:00:10. > :00:10.Hello. Welcome to the programme tonight.
:00:11. > :00:12.15 years on, the first residents move in to
:00:13. > :00:14.Northstowe in Cambridgeshire, so will housing play
:00:15. > :00:19.It's very tough, saving for a deposit is the hardest thing about
:00:20. > :00:21.it. Seconds after this photo her balloon
:00:22. > :00:23.hit electric wires, now Rebecca meets the medic
:00:24. > :00:32.who saved her life. I Joshua Roddy electricity going
:00:33. > :00:40.through my body and thinking that I'm just going to die. It was just
:00:41. > :00:43.A new junction for the M1, what difference will it make
:00:44. > :00:50.And we get a preview of what to expect with the sights
:00:51. > :01:00.First tonight, more than 15 years after plans
:01:01. > :01:04.originally went on display, the first residents
:01:05. > :01:06.are moving into Northstowe - the new township being build
:01:07. > :01:11.When it's finished, it will have ten thousand homes and was a big
:01:12. > :01:16.factor in the construction of the guided bus-way.
:01:17. > :01:22.Plans for dealing with the housing crisis are set to play a significant
:01:23. > :01:25.part in the general election and we'll look at the scale
:01:26. > :01:32.But first Anna Todd has been to meet one of the new householders
:01:33. > :01:36.This is Sebastien's new house in the new town of Northstowe.
:01:37. > :01:38.He couldn't afford Cambridge or anywhere nearby,
:01:39. > :01:47.When we came here for the first time, it was just a flat
:01:48. > :01:50.piece of land with a few machines digging holes in the ground.
:01:51. > :01:53.Then after five months, they built a home.
:01:54. > :01:58.We came here few times and we could see the house rise from there.
:01:59. > :02:04.Today marked the launch of the very first homes on the old
:02:05. > :02:09.Plans for the new settlement were first mooted back in 1998.
:02:10. > :02:15.Of course, there have been some tricky moments,
:02:16. > :02:22.The economy has not been as friendly as it might have
:02:23. > :02:24.been and we had the A14 in and out of the programme.
:02:25. > :02:28.All these things have been sent to try us, but
:02:29. > :02:32.those of us who have been in it for the duration, we've held onto
:02:33. > :02:34.the dream and the reality is all around us.
:02:35. > :02:37.Hunting through the BBC archives, it was
:02:38. > :02:40.back in the summer of 2003 that the name Northstowe was agreed.
:02:41. > :02:42.Back then, the plan was to have 6000 homes built by 2016.
:02:43. > :02:45.As you can see, it's only now that the first
:02:46. > :02:48.Were the developers waiting for land prices
:02:49. > :03:02.We've always tried to proceed with the development of
:03:03. > :03:06.Northstowe and the sale of land as quickly as we possibly can.
:03:07. > :03:08.It's in no-one's interest to hold onto
:03:09. > :03:12.the land and to keep those costs of servicing that land.
:03:13. > :03:14.It's in no-one's interest to do that at all.
:03:15. > :03:21.Of the 10,000 homes, 40% will be affordable.
:03:22. > :03:23.With many people priced out of nearby towns,
:03:24. > :03:32.We have been really surprised that most of it has come
:03:33. > :03:34.These are really houses for local people.
:03:35. > :03:36.The fact that the bus-way already exists
:03:37. > :03:47.and you can get straight into the centre of town
:03:48. > :03:49.and to Cambridge North Station as well.
:03:50. > :03:51.That has been a key factor for people's accessibility.
:03:52. > :03:53.But also the way out for facilities Northstowe will offer.
:03:54. > :03:56.Sebastien knows we will be living with the builders for
:03:57. > :03:58.decades to come, but this afternoon, a collective sigh of relief.
:03:59. > :04:00.Northstowe is finally a real place to live.
:04:01. > :04:04.So, what are the challenges for the housing market
:04:05. > :04:07.Our political reporter Mousumi Bakshi has been
:04:08. > :04:11.Well, it's no surprise that the houseprice slowdown in some
:04:12. > :04:14.areas of the region has had little impact on the housing market.
:04:15. > :04:24.Last year, across the East, more than 21,000
:04:25. > :04:31.so there was a still a shortfall of around 8500 homes.
:04:32. > :04:39.The lack of available land to build on.
:04:40. > :04:43.One of my asks from the next Government would be to help with the
:04:44. > :04:46.land availability and they can do that in a number of ways.
:04:47. > :04:47.Firstly, by actually creating some flexibility
:04:48. > :04:51.So, there are sometimes some regeneration sites that need
:04:52. > :04:53.cleaning up before they can be built on.
:04:54. > :04:56.Sometimes land needs to be assembled in a way that makes a site
:04:57. > :05:00.Then there needs to be some investment in infrastructure.
:05:01. > :05:03.So how has a lack of supply affected house prices?
:05:04. > :05:06.Well over the past year, prices have gone up by 3%
:05:07. > :05:08.in Cambridge, 17% in Bedford and 19% in Milton Keynes.
:05:09. > :05:14.The highest change was seen in Luton where average house prices have
:05:15. > :05:23.Tough conditions for first time buyers.
:05:24. > :05:34.My budget, I'm looking at somewhere between ?200,000 to ?258,000.
:05:35. > :05:40.I don't really want to go that high, so maybe ?230,000
:05:41. > :05:45.Saving for a deposit is the hardest thing about it and then going
:05:46. > :05:49.Because they ask you every question and it is very difficult to justify
:05:50. > :05:52.To what you're spending, and things like that.
:05:53. > :05:54.So with house prices still going up, what about so-called
:05:55. > :05:59.Well, according to the Hundred Houses Society in Cambridge,
:06:00. > :06:06.220,000 low-cost homes need to be built every year in England.
:06:07. > :06:07.But last year, 40,000 were built which suggests
:06:08. > :06:10.political parties will have to make ambitious election pledges
:06:11. > :06:14.And if there's a burning issue for you in this election,
:06:15. > :06:20.Get in touch by phone, by email and tweet us
:06:21. > :06:35.A teenager has been found guilty of stabbing a police dog and his
:06:36. > :06:38.PC Dave Wardell and his German shepherd Finn
:06:39. > :06:40.were attacked on duty in Stevenage in October.
:06:41. > :06:42.Both have since made a full recovery.
:06:43. > :06:44.A 16-year-old boy from London, who can't be named for legal
:06:45. > :06:47.reasons, was found guilty of actual bodily harm and criminal damage.
:06:48. > :06:53.A woman who suffered horrific injuries when the hot air
:06:54. > :06:55.balloon she was in crashed in Northamptonshire
:06:56. > :06:57.has had an emotional reunion with the paramedic
:06:58. > :07:02.The balloon hit power lines and burst into flames.
:07:03. > :07:08.Today, Rebecca Fry spoke publicly for the first
:07:09. > :07:10.time about the accident, to the BBC's Louise Hubball.
:07:11. > :07:13.Captured on camera, the moment a hot air balloon hit power lines
:07:14. > :07:20.Burst into flames and crashed to the ground.
:07:21. > :07:27.Just moments before, she had taken this selfie.
:07:28. > :07:29.After the balloon hit the electric cables, she
:07:30. > :07:34.Severe burns to her face and legs,
:07:35. > :07:37.I just remember the electricity only through my body and
:07:38. > :07:39.thinking that I was just going to die.
:07:40. > :07:51.It had all my muscles tense and it made me clench my teeth, so I
:07:52. > :07:52.was screaming through a clenched jaw.
:07:53. > :07:56.I just remember holding on, just hoping it was just going to go
:07:57. > :08:09.The last time I saw you, you were wrapped up and we were
:08:10. > :08:12.Today, she was reunited with the doctor who saved her.
:08:13. > :08:14.Rupert Hurrie is an A doctor but also volunteers with MagPass,
:08:15. > :08:23.the air ambulance service called to the emergency.
:08:24. > :08:30.At the crash scene, he rapidly had to assess.
:08:31. > :08:34.Three, potential electrocution as well.
:08:35. > :08:37.Yeah, it doesn't take a medical person to consider what
:08:38. > :08:40.What has it been like seeing Becky today?
:08:41. > :08:42.I'm just really happy, because I don't often get
:08:43. > :08:45.to see my patients once I've treated them, but she looks
:08:46. > :08:48.I'm glad to see here, walking, talking,
:08:49. > :08:56.after the accident which helped her focus during her recovery.
:08:57. > :08:58.I have a really strong memory of Brett
:08:59. > :09:02.sitting next to my bed, rubbing cream on my hand while I had my eyes
:09:03. > :09:03.closed, trying to get through the pain.
:09:04. > :09:07.He said, "Come on, you need to get this hand healed so you can
:09:08. > :09:17.When I recovered, I was like, "Come on, then, Brett.
:09:18. > :09:24.Rebecca still thinks about the accident every day.
:09:25. > :09:28.Her wedding planned for next autumn, so
:09:29. > :09:31.the sun won't be too strong on her burns on honeymoon.
:09:32. > :09:36.And thankful to the doctor who made that possible.
:09:37. > :09:50.Louise Hubball, BBC Look East, Cambridge.
:09:51. > :09:53.Well, cold callers all the bane of a lot of people's lives.
:09:54. > :09:55.A marketing company - based in Dunstable -
:09:56. > :09:58.which made nearly 100 million nuisance calls has been fined
:09:59. > :09:59.a record ?400,000 by the Information
:10:00. > :10:01.Keurboom Communications made automated calls
:10:02. > :10:03.to people encouraging them to make insurance claims.
:10:04. > :10:14.The call, the click on your line and then the recorded
:10:15. > :10:18.Today, Keurboom Communications was fined ?400,000
:10:19. > :10:37.1000 people complained. One said... Knees called the shops mineworker,
:10:38. > :10:41.cause necessary, unnecessary anxiety and make me very angry. One said it
:10:42. > :10:47.was a stalking complaint and they were harassed by their ex-partner
:10:48. > :10:52.right calls and text messages, so unsolicited calls cause anxiety.
:10:53. > :10:55.They said companies can only call with permission. Keurboom
:10:56. > :11:01.Communications did not want maybe Colvin LA. It has now gone bust and
:11:02. > :11:05.a not pay the fine. It seems the action on cold callers would be a
:11:06. > :11:09.popular move. It is rude to call people are in the middle of the day
:11:10. > :11:12.when they are in the middle of something and persist to keep on
:11:13. > :11:17.your phone. I find rude. I would never do it to someone else. It's
:11:18. > :11:23.not OK. As soon as I put it down, say no, take me off, I want to be
:11:24. > :11:26.all, they will phone back. The industry itself welcomes tighter
:11:27. > :11:33.regulation. Jimenez, it may have well be in a bad place and people do
:11:34. > :11:37.not trust calls. -- at the moment. If we can get rid of nuisance calls,
:11:38. > :11:42.it would re-establish itself for sure. But something finds are not
:11:43. > :11:45.enough and only leave their democratic present company bosses
:11:46. > :11:52.built with the stock to nuisance calls. -- the threat of prison to
:11:53. > :11:54.the company bosses will put a stop to it.
:11:55. > :11:56.So how can people protect themselves against cold callers like Keurboom?
:11:57. > :11:58.Andy Curry from the Information Commissioner's Office
:11:59. > :12:07.First of all, by being careful about where you give your information
:12:08. > :12:13.about. I know it is a chore but check the small print. APC able that
:12:14. > :12:18.says, are you happy for us to share information with unnamed third
:12:19. > :12:27.party? Do not take that. Complain. That is how we can take the action
:12:28. > :12:36.we have taken to day. -- do not tick it. Some people use coal blockers.
:12:37. > :12:42.Find them very effective as dot-mac. -- call blockers. It is complex to
:12:43. > :12:46.find solutions. But in the case of Keurboom Communications, people were
:12:47. > :12:50.doing all of these but still getting calls. The director was sourcing
:12:51. > :12:57.information from all sorts of places, including people who had
:12:58. > :13:03.ticked those boxes. He operated in a very indiscriminate way. Keurboom I
:13:04. > :13:11.understand has gone bust so well you get the fine? We don't take these
:13:12. > :13:14.likely. When we issue a fine, we expected to be paid. Liquidation
:13:15. > :13:19.should not make any change there. We will pursue it really caught, look
:13:20. > :13:25.into specialist recovery agents. We expected to be paid. Can you pursue
:13:26. > :13:30.the bosses at the moment? Now. The element is proposing... The Alaska
:13:31. > :13:35.governor proposed to change the law to extend our powers to fine
:13:36. > :13:46.directors up to ?500,000 each. That is got cross-party support. -- alas
:13:47. > :13:51.Government. Would you like to see more regulation? There is a proposal
:13:52. > :13:55.in the now digital economy act. That is to make a code of practice on a
:13:56. > :13:59.statutory basis that all direct marketing companies will do follow.
:14:00. > :14:04.That is what we will take forward next year. Are other companies doing
:14:05. > :14:09.the same kind of thing as Keurboom? If so, how do you catch them? This
:14:10. > :14:14.case was the worst one we have ever seen. We do have other
:14:15. > :14:19.investigations into other companies, not just ones that have done the
:14:20. > :14:21.wrong thing and not paid much attention, but real rogue operators.
:14:22. > :14:25.We are taking those forward. You can expect to see more finds from the
:14:26. > :14:31.ICO in the future. -- more fines. You're watching Look
:14:32. > :14:34.East from the BBC. Coming up: Alex is looking
:14:35. > :14:36.ahead at the weather All the colour of the carnival -
:14:37. > :14:41.we get a preview of Luton's biggest But before all that and as you may
:14:42. > :14:56.have seen on the national news... The big election story of the day
:14:57. > :14:59.has been the leaking We've already heard about its plans
:15:00. > :15:03.to scrap tuition fees and But it also talks about doing more
:15:04. > :15:06.to help the regions - especially when it comes
:15:07. > :15:08.to communications Our political correspondent
:15:09. > :15:22.Andrew Sinclair reports. This is only a leak, the plans may
:15:23. > :15:26.yet change but Labour looks to have big plans for the election. The
:15:27. > :15:31.draft manifesto claims Conservatives have taken broad communities for
:15:32. > :15:35.granted, with chronic underinvestment in transport and
:15:36. > :15:38.public services. It said labour will borrow to fund infrastructure and
:15:39. > :15:45.transport will be a priority. And it endorses the plans to improve rail
:15:46. > :15:47.links. Superfast broadband will be available everywhere within five
:15:48. > :15:54.years. And there is a problem dot-mac promise of -- promise of an
:15:55. > :16:00.inner dropped phone lines. Labour says they will give money to every
:16:01. > :16:07.part of the region. -- an interrupted. And points to the east
:16:08. > :16:11.coast rail line that rationalisation can work, but only when existing
:16:12. > :16:13.franchises come to an end. More from Andrew now.
:16:14. > :16:19.So, Andrew how will Labour's plans go down in this region?
:16:20. > :16:23.Well, there are some policies in year which will go down very well in
:16:24. > :16:25.our part of the world. Rail new renationalisation is always an issue
:16:26. > :16:30.which does get many commuters excited. Labour also promising to
:16:31. > :16:34.keep the ban on fox hunting, which will please some people. It also
:16:35. > :16:42.said it will change the law to stop banks and post offices to close
:16:43. > :16:46.branches. It is also promising the scientific community that they will
:16:47. > :16:49.ensure they still remain part of the important European research
:16:50. > :16:54.programmes but the trouble with that last point is that it all depends
:16:55. > :16:57.how the Brexit negotiations go. The problem at all these proposals is
:16:58. > :17:02.there are no costings with any of this, so it's very hard to know how
:17:03. > :17:04.much money exactly is on offer and how these proposals will work.
:17:05. > :17:11.And the deadline has passed for anyone who wants
:17:12. > :17:20.Yes, if you wanted to do so, too late, you missed your chance. We
:17:21. > :17:23.know Labour and the Conservatives are standing every seat in the
:17:24. > :17:27.region. The Greens are standing in almost every seat with one or two
:17:28. > :17:31.exceptions in Cambridgeshire. Ukip have not given us a full list yet.
:17:32. > :17:37.They are not standing in the woods in north because they want to back
:17:38. > :17:41.Kelvin Hopkins, which we spoke about last night. There are if few other
:17:42. > :17:44.seats that they are not standing in, not for any particular reason, but
:17:45. > :17:45.more because they don't have the money to run a particular campaign.
:17:46. > :17:47.Thank you. The long-awaited Dunstable bypass
:17:48. > :17:50.opened to traffic this morning, It links the A5 to the M1, north
:17:51. > :17:53.of the Bedfordshire town. The ?160 million project,
:17:54. > :17:55.also includes the new junction Mike Cartwright has
:17:56. > :18:13.been to find out. Nearly three miles long, three year
:18:14. > :18:20.is and ?160 million in the making. A new bypass joining a new motorway
:18:21. > :18:24.junction. We will be able to take heavy goods vehicles out of
:18:25. > :18:27.Dunstable and the villages surrounding us. That'll make a huge
:18:28. > :18:33.difference to the quality of life for those residents and of course
:18:34. > :18:38.the air quality on those high Street as well. Taking traffic away from
:18:39. > :18:48.the town. In Dunstable, fewer cars and eventually melt rocks. -- no
:18:49. > :18:51.trucks. Drugs are coming through today but that will stop.
:18:52. > :18:57.Numberplate recognition will be used. We will only see then a there
:18:58. > :19:03.has been a closure or they are delivering. Road networks made to
:19:04. > :19:11.stop the traffic bottleneck hair. I came a week, it was full. There were
:19:12. > :19:16.loads of lorries. I could not see any to day. Yeah, glad to have it
:19:17. > :19:25.open at last. I tried it. What did you think? Good, quick. Yellow mac I
:19:26. > :19:29.will just straighten it and trim it up for you. The hairdressers hope it
:19:30. > :19:35.will tempt more customers into the town. Hopefully they can get in and
:19:36. > :19:42.out without being stuck in traffic for ages. We always have customers
:19:43. > :19:45.telling us they will be late because they are stuck in traffic, it will
:19:46. > :19:50.be five or ten minutes. It is never five or ten minutes. Hopefully they
:19:51. > :19:56.can getting quicker. First spoken about 60 years ago, now open for
:19:57. > :19:59.business. J's new bypass. -- Bedfordshire.
:20:00. > :20:01.It's just about the most colourful and loud event
:20:02. > :20:03.in the region's calendar - every year Luton comes
:20:04. > :20:07.alive with the sights and sounds of the carnival.
:20:08. > :20:10.It's taking place on the Sunday of the late May bank holiday
:20:11. > :20:12.weekend, and today we were given a taster of what might
:20:13. > :20:16.I spoke to Clary Salandy, artistic director, and asked her
:20:17. > :20:29.Well, the highlight of this carnival is a fantastic array, full of
:20:30. > :20:37.fabulous costumes. Special float designs. -- parade. We have artists
:20:38. > :20:42.coming in from Germany coming UK artists who will be performing. We
:20:43. > :20:47.have a large range of the dissidents who have been working so hard to
:20:48. > :20:52.make absolutely fantastic costumes. -- large range of participants. Why
:20:53. > :20:56.is this so popular? It is for everyone. It is a beautiful cultural
:20:57. > :21:01.experience. Children have fun, there was lots to see. There are huge
:21:02. > :21:05.design, costumes are magnificent. It is a great family day out and
:21:06. > :21:09.everyone wants to be there. No one wants to miss the carnival. To
:21:10. > :21:15.people outside of the area come deservedly for the event? Yes, we
:21:16. > :21:20.get a lot of visitors from both sides. Going east, west, north,
:21:21. > :21:23.south coming to the carnival. What of local people as well, as well as
:21:24. > :21:32.people outside and from Europe because we have links with Denmark
:21:33. > :21:36.and Nice. Visitors as well. Is it good for the economy, putting the
:21:37. > :21:42.region on the map? Lutein is now known as one of the creative centres
:21:43. > :21:46.in the UK. -- Luton. The carnival is part of that. Young people can be
:21:47. > :21:52.creative. Not just creating, being very good at what they do. The
:21:53. > :21:57.standard is very high. It will only be getting better. Our focus is on
:21:58. > :22:03.creating the best quality with young people developing their artistic
:22:04. > :22:07.talent. Last year, it was marred at the end with some violence. Police
:22:08. > :22:12.in stab vests. Partygoers then want to see that, they want to feel safe.
:22:13. > :22:19.Are you improving safety this year? That is not quite a right way of
:22:20. > :22:23.describing what happened. The carnival finished at 6pm and the
:22:24. > :22:27.issue that happens at the town centre was at 8pm, had nothing to do
:22:28. > :22:33.with the carnival whatsoever, but we worked very closely with the police
:22:34. > :22:37.and we have a very strong health and safety company involved. We are very
:22:38. > :22:42.much looking... Making sure the carnival is safe. It was safe last
:22:43. > :22:51.year and will be saved their share. Looting is bidding to be the UK's's
:22:52. > :22:55.city of culture 2025. -- Luton. How big and offering is the carnival in
:22:56. > :23:03.Luton? Lewis Daynes having a hair is not an accident. Luton is an access
:23:04. > :23:09.to Europe. -- Luton having it here is not an accident. It is synonymous
:23:10. > :23:16.with the identity of looting. We are generating a carnival that is
:23:17. > :23:17.reflective. -- Luton. Reflective of all the different places in the
:23:18. > :23:21.world, so we can see that we want to world, so we can see that we want to
:23:22. > :23:23.go to Luton carnival because there is something for everyone.
:23:24. > :23:25.Finally - take a look at these pictures -
:23:26. > :23:29.Greengrocer Penny Benedict has opened a stall at
:23:30. > :23:32.Kettering General Hospital selling fruit and vegetables.
:23:33. > :23:33.The hospital's allowing her to operate rent-free
:23:34. > :23:40.She's there Monday to Friday between ten and four.
:23:41. > :23:42.Weather time now - and it's been a fairly
:23:43. > :23:50.Let's see what the rest of the week has in store - here's Alex.
:23:51. > :23:58.Hello. A chilly start to the game is some places below freezing but would
:23:59. > :24:02.cover the the afternoon. Many places up to 19-20dC. We are continuing to
:24:03. > :24:06.import some warm and humid air from the south, so we continue to see
:24:07. > :24:11.those warm temperatures and blue skies for two days. Lovely photo
:24:12. > :24:16.here on the sand dunes in Norfolk. First thing this morning in
:24:17. > :24:21.Northamptonshire. This warm air is moving up from the south, southerly
:24:22. > :24:25.winds and also bringing with it some slightly unstable air. The chance on
:24:26. > :24:30.some heavy, possibly thundery downpours as they go through the
:24:31. > :24:33.evening and overnight. Not for all areas, but there will be some
:24:34. > :24:36.potential for flashes of lightning as they go into the early hours of
:24:37. > :24:41.tomorrow morning. It'll be much much milder than last night as well. We
:24:42. > :24:47.can see temperatures recorded as low as 8-9dC. We start the day tomorrow
:24:48. > :24:51.with this weather system gradually clearing to the north. This area of
:24:52. > :24:55.low pressure continuing to feel quite humid and muddy through the
:24:56. > :25:02.day. The chances of further outbreaks of rain in the morning. --
:25:03. > :25:05.muggy. Possibly some sunshine, some scattered showers and these could
:25:06. > :25:11.potentially be quite heavy in places. Temperature wise, likely to
:25:12. > :25:15.get similar temperatures to today. Perhaps anywhere between 18-20dC.
:25:16. > :25:20.When rationing from the south during the course of the day. By the
:25:21. > :25:24.afternoon, they shall as begin to be more isolated. Into the weekend,
:25:25. > :25:28.slightly fresher appeal for things that this weather system pushes
:25:29. > :25:33.through that day night into Sunday. Likely to be some showers around on
:25:34. > :25:37.the weekend. While it does look a bit fresh air and we have that
:25:38. > :25:41.humidity, temperatures will climb to around 19 Celsius. We have that rain
:25:42. > :25:45.clearing thirsting for Friday, brightest skies and showers. Be
:25:46. > :25:49.aware of the potential for some of these to be quite heavy, possibly
:25:50. > :25:53.thundery. Then in two weekend, looking largely dry of the day on
:25:54. > :25:58.Saturday but the gentle and isolated shower, some rainfall moving through
:25:59. > :26:03.a light into Sunday, clearing into Sunday. Potentially a cloudy start
:26:04. > :26:07.Sunday but the chance of some scattered showers developing through
:26:08. > :26:10.the afternoon. A bit cooler as he thought the region next week with
:26:11. > :26:12.height of just 16 Celsius. Not a bad outlook. There will be possibly some
:26:13. > :26:14.rain but also some sunshine, too. And that's how the news and weather
:26:15. > :26:20.are looking here this evening. Until then, enjoy your
:26:21. > :26:26.evening, and goodbye.