02/09/2011 Look East - East

In Look East tonight. Now the United Nations condemns the

eviction plans at Dale Farm. Hello and welcome to the programme.

Also tonight. Living afloat. The latest Government plan to help

solve the housing crisis. Rude and unacceptable behaviour.

Why Jim Davidson has been banned from a theatre.

And watch the birdy. Sam Torrance is among the big names sinking the

First tonight, support from a United Nations committee for people

living on the illegal Dale Farm travellers site in Essex. First a

reminder of the geography of the site near Basildon. About 500

travellers live there at Crays Hill on a legal site. But another 500

who live in this part of the site don't have planning permission. The

plots are on land which is officially green belt. After a

planning row going back more than ten years, the council deadline for

people to move off the site has now passed. Eviction will follow and it

could be weeks or it could be days. Gareth George is there now, Gareth.

There was a great cheer here this morning find it news came through

of a statement that had been made by a United Nations committee. It

was the committee for the elimination of Racial

discrimination and after has called for the evictions are to be

suspended because it believes it will disproportionately affect the

lives of traveller families, particularly of women, children and

older people. Meanwhile the entrance to Dale Farm keeps getting

bigger. New signs appearing all the time. The media are not usually

allowed past that barrier. This is the media reception centre they

have set up here at the entrance. But earlier today, we were allowed

in and taken to the protest camp that has been set up in Dale Farm.

We were taken there for a press conference. With media minders

never far away, reporters were escorted him. We were led to the

protest camp set up by it -- set up by so-called human rights monitors.

Reports that Dale Farm has been hijacked by anarchists were denied.

There is great support. It is very stressful here at the moment. When

he gets too much, we come down here and have a cup of tea with these

people. They are here to give our support. Speaker after speaker said

both travellers and activists stood together. We are peaceful. Any

group can come down and help us. The press corps was interrupted for

an important announcement. News are just in half an our ago that the

United Nations Committee for the elimination of Racial

discrimination has called for a complete stop to the evictions.

Dale Farm's closest neighbour add most outspoken critic said why he

thinks the evictions should still go ahead. The judges have made

their decisions. It has to be turned back to a greenfield site.

Back at Dale Farm, more desperate pleas to the council. We are crying

and crying every night. I had cancer, I have diabetes. Where can

be go on the road? I am begging you. The travellers post for a

photograph under the United Nations flag.

Our government responded very quickly to that statement. They

said that the British courts have found that the developments at the

Dale Farm are in breach of planning law. Basildon council is with them

is right to evict travellers from the Dale Farm side.

So that's the situation from the travellers' point of view. But of

course many local people back the council, including the local MP

John Baron who is at Westminster now. What do you think of the

United Nations getting involved? I'm they get it wrong and

irrelevant. This is not about racial discrimination, this is

about the breaking of planning regulations. It is as simple as

that. We would not allow the 4000 people waiting on Basildon's has

enlisted to break the rules, why should we allow the travellers to

break the rules? If that we did, people would ask why is the one law

for travellers and another for local residents? When I spoke to

the council leader yesterday, he said that he had offered housing to

the travellers who needed it. The travellers has said that housing is

not up to the standard that anybody would want to move into. Should

they be offering better accommodation to the travellers?

The council has his obligations up to offer the week, were vulnerable,

we done and the old suitable accommodation. I do not see why

travellers should be given preferential treatment. All we have

ever asked of this community is that those who live in this

community abide by this the rules. The law courts have decided that

the law has been broken and that this land has to be returned to do

greenfield site. What about these people in the camp? It is the usual

mixture. If local reports are true and if there are a large number of

so-called anarchists tos where, I would expect of the law to take

action if they cross the line and if they did anything unlawful. It

is very straight forward. You cannot stop people congregating,

but you can stop people breaking the law. Is this a more hard-nosed

response? We have always believed to that rule of law and lot are for

-- floor and order. I have never changed my view on that. Whoever it

is, traveller or none traveller, if you break the law, the law should

take its course. Equity and fairness when it comes to law and

order. A bag you very much for being with us.

It's the latest attempt to ease the housing crisis The government wants

more people in this region to be able to live on the water. The new

homes bonus, where the government rewards councils which allow new

housing developments, will now apply to houseboats too. Off the

River Story at Harrow sits the Moorhen Marina, home to some three

dozen narrowboats, about a third of them residential. Maths teacher Ian

McDowell bought the 90 year-old Water Witch for �35,000 earlier

this year. Now together with his cats, it is home sweet home. I am

here most of the time, I can go up on the river whenever I want. Space

is a bit constricted, but you get used to that. I love it. It is my

own little home. Self-contained, I have got everything on there that I

need and I live life just as normal, but on a boat. New narrowboats can

cost from around �60,000 to more than 100,000. Moorings here are

around �3,000 a year. The Government accepts that many more

marinas will be needed if their aim is to be realised. Throughout our

region, there are a lot of canals and possibilities for moorings. We

are reminding people and the local authorities that the new homes

bonus does pay out for a houseboat. It is a dramatically under-used

resource, particularly around major cities. There is a huge housing

problem in the country and there are tremendous opportunities to

bring the waterways back into use for that purpose. The government

hopes its scheme will allow more people to live in areas where they

could not afford traditional bricks-and-mortar. The Labour

opposition has labelled it a desperate gimmick.

Still to come tonight. A full weekend forecast. And the start of

the rugby season with a new man pulling the strings at Northampton

Saints. An exclusive interview A pilot has died after his light

aircraft came down in fields near the A1 in Peterborough. The crash

early this afternoon damaged overhead power lines and brought

traffic to a standstill. A section of the A1 remains closed in both

directions near Water Newton by Sibson Airfield. Police say it's

likely to stay closed till midday tomorrow.

The comedian Jim Davidson has been banned from performing at the

Theatre Royal in Norwich over accusations of rude and

unacceptable behaviour. He has even published a letter from the theatre

giving their reasons for the ban. Love him or love him or loathe him,

Jim Davidson makes no apologies for his behaviour.

But he does suggest that Norwich's Theatre Royal has lost his sense of

humour. He says, I had been asked by many people why I do not play

Norwich, they think I am snubbing the time, that is not the case.

There is no denying that Jim Davidson is great Box Office. For

three years running, he had to sell out shows here. But management says

he was rude it to staff. In a letter to the comedian, the

theatre's boss said he was of them said to staff. Would you have them

in your office, in your house? did he say that was so offensive?

will not repeat it, it was so offensive. If he apologised, would

you have Kemback? No. It is a form of censorship. If somebody takes

what I say as offensive, there is nothing I can do about it. If he

was that would, I think he should stay banned. Should he be allowed

to perform? No, not if he has insulted people. As to why he has

it reopened at this issue, when your on a nationwide tour, all

publicity is good publicity. The Norfolk showground near Norwich

has been turned into a music venue for the weekend. 40,000 fans are

expected to turn up for two days of artists from the urban music scene.

Our entertainment reporter Dawn Gerber is here with the details.

Who is performing. On Saturday, Eliza Doolittle, and

Professor Green. On Sunday, N-Dubz and Tinie Tempah. Also, Tinchy

Stryder. Lots of entertainment. What's happening. Around 4000 fans

have decided to camp there. There is entertainment for them as well.

It is a brand new festival, there are a lot of around, but the

organisers feel this is special. felt that there was a beach in the

market for this type of festival to be placed in Norfolk. There are

concerts nearby, but those are just one Act and a support. We are

bringing up to 60 Act. Are there tickets still available?

Camping tickets have sold out, but there are around 2000 at day

tickets available for Saturday and Sunday. The roads will be busy in

the area, sought stay away unless you are going to the festival.

The Ipswich tennis player Elena Baltacha is out of the US Open. She

started well, winning the first three games in the opening set. She

was beaten by former champion Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-4, 6-3. After

the match, Baltacha refused to shake the umpire's hand. She was

unimpressed by some of his decisions.

The Sizewell B nuclear power station was switched off today for

routine maintenance. It happens every 18 months. It will be

refuelled and a number of maintenance projects will be

carried out at the same time. 1,200 specialist workers will be brought

onto the site. Local companies will share contracts worth �3 million.

The station generates power for two million homes and employs 500

people. The trust that runs the new

hospital in Peterborough has been given the lowest possible rating by

an independent regulator. City Hospital opened last December. The

trust is forecast to be in debt by �21 million by the end of this

financial year. This state of the art hospital has revolutionised

health care in Peterborough. But this has come at a cost. With a

debt of over �20 million, the Peterborough NHS Trust has been

given the lowest possible rating by the monitor, the independent trust

regulator. The Monitor rating uses a set of financial indicators which

rates us as a one, the worst possible rating. There are another

11 trusts which are in very serious financial difficulties and so I

think there will be other trusts coming in this direction. The trust

has already announced that 300 jobs will need to be lost as part of its

plan to save up to �14 million this year. The Trust's financial

problems have been made worse because it is yet to sell the city

centre site of the former Peterborough District Hospital. It

is hoping a deal can be struck soon. We are in negotiations with a

number of parties looking at various options to see where we can

get best value from the site which is what we have got to do as a

public body. If the financial situation at the hospital does not

improve, the regulator has the power to intervene in the

management of the hospital. The trust insists it is on track to

reduce its deficit and, in doing so, patient care will not be

You're watching Look East from the BBC. Coming up: some warmth at last.

But for how long? Alex will have the weekend forecast.

We had just been talking about your response!

The new rugby season begins this weekend for both Northampton Saints

and Bedford Blues. And the Saints have a new chairman.

His name is Barwell. And if that sounds familiar, it's because Leon

Barwell is taking over from his father Keith. He's given his first

interview to Look East and says he's determined the transition will

be a smooth one. At Franklin's Gardens, not even the chairman's

parking space is sacrosanct. Keith Barwell had made way for son Leon,

for years there heir apparent on the board, now the new kid on the

block. Just how easy has it been for his father to let go? These

conversations have been going on for a little while. It wasn't a one

Sunday lunchtime type conversation. He is ready to hand over now. I

think we can take the club forward. He has put us in a brilliant

position. And we need to build on that. Your father loved getting

stuck in. He loved meddling to an extent. He enjoyed his clashes with

the RFU, didn't he? Are you going to continue like that, or have you

got a quieter way of going about your business? I am quieter, but

just as passionate. It is just about getting the job done at the

end of the day. If you are not prepared to fight for what you want,

you can be sidelined. That won't change. He has always been prepared

to stand up and fight for what he wanted. One of his top priorities

has been the redevelopment of Franklin's Gardens, which appears

to be a step closer, even if it is still unclear how it will be

financed. We will be putting in for planning permission in a matter of

months. If we can get the finance in place, we may be able to start

that redevelopment at the end of the season. The manager has turned

this place around. How was your relationship with him? He wants to

do a good job. There is no hidden agendas there. He's very straight

speaking as am I. We can sit down over a glass of wine and talk about

various different issues. We are not far away from winning the

biggest competition in the environment that we play in and the

aspiration is always to go a step further and win.

And Northampton play Gloucester at Franklin's Gardens on Sunday,

whilst in the Championship Bedford Blues start their campaign away at

Nottingham. Last year, they made the semi-final play-offs and are

confident that come the end of the season, they'll be pushing for

promotion. It is important to get alter a good start, a winning start.

We want to make an assault on the play-offs. Our sports reporter is

very happy today. It is one of the great events.

The seniors might all be over 50, but they haven't lost their touch.

Today the likes of Sam Torrance, Ian Woosnam and Mark James have all

been in the field, and faring pretty well. Tom Williams has spent

What an opening day we have had. It is quite turning down now. All 73

players have completed their opening round and the scoring has

been fantastic. A third of the field under par. Hardly surprising

given at the weather we have enjoyed it today. Perfect

conditions for players and spectators. Barry Lane and Sam

Torrance are leading the way. I caught up with some after his round

and discovered his good start was against the odds. I could not get

up the stairs last night, I was in a struggling. But I strapped it up,

had a bit of Visio. The problem with a saw the is it your tentative.

But it has clearly helped to. He did not get off to the best start,

but caught fire as you read through. Yes, I must about four, they picked

up from there. Very nice. Very pleased. What is it that keeps you

coming back and competing at this level? You have one in most things.

It is amazing. This is my 40th year on tour, and I was honestly looking

forward to this event as to my first event in 1971. It is a great

game, I love the challenge. I will never master it, or perfect it.

Very well played. Best of luck for the next few days. Thank you.

is one of Ryder Cup captain, a former Ryder Cup captain. Ian that

wisdom and Mark James shot 70 today. -- Ian Woosnam. I played pretty

good. I left a few on the greens and really. That was the first time

on at the short putter. I left a few short on the back nine. How did

you find the course? This is a third or 4th year that and a played

in the seniors and this is the best I have seen it. They have worked

very hard on it. The greens are a good, the fair wares are perfect.

If you start playing badly, it will bounce back. If you play well, it

is not too bad. If you play badly, you will get punished. Perhaps Ian

was some was inspired by Stuart after they played here. In football,

a break for the Premiership and the Championship will this weekend. But

there are games in Vicks 1 and 2. MK Dons are still top of the pile

in League One. Goals have not been part to come by -- hard to come by,

apart from from this penalty spot. Carlisle trouble to Scunthorpe.

Stevenage to take on Rochdale. There have been 11 goals scored in

the last two league games at home. In League Two, soured -- Southend

he... I enjoyed my time as Southend. I had a good connection with

players and management. They will go there in confident mood after

And you can for your team this weekend on your local BBC Radio

station. Another two days to go at this senior masters. Hopefully, the

weather is set fair. Sam Torrance and Barry Lane at Reading on day

one. The action is sure to hot up over the weekend.

Thank you very much indeed. Back now to the pilot who has died after

his light aircraft came down in fields near the A1 in

Cambridgeshire closing the A1. Our reporter Jozef Hall is there now.

Jozef, what can you see from where you are?

From where I am now, I cannot see very much at all. Earlier, I

managed to get within yards of a light aircraft. The wreckage was

lying upside-down in a field just yards from the road. I could see

from the wreckage of the deceased pilot, but we have had no

confirmation of identity. We know that the plane hit the power cables

directly above the road. Those cables are no longer live, but they

are severely damaged. National Grid is say they cannot work on the

cables in the dark so they will not be able to make them safe until

tomorrow morning. The police say that as a consequence, the road

will not be open until at least midday tomorrow.

Thank you very much. We saw some sun today, will it

We saw some sun today, will it Actually, no. Another fine day

expected for tomorrow. It has been a very warm humid day. We have got

some pictures for you taken in long Barton. It has been warm and humid.

It is going to stay like that until tomorrow with temperatures climbing

to 26 Celsius at their highest, they could even get even higher.

Let's take a look at the top temperatures in the region today.

Ranging from 21-26 Celsius. At the moment, we have got high pressure

in control of things. But we have a weather system on the way which

will change the weather on Sunday. For this evening, a fine end to the

day with long spells of evening sunshine. And fairly humid as well.

It got so warm today. We might see the odd mist patch forming, but

fairly clear skies over night generally. These are our low

expected temperatures, perhaps of 13 Celsius at the lowest. Tomorrow,

here is the weather system. It is very slow-moving. It is this cold

front being pushed towards us. But it should not spoil things for

tomorrow, we are expecting a really find, warm day. The sunshine could

turn hazy at times. Temperatures are expected to get as high as 26

Celsius, possibly higher in some locations. Really warm. The wind

speed may increase through the afternoon. The west of the region

might get a little bit more cloud developing towards the end of the

day. A low-pressure weather system is bringing wet weather with that.

This is how the outlook looks, fairly changeable after Sunday.

Potentially getting up to 27 degrees tomorrow, then we are in

for a fairly cloudy day with outbreaks of showery rain. It does

not look like it will get into the East until later in the day. Cooler