28/01/2014 Midlands Today

Hello and welcome to Midlands Today. The headlines tonight. Boost for

Coventry as Nissan announce a ?6 million deal to assemble taxis in

the city. We have some of the highest skilled

people in the industry right on our doorstep. We employ some already and

we can get more. We'll be finding out exactly what

this means for Coventry and the whole automotive business in the

West Midlands. Also tonight. Four men are arrested

across Birmingham by police investigating mobile phone theft and

fraud. There is no such thing as a

victimless crime. Secret filming shows migrant workers

in the region being paid less than the minimum wage.

Find out why this gun is making the journey from Herefordshire to

France. And brace yourself, things are about

to get colder. The first wintry spells of the year. But will they

last? Your full forecast is on the way.

Good evening. The Japanese car giant Nissan has announced a ?6 million

investment in Coventry as it looks to break into the London taxi cab

market. Nissan will build their new taxis in Barcelona, then ship them

to a firm in Coventry for assembly. It's another major boost for the

West Midlands' automotive industry, which is already buoyed by the

performance of Jaguar Land Rover. In a moment, we'll be hearing from a

senior Nissan executive, but first here's Joan Cummins.

This is one of the Nissan prototype taxis that will represent the

Japanese car giants attempts to conquer the London Taxi market.

Launched in January and based on a van design, the vehicles will be

shipped from Barcelona to ADV Coventry for a black cab

transformation. We will be converting the vehicle

which arrives from Spain, which is a commercial vehicle made by Nissan in

Barcelona, and we will be converting it to a full London taxi

specification. We have some of the highest skilled people in industry

on our doorstep. ADV have only been in business for

three years, but already they're established as a major supplier to

many of the prestige car manufacturers in the country and

currently employ 150 staff. By Christmas, this is going to be

the new assembly hall for the Nissan taxi. It is unclear exactly how many

jobs will be created, but I'm told it will be significant. Today's

announcement of investment and the prospect of new jobs was seen as

re`establishing the region as the heartland of car production.

It's excellent news for the city and Warwickshire. It just goes to show

that if you want to build a car, the ideal place to build it is in this

region. We have got those skills, the workforce and the location and

it is very good news all round. But Coventry is already famous for black

cabs with the London Taxi company, so is there room for rival

neighbours? I think we will see that they will both rise to the

competitive challenge and overall the local supply chain and

automotive economy will be all the stronger for it. With the order

books recovering the biggest challenge for employers now is

ensuring that the region's skills remain the brightest in the country.

Earlier, I spoke to Andy Palmer, the Chief Planning Officer and Executive

Vice President of the Nissan Corporation. I asked him why Nissan

chose ADV in Coventry. We went through a selection process and

looked at all of the possible places that could manufacture the Nissan

London taxi. And this was the most competitive. The most compelling

choice. Great news for the company in Coventry.

And this will be a hefty commitment for ADV and create jobs? Absolutely.

There is an investment of around ?6 million to make this happen. The

investment coming from Nissan, ADV and help from the government.

Coventry is becoming a bit of a taxi capital? You'll have competition.

Competition is always healthy. It is part of what makes the motor

industry go round. Obviously, we find in Coventry we have the skills

base here to do what we want. And it is our dream as Nissan that we

change the way that people think about mobility. In particular taxis.

Particularly by the use of electric taxis which is part of the mandate

that ADV has to create the electric London taxi. I think it will

ultimately change society and Coventry and ADV will be at the

centre of it. Now we are talking petrol driven

cars and all electric and Boris Johnson has made it clear that

bringing down emisssions is high on the agenda. Yes, indeed. London is

basically stating that by 2018, the electric vehicle zone will be in

place. In fact, Nissan will bring the London taxi, the EV version of

the London taxi, to market in 2015, made in Coventry. Our commitment is

to have that electric taxi on sale in a city in the UK in 2015.

Live now to Coventry now and our reporter Joan Cummins. Joan, a real

boost for the city, isn't it? Yes, it is. We do not know the exact

figures on jobs, but the fact that a company like Nissan is going to

assemble it here is a boost, not just to the company here, but to the

industry as a whole and people across the region. Coventry is open

for business and they can do car manufacturing here. Also in the city

you have the London Taxi Company, which used to be known as LTI. This

will be competition for them, won't it?

Yes, it will be. But this is what is going to happen anyway. It does not

matter if the production is taking place near or across the world. The

fact is, today, Nissan has decided to invest here in Coventry and that

means jobs for the people of Coventry.

You're watching Midlands Today from the BBC. Great to have you with us

this evening. Later, following that good news for Coventry. We'll be

assessing the impact in our region as the UK economy grows at its

fastest rate since 2007. And as the Christmas and New Year

flooding bill tops ?400 million, could this defence scheme in

Worcestershire provide a blueprint for the future?

A former chief nurse at Stafford Hospital has consented to being

struck off for exposing patients to danger during her time in charge.

Janice Harry agreed to the move after the Professional Standards

Authority for Health and Social Care launched a challenge to a tribunal's

decision only to issue her with a caution. With me now is our Health

Correspondent Michele Paduano. This is quite a turnaround, what's been

the reaction? It has not been jubilation. I spoke

to someone who said that many more adverse `` nurses should have been

investigated. Janice Harry Tried to allow her membership to lapse. This

agreement to be struck off has avoided another High Court hearing.

I think the message that it sends is that if you are in a senior

position, then you need to comply with the code of conduct. That

applies to all nurses, not just senior nurses. This decision is very

important and we are happy with the outcome.

What exactly has Janice Harry done, or not done?

She was said to have pleased patients at risk. In one example, 17

patients were being looked after by wonders overnight. Also, in accident

and emergency, the nurse on reception often had to go and help

out, leaving a receptionist to look after patients which was

unacceptable. Still not the end of all the recriminations over Stafford

Hospital? There are still health and safety

cases ongoing, and a fresh inquest into at least one death. 173 cases

are still being looked at by police. Janice Harry Is the only senior

member of staff who will be dealt with in this way.

A series of raids has taken place across Birmingham by police

targeting mobile phone theft and fraud. At one address alone,

there've been more than 200 claims for damaged smartphones over the

past two years. Our Special correspondent, Peter Wilson reports.

Not a phone call or a knock at the door. This was the first of a series

of dawn raids across Birmingham. Operation Network, more than 60

police officers. This is one of nine addresses targeted by West Midlands

Police, which also includes a mobile phone shop and a market stall. All

of those arrested today are suspected of handling stolen goods

are being involved in mobile phone fraud. Every month, 500 smartphones

are stolen in the West Midlands. 300,000 each year in the United

Kingdom. One address has handled in excess of 200 handsets in less than

18 months. The average cost of a smartphone could be ?700. That is a

huge amount of money. At the Operation Control Centre, the police

were checking on the details of each phone they'd seized. Effectively,

what is happening is that the fraudsters are sending stolen phones

back to the smartphone companies to replace them free of charge, and the

fraudsters then sell them. There is no such thing as a victimless crime.

This is the first operation of its kind by the police in the Midlands.

Detectives say it is part of an ongoing series of investigations

aimed at making life difficult for the smartphone fraudsters and

thieves. The private security company which

runs Oakwood Jail near Wolverhampton has promised to improve its

management after disturbances there earlier this month. A prison officer

had described the incident as a full scale riot with inmates shouting

threats from behind a barricade. At Westminster today, G4S defended the

prison in response to one MP who said Oakwood was known as jokewood.

I am absolutely confident that we will rectify the issues at the

prison to get it as good as any other prison be done. This is an

example of selectively picking examples to put us in a negative

light. A BBC investigation has found

migrant workers are being brought to Birmingham from London to work for

below the minimum wage. Secret recording in London and in

Birmingham has uncovered workers being paid as little as ?40 pounds a

day. Gareth Furby has this special report.

Every day on some streets in London, there are people, many eastern

European, waiting to be offered work as builders or casual labourers. But

I be paid at least the minimum wage? To find out, we asked to Macromedia

workers to go undercover. Both carried a hidden camera. `` two

Romanian. They heard others talk about low wages. I worked all day

for ?10. One of them was offered work moving mattresses. His pay at

the end of the day, ?40 for a seven hour day with only a five`minute

break. That works out at an hour, under the National minimum wage of

?6.31 an hour. You were just told to do things. Our second Romanian is

offered a week's work in Birmingham. But the man who is

hiring does not want to pay him much.

He is give an more than 100 miles, put to work at the back of a shop

and paid ?40. Which for nine hours of work comes to about ?4 70 an

hour. What does the government think of such low wages? It is a serious

breach of the law. I do not know all the details and circumstances, but

it must be investigated. The campaigning group migration watch

says such practices are driving down wages for all builders. It drives

down wages for ordinary working class people around the country.

This man said he agreed to pay are Labour ?40 for a single job and that

he did not work for nine hours. Our recording suggests that he does.

The insurance bill for the storms and flooding that damaged thousands

of homes in Britain over the Christmas and New Year period is set

to reach ?426 million. The Association of British Insurers said

today its members dealt with 174,000 claims for damage to homes,

businesses and cars. Environment Agency flood defences have clearly

helped here in the West Midlands, but could another scheme in

Worcestershire offer hope across the country? Joanne Writtle reports.

In heavy downpours, water from fields has caused flash flooding

down in the village of Harvington in Worcestershire. But, say villagers,

not any more. Two ponds have been dug and an orchard's been planted,

allowing water to soak into the ground. What we decided to do was to

create a buffer with these two small ponds. We also wanted to create

something that would absorb the water as well, and the orchards are

the natural thing to do. This was really restoring land to what it

used to be. When we had the orchards, we did not have the

flooding. This is how bad the problem was in 2004. This house on

low land is one of a handful which has flooded. Pat and George Pyatt

have spent ?20,000 on their own flood defences in the last 20 years.

They've been flooded six times. It used to be known as a house that

always floods, but now I want us to be known as a house that never

floods. We are covered, not only has all the work being done, but in

addition, we have also got flood defence barriers funded by DEFRA.

Obviously, we are very pleased with what has been done. I don't get

paranoid with the rain now, like I used to. Sewers have been upgraded,

and a culvert put in, with the orchard being the final piece of a

jigsaw to protect these homes, all funded by agencies including

councils and Severn Trent. The government has pledged ?150 million

to help schemes like this, but some environmental experts say it is

simply not enough. If you do more of these schemes, and what we call

upland flood management, you can prevent the flood water going into

the urban areas and getting into the rivers and causing worse flooding.

It is a bit of a win win. The orchard's now managed by a village

trust. In good weather, it'll provide parkland, and in bad, it

provides protection. This is our top story tonight. A

boost for Coventry, as Nissan announce a ?6 million deal to

assemble taxis in the city. Rebecca's waiting with your detailed

weather forecast. Also in tonight's programme.

Restored in Herefordshire, heading for France: the massive field gun

which will be used to mark the 100th anniversary of the start of the

Great War. The economy now and figures out

today show that the UK had the strongest growth in Europe last

year. Our economy grew by 1.9% in 2013. That's the biggest rise since

2007 when the recession hit. But here in the Midlands, growth amongst

the manufacturing sector seems to be even higher. Our business

correspondent Peter Plisner has been to one Black Country firm which has

had to set up a new factory to meet soaring demand.

Capitalising on growth. Just a few weeks ago. This was an empty factory

unit. Now it's a busy molding plant with more machines still being

installed. This firm makes parts for a variety of car manufacturers

including Jaguar Land Rover. When sales hit record highs, companies

like this need to expand. We listened to our customers, the

economy is healthy, what better time to do it?

Expansion like this is not unusual here in the West Midlands

Manufacturing growth seems to be higher than the national average.

Companies like this need to meet additional demand by having extra

capacity and that also means creating new jobs. Technician Andrew

Dixon is one of the latest recruits. It's a great opportunity that was

not there before. I was doing a lot of travelling to and from work. This

is closer. There are also more jobs at the company's existing factory.

Here it is not just automotive that is fuelling demand.

Aerospace is proving very lucrative, particularly seating. We are doing

several projects for that. Also agricultural and construction

vehicles. So with full order books at many

manufacturers, just how fast are they growing here? It varies company

by company, product by`product and customer by customer. But I think

growth of up to 10% would be a good norm. More growth was being

celebrated in Coventry today where the company that made the Olympic

torch was handing one of them over to the council. It came at a time

when the workforce was around 110 people. We are now at 186 people and

counting. Fortunately, as a marketing tool, it demonstrates what

we can do. With many firms now expanding fast, that is bound to

mean further welcome falls in unemployment in future months.

One of the country's biggest music festivals is coming to Birmingham.

Wireless Festival, which for the past nine years has taken place in

London, today announced they're expanding to a second location at

Perry Park in Birmingham. Ben Sidwell's at the launch party for

the event which'll take place in July. So what does this mean for the

city, Ben? It is a big deal for the city. Until a couple of years ago,

Birmingham did not have a major music festival here. We are talking

45,000 people a day for three days. This is the launch party for the

festival in Birmingham. Some of the acts that will be playing Kanye

West, Bruno Mars, Ellie Goulding. By you brought it to Birmingham? We are

delighted to be in Birmingham. All the artists that are played in

the past have done well in the Midlands. This is the obvious place

to bring the festival. It is the next biggest market outside of

London. It is a very different festival. This is very much an

urban, city festival for people go home at the end of each night. We do

not have camping, that is one of our unique points of difference. Can it

work so close to London? Absolutely, we have got some really

good exclusives. We have got a great line`up. It deserves a wider

audience than just London. Tickets go on sale on Friday. The party here

is about to start. Football and Stoke City have had a

busy day in the transfer market. The Blackpool winger Tom Ince has been

at their training ground discussing a move. And they've also signed

striker Peter Odemwingie from Cardiff, with Kenwyne Jones moving

in the other direction. Last January, Odemwingie drove himself to

QPR to try and engineer a move away from West Bromwich Albion. He

finally got his wish in the summer with a switch to Cardiff City. And

now he's on the move again, this time to the Potteries.

The final touches are being put to a World War One field gun which will

be used to mark the 100th anniversary of the start of the

Great War. It's been restored in Herefordshire and it'll be taken to

France this summer to commemorate the work of the British Cavalry in

1914 as seen in the film and stage play War Horse. Here's our arts

reporter Satnam Rana. The booming, deafening sound of a

13`pounder field gun used in the Great War by the British cavalry.

Over the last year and a half, workers here in Peterchurch in

Herefordshire has been restoring it. When you are restoring the gun, you

are bringing back to life those guys that went into action, all the ways

that the guns worked, the elevation gear, the sights and the breach to

make sure that the breach is working perfectly. That is what goes to make

the fun work properly. The gun will be taken in August to France as part

of the War Horse ride. It's being done to honour the cavalrymen who

took part in the opening of the war in 1914. The trenches did not come

in until well after Christmas 1914, right into 1915 and 1916 and, of

course, the horrors of Passiondale. But the first month of the war was a

very mobile, very active action, fought all the way from Mons to Le

Mans and this gun played its part. 100 years on, six horses and 35

riders will represent the journey made by cavalrymen in 1914. The 100

mile ride over five days will follow a route from Le Cateau to Nery,

retracing the footsteps of thousands of service men. As the anniversary

of the start of World War I approaches, the finishing touches

are being made to the 13 pounder field gun. When this gun makes his

journey across France, it will halt at significant battle sites, firing

salutes. Closer to home in Warwickshire, we can see it in

action during the battle proms at Ragley Hall in August.

It's time for the weather and I have a slight sense of foreboding as I

hand over to Rebecca. I just cannot bring any good news.

Things are starting to get colder now. But we have showers tonight and

tomorrow. Then we start to see those temperatures taking a bit of a

tumble for a short period of time. We do still have those showers

centred around that more pressure `` low pressure system. The breeze

associated with it will help things are little bit. It will help to

leave it `` to lift temperatures a little bit. Not a particularly cold

start tomorrow. But it will be a wet one. But the wind direction changes

to the east and it will feel very raw tomorrow. Some of those showers

could be wintry. Temperatures of around six Celsius, but feeling

chilly in that easterly wind. The Met Office have issued an early

yellow weather warning for ice tomorrow evening. We keep those

showers for the start of tomorrow night, the lost Ark to ease `` they

will start to ease and NBC a widespread frost. Temperatures

dropping close to freezing point for Thursday morning. It will be a cold

day on Thursday as well. We are appealing in `` we are pulling in

easterly winds from the continent. Snow showers through the day on

Thursday. But that will be a light dusting. It will be cold on

Thursday, but it is a brief cold snap because by Friday, heavy rain

is back again. Temperatures are recovering and the chance of

flooding for the weekend. Tonight's headlines from the BBC.

The UK economy grows at its fastest rate since 2007. The Chancellor says

it shows the government's plan is working.

And a boost for Coventry: Nissan's announced a ?6 million deal to

assemble taxis in the city. That was the Midlands Today. I'll be

back at ten o'clock with a live report from Stafford Hospital after

the former chief nurse there Janice Harry was struck off. Have a good

evening. Bye for now.