28/07/2011 Midlands Today

Te headlines tonight, there is promised a new legislation to curb

car clampers, it is taking longer than expected to become law.

Literally within 10 minutes my brother's car had been clamped.

police chief speaks out about the cuts. Birmingham City aim to fight

back to the Premier League. I knew it would be a period changed, the

likely that is that players would leave. Cricket's a man of the

moment looks back to the challenges Welcome to the programme. Drivers

are still having to pay to retrieve cards from wheel clampers one year

after the government pledged to make the practice illegal. Trading

standards officers say they are frustrated that drivers are being

forced to hand over hundreds of pounds in cash. Birmingham is one

of the worst areas of the country, it maybe next year that powers are

introduced. Midday today, another sees car

arrives at the clamper's compound. Afeefah Batool, from Sparkhill in

Birmingham is too familiar with this picture. Last week she had to

hand over �134 when her car was Turk -- towed away. It is

disgusting, within 10 minutes of the car was towed. We were on the

road for two minutes. It was this car-park in Kings Heath where they

had parked for two minutes. There was a car parking meter there.

did not notice the pay and display signs. What is consider easing --

and teasing the notice -- confusing the motorist is that the car-park

is by rights next to another one. They do not realise that they do

get plant there. It is affecting local business. Last year

government announcement said that they would be cranking down on

clampers. People are frustrated that these laws are not yet in

force. We need to do protect motorists from this extortion.

Midway Parks is responsible for a lot of clamping in Birmingham. I

went to their compound, or the manager did not want to go on

camera, but he said he did not see any reason to stop while its it is

not outlawed. Last do with their someone had to pay for poor and and

�50 to reclaim her car. I did not know where my car wars until 12

hours later, that is why it is so expensive. Until next year, when

the practice is outlawed, it is a case of drivers becoming more wary.

We are joined now from Edmund King from the AA. For a good evening to

you. The government promised a year law on this, it looks like it will

not come into practice until next spring, why so long?

legislation was introduced on February 11th, in the freedoms bill.

It is just the way the parliamentary process works. I gave

evidence to the scrutiny committee, and I make the point that since the

announcement to outlaw wheel- clamping on private land, which we

have campaigned for around 10 years, there is evidence from Birmingham

and elsewhere that many campers are drinking in the last-chance saloon,

and trying to clamp -- cash-in. They are trying to clamp as many

people as possible. I need to come in, or I understand that we have

seen people being charged, sometimes there is indeed a poor

car clamping, Odyssey not charging excessive amounts, but there is

access needed on private land? course, people should not part with

they want to park. In this day and age clamping a vehicle is a

barbaric move. There are no restrictions on the prices charged.

Many people get exploited and ripped off. In Scotland they outlaw

this in 1991, landowners have found other ways to stop people parking

illegally. The sooner the better that this menace is removed from

the roads, it will be better for. Thank you very much.

Still ahead, after Japan's terrible earthquake, researchers return to

experiment they had to abandon. The American food giant Kraft,

which took over Cadbury, is going to split it into two parts. Unions

are demanding assurances that jobs at the factories and the Midlands

will be protected. Our correspondent is outside the

flagship Bournville factory in Birmingham. Should work is be

concerned? I suppose any changes worrying, particularly when you

take into account this his Kraft. What they have announced is that

they're going to split the business into two. They want a global snacks

business, an American food business. Why they are doing this, and what

effect it will have, I'm joint by David Bailey from the Coventry

Business School. Should workers be worried? Kraft are doing this

because they realise that they have a huge conglomerate. There is no

strategic picked. They are spinning out the low-growth part of the

business, and at focusing on the high growth area. It should be a

rapidly growing business, Cadbury should be more important. I was not

in favour of the takeover, but this sounds like a clever move. Could it

actually strengthen these plants? There are no guarantees that the

American number of multinational stay in the UK -- that the American

multinational will stay in the UK. It is it's a risky business?

makes a sensible move, it helps them pay down their debt. Many

thanks. These changes take place at the end of next year.

There has been a big rise at the Stoke-on-Trent -- a big rise in

profits at the Stoke-on-Trent pottery firm Portmeirion. Their

successes in due -- their success is due in part to massive sales in

South career, which for the first time are bigger than UK sales.

Every year almost 170,000 people are admitted to hospital for

harming themselves. Many people think that worries about the

economy could be a factor. It was noticed that Worcestershire have a

higher national average than -- had a high average than the national

one. Gloucestershire had a slightly fewer cases.

It is a busy road outside Penny Baines's house. Twice, she sat down

in the middle of its hoping to get run over. Car, bus, anything to

hurt me. Penny, how many times have you tried to take your life? 30 or

40 times. I have tried it at home, I have tried it in hospital. I do

not do it for attention, I do not do it because I'm lacking the love

in my life, I do it because I feel sad. Her 19-year-old daughter,

Christina or, is her full-time carer. She looks after her drugs.

Penny's case is extreme, most some farmers just cut themselves. If

they appear to be growing in numbers. This hospital saw a rise

in sell Farmers, doctors say they are getting better at spotting them.

We have developed our self-harm service that both our hospitals.

Because of the effectiveness of these teams we have been a lot to

identify more cases of self-harm. Penny says there is not enough

support in the community. I am more isolated than ever, I was meant to

be discharged into the care of a community psychiatric nurse. I have

still not been allocated one. Because of the drugs she takes, she

cannot drive their own car and she has tried to take her life by

driving into the River Avon, one day she hopes all that will change.

A very personal story. Still to come tonight, the sole

survivor of an industry that once employed thousands, we talk to the

last traditional glove maker in the county. We look at the weekend

The new Chief Constable of West Mercia Police, David Shaw, promised

that he could still deliver protection for the public despite

cuts to be spending purse. Many forces across the region are having

to make cutbacks. 2000 jobs are going at West Midlands police, they

are down by �123 million. In Staffordshire, they will be 330 job

losses, they are losing �22 million. Warwickshire lost -- loses 430 jobs,

Gloucestershire loses 120 jobs, they are �18 million down. West

Mercia are �24 million down, losing 287 jobs. Does their new boss face

an impossible job? As the Chief Constable of West

Mercia Police, David Shaw has a tough job for as cuts start to take

hold. When you started as a police officer did you ever envisage

having to make these cuts as Chief Constable? I studied politics

closely, I know economy is go up and down. The reality was never

that is going to be -- that it was never going to be a next. Resources

sometimes bottom out. They put us in a difficult position. According

to this criminologist they face an impossible task. They are going to

have introduced massive cuts, they have their hands tied behind their

back. Policy is a turning century, by the Home Office. I know he's a

very respected academic, I'm going to disagree with him. Of course I

always want more, the that is not the reality that we live in. As a

Chief Constable, I do not feel I have my hands tied behind my back.

I have a budget, it will give me a very good men and women to get me

out on this street protecting the public. -- out on the street

protecting the public. They say that substantial cuts are

inevitable, people on the streets there was steady mixed response.

am not happy at all, if the Government stop wasting money

playing around the Afghanis than, we could afford to run this country

as we should. If it is something that has to be done him regard to

the austerity measures all around the country, perhaps it is

something that has to be done. Mercia is looking to put its links

with Warwickshire Police. People in Leamington will still be police

officers in their locality, that is critical. Whereas will change,

whether we can do things once in order to save on overheads, and we

will do it once. We have already identified that we can put it in

hundred extra people out there delivering the service that we

wouldn't have been able to the four hands.

Challenges ahead of forces across the region. And for their police

chief who started out on the beat Scientists from the University of

Warwick are at the forefront of experiments to learn more about how

the universe works. It is about neutrinos, tiny particles that are

much smaller even than an atom. The experiment is taking place in

Japan, which suffered a devastating earthquake and tsunami earlier this

year. We report on the first results.

In September last year, I visited Japan as the University of Warwick

began installing its neutrino detectors. What is a neutrino? Here

is how we explained it at the time. Scientists think the whole universe

is made up of just 12 different particles which we have represented

particles which we have represented with these appropriately Japanese

figures. Others are more mysterious. The mysterious but -- the most

mysterious is the neutrino. It is this oscillation that the

researchers were trying to study. That means sending a beam of

neutrinos from the coast, 300 kilometres straight through their

Earth to a detector at another laboratory and the centre of the

country. Initial results were promising. Then, in March this

promising. Then, in March this year... Everybody had to come home

as quickly as possible. The primary concern was people's safety. We had

an anxious few days scrabbling around trying to find an account

for everybody. The good news was, nobody was injured. Everybody was

accounted for with a few days. Measurements show that the

earthquake moved the entire site one metre out to sea. Researchers

are now starting to go back. This is one reason they want to return -

it is the earthquake data that shows exactly the neutrino event

that researchers were looking for. The data up until the 11th March,

when the earthquake result, -- when the earthquake struck, is what the

result is based on. We have been pleasantly surprised that they can

make some physics statements out of this 2% of data. As the neutrino

travelled through Japan, just a few oscillated - that between states -

and the researchers managed to measure them. But they need an

awful lot more data. In the meantime, the hope is for repair

work to continue and to start the experiment again in November.

It is fascinating, an intriguing experiment. What does it matter for

the rest of us? It is important because it all went back to the Big

Bang. In theory, during the Big Bang, equal amounts of matter

should have been created which would have come together and

annihilating each other, leaving nothing. That is not what happened

and what is puzzling physicists was the matter left over. It is the

neutrino that is key to that. It is this that has led to the world as

we know it. It is amazing how quickly they have recovered

themselves to be able to carry on with this experiment.

laboratories on the coast and they were not expected by the tsunami. -

- they were not affected. The even have nuclear reactors on the side.

It is a tribute to the people who work there that they have managed

to contain these problems and repair the site and now they're

saying to people like the researchers at the University of

Warwick, please come back. We are ready to start.

Thank you. We were commenting how wonderful it was that we had the

cameras there at the time to film the Big Bang!

Our Stoke City getting on in Croatia?

Good news, 0-0 at half-time. We can have a look at a couple of the best

chances from the first half. Added split have been on top. This was a

header after four minutes, which really Pete and explode in front. -

- which nearly pooped and it split There was a shot from long range. I

was lucky enough to seat the opposition fans, they were a noisy

bunch. There are 30,000 of them. The Stoke City fans or call the

12th man man -- are called a 12th man. Let us hope they can keep a

clean sheet. Full coverage of that Birmingham City are also in the

Europa League. First, they have more pressing matters. They begin

their campaign in the Championship this weekend. They're hoping to

bounce straight back into the Premier League but that will be

tough after a turbulent summer. It seems a long time since

Birmingham City were celebrating one of their greatest moments. Be

lifted the Carling Cup in February. Five months is a lifetime in

football. Since then, the club have been relegated from the Premier

League. Alex McLeish, the manager, resigned and joined Aston Villa,

their bitter rivals. Carson Yeung, the owner, was arrested in Hong

Kong and charged with money laundering. We have a knowledgeable

support that know the game and they can see what at -- what is

happening. The expectations have lessened over last few weeks.

of things have changed at Birmingham City since their

relegation. I'll look at the squad that are now training here every

week isn't very different. As well as Alex McLeish, 13 regular first-

N Forster joined Midland rivals West Bromwich are been on loan. --

then Foster. They just be to put the fun's minds at ease. They have

brought in just over �6 million of investment, which could lead to the

company based in the British Virgin Islands were in full as much as 14%

of the club. -- owning as much as. It is important that Birmingham

City football club stays at St Andrews. Their campaign begins this

Saturday, are we at Derby County. Fans will be hoping and praying

that nothing else goes wrong at St Andrews.

Tomorrow, we will be looking at the Sky Blues in the Championship.

Cricket now, and Ian Bell has revealed his desire to be the world

was my number one batsman. He wants to help England make it three wins

out of three against India. He has learned a valuable lesson from the

last game at Trent Bridge. Indian bowlers beware, when Ian

Bell walks to the Edgbaston wicket on Wednesday, it is time to take

cover. He is back on home soil and in the form of his life. We have

played some very good cricket, which is what we needed to do.

this the best period of your career? I think so. I hope that, at

29, there are some good years to come. I think I have matured into a

decent cricketer. We have followed his career every step of the way.

He was a talented teenager from Coventry who caught the eye than

the Edgbaston nets. He played for Warwickshire and England, and now

he has joined Jonathan Trott as one of the world's top batsmen. It is a

gold mine to be the world's top batsmen at some stage. It is great

to be in the top 10. We're both Warwickshire players, so that is

really exciting. Of we can be done some good performances in the next

two Test matches. I did not ask if he fancied a cup of tea, because

taking an early tea cos a lot of trouble in the last Test match.

Cricket came out on top. It showed the sportsmanship we have in the

game. Endear handle the situation very well. I will wait around for

my tea a bit longer now! Victoria Square will come alive for Cricket

In The City this week, a fun day out for all the family, with

England and then the players dropping in. Today, it was just Ian

Bell and his umbrella and his desire to become the world's top

batsmen. Let us hope we see some cricket

next week! What an awful day it was today! Now,

we're going to meet a fascinating man. He is 91 and still serving

customers including pop stars and royalty.

Les Winfield is a blog maker, which used to employ tens of thousands of

people. -- he made gloves. When Les Winfield allow it --

arrived at his company, the 21st century steps aside and he enters a

time warp. My nephew has done a family tree of mind. You can go

back I don't know how many generations and it goes back to the

1600s and there are clockmakers all the way back. -- people who made

gloves. There were 20 odd people in here at the time. He is the last

one now. The industry died out when she imports took over. But the

quality and craftsmanship has not diminished. The process starts off

with the cutting. They then punch it out on the hand presses. These

are then sent to a maker he turns them into gloves. It is not

surprising that they can cost up to �100. Who's buying? People who won

the best. They include Margaret Thatcher and Prince Philip. This

fabric is for the end of the fingers. They went to whether after

that. It is a skill that used to be commonplace in Worcester. This

factory was founded by a someone in 19 century. Why have things fallen

That is the way to do it! After all appears I have lost over

the years! -- repairs. Here is the The humidity is now being that

flushed out by the fresher air after the rain. Tonight, it will be

more comfortable to sleep in. Temperatures are still in double

figures. It is not exactly cool. It will be dried off. -- it will be

dry, however. It will not feel as oppressive. The crowd -- the cloud

will gradually increase from the West. Without the humidity, it will

feel more cool. Her tomorrow night, we will see the cloud increasing

from the West and that could mean some showers. It is just a flavour

of what is to come over the weekend. Temperatures tomorrow night will be

quite mild as well. These other systems in place over the weekend.

There is a combination of a cold front and a warm front. That is

what is giving us the scattering of showers. It is this area of low

pressure which will spoil things for Sunday. The weekenders looking