:00:07. > :00:40.We do not want to go through that again if it is not necessarx. It is
:00:41. > :00:47.a nuisance. We'll be reporthng from Yalding, and getting political
:00:48. > :00:50.reaction from Westminster. Failing in four out of five key are`s `
:00:51. > :00:53.controversial private ambul`nce company NSL faces losing its NHS
:00:54. > :00:59.contract in Kent. Also in tonight's programme: The elderly couple from
:01:00. > :01:02.Kent subjected to a violent ordeal by masked robbers who stole money
:01:03. > :01:08.and jewellery worth thousands of pounds. Naked ambition wins
:01:09. > :01:11.Folkestone the chance to bare all for an international photographic
:01:12. > :01:21.exhibition, and it seems thd locals are game. As a former naturhst, I
:01:22. > :01:28.probably would. But not now, it is too cold. It is me. This is my
:01:29. > :01:31.fiance, Claire. And size is no disadvantage for actor Warwhck
:01:32. > :01:42.Davis, who will tell us abott his new show taking to the stagd across
:01:43. > :01:46.the South East. Good evening.
:01:47. > :01:48.The floods are back, with areas around Yalding already being
:01:49. > :01:53.affected and two flood warnhngs in place, as well as 15 more flood
:01:54. > :01:57.alerts. This winter has alrdady been the wettest on record. The `rea
:01:58. > :02:03.around Maidstone enduring 500% more rainfall than normal over Christmas.
:02:04. > :02:06.The weather is also causing a headache on the rails, with a
:02:07. > :02:09.landslip closing the line at Battle. Southeastern are saying that another
:02:10. > :02:20.storm forecast for tomorrow night will cause further disruption.
:02:21. > :02:25.Yvette Austin is in Yalding. The area could be hit a second time
:02:26. > :02:31.This is the river that everxbody worries about. The River Betlt,
:02:32. > :02:36.running through the centre of the village, but the reason Yalding gets
:02:37. > :02:40.hit badly is because it lies where three Rivers meet. While thd village
:02:41. > :02:46.is dry at the moment, there are problems downstream by the River
:02:47. > :02:49.Medway. Braving the flood water agahn. For
:02:50. > :02:56.the third time this winter, Little Venice caravan park is underwater.
:02:57. > :03:00.Some residents remain in hotels It gets to the point when you `re
:03:01. > :03:04.sitting in the hotel, you c`nnot do anything, you cannot do a normal
:03:05. > :03:10.routine. You feel that life is drifting past. I have come back
:03:11. > :03:14.because I have a washing machine being delivered because I lost my
:03:15. > :03:21.last one in the last flood `nd now I cannot get back. As rain falls on
:03:22. > :03:29.saturated ground, properties are honourable again. In Yalding, levels
:03:30. > :03:34.have been rising. Much ground is flooded in Headcorn and Barcombe
:03:35. > :03:40.Mills, the situation is simhlar There is concern over ground water
:03:41. > :03:44.levels close to Canterbury. Forecasters expect it to deteriorate
:03:45. > :03:49.over the weekend and we are watching conditions. We expect rainf`ll over
:03:50. > :03:53.Friday and strong winds and high tides at the weekend. We expect
:03:54. > :03:58.there to be isolated properties affected, but not a return to the
:03:59. > :04:03.conditions of Christmas Day. It seems there is no end in sight. Over
:04:04. > :04:11.Christmas and New Year, the area around East Peckham, this m`cro and
:04:12. > :04:16.stable Hearst saw rainfall 400% above average. Elsewhere in the
:04:17. > :04:21.region, a 200% increase, with no other county seeing a greatdr rise.
:04:22. > :04:26.The people in Yalding are fhghting back. The clean`up continues from
:04:27. > :04:31.Christmas. The figures add weight to the renewed campaign for flood
:04:32. > :04:36.defences. That again is one reason for pushing for flood defences,
:04:37. > :04:43.because with global warming, it will get worse. We could flood ydar in,
:04:44. > :04:48.year out, and that is not acceptable. There will be mtch
:04:49. > :04:52.deliberating over what can be done to reduce flooding. A former
:04:53. > :04:57.environment agency operations manager said there are short`term
:04:58. > :05:02.solutions. They could do wh`t we did in 2002 and repeat the dredging
:05:03. > :05:07.exercise, increase the channel capacity, so that the convexance of
:05:08. > :05:10.the river is increased, and you can increase the flow through the river
:05:11. > :05:15.rather than its going down the main street. But back at Little Venice,
:05:16. > :05:21.residents are carrying on as best they can. It is a small price to pay
:05:22. > :05:28.for living here because we absolutely love it. They hope the
:05:29. > :05:33.rain gives way to sunshine soon As you might expect, the flooding is
:05:34. > :05:39.causing travel problems with country lanes impassable. There are problems
:05:40. > :05:42.on the trains between London and Hastings and with more rain
:05:43. > :05:46.expected, trouble is predicted tomorrow. People here in Yalding are
:05:47. > :05:52.preparing for the worse with the sandbags coming out again.
:05:53. > :05:57.There are severe weather warnings in place for Kent and Sussex whth heavy
:05:58. > :06:02.rain expected tonight and for most of tomorrow. There are 15 flood
:06:03. > :06:11.alerts covering areas such `s Dartford and Crawley. Two flood
:06:12. > :06:17.warnings have also been issted. It means flooding is expected. The
:06:18. > :06:20.Anchor Pub, located on the River Ouse has been cut off since
:06:21. > :06:27.Christmas and is in danger of flooding again. The landlord said no
:06:28. > :06:31.authorities have been in totch. I am waiting for someone to come down and
:06:32. > :06:37.offer help. The neighbours have been fantastic, but the authorithes, they
:06:38. > :06:41.seem you want to `` they sedm to want you to pay the business rates
:06:42. > :06:46.and mortgage, nobody seems interested in helping. Why hs it now
:06:47. > :06:51.flooding so severely? I do not understand. Who exactly is
:06:52. > :06:57.responsible for helping with the clean`up?
:06:58. > :07:01.That question is not easy to answer. The environment agency,
:07:02. > :07:05.local authorities and insur`nce companies have a role to pl`y in
:07:06. > :07:09.different parts of the clean`up In the case of the gentleman you just
:07:10. > :07:13.heard from, I asked who would be responsible for pumping out water
:07:14. > :07:16.from his property and I was told he ought to ring the fire brig`de. His
:07:17. > :07:22.District Council said he was exempt from paying business rates, which is
:07:23. > :07:26.small consolation as he trids to save his business.
:07:27. > :07:31.There is a government meeting this evening. There is a Cobra mdeting
:07:32. > :07:35.just up the road. It is the second meeting in as many
:07:36. > :07:39.days. The government stress they have a handle on things and with
:07:40. > :07:48.more rain expected, flooding is top of the agenda. To keep up to date
:07:49. > :07:51.with the latest flooding and travel situation, you can tune in to your
:07:52. > :07:58.local BBC Radio station. And we ll have a full forecast later hn the
:07:59. > :08:00.programme. One of the South East's largest private ambulance providers
:08:01. > :08:03.could face closure after inspectors discovered a series of failhngs
:08:04. > :08:06.including a lack of backgrotnd security checks on staff. NSL Care
:08:07. > :08:10.Services, based in Larkfield, didn't meet standards in four out of the
:08:11. > :08:12.five key areas set by the C`re Quality Commission. The govdrnment's
:08:13. > :08:14.health watchdog also revealdd criminal background checks were
:08:15. > :08:18.missing for some staff examhned by officers. The trade union
:08:19. > :08:29.representing NSL workers have revealed tonight that they have
:08:30. > :08:33.voted for strike action. NSL provide nonemergency Ambulance
:08:34. > :08:38.Services the patients in Kent and Medway and claim a reputation for
:08:39. > :08:42.being trusted, reliable and caring. The health watchdog came to a
:08:43. > :08:47.different conclusion after `n unannounced visit in Novembdr. Among
:08:48. > :08:56.a number of concerns they found that care was not planned to meet patient
:08:57. > :09:04.safety and welfare. Staff h`d not been vetted or had criminal record
:09:05. > :09:06.checks. And it was said the impact on patients were serious. The
:09:07. > :09:13.company would not be intervhewed on camera. They highlighted sole areas
:09:14. > :09:17.we were becoming aware of and areas we have failed not to adherd to
:09:18. > :09:23.policies. They must be getthng used to criticism. We spoke to p`tients
:09:24. > :09:28.who have experienced poor sdrvice and care from NSL. We can rdveal
:09:29. > :09:36.their staff voted for strikd action. I can confirm we have had a 50%
:09:37. > :09:39.return in the ballot papers and of that 95% want to take strikd action.
:09:40. > :09:45.They have hurt to put up with this daily and have had enough. The
:09:46. > :09:49.public seemed to be more generous. If staff have not been vettdd
:09:50. > :09:55.properly and there is a concern maybe they have undesirable people
:09:56. > :09:58.driving ambulances... It makes life easier for elderly people gdtting
:09:59. > :10:04.into hospital when they know there is a service to take them. They give
:10:05. > :10:11.me a lift to hospital. They are on time and helpful. They do a good job
:10:12. > :10:16.for me. NSL claim they have an ethos of listening to learn. They will now
:10:17. > :10:25.have to listen to the care puality commission and their staff to learn
:10:26. > :10:31.from this highly critical rdport. Coming up: Brighton and Hovd's Green
:10:32. > :10:40.party faces a vote of no confidence over plans to raise council tax
:10:41. > :10:43.Within the last two hours, both the chairman, and the chief executive of
:10:44. > :10:47.one of Kent's most criticisdd hospital trusts have announced that
:10:48. > :10:50.they are to step down. The Ledway Maritime Hospital in Gillingham has
:10:51. > :10:53.one of the highest rates of unexpected mortality in the country,
:10:54. > :10:58.and was put into special me`sures last year.
:10:59. > :11:06.Our reporter has been following the story. Why are the Chairman and
:11:07. > :11:10.Chief Executive stepping down? The trust chairman and the chief
:11:11. > :11:15.executive have simply said tonight that the time is right for them to
:11:16. > :11:20.move on and hand over the ldadership to a new team. The chief exdcutive
:11:21. > :11:24.said after four years as Chhef Executive, I feel it is timd to
:11:25. > :11:28.encourage a new leadership to build on what has been achieved and take
:11:29. > :11:33.the trust into a new phase. That is the only reason given. Tonight we
:11:34. > :11:39.just got this reaction from the Medway MP. It has been diffhcult. If
:11:40. > :11:44.you have someone at the top of an organisation he has been in for a
:11:45. > :11:48.year or two, it is difficult to know whether you hold them responsible
:11:49. > :11:53.for failings or whether thex are the new broom who can turn things
:11:54. > :11:58.around. They have hired a ndw medical director and aid chhef
:11:59. > :12:01.nurse. I think they are doing good work and I have seen some
:12:02. > :12:06.improvements, but given the problems, I am not sure it has been
:12:07. > :12:10.fast enough. He mentioned problems. It is fair to
:12:11. > :12:14.say the trust has had a cat`logue of them.
:12:15. > :12:19.It certainly has. Last summdr the trust had put in special me`sures
:12:20. > :12:24.after a report revealed the trust had a higher than expected rate of
:12:25. > :12:29.mortality. A separate report from the care quality commission led to
:12:30. > :12:33.the trust being issued with warnings or its maternity department because
:12:34. > :12:37.it was failing to meet basic standards. The arrangements the two
:12:38. > :12:46.new successes into the roles is expected in the next month.
:12:47. > :12:49.Three masked robbers subjected an elderly Kent couple to extrdme
:12:50. > :12:52.gratuitous violence as they stole jewellery and foreign currency worth
:12:53. > :12:55.thousands of pounds from thdir home in Charing. The couple were left
:12:56. > :12:58.needing hospital treatment `fter the robbers beat them with a pickaxe
:12:59. > :13:01.handle. Kent Police are appdaling for help in catching the crhminals.
:13:02. > :13:07.You may find some of the im`ges in Ian Palmer's report upsetting.
:13:08. > :13:13.Robbed, terrified and beaten. The face of a homeowner from Pett Lane
:13:14. > :13:17.in Charing. The woman, who doesn't want to be named, was targeted by
:13:18. > :13:24.three masked men in her homd on Monday, 20th January. Her htsband,
:13:25. > :13:28.who also wants to remain anonymous, was beaten, as well. Police
:13:29. > :13:34.investigating the attack sax the men are dangerous. The couple dhd not
:13:35. > :13:43.put up any defence. One of them is 71 years old and vulnerable. The
:13:44. > :13:46.level of violence was at an extreme. The masked robbers stole a Rolex
:13:47. > :13:52.wristwatch, a diamond and rtby eternity ring and gold coins. People
:13:53. > :13:59.say they are shocked about what happened. We are sorry for them
:14:00. > :14:07.They are a lovely couple. Utterly out of character with anythhng we
:14:08. > :14:11.are used to. Police say they want to spe`k to
:14:12. > :14:15.anyone who may have been in the area at the time and may have sedn
:14:16. > :14:27.something unusual or suspichous days before. Anyone with information is
:14:28. > :14:31.being asked to contact them. A woman hit a bus in Brighton on Tudsday has
:14:32. > :14:34.died. Zhiying He, who was 18, was a student at the International Study
:14:35. > :14:37.Centre in the city. The collision happened around 8:30am on Ttesday.
:14:38. > :14:42.Police are appealing for witnesses. We have some breaking news. Within
:14:43. > :14:45.the last few minutes, a votd of no confidence in Brighton and Hove
:14:46. > :14:49.Green administration has bedn carried at a meeting as the
:14:50. > :14:52.controversy over the proposdd council tax rise has been
:14:53. > :14:57.intensifying. The Greens want to increase it by almost 5% to protect
:14:58. > :15:02.services that would need a lajority yes vote in a referendum will stop
:15:03. > :15:07.tonight, the Labour Party, which had the backing of the Conservatives,
:15:08. > :15:11.called on the leader Jason Kitcat is to stand down. Jason Kit Kat said
:15:12. > :15:15.the vote was a distraction, before the meeting. It is an attempt by
:15:16. > :15:20.Labour to distract from the debate people need to have. Funding cannot
:15:21. > :15:25.go on as it is without something shifting. We propose a referendum to
:15:26. > :15:28.protect the most runnable in the city and that is what we should be
:15:29. > :15:34.talking about `` the most vulnerable. Our reporter has been
:15:35. > :15:42.following this story. What dxactly does this mean?
:15:43. > :15:48.Legally, it does not mean vdry much. It is important because it could
:15:49. > :15:52.signify problems for the Grdens A budget agreed. If the opposhtion
:15:53. > :15:56.vote against it, they have to come up with a plan B. If they c`nnot
:15:57. > :16:01.agree on that the government could make the decision for them. Earlier
:16:02. > :16:05.I was speaking to people and there was a mixture of opinion, whth some
:16:06. > :16:08.thinking the Greens were dohng a good job with the saying thd
:16:09. > :16:16.administration should go. They are well`meaning, but, half the
:16:17. > :16:21.things they have done are ltdicrous. I am sorry, if the government is not
:16:22. > :16:25.giving us the money, we need to do something. I have not voted for them
:16:26. > :16:30.but I think they are brave. The money is needed to protect the
:16:31. > :16:36.vulnerable and services for everyone. It is ridiculous.
:16:37. > :16:39.Mindless. Just before we cale on air, the meeting came to an end and
:16:40. > :16:45.the people in the city will be watching as to what will happen
:16:46. > :16:50.next. The top story tonight. Flooding is
:16:51. > :16:55.back with areas around Yaldhng already affected. There are two
:16:56. > :17:00.warnings in place as well as 15 flood alerts. Today figures revealed
:17:01. > :17:05.the area around Maidstone h`s had 500% more rainfall than norlal over
:17:06. > :17:09.Christmas. And coming up, the serious business of honouring Jo
:17:10. > :17:16.Brand for her nursing work `t one of our leading universities. And I will
:17:17. > :17:26.be talking about my new plax with a reduced height fitter company. See
:17:27. > :17:29.How They Run. Along the South Coast, it's been a
:17:30. > :17:33.hard`fought campaign over the last few weeks ` to win the right for
:17:34. > :17:36.hundreds of people to strip naked and be photographed by the @merican
:17:37. > :17:39.artist Spencer Tunick. People in Hastings, Brighton and Folkdstone
:17:40. > :17:42.have been staging all sorts of publicity stunts, despite the
:17:43. > :17:44.inclement weather. Today it was been announced that the winner is
:17:45. > :17:46.Folkestone. Lucinda Adam is something of an art buff. This is
:17:47. > :17:50.her report. The people of Folkestone usdd an
:17:51. > :17:55.online campaign to show Spencer Tunick they are not shy abott taking
:17:56. > :18:00.off their clothes. You have to put your money where your mouth is. It
:18:01. > :18:06.is very natural. Where is the problem? It was a profile r`zor and
:18:07. > :18:10.you get the odd double guns when you are walking down the street. The
:18:11. > :18:16.photographer is coming to the Kent coast. We will get folks naked in
:18:17. > :18:20.Folkestone and that will be pretty incredible because I have ndver
:18:21. > :18:26.worked by the sea. Dozens of people are willing to strip off to keep the
:18:27. > :18:29.votes coming in. It is liberating. People have enjoyed taking part
:18:30. > :18:36.because it is something different, something they have not dond before.
:18:37. > :18:40.What was brilliant is it involved everybody in the community.
:18:41. > :18:44.Everybody spotted somebody they knew and we encourage them to vote and
:18:45. > :18:49.that is what they did. The photographs will go on display in
:18:50. > :18:54.the town. He makes such democratic art work, it is recognisabld, maybe
:18:55. > :18:59.even people who are not intdrested in the arts know his work. That
:19:00. > :19:04.captured imaginations. The puestion is where the photograph will be
:19:05. > :19:09.taken and how will he choosd around 200 residents to take off their
:19:10. > :19:16.clothes. Would you strip naked for art? As a former naturist, H
:19:17. > :19:21.probably would. But not right now, it is too cold. Never in a lillion
:19:22. > :19:26.years. No amount of money or any art could persuade me to take off my
:19:27. > :19:32.clothes. Yes, of course we would. If anybody wants to see this. H have no
:19:33. > :19:36.idea what the Folkestone folks look like, I have no idea what the
:19:37. > :19:43.streets looked like, I have no idea if the police. Me, whether H will
:19:44. > :19:46.get permission. Those who are willing to bear all for art will
:19:47. > :19:59.hope for warmer weather when it happens in May.
:20:00. > :20:05.Jo Brand grew up in Sussex `nd Kent and has been a huge success in
:20:06. > :20:11.comedy for years. For a dec`de, she had a different career, working as a
:20:12. > :20:17.psychiatric nurse. Today shd was given an honorary doctorate by
:20:18. > :20:23.Christ Church in honour of her work with mental health students.
:20:24. > :20:28.In our garden I saw the cat equivalent of me, it was so fact, it
:20:29. > :20:35.went through the cat flap and took the frame with it. `` it was so fat.
:20:36. > :20:41.Known for her deadpan humour, but today Jo Brand was in the spotlight
:20:42. > :20:45.for a different reason. The former psychiatric nurse received `nd Henri
:20:46. > :20:49.doctorate from Christchurch University for her work with nursing
:20:50. > :20:56.students. I feel very pleasdd about it. I am flattered and bonddd
:20:57. > :21:00.because it is an honorary doctorate, so I am glad to come here
:21:01. > :21:04.and do it rather than the normal thing at this time which is banking
:21:05. > :21:10.my head on the computer and shouting, right a funny jokd, you
:21:11. > :21:16.silly old bag! She is popping in later. She has never been in before.
:21:17. > :21:23.You are going to move that stuff out of the room. I am not Pickford. She
:21:24. > :21:27.spent ten years caring for lental health patients and said it inspired
:21:28. > :21:35.her sitcom that she stars in and co`wrote. It was a stressful job. I
:21:36. > :21:40.loved it. It required working with a dedicated team of people. Wd had
:21:41. > :21:48.some awful days and we had some good days. It was just how it was. Tell
:21:49. > :21:53.me about splash. Yes, I am going out with Tom Daley. You heard it here
:21:54. > :22:00.first. I hit a diving board when I was a kid. It's hilarious. H love
:22:01. > :22:07.being a judge. I am positioned in the middle of two serious dhving
:22:08. > :22:13.academics. I am just there the light relief and decoration. Being
:22:14. > :22:19.gorgeous! Something has happened in the last ten years that has made old
:22:20. > :22:25.people's life a misery and ht is called decking. As one of otr
:22:26. > :22:31.favourite comics, she hopes to be able to continue to work with
:22:32. > :22:40.psychiatric nurses in the ftture. That hat suited her. Warwick Davis
:22:41. > :22:47.has had a long and successftl movie career, including roles in Star Wars
:22:48. > :22:54.and Willow. He also starred in a comedy recently Ricky Gervahs with.
:22:55. > :22:58.He has created an agency and theatrical company fish or people
:22:59. > :23:01.and their production of See How They Run opens at Bromley's Churchill
:23:02. > :23:08.Theatre next month before going to Eastburn.
:23:09. > :23:15.`` Eastbourne. It was roles like Willow and in
:23:16. > :23:21.Harry Potter that catapulted Warwick Davis to the top of his gamd. But it
:23:22. > :23:27.was a lack of officer stage roles that inspired him to set up a
:23:28. > :23:32.theatre company. What I likdd about the idea was when I went to the
:23:33. > :23:37.actors and asked them to audition, they were so excited about the
:23:38. > :23:42.prospect of this. I am very moved because they can see an opportunity
:23:43. > :23:49.that they have not had before, which is to be respected as actors. Aside
:23:50. > :23:56.from them being short. Wherd do you get your normal clothes frol? Are
:23:57. > :24:01.they children's" smack this kind of comedy material might leave some
:24:02. > :24:07.open mouths. But Warwick sahd that it is important to have the sense of
:24:08. > :24:11.humour about his size. I will meet some kids and realise I havd the
:24:12. > :24:21.same sweater because I buy clothes fit ten years old and 12`ye`r`olds.
:24:22. > :24:27.That is embarrassing. You are just down with the kids. They cotld think
:24:28. > :24:33.that. I did not look at it like that. He has been in the business
:24:34. > :24:40.than 30 years and credits hhs success to luck, and playing in Star
:24:41. > :24:47.Wars. What is it? I think bding in Star Wars at 11 years old h`s to be
:24:48. > :24:51.the highlight. That film gave me my career. I met my heroes and worked
:24:52. > :24:58.with George Lucas. I have bden fortunate. I have ticked my ambition
:24:59. > :25:07.boxes. I suppose doing a pl`y is the last ambition I have at the moment.
:25:08. > :25:11.With this venture promising to be a comedy venture of huge small
:25:12. > :25:19.proportions. He has a lovely voice. We are going
:25:20. > :25:26.to check the web. Rachel, alazing statistics for the last month.
:25:27. > :25:31.Statistics for us in the sotth`east are remarkable. We have seen twice
:25:32. > :25:35.the average amount of rainf`ll that we would expect. It has been the
:25:36. > :25:38.wettest January since 1910 `nd we have more rain on the way,
:25:39. > :25:46.particularly tomorrow with ` weather warning. 20 millimetres of rain is
:25:47. > :25:54.expected. We will stay dry for much of the day. Strong winds will be
:25:55. > :25:57.picking up. By contrast, today, the winds are not too strong. It has
:25:58. > :26:09.been fairly wet and also re`lly cold. The wind is picking up along
:26:10. > :26:13.the coast, but not particul`rly breezy. Tonight, showers will
:26:14. > :26:27.linger, but drier as we get to the early hours. Some spots starting the
:26:28. > :26:34.day with a touch of frost tomorrow. A deep area of low pressure coming
:26:35. > :26:41.tomorrow. The wind is picking up on the south coast. In the aftdrnoon,
:26:42. > :26:55.wet, but tried during the morning. `` it will be dry during thd
:26:56. > :27:05.morning. It will move through pretty quickly as we go through tolorrow.
:27:06. > :27:11.The winds will be staying whth us. Further warnings out as we go into
:27:12. > :27:18.Saturday. This time about the wind, with gusts up to 70 mph along the
:27:19. > :27:23.south coast. There will be showers particularly for the south coast.
:27:24. > :27:30.The main story will be the winds. On Sunday, it will be mostly sdttles.
:27:31. > :27:35.As we head back into the new week, it will be wet and windy. Stnday is
:27:36. > :27:39.likely to be the best day of the weekend.
:27:40. > :27:45.likely to be the best It is relentless. That is it. We
:27:46. > :27:46.will have the late news at 8pm and 10:25pm. We will see you