01/11/2013 Look North (North East and Cumbria)

Hello, and welcome to Friday's Look North. Tonight: The North's

firefighters walk`out again. The public is warned to postpone

firework parties and do everything they can to stay safe. We would not

recommend anyone having their own bonfire. Do it tomorrow night if you

are going to do it, when there will be full cover available.

Also tonight, a former police officer is found guilty of rape.

On track at last ` work is set to start on a new train factory that

will create more than 700 jobs. And in honour of those who fought and

died for their country ` we visit the North's only field of

remembrance. In football the right thousands of crosses going

down today, but for all those crosses there are thousands of other

waves that they touched. Can Sunderland claim away from the

bottom of the Premier league. And after two defeats and a

falling`out with the local press and many of their fans, will there be a

happy end to the week for Newcastle United?

As we go on air tonight, firefighters across the North are

staging their latest walk`out in a row over pensions. It's the first of

two strikes ahead of Bonfire Night, the second will be on Monday

morning. And, whilst there will be emergency cover, the message to us

all tonight is to postpone your fireworks parties, put out those

candles, and do everything you can to stay safe. Andrew Hartley is live

for us on a picket line on Tyneside. This is Gateshead Community Fire

Station, just one of scores across our region where firefighters are

going out on strike right now` a strike that will last until 11pm It

means that from now on our safety is being looked after by a network of

volunteers, managers, retired firemen, retained firemen and, of

course, some serving fire officers on what is expected to be a busy

night just ahead of Bonfire Night. In Cleveland some cover will come

from volunteers from the public who've been given basic training in

fire fighting and will only attend smaller fires. In Tyne and Wear

they're bringing in retired fire officers and others who may have

experience of providing fire cover somewhere else, with the military

for instance. In North Yorkshire the emphasis is on retained fire crews,

they're the people who have other jobs but provide an on`call service,

typically in more rural areas. But in Northumberland, Cumbria and

Durham it will be provided by managers and other fire service

personnel. But wherever you live the message is consistent ` there will

be cover even if it's spread a little more thinly, so dial 999 if

there's fire, but do everything you can to prevent a fire in the first

place. Joining me now is Dave Turner from the Fire Brigades Union.

We would not recommend anyone having the wrong bonfire. If they are going

to do that, do it tomorrow night when there will be full cover

available. Nature that you do not leave pots and pans unattended when

you are cooking. If you are smoking make sure that your cigarettes are

properly snuffed out. Do not leave candles unattended. Check on your

neighbours. I'm joined now by Dave Turner from the Fire Brigades Union.

This is one of the busiest nights of the year for the fire service, you

stand accused of playing with our lives. We had been very professional

and methodical, but we have taken the night before on finite to

demonstrate to the government that we are intent on pursuing our

campaign. Government Ministers say the offer to firefighters is one of

the "most generous in the public sector" and brings their pension age

into line with the police and armed forces. What do you say to For a

start, the issue with the police and armed forces is a nonsense. The

offers are much more generous. I would say that it is generous to get

what you expected, when you signed up to the contract when you joined

the fire service. We are looking for is a fear and affordable pension

scheme. He was a police officer who was

supposed to uphold the law and serve the community. But Wayne Scott was a

sexual predator who raped and assaulted two women. He also

sexually assaulted a 15`year`old girl. Tonight, Look North can reveal

the first complaint about him was made ten years ago. We can also

reveal that three members of the public claimed he sexually assaulted

them while he was on duty, but no criminal action was ever taken. 11

people have now come forward to say they were sexually assaulted by

Scott and detectives believe that number could be even higher. Stuart

Whincup has this exclusive report. Sat alone, wrapped in blanket,

waiting to be questioned. Wayne Scott raped two women and assaulted

them while he was a serving police officer. For years he got away with

it. As the truth finally came out during a five`day trial Scott cried

and shook his head throughout. This afternoon he was condemned by his

former colleagues. Wayne Scott was a sexual predator, he was a disgrace

to the office of Constable and he deserves to be behind bars. But this

was not an isolated cases. During his ten years as an officer with

Cleveland Police, a number of complaints were made against Wayne

Scott. From colleagues and from members of the public. Some were

serious allegations, but no criminal action was ever taken. In 2003 he

faced an internal hearing for making inappropriate comments to a

colleague. In 2009 a 15`year`old girl said she was sexually assaulted

by Scott while he was on duty. But she didn't report it till years

later. In 2010 a woman claimed she was sexually assaulted while she was

being arrested. And in 2011 another woman claimed Scott had sexually

assaulted her in the back of a police van. The Independent Police

Complaints Commission is now investigating Cleveland's handling

of the case. Three people came forward, why was he not arrested

sooner? We did investigate those allegations at the time. There was

not enough evidence for a criminal prosecution. The misconduct hearing

however did result in his dismissal. We then reopened all of the

investigations which resulted in us identifying further victims. The

court was told Scott drove one of his victims in his car to a field

away from public view. Then he raped her. 11 women now claim to have been

sexually assaulted by the former officer and detectives believe there

could be even more victims. I cannot be certain that there are not other

victims out there, I would appeal to them that if they have seen this

coverage to come forward now and contact us and obviously we will

investigate those fences. Wayne Scott was a sexual predator who

abused his power and his position. One of the women he raped said she

never told anybody what happened because he was a policeman and

nobody would have believed her. Scott will be sentenced in December.

The Japanese company Hitachi has said construction of its new County

Durham rail`carriage assembly plant will start in January next year.

Today it appointed a regional contractor to build the facility `

the first of many contracts that the Transport Secretary said will be

coming to the region. Our Business Correspondent Ian Reeve reports from

the proposed site in Newton Aycliffe.

At last, some tangible progress. Hitachi has picked a company to

build its new carriage`assembly factory in Newton Aycliffe. It's

been a while coming. It was back in 2005 that the idea of replacing

ageing intercity traced Swiss first `` trains was first mooted. We need

to do things the right way, we have gone through planning consents and

archaeological surveys to make sure that there are no issues here.

Fortunately we are all through that and we are now looking for it.

Mid`2015 we will see this factory open. But now it's almost here, the

government insists it will employ lots of people ` 730 ` and spread

its largesse all around. One of the things that is quite encouraging is

the way in which should it is trying to source other goods from companies

in the United Kingdom. We already know that things will be done in

County Durham. This gets encased in rubber and acts as a train

suspension link. This Darlington company makes train components and

is just the sort of business that Hitachi could be looking to. We are

very nicely located, filed miles away from the plant, `` five miles

away. We have an attitude which says that we can take on new work and

jobs and innovate. Looking forward to it a lot and looking forward to

manufacturing in the UK. Hitachi already has orders to replace East

Coast and Great Western mainline trains. Yet it wants business in

Europe. But Europe may not want it. Hitachi is Japanese and Japan keeps

European companies out of its market. We are currently in the

process of beginning talks with Japan, with the European Union and

Japan, on a trade agreement with Japan, and a key objective is to

ensure that European companies, British companies in particular, are

able to get access to the Japanese market. Closer to home, Hitachi is

trying to win orders on London's massive Crossrail project. It should

hear if it has been successful in the Spring.

It has emerged that a couple from our region received almost ?1

million from the NHS in redundancy pay, and then moved on to new jobs

in the NHS. The case of Karen Straughair and Chris Reed came to

light as part of a political row over health service reforms. Ms

Straughair received more than ?600,000 when the NHS South of Tyne

and Wear Trust where she was chief executive ceased to exist earlier

this year. Mr Reed got more than ?300,000 when his trust, North of

Tyne, was also wound up. Both then went on to work in interim senior

positions in the NHS in Leeds for five months.

Parts of the North East could lose millions of pounds in health`service

funding if a shake`up is approved. At the moment deprivation is taken

into account when allocating money. But NHS England has now put forward

the idea of scrapping that and transferring money to areas with

high numbers of elderly people. All told, the region could lose ?200

million if the change goes ahead. Our Political Correspondent Mark

Denten reports. Pennywell in Sunderland ` a place

that's used to facing problems. High unemployment, anti`social behaviour,

but health is also a challenge here. Women die three years earlier than

average here, men five years earlier. But despite those problems,

could this area be about to see money axed from its health budget?

NHS England is reviewing the way that it hands the money to different

groups. At the moment deprivation is taken into account. The idea is to

switch that and hand the money to areas with high numbers of elderly

people. And that could leave a hole in the North's health`service

funding. Sunderland could lose ?41 million, Newcastle ?15 million.

Gateshead 21 million. And Cumbria ?62 million. Commissioning groups

will have to be kept cutting some of the provision that they get now. And

that may well be some of the hospital services or some of the

community services such as obesity clinics, smoking clinics. But they

see things rather differently 70 miles away. Just over there is a

North Yorkshire market town. One in four people in this area are

pensioners and their doctors have to travel long distances to get them in

this rural area. Some in the local services think that a shake`up could

benefit this community. If the emphasis is on each then it should

benefit the practice enormously. The cost of complying with rules and

regulations fall is disproportionately on us with very

small teams of people to try to cope with it all. There's still time for

all sides to make their case. NHS England will make a final decision

next month. Mark Denten BBC Look North.

And MPs will be discussing NHS funding in the North on Sunday

Politics this weekend at 11am here on BBC One.

Still to come on Friday's Look North: The weekend's sport with

Jeff. Plus, how thousands of people

converged on Carlisle for one of the highlights of the North's rural

calendar. And lots of bonfire parties taking

place across the region tomorrow night. I will be here with a full

forecast. Thousands of crosses have been

planted in a Tyneside Park today in the North of England only Field of

Remembrance. It was an honour of the men and women who fought and died

for their country. A field of wooden crosses at

Saltwell Park, each one representing a life lost in conflict. Your mac he

was merchant Navy. He was 20 years old. He was torpedoed in the North

Atlantic. It is only the second year that Field of Remembrance has been

held in the North. But this year will see 3000 more crosses than last

year. The volunteers have been here since early this morning planting

the wedding crosses `` wooden crosses with the poppies. Each one

is a very personal memory of someone lost during one of the waters, from

the First World War through to the recent conflicts. It looks as though

there are 300 more in here. I have not counted them but just looking at

them it is upsetting. Sharon was amongst those planting across

today. Her husband was killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq. There are

thousands of crosses going down today, but from the thousands of

crosses there are thousands more people whose lives they touched,

myself obviously, Chris's family, all of his comrade 's. Having a

Field of Remembrance in the North is fitting. The armed forces recruit

more from here than anywhere else in the country. You see that some of

the crosses have photographs on. I was looking at a young man who was

lost at the age of 20. Their family put a photograph on, I am sure there

are very proud of his service but also missing him to industry.

Tomorrow as part of a remembrance are many are two minute silence will

be held `` remembrance ceremony. Each cross remembering a life lost.

And very moving site. Let's go back to the firefighters

strike. The latest walk`out began at 630 tonight just as we went on air.

We have already been at the picket line, we saw some of the

firefighters coming out of the station to join the picket line. Our

reporter is live for us. Yes, it is the same in York. They would

normally be on stand`by for a typical incident, a rubbish bin fire

or a road accident. A quarter of an hour ago, all of these firefighters

walked out, there was applause, cars going past beating them in support.

A lot of them were coming out using crutches and that kind of thing,

emphasising the point that we will not be physically fit enough to work

until the age of 60. Apart from that, you're going to take a huge

slice of our pension, they are telling the government, because we

will not be able to work to the age of 60 because there are not enough

back`office jobs where we would be able to work normally if we were not

perhaps as fit as we should be. All of these workers out tonight. The

impact it could have here in North Yorkshire. There are 340

firefighters, retained firefighters that will be taking care of business

whilst this straight goes on. Of course it is a largely rural area,

so what the Fire Brigade are saying is that there should be minimal

impact. Thank you. It is one of the highlights of the

North's rural calendar. Thousands of people were in Carlisle today to

attend an event showcasing some of the best breeds.

Men and women meet United and a passion for farming. We spoke to one

winner. It is over 30 years of work. Needless to say, there are a lot of

people contributing to it, it's nothing like a one`man job. This is

one of the country's biggest winter shows, with up to 10,000 people

expected to visit throughout the day. Walk anywhere throughout these

buildings today and you see immaculately turned out animals,

there is clearly tremendous pride in the industry. This is a week in

which it was claimed that farmers are facing tremendous financial

crises, perhaps it is all the more important that events like these can

bring farmers together. Speak to your neighbours, cure their problems

and get ideas for the future. People need events like this for the social

side, to mix with people and discuss problems. It is an incredibly tough

industry to be in, the weather affects them, prices are up and

down. We have had a bad spring and a better summer. The ricin confidence

in the industry although it is a tough industry to be in. `` there is

some confidence. Time to catch up with the sports

news. Newcastle manager Alan Pardew has

enjoyed better weeks. Hot on the heels of a derby defeat he wants his

side to bow out of the week cup in extra time. The club is not talking

to three local papers over coverage and criticism of the regime. But how

do they generate more positive headlines? A repeat of last

season's home win over Chelsea would certainly help.

Surely the highlight of an otherwise disappointing Premier league

campaign. If Alan Pardew could only encourage performances like that

from his players a bit more often, the Tyneside pressure cooker would

be reduced to simmering. But beating Chelsea this season might be a bit

harder. They spent 60 million this summer, that helps. They have a

manager who is arguably one of the best in the world. You can see that

Jose Mourinho is comfortable with Chelsea. You can see that he is at

the top of his game. It is tough to cross swords with him when he is

like that. Most home fans who arrive for tomorrow's kick`off will be

aware of the ban on three local newspapers and a separate falling

out which has led to group being barred from future fans's Forum

meetings. You cannot win a game in the Premier league when they have

the resources that they have got unless you are at your very best. It

has been proven time and again that you can upset them, but you need to

play very well. A midweek injury to Paul Dummett has added to concerns.

Sunderland are at Hull City tomorrow. It is the first meeting

with their old boss Steve Bruce. Steve Bruce has had plenty to smile

about this season, his newly promoted city side are currently

sitting 10th in the Premier league. The same heights he lifted

Sunderland to the fore at all came crashing down. `` before. May be in

hindsight going back there was arguably a mistake. Being a

Newcastle fan as a boy. Some would never forgive that. However, as I

have said repeatedly, I was desperately disappointed after

finishing 10th. I thought I might have got a bit more time. I think it

was probably the third highest finish in maybe 60 years. So I

thought I would get a bit more time but that did not happen, so you move

on. Tempers a position at Sunderland can only dream of right now, but at

least after the Derby when they are finally off the bottom. So will it

kick`start the season? It will have to. If not we have a massive

problem. It is similar to racing. You try to win a race in any squad.

We started at the back. It is noisy, like I always said, it takes time.

But when you when it helps. The players take into consideration what

you'd done before. No Steve `` no Connor Wickham in the squad. Mark

Venus takes his side to Blackburn in the championship. Back`to`back wins

would see Boro inched towards the play`off places. The weekend was a

reminder to me that we are not running, we are still walking. But

we are still moving forward. The match against Gillingham will be

difficult. They have a new manager who is asking them to play a

different style of football. It will be a tough game but it is a chance

to bounce back. Your car at Cheltenham and Berwick travel to

Culter in Scotland. In rugby union Newcastle Folk In

face their toughest test of the season so far. `` Falcons.

The Italians have beaten both England and Wales in the next ten

days, so the match will not be easy for Scotland.

Lots of bonfires waiting to be let this weekend, we do not want a

downpour. It will not be too bad.

Let us start of our forecast with this photograph. This picture also

tells a sad story, if you can see there, it looks as if the girl has

what appears to be a fishing line trapped around its cloth. Let us

hope that he got himself free. Showers and breezy tomorrow but they

should mostly clear for the bonfire parties. Overnight tonight just a

few showers around for North Yorkshire. It is clear, particularly

north of Newcastle. Temperatures as low as just two degrees above

freezing will allow for a touch of frost on the grass and ground first

thing tomorrow morning here. First thing tomorrow it is drive but it

does not last, it's soon turns wet across Cumbria and increasingly

across the north`east as well with frequent showers through lunchtime

and the afternoon. Let us take up two around tea`time. What's a

bonfire parties getting going. 10 Celsius the top temperature here.

One or two showers still going across the north`east, but light and

patchy. They should not be enough to spoil the evening. They will not

last too long in the east of the region. As we tour West 's `` tour

westwards they should not last too long. The rain should slowly start

to clear through tomorrow evening. Definitely not all bad news for the

bonfire night parties, but it looks as if Sunday should bring us the

best weather of the weekend. Sky is clear across much of Cumbria, just

one or two showers to come. It could be frosty and cold but sunny by day.

Lots of sunshine but it does not do much for the temperatures.

Thank you very much. That's it from the programme this evening. Remember

the fire service advice, do not like your `` late year bonfire this

evening. Good night.