:00:12. > :00:14.Hello, good evening. me to find out more now
:00:15. > :00:16.Head teachers in all the state schools in Darlington
:00:17. > :00:19.have taken the unprecedented step of writing a joint letter to parents
:00:20. > :00:23.warning of the funding crisis they face.
:00:24. > :00:26.They are urging parents to lobby the Government after the
:00:27. > :00:28.town's schools learned they will lose ?7 million from their
:00:29. > :00:34.Some heads claim staff could lose their jobs, meaning
:00:35. > :00:38.But the Government says school funding
:00:39. > :00:40.across the country has reached record levels.
:00:41. > :00:45.Peter King says he and the town's other head
:00:46. > :00:51.The big government departments were unaware of the financial
:00:52. > :00:57.Schools, he says, are now being asked to do a lot more
:00:58. > :01:01.Across the whole of Darlington we think over the next few years it
:01:02. > :01:06.Darlington is not a big place so that means some quite big cuts
:01:07. > :01:09.Unless the government does some kind of a U-turn,
:01:10. > :01:12.or a change of heart, yes I do think not just here
:01:13. > :01:15.at our school but across Darlington and around the country it will lead
:01:16. > :01:17.to some staffing reductions over time, for sure.
:01:18. > :01:21.More children are now in education so the government is putting more
:01:22. > :01:24.money in schools but head teachers say they now have to pay increased
:01:25. > :01:29.pension and national insurance contributions for their staff.
:01:30. > :01:32.That means some schools in Darlington will see their actual
:01:33. > :01:39.The schools in this town cannot afford to lose one
:01:40. > :01:43.You are looking at one in five teachers, potentially.
:01:44. > :01:47.One in five classrooms, or even one in five schools closing.
:01:48. > :01:50.Head teachers say school costs continue to rise while their budget
:01:51. > :01:53.has remained the same for the last seven years.
:01:54. > :01:56.Ministers say they realise schools are facing cost pressures
:01:57. > :02:00.which is why they are helping them to use their funding
:02:01. > :02:05.The government says funding is at its highest level on record
:02:06. > :02:09.and this year schools received ?40 billion but it says the system
:02:10. > :02:12.for distributing that money across the country
:02:13. > :02:17.That's why it says it's introducing a new formula that will see more
:02:18. > :02:21.than half the schools in England receive a cash boost.
:02:22. > :02:24.But that's not the situation here and at many of the other
:02:25. > :02:29.If the cuts to their budgets continue, head teachers say staff
:02:30. > :02:33.will lose their jobs and it'll be the pupils who suffer.
:02:34. > :02:37.Stuart Whincup, BBC Look North, Darlington.
:02:38. > :02:42.A man who shot a 15-year-old boy in the head as he was riding past on a
:02:43. > :02:46.motorbike in Sunderland has pleaded guilty to carrying out the shooting.
:02:47. > :02:48.Steven Thompson admitted firing the shot as the teenager was riding
:02:49. > :02:51.pillion along Hewitt Avenue in Sunderland last October.
:02:52. > :02:55.It left the victim in a critical condition.
:02:56. > :02:59.Thompson pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm with intent and
:03:00. > :03:04.possession of a powerful .25 calibre air rifle without a certificate.
:03:05. > :03:08.Almost three months after it was announced the chief executive
:03:09. > :03:12.of the Newcastle Hospitals Trust is taking extended leave,
:03:13. > :03:17.the BBC has learned that a group of senior doctors has expressed
:03:18. > :03:20.concern about the leadership of Sir Len Fenwick.
:03:21. > :03:22.The Inside Out programme has seen minutes of a meeting
:03:23. > :03:26.in which the doctors criticised the organisational culture saying
:03:27. > :03:29.they felt unwilling or unable to speak out of fear
:03:30. > :03:34.They also called for a closer working relationship
:03:35. > :03:36.with the neighbouring trust, Northumbria.
:03:37. > :03:39.Sir Len is barred from public comment while an investigation
:03:40. > :03:42.into what the trust described as serious allegations
:03:43. > :03:45.are investigated but sources close to the Chief Executive told the BBC
:03:46. > :03:51.that he categorically denies the allegations.
:03:52. > :03:54.And if you missed the Inside Out programme tonight, you can see it
:03:55. > :03:57.via the BBC iPlayer for the next 30 days.
:03:58. > :04:00.An investigation is under way to find out what caused a fire
:04:01. > :04:04.which killed 16,000 free range hens in Carlisle.
:04:05. > :04:08.A large shed on Orton Road was well alight when the firefighters
:04:09. > :04:13.Six engines were needed to bring it under control.
:04:14. > :04:16.A campaign has begun to try to save Newcastle's
:04:17. > :04:21.The City Council's cutting all but two of its 55 crossing
:04:22. > :04:27.But one pressure group is hopeful it can save all the crossing
:04:28. > :04:37.Soon to be a rare sight on the streets of Newcastle.
:04:38. > :04:40.The majority of the city's school crossing patrols,
:04:41. > :04:48.are being got rid of as the council tries to save millions
:04:49. > :05:10.Jim's worked on this busy crossing in Gosforth for more than 15 years.
:05:11. > :05:12.But when the summer term ends, so does his contract.
:05:13. > :05:14.A kid being hit by a car, or bus, or wagon.
:05:15. > :05:15.Whatever it is that comes around the corner.
:05:16. > :05:17.There was a van coming through and the wing
:05:18. > :05:22.That's while I was standing in the middle of the road.
:05:23. > :05:25.Children from four schools use this crossing here in Gosforth.
:05:26. > :05:28.That means that Jim sees across the road around 200 children
:05:29. > :05:35.The council gets all of that for about ?5,000 a year.
:05:36. > :05:39.Today, parents and children showed their support for a campaign,
:05:40. > :05:42.started by a local Facebook group, to save Jim.
:05:43. > :05:44.All lollipop men and women across the city need saving.
:05:45. > :05:51.How would you feel about crossing the road if Jim wasn't there?
:05:52. > :05:56.We don't have a light, we don't have have a zebra crossing.
:05:57. > :05:59.We have no means of slowing down traffic around our corner.
:06:00. > :06:02.It feels the children will get safely across the road.
:06:03. > :06:04.Especially children not accompanied by adults.
:06:05. > :06:06.In a statement, Newcastle City Council blamed Government
:06:07. > :06:09.funding cuts for the move, adding there'll be free
:06:10. > :06:12.training for volunteers who want to monitor crossing points.
:06:13. > :06:16.But campaigners say they'll keep trying to change councillors' minds.
:06:17. > :06:21.Alison Freeman, BBC Look North, Gosforth.
:06:22. > :06:25.The country's first heritage action zones have been announced.
:06:26. > :06:28.And two of our areas are in the first ten.
:06:29. > :06:31.It means Sunderland and Appleby in Cumbria will receive money
:06:32. > :06:36.In Appleby money will be used to repair crumbling
:06:37. > :06:39.properties and more could come from local councils.
:06:40. > :06:44.Our business correspondent, Ian Reeve, reports from Appleby.
:06:45. > :06:48.Daffodil time in Appleby, a town of some charm.
:06:49. > :06:51.Yet visitor numbers are declining, there are empty shops, so this
:06:52. > :06:57.The heritage body, Historic England, has decided Appleby will be one
:06:58. > :07:01.of ten areas in the country to get cash over ?750,000
:07:02. > :07:07.and expertise to try and improve the local economy.
:07:08. > :07:11.It really suffered in the floods of last winter and there
:07:12. > :07:14.are still some properties that are closed as a result of that.
:07:15. > :07:16.And we think that we can work together and help
:07:17. > :07:19.boost visitor numbers, which in turn will help
:07:20. > :07:24.Crumbling buildings such as the Moot Hall and this long empty
:07:25. > :07:32.The hope then is that new businesses will come here, create jobs.
:07:33. > :07:36.The money coming will really make it into a very nice tourist town,
:07:37. > :07:42.We do need the business infrastructure to be livened up
:07:43. > :07:47.and then we will see results within five years, I'm sure.
:07:48. > :08:12.For Stephen, in his two-year-old butchery and delicatessen
:08:13. > :08:13.business, regeneration can't come quickly enough.
:08:14. > :08:16.A lot of small, independent shops are closing down.
:08:17. > :08:18.There are quite a few buildings in Appleby are in a bad
:08:19. > :08:20.Flooding did affect the town a lot, the town was split in half
:08:21. > :08:21.for a week and a half because the main bridge was shut,
:08:22. > :08:22.Flood damage is still being repaired, but this latest scheme
:08:23. > :08:25.could go some way to making the town whole again.
:08:26. > :08:27.Now time for our regular Monday night look at the weather
:08:28. > :08:36.So spring arrives Paul, and winter returns.
:08:37. > :08:42.Pretty much, Spring Equinox today, winter in the forecast as we head
:08:43. > :08:47.through the week ahead. We will see some sleet and snow showers over the
:08:48. > :08:52.next couple of days and nights. Things should become quieter by the
:08:53. > :08:57.time we get to the weekend but still on the cold side. Tonight we have a
:08:58. > :09:02.mix of clear spells, scattered showers and some have some sleet and
:09:03. > :09:08.snow. There is some Snow settled on high ground. There could be a light
:09:09. > :09:13.covering on lower levels. Temperatures just above freezing.
:09:14. > :09:19.Add-in that westerly wind and it will feel for tomorrow morning. Some
:09:20. > :09:25.icy patches in between and it leads us into a cold day tomorrow. There
:09:26. > :09:29.will be some sunshine around in the morning but then showers coming. Any
:09:30. > :09:36.snow tomorrow to the day will restrict to the hills. Seven Celsius
:09:37. > :09:42.at best. Again, a gusty south-westerly wind making it feel
:09:43. > :09:47.cold indeed. Tomorrow night, we are watching another frontal system, an
:09:48. > :09:51.area of Cloud, rain, sleet and hill snow from the south-west and that
:09:52. > :09:55.could produce some snow at the lower levels as we head into Wednesday
:09:56. > :10:01.morning and temperatures close to freezing. They could be some icy
:10:02. > :10:05.stretches to watch out for. Wednesday, but the rain, sleet and
:10:06. > :10:10.snow, perhaps a tricky rush hour. Through the day it turns to rain and
:10:11. > :10:15.it starts to become fragmented, gradually through the day.
:10:16. > :10:20.Temperatures seven, parts eight at best though the wind is coming from
:10:21. > :10:26.the east or South Wiest -- South East. It is a messy weather chart
:10:27. > :10:31.the middle part of the week. As it goes away, we start to see a ridge
:10:32. > :10:36.of high pressure building through Thursday and Friday and into the
:10:37. > :10:40.weekend and that is what will quieten the weather down. It will
:10:41. > :10:42.kill off the showers. Things will stay on the chilly side towards the
:10:43. > :10:48.weekend. Thursday, a cold weekend. Thursday, a cold
:10:49. > :10:50.north-easterly wind. It will be generally dry by the end of the day
:10:51. > :10:58.and temperatures making double figures. Friday looks quieter with
:10:59. > :11:01.lighter winds. Some sunshine and temperatures making 12 Celsius. That
:11:02. > :11:02.is the way it is looking towards the weekend. I will
:11:03. > :11:04.outlook for Saturday and Sunday is for something dry and settled, sunny
:11:05. > :11:18.spells but a bit on the cool side. This week we are starting off with a
:11:19. > :11:22.taste of winter. This is Paul and maritime air, it has come from a
:11:23. > :11:28.long way north and will push in lots of showers. The last of any mild air
:11:29. > :11:34.gets swept away with the cloud. Tonight we have showers mostly
:11:35. > :11:40.across the northern half of the UK, which will turn wintry and that
:11:41. > :11:45.means more snow, particularly across Scotland and Northern Ireland,
:11:46. > :11:51.perhaps northern England. With those temperatures it is not just snow
:11:52. > :11:55.that is a concern, it is icy roads. Quite a few wintry showers still
:11:56. > :11:59.packing in across the north and west of Northern Ireland, west of
:12:00. > :12:03.Scotland by this stage. Eastern Scotland much more sheltered so it
:12:04. > :12:05.should be drier and we may have early sunshine here as well.