:00:00. > :02:34.In April and again in May, this programme highlighted the issue of
:02:35. > :02:38.fixed odds betting terminals. They have fuelled a boom in betting shops
:02:39. > :02:42.on high streets. Takings from the machines account for half of the the
:02:43. > :02:47.makers and your profits, and it was an issue highlighted again today by
:02:48. > :02:52.the Labour leader. `` the big bookmakers annual profits. It is a
:02:53. > :02:58.magnet for crime and anti`social behaviour, so the Labour government
:02:59. > :03:03.would give local communities the right to pull the plug on this fixed
:03:04. > :03:07.odds betting machines. At least two councils are keen to stop the
:03:08. > :03:11.numbers of these machines. Medway took their campaign to Parliament
:03:12. > :03:16.when MPs voted to retain the ?100 stake on fixed odds machines. I have
:03:17. > :03:19.had people breaking down in tears in my office with examples of what has
:03:20. > :03:22.happened to them, they have lost their families and homes, their
:03:23. > :03:28.jobs. These machines destroy communities. Despite the concern of
:03:29. > :03:34.councillors, bookmakers continue to install up to the maximum of four
:03:35. > :03:36.machines in each of their shops. If there are to be better powers for
:03:37. > :03:40.local authorities that there's dialogue that we can have, and a
:03:41. > :03:44.number of authorities have gone down a specific route where they can get
:03:45. > :03:51.additional powers to restrict shops and they might well be successful in
:03:52. > :04:02.that. But, for Rovinder, gambling has cost him his marriage, and his
:04:03. > :04:08.job. This is why I am here. Otherwise I would be living with my
:04:09. > :04:11.wife. For the time being, high`stakes gabbling machines will
:04:12. > :04:16.continue to be an attraction on our high streets. There is another side
:04:17. > :04:21.to this argument. With the rise of online gambling the end of three
:04:22. > :04:23.says they need to keep people coming into shops to keep people employed
:04:24. > :04:28.and they say there was no evidence that gamblers gamble more when these
:04:29. > :04:31.machines are in shops, so that the time being, they are going to remain
:04:32. > :04:44.on the high Street. `` for the time being. All Brighton and Hove
:04:45. > :04:46.councillors are to receive equality training after one said she thought
:04:47. > :04:54.golliwogs were nostalgic, rather than racist. At a hearing behind
:04:55. > :04:57.closed doors yesterday, Councillor Dawn Barnett was found to have
:04:58. > :05:00.brought the council into disrepute for breaching its code of conduct.
:05:01. > :05:02.The city council says it has highlighted a training need. John
:05:03. > :05:05.Young's been following developments. To some, this is all about than
:05:06. > :05:08.image that might at one have `` at one time have been much loved, but
:05:09. > :05:10.now causes great offence. To others it is about the rights of
:05:11. > :05:13.councillors to express their opinions. This councillor told a
:05:14. > :05:16.local newspaper she did not think golliwogs were offensive and she has
:05:17. > :05:22.been told she has broken city council rules. We got no freedom of
:05:23. > :05:26.speech. It is no good saying you can have of speech as long as you say
:05:27. > :05:34.what we want you to say. Three months ago, the local paper asked
:05:35. > :05:36.Dawn Barnett what she thought of some place mats being sold in a city
:05:37. > :05:44.centre then, an official at the council
:05:45. > :05:47.informed they would be investigating her because they had had complaints.
:05:48. > :05:52.Yesterday, the councillor was told that she had breached the council
:05:53. > :05:55.could of conduct, and today, the council confirmed that she and all
:05:56. > :05:59.other members would be trained in equality issues. In the city this
:06:00. > :06:06.afternoon, these views on the training... It is a good idea. You
:06:07. > :06:11.have to understand how it affects people and what connotations it has.
:06:12. > :06:18.In the councillor's own ward, these views on the hearing. I do not agree
:06:19. > :06:22.with it. It is heavy`handed. I do not necessarily agree with that, but
:06:23. > :06:30.the world that we live in at the moment, it is par for the course,
:06:31. > :06:37.and maybe Cussler needs to think about that. No interviews from the
:06:38. > :06:41.council, but one man widely praised for his council funded work said
:06:42. > :06:48.this. It is a brave move. They have won an award for their equality, and
:06:49. > :06:56.I think they would have to follow up on that. It is an issue that to
:06:57. > :07:00.many, these are now called golly dolls. It is an issue that
:07:01. > :07:15.councillors will learn much more about. We want to know what you
:07:16. > :07:22.think. You have been contacting us. Roger Thompson and Canterbury says,
:07:23. > :07:25.it is believed that council is imposing its perverted view of
:07:26. > :07:28.diversity on others. Too many people look for excuses to be offended and
:07:29. > :07:32.we ought to rail against this pervasive censorship. We want to
:07:33. > :07:38.know what you think. Is it a waste of taxpayers money, or are such
:07:39. > :07:53.views unacceptable? You can get in touch with us.
:07:54. > :08:02.Coming up, with more gales and heavy rain forecast, the Met Office warns
:08:03. > :08:06.of the possibility of more flooding. It was the only Christmas present he
:08:07. > :08:10.really needed. Now a father from Sussex says the bond with his son is
:08:11. > :08:14.now stronger than ever after he gave him one of his kidneys in a bid to
:08:15. > :08:17.save his life. William Balestrini from Crawley was born with an
:08:18. > :08:20.extremely rare condition which causes chronic kidney disease and
:08:21. > :08:24.effects just one in 20,000 babies. Juliette Parkin reports. Playing
:08:25. > :08:28.just like any other three`year`old, and being the Big Brother that his
:08:29. > :08:33.parents feared he might not survive to be. Just after William was born
:08:34. > :08:40.it was clear something was very wrong. He went blue. He was shaking.
:08:41. > :08:45.They took him to the special care unit and did blood tests. And
:08:46. > :08:52.gradually it started to get worse. It became apparent that he had a
:08:53. > :08:57.rare condition. In such cases symptoms might be present before
:08:58. > :09:01.birth. Cysts grow on the kidneys causing them to be enlarged, and
:09:02. > :09:07.gradually, kidney function deteriorates, sometimes with fatal
:09:08. > :09:12.consequences. He was very sick. If he had more than two ounces of
:09:13. > :09:18.fluid, he would be sick. He was quite slow to gain weight. He was
:09:19. > :09:26.not gaining any hike in the. When we started to wean him it was not easy
:09:27. > :09:29.because he did not want to eat. William needed a transplant. His
:09:30. > :09:34.father, James, did not think twice, and in October last year they were
:09:35. > :09:39.in separate London hospitals recovering from major surgery,
:09:40. > :09:43.William with his dad's kidney and his dad, with one less. Giving the
:09:44. > :09:47.kidney is the biggest amount of help you can give to your child, and just
:09:48. > :09:52.seen how he has recovered from the transplant, and how he is behaving.
:09:53. > :09:57.And all the benefits of that. It makes it all worthwhile. Gradually,
:09:58. > :10:02.for the first time in his life, William began to eat normally. He is
:10:03. > :10:06.on medication, but the family are looking forward to a Christmas
:10:07. > :10:19.without hospitals, and to their son finally being able to tuck into some
:10:20. > :10:23.festive trees. `` treats. Police have released an e`fit of a man they
:10:24. > :10:30.want to speak to after a burglar targeted a 102`year`old man at his
:10:31. > :10:33.Eastbourne home. After letting the man in, he allowed him to use the
:10:34. > :10:36.bathroom, but shortly after discovered both his wallet and ?200
:10:37. > :10:39.were missing. The thief is described as having short dark hair, an
:10:40. > :10:42.athletic build and wearing white trainers. Alan Pughsley has been
:10:43. > :10:45.confirmed as the new Chief Constable of Kent Police. Mr Pughsley is
:10:46. > :10:48.currently the Deputy Chief Constable. He'll start his new role
:10:49. > :10:51.on the fourth January. Kent Police And Crime Commissioner Ann Barnes
:10:52. > :10:56.backed the Deputy chief for the job, after Ian Learmonth announced he was
:10:57. > :10:59.going to retire in January. Patrols by Sussex police dedicated to
:11:00. > :11:02.responding to reports of domestic violence over the Christmas and New
:11:03. > :11:05.Year period have started today. Officers will have video cameras
:11:06. > :11:08.attached to their bodies in order to secure vital evidence. Last year
:11:09. > :11:11.police responded to 982 incidents of reported domestic abuse between the
:11:12. > :11:18.21st of December and the 2nd of January. That's an increase of over
:11:19. > :11:21.a third on the year before. The Environment Agency is warning people
:11:22. > :11:25.to prepare for possible flooding this weekend, as the south`east is
:11:26. > :11:28.set to be hit by strong winds and heavy rain. Tonight, there are five
:11:29. > :11:33.flood alerts in force across Kent and Sussex. They are the Upper River
:11:34. > :11:36.Medway area, the Upper Ouse, the Cuckmere River, the River Rother
:11:37. > :11:39.area and the River Darent from Westerham to Dartford. People are
:11:40. > :11:43.being urged to take precautions to limit the damage flooding might
:11:44. > :11:53.cause. Simon Jones is in Ames had for us, one of the areas predict it
:11:54. > :11:59.to be affected. `` Eynsford. Add onto that gale force winds and you
:12:00. > :12:08.have got problems. You can see water already going across the road. You
:12:09. > :12:14.have got rain falling on land that is already saturated. Last week the
:12:15. > :12:18.south`east suffered the highest tidal surge in 60 years, which led
:12:19. > :12:24.to homes and properties being flooded and we are not out of the
:12:25. > :12:29.widget. It is not just going to be wet, it will be extremely windy,
:12:30. > :12:34.with winds on Monday and Christmas Eve potentially reaching 80 mph,
:12:35. > :12:38.with gusts around the coastline, so they could see was bought as Robson
:12:39. > :12:41.and those winds will be strong enough to bring down some tree
:12:42. > :12:49.branches. `` we could see some disruption. If you're heading away
:12:50. > :12:55.for Christmas, if you are living in an area that is on alert, think
:12:56. > :13:01.about moving property. Potentially issues on Monday and Tuesday. Very
:13:02. > :13:05.heavy rain forecast. That is when a lot of people are going to be taking
:13:06. > :13:10.to the roads. Once again, check before you travel and be warned that
:13:11. > :13:20.there may be a lot of disruption on the way. This is our top story
:13:21. > :13:23.tonight. The Labour Party says they would give our local councils the
:13:24. > :13:27.power to control the number of fixed odds machines on local high streets.
:13:28. > :13:36.At the moment, people can lose up to ?18,000 an hour on the machines. In
:13:37. > :13:41.Medway there are 31 betting shops housing as many as 124 fixed odds
:13:42. > :13:44.betting terminals. Also tonight, the final rush to get things ready for
:13:45. > :13:49.Christmas. We look at how the south`east is getting ready. And
:13:50. > :13:52.gale force winds and heavy rain in the forecast, I will have more
:13:53. > :14:01.details for you later in the programme.
:14:02. > :14:09.For many people getting the train every day is at best miserable and
:14:10. > :14:14.at worst stressful. But not for Andy Leach from Kent. He has used his
:14:15. > :14:20.journey to work to write a book. Inspired by other passengers as they
:14:21. > :14:26.slept, he has sold 43,000 copies and charts his observations on the train
:14:27. > :14:35.whilst other passengers slept. Goodbye. Like many commuters,
:14:36. > :14:40.Andy's morning is based on a strict timetable. From the house to the
:14:41. > :14:43.station, a five`minute bash, but unlike many commuters, it is when he
:14:44. > :14:53.gets on the train that he starts enjoying himself.
:14:54. > :15:01.Being on a train is the best place to write a book. You are forced for
:15:02. > :15:06.an hour in the morning and evening. There are so many things you could
:15:07. > :15:09.do. 500 hours a year that it will spend commuting, and that time could
:15:10. > :15:15.be so bent learning a language, learning to juggle, anything. Most
:15:16. > :15:21.people are sleeping. That is why the book is called as they slept. Andy
:15:22. > :15:26.writes about the funny side of commuting, and about his life. There
:15:27. > :15:29.was a man who went into the toilet for 15 minutes every single commute.
:15:30. > :15:35.It turns out he was eating his breakfast in there. I cannot laugh,
:15:36. > :15:38.because it is my job, but when you walk off you think about it and you
:15:39. > :15:44.have a laugh to yourself, but there are some funny situations. Sleeping
:15:45. > :15:50.is one way to pass the time, but not everybody does. I am just people
:15:51. > :15:55.watching, looking out of the window, having a cup of tea, reading the
:15:56. > :16:00.newspaper. This is probably the fourth time I have been on a train,
:16:01. > :16:07.so I am just taking it all in. I have learned about three words in
:16:08. > :16:10.the last 30 minutes. It is a start. Andy only rights when he is on the
:16:11. > :16:24.train. After that, the spell is broken.
:16:25. > :16:31.So. Only five sleeps to go. Are people in the South East starting to
:16:32. > :16:44.get that festive feeling? I should say they are. Mark Sanders has been
:16:45. > :16:47.meeting a bunch of people in Brighton who have been enjoying
:16:48. > :16:51.their Christmas lunch today. I've been to a street in Tunbridge Wells
:16:52. > :16:54.that has been turned into a giant advent calendar. And I've been to
:16:55. > :16:57.Hempstead Valley Shopping Centre to see how people are getting on with
:16:58. > :17:00.their preparations. No wonder they wish it could be Christmas every
:17:01. > :17:08.day. They reckon 200,000 people will walk through these spaces this week.
:17:09. > :17:18.We have been sorted for a couple of months. It makes a change. You are
:17:19. > :17:26.not here on your own? No, no, no. I am the donkey, you see. She is doing
:17:27. > :17:33.the shopping. I am doing the carrying. That is the one. Happy
:17:34. > :17:39.Christmas! He was very funny, Santa Claus, it was the highlight of my
:17:40. > :17:46.Christmas. And now, boys and girls, what does Father Christmas keep in
:17:47. > :17:50.his garden shed? He keeps his hoe hoe hoe. Merry Christmas and a happy
:17:51. > :17:59.New Year. Enough of commercial Christmas and
:18:00. > :18:04.all of that bashing around. Bring some cheer to your doorstep like
:18:05. > :18:08.Neighbours of this road in Tunbridge Wells which turns itself into a
:18:09. > :18:14.real`life Advent calendar. Each house has a different number,
:18:15. > :18:18.replaces chocolate with real people and says Merry Christmas. It is
:18:19. > :18:25.something different. You can hear the children going to school. There
:18:26. > :18:33.is number ten. All other. `` or wherever. It is cool, for Christmas.
:18:34. > :18:38.This year we have got 24 Advent days involved. This is the latest
:18:39. > :18:46.edition. Who is at number 24? Or will be revealed next week. `` all
:18:47. > :18:52.will be revealed. The Christmas Cheer starts here, but this
:18:53. > :19:00.restaurant in Hove, heaving with people getting into the Christmas
:19:01. > :19:05.parade. `` the Christmas spirit. But, spare a thought for those
:19:06. > :19:09.working over Christmas like people in hospitality, it is a frenetic
:19:10. > :19:13.time in this restaurant over the holidays and they have noticed that
:19:14. > :19:23.customers seem to be in more of a Christmassy mood. More than in the
:19:24. > :19:30.last few. And now, just a few days left. The presents left under the
:19:31. > :19:36.tree. I shall be ready by the day after Boxing Day. Tonight, the
:19:37. > :19:47.hustle and bustle in Brighton and Hove continues.
:19:48. > :19:52.Mark Sanders reporting there and he joins us live from the centre of
:19:53. > :19:55.Brighton now, Mark its expected to get very busy there tonight? We are
:19:56. > :19:59.expecting a busy night in their pubs, clubs and restaurants, if the
:20:00. > :20:02.weather stays kind. Speaking to the owner of a Brighton pub chain, he
:20:03. > :20:07.expects it to be the busiest night of the festive season. He thinks the
:20:08. > :20:08.young, transient population of Brighton will be out before slinking
:20:09. > :20:13.back to mum and dad I had of back to mum and dad I had of
:20:14. > :20:16.Christmas on Wednesday. Sussex police do not want to be Scrooge and
:20:17. > :20:25.all of this but they stressed that people should have a happy time but
:20:26. > :20:30.should remain safe and sensible. Christmas isn't all about presents
:20:31. > :20:34.and mince pies. And slinking back to mum and dad. It's also one of the
:20:35. > :20:37.busiest sporting times of the year. Our sports reporter Neil Bell is
:20:38. > :20:46.here. It'll be an especially hectic couple of weeks for our top football
:20:47. > :20:49.clubs. While many of us are overindulging most teams face five
:20:50. > :21:01.games in a fortnight. Gillingham begine their festive football
:21:02. > :21:04.programme at Tranmere tonight. Gills boss Peter Taylor will again be
:21:05. > :21:07.missing a number of senior players so promising teenagers Bradley Dack
:21:08. > :21:09.and Jake Hessenthaler look set to continue in midfield. They have been
:21:10. > :21:15.outstanding in training, and in the build`up. I have no problem doing
:21:16. > :21:18.it. Brighton and Hove Albion could move into the promotion play off
:21:19. > :21:21.places tomorrow with victory at home to Huddersfield. The Albion were
:21:22. > :21:24.comfortable winners last season but two years ago Huddersfield were the
:21:25. > :21:26.victors in Brighton's final ever game at the Withdean Stadium.
:21:27. > :21:29.Charlton Athletic could drop into the bottom three if they lose at
:21:30. > :21:32.Bolton. Addicks skipper Johnnie Jackson misses the game through
:21:33. > :21:37.suspension and keeper Ben Hamer is amongst the other absentees. Crawley
:21:38. > :21:41.town and without a win in ten games and they travel to leaders, Leyton
:21:42. > :21:44.Orient. Gary Alexander will be hoping his late goal last weekend
:21:45. > :21:48.will see him keep his place in the side. And there are some big
:21:49. > :21:54.non`league games, with Ebbsfleet on course for a ninth successive big
:21:55. > :21:57.three if they beat Sutton United. Canterbury Rugby club is preparing
:21:58. > :22:03.for its biggest crowd of the season for what it hopes will be an eighth
:22:04. > :22:06.successive home victory. They are currently third in national to South
:22:07. > :22:11.and take on Cambridge, who are one point ahead of them on the table.
:22:12. > :22:16.Former Kent player and coach has been appointed the new coach of the
:22:17. > :22:23.Sri Lankan cricket team. He was the Sri Lankan assistant coach when
:22:24. > :22:28.there boss was attacked on the way to test match in 2009 in Pakistan.
:22:29. > :22:36.Hopefully happier days for him. And on January the 1st, what better time
:22:37. > :22:39.to start a job in Sri Lanka? Hopefully that has put you in the
:22:40. > :22:44.mood for Christmas. Just five days to go. We thought you would like to
:22:45. > :22:47.see these festive good wishes from some of the celebrities we have
:22:48. > :22:55.interviewed over the past few months. We are Blue. We wish a very
:22:56. > :23:06.Merry Christmas to BBC South East viewers. I am Damon Hill. Merry
:23:07. > :23:09.Christmas. I want to wish all of the viewers are very happy Christmas and
:23:10. > :23:33.a happy New Year. I am Mr Maker. it was breezy and cold but it stayed
:23:34. > :23:37.right today. In the run`up to Christmas we have got strong winds
:23:38. > :23:41.and heavy rain. You are likely to see some travel disruption and it is
:23:42. > :23:46.going to be very windy by the time we get your Monday and Tuesday.
:23:47. > :23:51.Today, clear blue skies eventually, cloud cover that `` in the
:23:52. > :23:57.afternoon. We're going to see some heavy rain tonight. During the day,
:23:58. > :24:00.temperatures around 10 Celsius. Wind is strengthening, up to about 20 mph
:24:01. > :24:06.in the afternoon, but a relatively pleasant day. We have a warning from
:24:07. > :24:11.the Met Office about this heavy rain. It stays with us throughout
:24:12. > :24:15.the day tomorrow. Tonight, initially, plenty of cloud cover
:24:16. > :24:20.then we see the rain arriving from midnight. All of us seeing it.
:24:21. > :24:25.Temperatures pretty mild, at around eight Celsius. But not feeling
:24:26. > :24:31.pleasant, very windy, with the wind picking up to 30 mph, and dost
:24:32. > :24:36.stronger than that. Starting tomorrow particularly wet with their
:24:37. > :24:39.heaviest rain during the morning. Plenty of rain around as you can
:24:40. > :24:44.tell from the isobars, it will remain blustery throughout the day.
:24:45. > :24:49.Those south`westerly winds, always stronger along the coast. It is
:24:50. > :24:55.going to be a wash`out. Temperatures not too bad, at around 10 Celsius,
:24:56. > :25:00.but it will feel really cold with the wind and rain. That rain
:25:01. > :25:03.eventually eases tomorrow night, then we have some heavy outbreaks of
:25:04. > :25:08.rain behind it, and temperatures not particularly chilly, holding onto
:25:09. > :25:14.those strong winds. Hardly changing from daytime values. As we start
:25:15. > :25:20.Sunday, plenty of cloud and relatively mild. A much drier story
:25:21. > :25:27.than Saturday. If you have some last`minute shopping to do, Sunday
:25:28. > :25:31.is probably the day to do it. With the wind, feeling cooler than that
:25:32. > :25:37.10 degrees, and then we have some warnings out for heavy rain and very
:25:38. > :25:39.strong winds. Going from Sunday into Monday, starting the day with gale
:25:40. > :25:46.force winds, strengthening throughout the day. By the
:25:47. > :25:52.afternoon, we could see gusts of 70`80 mph, storm force winds, heavy
:25:53. > :25:56.rain falling on to saturated ground, and more of the same as we get into
:25:57. > :26:06.Tuesday. Slightly drier and called on Christmas Day. `` `` drier and
:26:07. > :26:11.colder. Back to one of our top stories. Or Brighton and Hove
:26:12. > :26:14.councillors are to receive a quality training after one of them said that
:26:15. > :26:18.she thought golliwogs were nostalgic rather the races. `` rather than
:26:19. > :26:28.racist. The majority of you have agreed with
:26:29. > :26:32.Patricia, who has e`mailed to say that this politically correct
:26:33. > :26:36.situation has got out of hand. Stop wasting taxpayers money and being
:26:37. > :26:40.seen to do the right thing, and move on. There are more serious issues in
:26:41. > :26:45.the world to deal with than this. Another says, it is wrong that the
:26:46. > :26:51.council can force people to think in a certain way. Where is the freedom
:26:52. > :26:55.of speech? But Charlie says in an e`mail, it is an excellent idea for
:26:56. > :27:02.the council to further educate some employees about equality. Equality
:27:03. > :27:05.in today's society. Sue from Kent says it is a waste of taxpayers
:27:06. > :27:12.money. Don't they have police to recruit, or lonely elderly people
:27:13. > :27:18.that need help? I had these toys like this when I was young, as does
:27:19. > :27:23.my daughter, and neither of us is racist or this respectful. It is PC
:27:24. > :27:34.gone crazy, as usual. Another viewer says, I have had a golly since the
:27:35. > :27:41.70s but it does not make me racist. If you want to continue to comment,
:27:42. > :27:43.you can do on our Facebook page. We are back on Monday. Goodbye.