07/01/2014 Midlands Today

perhaps 48 hours of drier weather for many of us. But between now

Hello and welcome to Midlands Today. The headlines tonight:

Wrongly portrayed as scroungers ` a furious reaction from Birmingham

residents on benefits featured in a controversial documentary. That is

all it comes down to. Editing. Just the editing. They have portrayed us

to be, like, bad. Hard`done`by or playing the system?

We get your reaction. Also tonight, a catalogue of violent

disturbances. Leaked documents uncover a series of confrontations

between staff and inmates at Oakwood Prison. There's no indication this

problem is going to get it. There is every indication these problems will

get worse. The impact of flooding on the rural

economy. Farmers say it's costing thousands in lost crops.

Stargazing Live is back! We're live at a Birmingham telescope with an

unsung hero and an astronomical challenge. Fingers crossed for clear

skies! Well, I hope to have all the answers

you're looking in the forecast later, although after the week we've

just had, I can imagine you might not be expecting much. I think you

might be pleasantly surprised. Good evening. There's been a furious

reaction today to a television documentary about people living on

benefits in a Birmingham street. Police are studying abusive and

threatening messages posted on social media, including threats to

kill. And residents have reacted angrily, saying they've been wrongly

portrayed as scroungers. Channel 4 says it's standing by the programme.

Ben Sidwell reports from so`called Benefits Street.

Overnight this ordinary street in Birmingham has become nationally

known, but for all the wrong reasons. James Turner Street was one

of the best streets. Unemployed, unemployed! Now, one of the worst.

James Turner Street in Winson Green has been labelled Benefits Street. I

was a bit disgusted. They portrayed everybody to be on benefits and have

no ambition. That is how it came across. It just made it out as if

nobody was doing anything with their lives. It is disgusting. I don't

know why they said it was a benefit road. They said to us before it

started that it was going to be about a community street. I am very

disgusted with the way this programme portrayed the whole

street. And stigmatised the people on the street. Ofcom has already

received around 100 complaints about the programme. On social media the

response has been extreme, including death threats. It is frightening,

because like me, I have two kids. It is just wrong. The tweets could be a

criminal offence, and so, too, evidence of cannabis being grown, as

seen in the programme. West Midlands Police say they've been inundated

with comments from members of the public, many of whom are concerned

about the criminal activities shown on the programme. Today on BBC WM,

listeners weren't holding back. There is an awful lot of scroungers

who just don't want to work. They refer to it as their money, it is

not their money. Channel 4 told us it was a fair and balanced

observational documentary but one media expert said programme` makers

hold all the cards. I was almost nervous of the people who were in it

all the way through, thinking, you know, you don't know what you've

done. You said things that really you should not have said because the

programme makers are always in control. As a participant, you never

win in that sort of documentary. Most residents weren't keen to be in

front of camera today, but one of the stars of the show summed it up

for many. They were here for nearly a year and I know it isn't the

guy's fault who was doing the filming, it is the people doing the

editing. They are the ones who can cut the bits out and show the worst.

And all this after just one episode, with four more to go.

Well, over four million people watched the programme last night and

it's caused quite a reaction from you, who have been getting in touch

with us on our Facebook page, through Twitter and by email today.

Jasmine Palfrey wrote on our Facebook page, "Not everyone on

benefits is like that. It really annoyed and upset me. I'm on

benefits due to a disability". Khakan Qureshi tweeted that it

"portrayed a minority of residents in a negative light to fuel the

stereotypes of people claiming benefits".

Linda from Stratford`upon`Avon emailed, "I was disgusted with these

people who think it is their God`given right to live off the

taxes that I have to pay. I did notice that no`one went short of

cans of beer and cigarettes". Theresa Wilcox wrote on Facebook,

"It's scandalous that people make life`style choices like this and

those genuine claimants who are in need of help and support are made to

feel like scroungers". Just a very brief selection of the

comments we've had. Thank you for those.

Coming up later in the programme, how one man has built his own

defences to keep the flood waters at bay. There are two pumps in there,

actually. There is a small one and if it cannot cope, the big one

switches in automatically. Documents leaked to the BBC reveal

details of a catalogue of violent disturbances at the UK's biggest

prison, Oakwood, near Wolverhampton. A number of cells were damaged in

nine hours of disturbances on Sunday. The private company running

the jail today insisted the staff are doing a superb job. Here's our

reporter Sarah Falkland. Away from public view, what goes on

inside Britain's biggest jail? We've asked repeatedly to film inside here

but the Ministry of Justice and G4S, who run the place, have always

refused. But these documents shed some light. How late last year, for

example, a tornado team was drafted in to deal with around 18 inmates

attacking staff with pool cues and broom handles, many of them drunk on

Hooch. There's no suggestion that it was home`made booze brewed on Her

Majesty's premises that fuelled events of Sunday evening. Some have

described what happened as a riot. G4S's spokesman this morning used

other words. There was an instance of discipline problem that was dealt

with on Sunday by normal contingency planning. I'd need to make for a

clear that the staff at Oakwood doing a superb job. `` are doing.

David Wilson used to run the country's tornado teams and he's

worried G4S, bailed out by the Army with the Olympics, is now relying on

the state to keep control at Oakwood. We have the public sector

prisons going into a private company's firm, again, bailing them

out. Hopefully, the public sector prisons will be repaid for the money

it will cost to put in the Tornado teams but this is a situation

which, in terms of Oakwood, gives no indication the problem will get

better. There is every indication these problems will get worse. Last

year, Her Majesty's Inspector of Prisons found getting drugs at

Oakwood was easier than getting a bar of soap. G4S insist things are

improving, and with a government committed to privatisation, it looks

likely they'll be allowed more time to prove their point. Labour say

they should be given six months to either shape up or ship out.

There's a warning tonight that Wolverhampton would go bust if the

City Council doesn't introduce even more drastic spending cuts

immediately. A report to be presented to tomorrow's Cabinet

meeting describes it as "the most challenging period the council has

ever faced". Our political editor, Patrick Burns, is here with me now.

Does this come as a shock? It is not the first big city authority to

raise the spectre of bankruptcy. Birmingham were talking in these

terms at year ago. So there is an element of political rhetoric on

this. Nevertheless, the stark numbers are clear enough. The

Government is requiring Wolverhampton to save another ?25

million over five years and that is above and beyond the 98 million they

had already budgeted for. No organisation could suffer a cut in

grants of that amount and be able to just simply deal with it. We are

really going under because of the way the Government has cut the grant

that has historically funded discounts, as it has indeed for many

councils up and down the country. So where are these cuts expected to

fall? The detail will have to wait until after that Cabinet meeting,

but the members have been recommended to put a halt on all

nonessential council spending for the remainder of this financial

year, and also to accelerate as many as 165 separate cost saving plans,

so some big and awkward decisions lie ahead. And only yesterday we

heard the Chancellor in North Warwickshire warning of a further

?25 billion cut in public spending after the next election, so there's

even more of this to come. Yes. More hard truths, said George Osborne.

His big hope is that enough economic regeneration will come through in

places like the eye safety foresight, with Jaguar Land Rover.

Just up the road from Wolverhampton. This will put enough money in

people's pockets to ease the dependency on local jobs and

services but there is a real debate about the future of local government

in this country, make no mistake. And there'll be more on the crisis

facing Wolverhampton Council in Pete Morgan's Breakfast Show on BBC WM

tomorrow morning. A prisoner who'd been on the run

since before Christmas has been arrested in Birmingham. Lee Wheeler

was allowed out from Sudbury Prison in Derbyshire on Monday 23rd

December but failed to return. He was arrested in Yardley this

afternoon. He's served three years of a nine`and`a`half`year sentence

for the manslaughter of Leon Kerr in Birmingham in 2010.

The Kidderminster Harriers manager Steve Burr has left the club today.

Burr, seen here on the right, has been in charge at Aggborough for

four years and has just guided them into the third round of the FA Cup.

He leaves with Kidderminster seventh in the Conference.

A farmer who lost ?200,000 of income as a result of the floods of 2007

says too many rules prevent him protecting his property. Bruce Udale

claims his land would be less vulnerable if the Environment Agency

eased restrictions on river maintenance, as Joanne Writtle

reports. Rain`lashed farmland and the River

Strine at Eyton in Shropshire. But the farmer here is endeavouring to

protect his land from the floods of previous years. Though he's bending

Environment Agency rules in order to maintain the river and keep it

clear. They don't really like us to take silt out of the bottom of the

river. They don't like us to take all of the weeds out of the river.

They don't like us to put the river banks up I. Yet if we didn't do this

sort of thing in this situation, the land either side would be flooded

fairly regularly. The Environment Agency argues it wants to make it

easier for farmers to carry out maintenance work while still

protecting wildlife and the environment. But bigger work, like

removing silt and bank protection, thus require landowners to contact

the Environment Agency for advice on getting permission. As storms

continued to batter, the NFU called for more funding for river

maintenance. Meanwhile, one flood expert claimed dredging rivers could

have further consequences on homes downstream. The board has got to go

somewhere, and in my book, having been flooded myself, and I'm sure

other homeowners would agree, that it is better if it goes onto

farmland rather than people's houses. Meanwhile, at Upton`on`

Severn in Worcestershire, electrical engineer Rowan Thomas is reaping the

benefits of using his skills to build his own flood defences ` a

pumping system and a 60`metre wall. There are two pumps in there. The

small pump is running at the moment and if that one cope, the big one

switches in automatically. It keeps everything dry. And as the winter

weather bites, this is the scene in Tewkesbury. Much of the town is

surrounded by water but homes are staying largely dry because of flood

defences. This is our top story tonight:

Wrongly portrayed as scroungers ` a furious reaction from Birmingham

residents on benefits featured in controversial documentary.

Your detailed weather forecast to come shortly.

And also in tonight's programme, as new car sales soar to pre`recession

levels, will it help boost the Midlands economy in 2014?

And the inventor whose device is used by millions of stargazers, but

it's never earned him a penny. I don't get any royalties for it and I

don't care! Vulnerable Children in

Stoke`on`Trent are being let down, according to some councillors. It's

been revealed a panel set up to visit children's homes have failed

to make almost 70% of inspections. The council has admitted the

situation leaves a lot to be desired. Here's our Staffordshire

reporter, Liz Copper. All children's homes in England have

to be visited at least every month for checks. The visits are overseen

by local councils. In Stoke`on`Trent, a panel of ten

councillors was setup, with duties including carrying out inspections

on children's homes, but it has emerged in the last couple of years

they completed fewer than a of those visits. It is poor for the

safeguarding of children. If you are not doing those visits, who are you

letting down? Those children. There's been renewed concern over

the welfare of children in care following a series of cases

involving sexual exploitation of girls, and the Government's reviewed

existing rules. In Stoke`on`Trent, to avoid falling foul of the law,

officials have carried out inspections in the absence of

councillors. Nobody wants to force people into something that happiness

is not their first interest. However, it is important as part of

parenting and the figures are there, you have got them there, and

the attendance leaves a lot to be desired. There are now calls for

more councillors to get involved in the way children's care is inspected

in the city. I think it is incredibly disappointing, I really

do. This is a moral obligation as far as I'm concerned. They are the

corporate parents and I will be watching now quite closely the

programmes such as yours and hopefully with you raising this

issue, it will see improvement, because it patently needs to

happen. Before Easter, new regulations will come in tightening

the rules on who can carry out these checks. All councils will have to

reassess how they inspect children's homes.

The UK's new car market is the strongest it's been since the

economic downturn began, according to figures out today. Business

surveys, too, point to growing confidence. And with several big

projects due for completion, 2014 is looking more promising for the

Midlands economy. It will also be a significant year for the

controversial high`speed rail project, which will link the region

with London. Here's our business and transport correspondent, Peter

Plisner. Keeping the wheels of economic

recovery moving is a big priority for many in 2014, and the latest

product from Jaguar Land Rover will certainly help. Its latest model,

the F`type, is built in the Midlands, with many parts made in

the Midlands, and it's boosting the region's exports. J`Lo was one of

the big economic success stories, `` stories of last year, with the

success set to continue. `` Jaguar Land Rover. As we look forward to

this year, we expect to see Jay Allard do very well. The focus now

moves from the four biggest cities that are struggling with pollution

and congestion towards the many, many large smaller cities inland.

That will be a bit more of a challenge for Jaguar Land Rover to

unlock those sales. But expansion is continuing, and this autumn sees the

opening of the company's new engine plant near Wolverhampton. There's

little doubt it'll provide a major jobs boost, employing more than 700

people. But what impact will this new facility have on the

manufacturing supply chain? Now`one's quite sure. JLR is

remaining tight`lipped about where parts for the engines made here will

come from. It's better news for the Midlands firm that's building the

new factory. Many expect a bumper year for the construction industry

in 2014. As we came through 2013, there became more work available to

bid for and over Christmas we were working on bids and had to go back

in on January and February, so I feel this will be a stronger market.

`` bids that had to. And things will really taking off at Birmingham

Airport. In April, it's due to open an extended runway. Work's now well

advanced on a project that has always been billed as providing a

major boost to the economy. The big thing consumers want is like at a

Formula One race. They prefer fewer stops on their journey and if you

get the strategy right, you get a better run, so direct flying is

better than flying through someone else's airport. The airport's also

looking forward to a direct connection to HS2, and 2014 will be

a big year for that project. Many documents related to a special

Hybrid Bill being debated in Parliament are being held at the new

Library of Birmingham. First of all, we're just coming to the end of

the consultation on the environment statement, and then it is down for

debate in the House with the bill being read and produced in front of

Parliament, going through a couple of times, hopefully then in time for

the election in 2015. A new engine plant, an extended runway, HS2. 2014

promises to be a busy and hopefully prosperous new year.

And Peter joins us now from a factory in Birmingham that makes

parts for Jaguar Land Rover and other car`makers. Peter, today's

news that car sales have reached a post`recession high can only good

news for the region's manufacturers? It certainly is, and this is one of

the firms reaping the benefits. This part drives the windscreen wipers on

a variety of models, including some land Rovers. Some of the components

in this part made in this factory. With me is the man `` the managing

director. This is great news. They have only gone up to prior to the

recession figures, which shows confidence has come back into the

economy and a car is one of the top three items people buy so it is good

to see those going up again. When order s for cars is up, orders for

cars `` order numbers for parts is up as well? Yet. Last year,

confidence is high to start with but it was slow in coming forward. All

of the order started coming in in the final three to four months of

last year. What is your prediction for this year? I would like to think

the economy will carry on growing and then the housing market. To move

and then we will be back to pre`2008. If confidence is high

amongst manufacturers it means they want to create new jobs, and that

has to be good for unemployment and the region as a whole. A positive

note to end on. Thank you. Providing it's clear, many eyes will

be on the skies tonight, as Professor Brian Cox returns to BBC

Two in Stargazing Live. We've sent our science correspondent, David

Gregory`Kumar, out to do a bit of stargazing of our own. David, what

are you looking for tonight? Thanks, Mary. Well, we're at the

University of Birmingham Telescope on the edge of the city, and tonight

we're looking for comets. We will be setting a comet challenge. But

first, we have a secret stargazing superstar living here in the

Midlands. He's a retired engineer who revolutionised amateur astronomy

with an invention he gave away for free.

This is no ordinary Coventry shed. This is the workshop of the man who

revolutionised amateur astronomy. How did you get into astronomy? I

started at about five years old when my dad took me out in the warm, even

in air. I was absolutely gobsmacked that the stars moved in the sky as I

saw one go from one side of a pour to another. `` of a pole. 40 years

ago, building your own telescope was a big part of amateur astronomy. But

John Wall was deeply unhappy with the design of a traditional

telescope`focusing mechanism. Focusing is one of the hardest

things in astronomy and anything you can do to make that easier is going

to enhance astronomy and looking at the stars and the experience will be

much better. So John created this ` the Crayford Focuser, allowing

cheap, smooth focusing of a telescope. It was an idea that swept

the world. Telescopes will be sold with them and people sell them

second hand as well, because there is quite a market in second`hand

equipment, so as revolutionised astronomy because it gives amateurs

a chance to get some top quality imaging and that is where this focus

has been really popular. So, did his invention making millions? It was a

gift to the community. I'd get any will tease from it but I don't care!

It is all over the planet now! It is owned by millions in Southeast Asia!

Tonight, Stargazing Live celebrates astronomy, so it's appropriate that

we celebrate John Wall and his invention, too.

Get a pen and paper because we will have a web address for you, because

you will be taking part, we hope, in our comet challenge. But we're here

at the University of Birmingham Telescope on the edge of the city,

and with me is Graham Smith. Graham, we're looking for something a bit

tricky this evening ` comets. Yes. Sadly, it disintegrated due to the

heat and gravity of the Sun, though. You took a still picture with your

telescope? Yes. Our first observation was this comet. Some

students joined me for breakfast one morning and we had a really good

time at such an early hour, surprisingly! This is our comet

challenge to our viewers. Yes. I expect you need binoculars to see it

from a light polluted, suburban background. Something like the West

Midlands. If it is Willie Darke, you might be able to see it with the

naked eye. So I really want to find from the people of the West Midlands

whether they can see it with their naked eye. So, that is our

challenge. It will give us an idea about light pollution here in the

Midlands. If you go to my blog, you will find details of the comet

challenge and more details of Stargazing Live events all over the

Midlands which are happening over the next three nights, and also a

bit more about John Wall, that unsung hero of astronomy.

And if you want to follow the rest of the BBC's coverage, switch over

to BBC Two from 8pm this evening. So we need to know if it's a good

night for stargazing, Shefali. All things considered, yes.

Absolutely. The stargazing event goes on for three days and three

nights and two out of those three will be good. It is tomorrow night

that will pose some problems and probably be a write`off for looking

at stars and skies. This is how it is looking across the country now.

You will see it in just a moment. Quite promising considering the

whole think it's off in just about an hourtime. This is the feature

spoiling things tomorrow. `` considering the whole thing kicks

off. We have this at land existing moving in that iceberg of yesterday,

which has American connections, and it will be much heavier. This will

have deflated as it arrives with us and then it slips South. Apt to

tonight, a few showers moving in from the West but these are later on

in the night. Actually, they will be over parts of Staffordshire and

Cheshire, so not so good for stargazing here, but drier

elsewhere. We continue with this line of showers affecting the north

of the region tomorrow morning but these will gradually fade, leaving

most of the a dry with spells of sunshine as well. You will notice

later on this area of rain lurking in the wings, and this is the first

sign of things turning wet into the evening and overnight. But for the

time of year quite mild, if you look at those temperatures. The winds

will be moderate from a south`westerly direction. This band

of rain will really pick up pace tomorrow evening and tomorrow night.

We have Met Office warnings for the west of the region in particular

with heavy outbreaks of rain, torrential in places, and even some

thunder. That is because of the amount of time it is with us and the

intensity not dying down. As for the rest of the week, well, Thursday

looks pretty dry. Turning colder with some frost on Thursday night

and some rain on Friday. Tonight's headlines from the BBC:

Yet more storms batter England and Wales, with hundreds of warnings and

alerts as more rainfall is forecast. A coalition row over immigration

targets, as a new survey shows three out of four people want to see

numbers cut. A furious reaction from families in

Birmingham who say they've been wrongly portrayed as scroungers in a

controversial documentary. And a catalogue of violent

disturbances, as leaked documents uncover a series of confrontations

between staff and inmates at Oakwood Prison.

That was the Midlands Today. I'll be back at 10pm, when we'll be hearing

from Lorely Burt MP, who used to be an assistant prison Governor. How

does she think the problems at Oakwood jail can be sorted out? Have

a great evening. Goodbye.