19/08/2014 Look East - East

Suffolk and Norfolk. Labour goes to Lowestoft to attack low pay at the

seaside. The average working wage is below the national average hn

Lowestoft and that is something a Labour government would really help

with. Commuter anger as real fears get the green light for an hnflation

busting rise. Thieves make off with lead the

roofing worth ?200,000. And making hay in the countryside,

all for the good cause. Labour went on the offensivd today

claiming that workers around the coast are far worse

off than people who work elsewhere. Senior Labour party figures

chose the holiday season to go to Lowestoft.

They claimed coastal towns were being left behind

by the coalition government. The party released figures showing

that in the Waveney constittency, the average worker earns

around ?350 a week. That's ?70 less than

the national average. It says women in the area e`rn

an average of ?240 a week. That's ?90

below the national figure. This from our chief reporter

Kim Riley. An upbeat mood on the Prom this

morning as local supporters greeted Labour's seaside express totr.

It's highlighting its one nation message, that no part

of the UK will be forgotten. Despite polls showing Labour is yet

to be trusted on the economx, rising star Gloria De Piero is

leading the charge. If you were to ask people,

"Who do you think will most help you and your family,"

Labour is streets ahead. That to me is the question

on the economy, because what other question on the economy is there.

It's about whether it will help you, your family, your household budget,

that's the only thing that latters when we're talking

about a recovery economy. Just a short walk

from the golden beaches, Kikley `` Kirkley. Bedsit land, a lot of

poverty here. 72`year`old Ralph has run

a furniture business here for almost 40 years.

He is depressed by its declhne. From what it was,

we had post offices, garages, every store you like.

A bank, all gone. I think it's terrible.

If we didn't have charity shops we wouldn't have nothing at all

Sally`Anne, currently a full`time carer for her

son, wants eventually to return to work, but prospects look bldak.

The whole town is dead, just a dead`end town, nothing here at all.

How easy is it to get a job? Very hard.

It took my mum almost three years to find a job moving here.

This man is trying to survive and support his family

on part`time work, unable to get employment as a chef.

I need a full`time job. I have to survive myself.

I do leafleting, one day jobs.. But how does the present MP answer

Labour's criticisms over low wages? What our challenge now is,

is to raise incomes and wagds in the Lowestoft area, and policies

like improving skills, improving infrastructure and policies like

the enterprise zone which m`kes it easier for businesses to cole and

set up here will help address that. A touch of Punch

and Judy politics in an are` Labour is anxious to recover.

Rail travellers in this reghon have been told today that fares will rise

again by more than inflation. From January 1st, tickets whll

cost on average 3.5% more. It's in line with an agreed formula.

So, what will it mean for commuters here?

It means some commuters will have to pay hundreds more

each year to get to work. Let's have a look at what

a 3.5% rise would mean. For Greater Anglia passengers, an on

the day return ticket from Norwich to Liverpool Street would cost more

than ?109 ` an increase of ?3.7 . Meanwhile, a peak season ticket

on the same route would cost more than ?8,700, a rise of ?295.

On the C2C from Essex into London, a season ticket from Shoeburyness

to Fenchurch Street would cost just under ?3,500.

A rise of ?118. The Government says it can't

afford to subsidise rail services any more than it already dods.

We are in the midst of the biggest investment in the railway sxstem

since Victorian times, and the question has to be asked about how

much passengers should be and how much out of general taxation, and

that is a conversation that needs to continue to happen between ly

department and the Treasury. But the Campaign for

Better Transport says since the Government came to power in

2010, fares have risen by 24% while wages have gone up by just 6.9%

Commuters we spoke to today were unimpressed.

I think they are just clickhng the money and not using it as wdll as

they can. To ask for an addhtional 3% on top of the fact you c`n wait

up to an hour for a train. H probably ought to London two or

three times a week and I wotld struggle to pay more than I am at

the moment. I feel that I al being priced off the trains.

Greater Anglia says it is investing in rail services.

?20 million is being spent on refreshing the carriages

and buying more rolling stock. And despite fares rising faster than

the rate of inflation for more than a decade, more people than dver are

using the train, with the ntmber of passengers doubling in 14 years.

We'd love to hear what you think about the increases `

you can contact us via email, Facebook or Twitter.

Look East can reveal the nulber of metal thefts

from churches is falling. In Suffolk, Norfolk

and Essex they have fallen by two thirds in the last two years.

But there is growing concern that the figure could go up again

when money for a task force, which was set up to deal with

the problem, runs out in September. Up until a month ago, it was lead

rather than tar pollen on this roof. We looked up and we could sde

daylight through the rafters and realised something signific`nt had

happened. The impact has bedn huge. It has shocked all the local people

who know and love this building and the last thing we want to do is keep

this lot, but it appears th`t is what we will have to do at the

moment. The number of metal thefts in these local dioceses is have

dropped. This trend is refldcted nationally. In that time, there has

been an ?800,000 drop in cl`ims The National metal theft task force was

set up to protect churches like this, and they work has been

credited with a drop in met`l theft, but the funding is expiring next

month and the government believes the problem is almost solved. The

task force targets thieves `nd rogue elements of the scrap industry. So

far 1000 people have been arrested and metal theft has reduced by 4%.

Some are saying it is short`sighted to stop its funding. 18 months ago

one would have thought the latter was settled but with the rise in the

cost of lead and easy ways of detecting it, we still have NSU The

lead was quoted with smart water, a chemical coating which makes the

material easier to trace and more difficult to sell on. The rdpairs

will cost ?100,000 for this church. Norman Baker, the Home Office

minister will be live on radio tomorrow morning, and sitting

regarding his justification on scrapping the task force. `` and

selling. A toddler is

in a critical condition aftdr being hit by an ice cream van in Harlow.

It happened in the Northbrooks area at arotnd :30

yesterday afternoon. The 22`month`old boy was inhtially

taken to the Princess Alexandria Hospital but has now been

transferred to Addenbrooke's Hospital for specialist tre`tment.

A man has been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter after an asxlum

seeker was found dead insidd a shipping container in Essdx.

The victim was one of 35 people from Afghanistan, including 15 children,

found at Tilbury Docks on S`turday. Essex Police said officers

in Northern Ireland had arrdsted a 34`year`old man on suspichon

of manslaughter and immigration offences.

A man's appeared in court today charged in connection

with two fires in Westcliff`on`Sea. Emergency crews were called

after gas mains were set alhght beneath two blocks of flats.

More than 50 people had to leave their homes.

Police charged a 26`year old man with arson with

intent to endanger life. Sam Brown, of no fixed addrdss,

appeared before Southend Magistrates court this mornhng.

The incidents happened in the London Road area on Sunday night

and Monday morning. Did you know the Chinese province

of Jiangsu has a permanent representative in Chelmsford?

He's there to capitalise on the growing economic ties

between the two regions. Today, there has been a celdbration

in Essex to mark 25 years of business links with Chin`, and

the hope is those links will bring even more business to this region.

Look closely in the atrium `t the headquarters of Essex Countx Council

and you can see hints of a long`standing international

friendship that is proving dver more valuable. Now permanently installed

in an office in County Hall, an official representative of Jiangsu

province in China, helping businesses from here expand over

there. Businesses in Essex have long`standing relationship with

China. 5500 miles away, Jiangsu is an economic hotspot, so how did the

links with Essex begin? 25 xears ago the daughter of a senior politician

in Jiangsu was studying at what was then Chelmsford technical college,

and they started a link with the province. Back in 2008, China

donated these priceless sculptures to display as the ties strengthened.

This man is about to expand his medical equipment business hnto

China, and the links have sloothed the way. Doors were opened for us

whereas before it would havd been quite difficult to do on our own. We

flew out and wear label quickly to decide on a warehouse and workshop

that was suitable. But does the council have reservations about

doing business with the country that has questions to answer abott human

rights? Batters for national governments and leaders to decide.

We are getting business for companies in Essex to help them

expand and create jobs. And entrepreneurs like this man hopes

the bonds will continue to grow alongside the huge Chinese dconomy.

Still to come, the home of the British Grand Prix on its bdd to

keep another major racing event And how making hay is making a

difference in the countryside. The scale of violence in prhsons

in this region has been revdaled in a confidential document leaked

to BBC East. Today,

the Justice Secretary Chris Grayling denied the service was in crisis.

But prison officers are reporting a surge in attacks

and suicides behind bars. Recent examples include Chelmsford

Jail, where staff had to withdraw to safety after losing control

of a wing. A squad of specially trained

officers were called in. While at Peterborough Prison,

officers and inmates were injured in six outbreaks of violencd

in recent weeks. In a moment,

a campaigner for prison reform. That's after this from our home

affairs correspondent Sally Chidzoy. Overcrowded and understaffed,

presents have been under motnting pressure for years. In Chellsford

error this month, former prhsoners climbed onto netting to encourage

other inmates to join in. Sdrious assaults on prisoners and staff have

shot up by over one third in a year, with self harm and suicide cases

also rising. It can be hard to get a detailed picture of what is going on

behind the walls but these detailed reports shall just that. `` show. In

Peterborough, and offer was scolded and earlier this month a prhsoner

was slashed from ear to most. `` mouth. The Justice Secretarx admits

the service is under pressure but says it is not as bad as it was

Violence today is that a lower level than it was five years ago. We have

challenges from an increased population and we are meeting those

challenges and recruiting more stuff but I am clear that there is no

crisis. The errors pressure but no crisis. Experts on prisons say the

government cannot ignore wh`t is happening, the high level of

assaults and the number of prisoners self harming.

Let's hear from Juliet Lyon, director of the Prison Reform Trust.

The report highlighted worrxing levels of violence. What do you

think the reason is? We are seeing not only a rise in violence, which

is very worrying, but a redtction in staffing levels. It is no

coincidence that prisons ard under such a high degree of presstre. You

have to have enough high qu`lified staff to run them. The Justhce

Secretary has admitted that they are under pressure but he says ht is not

a crisis, do you agree? It depends upon how you define a crisis. We

have a public service that hs there to hold people securely and safely

and in many places it seems not to be doing so. Around half thd people

that leave are convicted ag`in, and you have this rise in violence and

suicide, and massive budget cuts, and the Justice Secretary who is

driving a reform programme that I would suggest is befitting tndue

pressure on public services. `` is putting. We should expect them to

try to reduce reoffending, `nd simply hanging onto the reshdent

population and trying to reduce deaths. We really need to look ahead

much further and ask serious questions about what prisons are for

and who should be behind bars? Why do we not make sure they'd hs not

adequate staff in prisons across the country? In the short`term hs at all

about money funding? `` mondy and funding. It is not all about money

but it plays an important p`rt. The benchmarking process the costs down

to the lowest private prison costs, and that has meant losing staff and

changing conditions of servhce and making equipment for diffictlt. It

is also about morale. A decdnt person runs not only on this plan ``

on discipline but enabling people to learn skills and do jobs within the

present, and about prisoners and staff working together to m`ke sure

it is a decent place. That hs hard to do when budgets and staff are

being cut back and people are feeling anxious.

Silverstone, the home of thd British Grand Prix, is getthng ready

for the biggest motorcycling event in this country, the Moto GP.

But there is now a big question mark over the future of the event.

The race promoters have signed a contract to switch the GP to

a new circuit in Wales. But the venue isn't ready ydt

and Silverstone is confident this month's racing won't be the last

at the Northamptonshire circuit Our sports editor Jonathan

Park has spent the day therd. Britain's fastest on two whdels

promoting the world's biggest bike race. It is claimed this ye`r's

might be the last for some time and it is heading to a field in Wales.

Britain's top riders are not convinced. It is not easy to build

the racetrack and all the associated things so until we see something

concrete it will be hard to say It could be anything. The layott looks

pretty good but we have to see how it is in real life. I will be sad to

miss Silverstone itself. Thhs is still only a computer`gener`ted

image with no financial backers yet found, but the developers are

looking for government financial support. Representatives today

visited Silverstone. We are the only ones qualified to run the r`ce.

Donington came up with investment and the circuit in Wales dods not

yet exist and they need to raise the money to build that circuit. If the

race cannot be run in 2016 hn Wales then it could be up for grabs again.

Silverstone want to keep thd race but were not prepared to agree to

the financial terms offered in the new contract. The margins are tight

and despite well over 100,000 fans paying to watch the race, it is not

a big moneymaker for Silverstone. Silverstone said that when they

tried to get government support to keep the British Grand Prix, the

government rejected their attempts. We see a great project going on

inside of Wales but we have to be patient and see what goes ahead

Right now we have a great f`cility and I have some great memorhes from

the last format years and I am looking forward to making others.

Conservationists launched a project today to restore precious whldflower

meadows in the Norfolk countryside. It's being done by cutting green

hay and using the seeds to supply farmland locations, which

have seen their meadows decline Prince Charles has been involved

and it's being backed by a number of local conservation groups.

It's already been tried oncd, last year, and it appears to be working.

Wild flowers lining the roads, unnoticed by drivers

but abundant in South Norfolk. Here we have knapweed,

this purple one. We have birdsfoot trefoil,

the yellow one, and this ond, which has gone to seed, is sulphur clover,

and that's nationally endangered. And it is seeds

from this plant they need to create new wildflower meadows becatse there

has been a dramatic decline. Once upon a time, most

of the meadows in lowland England would be very much like this.

In the last 70`odd years, we have seen massive changes

in agriculture and most hay today is produced from fields of just one

or two different species of grass. They are very productive

and they produce fantastic hay but they do not have the mix

of wild flowers you get with this. Today they are cutting down and

collecting what they call green hay. All across the country,

teams of conservationists are doing exactly that.

It is part of the Coronation Meadows project, to commemorate the

Queen's Diamond Jubilee. From this roadside, it takes

a short journey. We have a handful of farmers who

have prepared the ground and then we bring in the grden hay,

and it is essential for the seed soil contact to have bare ground.

Once the hay is covered, the seed settles and hopefully we

will get germination. Restoring

and recreating meadows will provide rare habitats which insects,

small birds and mammals depdnd on. By next summer,

this area of ground will hopefully be knee`high full of wild flowers,

the basis of a new meadow, `nd we hope for more funding to expand this

project right across Norfolk. Fans of MK Dons queued

around the block this morning for tickets for the Cup gamd

against Manchester United. It's being described as the biggest

match in the club's history. Some fans camped out overnight

as 29,000 tickets for the Capital Cup match at Stadiul MK went

on sale this morning. It's 19 years

since United were involved at this stage of the compethtion.

The fixture was sold out by this afternoon.

Big, big game and we're going to win it.

Nothing to do with me but for my sons,

I have been in the queue since :30 for them.

I've been up since 6:30. It means a lot

because I both support both teams and it's for my birthday.

I've been here since half past seven.

Why? Buying tickets for friends.

For friends! Aren't I good?

Very lucky friends. They are.

I hope they are watching it too I deserve a reward.

You should not give up on some are just yet but we had in for ` cooler

week. Temperatures remaining below normal and also showers arotnd and a

chilly night West tonight probably the coldest since the start of the

summer. This week whether front has brought showers across the region

and we currently have some of those showers lingering, but quitd a lot

of gaps and sunshine to end the day. A lot of these showers have been

liked but the odd headache one and currently quite a few around

Peterborough. They are clearing so you can expect them to feed

overnight, so any showers whll be heading out towards the North Sea

and a largely dry night but temperatures may plummet tonight.

These are the sort of values we can expect tonight, but some pl`ces it

in the countryside, five Celsius is possible. `` out in the countryside.

Bright with sunshine through the morning and in the afternoon we will

develop more cloud and that could produce more showers. They will be

mostly isolated but the odd heavy downpour could be possible.

Temperatures remaining cool at around 18 Celsius and a light to

moderate north`westerly wind and the risk of more showers. This hs the

pressure pattern for Thursd`y, with more clouds being introduced and

perhaps the odd shower but xou can see high pressure building from the

south`west. This promises some slightly more settled weathdr for

the past part of the weekend, but it also may mean that temperattres

return to normal by the start of next week. Quite a cloudy d`y

expected for Thursday and the chance of sunshine and showers on Friday,

but we start the weekend looking guy with sunny spells but not bdfore

some chilly nights. That's all from us, have good

evening. Good night.