04/07/2011 South East Today

Welcome to South East Today, I'm Rob Smith. And I'm Polly Evans.

Tonight's top stories. A Kent care home for vulnerable adults is shut

down by the Care Quality Commission. We're live with the latest from

Tunbridge Wells. Anti-social, undesirable and unfair

says a Sussex MP - is it time for squatting to be made a criminal

offence? The family of a young man killed outside and Margate

nightclub Speaker of the hole that has been left in their lives.

only way I can handle the situation is by convincing myself at any

moment he will come back. I'm not a number, I am a free man! The number

that counts is Seven - where next for Catherham, the Kent sports car

company? And true competitive spirit - we meet the woman who's

recovered from being kicked in the head by a horse to become one of

the country's top dressage riders. We're live at the pre-Olympic

equestrian event taking place in Good evening. A care home for

vulnerable adults has been forced to close, leaving 13 residents to

be rehomed. Four Nevill Park Care Home looked after people with

learning disabilities and autism. Despite receiving an adequate

rating from the Care Quality Commission in June of last year,

the home has been suddenly closed. The owners, Evesleigh (Kent)

Limited, runs another 44 homes which are the subject of an

independent review. Sarah Smith has been following events. What would

we know about why the home was closed? It was Kent County Council

which initially was told that there were concerns that this care home.

We're not sure if they came from a whistleblower, from a resident or a

relative of a resident. Within weeks it was closed down. The

concerns were said to be over record-keeping and high staff

turnover. 13 adults with autism and what has been described as

challenging behaviour lost their homes. John Franklin from Gravesend

runs a group to offer support to families. Pick is a well-known fact

that people with autism are averse to change, they like routine in

their life, and any sudden change such as maybe this case causes them

great concern and distress. This is a very unusual thing and very

serious for a home to be closed down. What is the process? Other

than prosecution it is about the most serious action that can be

taken. When Kent County Council was alerted, they would have

automatically told the Care Quality Commission, the government

regulator for the care services. They carried out some unannounced

inspections and decided that the action they were going to take was

to keep register it. That is effective because it to close. They

did close another home in Herne Bay three weeks ago and that was over

allegations of abuse and neglect. They have told us that is not the

situation here. The owners of this home and 43 other care homes which

have not been affected by this. They have until the end of this

month to appeal. It's been described by a Government

minister as anti-social, undesirable and unfair. Now Sussex

MP Mike Weatherley is campaigning for the Government to make

squatting a criminal offence. Ten council properties in Brighton and

Hove have been taken over by squatters in the past 18 months.

Removing the squatters cost around �30,000 in legal fees. And in one

property there was �40,000 worth of damage. High court enforcement

officers have evicted nine squatters living in tents in the

grounds here. When the bailiffs and police showed up this morning there

was no resistance. The council, which owns the site, has not put a

figure on the cost of evicting them. But over in Brighton, landlord that

this property say it has cost them �8,000 to get their house back

after squatters broke in almost three weeks ago. For we were

stunned and for a few days it did not sink in that someone could come

in and do this and you cannot do anything but once they have come

over the threshold, by whatever means, you cannot do anything. It

is so painful. Squatting is currently not illegal in England

but the government recently announced proposals to change that.

At the moment, people can go into a squat, they can be evicted, and

nothing will happen to them, they just can move into another squat.

Are applied to see a criminal aspect it so that they can be

stopped and track and the penalties increased so that we can stop this

anti-social act., Sean Jameson is currently squatting in a run-down

house in Brighton. The possible change in the law that they are

making will mean we have bred little choice than to be on the

street or climbing housing benefit. What gives you the right to to

barge into somebody else's property? It is a matter of

homelessness and being housed. It is not a matter of being entirely

fair to everyone concerned. This is the only way they you and your

housemates would have to have a home? What about benefits and

getting a job? For many of us, it is. What would the public prefer?

Would they prefer that we cost millions in housing benefit to be

housed in a way that no one could argue about. Jon Hunt is outside

the house in Brighton now. It is not the first time it has had

squatters. What do the neighbours make of it? The lady living gear

says that she would rather have squatters in here than the place

stay empty, which it has for some time. Nick he lives in the house

next door so they are very friendly, happy people and he has no trouble

with them. But not everyone agrees. Sean Jameson himself says he has

been evicted from more than 20 homes within the last year alone.

He says he only occupied properties that are unused and unoccupied but

the government intends to make what he does illegal. They are planning

a consultation very soon. We'd like to know what you think.

Is it time squatting was made illegal? You can either email us or

leave a comment on our Facebook page.

Canterbury City Council is proposing spending nearly �18,000

on new robes for the Lord Mayor. During official functions, the Lord

Mayor takes precedence over every other visiting dignitary except

members of the Royal Family. The ceremonial robes are on show around

30 times a year. The council has said that rather than paying

thousands of pounds to repair the current robes, they want to have

them replaced. These Lord mayoral robes are on loan because the old

ones are not what they used to be. Over quarter of a century the

original set have done the rounds. Graduation ceremonies, operate and

those other civic duties. They are still pretty glum must look at from

the outside because they are covered in nice gold and black.

Underneath it, they are falling to pieces. They have been patched up

several times. The cloth underneath is not very nice. We need to do

something about it. The roads are kept here at the council office.

They could clean and repaired the current ones at a cost of �3,500.

Or they could put them on to a new body which would cost around

�12,000. And finally, they could replace the robes entirely which

would cost around �17,000. In these days of cutbacks I think they

should probably get it mended, clean do whatever they can do with

it. Can you imagine having an occasion and a gentleman standing

there in his seat and chain mail? I think that is a rigid as the main

just for a set of garments. Does the council agree. Is it too much?

We tried to cut the cost as much as we can. We do get a car free from a

local firm to allowed that Lord Mayor to travel to places. We are

sponsored a lot. But for the robes, in the end, we have to buy it.

man told that the lone robes are far inferior to the original one. A

council meeting later this month will decide which is best.

A father of two from Kent who faced a bill for more than �11,000 for

two children that were not his has hit out at the agency which chased

him for the money. Ian Burrowes was asked for back payments for two

children in London, but despite telling the Child Support Agency

that he didn't even know the mother in question, he was still sent a

demand for the money. Ian Palmer reports. Ian Burrowes recalls the

moment that the Child Support Agency accused him of fathering two

children. This belief, shock and anger. He told the Child Support

Agency he has never met the mother, who lived in East London. The Child

Support Agency said it dated back to 1993 and demanded he played

nearly �12,000 in arrears. He said he had no option but to fight the

claim. The first thing was what anybody would do, I said Olga

straight to the DNA test and have that test. The Child Support Agency

then told me that they do things in certain procedures and I could not

do that straight away. He did his own research and on line he pen

pictures of the mother and the children. All three were black.

explained what I had found. They said, yes, we have seen that. Well,

I am as pasty as you can get, with ginger hair,! Okay, now we have our

doubts, but as far as we're concerned it's still proceed.

Following two months of arguments, the Child Support Agency admitted

it had made a mistake. The agency dropped the case. In a statement it

The family say they see but a -- feel battered by the ordeal.

apology came through which was not enough. Ian Burrowes says he

understands that the agency has a job to do but simply questions the

way they go about doing it. One person is believed to have died

after two light aircraft crashed in mid-air near Shoreham Airport. One

plane managed to make it to the runway but the other crashed onto a

recreation ground. The fire service and ambulance are at the scene.

It's thought no-one on the ground was involved.

A verdict of unlawful killing has been returned on a Kent-based

soldier, who was the first British casualty of the year in Afghanistan.

Private Joseva Vatabua, a Fijian serving with the Argyll and

Sutherland Highlanders, based in Canterbury, was killed by an

improvised explosive device in Helmand Province, on New Year's Day.

The cost of constructing with the White was told at excreta has

soared to �2 million. A spokesman for the organisers said de grace

was mostly due to construction issues but denied that the plan was

close to collapse. While there are 17 brands of cars manufactured in

the UK, just three of those are UK- owned companies, now that Caterham

has been bought by Lotus. But it comes at a time that UK car

manufacturing is having a slight resurgence - last year it was up

more than 27% on the year before, when the industry took a dip of

nearly 31%. If it looks like a Caterham, and it drives like a

Caterham, then it surely is a Made famous in the 1960s when the

car featured in the hit TV showed the prisoner, the Caterham is known

across the world as a classic British sports car. The company

have been making 500 cars a week in their Dartford factory since 1980.

But now they've been bought by Team Lotus Enterprise. Better known for

their Formula One racing cars. So what now for the 100 staff skilled

staff who work here, and the famous Caterham Seven model? We had so

much investment available to expand on Lochawe, but the Caterham Seven

is quarter what we do. And the skill set is here in this factory

as it has been told the last 30 years. For the moment, there is no

reason to change. That investment could lead to new models and more

factory space. And others are equally confident. We happened to

be in the factory as this Kent- based businessman signed a deal to

sell the cars in China for the first time. I have built a

relationship with the management and the crew to launch Caterham in

China. The opportunity for sports car brands that there has grown so

quickly. China is a growing market. But Caterham still sell half their

output in the UK where conditions are still tough for niche car

makers. The car industry is not out of the woods in terms of sales and

challenges from the global recession. UK sales are level the

share and were boosted last year by the scrappage incentive.

perhaps selling a Caterham isn't so hard. Just put a prospective

customer behind the wheel and allow them to drive through the garden of

England in the sunshine. A care home for vulnerable adults

has been forced to shut by the care quality commission. Residence at

Four Nevill Park care home have been we hope.

Also in the programme, she is back, horse and dreaming of Olympic glory,

six years after being seriously injured in I riding accidents. It's

an unusual background for a surrealist artist. Russell Scott

Skinner, from Farmington in Kent, was born on an RAF base and lived

in 12 different countries during his childhood, immersed in a

regimented world. But he finally found his niche, letting his

imagination run wild as a painter of striking murals, and he'll have

his first exhibition at London's Oxo Tower. Today, Chrissie Reidy

went to meet him in Sevenoaks as he painted a mural to say thank you to

With his mind in freefall he never has any idea what he is about to

Paton told this brush hits the campus. I don't have any pre-set

image of what it is going to be. Like any more start on the

sculpture, he started chipping away at it, whatever came back came out.

It is the same on this. You start work on the wall and grow it and I

have no idea what the finished picture will be until the end.

of the few artists using free association in Sevenoaks today his

commission was attracting attention. I think it looks quite good if he

has just picked up a paintbrush. looks nice. As best he has only

just live there so I have a better outlook. As his work gains

recognition in the mainstream, dealers reckon he is one to watch.

We have never stopped anything like this. But his very individual, very

exciting art work. He paints from the soul, I think and it just seems

to flow out. Seven hours later, the fruits of his Labour are available

to see. There are some beautiful shapes in there and the perspective

is really good. It has a countryside feel to it which is

perfect for the area in Sevenoaks. If you want an insight into the

work, his initial exhibition gets under way later this month at a

The family of a young man killed outside a nightclub in Margate just

over a week ago say that coping with their grief is only getting

harder as time passes. Speaking from the family home in Folkestone,

John Collier has said that the loss of his son has left a huge hole in

many lives. Richard had only moved out of his parents' home to live

with his girlfriend just over six months ago. His family say he

looked at each day as though it was his last and now they are glad he

did. Richard Collier was the youngest of four. He used a brother,

two sisters and devastated parents. They learnt of his death while on

holiday in America. I cannot accept he has gone. I can't come to terms

with it and anyway I can handle the situation is by convincing myself

that at any moment he will come back and arrive here. I can't

really come to terms with it. had recently moved in with his

girlfriend. But he would still regularly visit the family home.

His siblings say their younger brother was carefree, he never took

life too seriously. Just a fun- loving nature and the fun that he

brought to the family. Above all, he was very loving. The little

things he did when he was a kid, like picking up sales from the

ground as he didn't want people to tread on them. Stray cats that we

would find on holiday, he would insist on feeding them and leaving

notes for the next people in the apartment to do the same. Richard

love sport and was a Chelsea fan since childhood. Tributes had been

left to mark the spot where Richard was fatally injured. It happened

outside this nightclub after a night out with friends here in

Margate. He later died in hospital. In 19-year-old man has been charged

with manslaughter. Richard Eyre door to his nephews and niece. His

family say they will keep his memory alive for their sake. They

won't forget him. A dead think anyone will let, and none of us

will forget him, you can't. Many sportsmen and women have to

struggle with illness and injury on their way to the top. But Hayley

Pile from Maidstone has had to overcome more than most. The 20-

year-old suffered severe head injuries after being kicked by a

horse six years ago, but despite that she is now one of the most

promising young dressage riders in the country. Our sports reporter

Neil Bell joins us from Greenwich, where some of the world's top

riders are competing. This is where the Olympic Games

Equestrian events will be staged next summer. This is a test event

and today has seen many of the world's best dressage competitors

in action. Just over 20 miles from here Hayley Pile has spent the day

training, mucking out and riding in the hope that one day she can join

them. There is no other sport where the

bond between horse and rider is more essential. Dressage requires

long hours of practice and patience, every movement is critical, Hayley

Pile has dedicated her life to the sport and has made huge strides in

recent years. That's impressive enough, but even more remarkable

for someone who had to undergo major surgery to rebuild her face

after being injured by a horse. just couldn't not do horses and it

was a case of get on with it and carry on. Come back stronger and

get the good results that we got. Before I could get up and walk

around I was already on a horse's and going out. Many people find

horses intimidating enough but Hayley has overcome a lot just to

be here. It was a very off-putting injury. I'm surprised anybody at

there would have anything to do with a horse. Hayley wont be

competing at Greenwich next year. Indeed she admits she will be

probably be working on the farm. She is, though, determined to go as

far as she can in the sport. I set myself a little targets in between

such as the up and coming regional championships and national

championships. Dressage is one of the most technical sports there is

and competitors often take years to find the right horse. Hayley isn't

looking for overnight success but her courage and resilience suggest

in time she may well achieve it Rebecca Barry reports. Some of the

riders today were in their thirties, Forties or Fifties so she has time

on her side. Brighton and Hove Albion have smashed their transfer

record for the second time this summer with the signing of Craig

Mackail Smith. The Peterborough striker will cost the Albion in the

region of �2.5 million. The 27- year-old scored 35 goals last

season and was the target for a number of clubs. It is exciting for

me because they Craig chances. As a striker you want to be emitting a

great chances and they are pushing for promotion. Brighton saw off

competition from the likes of Leicester City and West Ham. I

believe there are more signing still to come.

It is a lovely day today. Have we 24 hours more of this weather. They

used to call this cherry-picking weather, with light wind and clear

skies said that the cherry pickers go climbed a ladder is to get the

cherries from the top. I don't think it is going to be cherry-

picking whether from Wednesday onwards. From tomorrow evening it

turns wet and from Wednesday it is turning windy. For the rest of this

evening we have clear skies. There has been some stubborn cloud in

parts of Kent and Sussex away from the coast but it is sent to move

away Now and overnight we have no use of the pictures that will all

that keen. Into tomorrow, we start with clear skies and hang on to

them for most of the day. The weather front that we are expecting

in the evening slows down so for the majority of the day it will be

another sunny, warm and dry 1. Temperatures edging up a little bit

higher than today. Through the evening, that is when the rain will

be arriving. For most of us arriving around 6:00pm or 7pm. So

24 hours from now will be looking for that rain. Because it is a

weather front, we are all going to get some. Probably less than half-

an-inch but a significant amount. It clears the way forward mistake

but there will be left with cooler conditions and a smattering of

showers with a bit of sunshine in between. So different conditions on

Wednesday. We have a bit of a change over the next few days. But

24 hours more of this dry weather. Certainly quite warm as well. The

light wind hanging on until we get to Wednesday. Rain from tomorrow

evening and then looking like sunshine and showers for the rest

of this week. Does that mean it is downhill for the rest of July? No,

there is every chance that from Saturday or Sunday, we could have a

high pressure and heat building and another heatwave for the rest of

July. Saturday, please! We want it There had been new allegations in

the News of the World phone hacking scandal. It has been claimed that

the murdered schoolgirl Milly down a's phone was out by investigators

days after her disappearance. In the south-east a care home for

full double that also has been shut by the care quality commission.

Residence at Four Nevill Park care home in Tunbridge Wells had been

the home. After 10 council properties in

Brighton and Hove had been taken over by squatters in the last 18

months, an MP is campaigning for the government to make it a

criminal offence. We have one e- mail which says it know someone has

no use for a property and these it empty and neglected why shouldn't

somebody be allowed to move in? This is the old story of a Tory

government looking after the rich pals. Another says while everyone

would agree there is a home this problem, it has to be addressed

legally. Breaking into a family's which could have been left vacant

because of the death in the family is wrong and illegal and the law

needs to be changed. A cure in Chatham says that he believed that

squatting is anti-social behaviour but one needs to ask why council

powers are not being used to force empty properties back into use.

Another says, why are the properties empty? If there is an