:00:00. > :00:00.That's all from the BBC News at Six, so it's goodbye from me, and on
:00:07. > :00:15.Hello and welcome. The headlines: More evidence that house`building in
:00:16. > :00:24.our region is on the up. But who can afford to buy? Affordability before
:00:25. > :00:30.2000 was four times average salary but now it is 228 times salary.
:00:31. > :00:35.Police question Essex commuters a week after a city trader was shot
:00:36. > :00:40.and injured on his way to work. Norwich Castle lowers the ramparts
:00:41. > :00:44.for an exhibition of Roman treasures.
:00:45. > :00:46.And after some wet weather tonight, an improvement into the weekend.
:00:47. > :01:01.Join me at the end of the programme. Hello. There's more evidence tonight
:01:02. > :01:03.that the region's housing market is back on the move. We're building
:01:04. > :01:08.more new houses. But experts say there are still not enough. And they
:01:09. > :01:11.are too expensive. Today the national house building council
:01:12. > :01:15.revealed that more than 14 thousand new homes were registered in the
:01:16. > :01:23.east during 2013. An increase of 28% on the previous year. But that is
:01:24. > :01:25.still 8,000 fewer homes a year than were being built before the
:01:26. > :01:28.financial crash. There are also concerns that the shortage of
:01:29. > :01:35.housing is making property more unaffordable. The average home now
:01:36. > :01:39.costs eight times a worker's salary. The Government has been desperate to
:01:40. > :01:42.see more homes being built ` so today's news is politically
:01:43. > :01:45.important. This morning the local government secretary was in Caister
:01:46. > :01:50.near Great Yarmouth where the council has started building council
:01:51. > :01:57.houses again. Mr Pickles was pleased but keen to stress there's still a
:01:58. > :02:01.lot to do. There is a chronic housing shortage
:02:02. > :02:08.in parts of the UK. We have not built the number of houses that
:02:09. > :02:11.would meet need since the middle of the 1970s.
:02:12. > :02:14.But you have taken your time to do it.
:02:15. > :02:20.Well, we inherited an appalling situation on housing, record lows.
:02:21. > :02:22.It takes time to get confidence back.
:02:23. > :02:26.Today's figures show that council house building is up by a third,
:02:27. > :02:29.private building up by a quarter. Help to buy is making it easier for
:02:30. > :02:33.people to get mortgages, changes to the law are making it easier for
:02:34. > :02:37.builders to build but the industry is still cautious. We are still not
:02:38. > :02:40.building enough homes and that means those that are being built are
:02:41. > :02:49.unaffordable ` particularly to first time buyer.
:02:50. > :02:53.Affordability in the East before 2000 was four times average salary
:02:54. > :03:00.but now it is eight times national salary so there is an issue. We need
:03:01. > :03:04.to ensure we continue to build more homes so affordability isn't such a
:03:05. > :03:07.critical issue for people. Labour has also pledged to do more to
:03:08. > :03:11.encourage house building but it says one of the problems at the moment is
:03:12. > :03:18.that developers are often escaping their responsibilities. If you can
:03:19. > :03:23.increase supply, it will bring it down but it's important to make the
:03:24. > :03:27.developers fulfil commitments to produce 30% of affordable houses for
:03:28. > :03:31.rent in any development. The bottom line is that it will still be some
:03:32. > :03:34.time before we have enough houses which people can afford to buy.
:03:35. > :03:37.There are very definite signs that things are getting better but as Mr
:03:38. > :03:41.Pickles conceded today there's still a long way to go. Andrew's here now.
:03:42. > :03:47.Of course Mr Pickles visiting during a very important time for our local
:03:48. > :03:52.authorities? This is the time of year when
:03:53. > :03:55.councils fix their budgets and for a fifth year running their planning
:03:56. > :04:03.notable savings and it will not end there. Research has found councils
:04:04. > :04:07.across the region are planning a total of ?8 billion worth of extra
:04:08. > :04:15.savings over four years. Let me show you the figures. This is what they
:04:16. > :04:20.will have to save or cut by 2018. That is in addition to other
:04:21. > :04:25.savings. Budgets have been cut by 40% since the coalition came to
:04:26. > :04:31.power. Councils say it is getting harder every year. Mr pickles is
:04:32. > :04:36.bullish, councils have been squealing and all with find a way to
:04:37. > :04:40.cope. He says they need to look at ways of sharing services and
:04:41. > :04:45.generating income. Some councils are thinking of increasing council tax,
:04:46. > :04:49.Essex are thinking about it. Eric Pickles said that is fine but
:04:50. > :04:53.justify yourself to the voters. Well that takes us on to the cost of our
:04:54. > :04:57.police service. Council tax payers in Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex now
:04:58. > :05:00.know how much extra they are being asked to pay. The amount that goes
:05:01. > :05:05.to the police in the council tax bill is called the precept. How much
:05:06. > :05:11.you pay, depends on where you live. The money for police forces comes
:05:12. > :05:18.from two places. Usually most is from central government the rest
:05:19. > :05:21.from council tax. In Norfolk today. PCC Stephen Bett set out his stall.
:05:22. > :05:29.Along with Chief Constable Simon Bailey. He wants the part of council
:05:30. > :05:32.tax for the police to go up by nearly 2% and predicts big cuts if
:05:33. > :05:41.it doesn't. We will be close to being a blue light service only. If
:05:42. > :05:44.that scaremongering? 82% of the budget is people, if we don't have
:05:45. > :05:48.the money for the budget people will have to go.
:05:49. > :05:52.Councillors actually vetoed the plan by five votes to four but the vote
:05:53. > :05:55.didn't count. Because there weren't enough councillors present. Eight
:05:56. > :06:02.votes are needed for a veto. So Stephen Bett will get his 2%
:06:03. > :06:05.increase after all. The Suffolk PCC in contrast isn't asking for any
:06:06. > :06:12.more money from council tax payers. For the second year in a row. We
:06:13. > :06:17.have to get off this idea that the only way you improve things is by
:06:18. > :06:23.throwing more money at it. I think there is a contribution in Suffolk
:06:24. > :06:28.and I hope the public sector will join us. In Essex the PCC Nick
:06:29. > :06:32.Alston wants the biggest rise in the precept. 3.5%. But for all our
:06:33. > :06:38.forces the actual figures are fairly small. The 2% rise in Norfolk would
:06:39. > :06:41.amount to 8p a week for a band D house. That's an extra ?3.96 a year
:06:42. > :06:44.for the police. But with cuts to local services across the board
:06:45. > :06:54.councillors will have to decide if even this. Is too much. Earlier I
:06:55. > :07:00.spoke to the Police and Crime Commissioner for Essex. Nick Alston.
:07:01. > :07:02.I asked him why people should be asked to pay more for their police
:07:03. > :07:09.service in Essex. When other counties were freezing their
:07:10. > :07:13.contributions? Every county is in a different position and in Essex from
:07:14. > :07:17.council tax we have paid less for policing recently than any other
:07:18. > :07:23.county. The responsible thing is to put it up. It is 10p a week. You are
:07:24. > :07:26.saying you are not getting enough money from the government, isn't
:07:27. > :07:32.that something you should take up with them? I make my views known to
:07:33. > :07:38.government and let ministers know how tight it is. All government
:07:39. > :07:42.departments are making savings. It is about balancing what we pay from
:07:43. > :07:47.central government and what we pay locally. In Essex people want to
:07:48. > :07:52.support the Super League `` support the police. We have to be prepared
:07:53. > :07:56.to pay for it. The reduction in the government grant is the equivalent
:07:57. > :08:03.to 165 officers, can you guarantee this extra money you are asking for
:08:04. > :08:07.from the council tax will go to front`line policing? All of the
:08:08. > :08:11.focus is on front line policing but the front line can be the front
:08:12. > :08:16.room, it is not officers on the street, yes, the chief constable is
:08:17. > :08:21.responsible for getting the resources in the right place. What
:08:22. > :08:28.other risks if you don't get this extra money, what would people Essex
:08:29. > :08:32.the? If the extra money would pay for the equivalent of 55 extra
:08:33. > :08:37.police officers, it would not just be officers but it would have to be
:08:38. > :08:42.the service in some areas less good than it is now. They could be slower
:08:43. > :08:50.response times, fewer crimes are attended. He will deliver a service
:08:51. > :08:53.with what funds are available but we need to give him the most resources
:08:54. > :08:57.we can afford. Nick Alston, speaking to me earlier.
:08:58. > :09:00.And council tax bills are one of the subjects up for debate on this
:09:01. > :09:03.weekend's Sunday Politics. You can see that on Sunday, at eleven
:09:04. > :09:06.o'clock, here on BBC One. British Transport Police questioned
:09:07. > :09:10.commuters in Essex today, exactly a week after a city trader was shot
:09:11. > :09:15.and injured on his way to work. The incident happened early last Friday.
:09:16. > :09:18.The victim, 44`year`old Robin Clark, was undergoing more surgery on his
:09:19. > :09:21.wounds today at Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford.
:09:22. > :09:27.5.30 this morning at Shenfield police once again asking commuters
:09:28. > :09:31.for help. The attack on Robin Clark, last week ` they believe was
:09:32. > :09:37.targeted, but who shot him and why remains unclear. It was exactly a
:09:38. > :09:40.week ago at about ten to six in the morning, Robin Clark drove into the
:09:41. > :09:45.car park here in Shenfield, parked and got out the car. He was
:09:46. > :09:49.approached by a masked gun man who shot him, he fell to the ground.
:09:50. > :09:55.This is the police's third appeal in a week. Speaking to commuters at the
:09:56. > :10:02.station, and on the trains hoping to find people who know Mr Clark. Their
:10:03. > :10:06.presence will highlight the fact that someone needs to come forward
:10:07. > :10:18.to give information if they have anything. You feel more secure but,
:10:19. > :10:24.it is scary. It is random. A shocking thing to happen at this
:10:25. > :10:30.time in the morning in this area. It seems like it was an organised thing
:10:31. > :10:32.rather than random. I don't feel unsafe.
:10:33. > :10:36.Whilst Robin Clark remains in hospital awaiting more surgery, the
:10:37. > :10:40.hunt for his attacker continues. Police say they've already spoken to
:10:41. > :10:46.him at length, but they still need help and are urging anyone who knows
:10:47. > :10:49.why he was shot to come forward. Two Norfolk MPs say the proposed
:10:50. > :10:55.waste incinerator for King's Lynn should be abandoned because it isn't
:10:56. > :10:58.financially viable. One hundred million pounds could be saved if
:10:59. > :11:01.Norfolk County Council pulls out of the contract with Cory Wheelabrator
:11:02. > :11:04.according to figures published this afternoon. MPs Elizabeth Truss and
:11:05. > :11:17.Henry Bellingham claim the county would be paying far more.
:11:18. > :11:21.We have looked at the cost of the Council proposals and it looks like
:11:22. > :11:28.the county council will be spending over ?100 per tonne on waste when
:11:29. > :11:33.deaf say the average is ?78. What that means is for the next 23 years,
:11:34. > :11:39.Norfolk will be locked into a contract that could cost hundreds of
:11:40. > :11:44.millions than Neal Turner said. Eric Pickles will decide on planning
:11:45. > :11:48.grounds but he will be interested in the figures because the figures show
:11:49. > :11:59.beyond any doubt there are cheaper alternatives out there.
:12:00. > :12:11.Coming up, six Nations rugby fever grips Northampton. And cleans for
:12:12. > :12:18.Mike leggings. `` a clean sweep for Mike. The Suffolk port of Lowestoft
:12:19. > :12:22.received a major economic boost today. Which will strengthen its
:12:23. > :12:24.reputation as a headquarters for the renewable energy industry. The
:12:25. > :12:27.owners of substantial new wind farm announced they would be locating
:12:28. > :12:31.their operations base there. The Galloper wind farm in the North Sea
:12:32. > :12:35.is still in the development stage. But if it is built, it will join the
:12:36. > :12:38.other vast wind farms off the Anglia coast generating power for the
:12:39. > :12:40.national grid. As our business correspondent Richard Bond reports,
:12:41. > :12:43.today's announcement could guarantee jobs in Lowestoft for 25 years.
:12:44. > :12:47.The port of Lowestoft has had its share of knocks over the years. As
:12:48. > :12:52.fishing has declined hopes of renewal have been pinned on offshore
:12:53. > :12:56.wind. And today, inside the building put up to house green energy
:12:57. > :12:59.companies, a boost for the town. The firm planning the region's sixth
:13:00. > :13:17.offshore wind farm said it would base its operations in the port.
:13:18. > :13:25.Lowestoft is the ideal location. For the construction period will be
:13:26. > :13:27.creating of jobs as well as up to 60 jobs for the 25`year is of
:13:28. > :13:30.operations. The ?1.3bn wind farm is called
:13:31. > :13:34.Galloper. It would be 18 miles off Suffolk, next to an existing wind
:13:35. > :13:37.farm, Greater Gabbard. When the wind farm revolution began ten years ago
:13:38. > :13:45.there were hopes factories making the turbines, and other major
:13:46. > :13:49.components, would be set up here. Instead, the region has specialised
:13:50. > :13:53.in operations and maintenance ` managing the wind farms day to day,
:13:54. > :13:56.keeping them in good nick. The operations base for the Scroby Sands
:13:57. > :13:59.wind farm is in Yarmouth. Gunfleet Sands is operated from
:14:00. > :14:03.Brightlingsea. Greater Gabbard from Lowestoft. Sheringham Shoal from
:14:04. > :14:08.Wells. The proposed Dudgeon wind farm will be run from Yarmouth and
:14:09. > :14:12.Galloper from Lowt. The Sheringham Shoal operations base near Wells
:14:13. > :14:16.opened last year. It houses technicians and engineers. The
:14:17. > :14:24.output of the field is monitored from a control room.
:14:25. > :14:29.It is a significant boost, there are full`time jobs, the people are
:14:30. > :14:34.highly skilled, well paid, this is a long`term opportunity on the premise
:14:35. > :14:37.the lifetime expectancy is 25 years. Operations and maintenance are
:14:38. > :14:40.great, but shouldn't this region be getting more out of offshore wind
:14:41. > :14:46.than that? The government strategy states that
:14:47. > :14:51.they tried to get 50% of content from the UK and over the lifetime it
:14:52. > :14:54.will be the case. It's not certain Galloper will be built. One of its
:14:55. > :14:57.investors is reviewing the project. But a final decision is expected
:14:58. > :15:08.later this year, potentially putting Lowestoft at the heart of a rising
:15:09. > :15:12.industry. The UK's biggest exhibition of Roman
:15:13. > :15:15.artefacts is going on display this weekend, at Norwich castle. The
:15:16. > :15:17.display consists of 160 pieces on loan from the British Museum.
:15:18. > :15:20.Highlights include sculpture from the villas of the Emperors Tiberius
:15:21. > :15:23.and Hadrian. There are coins from the famous Hoxne treasure items of
:15:24. > :15:34.jewellery and children's clothing from Roman Egypt. Let's cross to
:15:35. > :15:37.Norwich Castle. Yes, theres a big launch party going on here right
:15:38. > :15:41.now.,Its quite a coup for the Museum.One of just six around the
:15:42. > :15:44.country to play host to a pretty extraordinary collection. It's been
:15:45. > :15:50.described as a Roman blockbuster and we've had a sneak preview.
:15:51. > :15:55.It's been three years in the planning. And its taken almost a
:15:56. > :16:00.month of painstaking work to put together. The result an exhibition
:16:01. > :16:04.of the highest quality. Featuring 160 precious pieces from the British
:16:05. > :16:07.Museum. The focus not just the Romans in Britain but their
:16:08. > :16:12.influence across a sprawling empire one of the most powerful in
:16:13. > :16:15.history.. Dr John Davies, chief curator at Norfolk Museums service,
:16:16. > :16:21.is a specialist in Roman archaeology and coinag and tickled pink that all
:16:22. > :16:26.this is on show outside London. `` coinage. We see small objects,
:16:27. > :16:30.many brought in by metal detector users which show us about the
:16:31. > :16:36.everyday workings of Norfolk but we have the bits we don't see in this
:16:37. > :16:40.part of the Roman world, highly well preserved beautiful objects from
:16:41. > :16:46.some of the really great buildings. Some of it was used in cunning ways
:16:47. > :16:54.for propaganda purposes, iconic objects, the barbarian
:16:55. > :16:57.representation captive from the East representing a defeated province in
:16:58. > :17:02.the second century. We have a bust of the Emperor Also here marble
:17:03. > :17:05.burial chests from Turkey. A bearded portrait and the detail is
:17:06. > :17:13.absolutely stunning. We do not see that in Roman Britain. This is one
:17:14. > :17:20.of my favourite items. It is a child's sock. You would think it was
:17:21. > :17:25.mid `` made this week but it is 1700 years old. Look at the gap between
:17:26. > :17:31.the toes to allow a sandal to be worn. That is a leather sandal found
:17:32. > :17:36.in the same area. This strange concoction is a Willie hairnet. They
:17:37. > :17:40.were found in Roman Egypt. `` Willie. And from Egypt again painted
:17:41. > :17:46.on wooden panels so called mummy portraits. Faces looking at us from
:17:47. > :17:57.the first and second century AD proud to call themselves Roman
:17:58. > :18:01.citizens. I can tell you admission costs ?7 for adults, children aged
:18:02. > :18:13.four to 16.4 pounds 90. It opens to the public at 10am tomorrow and runs
:18:14. > :18:16.to April 27th. Amazing. The quality. The Romans did not play
:18:17. > :18:26.rugby but they would have enjoyed this contest between England and
:18:27. > :18:29.France. Yes, the six Nations opener tomorrow. The England squad
:18:30. > :18:41.dominated by players from Northampton. Let's go to Northampton
:18:42. > :18:47.now. Well, to this tavern in Northampton, a stones throw from
:18:48. > :18:56.Franklins Gardens. So much to look forward to. It is transfer deadline
:18:57. > :19:03.day. For Norwich fans, the future of one player was on the cards. Another
:19:04. > :19:05.Premier League club has come in with another fee. Stay tuned to the radio
:19:06. > :19:31.to find out what happens. Of course it is destabilising, he
:19:32. > :19:38.would have been playing tomorrow. But has destabilised the whole ship,
:19:39. > :19:44.no. I will find somebody else. We all know how much parents do for
:19:45. > :19:48.young sports stars, Luther's mother took it one step further writing an
:19:49. > :19:54.e`mail to his coach angry that her son was dropped from the Leeds
:19:55. > :19:59.Academy. Fast forward and Luther has made the step up. He will be playing
:20:00. > :20:04.for England against France tomorrow and the coach who she was critical
:20:05. > :20:23.of then is now the England head coach, Stuart Lancaster. It has been
:20:24. > :20:31.a roller`coaster few years. TECHNICAL PROBLEMS WITH SOUND
:20:32. > :20:42.It is pubs like this when the action will be taking place. I have managed
:20:43. > :20:54.to bump into two legends. I won three. None. How difficult is it to
:20:55. > :20:59.beat the French? In Paris it is very difficult. If the French get a good
:21:00. > :21:03.start at the weekend it can be difficult to beat them. They have
:21:04. > :21:07.struggled recently but they have class players. You can't
:21:08. > :21:16.underestimate them. It is quite an atmosphere in Paris. How will Luther
:21:17. > :21:21.handle the occasion? It is difficult to say. Your first cap is special.
:21:22. > :21:28.It is a moment to be savoured. The atmosphere is unbelievable. I
:21:29. > :21:34.remember walking out and hearing the raw. He has to play as he has been
:21:35. > :21:39.playing all season. He is one of the most improved players so he has to
:21:40. > :21:46.do more of what he has been doing. Saints have been doing so well in
:21:47. > :21:51.the premiership. How easy is it to take the domestic club form into the
:21:52. > :22:00.international game? It is all about confidence. The guys are flying
:22:01. > :22:11.high. I think they will be fine. The conference will carry this evening.
:22:12. > :22:18.These are the moments you dream of. Yes, this is what it is all about.
:22:19. > :22:22.Lancaster has been bowled with a selection. These guys are ready for
:22:23. > :22:27.it. When you get the opportunity you have to take it. You are playing
:22:28. > :22:34.with talent around you. You don't have to worry about other people.
:22:35. > :22:42.The game is at 5pm on BBC One and tomorrow many games could be off in
:22:43. > :22:45.the football league. Stay tuned. Apologies because not hear what
:22:46. > :23:00.Luther was saying in the clip. We had stout `` sound issues. This time
:23:01. > :23:04.last year, the East was shivering in one of the coldest winters for
:23:05. > :23:07.years. It hasn't been so bad this year, but that hasn't dampened
:23:08. > :23:10.enthusiasm for real fires. Sales of wood burning stoves, for example,
:23:11. > :23:13.have soared to 175,000 a year. All that wood burning has increased
:23:14. > :23:16.demand for chimney sweeps. The job of sweeping chimneys hasn't changed
:23:17. > :23:18.since Victorian times ` until now. His name is Andy. He is a very handy
:23:19. > :23:35.sweep to know. Andy has been a sweep for 25 years
:23:36. > :23:38.and he loves the freedom of the job. You get around the country,
:23:39. > :23:46.different places all the time, you see some really nice looking houses
:23:47. > :23:53.and see how the other half live. It is never knowing what you will do.
:23:54. > :23:58.Andy is a traditional sweep using rods and brushes. It has been that
:23:59. > :24:02.way for a while, or there we do not send children up any more. This
:24:03. > :24:11.child was three when he worked for his dad. Now, there is something
:24:12. > :24:17.new. Rob a former sweep has invented a new power sweeping system.
:24:18. > :24:21.It goes into the flu more easily. You just put the drill into it and
:24:22. > :24:39.centrifugal force holds it. His company is a family affair. His
:24:40. > :24:47.wife and daughter work in the firm with his sons and his son`in`law and
:24:48. > :24:51.his 90 old mother`in`law opened a new training facility today which
:24:52. > :24:57.has lots of fireplaces. This is the way forward. There is no
:24:58. > :25:02.going back when people use this, it is revolutionary, it is chalk and
:25:03. > :25:07.cheese. The technology is changing but it is
:25:08. > :25:13.still a grubby job. And he doesn't mind, chimney sweeps are said to be
:25:14. > :25:22.lucky and he feels lucky to have done the job for so long.
:25:23. > :25:28.I have a three`year old, that is a job for her! The weather really
:25:29. > :25:32.changed today. Yes, wet weather and you will have heard the Met office
:25:33. > :25:38.have announced early statistics suggest it has been the wettest
:25:39. > :25:44.January on record. You might be wondering about this region, look at
:25:45. > :25:48.the map. You can see the white shading, that shows where we
:25:49. > :25:52.recorded average rainfall or for some parts just below but as we go
:25:53. > :26:02.further south and west, darker colours where we recorded 150% of
:26:03. > :26:08.the average rainfall. Getting on the twice and we still have tonight
:26:09. > :26:12.rainfall. Quite a lot of rain we have had and strong gusty wind
:26:13. > :26:17.coming in on this weather front and over the last few hours since the
:26:18. > :26:22.sun went down, some heavy downpours so expect a wet evening and through
:26:23. > :26:28.the first part of the night, further heavy downpours and strong gusty
:26:29. > :26:33.wind. The wind will ease later on when the rain clears eastwards. And
:26:34. > :26:36.it introduces some quite cool air, where the rain clears eastwards. And
:26:37. > :26:38.it introduces some quite cool air, whether rain clears and where we get
:26:39. > :26:44.clear spells, we may have temperatures of freezing. Icy
:26:45. > :26:47.patches around but that's in a sheltered spots. There will be a
:26:48. > :26:55.breeze. The weekend is much improved, quite windy, some showers
:26:56. > :27:00.around but also sunny spells and Sunday, a better day because the
:27:01. > :27:04.wind will be lighter. We start tomorrow dry and bright, quite
:27:05. > :27:10.windy, a fresh southerly breeze, blowing showers through and on the
:27:11. > :27:19.southerly breeze many arrests will look dry, Chile with highs of seven
:27:20. > :27:24.Celsius. `` chilly. Better on Sunday but the Monday this weather front on
:27:25. > :27:29.its way, turning skies cloudier through Monday and bringing rain. It
:27:30. > :27:36.will be an unsettled start to next week and the wind picking up again.
:27:37. > :27:38.A bit of everything. That is all from us. Have a good weekend.
:27:39. > :27:42.Goodbye.