23/09/2013 North West Tonight

Good evening. Welcome to North West Tonight with Annabel Tiffin and

Roger Johnson. Our top story... Reckless and dangerous — criticism

as more Government cuts put 700 Reckless and dangerous — criticism

front line police jobs at risk. I think it is unacceptable to cut

the police beyond the limit where the are unable to perform their

The Government says Forces have already shown an impressive ability

to make savings while still cutting A bus driver is arrested after

to make savings while still cutting people including school—children are

injured in a collision with a lorry A family's anguish after an inquest

into the death of their baby girl hears criticism of maternity staff

at the troubled Furness General It is better than Glastonbury.

And rock school — music stars big—up the little festival which raised

thousands for a Manchester primary. And I have come on a course to see

For the last couple of years our financial pressure as the government

has tried to balance the books. Thousands of officers and staff

has tried to balance the books. Tonight it has become clear the

has tried to balance the books. losses are far from over. Greater

Manchester Police revealed a further 700 police officer posts could go

and hundreds more could be lost 700 police officer posts could go

Merseyside. Our political editor, Police forces are already working

through a four year programme of cuts to 2015. In the case of Greater

Manchester Police, the Budget in Cuts were imposed of £135 million by

2015. That meant the number of officers reducing from 8,000 to

7,200. New figures show the cuts will continue. For the following two

years, 2015 to 2017, a further will continue. For the following two

million will be cut from the budget. That means another 700 officers

I think it is too deep to deal with, after all, we are paying for the

police. I think it is unacceptable to cut the police beyond limit where

they are unable to perform their duties. If there are to respond

they are unable to perform their the public's concerned and make

they are unable to perform their our communities are safe. We believe

Meanwhile Merseyside Police say our communities are safe. We believe

also anticipate extra savings of about £50 million over that period.

They say they have already lost around 600 officers. Last week

Lancashire Constabulary announced cuts of £73 million over the next

four years, meaning 165 officers In a statement the Home Office says,

getting the economy back on track has meant a challenging funding

settlement for the police, but forces like Manchester have shown an

This is what they are talking about. In the year to March 2013, overall

crime across Greater Manchester dropped by 11% compared to the year

Just before we came on air, I spoke to Ian Hanson from the Greater

Manchester Police Federation. I asked him what effect he thought the

Let's be realistic about this. If you take of the nominal mode of

money out of the police budget, you take of the nominal mode of

is going to mean less bleak —— police officers on the streets of

greater Manchester. There is no other way we can manage this sort of

enormous attack on our budgets. other way we can manage this sort of

recent years we have looked at the back office, we have looked at every

ultimately now it will be down to Those cuts as you mentioned have

already been made, and Kramer is still falling, so you have clearly

managed all right. —— crime is still falling. We are like an elastic

band, we have stretched it so far but it is ready to snap. People

band, we have stretched it so far Greater Manchester Police have been

working extremely hard in recent times just to keep the wheels on.

The chief constable was quoted a couple of weeks ago saying that

The chief constable was quoted a 40% of reported crimes are pursued.

thinking, if there are fewer police officers on the street, that number

which too many seems shockingly officers on the street, that number

It will fall even lower than that. It will be about choices. People may

be surprised that only 40% of cranes are pursued but we don't have the

resources to do anything other than that. We have to make choices. It

sticks in the throat but we have to make a decision, ultimately, to

sticks in the throat but we have to to some people I am sorry we cannot

do that any more. What effect do you rank—and—file police officers?

Rank and file police officers are tired. Since the first round of

Rank and file police officers are when we lost 400 police officers,

they are exhausted. Police officers people, they want to serve the

communities of greater Manchester and they have worked phenomenally

hard in recent years to keep the wheels on. The effect of this is

that the —— the effect of this is going to be that... I don't know,

they will still do their best but what it will look like I don't know.

A bus driver has been arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving after

20 people, including schoolchildren, were injured in crash in Cumbria.

The bus collided with a lorry near Grayrigg en route to Kendal. The

road was closed for several hours. None of the injuries are serious.

The damage to the lorry driver None of the injuries are serious.

cab paints a frightening picture. This morning the lorry and a bus

carrying mainly schoolchildren collided. The lorry was heading

heading south to Kendall. Luckily, none of the 24 secondary age pupils

on board were seriously hurt. It could have been a lot worse. When

you have vehicles with multiple passengers there is that the dental

for injury or death. Fortunately on this occasion it would appear we

have come out on the better side The driver of the lorry had to be

cut free from the wreckage. The airlifted to the Royal Preston

life—threatening injuries. Three other adults and six children were

injuries. Police say they are not entirely sure what happened but

injuries. Police say they are not is a very narrow stretch of road

They have, however, arrested the driver of the bus on suspicion of

dangerous driving, but they stressed this is at an early stage of their

Just because someone is arrested it doesn't necessarily mean they have

committed any offences, but he will The road near Grayrigg stayed shut

throughout the day while a lorry and the bus were removed. Stage ——

special investigators were examining the scene. The headteacher of the

school has praised his pupils for helping one another after the crash.

It has emerged a public health consultant who was due to take up a

post at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine is among the

victims of terror attacks in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi. 63—year—old

Peruvian national Dr Juan Jesus Ortiz—Iruri was due to arrive in

The Labour leader of Manchester Ortiz—Iruri was due to arrive in

hit out at the Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls for criticising the rising

cost of the HS2 high speed rail Balls for criticising the rising

project. Sir Richard Leese said Balls for criticising the rising

comments represented a "cheap shot" at a project that was first proposed

by a Labour government, and that HS2 is essential to the economic future

A school in Cumbria which closed after an infestation of harvest

mites believed to have come from the recently installed eco—roof is

expected to remain closed for at least three days. More than 700

students from Walney School in Barrow were sent home on Friday

after pupils complained of bites. Central Library has been officially

opened by the Earl of Wessex, Prince Edward. The building re—opened to

the public in May after renovations which took six months and cost

the public in May after renovations recently celebrated their 50th

wedding anniversary are celebrating again after winning £1 million on

Malcolm Talbot says he is looking forward to organising a special

party for wife Rhona's 70th birthday later this year. The couple also say

they're planning on buying their The former head of midwifery at

Furness General Hospital in Cumbria has criticised maternity staff there

following the death of a new born child. Elleanor Bennett's is one of

a number of baby and mother deaths at the hospital investigated by

Cumbria Police. An inquest has opened in Barrow today. Stuart

Flinders has been there and joins us Furness General began two years

Flinders has been there and joins us and yet Elleanor Bennett died many

years before that, didn't she? and at the time her parents say

years before that, didn't she? were told by a consultant at Furness

General her death was in his words just one of those things. Years

later, when the police investigation into the deaths of mothers and

babies at Furness General began into the deaths of mothers and

began to wonder whether there was more to it and they came to today's

interest —— inquest looking for answers. Leslie and Gary Bennett

buried their daughter believing answers. Leslie and Gary Bennett

life could not have been saved, answers. Leslie and Gary Bennett

at an inquest today they heard of a 43 minute gap before she was born

that maternity staff failed to monitor the unborn child's heart.

Midwives told the court that because Elleanor's mother was overweight it

heart. But Denise Fish the former head of midwifery said a doctor

decision made immediately to get the Leslie Bennetts said her baby was

born blue—grey colour, her head flopped, she said I asked what is

wrong with my baby. The child was Hospital for special treatment but

died at a later. —— died a day later. This came after the death of

hospital. The coroner said that later. This came after the death of

that opportunities to spot and treat The Health Secretary announced an

inquiry into maternity care of the trust at furniture. What about the

One of them, midwife, came today and admitted she should have called

One of them, midwife, came today and doctor on that occasion, but other

people the coroner would have liked to have heard from, more senior

disappeared. Some of them may now be working abroad. As he put it, they

had gone off the radar and could not be traced. The inquest is bedded to

—— the inquest is expected to finish More than £67 billion of public

money has been set aside to clean up the Sellafield nuclear site in

Cumbria. But the company which won the contract has been criticised

One project alone has gone £600 million over budget. In the next few

weeks, the Government has to decide whether or not to continue with

weeks, the Government has to decide our nuclear waste is stored. It

weeks, the Government has to decide to be handled with the care it

deserves. These ponds are exposed to nuclear waste. It was not considered

at the time, that gives us massive challenges on how to do it safely in

the environment we have in an ageing Some of the waste is so sensitive it

can only be handled by robots. It will take over 100 years to

decommission the whole site, but it is what is happening now that will

consortium will continue the work. An influential group of MPs blamed

poor management for unacceptable delays, cost increases and described

the performance as dire. Should delays, cost increases and described

consortium continue? We are on track standards, we are making savings, we

have achieved the best safety record Sellafield has seen since records

It is my belief we are on track Sellafield has seen since records

we have earned the right for the decommissioning authority that will

make the final decision has come under fire for not keeping a close

enough I on the work at Sellafield. We have identified issues that have

been unsatisfactory and we have taken a strong and firm approach. We

mean to do that as we go forward. An clean—up contract is expected in the

Chris Jackson and his team were Sellafield for that film, you can

see a full report here on BBC One at 7:30pm. Diane will be with us before

Preston's iconic bus station has been saved from demolition and given

Grade II listed status. Campaigners say it is brilliant news, but the

council isn't so happy. Councillors say the cost of modernising it could

be as much as £23 million, and they think it should be pulled down.

It opened in 1969, but by December bleak. Preston City Council voted in

principle to demolish it and build a moderate, smaller replacement. The

campaigners fought that plan and today the government has decided to

status gives us the chance to use it as a platform, and what we are

looking for is joined up thinking Lancashire county council, they

looking for is joined up thinking £8.3 million in the kitty and we

would like them to put towards refurbishment and make the bust

English Heritage says it is pleased building grade two listed status

does not mean it could never be demolished but it would make the

process lengthy and more expensive and come in all probability, it

would end up at a public inquiry. Preston City Council insist the

would end up at a public inquiry. station is too big, too costly to

maintain and provide poor facilities We will be reviewing all options and

we are really nothing out at this Is it fair to say that demolition is

We are ruling nothing out at this stage. One local businessman who

offered to buy the structure said hope the council do not appeal

against this decision and we get on now working together as a community

to make the bus station the centre of the city, as it should have

Love it or loathe it, Preston's iconic bus station might be around

Richard Askam is here now with this evening's sport and it's a major

move in Rugby League that takes evening's sport and it's a major

Yes, and a major move out of the superstar full—back Sam Tomkins

Yes, and a major move out of the agreed a world record move to New

Zealand Warriors. The reigning Super League Man of Steel moves on a three

year contract for an undisclosed fee, but which is bigger than the

record of £475,000 that Wigan paid for Stuart Fielden. As part of the

deal, Wigan have first refusal if Sam wants to return to England.

deal, Wigan have first refusal if says it was a difficult decision, I

am sure it was, to leave the DW Stadium. It will be tough to leave

Warriors. But timewise I think it I am 24, so I have a lot of rugby

left in me and probably my best years to come, hopefully come and I

want them to do in the strong list position, which is the —— in New

One more word on Wigan — they have signed Australian Matty Bowen as a

On to football now and the scoreline that bust a few betting slips for

sure. The Manchester derby was supposed to be a game that could go

either way, but in the end it was humbling experience that made today

Headed towards goal and it is turned The team had the possession of the

ball and tried to score... That The team had the possession of the

And it is Samir Nasri for four! It was unbelievable. The four goals

City lead! He has cleared the wall! The players at this club bounce

City lead! He has cleared the wall! difficult to describe the feeling.

It hurts, but it always does, you reporting under his belt. He says

I used to say that city had the reporting under his belt. He says

individuals and United have the reporting under his belt. He says

team, but that was reversed on Sunday. I thought city were the

better term —— better team and Although his overall record against

the Blues was excellent, Sir Alex Ferguson has been on the end of

the Blues was excellent, Sir Alex couple of thumpings from City.

the Blues was excellent, Sir Alex two seasons ago and early in his

tenure in 1989 a famous 5—1 defeat Alex Ferguson had them in for one

hour and he used that game as a catalyst. That is David Moyes's

strategy, I would imagine, to think to himself, right, we have been

slaughtered by our closest and biggest rivals. Talk about what

slaughtered by our closest and wrong and use it as a catalyst.

David Moyes will hope he can find a favourites for the Premier League

Bolton Wanderers manager Dougie Freedman says he won't leave the

club, despite their worst start Freedman says he won't leave the

the season in over a century. The 38—year—old says he's not the type

challenge and that his side have what it takes to turn things around.

This defeat at Brighton on Saturday leaves Wanderers bottom of the

Championship and without a win from No such problems for Burnley, who

are second in the Championship after stretching their unbeaten run to

five games with victory over Leeds. The Clarets won 2—1 at Elland Road.

Scott Arfield scored the first while Sam Vokes doubled their advantage —

he was first to the rebound after Paddy Kenny had saved his initial

header. Manager Sean Dyche says their strong start is all down to

They have been nothing short of terrific in training and they have

taken that to the game, they have taken their pre—season form into the

season. There is a real good group at the moment, some good quality

with some good energy mixed with a good framework, and as you saw

today, battling qualities that you Finally from me, congratulations to

Liverpool boxer Liam Smith who won the British light—middleweight title

at the weekend to make a little the British light—middleweight title

of history. With brothers Paul and Stephen also holding British titles,

it is the first time one household has held three belts at the same

Not to be outdone, another brother, Callum, added to them all winning

When you are trying to organise Callum, added to them all winning

school fundraiser, you probably Callum, added to them all winning

to call in a few favours for the tombola or the raffle prizes. What

if you could call in a few favours from the great and the good of the

This weekend, singer songwriter Badly Drawn Boy and other top minute

—— Mancunian names were roped into play at Cavendish community primary

Now you'll make on well went along —— nylon Acorn well. It was the

sell—out event of the season for the under 11 is. Fans mushed by the

sell—out event of the season for the stage with their mums. There was

bouncing at the back, too. It was really cool, not many of us fell out

And the bands had a VIP area in really cool, not many of us fell out

nursery. What is on your right? really cool, not many of us fell out

know that canny West asked people last week to Ireland the carpets, so

Some music fans have come away from us far as Glasgow to see famous

Some music fans have come away from performing. We were selling tickets

in London, Brighton, lots of places. It is incredible, because there

in London, Brighton, lots of places. some bands, The Rainband, The Suns,

the up—and—coming bands. And the The budget used to be used for

buildings and IT, so you have to fill holes from elsewhere which

leaves less for the curriculum. fill holes from elsewhere which

were worried that the arts were An event last year but a pottery

cheering every child gets two years It is just really fun. It is very

exciting, and loud! Catering for 2000, the dinner ladies had it all

in hand, and of course it would 2000, the dinner ladies had it all

be a festival without a queue for the loos. I cannot believe how

brilliant this is, it is better the loos. I cannot believe how

Glastonbury. Badly Drawn Boy give a lesson in how to headline with other

equipment. The school is already doing its own work in preparation

That is not like any fundraising I have ever been to! A fantastic idea.

You might remember Tom and Barbara from the '70s sit—com The Good Life.

They grew their own vegetables, from the '70s sit—com The Good Life.

suburban garden. Well, keeping I had you down as more of a Marco,

Terry and Marco. And if you live in Bury, you can join a free course

which shows you how to take care of Meat poppy and Queenie. They are

there to persuade people to keep their own chickens. They appear

there to persuade people to keep be enjoying the attention. This

class at topping fold community centre and library are learning

chicken to buy two had to stop them chicken need? What do you do when a

chicken stops laying two at the chicken need? What do you do when a

of the centre there is a chance chicken need? What do you do when a

see where the chickens live between A lot of people on the course have

come to be put off, maybe the wife is interested in keeping chickens

and they are saying, no wait, I is interested in keeping chickens

They have actually come and been bowled over by the enthusiasm and

how easy it is. Those here today I think it would be a really good

idea, because we get the fresh eggs and I am sure my grand daughter

would love to come and play with the Christmas dinner out of one of them

chickens and have come to learn Christmas dinner out of one of them

bit more about them. I love them. They are great pets, they all have

names and are part of the family. Around 150 people have been on the

courses so far and two thirds have gone on to buy their own hens and

You are inspired now, apparently? I am! We will have the weather in a

What a glorious day we had across much of the North West yesterday. We

put out an appeal on Twitter and Facebook for some of your pictures —

Brilliant. Onto the weather. Diane is here. Do you want to see the

sunset tonight two it is really lovely. Look at it. We are facing

the wrong way, we are looking east, because it is so grey everywhere

through the day today after 23 The good news this week is we start

very quietly, so temperatures are good. Things will change by the

very quietly, so temperatures are we get to Thursday, so no matter how

much sunshine you get in the next couple of days it is going to feel

quite worn out and about. It has been blanket cloud cover through the

day, and the Isle of Man has seen its fair share of at times drizzly

weather, but we are all under cloud cover tonight, because it maintains

the temperature as it is not bad news. Tonight even really we will be

in double figures, 11 Celsius, in towns and cities between 14 and

in double figures, 11 Celsius, in Any pockets of missed tomorrow

morning will not be a big deal, Any pockets of missed tomorrow

it will be dull. We are optimistic through the day to model the cloud

cover will start to thin and break tomorrow. With light winds from

cover will start to thin and break south—east it will feel really quite

searching it could get to around 19 or 20 Celsius. —— if you are lucky

in the sunshine. Don't forget inside out at 7:30pm on BBC One, not just

for Sellafield but a fantastic Liverpool during the Blitz and fish

poaching — I bet you did not know I didn't! Thanked for watching,