20/01/2012 Midlands Today

Welcome to Midlands Today. The headlines: guilty, a council admits

breaking health and safety laws after a blaze which killed four

fireman. That plea is entered on a limited

basis. We should make it clear that we do not accept many of the

allegations made by the prosecution. The anonymous letters which could

hold vital clues in a murder of a retired schoolteacher in Bewdley.

They are typed letters and give differing information. I do not

believe they have been written by the same person.

Residents complain of a rubbish tip that is powering over their homes.

Join me at the cinema that is flickering back to life after lying

Good evening. Tonight, a council admits breaking health and safety

laws after a fire killed four firemen.

The council admitted the charges following the fire four years ago

which destroyed a vegetable packing warehouse. Despite pleading guilty,

a council spokesman said they do not accept many of the allegations

against them. The case against three fire service managers charged

over the deaths has been adjourned. It is more than four years since

fire raged through a vegetable packing plant at Atherstone on

Stour in November 2007. Ian Reid, Ashley Stephens, John Averis and

Darren Yates-Badley all died. Relatives of the men who died and

the present Chief Fire Officer were in court today to hear Warwickshire

County Council plead guilty to failing to ensure the health and

safety of employees at work. Warwickshire County Council has

today entered a guilty plea to the charge it faces in connection with

the fire. That plea is entered on a limited basis and we should make it

clear that we do not accept many of the allegations made by the

prosecution. We believe it is very important that we say nothing that

in any way prejudices the legal proceedings about these tragic

events so we will not be saying anything further except that our

thoughts today are with the families and friends of all of

those affected. Paul Simmons, Adrian Ashley and Timothy Woodward

or face charges of manslaughter by gross negligence. On the night of

the fire, they all acted as incident commanders at different

points during the evening. Supporters of the fire service

managers say the length of time the case has taken to come to court is

taking its toll on everyone. I feel very sorry for all of the families

that have had four years to wait for this day to come. It is

important to show the three who are here that they are supported.

court was packed today with relatives of the deceased on one

side of the court and supporters of the three managers who are

currently charged on the other. The High Court judge has adjourned

today's hearing for a date to be fixed.

You can read more about that case on the BBC Coventry and

Warwickshire website. Later: the Missing Link, a new

campaign to build a motorway junction to benefit people and

businesses in Shropshire. Detectives investigating the murder

of retired teacher Betty Yates say they have received anonymous

letters which may hold vital clues about who killed her.

Mrs Yates was found beaten and stabbed at her remote cottage in

Worcestershire two weeks ago. Our reporter is in Bewdley now. The

police think the letters are highly significant?

They are significant to the police. They are keen to talk to the people

who wrote them. We do not know what is in the letters. They were typed

and are not thought to be from the killer. Police told us about them

when they lifted the cordon around the house behind me. They allowed

us in the garden. Her hat is still hanging in the summer house. Police

say these letters have given them new lines of inquiry in the hunt

for her killer. Inside Betty Yates's House, the frenzied search

continues, more than two years after her murder. -- two weeks. She

had been beaten with her walking stick and stuck with a knife.

Police investigating her murder say they have received two anonymous

typed letters, one was posted to them and one handed in by a third

party. They are both typed letters, they give differing information. I

do not believe they have been written by the same person. I am

keen for both of those individuals to come forward. Police believe

Betty Yates was murdered on January 2nd in the evening. It was more

than 36 hours before her body was found. Teams of officers have

surged 16 acres of land around her home. It is only when you get here

that you realise how remote it is. To get here what, we have come off

the road, down a track for about a mile. The remoteness is adding to

the complexity of the case. Police say they are keen to trace a white

man in his 20s with dark hair wearing a thigh-length dark jacket

who was seen here on the night of the murder. I would appeal for

those individuals who know what happened to come forward to speak

to us. They can speak to us in confidence. We are absolutely

grateful for the information we have already got. I want as much

information as I can get. former chief superintendent who now

lectures on crime says that these types of cases can be difficult to

solve. They are very rare, these types of events. They will be

appealing for witnesses and ultimately it will be a complicated

-- combination of winners and forensic evidence that will solve

this crime. The motive for the brutal murder is not clear. When

her body was found, the house was locked up and there was little sign

of a break-in. Police say they are not ruling out the possibility that

she may have known her killer. There is the possibility that she

may have disturbed an intruder. Police say they are still looking

for a black pencil case size purse with Turkey's attached to it. That

is missing. They are also carrying out a trawl of CCTV footage. That

is going to be a long and laborious process. They have said tonight

that they are stressing that the people who wrote the letters, if

they come forward, they will be spoken to in complete confidence.

In other news, Poundland say its Christmas sales were up nearly 6%.

The company has its headquarters in Willenhall in the Black Country

served a record 5.5 million customers, sold 24 million

Christmas cards and 10,000 miles of wrapping paper.

Jaguar Land Rover says it has received more than 20,000

applications for 1000 vacancies at its Solihull plant. They are

creating the new jobs to cope with increased production. They have

also had more than 10,000 applications for its graduate

recruitment scheme this year, five times the number it received three

years ago. Incredible figures!

Astonishing. Security cameras to stop

unscrupulous carers stealing from disabled people could be put into

homes free of charge. Birmingham City Council says it is

considering the move after Michelle Warburton was given a suspended

prison term for trying to steal hundreds of pounds.

She was employed privately to care for Trevor Thomas. His family say

security cameras well help protect the vulnerable.

These CCTV images show care worker Michelle Warburton trying to steal

hundreds of pounds from a safe. She tried desperately to punch in a key

code, even disguising her attempts with a bit of hoovering. Trevor

Thomas is 45 and has a form of cerebral palsy. His mum employed

Warburton to help in his care. He thought he could trust have. Today

Warburton, a mother of two, received a prison sentence,

suspended for a year. I did not take Michelle Warburton to court

for Trevor Thomas because I could have just sacked have. I took her

to court to protect other vulnerable adults that she may have

moved on to his. The Thomas family believe that without their evidence

Warburton may have avoided a conviction. She was a private carer

and was not employed directly by Birmingham City Council. The

authority has told the BBC that this case shows it must look at

providing CCTV to protect vulnerable adults. We have already

begun a dialogue with a supplier of CCTV. We want to look at how we can

work, in the light of what has happened to date, to extend that as

a way of safeguarding people in the future. We have to build the

confidence of disabled vulnerable people to have the confidence to

name perpetrators of crimes against them. Some of them are scared.

Warburton must do 150 hours' community service. She had no

comment believe in court. -- no comment leaving court. The Thomas

family only installed CCTV as a last resort. Tonight, the images

they captured could lead to a significant change in the way care

is monitored at home. A mountain of rubbish, poorer than

a house, is causing problems for residents who say it is a health

hazard. They say it is also an eyesore but

repeated demands to force the firm responsible to move it have been

ignored. Now the Environment Agency says it

may stop the firm trading if it does not clear up the mess.

This is the view that Sally Round wakes up to every morning. A cross

from her flat in Brierley Hill, an enormous pile of rubbish is taller

than nearby buildings. Your windows get black in the summer. The

thought of waking up and looking at the tip is just disgusting.

waste arrives here in skips. It is a combination of household and

industrial rubbish, soil, and rubble. Residents have made

repeated complaints. Last summer, the moment Agency stepped in. The

company responsible for this huge pile of rubbish has been given

seven deadlines to meet to reduce the impact the site has on the

local area. So far, it has failed to meet five deadlines and the next

one is just a few weeks away. The managing director of the firm

responsible, RDF Ltd, refused to appear on camera but but he

acknowledges the rubbish is causing a problem but says he needs more

time. The Environment Agency says he has had plenty of opportunities.

The appliance has been their report to date. We were hoping to see the

level of waste on the site slowly to come down. The compliance has

been terrible to date. Once the deadline passes, the Environment

Agency has the power to stop the people operating and clear the

rubbish from the site. For now, most would agree that the view in

this part of Brierley Hill is simply rubbish.

Not the best, is it? There has been a sharp fall in the number of

people making donations to the arts in the region. They are down by a

quarter. An MP is calling on the rich to

fill the gap. Will we ever buy into the idea of

Of the Staffordshire Community Trust supports good causes like

this disabled riding centre. The trust has convinced wealthy locals

to donate money. People are always being asked for money so what we

say to people is if you letters help you give money to charities,

or to charity and -- charitable causes, we can make sure that you

get value for money. The government is looking at various incentives to

increase charitable giving. But there are concerns that it will not

be enough. There has been a sharp decline in donations to the arts

industry. Across England, there has been a drop of 11 %. The report

says that the region here has some of the those contributions from

businesses, trusts and foundations and individual giving. One MP is

concluding that the rich need to do more. The poor give more of their

money in terms of percentage income than the rich. The middle classes

and the rich need to give more of their money in terms of

philanthropy. Philanthropy is nothing new. Do today's super rich

share a sense of duty? Aston Villa's former owner was recently

knighted for his work. I would love of a more people to become involved

in charity in some form or another. It does not matter what they give

as long as they feel they are contributing to a good cause.

question some will be asking is whether the big society will be big

enough. Let's talk to our political editor.

That is his huge fall. Arts organisations across the region

must be very worried. This and region You would think would be

inspired by its cultural institutions. I think real concern

focuses on the smaller, more community based operations which

will not have quite such sophisticated fund-raising

operations. That is why the Arts Council in our region is focusing

so much of its attention on this region's share of the government's

hundred million pound match funding Investment Scheme. There are

various different strands to it. Warne is about increasing endowment,

that is for more experienced fundraisers. But there is also a

strand about building capacity and finding innovative ways of making

What are the chances of a new era of charitable giving in a time like

this? Whereas the rising generation of Cadbury's? But that is what my

bloggers about this week. It is part of the government's greater

gender on responsible capitalism. There will be more about this on

the Politics Show hero BBC One with me and Andrew Neil from 12:00pm on

It's a missing link in our motorway network and it's said to be

damaging the town of Telford. Ever since it was built, the M54 in

Shropshire has only connected with the southbound carriageway of the

M6. Those travelling to or from the north have had to make an

inconvenient detour. Now though, a campaign's begun to build a new

link road to bridge the gap. Andy Newman reports.

The M 54 on a quiet, damp Friday. It is Shropshire's only motorway

but there is a vital link missing. This a sign gives it away. There is

no connection with the M6 north. I am on the M 54 eastbound add I want

to get onto the M6 north, but because the junction will not allow

that I have either to get onto the M6 south and go to the next

junction and do a U-turn, or I get off the M 54 earlier and use a

roads to get to the M6 north. It is not ideal. It is not ideal for

Telford based businesses. They reckon the missing motorway link

cost of them time and money. Staff had to leave earlier and they get

back later sometimes. It costs us in overtime and fuel. Gathered on a

motorway bridge today an alliance of interested parties asking for a

proper motorway intersection. M6 north is a dog's dinner. You

have to go through minor roads and it takes about 20 minutes. That is

not on for local businesses. This was not only the opening shot of a

campaign, when and even if that link gets built is still an open

question. But it cannot come soon enough for motorists and businesses

and -- in Telford. Still to come in tonight's

programme, Sarah Cruickshank will be here with the latest details on

the weekend weather and it's not looking very promising!

We've had a good dose rain today, but it looks like we're in for a

blustery weekend as the winds pick up tonight. I'll have all the

A busy weekend of sport with two Premier League derbies to look

forward to. Dan's here with all the details.

15 years ago, Robbie Keane scored two goals on his Wolves debut. He

was 17 at the time and he's never looked back. Tomorrow, Robbie

returns to Molineux with Aston Villa. He's 80 to 1 with the

bookies to get a hat-trick. But if he does score a goal, he won't be

celebrating in front of the home fans. Ian Winter has been to meet

someone who knows him very well indeed.

Winner takes all. Just one frame. On an old gold table, against an

old Wolves favourite to chat about the new Villa striker. No-one knows

Robbie Keane better than Matt Murray. Matt was best man at

Robbie's wedding, Robbie is godfather to one of Matt's

daughters. And this is where they shoot pool to relax away from

football. I was 16 and he was 17. He was playing and I was on the

bench. Even though I am bigger than him, he looked after me. He was

more streetwise. Remember Paul Newman against Minnesota Fats in

the Hustler? Well, our match was nothing like that. But as the balls

slowly disappeared, we reminisced about the day Robbie received a

hero's welcome on his return to Molineux. It was September 2010,

half-time in the Wolves-Villa game. An emotional moment for Matt

because injury had cut short his goalkeeping career, and all his old

pals turned out to wish him well. How much is he looking forward to

playing at Molineux? I said if you do sign, the second game will be at

Molineux. He has got a lot of time for the club and there are still

people there that he knew when he was a young lad. It is a great club

with a massive fan base and a great stadium. I look forward to it. It

is only for a couple of months, but it is something that I am relishing.

I want him to score for Aston Villa, but I wanted to happen after this

weekend. Robbie's shirt is one of Matt's prized possessions. Luckily,

he didn't gamble it away on our one-frame challenge. No way! That

is unbelievable. You played that in a former life.

Well, Robbie Keane might be looking forward to visiting the Wolves. But

the same can't be said about Albion fans going to Stoke tomorrow

because of their awful record against them. The Baggies have

beaten the Potters just once in the league since 1965. For fans, the

sinking feeling starts way before the kick-off.

No hope for the Baggies! This might be an old match report but it sums

up the mood. When Albion meet Stoke there's only one winner. It even

seems to influence the choice of programme cover. For lifelong fans

like Terry Wills the suffering just goes on and on. While he'll travel

with an air of gloom the Stoke fans will be delighted to see him and

the rest of the Albion fans. They will quite happily chat and asked

if we have come for our annual defeat. We just say that one of

those days we will win. Whether I will still be alive to see it, I do

not know! Let's hope the drought starts tomorrow. Yes, the stats

don't lie. In the last 28 league meetings stoke have won 19, there's

been 8 draws, but just one Albion victory. Stoke score early goals,

they score late winners. It's no laughing matter for Albion fans.

But Why does it keep happening? throws itself up regularly in

certain circumstances. Certain clubs seem to have a say over

another club, I do not know why. But we will go into the game with

no pretensions at all. Of course, Albion fans will try not to start

downbeat, but the sight of celebrating Stoke fans is one

they've got used to. And you can keep up to date with

both those derby games and the matches where you live over the

weekend on your BBC local radio They say football is a labour of

love but how about this, taking on a derelict art deco cinema and

lovingly restoring it to its former glory at a cost of more than 2

million. That's been the all- consuming task of a father and son

who're still working as we speak on the finishing touches before it re-

opens tomorrow morning. Ben Sidwell reports on the former cinema that

When I last visited this him and up in Evesham in 2009, the place was

in a sorry state. -- this cinema. Now, this Grade 2 listed building

is back to its art-deco best. For me, there is something really

special about this cinema or reopening. I used to go clear as a

child. 10 years ago, I thought it had gone for good. Tomorrow, the

projectors will roll once again. The restoration project has been a

labour of love for Lawrence a wife Pat and his father. The team behind

the rebuild are about to see their dream become a reality. It has been

a long road and a struggle all of the way. The economic climate over

the past three years has made it even more difficult. But we are

finally there and tomorrow we reopen. A few miles down the road

is a community arts centre which opens its doors in 2004. Part of

their success has been the decision to regularly turn dead 250 seater

theatre into a cinema. There is enough of an audience out there for

both of us to thrive. Anything that adds to the variety of what is on

offer for people and gets people into film and live events is a good

thing. Back in Evesham, the films are ready to roll. There is still a

huge amount of work to do before the cinema reopens. The Regal has

fond memories for people around here. We want to get that heartbeat

pumping again. When the first film is shown at 10am tomorrow, this

Sarah Cruickshank is here now with a look at what the weekend's

a look at what the weekend's It was a miserable day today, but

we will have some respite tonight. We will have cloud and it will

become windy. This is the weather front that brought the rain today.

In behind on this mile their air for the night period. Overnight

tonight, it will be cloudy with outbreaks of rain. And then it

tries and we will see it staying cloudy. The temperatures will not

get a chance to fall. It will become windy overnight tonight. The

winds will be westerly indirection. It will turn cooler as we go

through the weekend. We will see just a few showers, especially

tomorrow morning. It will be a very mild start tomorrow, nine to 11

Celsius. Then we will see things turning brighter, clouds break up

in the afternoon. Temperatures, though, seven and eight Celsius for

tomorrow afternoon. It will feel cooler because the winds will pick

up and they will be north-westerly. Overnight on Saturday, but cloud

starts to increase from the self. Sunday-morning will be cloudy.

Another cloudy start, outbreaks of rain through the morning and then

A look at tonight's main headlines: Guilty, a dissident Republican is

jailed for life for murdering two soldiers in Northern Ireland.

And a council admits breaking health and safety laws after a