22/07/2011 Midlands Today

Hello and welcome to Midlands Today. The headlines: worst of all - a

damning report says people here have fewer qualifications than

anywhere else in the country. cannot see how those people will

get any of these double jobs in that private sector without the

training. Families' fury - the derelict homes cannot be demolished

because they are in a conservation area. You're still living in a

decimated aerial. Ridiculous. the club in debt and a player

exodus - Blues fans form a protest group to oust the club president.

And a makeover to turn back visitors to what was once one of

Good evening. Tonight, bottom of the class. How we are lagging

behind the country when it comes to education. One in three adults have

no qualifications at all in Birmingham, that is according to a

report from the university and college union. It was a whole

generation of people will fail to meet their full potential and they

want the government to address the problem urgently. The Prime

Minister warned he close down failing schools and replace them

with academies. Being stretched and challenged, the

children at Codsall School are the lucky ones. There are six times

more likely to end up with qualifications here than if they

had been born less than 30 miles away. He we are just down the M6

where it is a different story. This is the Hodge Hill constituency and

according to a survey, one in three people of working age here have no

qualifications whatsoever. I have no qualifications. It might be

because there is a lot of poverty here. I have qualifications. I have

an NVQ and GCSEs. It leads the list of eight areas listed in the top 20

blackspots in the West Midlands. have whole communities here in the

West Midlands where people between 16 and 64 have no qualifications at

all. Other blackspots include Birmingham Ladywood were a quarter

of adults have no qualifications. Stoke-on-Trent Central also fares

badly. In South Staffordshire, the figure drops to 5.8 % and stone

comes out best with just over 5.6 % of adults having no qualifications.

The MP for one of the worst affected places says a whole

generation is being led down. young people in Birmingham are rich

in talent but their hopes are being dashed by the tripling of tuition

fees, cuts to maintenance allowance and the closure of projects

designed to help people back to work. The Prime Minister was quick

to refute claims it was down to government cut. David Cameron used

a visit to Jaguar Landrover to announce a �25 million fund to

create 10,000 apprenticeships. is not about money. What cities it

is about failure in terms of tolerating bad standards. What

Michael Gove has said is he will not tolerate schools that fail.

They will be taken over by academies. Codsall School which had

an outstanding Ofsted report says they deer qualifications to the

individual. Students need good levels of qualifications, so that

is our job to make sure they go from this school prepared to be

successful in whatever they choose to do. School's out for summer but

it seems far our region's children There is not a level playing field.

Perry Barr was another area which fared badly in the report. 19 % of

adults there have no qualifications but once caught trying to make a

difference is Perry Beeches Secondary. It was classed as

failing just four years ago but recently won the national title of

Outstanding School of the Year. Joining me now is their head

teacher at Liam Nolan. You are what they call a super head teacher.

Great at inspiring young people. What is the first thing that needs

to be done to turn the statistics around? I do not think it is quite

May. It is about the community realising how important it

education is. People like me and my youngsters, we do not win the

lottery. That is not our way of getting jobs and achieving in life.

It is making our communities realise that education is the way

through. Getting decent qualifications in practical subject

boring subject that mean you can go to higher education is important

for our youngsters and that is what we have done here. 74 % of our

youngsters lead -- leave... I note you have some great results but I

want to ask, it is really tough in some areas because pupils have no

families with history is of qualifications and some tennis they

have never even worked. You are right. Some of our youngsters here

are second or third-generation youngsters who have unemployment in

the family or without qualifications. But what you have

to do it is instil in those communities and families that if

you do not pass the exams in school, there are still chances and

opportunities beyond school time in our local colleges, but also to get

those grades while you are in school and it has worked here.

Although we are up to criticism, this is one of the best schools in

the country. You have done a fantastic job. The PM says failing

schools, he was shut them and turn them into academies. Is that a good

idea? Perry Beeches is becoming an Academy the summer and it is about

time we have created families of schools, so that schools that were

not doing well sit alongside schools that are doing well and we

can learn from each other, which is the best way forward. It is the

young people that are important. Thank you.

Later: as we await the arrival of Jamaica's finest athletes for the

Olympics next year, celebrating one of the island's best loved exports.

Families have reacted furiously after council refused to give the

go-ahead to demolish abandoned homes. The houses are due to be

pulled down as part of a regeneration scheme to improve

housing in Stoke on Trent, but the council says they cannot be

bulldozed because they are in a conservation area.

Middle poured in Stoke-on-Trent is classed as a regeneration zone.

These streets are now also in a conservation area. Mick Poole have

lived here all his life. He is dismayed at the progress of the

plans to improve homes here. plans were to knock these downs and

get a private builder to build them. Build new properties and it would

have looked nice. But all that has gone by the board now because they

have run out of money. These houses were due for demolition but now the

council has turned down plans on the grounds it would be detrimental

to the character and appearance of the area. It is like living in

Beirut. You cannot say it is something nice to look at. It is

diabolical. You have all the people out now, they might as well knock

them down and build new ones. are still living in a decimated

airier. Ridiculous. You just wonder what is happening. Disgusting.

There is nothing here in Middleport. Boarded-up houses. This was

declared a conservation area earlier this year. It means,

according to the council, that different rules apply here. The

council says it is sympathetic to family's concerns. There Rye

Heritage issues at stake. It is important we get it spot-on. It is

unclear when or if these houses will be cleared, nor is it certain

what will go in their place. In other news, hundreds of jobs

have been secured at a biscuit factory after its parent company

announced plans to keep it open. The Fox's biscuit plant in

Uttoxeter was thought to be under threat. Northern Foods had

previously announced it planned to replace them with one new factory

but the company now says it will invest �27 million to keep both

sides open. Engineers have given their support

for plans for a new high-speed train line between London and the

Midlands. Institute of Civil Engineers says cutting journey

times between Birmingham and the capital will regenerate parts of

the Midlands as well as increase capacity. Their support comes days

after the Institute of Economic Affairs said the plans were

economically flawed. It is not so much about the journey times, it is

much about the capacity increases that high-speed will bring. It

brings a change in capacity that we need. Two Birmingham MPs are

putting their differences to one side to work together against plans

for a directly elected mayor the city. Three years after the

electors voted to get rid of the role, Birmingham and Coventry are

both due to hold a referendum on the proposal next frame. -- spring.

A clear thumbs-down from the electorate of Stoke-on-Trent for

the idea of a big city boss to re- energised local-government, but

Boris Johnson and before him Ken Livingstone had proved formidable

champions for London. But this is not London, say MPs from different

parties joining forces for what they see as dictatorship. If you

elected me, you will have one person, all powers will be

concentrated in his hands. What role has the council got? You have

100 elected councillors pay money every year, what will they do?

Lib Dem MP would consider standing himself although he does not think

there should be a contest at all. It is a bad idea to concentrate so

much power into a one individual. However, if I sorted out the

problems in family courts by the time one goes to nomination, I

would be interested. The fact that he is a man of strong and clear

opinions on this and everything else, it is great and it is

wonderful that he is sticking his neck out. Already throwing their

hats in the ring the former Labour MP for Birmingham Erdington Sion

Simon, the leader of the city's Labour group are that Paul and John

Bull lookalike way you go. The former Labour Defence Secretary Bob

Ainsworth could also become a candidate in commentary. We have

been here before in a reference -- referendum 10 years ago. The idea

was rejected and almost all councillors opposed it. Now the

mood of that opposition may just be softening a little. If the

referendum next May delivers a yes vote, they would be under starter's

orders for 12 months on end. Patrick is with us now. Referendums

next year, maybe then, elections after that. It seems like a long

process. Supporters of the idea think it is ridiculous, it is far

too long they to generate a bit of a man term with this referendum and

then you say we will go into suspended animation and to

dissipate all that energy. Far better to move smoothly through a

campaign phase in the autumn and have elections then. Against that,

it would be more expensive. It would be cheaper to have male

elections on the same day as main elections. Any others who have come

into the reckoning? Clare Short, Birmingham lady would MP, Mike

Whitby the Conservative lead the -- leader of the ruling coalition.

Digby Jones has said in the past that he would be interested and Bob

Warman, we have heard of him, the news presenter is apparently

considering his options. Presumably there will be others? A supporters

say there should be an ambitious head hunting exercise. To ginger up

the really top talent and the public life of this country. Thank

Record numbers in our prisons, but how does it actually feel to be in

jail? And after a week of bad weather,

this week will be brighter and a bit warmer.

The prison population of England and Wales has hit a new record high.

There are now more than 85,500 people locked up in our jails at a

cost of millions of pounds a year. It has reopened the debate of what

to do with offenders. Is the money better spent on

rehabilitation projects? A replica sell has been set up on the streets

of Stoke-on-Trent. These former inmates are re-

enacting time spent in prison. They are part of the Go to Jail project

which hopes to raise awareness about living conditions, cell size

and privileges. The standard sale size was meant for one, but with

the prison population in England and Wales almost doubling of the 20

years to over 85,500, overpopulation has become an issue.

Inevitably the size of the cell is crucial, and if you want to help

people rubella -- rehabilitate, they need that space. Across the

region there are five prisons of a capacity, including Shrewsbury

Prison which is 65% of capacity. Hewell Prison is 16% and Dovegate

in Staffordshire is 7% above capacity. More than 50% of inmates

are shown to be defend within a year of being re release. Akiel

served six years for drug offences and has not really offended, but he

believes overcrowding has a detrimental effect. For somebody to

nourish themselves mentally, they need their own space. Just not

being too close to someone, smelling their body smells, it's

that Iraq... I think that is a basic human right. Visitors have

mixed views. It is like shoving a big Alsatian in a budgie cage. It

is inhumane. I do not think they should make anything easy for

people up there. But space is running out. Today the government's

announcement means there is just under 2,500 spaces left in England

and Wales, and projects like this raised questions about whether or

not offenders should go to jail. A series of events are being held

across the region this weekend to mark the countdown to next year's

Olympic Games. One of them, Jamaica Live in Birmingham, will see a

celebration of culture, food and music, and all this week we have

been looking at the City's Jamaican connections. Our Arts and Culture

correspondent Satnam Rana looks at her reggae has influenced

performers. A look at what is to come in

Birmingham's Victoria Square tomorrow. The next generation

bringing Caribbean signs to the city, which will host the Jamaican

track and field team in 2012. But the signs of Jamaica have been with

us for over five decades. Kingston time, the place I long to be...

When you think of reggae and Birmingham, UB40 comes to mind. The

genre went mainstream in 1978, but Formed in Handsworth, this band is

famously remembered for Handsworth Revolution. We were talking about

how things were then, and we were expecting a revolution because that

is what was building up within us as individuals. Back in his old

stomping ground, the former vocalist's memories are very vivid.

We did not here ourselves or the music from Jamaica on the radio, it

was what was heard at home, it was on the sound systems... It was a

whole alternative experience. many Jamaicans came to make burning

began and surrounding cities their homes from the 1950s onwards, with

the then came music and culture. But what role does reggae play in

society today? This is the height of the Jamaican community in

Birmingham, and the heart with regards to music is still reggae.

But his musical journey has taken him to new notes. He has gone on to

form the UK's only reggae Philharmonic Orchestra.

challenges expectations when you say reggae. This orchestra is the

evolution of everything Caribbean, everything British, and what is

just to come. -- what is still to come. This musical journey will

continue to change, along with society and its culture.

Let us join Satnam now. She is in Cathedral Square in Birmingham.

What are the highlights for the weekend? Look at this, the No Fit

State Circus will be live in Chamberlain Square tomorrow as part

of the Birmingham Hippodrome's Open weekend celebrations. Elsewhere, in

Worcester, 12 Moves Flashmobs will be taking place - dancers begin

creatures to life from Worcester to Droitwich to Bewdley. If you fancy

dancing yourself, head to Coventry. You can breathe the beat with

others. On Sunday, BBC Midlands will be at the Blists Hill Museum

in Shropshire, for some community games, and you too can try your

hand at Victorian activities. If you fancy South Asian arts, head

down to their The Public in West Bromwich, where you can attend the

Arts Mela hosted by Sampad. Across the region over 60 events are

taking place, you can get them by going to the BBC website and

navigating your way through to Open Weekend. Back to you.

All very energetic! Football - Birmingham City's

midfielder Barry Ferguson has joined Blackpool. His move is for

an undisclosed fee. Some fans are so concerned about

the club's finances, they are forming a protest group to ask

questions of the board. They are Blues fans, and they are

feeling blue. The more we get out there... But Kevin Roberts, Darrell

Meekcom and Thomas Hill are prepared to do something about it.

This is why they are unhappy. want the club to tell us that they

can keep us going, that they can afford to run the club. If they

cannot, put it up for sale. It it is embarrassing. You cannot hold

your head up in public, we are a laughing stock. A all we get is

bits back of the internet, nobody is standing up and saying anything.

We just want integrity, honesty. They have formed an online campaign

group calling for Carson Yeung to leave Birmingham City. They plan to

protest at next week's home friendly against Everton. It has

been a six month roller-coaster ride for Birmingham City, from the

joy of the calming clock to the John... Now president and part

owner of Carson Yeung faces five charges of money-laundering in his

native Hong Kong. He has given his 18-year-old son Ryan a place on the

board. The club have sent me a statement where they say that other

fans on social media are stressing how important it is to back the

club. The promise to keep fans in forms of development. These fans

say they will back their new manager and the team, but they were

worried that they will be hampered by off-the-field problems.

The fans I have spoken to are very deeply concerned about the future

of Birmingham City. Now, in its heyday as one of

England's great country houses it was visited by King Edward the

Seventh and Edward Elgar. Witley Court stands in glorious

Worcestershire countryside. Net tens of thousands of pounds have

been spent recreating its gardens in an attempt to dig halt the

decline in visitor numbers. In its heyday, Witley Court stood

in 25,000 acres of parkland. Owned by the Earl of Dudley, it hosted

many an extravagant party. All that changed when much of the house was

destroyed by fire in 1937. The restoration of this but there for

some fountain got 72,000 visitors to the site eight years ago, but

numbers have dwindled. Compared to before, visitors are still above

what they were before. But we are competing with a lot of tourist

attractions, we are a very weather dependence site as well. To boost

tourism, gardeners have re created the landscape designed by him

renown Victorian architect, William Andrews Nesfield, in an Italianate

style. Even down to things people regard as mistakes, in the side

beds some of the circles are not the same size, and we had to

recreate that. Hopefully people will come back year after year

because it is never going to look the same two years running. It is

always going to be a slightly different design. We have got lists

of plants that we know were used in this garden, it is quite a big list.

Colourful, manicured, intricate, but it is not just formal gardens

that England -- English Heritage are relying on. This lake has been

created also. You can see kingfishers, great crested grebes

and other birds that live on the lake. Opening up the food path

gives visitors here a new perspective. There are great new

views of the church and Witley Court, the use that once would only

have been enjoyed by the Isle of Dudley and his visitors. Now, the

We will have a bit of sunshine this weekend, but not a wall to wall.

Tomorrow is going to be a slow improvement on today in terms of

brightness and less wetter weather. This weekend high pressure is going

to remain in charge for us here, making the weather becomes settled,

brighter, less in the way of showers, but there will be some.

Tonight, any showers we have seen will be clear ring to expect a

mainly dry night to come with a few clear spells to come. Temperatures

well below, but not that low. Nose of nine Celsius overnight tonight.

Those clear spells mean a bright start to tomorrow, rather on the

sunny side but the warm weather means a few showers will spring up

with fair weather cloud. The showers will be like, and fairly

well scattered. Highs of 20 Celsius, 68 Fahrenheit. It will feel OK in

the sun. Tomorrow night, it should be dry. Lows of around 12 Celsius

as we go into the start of Sunday morning. Over the next few days we

are talking about that was settled weather - 21 Celsius, settled into

the start of next week. A little bit of summer.

Thanks very much. A look at tonight's main headlines. A bomb

causes a massive explosion in Oslo. At least seven people have been

killed. A shocking new report reveals