24/01/2012 Look North (East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire)

Good evening and welcome to BBC Look North. The headlines tonight:

Plans to halve the Humber Bridge tolls are in doubt as the four

councils disagree on how to finance the remaining debt.

It is embarrassing for the region. Then next time we go cap in hand to

the Government say we are all in agreement, they will not believe us.

Setting up for a week on the picket line - tanker drivers walk-out over

pay. The class of 12 year olds who've

all passed their GCSE English three years early.

And taking to the skies in search Cloudy tonight and not much chance

of seeing those northern lights. Good evening. The Government has

urged the four councils on the banks of the Humber to reach an

agreement on the Humber Bridge debt. Until they agree, tolls can't be

halved as promised. The deadline is next Friday. Hull City Council's

offered to take on the bridge alone is not favoured by the Government

bed with North East Lincolnshire rejecting a four-way split on the

debt, the pressure is mounting. I am pleased to have been invited

to open the Humber Bridge today. The tale of the tolls dates back to

1981 when the Humber Bridge enjoyed a grand opening. For years, drivers

have campaigned to reduce them. Now that is an option, the battle has

moved on to how to do it. In December the Chancellor, George

Osborne, agreed to halve the bridges that. The deal was that the

remaining �182 million was underwritten by the for Humber

councils. -- four. The suggestion was the shoulder 25% each but North

East Lincolnshire Council says this is unfair as less people live there.

The Government said to us that everyone is in agreement. We gave

them that guarantee. We then start fighting like cats in the stack --

a sack. We look stupid and the next time we go cap-in-hand to the

Government saying we agree, we will look like fools because they don't

believe us. 70% of the journeys take place in North Lincolnshire.

Hull City Council were willing to take all of the debt burden but we

understand the Treasury will not accept this. We wish to work with

our colleagues in the other three authorities to, but the solution.

We can't allow �150 million of Government money to go back to

Westminster when that money could be used to reduce the burden and

the financial pressure on businesses and the public in an

area. It is a huge disappointment for Simon Blakely. He runs a

haulage company in Immingham and was hoping a saving on tolls would

help him expand. You are talking of saving thousands of pounds a year.

You could put that somewhere else and utilise it.

The Department of Transport told us they want to see a deal between all

four authorities. There deadline is February and if the quarrelling

continues, the tolls could stay at The Dida of North East Lincolnshire

Council is Chris Shaw and he is joining me from Grimsby Town Hall.

-- the leader. They have accused the councils of fighting like cats

in a sack. He has a point. We are sat down trying to negotiate.

They are squabbling from the outside. He wants to get into these

meetings and say what he dad -- and then say what he thinks. For you

jeopardising the deal? We are not. We have said we will pay our share

of the deal. That money is there to night and all they need to do is to

prepare to accept to -- hour 18%. We are not part of the dead.

have an e-mail from Robert, saying there's hardly any difference. Get

on with it, Mr Shaw, think of the benefits it will bring to north-

east Lincolnshire. That is one of your taxpayers. I have for tea in

my office saying the opposite saying, stick to your guns. -- I

have a four macro in my office. There must be a reason why you are

worried about this. Are you saying you don't think the whole deal is

financially sound and could go wrong? My thing is if the deal goes

wrong and I don't think it don't stack up, my it ratepayers in North

East Lincolnshire will be saddled with the debt and I don't think it

is there to do that. At the moment, we have made an offer based on tax

payers 18% and I don't know where they can't accept that. My finance

office has been brought in to talk about the facts and figures. They

are worried that we have found out what the plan is. For we budge from

that 18%? I have a for Council mandate. -- for were you budget

from that 18%? The Liberal Democrat Party and the Labour Party, we have

a mandate that says 18%. I am one of the only councils in the area

that have got a mandate from their council to negotiate. Will the

tours come down on the 1st April? We will work to bring that down.

Somebody needs to talk to me sensibly instead of renting.

If you want to comment, send me a text or e-mail.

In a moment, egg farmers fear they will be -- they will be undercut

and put out of business for following European rules.

Tanker drivers on strike at the Conoco oil refinery and Immingham

claim they are being asked to take pay cuts of �4,000 a year. Their

employer says they are the best paid drivers in the UK. Average

salaries of �45,000. The drivers walked out this morning and intend

to stay on the picket line for a week. They union is hoping to cause

disruption to fuel supplies. -- their union.

Standing idle this morning, rows of fuel tankers at the refinery.

Normally they would be on the road delivering to garage forecourts.

Here are their drivers. They have walked out of protest at what they

say is an attempt to cut their salaries. A reduction is offering

us bid to �2,000 a year which is a reduction of around �4,000. What

the other reductions are, which we have negotiated, will come down or

so. The transport company is one of the contract is which delivers its

fuel. They have condemned the strike by its work force. It is

totally and called for and we have seen no reason for it to be taking

place. We have had open dialogue with Unite on this particular issue.

We have had one-to-one discussions with our drivers. We are

disappointed. The protest will only affect deliveries to jet filling

stations. They are warning the disruption will escalate. Those on

strike say their protest is symbolic of a wider malaise in this

industry. They are attempting to drive down the pay and conditions

of tanker drivers across the UK. This is not just an isolated attack

on our terms and conditions. The multi-billion pound oil companies

are seeking a cost down agenda. other driver's account for a 5th of

drivers from this depot. Garage forecourt shortages seem unlikely.

Joining me is Professor Gregor Gall Gall, an expert on this. What

reason did they have to go on strike? They may not be Asenby but

they have to understand the proposals that they are being

subjected to of to become self- employed, there by shade it --

shouldering the responsibility there employee used to have. They

will be able to understand that this is quite an attack on their

conditions and the drivers have the ability to respond as they are in a

strategic position to do so. There will be something of support to

emerge if the strike collapsed -- lasts over the week. They hope the

destruction of will be big and meaningful. The company says it

could jeopardise the contracts of its workers. Who is in a stronger

position? I think if the strike last for a week and there is

further action, the drivers will be in a strong position. There is a

possibility of fuels shortages throughout the country because of

the oil refinery in Essex is now not delivering. There is less fuel

in the south-east and they would be a demand for fuel from elsewhere.

This will exacerbate the issue. The drivers have a leverage available

to them. If they stick together and are concerted in their effort, they

should bring it back to the bargain table. They can get the Transfer of

undertakings so it protects their conditions. Doesn't this back-up

the oil company's claim that profit margins are low and that justifies

them cutting costs? For it may do that there is another factor. -- it

may do. The oil refinery companies have sub-contracted their

distribution networks to other companies. You have to people

trying to get their slice of the Piet. -- two people. That puts

pressure on the drivers' wages. There is that factor there. If

these operations were taken back in-house by the refinery companies,

we will not see this pressure. Thank you very much.

Of the driver's right to stand up to protect their existing contracts

or should they accept the claims the oil firms are walking on it

slim profits? -- working on a slim profits? Maybe you are one of the

The University of Lincoln is to cut his student intake by 11%, that is

up to 700 places. The Government is asking the university to reduce

student numbers to save money. Some of the courses could be transferred

to Lincoln College. Half-a-million pounds is being

given to help vulnerable people in Lincolnshire during the cold

weather. The money which has come from central Government, will be

used to help people with health problems stay warm over the winter

months. Egg farmers in East Yorkshire and

Lincolnshire fear they will be undercut and put out of business

for following European laws. The new rules have banned eggs from

battery hens but many countries are ignoring them.

It was meant to put an end to this, battery chickens in cramped

conditions. Bigger cages like he's in Withernsea were brought in under

new EU welfare rolls from the beginning of this year.

The birds have half as much space again per bird. They are able to

would move around the whole area which is about the size of a

snooker table. They have perches, dusting Mattes, they have nest

boxes so they can lay their eggs. While they have improved welfare,

other countries including Spain and Poland are ignoring the law and

keeping prices low. We needed to get a level playing field within

Europe or they will walk over us. Could poultry farmers go out of

business? A of course. We have invested a huge amount of money and

we all know what the financial world is like. I suppose people

should think why should they care? We are welfare friendly, we are

doing as they asked us to do. Support s, that is all we ask.

legal. They say there is a quicker Guide for shoppers. In the UK, it

is easy. You have to look for this lie in mark on the box and on the

cake itself. Protecting illegal eggs in food which have already

been made is a harder job. Most UK shops will only sell

illegal acts like these been packed near Gainsborough. Cakes and pasta

from abroad may have illegal eggs already baked in. It is frustrating.

It has been in place for 12 years so that it is not as if people

didn't know this was coming. Something like a quarter of the you

eggs are currently illegal. We need to get the commission to treat

everybody fairly said there is one rule for 27 member states which has

been the case. In a recent interview with the BBC, the Prime

Minister said he also wants action. With other European companies --

countries, we have to take them to court if they did put in place the

changes they have signed up to. National Farmers' Unions,

supermarkets and many factories pledged to only dues legal eggs and

there are plans for those importing illegal ones. The farmers here are

Still ahead tonight: Quite Grimsby Town are drawing comparisons with

Barcelona. And taking to the skies hoping for a glimpse of the

celestial Northern Lights. Here is a picture of the sun setting at

By the weather. I cannot believe we have the same shirts on, that will

get everyone thinking! Is that Denham? -- gingham. Tomorrow is set

to be milder but most be cloudy. -- mostly cloudy. There will be rain

on Wednesday night and there is Thursday's weather. Thursday might

not be too bad. You can see on the satellite picture an awful lot of

clout. There is still some drizzle and light rain around. Some mist

and patchy fog over the top of the hills. Tonight there will be

further light rain and drizzle. Overcast skies, you can forget

seeing the Northern Lights. The sun will rise in the morning around 7:

Perhaps just a little bit of drizzle in places first thing

otherwise it is a dry day, a cloudy one, but as the wind strengthens

there will be some cloudy -- sunny spells coming through for a time.

It will feel milder. Temperatures peaking at around 10 degrees. Some

sharp bursts of rain developing on Wednesday night. That should clear

on Thursday morning. Some sunshine and showers on Thursday, partly

cloudy for Friday and Saturday but drier by then. A class of 30

children in their second year at a school in Hull have all passed

their GCS the English which is an exam most of their colleagues will

not pass for three years. -- GCSE. Of mice and men by John Steinbeck,

not exactly the kind of reading you would expect by 12 year-olds but

these are not your average students. They have all taken their English

GCSE three years early. I got an A. I got a B. I got an A. I got a C.

Travels beckons and Shakespeare, the group achieved two grade A's,

nine bees, 15 seas and four children got a D. It is not bad

considering the school performs below the national average in GCSE

English and maths. We learned that we can achieve anything with hard

work. The world is our oyster. We are hoping that that ethos is

something we can develop across the whole of the school. We can achieve

excellence. There have been individual cases of children as

young as six getting a good grade for a GCSE but among a whole class

is quite an achievement. Best local author who visits the school to

give talks things it is for a good chance. It will give them the

confidence to believe they can achieve other things. If the

students are not happy with the results they achieve this time

round they can resit the exam whenever they feel ready. In the

meantime they are still studying A- level literature. Thank you for

getting in touch after our story about a man who was stopped from

taking photographs in Scunthorpe. This video on the YouTube shows how

security guards at the Golden wonder factory wouldn't let a local

photographer take pictures of the site. It isn't illegal to take

pictures in a public place unless there is a threat of terrorism. The

factory owners have apologised. David in Hull says over the last

few years clashes between over-keen security staff and photographers

keep happening. When will someone do something to insure everyone

knows the correct legal position? Hannah in Lincoln says, I think the

security guards were right to stop the photographer. You have to ask

why someone would want a photo of that building. It's not as if it

was a tourist attraction he was taking a picture of. Paul in Hull

had a similar experience. He sent a text to say, I was stopped in Leeds

by a security guard while taking pictures of a beautiful old

building. He admitted he was unsure why he was asking me to stop. Now

this is the beautiful city of Barcelona in Spain and today it's

being compared to Grimsby. The reason is that the Mariners have

scored more goals at home than any European club, except Barcelona.

Looking at further comparisons, is our sports reporter Simon Clark. It

is a war and spirited, vibrant and dynamic. So is Barcelona. Today the

Catalan capital was compared to Grimsby because of the scoring

prowess of both clubs. 41 have been scored by Grimsby, 43 by Barcelona.

Barcelona cannot compare to the banks of the Humber on a bracing

day like today. Barcelona claims the world's greatest stadium. This

might be and 99,000 all-seater stadium but it does not boast a

19th century stand like Brundle Park. This is football heritage.

Beat that Barcelona! Do you think there are any comparisons between

Cleethorpes and Barcelona? You are having a laugh! I love Cleethorpes

but I would also like to be in Barcelona. Dig deep and the

comparisons become apparent. supporter comes here and if he

likes what he sees he will bring his family back. That has got to be

good for everybody. This striker's counterpart in Barcelona is just as

good as him on be same number of calls. And Grimsby Town are away at

Barrow tonight. That's on BBC Radio Humberside's AM frequency. And BBC

Lincolnshire have coverage from Lincoln City against Southport.

Kick off is at 7: 45. Scunthorpe United face one of their biggest

challenges this season when fourth- placed Sheffield Wednesday visit

After the stunning northern lights display on Sunday night, sky

watchers are taking to the skies come up over the North Sea, in the

hope of getting a better look. A special flight's due to leave the

Robin Hood airport. Last night 200 passengers went on a similar

journey from Leeds-Bradford airport. The astronomer Paul Money from

Horncastle in Lincolnshire was on board, along with our reporter,

Spencer Stokes. Last night Yorkshire went in search of the

Yorkshire like it's -- the Northern Lights. 140 passengers getting

above the clouds and away from light pollution to increase their

chances of seeing this natural phenomenon. This is a force of

nature and it may have died off but you never know, we might be lucky

you never know, we might be lucky again. Cabin lights went off and

they began to scan the horizon. That is almost certainly be a

grown-up. -- the aurora. We did not see the brilliant flashes that we

had seen on television but we did see some elements we had not or

would not have seen otherwise. was not as spectacular as I would

have expected but it was still very have expected but it was still very

impressive none the less. We have had an amazing display. Tonight was

not as did as the last one but you never know with this. Another

flight will leave tonight and the prediction is that there will be a

celestial slow pace. -- showcase. Let's get a recap of the national

and regional headlines. A warning over fuel prices after a major oil

refinery in Essex goes bust with up to 1000 jobs at risk. Plans to half

the Humber Bridge tolls are in doubt as the four councils continue

to disagree over how to finance the remaining debt. And tomorrow's

weather, a damp start but otherwise dry and cloudy with brighter spells

developing throughout the day. It will be milder, with top

temperatures of 10 C, that's 50 F. A response coming in on the subject

of the tanker drivers. One person says they should get real, they

should be thankful they have a job at all. A local employees says

these drivers are currently and always have been the best paid. It