:00:07. > :00:54.The weather is staying and settled over the next few days, join me
:00:55. > :00:59.later in the programme for `ll of the details.
:01:00. > :01:03.Both sides are claiming victory after a day of strike action
:01:04. > :01:07.Trade union leaders say the turnout is a sign of widespread
:01:08. > :01:12.The employers say, for most civil servants,
:01:13. > :01:19.Here's our chief reporter, Kim Riley.
:01:20. > :01:22.The unions claimed today's strike would be the biggest since the mass
:01:23. > :01:28.protest over pensions three years ago, The TUC said public sector
:01:29. > :01:31.workers had been "locked out of the recovery". It claimed the average
:01:32. > :01:33.employee was ?2,000 worse off under this government. Members of six
:01:34. > :01:41.unions have taken part. The Fire Brigades Union, the civil sdrvice
:01:42. > :01:46.union PCS, Unite, Unison, the GMB and the National Union of Tdachers.
:01:47. > :01:49.In Norfolk, Suffolk and Essdx, some 260 schools have been closed or
:01:50. > :01:52.partially closed by industrhal action. The Government Cabinet
:01:53. > :01:55.Office claims only one in fhve civil servants have been on strikd, and
:01:56. > :01:58.all job centres have been open. It describes the action as
:01:59. > :02:09.So, let's take a look at the impact of the action
:02:10. > :02:17.Let's start in Chelmsford, and our reporter, Gareth George
:02:18. > :02:24.Among those gathering for a march through Chelmsford, Karen Mtllins, a
:02:25. > :02:28.teaching assistant at a loc`l infant school.
:02:29. > :02:33.With teaching assistants, it used to be that you were a parent hdlpers,
:02:34. > :02:39.now, the job has changed so much, and the pay does not reflect that.
:02:40. > :02:44.What message do you hope thhs will send today?
:02:45. > :02:47.Hopefully, pay us what we are worth. People have made the really
:02:48. > :02:51.difficult decision to say enough is enough in a public fashion `nd take
:02:52. > :02:55.strike action. I applaud those people. Thex have
:02:56. > :03:00.just done a lap of the city centre and is on its way to the Essex
:03:01. > :03:04.County Cricket ground. On the way, they are chanting and handing out
:03:05. > :03:09.leaflets to shoppers. But some said the strikers should be back at
:03:10. > :03:13.work. When you are a working parent, it is very hard to find childcare to
:03:14. > :03:16.cover. I have a daughter at second`ry
:03:17. > :03:19.school. I am off on the strhkers should be back at work. When you are
:03:20. > :03:22.a working parent, it is verx hard to find childcare to cover. I have a
:03:23. > :03:26.daughter at secondary school. I am off on's holiday or unpaid leave.
:03:27. > :03:29.I am a retired public sector worker. I appreciate the situation some of
:03:30. > :03:35.my former colleagues are in with pay being frozen. But I am honestly not
:03:36. > :03:40.sure these strikes are effective. I don't think they should bd on
:03:41. > :03:44.strike, there is no point in that. They should resolve the matter
:03:45. > :03:46.without striking. People nedd to be paid a fair wage for what they are
:03:47. > :03:52.doing. I know it is really difficult at the
:03:53. > :03:55.moment, and in the private sector are lots of people are suffdring the
:03:56. > :04:00.same issues. They really should be at work,
:04:01. > :04:04.especially teachers. This school is one of 67 in Essex partiallx
:04:05. > :04:09.closed, 39 are closed compldtely. The Fire Service said crews are
:04:10. > :04:14.still working and dealt with eight instances including a house fire.
:04:15. > :04:16.Meanwhile, the protesters h`d breached the cricket ground and a
:04:17. > :04:21.union rally, happy with thehr protest.
:04:22. > :04:26.It went really well, we had a lot more support than we had
:04:27. > :04:27.anticipated. Essex County Council claimed the strike did not cause
:04:28. > :04:30.significant disruption. In Suffolk, one in 20 schools was
:04:31. > :04:34.forced to close. Some were `ble to stay partially open, after rejigging
:04:35. > :04:36.the school day. Hundreds of protesters took to the stredts, with
:04:37. > :04:39.rallies in Bury St Edmunds, Lowestoft and Ipswich, from where
:04:40. > :04:43.Kevin Burch sent this report. You wouldn't have had to wander far
:04:44. > :04:46.around town this morning to see From here, the fire station,
:04:47. > :04:53.and court buildings All of them individually making
:04:54. > :05:01.a point but this morning thdy came together en masse to stand shoulder
:05:02. > :05:05.to shoulder. They came intent on making
:05:06. > :05:09.a noise and making a point. Rallying support and heartened
:05:10. > :05:15.by messages of support. This on behalf of Labour and
:05:16. > :05:25.Euro MP Richard Hallett. You can not drive up
:05:26. > :05:29.standards by driving down w`ges His worry is over pension,
:05:30. > :05:46.pay and pressure of work lo`d. The bit of my job in I enjox
:05:47. > :05:49.is engaging with young people is But I look at
:05:50. > :05:52.a profession that increasingly feels undervalued, increasingly fdels
:05:53. > :05:54.under pressure from targets, We have had enough
:05:55. > :05:57.of private companies making money They feel frustrated, so too does
:05:58. > :06:05.Sharon, she has an autistic son The strike closed his school and put
:06:06. > :06:08.paid to an assessment which will now There's got to be better waxs
:06:09. > :06:15.to resolve it, maybe petitions? How far do they get,
:06:16. > :06:17.they do this all the time. Across Suffolk,
:06:18. > :06:19.41 schools are partially closed Westbourne Academy is one,
:06:20. > :06:27.the acting principal Dave Lde Allen in a letter to parents said, because
:06:28. > :06:30.of a number of factors incltding health and safety, he would be left
:06:31. > :06:36.with no other sensible choice. There must be other ways
:06:37. > :06:37.other than striking? They need to talk
:06:38. > :06:43.about a fair pay rise, and show Talking to people today, many feel
:06:44. > :06:54.there has to be a better wax to Today, from the Fire Brigadds Union,
:06:55. > :07:02.in warning, if they are not listened to, if people won't negotiate,
:07:03. > :07:05.they will expect more of thd same. And that is the situation
:07:06. > :07:07.in Ipswich. Finally to Norfolk, where the main
:07:08. > :07:10.rally was held in Norwich. Our political correspondent, Andrew
:07:11. > :07:26.Sinclair, was there. 500 people gathered in the gardens,
:07:27. > :07:31.representative of the unions involved in the strike. Council
:07:32. > :07:36.workers, fire fighters, teachers. I love teaching, but we had to fight
:07:37. > :07:40.the current Government and what they are doing to education. Will one day
:07:41. > :07:46.of action make any difference? I don't know, I don't know what else
:07:47. > :07:49.I can do. Their pension is tnder ?5,000 a year.
:07:50. > :07:54.There are many myths around. It is for everybody's benefit.
:07:55. > :07:58.Also present, Parliamentary candidates in Norfolk. The party
:07:59. > :08:04.leadership Gracnar leadershhp is not supporting the strike.
:08:05. > :08:08.We have to put our money whdre our mouth is and stand up these people,
:08:09. > :08:11.our core supporters. If we don't support them, what can we expect in
:08:12. > :08:16.2015? There were picket lines outside
:08:17. > :08:20.council officers. Although they weren't all manned. Librarids were
:08:21. > :08:24.closed and hundreds of pupils had their lessons cancelled. Thhs school
:08:25. > :08:28.was one of 96 only partiallx in Norfolk.
:08:29. > :08:33.Half the children have not been here so they have missed a day of
:08:34. > :08:40.education. We did say if parents had a problem if they did work, we would
:08:41. > :08:43.be able to offer childcare, maybe not teaching, for other classes
:08:44. > :08:47.Obviously, it will have had an effect.
:08:48. > :08:51.Two thirds of schools in Norfolk were not affected. The pavelents
:08:52. > :08:56.were still cleaned, rubbish was collected, leisure centres stayed
:08:57. > :08:59.opened, most council officers still had staff on duty.
:09:00. > :09:05.I am sure the will say they were able to provide a skirt and service.
:09:06. > :09:09.The message is more about a large number of our members who are
:09:10. > :09:12.entitled to strike are striking saying to the Government th`t the
:09:13. > :09:17.pay offer on the table is not acceptable.
:09:18. > :09:20.The Government believes the majority of public opinion is not behind this
:09:21. > :09:23.strike. But the turnout herd showed that, after four years of atsterity,
:09:24. > :09:30.lots of people are not happx. Late this afternoon,
:09:31. > :09:33.I spoke to Brandon Lewis, the MP for Great Yarmouth and Minister for
:09:34. > :09:36.Local Government, and asked him for First of all, I would like to thank
:09:37. > :09:43.all those people who have bden at work today, so we can get back
:09:44. > :09:55.to living within its means. The turnout is probably the lowest
:09:56. > :09:59.from the civil service in a national strike on record. Don't you as a
:10:00. > :10:03.Government has to show some humanity? All of those people, a lot
:10:04. > :10:08.of those people, are on verx low wages and found the last few years
:10:09. > :10:14.years very difficult? We have had to make some difficult
:10:15. > :10:18.decisions. To deal with the inherited massive debt of the last
:10:19. > :10:25.Government. And get on top of public sector pay. On average, the public
:10:26. > :10:30.sector pay is higher than private sector. We need to get on top of
:10:31. > :10:35.that. There are pay increasds of 1%. Making sure the lowest paid get that
:10:36. > :10:39.increase. We have had to make tough decisions to Mitchell the country
:10:40. > :10:43.can get back to living withhn its means. And protecting jobs.
:10:44. > :10:46.We have some people living below the living wage.
:10:47. > :10:48.In today's society, that does not seem acceptable.
:10:49. > :10:52.The changes we have made ard looking to save the country billions
:10:53. > :10:56.We have got to be living within our means.
:10:57. > :11:02.We have a record number of people in work.
:11:03. > :11:09.We want to make sure we keep it going.
:11:10. > :11:12.Steve Bates, one of our viewers e`mailed to say MPs,
:11:13. > :11:15.it is suggested, have an 11% pay rise next ydar.
:11:16. > :11:18.How do you square that against what you are offering some of
:11:19. > :11:25.Actually, I would draw people's attention to
:11:26. > :11:28.the Prime Minister who said that was an unreasonable recommendathon.
:11:29. > :11:34.And not something the Parli`mentary parties have approved.
:11:35. > :12:06.We are doing this, when the coalition came in,
:12:07. > :12:08.cut ministerial pay by 5% and froze it for the entire
:12:09. > :12:11.If you get offered 11%, you will turn it down?
:12:12. > :12:14.This is an inappropriate suggestion from the
:12:15. > :12:18.Just answer that, if you get offered 11%, you would turn it down?
:12:19. > :12:20.I haven't been offered offered 11% pay rise.
:12:21. > :12:22.I have to say, we are looking at hypotheticals
:12:23. > :12:26.I make it clear, it is an inappropriate
:12:27. > :12:29.recommendation from that independent panel and hope by the next
:12:30. > :12:31.Parliament will have reviewdd that in light of what we have said.
:12:32. > :12:34.We are working in an environment where we have had
:12:35. > :12:37.Public sector pay is on average higher than the private sector.
:12:38. > :12:40.It is right to be fair to t`xpayers and hard`working employees
:12:41. > :12:44.Some important travel news this evening.
:12:45. > :12:46.And the M11 is closed because of a major accident.
:12:47. > :12:48.A passenger in a car has been killed.
:12:49. > :12:51.It's happened just south of Harlow, and both carriageways are closed
:12:52. > :13:01.Anglian Water has been talkhng today about its "war ion le`ks"
:13:02. > :13:04.The company admits almost a fifth of the region's water supplx is
:13:05. > :13:07.Today, giant valves were being installed
:13:08. > :13:15.in Peterborough, which could make a difference across the reghon.
:13:16. > :13:21.Supplies to local homes and businesses were cut,
:13:22. > :13:24.as engineers worked to repl`ce worn out supply pipes.
:13:25. > :13:27.Leaks had cost Anglian Water millions of pounds a year to repair,
:13:28. > :13:32.but now they are hoping a ndw scheme will cut leaks dramatically.
:13:33. > :13:35.Outside Peterborough, they are installing four gi`nt
:13:36. > :13:41.valves which will control the speed of flow through the pipes.
:13:42. > :13:44.The more pressure you get, goes to a weak mains, and finds a weak point.
:13:45. > :13:51.This system is put in to reduce the pressure and gives
:13:52. > :13:56.The problem is an historic one, the system was built using hron
:13:57. > :13:58.pipes which, unlike modern plastic ones, often break.
:13:59. > :14:01.In 1990, when the industry was privatised, leakage for Anglian
:14:02. > :14:05.Ten years later, this had reduced to 220 million litrds.
:14:06. > :14:08.Now it is at 192 million litres 17% of the region's water stpply.
:14:09. > :14:11.Within six years, the company is hoping to cut that
:14:12. > :14:15.Still a huge amount, but Anglian Water said zero leakage
:14:16. > :14:21.It would take decades to achieve, and would mean digging up every road
:14:22. > :14:25.This is a totally different approach to how
:14:26. > :14:33.Moving from responding to ldaks and finding and fixing them.
:14:34. > :14:35.While we're doing that, we will be preventing them happening
:14:36. > :14:41.The company says householders won't see any difference
:14:42. > :15:02.It is planning to roll out the scheme across the region.
:15:03. > :15:08.Still to come, unlocking thd potential of the M M 11 corridor.
:15:09. > :15:13.And bringing the magic of computer technology to the developing world.
:15:14. > :15:15.There has been a new development this evenhng in a
:15:16. > :15:19.row over a plan to sell an Dgyptian statue which is 4,000 years old
:15:20. > :15:21.It belongs to Northampton Council, and will go under the hammer
:15:22. > :15:25.at Christie's in London in just a few minutes.
:15:26. > :15:27.It's expected to sell for about ?6 million.
:15:28. > :15:31.But, now, the Egyptian government has told
:15:32. > :15:35.Look East it wants the statte back, and it shouldn't be sold.
:15:36. > :15:38.Once on view to the people of Northampton,
:15:39. > :15:42.this ancient Egyptian statud is now on view to potential buyers.
:15:43. > :15:47.Valued at ?6 million, the 4,000`year`old limestond carving
:15:48. > :15:53.This evening's sale of the statue has sparked
:15:54. > :16:04.The country's ambassador to the UK told me why.
:16:05. > :16:10.It would have to be for public viewing, the students, for
:16:11. > :16:14.researchers, for any single Egyptian who wants to come as a part of his
:16:15. > :16:25.country. But, sending it and making money out of it, selling itdms, if
:16:26. > :16:26.they don't want it, give it back to its country.
:16:27. > :16:29.For the past four years, this statue has been kept
:16:30. > :16:33.The borough council argues ht is not in keeping with the rest
:16:34. > :16:35.It says the sale will fund a redevelopment
:16:36. > :16:40.It says the sale will fund a redevelopment of the town's
:16:41. > :16:44.Local campaigners are trying to stop accreditation which, in turn,
:16:45. > :16:52.The leader of the council says the sald is
:16:53. > :16:58.You're convinced this is sthll the right thing to do?
:16:59. > :17:02.It has not been on display for four years, no`one has asked for it to be
:17:03. > :17:05.on display to see it, we've had it for over 100 years in North`mpton,
:17:06. > :17:13.We want to expand, and we need to raise money, which is
:17:14. > :17:17.Campaigners in Northampton say they are devastated tonight's
:17:18. > :17:24.But they said they have not finished yet.
:17:25. > :17:30.We will still carry on, with the legal bits and pieces.
:17:31. > :17:32.We will try and stop the export should ht be
:17:33. > :17:38.And we are talking to the Egyptians, because they are
:17:39. > :17:55.With the auction minutes aw`y, it seems no matter the pressurd can
:17:56. > :18:02.stop this sale. Today, Arts Council in and said it would review the
:18:03. > :18:06.accreditation of Northampton. Northampton Borough Council may well
:18:07. > :18:09.raise much`needed funds but it could pay the price in the troubld this
:18:10. > :18:14.sale provokes. Business leaders gathered in London
:18:15. > :18:17.today to discuss ways of boosting The east is currently home to more
:18:18. > :18:21.than a thousand such companhes, many of them between Cambridge
:18:22. > :18:23.and London. What they do is turn scienthfic
:18:24. > :18:25.research into medicines. Our business correspondent, Richard
:18:26. > :18:28.Bond, was at today's conferdnce Richard,
:18:29. > :18:39.where are these companies exactly? The conference was held by ` body
:18:40. > :18:45.called the London Stansted Cambridge Consortium which gives you `n idea.
:18:46. > :18:51.It is part of Cambridge, Essex and Hertfordshire. The consortitm says,
:18:52. > :18:56.in that cluster, there 1400 life sciences businesses employing 4 ,000
:18:57. > :19:03.people. The main centres it includes the Cambridge biomedical calpus
:19:04. > :19:08.Stevenage, and the Harlow enterprise zone.
:19:09. > :19:10.What do we need to do to help these businesses to flourish?
:19:11. > :19:14.The Government can see the potential of life sciences and is protecting
:19:15. > :19:20.the science budget despite austerity. There are a numbdr of
:19:21. > :19:24.concerns, particularly in transport. A feeling life sciences
:19:25. > :19:29.is a global industry, peopld need to globe trot and we need bettdr
:19:30. > :19:33.connectivity. Stansted is great for short`haul, it
:19:34. > :19:38.flies to over 150 destinations in Europe. The problem is the long haul
:19:39. > :19:45.destinations to America, Boston Singapore, which are high knowledge
:19:46. > :19:49.economies that Cambridge is crying out for. At the conference, we have
:19:50. > :19:53.heard some people are taking four hours to get from Cambridge to
:19:54. > :19:56.Heathrow which is not doing us any good. Another big concern is skills.
:19:57. > :20:00.Are taking four hours to get from Cambridge to Heathrow which is not
:20:01. > :20:06.doing us any good. Another big concern is skills. I'll be
:20:07. > :20:09.One of the problems is studdnts not studying the subject in need,
:20:10. > :20:14.specifically around growth sectors like science, engineering and maths.
:20:15. > :20:18.We go into schools and excite them about the careers so that they can
:20:19. > :20:20.see what possible exciting technologies they can be involved in
:20:21. > :20:26.and the career paths open to them, get them hooked at a young `ge.
:20:27. > :20:33.training but we're not going to get new roads?
:20:34. > :20:39.The region has great potenthal but an indifferent infrastructure which
:20:40. > :20:42.needs huge investment. Transport and skills are not the only are`s, we
:20:43. > :20:46.need house`building for people who want to work in this industry and to
:20:47. > :20:51.be able to afford to live hdre. If we don't get some of these
:20:52. > :20:52.improvements, then these new jobs, the growth with it, will go
:20:53. > :20:55.elsewhere. These days,
:20:56. > :20:58.most of us have access to a computer, everything from a PC or
:20:59. > :21:02.lap to, to a tablet or smartphone. But in the developing world
:21:03. > :21:04.they are still quite rare. That's why a charity run by
:21:05. > :21:07.Luke Doyle from Bedfordshird is Behind these shanty walls,
:21:08. > :21:18.magic is happening. A little boy shows
:21:19. > :21:21.his father how to use a tablet. In another house,
:21:22. > :21:24.a crowd has gathered, mesmerised It frustrated me that polithcians
:21:25. > :21:37.and people working for the aid agencies in Bangladesh
:21:38. > :21:40.on big salaries, their kids were going to private schools,
:21:41. > :21:43.they were getting a good edtcation. But for the poorer kids, it was OK
:21:44. > :21:46.to make do and keep it basic. So, I guess our goal is to have that
:21:47. > :21:50.high standard of paid education Three years ago, Luke Doyle,
:21:51. > :21:58.a teacher from Bedfordshire, left his home comforts,
:21:59. > :22:05.his steady income, to teach the poorest children in Bangladdsh's
:22:06. > :22:15.capital Dhaka about computers. His charity,
:22:16. > :22:18.Computers Are Free For Everxone We started just with one colputer
:22:19. > :22:23.which we put in a shop So we got four computers, one
:22:24. > :22:30.teacher. We had a line outside the door
:22:31. > :22:34.of students wanting to join. His parents gave up retiremdnt to
:22:35. > :22:46.run the Charity Shop in Bedford That helps,
:22:47. > :22:49.but with Luke planning an app to teach preschool children and their
:22:50. > :22:52.parents to read, that needs the money. Big companies, they `re not
:22:53. > :22:55.prepared to take the risk on it If they could see what is achieved,
:22:56. > :23:01.saw the app he's developing, The mums and dads don't know how to
:23:02. > :23:13.read and write, so the kids don t. Then they go to school and `re
:23:14. > :23:16.at a disadvantage straight `way This way, what Luke is doing,
:23:17. > :23:18.they are on top. Here in Dhaka, a quality edtcation
:23:19. > :23:21.was the preserve of the rich. Thousands
:23:22. > :23:30.of public sector workers in this region have been on strike today,
:23:31. > :23:33.in a protest over pay and pdnsions. Dozens of schools,
:23:34. > :23:34.libraries and other governmdnt Our political correspondent,
:23:35. > :23:57.Andrew Sinclair, is outside Norfolk The region did not grind to a halt
:23:58. > :24:00.today. If you didn't have to visit a Government office today and if your
:24:01. > :24:04.children were taught by non`NDT teachers, you may not have noticed
:24:05. > :24:08.there was a strike taking place Partly because of changes to
:24:09. > :24:12.legislation, partly because many people are not members of a trade
:24:13. > :24:16.union these days. It is impossible for trade unions to have a big
:24:17. > :24:22.impact on action that they tsed to have 20 years ago. Having s`id that,
:24:23. > :24:25.the rallies were well attended. I have seen better attended r`llies
:24:26. > :24:30.but when you consider the wdather, a lot of people came out todax which
:24:31. > :24:34.suggests a lot of people ard still suffering under austerity and still
:24:35. > :24:38.want to protest. We have had a couple of big days of action, is
:24:39. > :24:43.there any sign that things will get better for public sector workers?
:24:44. > :24:47.No, I think they will get worse Austerity has a long way to run
:24:48. > :24:52.This Government wants the ptblic sector pay capped estate in place
:24:53. > :24:57.until 2018. Even if we have a change of Government next year, Labour has
:24:58. > :25:02.said they are committed to this Government's spending plans and have
:25:03. > :25:03.warned unions not to expect any big pay rises. In the public sector the
:25:04. > :25:28.next few years will be very tough. Some counties, it has been puite
:25:29. > :25:31.treacherous, with heavy rain. To the west of it, parts of
:25:32. > :25:37.Northamptonshire didn't get away with too bad a day. The beh`viour of
:25:38. > :25:42.this weather fronts will govern the evening. Heavy downpours ard
:25:43. > :25:45.possible pretty much anywhere this evening and overnight. Therd is a
:25:46. > :25:51.Met Office yellow weather w`rning out for this heavy rain, it poses
:25:52. > :25:55.quite a problem. Already on the roads, not great driving conditions,
:25:56. > :26:01.the risk of local flooding. The weather front will move further
:26:02. > :26:05.east over the next few hours, moving west again overnight. The bright
:26:06. > :26:10.colours show heavy downpours among that band of rain. Graduallx making
:26:11. > :26:16.its way south overnight. Quhte cloudy where it clears. The chance
:26:17. > :26:21.of some sea fog developing. For many of us, temperatures staying in
:26:22. > :26:25.double figures tonight, up to 1 degrees.
:26:26. > :26:30.We start tomorrow, hopefullx, this rain will move away swiftly. It is
:26:31. > :26:34.likely to click in the south. This eve of lingering in some parts of
:26:35. > :26:38.the region. The chance of any cloud left behind will break in the
:26:39. > :26:43.afternoon. Then we could sed some sunshine. It will feel warm and
:26:44. > :26:49.humid in places. Some parts getting up to the mid`20s. This posds the
:26:50. > :26:54.threat of heavy showers. Anx of these showers could develop into
:26:55. > :27:00.thunderstorms in the afternoon. It looks largely dry across the
:27:01. > :27:06.region but be aware of thosd showers. There is a risk.
:27:07. > :27:12.The warm air stays in place for the weekend. A good thing in sole ways,
:27:13. > :27:16.it will feel quite pleasant. It might feel humid at times. The best
:27:17. > :27:22.of the weather is on Saturd`y morning with sunshine. In the
:27:23. > :27:27.afternoon, there could be possibly thundery showers. A similar pattern
:27:28. > :27:29.on Sunday. Not so much humility There could be a settled st`rt to
:27:30. > :27:36.next week. `` humidity. Join us again after the
:27:37. > :27:39.Ten O'Clock News. with some new adventures to share
:27:40. > :28:02.with YOUR little ones. Please, double please.
:28:03. > :28:10.We're going to Dad's office today. These look really yummy.
:28:11. > :28:16.I'm so excited about going to school.