24/03/2017

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:00:00. > :00:10.Now on BBC One, it's time for the news where you are.

:00:11. > :00:14.First tonight, the landlords who say they'll evict tenants who are put

:00:15. > :00:19.on the Government's new welfare scheme Universal Credit.

:00:20. > :00:22.by combining six different payments into one overall amount.

:00:23. > :00:26.housing benefit was paid directly to landlords

:00:27. > :00:32.Landlords say the new system doesn't work

:00:33. > :00:35.I haven't been able to pay for TV licence.

:00:36. > :00:40.I haven't been able to pay council tax, Virgin Media, anything.

:00:41. > :00:42.This debt is just one of the problems for 19-year-old

:00:43. > :00:51.He worked for his family's building company until last year,

:00:52. > :00:53.when his grandad, who ran the business, fell ill.

:00:54. > :00:57.Now he's in the process of trying to claim Universal Credit.

:00:58. > :01:01.For three months, he hasn't received any money.

:01:02. > :01:07.I've sat down a couple of times, and I've just felt like crying,

:01:08. > :01:10.because obviously I'm having to sit here with hardly any food, hardly

:01:11. > :01:21.When I've had to borrow ?1,000 from my grandad to pay some rent

:01:22. > :01:27.it's made me feel upset, angry, especially at Universal Credit.

:01:28. > :01:29.And it's not just claimants who are angry.

:01:30. > :01:31.Over 60 landlords in the area say they are now refusing to rent

:01:32. > :01:37.If a tenant who is already in situ is switched on to Universal Credit,

:01:38. > :01:39.landlords are issuing them with repossession notices simply

:01:40. > :01:43.because they know it's going to be up to three months before

:01:44. > :01:48.The Government would say that you can apply to get the rent

:01:49. > :01:56.The tenant has to be eight weeks in arrears,

:01:57. > :01:59.and the tenant has to agree before the payment of the rent can be paid

:02:00. > :02:09.If they've got a tenant they've had a problem

:02:10. > :02:10.with in the past who is

:02:11. > :02:12.going onto Universal Credit they can talk to DWP,

:02:13. > :02:15.and DWP will work with the tenant, the claimant, and the

:02:16. > :02:18.landlord, to look at whether what is called an alternative payment

:02:19. > :02:21.Which means that the money continues to go

:02:22. > :02:24.Equally if a tenant gets into arrears, even a few

:02:25. > :02:26.weeks, a month, in Universal Credit, then again they

:02:27. > :02:29.can approach DWP to look at having the money paid direct to the

:02:30. > :02:34.Back at Dan's, he fears that he will soon face eviction.

:02:35. > :02:36.It is widely agreed that welfare reform is needed.

:02:37. > :02:39.But for many landlords and claimants, Universal Credit

:02:40. > :02:48.A leading councillor for Ukip has resigned from the party

:02:49. > :02:53.over what he calls "unresolvable issues" with fellow party members.

:02:54. > :02:56.Toby Coke was the leader of the Ukip group on Norfolk County Council.

:02:57. > :02:59.He'll now sit as an Independent, but will stand down after the

:03:00. > :03:08.A photocall by the quayside today in King's Lynn with the region's

:03:09. > :03:12.by the sudden resignation of Toby Coke, a leading Ukip player

:03:13. > :03:17.For four years, Toby Coke led a 12 strong Ukip group

:03:18. > :03:21.He paid a key part in the formation of the so-called

:03:22. > :03:25.and fought hard against the proposed and controversial

:03:26. > :03:45.The issue over the allocation of candidates to seats.

:03:46. > :03:47.There was a possibility of a defection, Toby wanted things

:03:48. > :03:50.to work out one way, but the local branch just

:03:51. > :03:52.were not prepared to go the whole way with him.

:03:53. > :03:54.But this Ukip activist is delighted by the news.

:03:55. > :03:57.He says Mr Coke was out of touch with his own party.

:03:58. > :04:00.I don't think anybody will miss him, to be honest,

:04:01. > :04:05.Do you think he is a Conservative in Ukip clothing?

:04:06. > :04:09.I always said he was a Conservative plant.

:04:10. > :04:14.We have tried to contact Mr Coke, but he is unavailable for comment.

:04:15. > :04:22.I spoke to his wife earlier today who said he was busy fielding calls.

:04:23. > :04:26.It's six months since airman Corrie Mckeague vanished

:04:27. > :04:31.after a night out in Bury St Edmunds.

:04:32. > :04:38.They believe his body was taken there in a bin lorry,

:04:39. > :04:41.a team from the Health and Safety Executive

:04:42. > :04:45.Plans to improve one of the region's most important railway junctions

:04:46. > :04:48.Business groups in Norfolk and Cambridgeshire will spend almost

:04:49. > :04:50.?9 million on a feasibility study on improving

:04:51. > :04:57.The project was put on hold after Network Rail ran out of money.

:04:58. > :05:04.MPs and business leaders at Ely station this morning,

:05:05. > :05:06.pleased and relieved that after years of stagnation this

:05:07. > :05:08.strategically important project is finally moving forward.

:05:09. > :05:10.I am frustrated it has taken us this long.

:05:11. > :05:13.But this is the beginning of something very exciting.

:05:14. > :05:16.This money that is being spent on feasibility will make sure

:05:17. > :05:19.that we have plans that are ready to go ahead.

:05:20. > :05:22.Rail lines from Norwich, King's Lynn, Ipswich,

:05:23. > :05:26.Peterborough, and Cambridge, all converge on Ely North.

:05:27. > :05:29.Until this junction is enlarged there is no room to run

:05:30. > :05:36.A technical and feasibility study is the first step.

:05:37. > :05:39.With Network Rail unable to fund one until 2019 the main business

:05:40. > :05:43.organisations have decided to stump up the cash themselves.

:05:44. > :05:47.We are showing how committed we are to the scheme and it will put

:05:48. > :05:50.us ahead of the queue, right at the front of the queue

:05:51. > :05:53.when the Government decides which project it will fund.

:05:54. > :06:00.Not only does the junction need to be upgraded,

:06:01. > :06:07.a nearby level crossing will have to be reconfigured.

:06:08. > :06:09.Despite today's announcement there's still no start date

:06:10. > :06:12.and there won't be for some time to come.

:06:13. > :06:14.But there is now political and business momentum behind it

:06:15. > :06:17.and that's important in these things.

:06:18. > :06:22.I'll say goodnight and leave you in the hands of Julie with the weekend

:06:23. > :06:37.It is looking good. Lots of sunshine. There could be patchy fog.

:06:38. > :06:45.It could be a chilly night for some. Temperatures have fallen. There

:06:46. > :06:55.could be a touch of frost. Tomorrow high-pressure in charge. A pretty

:06:56. > :07:03.good day. It will be fine and dry with a good deal of sunshine. Some

:07:04. > :07:11.fair weather cloud coming and going. Cooler on the coursed but still a

:07:12. > :07:15.good day for a trip to the beach. On Sunday the dry weather continues and

:07:16. > :07:22.we will have good sunny spells. On Sunday perhaps more in the way of

:07:23. > :07:25.cloud especially later in the day. In a moment there will be the

:07:26. > :07:30.National forecast but I leave you with the Outlook. Define and dry

:07:31. > :07:32.weather will continue into next week. Monday a cloudy start with

:07:33. > :07:35.weather outlook for the whole of the UK.