04/10/2011 South Today

Hello, I'm Sally Taylor. Welcome to South Today. In tonight's

programme: Fears over hundreds of jobs as some

of Hampshire's biggest employers look to combine back office jobs.

When you hear David Cameron on the television this morning talking

about people going out and getting jobs, where are those jobs going to

come from? Physical threats against those

advising travellers as a permanent site for them is considered.

Plugging in to the future - A new network of power points for

electric cars switches on. And, she's done it - The single-

handed rower who has conquered her third ocean celebrates with a dance

There's a warning tonight that hundreds of jobs could be under

threat as three of the biggest employers in Hampshire consider

sharing back office staff. The county council, the police force

and the fire service are in talks which could see posts such as human

resources and IT joined throughout the three services. The employers

say those jobs currently cost a total of �90 million and that

savings could be re-invested in front line services. But unions

warn that almost 1,500 staff in those posts will fear for their

futures. It might look a little strange, but

there is a good reason why these scientists are currently torturing

a toy. They are checking its safety, one of the responsibilities of the

county councils. It is one of two scientific services. The second is

concerned with police matters, in this case studying fingerprints.

Until recently, they were separate but there are advantages in coming

together. The best advantage is to provide a world class, Scientific

Service which is running at the cheapest possible costs to the

residents of Hampshire. It is a thinking behind the bigger idea,

looking at the support jobs behind the front line of the police, the

fire service and the county council. Why have they human-resources

department in police, separate in the fire service and the county

council? Or finance and payroll function? We are looking at all of

the support services staffed by civilians in uniformed services.

Hampshire County Council is the biggest employer of the three

organisations with 40,000 staff, including 10,000 teachers. The

police force employers 6,500 people and the Hampshire Fire and rescue

has just under 2000 staff. Within all three organisations, the union

says almost 1,500 people work in post where amalgamation is

considered, which means many jobs will be at risk. The cuts to public

services as a whole means these people will be losing jobs. When

you hear David Cameron on the television this morning, talking

about people not sitting on welfare benefits going out and getting jobs,

where are those jobs going to come from. The new arrangement means

scientists can share their expertise and it is evidently

working well. But when it comes to combining the support services of

the county council, fire and the police, it could be a more painful

process. There is a warning to police in

Berkshire will struggle to cope when Government cuts come into

effect. The Police Federation has expressed concern on the impact

when Theresa May addressed the party conference. The Thames Valley

force will lose 250 police officers over the next four years and twice

that number of civilian staff. Sussex Police is investigating

death threats against travellers. Brighton and Hove City Council

called in the police after a growing number of intimidating

calls to its staff. Workers say they're increasingly dealing with

abusive phone messages and e-mails, many of which make racist and

threatening comments towards themselves and travellers, some

even containing threats to kill. And in travellers today at

Brighton's Water Hall sports field. They have been here about a week

after being moved on. Residents have complained and this morning

the city council began legal action to evict them. It has been a game

of cat and mouse all summer, with travellers taking over a number of

high-profile sites, often leading to friction with residents. The

city council has a liaison team giving advice and working on the

evictions. But they have a threatening or use it calls and a

few making threats of violence and death. I spoke with one officer

that requested his face not be shown. He it is unacceptable we are

subjected to such abuse and hatred. By virtue of the fact we non-

working with an ethnic minority. You substitute the word gipsy or

travel for another ethnic minority and see how that would sound. It is

getting worse in terms of the amount of the offensive e-mails we

are receiving. Police have taken statements from staff over the past

few weeks and are investigating the threats as a hate crime. Council

leaders believe the issue has got more sensitive following claims by

some local politicians that the new green administration is soft on

travellers - a charge it denies. comes down to the fact there have

been a politicisation of this matter. They are milking this for

all it is worth. I want a more calm and considered approach for dealing

with the issue for the city. issue will get even more high-

profile later this week, as the council begins a consultation on

work to build a new permanent travellers' site in the city.

A 56-year-old man from Crawley has been arrested on suspicion of

causing death by dangerous driving following a crash on the A23 this

morning. A man in his 50s from Eastbourne was pronounced dead at

the scene near Pyecombe shortly before 6:00am. Anyone who witnessed

the collision or saw the Renault vans beforehand is asked to contact

the police. Police investigating the rape of a

man in Southampton have released an E-fit of a man they think is

responsible. A 22 year old man was attacked in Redbridge on Saturday

morning. His attacker is said to have a distinctive thick tribal

tattoo on his right arm. He was wearing a white T-shirt and jeans.

A married couple from Sussex who were part of a gang which tortured

a man for four days and forced him to drink bleach have been jailed.

The 21-year-old victim became so desperate to end his ordeal that he

stabbed himself in the chest to try to kill himself after being kept

prisoner for three days. Anna Wibrew, who was sentenced to six

years in prison and her husband, Simon Weller, who was sentenced to

five years, broke one of the victim's feet with a hammer and

forced him to drink anti-freeze as well handcuffing him.

He was also beaten, wit and sexually assaulted.

This was a married couple now jailed for a total of 11 years for

their part in what was described in court as the torment and torture of

a 21-year-old man. The victim was lured to a flat in Crawley where he

was imprisoned and tortured over four days, more than two years ago.

Almost a year after the assault, five members of the gangs were

given jail sentences each of between 5 and 11 years. Today,

Simon Weller and Anna Wibrew were sentenced for their part in the

crime. It was at a flat in this road in Crawley whether torture

took place. The horrific ordeal included beatings and whippings and

then sold it was rubbed into his open wounds. He was sexually

assaulted and smashed on the fought with a hammer so hard, his toenails

were ripped off in the process. was made to drink bleach, he was

given beer with paracetamol in it. He was whipped with a cane which

had been dipped in water. He was hit with a hammer, breaking his

toes and in the end the events became so extreme -- extreme to him,

he took an knife and stabbed himself to make sure they called an

ambulance and his ordeal would come to an end. The vicious and

prolonged assault it was apparently over a dispute over unpaid rent.

Speaking after the sentencing, detective in charge described it as

the nasty as he had ever dealt with in his career. And that seven

people could inflict such hideous acts against another person, simply

defies belief. No-one will be prosecuted over last

year's tower block blaze in Southampton in which two

firefighters died. Hampshire Police says the criminal investigation

into the fire at Shirley Towers in April 2010 is now complete. The

findings are now being passed on to the coroner to form part of the

inquest, which is likely to be held next year.

A man has been jailed for a year after dropping a cycle onto a live

rail at Woolston railway station in Hampshire. Just minutes later, the

cycle was struck by a high-speed express train. Kenny Thornton was

sentenced at Southampton Crown Court after earlier pleading guilty

to endangering safety and destroying property.

Still to come tonight: Showing the way forward - the Duke of Edinburgh

sees how the future is being mapped out in the south.

Court proceedings are underway in the murder trial of the man accused

of killing Hampshire woman, Jo Yeates. Dutch nationa,l Vincent

Tabak, appeared today at Bristol Crown Court. He admits the

manslaughter of the 25 year old, whose family live near Romsey, but

denies murdering her. Journalists and photographers from all over

Europe, here to witness the start of this high-profile trial. 25-

year-old, Jo Yeates disappeared last December. Her body was found

on Christmas morning and her body had been strangled. Dutch National,

Vincent Tabak sat in the dock wearing a dark suit and glasses. He

listened discussed how the trial would be wrong. The first decision

made by the judge, was that professional journalists could be

allowed to use Twitter to cover the hearing. As two security guards sat

behind him, he spoke only to confirm his name. Vincent Tabak has

already pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Jo Yeates. Tomorrow

the jury will be sworn in and then there will be a delay for legal

argument. The trial is expected to begin on Friday or even next week.

A Portsmouth landlady has won an important test case over the rights

to show football in pubs. Karen Murphy had been using a Greek

satellite service to provide her pub's Premier League football

coverage. She was fined thousands of pounds because Sky TV claimed

they had the UK rights. But the European Court of Justice has

decided in her favour. When Karen Murphy moved into this

pub 7 1/2 years ago, there was an issue at the forefront of her mind,

and that was how to provide top- quality football to her customers

at the best price. It is a principle she has pursued through

the UK courts and into Europe. This morning at 9:30am came the

announcement that she and a lock of her customers had been waiting for.

A lot of support and happiness at the decision. Why did you support

Karen in what she was trying to do? I am a football fan and I one

football to live in the real world and bring their prices down. What

was it that fire people up so much? Money. The Premier League has far

too much of it and it needs to be brought down, as Karen's argument

has been. They cannot dictate where you buy your football and they

cannot dictate -- any more than they can dictate away you buy your

car or televisions. I guess you have talked to are the people

outside as well, is there more support? Lots of support. We want

to watch football in our local pub. We want to come in and watch it

together. Let's move on and talk to Karen. It has been a long slog, you

have talked about it taking a chunk out of your life, is this the end?

I don't think it will ever be the end. I am hoping when we get back

to the High Court, it will be stopped as far as I am concerned,

but I am sure this argument will go on. These are bigger organisations

and they will find ways of maintaining the status quo if they

can? I am sure they will try every way, but it opens the door Fatah

least some other people get involved as well. Maybe some other

foreign satellite providers can find their ways around it. Other

landlords will be watching this and thinking, where are we with this?

We will know more when we go back to the High Court. If the High

Court rubber stamp it, we will have more clarification and it will be

spelt out in English law. When you go out and get a decoder and will

there be football in this pub again? And yes there will be.

Take a look at the port, that is the score at the moment. It is a

complicated picture. -- take a look at the border.

Electric car-charging points are being fitted at a chain of roadside

restaurants. The first was unveiled beside the A303 this morning. It

marks a step change. Most people see battery powered cars as city

centre vehicles. But the new points are for longer distance travellers.

But will anyone use them? As our Transport Correspondent, Paul

Clifton reports, there are only 3,000 electric cars in the whole

country. Another new electric car charging

point, and to show it off, a battery-powered mini. In time there

will be a point at every Little Chef restaurant in the country.

That is a change, because these places are mostly on long-distance

roads. Until now, charging point had generally been in City centres.

I drive on this road almost every day and I have to say, not once

have had seen an all-electric car use this road. That is because it

is the main routes from London to the South West and very few

battery-powered cars are capable of that sort of mileage. Typically

they do up to 100 miles, which means most are restricted to her

been used. This is commercial. There is no public subsidy? None at

all. We get your money back? Difficult to say, but we believe it

is worth the inject -- Investment. Little Chef claims it will bring

nine out of 10 people within 30 miles of a charging 0.4 Stock these

are becoming more common, there are a handful in Brighton and at

Winchester's Park and ride, 1000 as a whole. We anticipate by the end

of the decade, one in 10 cars on the road will be electrically

powered and those electric vehicles will be the customers of the future.

Today, sales are tiny and the cars are expensive to buy compared with

petrol or diesel vehicles. The commercial, unsubsidised

investments like this shows there is a belief in long-term change.

The mapping agency of Great Britain got a Royal seal of approval today.

The Duke of Edinburgh officially opened the new site of the Ordnance

Survey in Southampton. It was a particularly significant occasion,

as he had joined the Queen to open the headquarters of the former site

in 1969. But the work of the Ordnance Survey has changed

dramatically in that time. The Ordnance Survey is known for

its world-famous a paper maps. That was the case in 1969 when the old

headquarters were opened by the Queen and Prince Philip. And today

the Duke of Edinburgh revisited those at the front of Matt King in

a brand new cutting edge building, explorer house. All I can say is,

don't expect me to be around or when you move next time.

Surveyors monitor every corner of Britain, evolving with the

landscape. For some members of staff, the day was significant.

is personal for me to see the Duke of Edinburgh again after 42 1/2

years. It rounds off my career. I am retiring at the end of December,

so it will be my lot then, so I have seen him open a new building

at the start of my career, and another new building at the end of

my career. It rounds off nicely. Play -- pay close attention.

Thing you impressive her HQ is symbolic of the Ordnance Survey's

role in our modern-day lives. every utility, every emergency

service, every authority are using our data. What we are seeing today

is people using it in their leisure as well. And very much it is

underpinning everybody's daily lives. Although �80 million a year

it is generated from selling paper maps, the Ordnance Survey is about

so much more. So the next time you write down a postcode, usual sat

nav or hear about crime patterns, remember this place which is

mapping our lives. He is very good at unveiling those

plaques. A last night there we were talking about a fabulous young man

who went into the record books he was kayaking across the Channel?

Yes, Dover to Calais. Tonight we have somebody slightly

longer? Perth, Western Australia to

Mauritius. A Hampshire rower has today become

the first woman to complete a solo crossing of the world's three

biggest oceans. Roz Savage from Emsworth reached the finish line

off Mauritius, marking the end of her voyage across the Indian Ocean.

That adds to her previous crossings of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

I spoke to Roz in Mauritius shortly after she finished, and asked how

it compared to her previous challenges. About a month ago I had

a couple of capsizes and lost a lot of equipment. If I was in any

danger of getting a bit blase, the Indian Ocean knock that out of me.

I feel like I have learned that this one. Definitely! -- earned.

Crossing the Atlantic was my first ever Ocean. Even though I thought I

knew what I was doing, it does not prepare you for the reality of

spending months at a time alone in a 23 but rowing boat. I am glad it

is over! Finally, I know your boat is showing signs of wear and tear,

is it right you are hanging up your or us? I had decided to move on. I

have ridden 15,000 miles and spent over 500 days on the ocean, I think

I have pushed up this challenge about as far as I can take it. I am

the first woman to row across the big three oceans. I'm not going

back to the office cubicle I worked in, that is for sure. Now I have a

taste for a more interesting life, I will be pursuing more adventures.

I literally only arrived back on dry land a few hours ago, so it is

a bit early to be making definite plans for the future. But it will

be interesting and will be environmental campaigning.

Bournemouth and Aldershot both have home advantage this evening, in the

second round of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy. The Cherries host

fellow League One side Yeovil at Dean Court, looking to improve

their indifferent home form. Lee Bradbury's side put four goals past

Hereford in the previous round. Aldershot meanwhile, received a bye

in the first round. They take on Oxford tonight at the EBB Stadium.

The two sides have already shared a draw in the league this season.

In cricket, Sussex have handed a new long-term contract to one of

last season's star performers. Former England spinner, Monty

Panesar, has agreed a new three- year deal at the County Ground. The

29-year-old was Sussex's leading wicket-taker in the County

Championship, claiming 69 scalps. Speedway's Elite League Grand Final

is set for a thrilling climax in Dorset next week. That's after a

closely-contested first leg between Poole Pirates and Eastbourne Eagles

last night. Jo Kent has the best of the action.

With home advantage so telling in speedway, Poole Pirates fans will

be satisfied to be trailing by just eight points from the trip to East

Sussex. It started in ominous fashion for the pirates, having won

a fitness battle to make the meeting, the captain aggravated his

shoulder injury in a pile-up in his first ride. But the Australian star

Chris Hull there was in good form and took the lead after five heats.

After the home side have battled back in front, Poole Pirates

reserve pulled off the move of the night. He went on to take the

chequered flag. What a right that was! Who read clip from the

Australian in the final heat meant Eastbourne cement and an eight-

point advantage to take to Eastbourne Road. The Eagles might

have been celebrating, but the bookies have no doubt it will be

Poole Pirates are flying high next Sunday.

Speedway teams don't mind losing sometimes.

They sometimes seem happy to have lost.

Home advantage is so key in speedway because riders get used to

riding their own tracks. Poole Pirates were probably happy to lose

by a point because they think it is manageable to overturn.

So we never get let down by the pictures in speedway. I do worry

when I see them falling. On the fences, they are inflatable.

I had no idea! We need to talk about the weather

over the next few days. There is a lot of change. We

noticed the temperatures dropping to date. We have some lovely

pictures sent in by our viewers. A brief, bright period at Poole

Harbour this morning. Sent in by Greg Hayward. A Hummingbird Hawk

moth attracted to the unseasonal Delphiniums in Irene Colquhoun's

garden in Amesbury. Shedding feathers and leaves. It must be

Autumn. Picture taken by Dan We started the week with impressive

temperatures. On Thursday week on nose-diving down to 14 Celsius,

below average. Tonight is mild and we have cloud cover. It will be

their breezy night and the cloud is thick enough in places to generate

results. By the early hours temperatures are not too far away

from where they were in the daytime. 16 Celsius for the far west. For

here, the cloud will break up for the early hours and we should see

some sunny spells. Sunny spells spreading into other areas, a

brighter than today. Generally on the cloudy side. Humid air helping

temperatures to improve by a decree, 19 Celsius. Windy or so, we have a

cold front sitting to the North West and by the evening it begins

to slips out. Ahead of it the winds will be freshening. Gusty

conditions for the coasts. The rain sweeps in overnight and it will be

significant, easing South-East We have the coal funds are easing

South East, cold air coming from the Arctic. This ridge of high

pressure pushing him but Friday giving us a brief respite of dry

and bright for a while. Thursday morning windy conditions. Sunny

spells but temperatures dramatically dipping to around 14

Celsius. Warm and humid tomorrow, a touch warmer than today. Thursday

is windy and much cooler. Friday is windy and much cooler. Friday