. > :02:07.is giving assurance to EU citizens who are already in the Crown
:02:08. > :02:10.Dependencies as they are in the UK that their rights to remain
:02:11. > :02:13.and remain a welcome part of our society are not
:02:14. > :02:19.The island's smaller industries such as fishing and agriculture also play
:02:20. > :02:21.a role in the inquiry, but local farmers say there's
:02:22. > :02:27.at least one area likely to survive the changes unscathed.
:02:28. > :02:30.We actually manage our production to try and avoid export
:02:31. > :02:34.because our costs of production are high so we're not really
:02:35. > :02:44.We produce milk for the island and we try and make sure we have
:02:45. > :02:46.enough for the island and very little extra.
:02:47. > :02:48.And for those reasons, what goes on beyond our shores
:02:49. > :02:50.hopefully isn't going to impact us in a huge way.
:02:51. > :02:53.But that optimism isn't shared across the island's industries
:02:54. > :02:56.and as islanders line up to find out the true impact of Britain's
:02:57. > :02:58.departure from Europe, much rests on the findings of just
:02:59. > :03:03.A Jersey politician will travel to Washington DC to attend a meeting
:03:04. > :03:06.addressed by newly-inaugurated President Donald Trump.
:03:07. > :03:08.Deputy John Le Fondre has accepted an invitation on behalf
:03:09. > :03:11.of US Congress to go to the National Prayer
:03:12. > :03:16.The annual event has seen every US President
:03:17. > :03:28.Deputy Le Fondre says he'll pay for the trip himself.
:03:29. > :03:31.Jersey's Andium Homes is charging too much for new social housing,
:03:32. > :03:35.Deputy Montfort Tadier is worried rents are spiralling out of control.
:03:36. > :03:37.It comes after some social housing was priced at ?1,300 a month
:03:38. > :03:46.These are the newly refurbished homes at Clos de
:03:47. > :03:50.Deputy Montfort Tadier's impressed with the quality of the flats,
:03:51. > :03:53.but he says for some people affordable housing
:03:54. > :03:59.The rent for these two bed maisonettes is around ?300 a week.
:04:00. > :04:02.And as social housing, those rents are pegged at 90%
:04:03. > :04:09.But his concern is that tenants on income support who are renting
:04:10. > :04:16.privately only get around ?280 a week.
:04:17. > :04:21.If their rent is fully covered by income support that's not a problem
:04:22. > :04:26.for them but it's a problem for the taxpayer. That is also question
:04:27. > :04:30.about inflation in the whole housing market.
:04:31. > :04:34.But Social security says this isn't an issue for tenants as the cost
:04:35. > :04:37.Andium Homes follows the rent policy set by the States.
:04:38. > :04:40.The Housing Minister wasn't available but her spokesman told us:
:04:41. > :04:42.We are making a ?250 million investment to improve social
:04:43. > :04:45.housing, which would not be possible without the financial certainty
:04:46. > :04:49.We have completed a consultation, which looks at issues
:04:50. > :04:53.A report is due to be issued in March.
:04:54. > :04:55.Jersey's Social Secutiry Department says:
:04:56. > :04:58.Income Support fully covers the cost of social housing rentals.
:04:59. > :05:01.For private rented properties, Income Support rates are based
:05:02. > :05:03.on the average value of the Andium stock.
:05:04. > :05:06.The property highlighted by Deputy Tadier has been
:05:07. > :05:08.refurbished and therefore likely to be at the higher end,
:05:09. > :05:11.so it is misleading to use it as the benchmark for social
:05:12. > :05:16.So while most of Jersey's affordable housing will be refurnished
:05:17. > :05:25.to provide better accommodation, that will cost the tax payer.
:05:26. > :05:27.Guernsey's Scrutiny Management Committee says it's extremely
:05:28. > :05:29.concerned by the findings of an independent review into health
:05:30. > :05:35.The Committee says the review identifies a number of areas
:05:36. > :05:37.where existing provision falls below acceptable standards.
:05:38. > :05:47.It's President says a lot of work is needed to rebuild confidence.
:05:48. > :05:54.It's clear that there has been a breakdown in confidence between the
:05:55. > :06:02.people and the health service. I think we need to work with all
:06:03. > :06:04.agencies to rebuild and renew that confidence in the service.
:06:05. > :06:06.Jersey's Environment Minister says the quality of the island's water
:06:07. > :06:09.is getting better but admits there's still room for improvement.
:06:10. > :06:12.Deputy Luce has issued a response to a report by Save Our Shoreline.
:06:13. > :06:14.It's concerned that marine life will disappear and tourism
:06:15. > :06:18.will suffer unless more is done to reduce the level
:06:19. > :06:31.We have got some environmental challenges and our water could be
:06:32. > :06:36.better but are we at a tipping point? I don't think so and I come
:06:37. > :06:39.to that conclusion because our quality is improving. It has been
:06:40. > :06:50.for a few years. I will put my hand up and say we can do better and we
:06:51. > :06:54.will improve further. Later, more than 85 years of service between
:06:55. > :06:57.them, two pilots tell us their stories.
:06:58. > :07:00.It's one of the most important ice age sites in northern Europe
:07:01. > :07:02.and this week archaeologists are meeting with engineers to work
:07:03. > :07:06.out how the La Cotte site at St Brelade can be preserved
:07:07. > :07:12.It comes after Jersey Heritage had to turn down a ?180,000 grant
:07:13. > :07:16.from the government as work can't continue until the site
:07:17. > :07:30.More than 40,000 years ago, it was mammoths and Neanderthals
:07:31. > :07:38.And they returned time and time again to the site at La Cotte.
:07:39. > :07:40.Once linked to Northern France by coastal plains,
:07:41. > :07:42.it now contains more Neanderthal artefacts than the rest
:07:43. > :07:57.Like most of the coastline it is vulnerable to erosion and rock
:07:58. > :08:03.movement. It's a question of stabilising the site and stopping
:08:04. > :08:04.the rocks from becoming loose and creating a safe environment to do
:08:05. > :08:08.archaeology. Archaeologists wanted to continue
:08:09. > :08:10.digging at the site later this year. But that work has been frozen, along
:08:11. > :08:14.with the government funding for it, Around 200,000 stone tools have
:08:15. > :08:17.already been discovered there. But Dr Matt Pope, who's
:08:18. > :08:30.an archaeologist, is confident Although a lot of excavation has
:08:31. > :08:33.taken place only about 40% of the site has been explored and that was
:08:34. > :08:39.a long time ago. For the future that is an incredible archive there.
:08:40. > :08:41.Modern scientific techniques would throw an even greater light on the
:08:42. > :08:43.Neanderthals. Dr Pope and Jersey Heritage are
:08:44. > :08:46.meeting with engineers this week. They're hoping to publish a report
:08:47. > :08:49.on exactly what needs to be done But as it's expected to take
:08:50. > :08:53.years rather than months, for now the rest of La Cotte's
:08:54. > :09:01.secrets will remain undiscovered. It's been another cold
:09:02. > :09:03.start to the day. Gritters were out and about
:09:04. > :09:06.keeping the roads safe. Temperatures got down to around -1C
:09:07. > :09:08.overnight with Jersey Police saying there were a number of accidents
:09:09. > :09:12.on the island's roads. But the ice did give way
:09:13. > :09:16.to beautiful sunshine, although it did cloud
:09:17. > :09:19.over this afternoon. So, will it be another early start
:09:20. > :09:40.for gritting teams tomorrow? You are quite right, it's going to
:09:41. > :09:45.be another cold night. Frost as possible again. We'll -- with a
:09:46. > :09:51.strengthening wind this evening. By the time we get up tomorrow morning
:09:52. > :09:55.it's going to feel bitterly cold. A really cold day. Maybe some clout to
:09:56. > :09:59.start with and some sunshine as well. We are seeing some changes now
:10:00. > :10:08.because first of all tomorrow is going to be colder than today. The
:10:09. > :10:11.high pressure is weakening and moving away. This is an area of low
:10:12. > :10:15.pressure which is getting a little bit closer over the next 24 hours
:10:16. > :10:22.and that changes the type of area we're going to see. Before that
:10:23. > :10:26.happens we've got a cold wind and those low temperatures. The
:10:27. > :10:33.combination of the wind-chill will make it feel bitterly cold. Well
:10:34. > :10:39.below freezing. Overnight tonight some patchy cloud. The frost will
:10:40. > :10:42.reform despite the fact the breeze continues to be strong and will see
:10:43. > :10:46.temperatures as low as minus two Celsius. When we start the day like
:10:47. > :10:52.that and we have a lot of cloud and the strong wind it's going to feel
:10:53. > :10:56.bitterly cold. Gradually through the day the sunshine will come out and I
:10:57. > :11:04.think that will help things along a little bit. But it will still feel
:11:05. > :11:15.cold. Only five or 6 degrees. The times of high water. Most of the
:11:16. > :11:29.beaches clean but a really cold day for our service. This is the coastal
:11:30. > :11:34.waters forecast. So as we move into Friday and the weekend that's when
:11:35. > :11:38.we start to warm up. On Friday still a southerly wind which will get
:11:39. > :11:43.temperatures up to 9 degrees. A chance on Friday for a few spots of
:11:44. > :11:58.rain. Showers on Sunday and possibly Saturday. And it will be warmer
:11:59. > :12:03.during the daytime. A reminder of our top story. There is no room for
:12:04. > :12:06.complacency, that's the message from a senior politician following the UK
:12:07. > :12:10.plus much is this committee visit today. The three MPs are responsible
:12:11. > :12:16.for making sure the interests of the Crown dependencies are not forgotten
:12:17. > :12:19.when it comes to Brexit. Our bulletins will be available on the
:12:20. > :12:25.eye player and I'll be back just before 8pm with a news update. And a
:12:26. > :12:56.full bulletin after the ten the news. Until then, goodbye.
:12:57. > :12:59.Now, they may not seem all that similar but there is one major
:13:00. > :13:04.challenge which connects all the following places -
:13:05. > :13:07.the blocks, avenues and streets of the Big Apple, the burgeoning
:13:08. > :13:08.skyline of Melbourne, Australia and somewhere
:13:09. > :13:15.They've all been named as markets where prices for typical houses far
:13:16. > :13:20.outstrip what families on middle incomes can afford.
:13:21. > :13:22.Dorset is also mentioned in the research which focussed
:13:23. > :13:24.on different areas in a range of countries.
:13:25. > :13:27.Janine Jansen has been to see what effect it's having on those
:13:28. > :13:32.Lucy Stokes is an estate agent in South Brent.
:13:33. > :13:35.All day long she sells houses but she's also trying
:13:36. > :13:40.She has just moved here from Worcester and she
:13:41. > :13:45.There is a huge difference in the prices.
:13:46. > :13:48.Up there you'd be looking around 150 as a first-time buyer
:13:49. > :13:52.for a three-bed and down here you'd be looking to start from about 250.
:13:53. > :13:56.The US property consultancy says the least affordable place to live
:13:57. > :14:00.in the world out of nine countries surveyed was Hong Kong,
:14:01. > :14:04.with houses at 18 times the average household income.
:14:05. > :14:08.Second was Sydney, with prices at 12 times.
:14:09. > :14:12.Listed tenth most unaffordable place was Bournemouth and Dorset,
:14:13. > :14:17.nine times the income, with Plymouth and Devon coming 14th.
:14:18. > :14:19.This survey focuses on the middle of the market -
:14:20. > :14:23.housing affordability for average households.
:14:24. > :14:28.So in Devon and Plymouth the average house price is ?215,000 -
:14:29. > :14:33.the average household income is just over ?30,000.
:14:34. > :14:40.This means house prices are seven times the average household income.
:14:41. > :14:44.The authors of the report say the answer is to build more houses,
:14:45. > :14:47.something the British Government says it is doing.
:14:48. > :14:50.The government's made some steps in the right direction recently
:14:51. > :14:55.with some changes to buy to let mortgages and tax and stamp duty
:14:56. > :14:58.by investors, but they're fiddling around the edges.
:14:59. > :15:02.We need a massive increase in supply, a sustained increase
:15:03. > :15:06.in supply, building 300,000 homes a year to meet projected household
:15:07. > :15:11.demand and backtrack on all the unaffordability that
:15:12. > :15:16.Lucy and her boyfriend bring in the so-called average household
:15:17. > :15:22.income of ?30,000 but she can't buy what she wants.
:15:23. > :15:32.You have a guide price of 245 for this one.
:15:33. > :15:35.How does that fit in with your budget?
:15:36. > :15:37.Slightly out of my reach unfortunately, we're only
:15:38. > :15:45.Lucy regularly hands over keys to new buyers and she's waiting
:15:46. > :15:58.for the day she gets to keep her own.
:15:59. > :16:03.If she would like to comment on that story, please send us an e-mail.
:16:04. > :16:05.If you let your birds run free you could face jail.
:16:06. > :16:08.The warning to owners who still need to keep their birds undercover
:16:09. > :16:11.in a bid to prevent the spread of avian flu.
:16:12. > :16:13.Only yesterday the virus was confirmed in a flock of 10,000
:16:14. > :16:18.But as our environment correspondent Adrian Campbell
:16:19. > :16:19.reports, not everyone is following the rules,
:16:20. > :16:23.despite a warning of fines or even jail.
:16:24. > :16:24.Nigel Stevens is very careful about bio-security
:16:25. > :16:31.He has put up a poly tunnel to ensure they can't come
:16:32. > :16:34.into contact with wild birds or their droppings which might
:16:35. > :16:38.Defra introduced strict controls in December -
:16:39. > :16:42.they're still in force but Nigel says they are very confusing.
:16:43. > :16:48.As to whether you should keep them in cages but have a roof
:16:49. > :16:52.properly plasticed over, it's all a bit of guesswork really.
:16:53. > :16:56.We went out and put up a temporary poly tunnel
:16:57. > :16:59.to house ours in which does the job and still gives them
:17:00. > :17:04.You don't have to look far to see there is widespread confusion
:17:05. > :17:09.We filmed these birds a week ago in east Devon.
:17:10. > :17:12.They should have been covered over to protect them from the virus.
:17:13. > :17:15.Their owners told us they have since been advised by trading
:17:16. > :17:18.standards that everyone must comply with the law.
:17:19. > :17:23.The Government's chief veterinary officer agrees.
:17:24. > :17:26.This particular strain isn't a problem for people or for the food
:17:27. > :17:28.chain but it is very severe in birds, especially chickens
:17:29. > :17:32.and turkeys but also potentially ducks and geese causing severe
:17:33. > :17:39.It's not just hens and it's not just in East Devon.
:17:40. > :17:50.Birds which should be undercover can easily be found in the countryside.
:17:51. > :17:57.We just happen to be in the area filming nearby and noticed this
:17:58. > :18:02.comic geese left out in the open unattended. No evidence of any
:18:03. > :18:04.covering for these birds to keep them separate from wild birds.
:18:05. > :18:07.The owners of these birds told us they needed to be outside
:18:08. > :18:11.But even people like Nigel who are doing the right thing say
:18:12. > :18:15.I don't think I know who is policing it at all.
:18:16. > :18:18.I don't know whether Defra know who is policing it.
:18:19. > :18:20.But Defra insists we all have an obligation to inform
:18:21. > :18:27.Trading Standards where the law is being broken.
:18:28. > :18:33.It was their first job after leaving school,
:18:34. > :18:36.and now with more than 85 years service between them two admiralty
:18:37. > :18:39.The men have helped guide ships in and out
:18:40. > :18:43.They've seen plenty of changes in Devonport as David found out
:18:44. > :18:45.when he met them on board HMS Sutherland during their
:18:46. > :18:52.The World Pilot Gig Racing Championships, but it wasn't
:18:53. > :18:59.In the 1800s there were lots of square riggers coming into port
:19:00. > :19:03.and they needed the local knowledge of a pilot to come alongside.
:19:04. > :19:07.The pilots race in their gigs to get the work, and a fast crew
:19:08. > :19:15.Today's pilots do the same job but it's no longer a race.
:19:16. > :19:18.When we first started there was very little
:19:19. > :19:21.on the bridge to give you a hand, you had a radar and now you have
:19:22. > :19:26.GPS, electronic charts, you can see exactly where you are.
:19:27. > :19:29.Why does the captain need to have one of you guys on board?
:19:30. > :19:33.We're there to give the captain as much advice as we can,
:19:34. > :19:36.the support of Plymouth, local conditions which
:19:37. > :19:42.The wonderful thing about our pilots here in Devon Port is they know
:19:43. > :19:46.every inch of the river inside and out.
:19:47. > :19:54.For us to be able to tap into that experience
:19:55. > :19:57.For us to be able to tap into that experience is hugely
:19:58. > :20:01.Is it a lot of pressure, do you feel the pressure and stress?
:20:02. > :20:04.Yes, it's pressure but it's job satisfaction to feel that you moved
:20:05. > :20:07.a ship 200 metres in length in perhaps a ninth and a half metre
:20:08. > :20:09.draft from the sound to the dockyard alongside,
:20:10. > :20:17.We've had some close shaves, you are bound to over 26 years
:20:18. > :20:23.but we've never any major incidents in this port in a long time.
:20:24. > :20:26.Presumably if it's really blowing a gale and there's a big sea
:20:27. > :20:34.running, it's quite a hard thing to do.
:20:35. > :20:38.Actually getting on and off the ships, particularly at night
:20:39. > :20:41.on big ships you can go up to 9 metre ladders and a big swell
:20:42. > :20:44.running, it gets very difficult and as you get older it gets
:20:45. > :20:49.What are you going to do now you're going to retire, what's the plan?
:20:50. > :20:55.I've got a boat with a friend that we've got a partnership
:20:56. > :20:59.in so I'm going out, doing a bit more fishing.
:21:00. > :21:20.I think that was they know they're at the end. You didn't take them a
:21:21. > :21:25.bottle, then? They're leaving do is tonight so I
:21:26. > :21:30.hope they enjoy themselves. Do you think we will clock up 85
:21:31. > :21:37.years between us? We probably nearly have! It feels
:21:38. > :21:41.like it. They do a fantastic service and people do not always realise
:21:42. > :21:47.what goes on outside Plymouth Sound, all weather, if the wind is up at
:21:48. > :21:51.night they still have to do it. It looks like we will see a change in
:21:52. > :21:57.our weather pattern in the next 24 hours. We have some cold weather
:21:58. > :22:02.tomorrow but you have been out catching a glimpse of some
:22:03. > :22:08.interesting weather. This is a picture of a formal bow, a rainbow
:22:09. > :22:15.created by sunshine and fog. We have also had some lively winds across
:22:16. > :22:20.parts of Cornwall. It is the wind that is a feature of the weather,
:22:21. > :22:23.especially tomorrow, and it is a cold winter so we will see more
:22:24. > :22:29.clout by the start of the day, it will feel a truly cold with high
:22:30. > :22:33.wind-chill because of low temperatures out of Europe but also
:22:34. > :22:37.strengthening winds which could reach gale force for the western end
:22:38. > :22:42.of the English Channel. Those weather fronts are out to the west,
:22:43. > :22:46.they creep a little closer during tomorrow but at the same time they
:22:47. > :22:51.squeeze those isobars, that is why they have such a strong wind,
:22:52. > :22:56.especially for Cornwall where it will be at gale force, then we see
:22:57. > :23:01.weather fronts of the Atlantic, slowly opening the door to milder
:23:02. > :23:05.error, and by Saturday we are back into Atlantic air and temperatures
:23:06. > :23:11.hopefully back up into double figures. At the moment it's bitterly
:23:12. > :23:15.cold. It will be a cold start tomorrow with a widespread frosts
:23:16. > :23:22.but the wind-chill there are real feature, you end up with
:23:23. > :23:29.temperatures feeling like -2 4-3 tomorrow morning, so some very cold
:23:30. > :23:32.conditions. This is Karen Cross, many of our wind turbines have been
:23:33. > :23:39.pretty busy this afternoon because winds have increased. It has been a
:23:40. > :23:43.fine day but feeling cold and it will get even colder tonight, so
:23:44. > :23:47.despite the fact we will have a breeze and more cloud in the second
:23:48. > :23:55.half of the night, we will see temperatures plummeting, getting as
:23:56. > :24:01.low as zero 4-1 in a few places. There is more cloud creeping in from
:24:02. > :24:05.the south-east, just about it enough for a few showers and with these low
:24:06. > :24:08.temperatures one or two of those showers could be wintry. Winds
:24:09. > :24:15.increase and we start tomorrow morning wintry, cold, even frosted
:24:16. > :24:24.with temperatures starting from three or 4 degrees above freezing to
:24:25. > :24:27.as low as -1 or minus two. So cold, cloudy, gradually it will brighten
:24:28. > :24:34.up but for all of us it will not feel warm. We may see temperatures
:24:35. > :24:39.of five or 6 degrees but it will feel colder than that because of the
:24:40. > :24:46.wind. That is the forecast for the Isles of Scilly, gale force winds
:24:47. > :24:53.and feeling cold. Times of high water that Penzance and Plymouth,
:24:54. > :24:59.and this fight that -- and for surfers there could be some good
:25:00. > :25:06.wins, messy along the south coast, and the Met Office has winds of
:25:07. > :25:12.occasionally gale for straightforward Cornwall, then the
:25:13. > :25:15.outlook for the weekend, it looks milder, less frost but not what
:25:16. > :25:21.everyone wants because there is a lot of cloud and the potential for
:25:22. > :25:25.some rain. On Friday, some Shari outbreaks, on Sunday the cloud is
:25:26. > :25:30.that enough to produce some light rain or drizzle but the big story is
:25:31. > :25:32.that we lose the night-time frost and daytime temperatures get back up
:25:33. > :25:34.into double figures. On tomorrow's programme we'll be
:25:35. > :25:36.marking the 100th anniversary of the destruction of a Devon
:25:37. > :25:40.village which was washed Homes in Hallsands had been left
:25:41. > :25:43.vulnerable after shingle was dredged from the area
:25:44. > :25:46.for the new dockyards at Devonport. A high spring tide and easterly
:25:47. > :25:49.gales on January 26th 1917 destroyed Tomorrow we'll find out more
:25:50. > :26:08.about the history, and the concerns Just before we go, you know, good to
:26:09. > :26:12.talk to you on BBC Radio Devon. I promised I would show you my work
:26:13. > :26:18.shoes. I hope you approve. Good night.