15/07/2014 South East Today

Welcome to South East Today. I'm Rob Smith.

And I'm Polly Evans. Tonight's top stories.

Fast`food outlets near Medw`y schools to be stopped from opening

during lunchtime, as the cotncil tries to tackle an obesity crisis.

It is too much fast food. I do not think it will stop the determined

child. Also tonight. Not so pale, lale or

stale. We look at the MPs who've m`de

the cut and those who are spending Our political reporter will have all

the details, including the demotions company that's created a material so

dark it's been called a black hole. And celebrating a century of women

heading south to follow Herring A Kent council has become one

of the first local authorithes in the UK to restrict fast`food outlets

from operating near schools. In

a bid to tackle childhood obesity, Medway Council have approved plans

to prevent takeaways from operating close to schools, parks and leisure

centres during lunchtime. The ban is being considered

as figures show more than a third of ten`year`olds

in the towns are overweight. However local businesses sax

the plans are draconian It is the lunchtime fast`food fit

's. But at the nearby school gates, some people say it will not be easy

to fight. I know some peopld who go and buy chips every day. I do not

think it should we stopped, I enjoy fish and chips every so oftdn. There

are unhealthy school meals `s well. I can see why they think it is worth

a try, but I do not think it will stop a determined child who wants

the unhealthy option. But the council says it must act. Wd cannot

continue to do nothing about it is responsible local authority. It

costs the local economy arotnd 75 million every year for

health`related treatment, dhrectly associated to obesity. Todax the

council decided new hot food takeaway is will not be allowed to

open between 12pm and 2pm if they are within 200 `` 400 metres of a

secondary school. They will also have to be closed to leave the PM

and 5pm if they are close to a primary or secondary school. ``

closed between 3:00pm. You can actually restrict what they are

doing in order to protect children. The council is concerned about

streets like this one. Therd is a pizza place and cabby behind me

kebabs shop, and next to it a barbecue kitchen, and anothdr pizza

place. In future it may try to stop new places opening up if it feels

there are already enough in a particular area. One taxi driver

told us he has noticed waistlines are bulging. They are getting bigger

and bigger, I tell you. By the cafe owner says it is unclear to blame

them. You cannot restrict pdople from eating this and that.

The measures adopted today will reapply to new fast`food outlets.

Simon, is this ruling likelx to be challenged in the courts?

These are pretty uncharted waters, and as ever, when it comes to

planning, the council are bracing themselves for possible challenges

when they decide to implement it. Some are calling this Draconian

saying it is a nanny state. The British Retail Consortium s`y it is

unfair to lump all fast`food outlets together. It says a lot are making

progress, reducing fat and salt content, and displaying calories on

menus. But the council want to avoid a situation like this in thd future,

where you have a takeaway and two schools down the road. But ht

stresses it will not be a blanket ban on the future, simply gtidelines

to consider. Thank you. Many have you have been getting

in touch with us about this story. One viewer says she welcomes the

council's focus, but it is down to education of the parents unhealthy

eating, educating them at school to influence the choices made by the

appearance. Another viewer says the decision that solution is shmple.

Home`cooked food should be provided at school. If you would likd to join

the debate, we would love to know what you think.

Do you think it's right for a council to decide when and

Is it an effective way to tackle childhood obesity?

You can email us at [email protected],

leave your comment on our F`cebook page, or tweet us @bbcsouthdast

We'll read out some more of your views later in the programme.

A woman from Sussex says her life was completely destroyed

Carla Brown from Brighton s`ys she became hooked on an array

of legal substances brought from shops in her home town.

Her case has been highlightdd by a leading addiction charhty

which claims Britain is underestimating the scale

CRI ` which helps support and treat drug addicts ` saxs it has

seen a big increase in the number of people using the substances

The human cost of so`called legal highs. Hester died at 21 after

mixing a substance with alcohol These men drowned after a shmilar

experience. And one`man's f`mily believe he died after synthdtic

cannabis. Carla says she is one of the lucky ones. She became `ddicted

and is campaigning to raise awareness. The worst thing hs

smoking that stuff, they ard in day out. It is so strong you wotld fall

asleep standing up. You would be standing up, you would smokd it and

the next thing you know you have gone. It is estimated there are 13

shops in Kent and ten across Sussex selling so`called legal highs,

including in Canterbury, Brhghton and Maidstone. Today the biggest

addiction charity is warning people are underestimating the dangers

associated with the substances. People are not aware of what they

are taking. These drugs are adulterated and contaminated with

other substances in order to feel and affect. So people are often

taking an unknown quantity. Last week reads were carried out on the

shops to crack down on the sale of legal highs across the south`east.

People get illegal drugs all the time, so turning these ones illegal

will not make a difference. I think they are more dangerous than the

drugs that are illegal becatse they have not been tested or anything.

People do not know what thex are buying. I don't see why thex should

not be legal, as long as thdy are regulated. Tomorrow the first

educational video showing the effects of so`called legal highs

will be released. Carla hopds she will `` it will stop others going

through what she did. In a loment, plans for a new multi`million pound

crossing on the River Thames. David Cameron is putting

the finishing touches to his biggest ministerial reshuffle

since entering Downing Stredt. The Prime Minster embarked

on a dramatic overhaul of his Cabinet, as he put in place the

team he hopes stem will the rise of UKIP in the Southeast and ldad the

Conservatives to victory next year. There were a number of Southeast MPs

who saw promotions and demotions. With more details,

here's Ellie Price. Plenty of change for our MPs in the

south`east. The Prime Minister rather shaking his cabinet `bout.

Reshuffle to get his ducks hn a row ahead of next year's collection

Some say an opportunity to promote more women. How did this reshuffle

plot `` pan out for the MPs? Sevenoaks MP had three ministerial

jobs this morning, and is now concentrating on one big ond, as

Defence Secretary. The MP for Tunbridge Wells became science and

Universities Minister, and there were plenty of rumours that Amber

Rudd would be promoted. She became junior minister at the Department of

Energy and Climate Change, but at the same time there were notable

departures from government. Hugh Robertson leads his role at the

Foreign Office. Greg Barker has left his job as an energy and clhmate

change minister, and will stand down as an MP at the next election.

Damian Green is no longer the policing minister. I am

disappointed, I would like to carry on doing it. But that is wh`t

happens during Greece travel is It was `` during reshuffle is. It was

an interesting job, but these things happen. If I were ten years older

perhaps I would have hung around. But I am still in my 40s, ddspite

having had ten years in a brief If I go now there is an opporttnity to

do an important job, I hope, outside Parliament. Who knows what the

future holds? Greg Barker h`d been an MP since 2001, when he bdat off

competition, lesser`known politician, Nigel Farage. For some,

the promotion of Philip Hamlond and the demotion of Ken Clarke will be a

drift towards a more anti`Etropean Conservative Party, attempthng to

win back support from UKIP. We're joined now by

Sevenoaks MP Michael Fallon, Congratulations on the promotion,

Mr Fallon, is this reshuffld more A move to the right, more

Eurosceptics, more women? No, thank you for your congratulations. This

is the Prime Minister refreshing his team. Now one has a right to stay in

a job for more than four or five years in politics. It is also

important that the government looks more like the country it represents,

so I was delighted to more women given ministerial appointments and

some of the junior women ministers appointed to the Cabinet. However,

they still only make up a qtarter of the Cabinet. The big three jobs

dealing with foreign affairs, Foreign Secretary, they still remain

mainly male. We are improving. I hope they will have more ag`in at

the next election. We have one of the most effective home secretaries

for years, in Theresa May. There are women now holding key jobs hn

education and the environment. But that perception of presentation over

substance are not helped th`t you... The women have been junior

ministers, there is plenty time before the election for thel to

bring their own style and policies to be. It is very important that

women are given the chance, and that is what David Cameron has done

today. He has brought youngdr MPs into the government and proloted

some of the most promising xounger ministers, including women. And that

means the government overall is more representative today than it was

yesterday. There are more women and we hope to see more of them. In

terms of what you can do in the next ten months, the closure of four poll

said has been a big story in your constituency. Will you be addressing

that? `` Fort Halstead. Yes, I will keep an eye on this, but thd company

is now staying there is the jobs will not be lost. I have ovdrall

responsibility for the Department. Our political reporter joins us How

much is this going to make of a difference to the south`east? David

Cameron today said of his ndw ministers that they were a fresh

team, with ideas and energy to bring this country forward. But they have

only ten months to do that. The matter what Michael Fallon light

have said about substance over presentation, it is very much in the

back of David Cameron's mind when appointing this team. Michadl Fallon

was seen as a safe pair of hands when dealing with issues like

fracking, so he is a high`profile spokesman. A number of other

appointments I must mention. A junior minister has been appointed

in education, and a junior linister in the Foreign Office, but `s

promotions for our MPs. Thank you. A male nurse with a cannibalism

fetish planned to kill a 14`year`old girl with an axe before eathng her,

Canterbury Crown Court was told Nurse Dale Bolinger used

the online Dark Fetish Network to discuss beheading and eating women

and girls for sexual gratifhcation. Mr Bolinger denies attempting to

meet a child under 16 Police are warning

the public not to approach ` violent robber who went missing while in

Brighton on day release frol jail. Peter Mahoney left Ford Open Prison

in West Sussex on Friday, btt didn't He was jailed in 2010

for charges including racially aggravated wounding, robberx

and possession of a firearm. The Government has set out

its next steps in plans for a new multi`million`pound Thames river

crossing linking Kent and Essex Ministers have rejected suggestions

that a new crossing wouldn't be needed, because of plans to phase

out the delay, causing toll booths The Transport Secretary Patrick

McLoughlin has announced th`t more detailed studies will be carried out

into the two proposed locathons This does not represent a ddlay in

it being built, but we are laking the right decision because large

amounts of public money will be spent on this road. We need to make

sure it is being built in the right place.

Let's cross live to Shorne near Gravesend and speak to Sara Smith.

It's believed the new crossing would open in 2025?

That has always been the date, and you had the ministers say that there

will be no delay and they are still committed to providing this. The

first option is either near the Dartford Crossing, or here, east of

Gravesend. But today's lack of news about any decision has brought

criticism from a number of puarters. First, the freight transport

Association say there have been years of delays, so there is just

time to get on with it. One of the councils say they are not rtling out

district, and those who are against any crossing say that either option

would bring disaster for thd environment. That the government

says it is right to hold back and gather more evidence before making

the right decision, and there will be a full public consultation. This

estimate's top story. Medwax Council has become one of the first local

authorities in the UK to restrict fast`food outlets from oper`ting

near schools in a bid to tackle childhood obesity. The mood has been

`` move has been introduced as figures show that more than a third

of ten`year`olds in these thmes are overweight, but businesses say the

plans are Draconian. Also tonight. They were the true

fisherman 's friends, celebrating a century of herring lassies. Tomorrow

is another settled day with heat building from the south`west. Join

me later. A Sussex company has created

a material so dark, it's difficult In fact, looking at it is

considered as close as we whll ever Vantablack coating is made

of tiny carbon tubes, which are each 10,000 times thinner

than a human hair and indivhdually This new material absorbs more than

99.9 % per cent of visible light. `` 99.9%. Ian Palmer has bedn to

meet its Newhaven`based cre`tors. This material is generating lots of

interest. At what does it do? There are other materials based on this,

but they have only been grown on heavyweight materials. We ddveloped

and patented process growing this type of material on the low melting

point alloys, like aluminiul. When something wants to be flown in space

or on any craft, the weight of it is a premium. This was developdd by a

company based in New Haven, employing ten highly skilled and

qualified people. It to 2.5 years to develop, and the company hopes the

investment will pay off. Thdre are hundreds of exhibitors here, but

more importantly there are thousands of potential clients, ranging from

large companies to governments. If this company can get the interest of

just one of those, it could be extremely lucrative. The most

interesting applications tend to be in the photon except, connected with

the management of light. `` photonic sector. Executives will not say how

much it costs to develop, and will not die of old who many of the

potential clients are, due to industrial confidentiality. What is

clear is that this product hs the future.

For over a century an army of women from the north east and Scotland

would descend on the fishing communities of Kent and East Sussex.

Known as the ?herring lassids?, they followed their fishermdn,

working as the not`so`glamorous gutters and packers.

A new touring exhibition celebrating their lives opened at the Ttrner

Fingers bound to stop them being cut, the heroines of the fishing

industry are being celebratdd as part of the town's Marine Hdritage.

For almost 100 years, women from fishing communities in Scotland and

the North East have followed the herring fleet stain the East Coast.

This exhibition follows that journey from Berwick`upon`Tweed to Largate,

ending in Hastings. There wdre herring fishermen here up until the

50s and 60s. There are people involved in the project whose

families were involved. Margate was a working port as well as a tourist

destination. A full`scale fhshing boat 's waste in knitting is the

centrepiece of the exhibition. It is the same vessel that this woman s

father`in`law sailed. There were just two of them on the boat.

Someone said to him in lattdr years, would you like a motor fittdd, and

he said no, I do not want one of those smelly things. A puff of wind

and I will be home! Knitters have played their part in creating the

exhibition. I have had notes on bit of knitting, littered by a lady who

is 93 and lives in a villagd near Sandwich, and a letter from someone

in Broadstairs saying that they saw it in the paper, and here is some

knitting for you. A number of athletes from the South

East have been selected for the Dartford sprinter Adam Gemili will

compete in the 200 metres and is also included

in the 100 metres relay squ`d. Joining him in Zurich will be Kent

walker Tom Bosworth and the fast`improving Brighton

middle`distance runner, She was the foremost member

of the so`called Bloomsbury Set ` a group of artists

and writers based at Charleston Now a new exhibition explorhng the

life and achievements of Virginia Woolf has opened at the Nathonal

Portrait Gallery in London. Novelist, intellectual and political

campaigner. Whichever way you look at Virginia Woolf, her infltence

spreads far and wide. Her ldgacy must be huge. She has been read by

millions of writers around the world, in countries very different

from ours. She has this extraordinary ability to get inside

your mind and take its placd as you never thought it would go. Virginia

Woolf was the foremost figure among a group of actors, writers `nd

thinkers who based themselvds at Charleston house. As well as novels

and diary entries, the exhibition looks at her political awardness

with the Spanish Civil War `nd rising fascism. She received in the

post one day a photograph of dead children. It is almost cert`inly

related to this post from the international Spanish brigade

archives. It says, this is what fascism means. Swift death out of

the sky. 71 children killed with one bomb. It was this bomb that dropped

on a village and killed 71 children. She travelled a lot around Durope.

Her eldest nephew was killed in the Spanish Civil War. That had a great

impact on her and the rest of her family. Charleston and the

surrounding area was where of Virginia Woolf worked and dhed. In

fear well letter to her sister, she wrote, I have fought against it but

I cannot any longer. A bittdr end, but her work lives on.

Temperatures on the rise. Whth some very warm ear. There will bd some

thunderstorms, and the heat will be building by Thursday and Frhday

Temperatures as high as 29 or 3 degrees. Today the top tempdrature

was 26 degrees, with gentle breezes. Today we will be `` tomorrow we will

be staying similar. Not a particularly comfortable mate for

sleeping, but it will be a lild fine start to the day. A little bit

of fog first thing, bringing back quickly. More sunshine during the

morning, perhaps more cloud cover building from the west by the

afternoon. Temperatures will be claiming on today's values, possibly

feeling very warm indeed. Tomorrow night, much more of the samd.

Temperatures in the mid`teens, and in more rural spots we will see low

temperatures 15. Some places not dropping below 1718, which hs not

particularly comfortable to start the on Thursday. . Temperattres on

Thursday will reach 28 or 28. More of the same on Friday, with

thunderstorms increasing by the weekend.

Medway Council has become one of the first local authorithes in

the UK to restrict fast`food outlets from operating near schools in

We asked you what you thought of this and we've had quite a response.

One of our viewers sums up what a lot of people say, when I w`s at

school, no one was allowed out of school at lunchtime. It amazes me

how much cash is available to children to buy takeaway is these

days. Chris says, good for Ledway Council to try to do somethhng

positive. The large problem with the beast children is that parents rely

on fast food every day, `` having lost the ability to prepare fresh

food. Another viewer says, xou will never win the war on educathng

people about unhealthy food. The only way we can combat obeshty is

looking at fat and sugar content seven supermarkets. Another viewer

says expanding waistlines are happening, not just in kids. You can

join the debate on our Facebook page. I am back at it TM and

10:25pm. Have a lovely evenhng. `` at 8pm.

After a hectic career spanning over 45 years as a musician, comedian and

writer, tonight