27/02/2014 East Midlands Today

This is East Midlands Today, with Dominic Heale and me, Anne Davies.

Tonight: Protests, campaigns and petitions. But the axe still falls.

Councillors approve a budget cut. If there was an easy way to avoid these

reductions, we would do, but there are not.

Death in Cyprus, Daniel's grieving family demand answers. Losing your

child is unbearable. The fact that we don't know what has

happened to him, we have to live with that.

Plus, screening for breast cancer, why are 100,000 women still missing

out? And, and astonishing eyewitness

account of the great War was Erik Lesser famous Christmas Day truce. A

voice came over from the German lines, happy Christmas, English.

To which we replied, happy Christmas, Fritz.

Good evening, and welcome to Thursday's programme.

First tonight: Campaigners have been protesting outside Nottinghamshire

County Council against planned budget cuts of ?83 million. The

final budget was being thrashed out today, but it's expected to lead to

hundreds of job cuts, and a reduction in many services.

Protesters say the cuts are unnecessary and will have a huge

impact on the people of Nottinghamshire. The council,

though, say they have no choice and have to make tough decisions. Sarah

Teale joins us in the studio with more.

This graph shows quite clearly why cuts are having to be made. You can

see the funding gap between the budget which is needed to continue

running all the current services, and the actual budget which is

expected. And the difference is ?154 million which will need to be saved

over the next three years. Just over an hour ago, ?83 million of cuts

were finalised. The council say they are essential. Protesters disagree.

Protesters were in fine voice this morning outside Nottinghamshire

County Council. They were here to demonstrate against a cut in funding

to Nottingham Playhouse. More protests came later from Unison

opposing the principle of all council cuts. During public

consultation, 38,000 people gave their views, many showing strong

support for the Playhouse. Even famous names joined the campaign to

save its funding. Why do you think they have not listened?

I think they had made up their mind already. In all honesty, I don't

think it is a genuine consultation. This is not about getting them to

change their mind, this is about getting them to think about the

future and how they can support us in other ways.

Why can't they give more money to the most vulnerable people who need

our care and support. Amanda agrees with that sentiment, her son has

respite care at a short break centre in Chilwell. It has had one year's

reprieve from closure but it will still have to shut. To lose it all

together will be devastating. To pull him out of that environment

and put Tim Sommer Alves is not going to be an easy thing. Not just

him or the other adults, it will affect all of them. The council

leader call the decision is painful and sickening.

120 different savings proposals had been decided, including council tax

going up nearly 2%. School dinners increasing by 10p. A reduction in

youth centres, closures of day services, and recycling centres.

Council reserves of ?42 million are being drawn on to fund capital

projects like the widening of roads. These cuts today did not

single `` signal the end of thing. There are still millions of pounds

of savings to come to close that funding gap.

The leader of the council is with us, he has come straight from the

meeting. The government has been saying these cuts are relatively

modest. Is what you have done today necessary? If there were an easier

way of dealing with it, we would have taken that route. There is no

alternative for us. This council is dramatically underfunded by the

government. We inherited an hundred and ?32 million budget deficit, we

lost ?20 million in grants. We have to make savings. Can we talk about

efficiency. This document drawn up by the Department of local

government, 50 examples of sensible savings, sharing back office

functions, cutting free sandwiches in meeting. Have you explored every

avenue to become more efficient? I have a copy of that in my briefcase,

I have read it. A great many of those things we are doing. We are

cutting back. The last thing we want to do is affect front line services,

particularly for our most vulnerable residents. We saw in that report,

there is a day centre you are cutting. You did say you would make

sure vulnerable adults are protected, that does not seem to

have happened. Where we can, we are doing. It is not possible because of

the huge level of savings we are forced to make, it is not possible

to save every single facility people tell us they need. We have looked

very carefully where we are cutting, the level of use, alternative

facilities available locally. It is a very difficult time for us. Thank

you for coming in. A grieving mother from

Leicestershire says she'll keep fighting for answers about how her

son died, 2,000 miles away. Daniel Brewster from Coalville was found

with fatal head injuries while on holiday in Cyprus. His family say

the police have dismissed his death as a "drunken Brit abroad". They've

been speaking to our reporter Helen Astle.

Sometimes, I wake up and I cannot believe this has happened. For

current Brewster, it has been a harrowing year. Last June, her

23`year`old son Daniel flew to Cyprus to be a best man at a

wedding. On a night out before the ceremony, he became separated from

his friends. He was later found with serious head injuries under this

large concrete plant pot. Police say Daniel must have lifted it up and

the plant pot fell onto his head. The container did not break. Daniel

died days later in hospital. I wish I could piece together and say this

could have happened. It is absolutely feasible. But I find it

difficult. Impossible. They cannot understand how he came to be

injured, and said the police had been dismissive. I got the

impression it was being put down to a Brit abroad, if you drinks, an

accident. I asked the police officer if he could accompany us to the

scene and explain how this had come about. Although it was only a

five`minute ride away, he said he didn't have time to do that. Losing

your child, unbearable. But, the fact that we don't know what has

happened to him, and we have to live with that. It is so painful. The

inquest is due to be held in Cyprus at the end of March. Karen and David

are fundraising to pay for a solicitor so they can try to get

answers to what happened to Daniel, and why.

Still to come: It's colder, but no snow.

Here's Anna, with a look ahead to the forecast.

Our beautiful spring flowers are set to feel the chill, as temperatures

plummet. Thankfully, this note is staying away. More details later.

Next tonight: 100,000 women missed out on breast screening in the East

Midlands last year. The latest figures are out today. When it comes

to 53 to 70`year`olds, our part of the world does better than anywhere

else in England. But, as our health correspondent Rob Sissons reports,

it still leaves one in five women not taking up the invite. Surely's

cancer was picked up early following in routine screening appointment.

One year on, she is doing well. She remembers she cannot forget hearing

the word which knocked her sideways. I never heard another word after

they said the word, cancer. I was shaking. I couldn't tell my family.

How do you bring it up? By the way, I have got breast cancer. It is

about spotting subtle changes, even before women experience symptoms.

Breast screening saves lives but, between one in four and one in five

women women eligible for the test do not go for them. The Nottingham

Breast Institute says it is simple and quick.

The mammogram only takes a couple of minutes. All of the nurses are

female. They are used all shapes and sizes. It is not a panful test. Some

women find it uncomfortable. Take`up for 53 to 73`year`olds was 80%. 76%

was the England average. It means 100,000 missed out on the breast

screening. Women aged between 50 and up to 74 will get an invite to

screening. If a woman hasn't attended before, please think about

going this year if that invitation arrives.

For every death prevented, about three cases are identified and

treated. Take`up has improved because of mobile clinics. Last

year, we had at least 160 ladies picked up with breast cancer, using

their mobiles. So it is something we want to carry on with.

Women need to be registered with their GP to get an invite.

A Nottingham Forest football has been cleared after not king Iman to

the ground in a restaurant. He hit the man, insect organs, leaving him

needing surgery. It happened in 2012 on New Year.

Today, a jury found him not guilty of grievous bodily harm.

The factory that was once home to a major Derby employer is to be

demolished. Permission's been given to clear the now largely empty

celanese plant at Spondon. The chemical manufacturing site's the

size of 110 football pitches. At its height, it employed 20,000 people.

Most production ended in 2011. It's not yet known what'll replace it.

Rolls`Royce says it hasn't yet decided exactly where it will build

its next generation of aeroengines. As we reported yesterday the new

models will be 25% more fuel efficient than the first versions of

its existing Trent engines. Staff will be hoping that Derby is chosen

as the main plant to make them. But the firm has emphasised that the

aeroengine industry is a global one. Simon Hare has been to take a look

at the new technology. Rolls`Royce says the future is

bright, the future is turquoise. Turquoise is just the final paint

colour we've put on it. Fundamentally, it's a carbon fibre

blade under there. This is the latest fan blade

technology for its two new generations of engines.

It saves significant weight, around 750 pounds for an engine of this

size. An airliner that can save that amount of weight can then afford to

fly another seven or eight passengers.

That will make them more efficient than the existing Trent engines. The

latest of which hasn't even entered service yet. For the moment, they

have been called "advance" and "ultra" fan. A final decision on

their actual names will be taken later. But, for many, there's a

bigger question to answer. Will it be built in Derby? We don't know at

the moment, is the honest answer. We've developed a lot of the

technology here, but also in the rest of Europe. At the moment, it's

a technology and research programme, and where we finally do the

production will be subject to a much later decision. Although there are a

lot of people employed in Derby, we are a global company, so we do use

skills around the world. It's tested here, a lot of the design work was

done here. But, equally, some of the technology has come from our plants

in Germany and elsewhere in the United States.

We recognise it is a global company, but they have been here for

over 100 years. The two are definitely linked. What is good for

Rolls`Royce is always good for Derby.

It is hoped the new engines will be ready within ten years.

Volunteers at food banks say they're handing out a growing number of

parcels to people who are in work, but still can't afford food. Indeed,

many charity food projects here in the East Midlands are reporting

their busiest year ever. Jo Healey reports.

Jess works full`time, but earns little. Something had to give.

I was missing meals so my daughter could eat, basically, because things

were getting quite tough. Although it was tough, she didn't think she

could have food parcels because she works. But so do many people who

come here to Ilkeston. It was more the people on benefits and

pensioners. But now we've found a massive increase, it has probably

tripled now, in the working sector. So, people who have jobs but still

need food? Yeah. This is a typical food parcel for a

single adult, to last them around three days. They, plus couples, who

get a bit more, account for around 70% of the people who come here. And

this is a typical children's pack, and they account for 27% of all food

parcels handed out here each year. Homeless people account for just 3%.

This week, a Shadow Minister visited, and heard they provided

2,500 meals here last year alone. Speaking to people, it's a lot of

people you would not expect to be here at a food bank, the majority of

which are in work or desperately seeking work.

Jess says, if she needed to now, she would go to her local food bank in

Eastwood. And it seems many more people are having to do just that.

Still to come, our latest Great War feature.

Time now for the sports news. Coming up: The Leicester lads, in

rugby and in cricket. But we'll start with some football

news, because Nottingham Forest have lost a third key player to injury.

Midfielder Andy Reid is out for up to six weeks with a hernia problem.

He's been a big part of Forest's season, but will have an operation

this week. All three of our clubs could be

represented on the pitch at the iPro for the England Under`21s match with

Wales on Wednesday night. Leicester's Liam Moore, Forest's

Jamal Lascelles, and Derby's Patrick Bamford and Will Hughes, are all in

Gareth Southgate's squad. Rugby's Leicester Tigers now. At

Newcastle this weekend, they could well be led again by Ed Slater. His

story is incredible. He came very late to the game, he was 21 when he

came to Tigers as injury cover. Less than four years on, he's just

captained them, and is breaking into the England side. Kirsty Edwards

reports. He is a big man who is experienced.

Last Sunday was one of his proudest moments yet. It was huge for me.

Obviously, I was a big supporter of the club as a kid so I am aware of

the people who have done the job before. The people I have played

with have got a lot of experience. To lead 0

with have got a lot of experience. To lead the side at was massive for

me. Ed Slater has established himself at

the heart of the side and recently got called up for England. Amazing,

considering he only took up rugby at the age of 15 and didn't turn

professional until he was 21. I had never heard of him when he turned up

wanting to play. OK, you can train with us. He has a great attitude.

Physically very good. A little bit of aggression. It shows you don't

have to come through academies, you can turn up. Turn up and if you are

better than the people we have got, you can play. Which is what he did.

He was picked to lead the side last weekend ahead of more experienced

team`mates. He jokingly points out he has a 100% record as captain. We

were having a laugh about that. I was really happy with the wind. A

lot of criticism has come our way particularly after the Gloucester

game. It was a big step in the right direction for us as a team, to get

that win, to have three on the bounce, it is a huge boost for us.

He may have 0 bounce, it is a huge boost for us.

He may have trodden a very different path than most in this sport, but Ed

Slater is still very much on the road to glory.

They play at the weekend, but there was some action last night in ice

hockey, with Nottingham Panthers demolishing Coventry 7`2. Amazing

what a fully fit squad can do. He's been talked about in the same

breath as Sachin Tendulkar. He features on almost every list of

future England cricket stars but, even in the middle of preparing for

an operation on a hand injury, Leicestershire's Shiv Thakor hasn't

forgotten where he's come from. I was with him as he went back to his

old school 0 was with him as he went back to his

old school to try and inspire a new generation.

Around a decade ago, some Leicestershire Police it is stood in

this assembly hall, and inspired a young shift back. Now he is doing

the same. If we can inspire them, not just to play cricket but to stay

active for a long time, we will have a positive incident `` influence.

They have certainly not forgotten him here. I have been told, here we

are. The first name on there. It made me wonder what people he had

actually been. Best to ask my teachers. If I had 30 of him in my

class, it would have been lovely. He was quite a caring child. It is not

like that now! In the end, it is all about the cricket. This road show

links directly into games divertimento. There is no point of

doing six Weezer cricket and leaving them. We chain the teachers, the

kids as coaches `` train. The man himself has come a long way from

being this 11`year`old. A nasty finger injury is on his way right

now, but top level England recognition is the target. I am

fully aware there was a shake up going on in England. I'm probably

six games away from being up there. It is at the back of my mind. I need

to get my runs, get my wickets, get myself in a position where they have

no choice. As for the children, one word from them. Awesome. That is

something his career could be to `` too.

For many, the centenary of the start of World War One is a time to

reflect on the role played by relatives in the conflict. Through

the BBC's World War One At Home project, we've discovered diaries

and photographs that have lain unseen for years. As well as paper

records, Leicester University's history archive contains a number of

audio interviews conducted with former soldiers. One tape was

labelled with the name Arthur Tugwell, but no more information.

Well, after an appeal on BBC Radio Leicester, his family came forward.

I went to meet them, to find out more about Arthur, and the famous

Christmas Day truce of 1914 which he actually witnessed.

"Casualties have not been heavy. I estimate five killed, and ten

wounded." The writing is small and difficult

to read, but the words have special significance 0 0

to read, but the words have special significance for Daisy. It is the

diary of her great`great`grandfather, Arthur

Tugwell, a 16`year`old who was one of the first 100,000 to sign up to

fight in the 0 of the first 100,000 to sign up to

fight in the Great War. It wasn't something that he ever talked about

very much, because I think it must've been very gruelling. Because

he was one of the first people to actually enlist.

His diaries are among a treasure trove of items contained in a metal

trunk which lay untouched in attics. Now, the family is starting

to 0 0 attics. Now, the family is starting

to piece everything 0 attics. Now, the family is starting

to piece everything together. He looks very young. He doesn't look

scared. From trench maps, to the letters home, it's a priceless

archive. The family also has an audio recording of Arthur recalling

the famous Christmas Day truce in 1914.

MAN: During Christmas Eve, there was very little firing from either our

trench, or from the Germans' side. During the night, it ceased

entirely. Absolutely quiet. To my amazement, lights appeared on the

parapet. Candles. He served in the London Regiment,

stationed just south of Ypres. After a while, a voice came over from the

German lines. Happy Christmas, English. To which we replied, happy

Christmas, 0 English. To which we replied, happy

Christmas, Fritz. Back came the message, see you in the morning, and

no firing. He might think that amazingly famous episode 0

no firing. He might think that amazingly famous episode has been

embellished over the years, but from his words, that is what happened.

During that Jews, they were just mates again. They could trust one

another in a situation like that where, if you hours previously, they

were shooting, trying to kill one another. All of a sudden, it is

Christmas, let us lay down our weapons and just be human beings

again. We 0 weapons and just be human beings

again. We exchanged cigarettes. On Christmas Eve night, they were

singing carols. The cheering rings in my head now. That tune will last

me until I am in my old age. Merry Christmas. I recognise the tune of

that went for him, Holy Night. It doesn't matter whether you knew him

because the power of his words will live on forever.

You can hear more of Arthur's recording, and his story, on the

BBC's World One At Home website, in the BBC Radio Leicester section.

Time now for the weather. We are definitely going to be

feeling much colder over the next few days. We should still see plenty

of sunshine. Thank you for sending in this picture. Overnight, quiet

and cold. 0 in this picture. Overnight, quiet

and cold. Yesterday, 0 in this picture. Overnight, quiet

and cold. Yesterday, I was talking about snow. The low pressure is

actually sitting further south than we anticipated, taking that risk of

snow away from the East Midlands. We have some showers around. Some hail

earlier today. A dry evening, clear spells, temperatures are taking a

real 0 spells, temperatures are taking a

real tumble 0 spells, temperatures are taking a

real tumble tonight, down to two Celsius. Lower in sheltered spots,

with a touch of frost. That low pressure will move in bringing a

little rain and sleet to the south of Leicestershire. For most of us,

it will be a dry day on Friday, a lot of cloud around through the

morning but, in the afternoon, we will start to see Sunny spells in

from the west. Staying cold, with that wind, temperatures up to six

Celsius. The weekend is not looking too bad. By day, Saturday and Sunday

looking drive. Saturday, 0 too bad. By day, Saturday and Sunday

looking drive. Saturday, a 0 too bad. By day, Saturday and Sunday

looking drive. Saturday, a good deal of sunshine, more cloud in the

afternoon. An area of rain will push its way in, moving through Saturday

night into Sunday morning. Once that clears 0

night into Sunday morning. Once that clears the way first thing, it is an

improving story on Sunday. Temperatures will stay around

average or just below. By March, it will be a low average.

The start of the meteorological spring. That's all from us. Join us

again during the Ten O'Clock News this evening. Goodbye.