:00:04. > :00:08.This is East Midlands Today with Anne Davies. And me, Dominic Heale.
:00:08. > :00:14.Our top story tonight - could there be a hard winter ahead for the
:00:14. > :00:20.homeless? A homeless charity reports a sharp increase in the
:00:20. > :00:24.number of people sleeping rough. Divided opinions - should this
:00:24. > :00:29.Crematorium be able to recycle the heat it generates? Why waste it if
:00:29. > :00:33.you don't have to? It is a bit creepy!
:00:33. > :00:39.Also, fighting for education in the great outdoors, but are the centres
:00:39. > :00:49.becoming too costly to keep? And a Nottingham teenager who wants
:00:49. > :00:51.
:00:51. > :00:58.to become the World Scrabble Good evening and welcome to
:00:58. > :01:02.First tonight, a further sign of the impact of the economic slow-
:01:02. > :01:07.down. But this is one indicator that won't be found in the latest
:01:07. > :01:10.monthly unemployment figures or in the rate of inflation.
:01:10. > :01:13.Instead, it'll be more evident late at night on street corners and in
:01:13. > :01:16.shop entrances. That's because a charity for the homeless in the
:01:16. > :01:20.East Midlands says there's been a sharp increase in the number of
:01:20. > :01:28.people sleeping rough. Today the charity took that message
:01:29. > :01:32.to MPs. From Westminster, here's our Politcal Editor John Hess.
:01:32. > :01:36.Nobody here will be sleeping rough tonight, but they gathered for a
:01:36. > :01:39.parliamentary reception to warn that more people in the East
:01:39. > :01:43.Midlands are struggling to keep a roof over their heads.
:01:43. > :01:47.repercussions are that the number of people sleeping rough has gone
:01:47. > :01:53.up to stop this time last year it was three or four people and night,
:01:53. > :01:57.now it is 19. That is a trend we are seeing right across the country.
:01:57. > :02:02.The Nottingham-based homework charity Framework held a sleep out
:02:02. > :02:07.earlier this month to highlight the growing crisis. I think there is an
:02:07. > :02:11.awful lot of hidden homelessness, people who are staying with friends,
:02:11. > :02:16.sleeping on their couch or their floor for a week or two, and then
:02:16. > :02:20.they moved on December the else. Some of those people may end up on
:02:20. > :02:25.the streets because they run out of goodwill from France. According to
:02:25. > :02:32.the government, they are 121 people sleeping rough in the East Midlands
:02:32. > :02:39.last year. But Framework it said it handle 57 in Nottingham, and over
:02:39. > :02:42.this year, they helped 103 people sleeping rough, an increase of 81%.
:02:42. > :02:46.The government maintained it has introduced initiatives to help the
:02:46. > :02:50.housing market, especially those that are vulnerable. It says it is
:02:50. > :02:54.up to local councils to decide on local priorities and how that money
:02:54. > :02:59.should be allocated. Local authorities have seen enormous cuts
:02:59. > :03:02.to their budget, and they are having to make the two differed --
:03:02. > :03:08.difficult decisions. If they don't get the economy going, we will not
:03:08. > :03:13.have the money for the public services. It did -- it is getting
:03:13. > :03:17.worse, it is always be vulnerable who are affected worse. Framework
:03:17. > :03:22.based his big budget cut. Today it warned politicians of the
:03:22. > :03:29.consequences. John Hess joins us from Westminster
:03:29. > :03:32.now. Is the government aware of these growing concerns? I quite the
:03:32. > :03:36.how to administer Grant Shapps, he says it is shocking that rough
:03:36. > :03:39.sleepers continued to pour through the net of the systems on offer,
:03:39. > :03:45.and far from being apologetic amazes the coalition government is
:03:45. > :03:49.providing the best support for the homeless anywhere in the world.
:03:49. > :03:55.�400 million over the next four years, at this year's rate of
:03:55. > :03:59.spending. An additional �42 million, two Voluntary organisations, like
:03:59. > :04:04.Framework of Nottingham, to help deal with the problem. He says it
:04:04. > :04:10.is obscene that in the 21st century, governments are unable to deal with
:04:10. > :04:13.the problem of rough sleepers. So this is an indication that this
:04:13. > :04:17.particular housing minister certainly doesn't want to see a
:04:17. > :04:22.return to the cardboard city style of life that blighted many of our
:04:22. > :04:27.towns and cities in the 1980s. Thank you.
:04:27. > :04:34.Still to come on the programme: A top scrabble star spells it out.
:04:34. > :04:38.Plus, frosts are back in our weather forecast.
:04:38. > :04:48.Also, find out why you can rent of this huge building for just �1 a
:04:48. > :04:48.
:04:48. > :04:51.A crematorium wants to be allowed to turn the heat from its
:04:51. > :04:54.cremations into central heating. Bramcote Crematorium says its
:04:54. > :05:04.trying to be more environmentally- friendly in the way it uses what's
:05:04. > :05:05.
:05:05. > :05:11.left from the burning process. It's now asking families for their
:05:11. > :05:15.views. Carolyn Moses reports. It is a soothing environmental
:05:15. > :05:20.setting, using 18 acres of woodland, but now, the crematorium is using
:05:20. > :05:23.at more recycling, instead of sending its heat into the
:05:23. > :05:29.atmosphere, it wants to re-use the furnace heat to heat the building.
:05:29. > :05:33.The idea is slightly sensitive. During cremation, Mercury can be
:05:33. > :05:37.released from dental fillings. It is not allowed out into the
:05:37. > :05:42.atmosphere, so has to be treated on site. It is during this that the
:05:42. > :05:48.Crematorium says he'd could be converted to run pipes into central
:05:48. > :05:56.heating. -- heat. But what do people think here? I think it is a
:05:56. > :06:02.bit morbid. I don't like that idea at all. Everything is being used
:06:02. > :06:08.again, we are been reduced. Can't be that more of a thing, can it?
:06:08. > :06:13.wouldn't bother me, no, when you're dead, you are gone. Might as well
:06:13. > :06:23.use the heat! The crematorium is run by two local councils. In a
:06:23. > :06:34.
:06:34. > :06:39.Over the next three weeks, local people, religious groups and
:06:39. > :06:45.funeral directors will all be asked their views. But the idea is not
:06:45. > :06:50.totally new. Some Crematorium are already using it. To try and reduce
:06:50. > :06:53.global warming while increasing their own.
:06:53. > :06:57.The inquest into the death of a Red Arrows pilot has heard his ejector
:06:57. > :06:59.seat fired him into the air but his parachute didn't open. Flight
:06:59. > :07:04.Lieutenant Sean Cunningham was killed two weeks ago after his
:07:04. > :07:06.ejector seat went off on the ground at RAF Scampton near Lincoln. The
:07:06. > :07:12.35-year-old died from multiple injuries after hitting the ground
:07:12. > :07:22.still strapped into his seat. The inquest has been adjourned until a
:07:22. > :07:23.
:07:23. > :07:26.later date. Two burglars his friend has been
:07:26. > :07:30.stabbed to death have been jailed for seven years. They forced their
:07:30. > :07:35.way into a flat to attack the man who lived there. Nottingham Crown
:07:35. > :07:38.Court heard that he picked up a knife in self-defence. All three
:07:38. > :07:41.attackers were stabbed in the struggle, and their friend bled to
:07:42. > :07:44.death. The former leader of Derby's
:07:44. > :07:46.Conservatives has rejoined the council's Tory group, after an
:07:46. > :07:48.assault case against him was dismissed. Councillor Harvey
:07:49. > :07:52.Jennings was in court last week accused of assaulting his ex-wife,
:07:52. > :07:56.which he denied. The prosecution offered no evidence and both were
:07:56. > :08:02.bound over to keep the peace. The councillor was suspended during the
:08:02. > :08:05.court proceedings, but had the whip restored at a meeting last night.
:08:05. > :08:08.Next tonight, they've been credited with transforming the lives of tens
:08:08. > :08:13.of thousands of children for decades - but now they could be
:08:13. > :08:15.closed down. The future of three outdoor
:08:15. > :08:20.education centres in Leicestershire is hanging in the balance because
:08:20. > :08:30.of cuts. And now anyone with an opinion on their future is being
:08:30. > :08:34.
:08:34. > :08:38.asked what they think should be It is 1940 - we are in an air raid
:08:38. > :08:43.shelter, and I am with fellow evacuees here. They are actually
:08:43. > :08:48.from Dunton Bassett primer, bringing history alive at this
:08:48. > :08:52.historic hall. It has been really good so far, really good experience
:08:52. > :08:59.for us to put it is actually like you are in the war, using your
:08:59. > :09:04.ration cards. We have learnt a lot so far. It makes you think about
:09:04. > :09:07.how the World War Two children felt. It is not just history days. For
:09:07. > :09:17.half a century, tens of thousands of children have enjoyed outdoor
:09:17. > :09:18.
:09:18. > :09:26.Children of Leicestershire, adults, have benefited the 50 years from
:09:26. > :09:29.the life-changing experiences they have had to these halls. It would
:09:29. > :09:33.be such a shame to see them go, because if you lost the knack made
:09:33. > :09:43.you would never be able to replace them. How many children are using
:09:43. > :09:53.
:09:53. > :09:58.these facilities? 6000 of them come along here. But the centre's cost
:09:59. > :10:03.the county council �400,000 last year, and it needs to find savings
:10:03. > :10:08.of �79 million. Clearly, the way things are set up at the moment, we
:10:08. > :10:12.are not going to be able to continue, because the loss they are
:10:12. > :10:19.recovering. But we are interested to hear the wider range of fuse, so
:10:19. > :10:24.we can bring about a solution. Bunce it may be rationed, but they
:10:24. > :10:27.want people's opinions via the County Council website. The
:10:27. > :10:31.consultation ends are just before Christmas, a decision it is
:10:31. > :10:34.expected early next year. And it's not just services for the
:10:34. > :10:37.young that are facing cuts. At a meeting in Derby this evening,
:10:37. > :10:47.councillors are expected to confirm the closure of a day centre for the
:10:47. > :10:47.
:10:47. > :10:51.elderly. Simon Hare is there. Good evening. Derby city council
:10:51. > :10:55.cabinet is meeting here at the moment. On the agenda, day-care
:10:55. > :10:59.centres for the elderly. Within the last few minutes, it has confirmed
:10:59. > :11:04.the closure of the Whitaker rode day-care centre, and all the people
:11:04. > :11:09.who currently use it will have to transfer to the more distant street
:11:09. > :11:14.centre in Derby. The council says despite our ageing population, both
:11:14. > :11:19.at the centres have a lot of spare places. But the decision to close
:11:19. > :11:24.them have been controversial. The Labour group has opposed it. More
:11:24. > :11:27.than 400 people have signed petitions, with opponents arguing
:11:27. > :11:31.that the decrease in popularity of the centres has only been brought
:11:31. > :11:36.about by a massive increase in charges. But this will save the
:11:36. > :11:46.council about �290,000, and any money raised by the sale of
:11:46. > :11:48.Whitaker rode will be ploughed back into day-care for the elderly.
:11:48. > :11:51.A 19-year-old prisoner from Derbyshire has been found hanged in
:11:51. > :11:55.his cell. Christopher Neale from Somercotes was not thought to be on
:11:55. > :11:57.suicide watch. He was serving a two-year sentence at Glen Parva
:11:57. > :12:00.Young Offenders Institute in Leicestershire, for sexual activity
:12:00. > :12:04.with a girl under 13 years old. An investigation by The Independent
:12:04. > :12:07.Prisons and Probation Ombudsman is underway.
:12:08. > :12:10.One in four young people in the East Midlands has got in a car with
:12:10. > :12:14.someone who'd been drinking or taking drugs. Many also feared for
:12:15. > :12:18.their safety as a passenger. That's according to the road safety
:12:18. > :12:23.charity Brake. It's calling for tougher restrictions on new drivers
:12:23. > :12:27.to cut the number of accidents. A major expansion to West Notts
:12:27. > :12:30.College in Mansfield has been given the go-ahead. The �11 million
:12:30. > :12:34.building on the Derby Road campus will eventually be open to the
:12:34. > :12:38.public as a restaurant and beauty salon. It'll also help to train
:12:38. > :12:48.students with hands-on work experience. The development is part
:12:48. > :12:51.
:12:51. > :12:54.of improvements to the college Next on East Midlands today,
:12:54. > :12:59.imagine being healthy one day and barely able to move in agony the
:12:59. > :13:02.next. That is exactly what happened to Annie Glover from Leicestershire
:13:02. > :13:06.when she suffered complications after a prolapsed disc.
:13:07. > :13:11.She still does not know what caused it but is certain she wants to help
:13:11. > :13:15.others. Now diagnosed with a rare condition, she is running a
:13:15. > :13:21.nationwide support group and campaigning for research. Our
:13:21. > :13:26.health correspondent reports. Annie is 38 but says she feels like
:13:26. > :13:32.90. It takes crutches and painkillers to get around the house.
:13:32. > :13:38.A prolapsed disc led to numbness in her legs and pain. It is a
:13:38. > :13:45.condition that --... Loading the washing machine, washing up, making
:13:45. > :13:50.a meal, it is hard for me. I have to rely on my husband to help me.
:13:50. > :13:56.At her home in Loughborough, she has set up a national charity. She
:13:56. > :14:01.hopes to raise awareness of, not just among sufferers. We want to
:14:01. > :14:04.get the message through the medical profession because not everyone in
:14:04. > :14:09.the have medical profession knows about the condition. Your spinal
:14:09. > :14:12.cord finishes just above your waist. Below that is a group of nerves
:14:12. > :14:16.which supply muscles controlling the bladder, bowel and legs. The
:14:16. > :14:21.syndrome occurs when these nerves become compressed. A slipped disc,
:14:21. > :14:25.the most common cause. Other causes include tumours, infection or
:14:25. > :14:29.trauma. There is now one NHS specialist clinic in Sheffield
:14:29. > :14:34.which offers support for people in East Midlands with the conditions.
:14:34. > :14:39.The a find being in a wheelchair is not an issue. It is the problems
:14:39. > :14:44.with bladder and bowels that of the problem. They are much more
:14:44. > :14:48.significant to them. Annie has been contacted by some of the 100 people
:14:48. > :14:52.diagnosed each year in the UK. She suspects there are many other cases
:14:52. > :15:01.not recognised. Until a cure is found, she relies on more than 20
:15:01. > :15:05.painkillers a day. For the second part in our Heritage
:15:05. > :15:07.SOS series, tonight the community taking restoration into its own
:15:08. > :15:14.hands. The Grand Pavilion in Matlock Bath
:15:14. > :15:16.has been empty for three years. Since it was built in 1910, it has
:15:16. > :15:20.hosted top musicians, beauty contests and even a night club.
:15:20. > :15:25.When it came up for rent, people living nearby wanted to save it
:15:25. > :15:35.from developers and return it to its former glory. That is no longer
:15:35. > :15:35.
:15:35. > :15:40.just an aspiration. They are about to sign the lease.
:15:40. > :15:47.You cannot miss in -- it in Matlock Bath. It still looks rather pretty
:15:47. > :15:55.on the outside. Inside, it is a different story. This is from the
:15:56. > :16:01.old days. It almost smells like a nightclub. It is huge. It is
:16:01. > :16:06.enormous. We can fit 400 seats in here. It needs some work. The it is
:16:06. > :16:10.quite daunting. When we started with this, we didn't even have
:16:10. > :16:16.access to the building. If you look up, you can see the original
:16:16. > :16:22.ceiling. The pavilion was built in six months. Can you believe it? The
:16:22. > :16:28.whole building in 1910 was built in six months. We are right at the
:16:28. > :16:34.top? From the top to bottom, it needs complete renovation. The
:16:34. > :16:38.community as applying for more than �2.5 million in grants. The good
:16:38. > :16:42.news is, the rent is cheap. We have only got to pay �1 for the building.
:16:42. > :16:47.Getting the rest of the money will be a much bigger job. The council
:16:47. > :16:51.is leasing it so was it the easy option to let the community raise
:16:51. > :16:56.the money? I do not really think it is an easy option for the council.
:16:56. > :17:03.What we are trying to do is make sure that its frontline services
:17:03. > :17:06.are maintained. We are also -- the council also feels it has a duty to
:17:06. > :17:10.the community to try and make some of the other things that are not
:17:10. > :17:17.statutory services happen. If these Walls Could Talk, in the last 100
:17:17. > :17:26.years, bird -- they would tell tales of elaborate beauty pageants
:17:26. > :17:34.and even the sound of a Elton John playing here. That history is wide
:17:34. > :17:41.800 local people have signed up to save it. The nearest arts venue for
:17:41. > :17:44.us is 20 miles away. This would make a great venue on my doorstep.
:17:44. > :17:50.Not Rob Stewart played here in his early days. We have also had a lot
:17:50. > :17:55.of comedians, Ken Dodd played here. They it is the first time in my
:17:55. > :18:01.memory that all of the people are pulling together and reading the
:18:01. > :18:06.same hymn sheet. It is marvellous to see it. The deal is signed early
:18:06. > :18:12.next year. Then it will be up to the community to make the pavilion
:18:12. > :18:19.same once again. -- singer once again.
:18:19. > :18:22.Still to come, the teenage came of the triple letter score. -- the
:18:22. > :18:25.teenage King. We will be meeting Tim Butcher who
:18:25. > :18:30.is about to head off to the World Scrabble Championships in Malaysia.
:18:30. > :18:34.A after a run of mild nights, I can finally say tonight that we will
:18:34. > :18:44.see a widespread frost. Temperatures in rural areas go
:18:44. > :18:49.below freezing. More weather at the end of the programme.
:18:50. > :18:54.Time for sport. Why have seen some shocking sights this afternoon.
:18:54. > :18:57.of the unedited footage. Those pictures will not be making it into
:18:57. > :19:01.the peace. We will start with Derby County
:19:01. > :19:04.whose coaching staff are on make and by a lone striker. Along with
:19:04. > :19:08.manager Nigel Clough, they are at games tonight looking for firepower
:19:08. > :19:16.after losing three games in a road. One of their injured players found
:19:16. > :19:20.something to be grateful for at the training ground today.
:19:20. > :19:25.When they arrived at the training ground today, one request was high
:19:25. > :19:30.on the wish-list. A new striker before Thursday. Derby have an
:19:30. > :19:37.injury crisis. Another four got injured on Saturday. It was their
:19:37. > :19:41.third defeat in a row. Under this Santa mask, he has played just 25
:19:41. > :19:45.minutes since the signing in the summer. They have been helping at a
:19:45. > :19:49.children's hospice today which they say put things in perspective.
:19:49. > :19:54.I compare my worries to anyone else's who has a seriously ill
:19:54. > :20:02.child, my heart goes out to all of them. The Santa suits are to
:20:02. > :20:06.promote fun runs across Derbyshire, Leicestershire and... For a small
:20:06. > :20:12.registration fee, or we will give you your Santa suit and then you
:20:12. > :20:16.complete the 2.2 mile run or before 0.4 mile run. He first one is this
:20:17. > :20:21.weekend by which time Derby hope to have found someone to bring them a
:20:21. > :20:26.sack full of gold. There is one game happening tonight.
:20:26. > :20:32.A first-round replay in the FA Cup. Hinckley's part-time squad go to
:20:32. > :20:37.Tamworth. The first leg ended in a 2-2 draw. The winners will be away
:20:37. > :20:40.at Gateshead and there is live commentary on BBC Radio Leicester.
:20:40. > :20:42.Now something not happening. Steeplechasing has had to be
:20:42. > :20:47.cancelled at Leicester Racecourse because of a lack of rain. The
:20:47. > :20:51.course is too hard and staff say they are not licensed to irrigate
:20:51. > :20:56.during the winter months. They are blaming the exceptionally dry year.
:20:56. > :21:00.The hurdle racing will still go on. Now we will take you to the heart
:21:00. > :21:05.of an ice hockey practice session. Nottingham Panthers won the team of
:21:05. > :21:09.the year award at the BBC East Midlands Sports Awards last week.
:21:09. > :21:16.That was due to their astonishing turn a grant -- turnaround. They
:21:16. > :21:21.were so bad that they were docked wages but they turned it around.
:21:21. > :21:30.In the bowels of Nottingham arena, 10:30am on Tuesday, off the back of
:21:30. > :21:38.a defeat. The coach is going through the drills. Is it hard to
:21:38. > :21:43.get the guys up for it? Not this year. They are good workers. As you
:21:43. > :21:49.can see, they like to have a little joke. Most of us have already been
:21:49. > :21:54.to the gym. It can be difficult for them. They are used to 80 plus
:21:54. > :22:00.games a season in North America. There is nothing like playing a
:22:00. > :22:04.game. It is a lot easier, the more games you are playing. In fact,
:22:04. > :22:09.sometimes it is impossible to keep them away from the eyes, even in
:22:09. > :22:19.their own best interest. It is a pretty tough mentality, the sport.
:22:19. > :22:40.
:22:40. > :22:47.I have a harder time keeping them That was definitely harder than my
:22:47. > :22:52.work out this morning. My legs are burning a little bit. What is going
:22:52. > :23:02.on there is a little game. If you lose, you have to wear deep pink
:23:02. > :23:12.
:23:13. > :23:16.And particular thanks to the player he was wearing the camera on his
:23:17. > :23:21.chest. From triple letter scores to
:23:21. > :23:25.elaborate words, the game of Scrabble can challenge the most
:23:25. > :23:29.bookish of us. A teenager from Nottingham is taking it to a
:23:29. > :23:33.completely new level. He is called the Tim Butcher and he
:23:33. > :23:37.is flying to Malaysia this weekend to compete in the World Scrabble
:23:37. > :23:44.Championships. We went along to meet him and hopefully pick up some
:23:44. > :23:48.tips. Player against the school librarian
:23:48. > :23:52.who taught him scrabble when he was 10, Tim Butcher learnt the game at
:23:52. > :23:55.Carlton Academy. Now 17, he has competed in major tournaments and
:23:55. > :24:01.is heading out to Malaysia this weekend for the World Scrabble
:24:01. > :24:05.Championships. When I won the first time, I wanted to beat my best
:24:05. > :24:15.score. I just want to do better and better. I found out about a local
:24:15. > :24:17.
:24:17. > :24:22.club and joined. It just became addictive. Tim is part of several
:24:22. > :24:26.clubs including the school's weekly Scrabble game. Most of the students
:24:26. > :24:32.and staff are too scared to play him. We regarded as a master class.
:24:32. > :24:37.It is humiliating Thos us. The last time I beat him, it was in year 10.
:24:37. > :24:44.That was only because four of us were playing him as a team. He is
:24:44. > :24:50.so much better than we are. What are Tim's top tips? Find common
:24:50. > :24:55.endings and keep them under wraps so that you can have a word that
:24:55. > :25:01.will come easily to. My second trip would be not to be afraid when you
:25:01. > :25:05.are playing. Play a complicated web -- if they play a complicated web,
:25:05. > :25:09.challenge it. Do not give up when you are playing. You could be 100
:25:09. > :25:14.points behind and a few turns later, you could be winning. You never
:25:14. > :25:20.know what will happen. When I asked Tim what was one of his favourite
:25:20. > :25:30.words to play, he came up with this one. Somehow, I don't think he will
:25:30. > :25:36.
:25:36. > :25:40.have a problem at the tournament. Things have been so mild but things
:25:40. > :25:47.are starting to change. It will probably fluctuate a bit between
:25:47. > :25:53.the milder daytime temperatures. A nice frosted picture for we have,
:25:53. > :25:55.which was sent in earlier this year. Thank you for that. We are starting
:25:56. > :26:00.to see these guys that gradually clearing now. The weather front has
:26:00. > :26:05.been with us all day giving us a grey day. It is clearing to the
:26:05. > :26:11.south-east. Coming in behind it, the temperatures will soon to --
:26:11. > :26:17.soon drop under the clear skies. Minimum temperature in the towns
:26:17. > :26:23.and cities, two degrees. In rural areas, it will go below freezing.
:26:23. > :26:28.Some mist and fog of forming. If you are setting off early, watch
:26:28. > :26:32.out for that. A cold and frosty start. A bright day. We will seek a
:26:32. > :26:38.little bit of cloud in the afternoon from the north-west.
:26:38. > :26:44.Daytime temperatures with a gentle south-westerly breeze reaching --
:26:44. > :26:49.reaching a maximum of ten degrees. An area of high pressure just about
:26:49. > :26:53.reaching the south-east corner of the country. An area of low
:26:53. > :26:59.pressure against the North West of Scotland. At the moment, we will
:26:59. > :27:03.probably see the breeze picking up over a next couple of days. The
:27:03. > :27:07.winds continue to come from the south-west. We will hold on to be
:27:07. > :27:12.drier weather. A bit of wintery precipitation across parts of
:27:12. > :27:22.Scotland. Across these murders, we will hold on to the dry and clear
:27:22. > :27:24.