27/01/2017 South East Today

Brighton sees the sharpest rise in rough sleepers in the country -

and opens its council buildings to house the homeless.

We'll be live in the city, and also in Medway -

where councillors voted against opening shelters more

Kent asks the Government to help pay for asylum seeking children

Also in tonight's programme: a Turner Prize winning artist brings

some of his biggest works to the south coast -

we chat with Keith Tyson in Hastings.

at 39, the oldest living tapir in captivity!

The goal that saw Brighton through to the fourth

round of the FA Cup - and they're queuing round the block

People sleeping rough in Brighton could soon be offered the chance

to stay in empty council buildings during freezing weather

It comes as new figures show the city has had the highest

increase in rough sleeping in the country.

144 people are now living on the streets of the city,

Although they've welcomed the proposals, homeless people we've

spoken to on the streets of Brighton say they need a permanent

Bedding down and covering up against the biting January air.

Claiming a space in the city is tough, such is

the demand that those sleeping rough here daren't even move their

belongings but many say more temporary shelters

Temporary solutions are not necessarily the way forward because

it doesn't help the individual to move forward.

In order to establish any kind of grounds for a future,

you have to have a stable base and some sense of security.

Proposed by the Green Group, councillors voted

unanimously last night to explore the use of empty

council buildings for homeless shelters.

A similar scheme's been rolled out in Manchester this winter

using a former library and children's home

In Brighton, no building has yet been earmarked for the scheme

but the council says it is open to options.

We don't have as a council lots of vacant buildings, we've...

Obviously going to be putting them to immediate use for housing, etc.

If there's a possibility that there might be commercial buildings out

there that, you never know, voluntary and charities would be

able to work with that commercial provider and open up so we're

Those who spent years on the streets though

say safety in any new shelter is vital.

I tended to avoid them having been in a few times, they were

noisy, violent, really rather unpleasant, such that actually even

the horrors of sleeping rough were better than some

They need to be very closely supervised.

Something the council says it acknowledges and also says that with

new funding from the Government, it will bring the number of

Little comfort though for those making their bed here tonight.

Juliette, there are reports an increase in migrant numbers has

The council told us that around 60% of those sleeping rough here are not

actually from this city, they come down here because of its reputation

as a tolerant place. Research has shown that out of the 144 rough

sleepers here, 11 are EU migrants and style to Iraq seven on non-EU.

So not exactly the numbers we are seeing in London but nonetheless

contributing to a homeless crisis here made worse by the cost of

living and renting. All councillors agreed last night that more terribly

shelters are needed but many here argue it is simply a sticking

plaster for an increasing problem that needs a more permanent

solution. Thank you.

Concerns about the plight of rough sleepers have also been raised

in Medway following the deaths of two men in December.

group had suggested opening council shelters as soon as the temperature

drops to freezing but that was rejected last night.

Our reporter Sara Smith is in Chatham now.

Sara, remind us of the current situation there on cold nights?

There is this national protocol that when it is forecast that the weather

will be below zero for three consecutive nights, the council has

to offer accommodation for those sleeping rough. The Labour group

said that should happen after one night but last night at a council

meeting, the Conservative led council voted that down. They said

it would be too expensive. A bit earlier this evening, I spoke to as

-- a rough sleeper. He lost his flight the next flat after being

assaulted. It's like being inside a fridge.

That is because of the cold? The charity helps rough sleepers here

and the founder is here. What did you think about the decision? We are

very disappointed in the council's decision last night. We are

extremely grateful that some of the Labour group did decide to try and

get the one night but unfortunately we were not successful this time.

How was provision here? Council provision for rough sleepers is very

limited currently. There are a lot of voluntary groups that are out

there doing their best but it is not enough. We have a crisis here. What

do you say? People will die. We lost two gentlemen between the 24th of

December and New Year and if the temptress continued to drop like

they do at the moment, we will lose more people in the streets. --

temperatures. The council told us that their priority is using the

budget to stop people becoming homeless in the first place.

Thank you. The controversial plans

to build 12,000 homes on green fields in Kent -

supported by the local MP. "The Government needs

to get its chequebook out because the bill for lone

asylum-seeking children when they turn 18 is set

to double in Kent" - the stinging words of the leader

of the county council, Paul Carter, who says Kent is already facing

a ?2 million shortfall after looking after unaccompanied

asylum-seeking children. But the number turning 18

and still needing support from the council is set to rise

from 688 to more than 1000 That will increase the deficit

to ?4 million which the council says puts it at "unacceptable financial

risk". I've suggested that they vow a bit

of the foreign aid budget, after all we are supporting people taking

refuge in this country from challenging parts of the globe,

therefore it shouldn't fall on the rate payers, the council taxpayers

of Kent, the Home Office should be reimbursing us in full and that's

what we expect them to do. Well, the Home Office has told us

it's "grateful" that local authorities like Kent are caring

for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children and that funding levels

have recently been "substantially That rise means the authority now

gets ?200 a week, up from 150. But compare that with the amount

given for looking after a minor - such as a 17-year-old asylum-seeking

child - for which councils like Kent Our political editor

Helen Catt is with us now. Paul Carter has written

to the Immigration Minister Robert Goodwill saying he needs to do

the honourable thing and pay up - but why is there going to be

a sudden jump to ?4 million? It's actually explain that because

the council get less money wants the child turns 18. If they choose to

stay on an education or training, the council is still financially

responsible for them. The Home Office about ?200 a week should be

enough to cover their costs. Ken Khalili seems to disagree here. A

bit of context, this year Kent County Council has almost ?2 billion

to spend so in that sense, this is a very small part of it. Of course, it

is true that Kent takes on a higher amount of child asylum seekers than

many other areas. We council its remaining optimistic about getting

extra cash. We understand that finance officers from the Home

Office and the Council are due to meet in the next ten days that the

hope that an agreement can be met about that deficit.

Thank you. Long-running plans to build a second

rail line linking the Sussex Coast to London will be pitched

to the Transport Secretary The Brighton Mainline two proposals

would include restoring an old line between Hever and Uckfield,

building 20 kilometres of new track around Lewes and running trains

in to Canary Wharf in London Plans for two huge communications

masts, one taller than the The Shard in London, have been rejected

by Dover councillors. Two separate companies wanted

to build them in Richborough to speed up international

high-frequency financial trading. But the council said

they would have been an eye-sore Fixed Odds Betting Terminals

should be restricted At a full council meeting last night

a motion calling on Government to reduce high street gaming machine

stakes to ?2 was Councillors are also calling

on the government to give local authorities more powers to manage

clusters of gambling Currently the machines can take up

to ?100 every 20 seconds. Plans for a huge new housing

development near Folkestone are being welcomed by the local MP

despite opposition Damian Collins says

that the development of 12,000 homes at Otterpool garden village

will provide badly needed homes and The Government hasn't yet set

out its plans for house building but it has said it wants

to accelerate development. Ministers have already

promised funding and support Our environment correspondent

Yvette Austin reports. Taking to the streets in protest,

anger over plans to build a whole new town much of it on farmland near

Folkestone. Villagers optically concerned as the thousands of homes

would be on their doorstep and they see the countryside, historic sites

and ultimately their way of life would be destroyed. Members of my

own family who cannot get on the housing ladder and it's precisely

because this development will not address the issue that I am so

partially opposed to it. Nobody is saying that you don't need houses

but there isn't a need for them, it is the sheer scale of juggernaut

that is being thrown at this. We are in danger of losing places that are

special. The proposed new town covers a large area south of the M20

including the former racecourse. It could see up to 12,000 new homes

being built, along with community facilities, commercial space,

schools and GP surgeries. We are worried that this is going to suck

development into an area that is already powerfully stressed. There

are air quality problems along the M20, there are water stresses and at

what cost to people's quality? The Government announced funding for the

so-called Otterpool last year as part of the plan to speed up

much-needed house-building in the south-east. According to the

planning Association, the region built 20,000 homes a year between

2011 and 2015. It was estimated that 37,000 a year when needed and so to

catch up, 53,000 houses need to be built in the south-east every year

between 2015 and 2020. We need the jobs and the infrastructure, we need

the houses and we have got a site which is right next to iterate in

action and a railway station that can deliver a huge economic

investment that will benefit all residents for many years to come. It

is early days for Otterpool, the council is drawing up a master plan

and has started consulting an idea. It is a battle between development

and the countryside. And you can see more

on that story and the full interview with Damian Collins

on the Sunday Politics South East Our top story tonight: People

sleeping rough in writing could soon be offered the option should sleep

in empty counselling buildings during the freezing weather. The

city has had the highest increase in rough sleeping in the country.

Also in tonight's programme: Happy birthday to Kingut -

And after a bitterly cold week, it's turning less cold as

we look towards the weekend but it's going hand-in-hand with strong winds

I will have the details for you in the forecast a little

If you have a story you think we should be covering an BBC South East

Today, you can get in touch. We are on Facebook and Twitter.

The first exhibition of 2017 at The Jerwood in Hastings breaks

all sorts of arty personal bests for the gallery.

Turner Prize winner Keith Tyson breaks records for both the most

artworks and the largest picture ever displayed there.

The show called Turn Back Now features 20 years of what he calls

studio wall drawings, intricate striking pictures inspired

Robin Gibson met him for a preview of the show.

He's an enigmatic figure, happy to talk about his work, his life and

The Jerwood show is almost a scrapbook

So drawn to this one because, you know, you've taken on

Yeah, in there we've got Turner, personal painting, a Lego thing

from my child and this is the boat in the background of The Simpsons.

But this was to do with the idea of a naval battle

He left school at 15 to go to work in his native Cumbria where the idea

of a life in art wasn't on the agenda.

I was in the shipyard for five years, I wasn't very happy

there and I always wanted to go to art college but I was a

working-class guy and they said, no, you are going to learn a trade so I

became a fitter and turner, tried out nuclear submarines and then I

I didn't know I wanted to be an artist, I just

It was the right time, he's had critical acclaim, success and a

Just look at all of this, every square inch of wall

space covered, the Jerwood has never seen anything quite like it.

You get the real impression of an artist who

Keith is someone that we have wanted to work with

since before the gallery opened, he's been on our radar.

Sussex-based artist, he won the Turner prize in 2002 and has had

sort of international fame and exhibitions around

Yes, with a home in the Sussex Downs near Brighton, we can

An extraordinary show by an artist for

whom working is breathing, it's here until April.

Take your time. There's a lot to see.

Today marks Holocaust Memorial Day, remembering the millions of people

who died during the Second World War at the hands of the Nazis -

and victims of other genocides since.

This year's theme is "How Can Life Go On?",

and groups across the South East have been coming together

to remember those who died - and to talk about how similar

horrors can be prevented in the future.

Our Social Affairs Correspondent Byrony Mackenzie has been to Lewes

Dan Leavy 27th, 1945. The Davis camp Auschwitz was liberated. -- January.

Millions died here, an atrocity that change what history and the lives of

so many. We collapse like that when Hitler marched into Vienna, that was

the end of her world. Her mother managed to escape the Nazis because

of her English cousin. Fanny who was working class goal from London,

quite poor, guaranteed to cover the cost of my mother and her two

sisters and say they came to this country, otherwise, if that meeting

had not had taken place I would not be here today. She has written a

book about life as a child as a refugee and about Holocaust Memorial

Day, Lewes is reflecting the plight of other refugees in an exhibition.

The key is to make things relevant and give people a link they so what

is going on at the moment and what has happened in the past. History is

a continue, history tends to repeat itself. The Government parts funds

school groups to visit Auschwitz, East Sussex students went to

experience the concentrate on camp themselves. Unthinkable for the

generation that came before them. They kept silent deliberately and

that is why so many people now are desperately delving into their

history because their parents didn't talk because I think so many of them

were traumatised, I suspect so many of them had to do things they felt

profoundly ashamed of. Promotion to the Premier League

might be Brighton's number one goal this season,

but tomorrow they turn their attention to avoiding a giant

killing in the FA Cup. The Seagulls travel to non-league

Lincoln City in the fourth round. While Brighton are top

of the Championship, Lincoln are top of the National League -

72 places separate the two sides. Brighton famously reached

the FA Cup final in 1983, but the furthest Lincoln ever

managed was a Fifth Round Tomorrow's game is at

the Sincil Bank Stadium - with a modest capacity of 10,000,

compared to 30,000 at the Amex. But while the Imps are confident

they can cause an upset, as Charlie Rose reports,

Brighton would love another trip You can forget Brighton's

league-topping Championship because this weekend it

is all about the FA Cup. And the Falmer Faithful

would love to see a repeat of 1983, which saw

the Seagulls make it to the final of In this year's campaign,

standing in their way right now are Lincoln,

they're top of League 2. OK, it's the National

League, but being three divisions below hasn't

stopped their fans queueing Licking their lips at the prospect

of a giant-killing. They're a premiership

team, basically, and we're tough and we've got a great

defence and I think we can do it and I think we can get the win

on the day. The city's got its team

back thanks to Danny and Nicky so, you know, we're

going up, mate, we're going up. And they have reason

to feel confident. This is last week's injury time

winner, which knocked another championship side, Ipswich,

out of the FA Cup, resulting in Lincoln progressing to the fourth

round for the first time It is a big game and

because of Lincoln's exploits in the last round I think

it's probably become It is one we'll look forward

to and we'll go as strong as we He and his team will

be doing all they can to get closer to reliving

the dream of 1983. Meanwhile in the football

league this weekend, Charlton travel to Bolton,

and Gillingham are at home While in League Two,

Crawley are away at Notts County. We're going to take

a moment now to wish happy birthday to a Malayan Tapir

- called Kingut. They may look like a kind

of pig with a trunk, but tapirs are actually more closely

related to horses - They generally live in the dense

tropical forests and jungles and in the wild can live to around

25 to 30 years old. Which is why they're making such

a big thing about Kingut - he's reached the ripe old age of 39

- the oldest captive Lynda Hardy has been

to meet the birthday boy. Here's an when it is your birthday,

it's time to be spoiled. A tickle and a scratch, a cuddle, tapirs like

a surprising amount of attention and Kingut is no exception. For the

birthday boy who in human years would be around 97, today's

celebration is even more special, and even meant a cake. So despite

his age, he is most animated tapir, he's out and about, he is always out

if he hears the public walking around. He will come over and have a

squeak and say hello to people. His affection for keeper Ben is clear

and it says a useful purpose and meaning health checks on the animal,

taking blood and even trimming nails, become a whole lot easier.

Despite his seniority and 271 kilograms, Smarden still has plenty

of energy and appetite and I bad they mean snow sorted a special free

treats. -- Kingut. Kingut came to the back here in 1992 and for an

endangered animal, he is showing no signs of slowing down. They are

already hoping this time next year they will be marking the big 40.

Let's hope they do. You have specialist tapir knowledge. I once

to rub suntan lotion into their skin. They don't get any sum, they

get sunburnt. You have to rub suntan lotion. It might have been Kingut.

You didn't turn up on his birthday, there was no need for suntan lotion

today. We had lots of sunshine but it has

been bitterly cold. It has been changing today. We started with

eyes, by the afternoon, there has been cloud cover around and thanks

to a change in direction of the wind, they are back to is south

westerly direction. Temperatures have been creeping up. We ended

today with highs around eight or nine Celsius. As we head to tonight,

we will hold onto cloud cover and potentially see some patchy drizzle

around. Just look at these temperatures. Several days ago, we

were seeing -60 minus seven Celsius. As we go to tonight, just dropping

to five or six degrees. -- -6 four minus seven. Highs in the afternoon

of around two or three. You will notice the difference. It is not

going to be pleasant. A lot of cloud around, patchy drizzle throughout

the day as well. The winds back to a south westerly direction. Quite

breezy, around 15 to 20 mph along the south coast. A good deal of

cloud around. A dull, drizzly, damp day. By the afternoon, temperatures

creeping up to around eight or nine Celsius. It is not going to be

feeling warm, you will notice that we will not be seen that chill.

Saturday event on Sunday, a slightly cooler night but a good deal of

cloud cover around. Perhaps a more rural spots you might below

freezing. You are going to be hovering around for three Celsius.

Five or six Celsius along the coast. Initially dry if you are up early on

Sunday, it does not stay that way. The early part of the morning we

will see this rain, it is heavy and blustery day. Although tempted

retries, perhaps nine or 10 Celsius, it does not feel like that. It is

not a pleasant day. Saturday is going to be the drier day of the

two. Enter the new week, we are going to hold on to the south

westerly airflow so it stays Molder that is going to be unsettled at

times. Another band of rain as we had through the day four Tuesday, a

ridge of high pressure gives us the drier picture for Wednesday that it

is going to be short lived. A deep area of low pressure waiting in the

wings are to the west of us. Over the next couple of days, we will see

much milder conditions, more cloud around, heavy rain, critically

through the day this Sunday. If you have been enjoying this crisp

weather, it is all change. It is looking quite miserable.

Now for a quick look at the stories making the headlines tonight.

The Prime Minister has joined Donald Trump added joint press conference

at the White House. She extended and invitation from the Queen to come to

the UK on a state visit this year in which he has accepted. Brighton and

Hove City Council has proposed opening some of its council

buildings to house Tokai University house the homeless after a sharp

rise in the number of rough sleepers in the city.

A member of Kent County Council was the governor to increase its funding

to help support asylum seeking children who are becoming adults.

I will not be back at eight o'clock because of the FA Cup but I will be

back at 1025 PM this evening. I will be back with Sunday politics.

We know you understand the risks associated with your pregnancy.

Because I'm smaller, people think my hopes are not so great.

You know what it's like when help is needed. You just jump in.

Are you saying that he's stalking you now?