13/01/2014 North West Tonight

showers in the west and south. That's all from the BBC's

Good evening. Welcome to North West Tonight, with Roger Johnson and

Annabel Tiffin. Our top story. A fortune from fracking, the

government incentives which could bring millions to the north`west

councils. But the critics and protesters say it is little more

than a bribe. Also tonight.

Critical times, as the Royal Preston's A says it's being pushed

to the limit this winter. I do not know who is about to have a

heart attack, through, and we have to be prepared for that patient at

any moment. Double top. A clean sweep as two of

our region's darts players become world champions.

And, the little seal who swam 40 miles up a Cumbrian river is rescued

from a farmer's field. We know the Government's keen on

fracking, and today ministers outlined plans to make it more

palatable to communities that could be disrupted. In essence, they are

offering millions of pounds to local councils who agree to sign`off

licences. Fracking is the process of shattering rock deep underground,

releasing shale gas to produce energy. But it's controversial, and

this weekend hundreds of protestors marched in Salford against it.

At the moment, councils keep 50% of any business rates they collect. But

the Government's going to allow them to keep all the business rates from

fracking. It's said to be worth about ?1.7 million a year for a

typical site. It will bring jobs, investment,

industry, competitiveness to the area, it is part of our economic

plan, it will provide 74,000 jobs across the country, the north`west

has got some real advantages, and I want to make sure that local

taxpayers benefit. This is what I would call a start, it is movement

by government to keep 100% of business rates, but I would like to

keep them for all of my businesses, so I can deliver services to my

residents. It is a step forward. But it's not just councils that would

get paid. At the moment, companies are only

test drilling. But if they step up to an actual test frack, they must

pay the local community ?100,000. And if the company then goes ahead

with commercial fracking, they must hand over a further 1% of revenues,

worth somewhere between ?5 and ten million over a site's lifetime. But

some MPs say that's still not enough.

In the United States, they get between five and 7% of revenues. The

amount is 206 to ?6 billion of extract double gas, and we can get

more than the 1% that is on offer. I hope it climbs up to five or 10%.

We have seen further demonstrations against fracking, but it is not

those people be government is trying to convince, it is ordinary voters.

We have heard this evening that Cheshire East council has said it

will not be fracking no matter how good the financial incentives.

Will be financial incentives be enough to placate those opposed to

fracking? We have got reaction from people living near proposed sites.

And protesters. The government may be backing it, but it remains

controversial. Anti`fracking campaigners here tried

to prevent vehicles getting to the drilling site run by IGas. They are

disappointed by the news that local councils can keep all of the

business rate from fracking and claimed it was a desperate measure.

This naked bribery shows they have lost the argument. All of the tax

breaks for renewable and it have been cut. Trying to bribe a brick

opinion will not work. But in some areas, the reaction is more

positive. Here, Lancashire county council will benefit from the

changes, as there are several potential fracking sites in the

area. We should keep the money that is gained from it, it should go back

into the area instead of the government having it. Other areas

might think it is unfair for stop but yes, it will be good for this

area. Community is close to drilling or fracking sites will benefit the

most. Energy companies are giving a one`off payment of ?100,000 plus 1%

of any profit. Today, the company that operates on the Fylde Coast

said it would give the money to the community foundation for Lancashire

and for them to work out how to distributed. It will be difficult

for us to define what the local community is. It is about the people

who are part of this, who need the funds for projects, and we want to

make sure it goes to the right people. The payments of ?100,000

could be given within the year, but that means little to those who want

the process stopping altogether. The decision to allow councils to

keep the business rates from fracking sites has been called a

bribe by critics. Earlier, I asked the Energy Minister Michael Fallon

if it was. No, this is about fairness and

ensuring that any of the game does not go to the companies who are

doing the exploration for shale or to the Treasury in London, but that

local people and the local council sees the benefit. That means they

will be able to retain the full business rates that are being paid,

and they can use that money to improve local services. There are

likely to be conflict of interest when the councils who will decide on

the planning applications have a financial incentive to approve them.

The councils already countered various requirements when it comes

to giving various permissions, and this is no different from the

existing arrangements there are four wind farms and big solar farms. What

happens if these local councils say no? In those cases, if they do not

do so on good ground, like any other planning application, the developer

can appeal to the Secretary of State. Is investing this effort in

line with being a Green government, which is David Cameron `` which is

what David Cameron said he wanted? It is a greener fossil fuel. That is

an oxymoron. There are different types of gas, this is a green gas,

less polluting than other types of gas. It is a home`grown source of

energy. Nobody would seriously argue we should leave the North Sea oil

and gas in the ground. It is there, it is a resource that has been

tapped very successfully. I think we ought to do it here. But it is not

next to people's houses. That is the issue. The planning decision will be

local, up to the authority to decide whether it is appropriate in the

circumstances. Whether it is too close to residential accommodation

or whether it will involve too much disruption for a small village of

narrow roads or whatever. That is the point of the planning system. It

will be up to the council to determine whether it is appropriate

for that particular area. They will judge each one on its merit. Police

say they want to speak to two men in connection with a double shooting

outside a bingo hall in North Manchester last night.

A pensioner was assaulted. The men by former through her pockets and

punched her several times. She was so scared, she stayed at home for

five days and did not report the incident.

Police are appealing for information after a park was vandalised in

Liverpool. Lamp posts and trees were flattened

and benches damaged after vandals went on a wrecking spree in a dumper

truck in Everton Park. A Royal Navy bomb`disposal team have

detonated a World War II explosive on St Anne's beach.

The device, a marine flare used as a marker for training bomber crews,

was washed up on the beach at the weekend. It's thought the bomb

drifted down from Luce Bay in Scotland, which was used by the RAF

as a bombing range. Liverpool Council has announced that

services like child and adult social care could be cut by a quarter over

the next three years. The council has tonight released its latest

figures on what it has to save. Some services, like libraries and leisure

centres, could face budget cuts of 50%. The coalition Government

insists Liverpool is not getting a raw deal. What do the council say

these cuts will mean? It says it is the biggest challenge it has faced

yet, it has lost ?173 million over the past three years, it is now

having to lose 156 million over the next three years, and in real

terms, by 2017, it will have lost more than half of its government

funding. In areas like cultural services and regeneration, the cuts

could be up to 50%, but the real pain will be the things that council

house to provide, like social care and environmental health. In adult

social care, these cuts could mean that there are 5000 fewer people in

Liverpool who will get a package of social care.

The care packages and the support we give to elderly people, disabled

people, people dependent on visits and services to them, they will have

that reduced. Other things will be reduced as well, social care to

adults, two children, we are looking at the library services, the leisure

facilities. What's the Government response been

to this? It is worth pointing out Liverpool is a Labour council and we

have a Conservative/Liberal Democrat government, but it says it has given

a fair settlement to the entire country and it has used a figure

called the average household spend. It says Liverpool's is higher than

the national average. It says Liverpool gets extra money for

economic development. The council says the figures mask a harsh

reality, and this time round, although they have already lost 1600

jobs through voluntary redundancy, council cannot rule out compulsory

redundancies. One of the region's biggest

hospitals has told North West Tonight they're being pushed to

their limit because thousands of patients are turning up who should

be being cared for in the community. Less than one in every five patients

who go to the Royal Preston's A department are admitted for

treatment. Others are sent home or referred to GPs. In the first of

three special reports on winter pressures in hospitals, we spent an

evening in emergency care. It's 6pm on a Sunday evening.

Callum's had a high temperature for 12 hours. His parents would like see

their GP, but he doesn't work weekends. They felt they had no

option but to call an ambulance. It is the first time he has been ill, I

would have preferred to go to the doctors. This is a last resort?

Yes. This isn't unusual. At the Royal Preston, more than 12% of

patients who walk through the door are told GP care is more

appropriate. In fact, just 18% are admitted for treatment. And it's

thought 20% wouldn't be here at all if they'd received the right

community care in the first place. Geoff could be one of those

patients. He's in with a suspected broken ankle. Could Geoff's fall

have been avoided? After three years of struggling on it, it might be

broken again. A chat reveals he's recently been diagnosed with cancer,

and that he hasn't eaten properly for two days. There is nobody at

home to support him. 8pm, and the bulk of the team has been diverted

to care for a patient who's been hit by a train. The patient survives. It

means they're now missing the national target of seeing all their

patients within four hours, and may not recover by morning. I do not

know when the phone is going to go again. It could go now, it could go

in 20 minutes, it could never go. I can't predict when these types of

emergencies happen. It is all right, we can get these patients moved up.

11pm. There is a danger the hospital could run out of bed. There were not

that many beds left, and we have had quite an influx, which has left us

quite stretched. There are people still coming. There are just eight

beds left out of more than 800. It's gone midnight. We've been here for

more than eight hours, but what's struck me is how few genuine

accidents and emergencies have come through those doors. There are

hundreds of reasons why people come here, because they genuinely feel

they have nowhere else to go. And staff here say that has to change if

they're to give all of their patients the best care possible.

Tomorrow, we'll look at how the hospital is being affected by the

increasing demands of elderly care, and on Wednesday, we'll ask the

Trust's chief executive what is being done to make sure the hospital

copes this winter. There are special report on BBC Radio Kent can show

all this week. Still to come, the Salford owner who

is planning to take control of their traditional rivals, but it is far

from a hostile takeover. And, so far from home, the rescue

mission for the Cumbrian seal found more than 40 miles from the sea.

You said that with real sympathy! If you've ever been up Scafell Pike,

you'll have no difficulty understanding Terry Abraham's

obsession. Terry, it seems, is determined to

get to know every inch of one of the Lake District's wildest fells. He's

making a film capturing its many moods. And BBC Inside Out North West

has been trying to keep up with him. Here's a taster.

Coming here, somewhere like the Lake District, it ignited something in me

and inspired me. Scafell Pike is my baby. I love the raw power it has

with the rocks and the crags. Over there. And absolutely beautiful

scene. But the wind is horrendous. Might have to move somewhere else.

Here we go, this is it. The thing that makes me smile most of all is

the people that come back to me, saying, we can see your love for the

area, it shines through. That is where I get a real flutter in my

heart. I think, yes, it is paying off.

They are truly stunning images. You can see more of Terry's passionate

pursuit of the perfect shot of Scafell Pike on Inside Out this

evening at 7:30pm on BBC One. Diane is back on North West Tonight at the

beginning of February. Richard is here with the sport now,

and a couple of very special guests coming up.

Yes, our newest world champions. We will talk about football first.

Midfielder Samir Nasri is facing eight weeks out with a knee injury

sustained in this incident during yesterday's match at Newcastle. The

home side's Mapou Yanga`Mbiwa was booked for the challenge. One

consolation for City, a 2`0 win at St James's Park, Edin Dzeko on

target with their first. Luis Suarez was on target for

Liverpool again as they moved back into the top four. He scored twice

in a 5`3 win at Stoke, his second set up by Daniel Sturridge, who made

his return from injury. Gareth Barry's piledriver set Everton on

their way to a 2`0 win over Norwich, which keeps them fifth, while

there's finally some relief for Manchester United. Adnan Januzaj was

their inspiration as they beat Swansea for a first win in four.

There are implications, with ?200 million wiped off their share price,

and sticking with finance... The Bolton Wanderers chairman Phil

Gartside says he's not worried by the club's ?163 million debt.

Addressing the issue for the first time since it was revealed the club

lost ?50 million last year, he told BBC Radio Manchester the club owe

the bank ?8 million but the remainder is a loan from the club's

owner, the Isle of Man`based businessman Eddie Davies.

The Salford Red Devils owner Marwan Koukash has been fleshing out his

vision for his proposed takeover of Swinton Lions.

Dr Koukash, who saved Salford from probably going out of business, is

considering doing the same for their traditional rivals. He'll outline

plans, including the possible building of a new stadium, to

Swinton fans later this week. And today, he exclusively told me that

he might move the Red Devils there as well.

I have always talked about making Salford a great rugby league town.

Salford is a city needs the stadium in the heart of the city. Are you

considering moving Salford away from the stadium to that new stadium? I

do not have any plans at present to do that, just hoping that the plans

I have for Salford in the stadium will work out, including eventually

buying the stadium, developing the area around it. It will not be `` if

it will not be achieved, we have to look at other options. So there is a

possibility you might do that? Never say no. If things do not work out

for us, I have ambitions for Salford Red Devils, to make them one of the

biggest rugby league clubs in the world. How can you achieve that if

you are a tenant in somebody else's Stadium? Swinton have a great

history. You are meeting fans later this week, some fans might be

concerned they will be swallowed up by the biggest `` by the bigger

brother and lose their identity. That will never happen. Swinton will

compete at the highest level in their own division. Who knows, we

might have to Super League teams in town. If Manchester United and

Manchester City can play football in one city, so can Swinton and Salford

play in the Super League. He is an ambitious one. We have got

a busy sofa, we are joined by dots royalty, two new BDO world

champions, Lisa Ashton and Stephen Bunting. I feel like we should give

you a round of applause, congratulations. I did watch it, you

were emotional, winning your first World Championship, how did you

feel? I was really nervous, my first final, a lot of emotion, because I

have tried for that title for the last eight years. To finally get my

name on the trophy is a massive thing for me. Is it true godfather

camped out for a week? Yes, a few friends and family all in the camper

van, plus cheaper for them to do that. Brilliant support. They said

they would not swap the experience for the world. Lisa, you had great

support as well. Has it sunk in yet? Not yet. You keep tapping

yourself, is it real? You look at it and you realise you have when it! It

is yours, you can keep it! How do you keep your cool? How do

you keep calm and you know there is so much riding on one front of the.

? Deep breaths, keep thinking, that one, please. You had a comeback.

Yes, one leg at a time. And keep going. Do you get into a zone? It is

such a passionate venue, you get into the zone, you are almost cut

off from it? You have got to prepare right, go to bed early, breakfast,

as long as you can keep yourself comfortable and relaxed and let

your... You know what you can do, you just have to take your chance. I

think I heard that you have four brothers, and that was part of the

reason why do became the player that you are, competing against them, and

becoming better than them. Yes, I had to practice while they did, and

when I realised I could beat them, they did not want to play me any

more! I bet everybody wants to play you in the pub! This, if they get

one leg, I never hear the last of it! Stephen, you dedicated your

victory to somebody very special. To my late mother and to Toby, who

could not go to the championships, because there is an age ten limit.

It may be really emotional yesterday. Well done, thank you for

coming in. As rescues go, the Morecambe Bay

Search and Rescue team realised this one would be far from easy. Their

subject, not a sailor lost at sea or a walker marooned in a snowdrift.

This time, they were looking for a seal who'd managed to find his way

into a farmer's field, 40 miles from the sea.

Mike Davis and Paul have faced many challenges during their years with

the Morecambe Bay search and rescue team. This weekend came one of their

most unusual to date. The sale had been reported near Appleby, and they

wanted somebody who had a vehicle and the facilities to transported

and release it back into the sea. So, they made their way to a

farmer's field. Eventually, they found this, a long way from home. It

is believed it must have made its way into the river around Solway.

It's one inland, eventually finding its way into a small tributary and

into the farmer's field. They reckon he must have swum 50 miles to reach

that farm. He was not in any hurry to leave. He was far from pleased to

see his would`be rescuers. Despite their cute and cuddly appearance,

sales can have a vicious nature. They are the cutest thing to look

at, they usually look like they are crying a bit, you have a desire to

add it on the head, at which point they will take off most of your

fingers. It was jumping out of the water like a little shark, trying to

bite everything. A bit of damage to walking poles, but we are all safe.

They coaxed it into a special container and settle for the final

leg, a spot popular with colonies. Eventually, it went into the sea.

Hopefully, it will find some friends and some fish. After his incredible

journey, he is back where he belongs.

Nice to have a happy ending! It is very unsubtle. It was a decent

weekend, at least it was on Saturday. The week ahead will be

unsubtle. Weather fronts bringing grain. A bit of a respite tomorrow.

Another weather fronts bringing in more rain tomorrow night, into

Wednesday. A bit of a respite on Thursday, and a bit more rain on

Friday. It is not necessarily heavy, it is just wave after wave after

wave. It is not especially warm either. Other than Wednesday, we are

going to keep the temperatures in single figures. Temperatures will

dip below freezing at times overnight. Tonight, a yellow weather

warning of ice from the Met Office, because we have showers working

through at the moment. By dawn, they ease away, it will be dry. The sky

clears. Fog and frost patches and eyes are a possibility, because any

of the rain can freeze tonight and tomorrow. A dry start tomorrow, lots

of fog, good spells of sunshine, a frosty start, but rain arrives by

the end of the day. It is not a warm day.

That is it from us, thank you for watching. Have a good night.