08/02/2012 South Today

Hello. Welcome to South Today. Tonight, health bosses and schools

defend their policy on contraception in the classroom

after a mother complains her daughter was fitted with an implant.

If a parent thinks they know everything about what their child

is doing, I am afraid it is not quite like that.

The woman recovering from a brain tumour battles for her children to

ascend -- attend the same school. For the Berkshire cancer centre

striving to keep treatment closer to home.

How the words of Dickens strike a chord still today. We have some

people in the city making hard decisions about whether to heat

their Frome -- their home or NHS bosses in Southampton have

defended their sexual health service after a 13 year-old girl

was given a contraceptive implant at school without her parents or GP

knowing. It is part of a scheme that has been running in nine of

the city's secondary schools since 2009. Between 2001 and 2003, 136 13

to 15 year-olds in Southampton became pregnant. Southampton used

to have the highest teenage pregnancy rate in the UK. That

figure dropped to 106 between 2007 and 2009, which includes the first

six months of this sexual health service being introduced. 770

pupils have taken part in the scheme.

13 years old and pregnant, a potentially disastrous fact of life,

but it does happen. Southampton used to have one of the worst

teenage pregnancy rates in the country. To change that, drop-in

clinics were established at nine of the City's secondary schools,

giving advice on sexual health and other subjects. In some cases,

teenage girls below the legal age for having sex, were given

contraceptive implants. It quickly had an effect. Even at three

pregnancies in academic year was too high. We have reduced that to

zero in the past year. If students are sexually active, which many are,

they need to do something. And all of this happens in confidence, so

is there a danger of actually encouraging sexual behaviour in

under-aged teenagers? At no point was anyone encouraged to do

anything they were not thinking of doing in the first place. We hope

the children have good relations with their parents but not all

parents can know everything. I have a 13-year-old daughter. I trust her

but I am not naive enough to know that she will not want to tell me

everything that she is doing. It is a natural thing that young people

do. Some parents, though, I strongly disapprove, as does the

organisation the Family Education Trust. They say it is fuelling the

claims of promiscuity and treating parents and basic moral principles

with contempt. But on the streets, there is a mix of views. I would

not have wanted that at all without me knowing. I would not agree with

it. If a girl is going to go and do that she's going to find a way of

doing it so she may as well be saved. As a matter of principle, I

should know as a parent. Some views from the streets of

Thank you for all of your comments. Our health correspondent is here.

Controversial scheme but it does seem to be working. It does. The

figures suggest that the rates for teenage pregnancy are coming down

in the city, but there'll always going to be questions about these

sorts of schemes when parents feel they should be told, especially

when GPs are not being involved, but these school clinics are going

on all over the country. About a third -- about a third of schools

are running them but because the clinics are confidential we do not

know how many young bulls -- girls have been fitted. Why is it being

done in schools? Many teenage girls feel that perhaps if they go to a

doctor or sexual health clinic their parents will be told. That is

not the case but it may put some off. The parents of a 13-year-old

girl may feel that they have a moral right to know if she is being

given an implant but actually, as far as the NHS is concerned, they

do not. Thank you. Former Portsmouth Football Club

manager Harry Redknapp has been found not guilty of tax evasion.

The former chairman of the club Milan Mandaric was also cleared of

the charges against him today at Southwark Crown Court. The pair had

been accused of evading tax in a payment to an offshore account

while they were both at the Fratton Park club. Our reporter Sean

Killick is in Portsmouth tonight. As football fans across the South

know, Harry Redknapp has been involved in many famous victories

across the years but this one was very different. In this one, at

stake was his liberty and the result was clear to -- the result

was he was cleared of tax evasion charges. He walked gear from court

after a jury excepted he was innocent of accepting payments from

Milan Mandaric be was also cleared. We must warn you, there is flash

photography. We have been through it these past five years. I am

really just looking forward to getting home and seeing my wife,

Sandra, and getting away from all this. It really has been a

nightmare. It has been five years and this is a case that should

never have come to court, because it is unbelievable, really. I have

to go somewhere to pinch myself and wake me up from the horrible dream

I had regarding this. As we said on the statements, I always believed

in the trees and also believed in British justice. It can also now be

reported that Mr Mandaric and Portsmouth's former chief executive

were cleared of tax evasion charges at a separate trial last October.

They were both accused of it. This is the culmination of a five-year

investigation which is believed to have cost around �8 million, but

all the accused have now been cleared and are free to get on with

their lives. In Mr Redknapp's case, the speculation is that this result

could lead to the ultimate title of Great Dowler -- of England manager.

A Dorset mother who has cancer is pleading for a two young sons to be

allowed to attend the same school. But the youngest boy has been

refused a place at Mudeford Infants, where his brother goes, as the

school is full and the family has moved just beyond the catchment

area. The council says its hands are tied by the law.

Breakfast at this home near Christchurch. Seven-year-old

Charlie is happily settled in school. Four year-old daughter was

meant to join him last September but was turned down after an appeal.

Michelle Amy was first diagnosed with cancer five years ago. Last

year a scan revealed tumours in her brain, liver and an adrenal gland.

She is no longer allowed to drive. They walk and bus-ride takes it to

Charlie's school. As the family has recently moved out of its catchment

area, George could not fit in. Their right to wild children above

him on the waiting list. After dropping off Charlie Michelle takes

George to his school. -- there are 12 children above him on the

waiting list. The boys are very close. They know exactly what is

going on with me. It has affected them and George is very sensitive.

He is a lot different to Charlie and so for them to be in the same

school together would just mean so much to me. Dorset council has

offered places for both boys at another school but it is further

away and the family did not like it. The council has also discussed a

taxi but George would have to travel alone. I am really tired now.

I just want to get home. Officials say they are sympathetic but cannot

break the law. It has been to an independent appeals council. Ma

council officials but independent people have looked at this and said

that the legislation is clear. can cope with my illness. I just

cannot cope with this any longer. It is like banging my head against

a brick wall. I cannot deal with it any longer. Still to come in this

evening's South Today, how relevant is Dickens for the 21st century?

And the weather. Child poverty, health inequality,

caring for the vulnerable. All issues that Dickens spoke up for

still making headlines today. So the Countess of Wessex has been

in Berkshire today. Her itinerary included a primary school and fire

station. Sophie also gave a royal seal of approval to the new clinic

providing state of the art cancer care.

Royal visits, even in a Jubilee Year, are not exactly 10 a penny.

But this, the final destination on the Countess of Wessex's Berkshire

or talk today was a one-off. Be Royal Berkshire's Bracknell clinic

is the first time this type of treatment has been taken out of a

hospital environment and put on the patient's' doorstep. If you have to

attend some met regularly, it is important that Wiki travelling to a

minimum and make sure people can park and walk-in easily and there

is little waiting time for people. Linda Jones certainly experienced

that. Unable to drive, she had to take an Olympic train and bus

journeys for chemotherapy, until this clinic opened a short walk

from her home. By I used to go for treatment at 10am. I would be

indoors by it for 30 pm in the afternoon, so that is a whole day.

-- 4:30pm. I just used to go to bed then because it just takes it out

of you. Today's visit was the royal icing on the cake for what is

already a major success. The clinic is very much Bracknell's own.

People have donated works of art. You can find televisions scattered

around which have been paid for by a local charity. And there are no

shortages of volunteers wanting to help here. But while today

Bracknell may have had something to celebrate, the clinic's �29 million

price tag in currently difficult financial Times means this is a

success unlikely to be repeated anywhere else in the near future.

Reading and Bournemouth have been voted as the towns which most

deserve to be given city status. 12 per cent of people responding to

the YouGov online survey chose Reading to become a city while the

same number chose Bournemouth. Both towns are among 26 places competing

to become a city as part of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee

celebrations. Sport and Chris is here. I would think Saints fans are

feeling a little unhappy today. FA Cup and the Premier League, a

difficult balance. Saints were favourites to win the replay last

night. They knew they had a Premier League team in the next round.

Unfortunately, it did not go their way. Southampton missed out on an

FA Cup tie against Premier League Bolton after losing their fourth

round replay 3-2 at home to Millwall. Saints fell behind to

Liam Trotter's goal, before Adam Lallana equalised before half-time.

Rickie Lambert then hit his 20th of the season to put Saints ahead. But

Dany N'Guessan returned to haunt his old club with the equaliser and

former Bournemouth winger Liam Feeney won it for Millwall in the

last minute. In last night's Football League

action, there were important wins for Bournemouth and Crawley but we

start our round-up with Portsmouth, who were not able to lift

supporters' spirits in the face of the ongoing off-field uncertainty.

A resilient Portsmouth just failed to hang on to a point at high-

flying Birmingham. There was a good save in the first half but the home

side upped the pace after the break and teenager at Nathan Redmond

fired home what proved to be the winner just five minutes from time.

Bournemouth recorded their fork home win in Evra as two late goals

saw off Exeter. Matt Tubbs scored on his second debut. They are now

at two points outside the play-offs. Dubs sealed the points. -- Matt

Tubbs. It is a great thing for him to score on his debut at home. One

was also pleased with Dermot's debut.

The loss of Matt Tubbs brief note issue for Crawley as they topped

the Cheltenham off the top of League 2. What ensured the points

for the Red Devils with the last goal. This win is down to the fans.

They gave us heroics yesterday and today to get the game on.

And do not forget that from midnight tonight there will be

extended highlights of each of those league matches on the new

look BBC Sport website. A top official from the British

Olympic Association has been in Surrey to discuss the potential

local legacy from the summer's London games. BOA chief executive

Andy Hunt met with councillors to talk about life after the Olympic

road-race cycling at Box Hill, and a scheme to get young people in to

watch the games itself. There are 2,800 schools in the

south-east of England that will benefit from the ticket share

scheme, free tickets for young people to go and see a sport for

the Games. You may remember we are following a

theatre, an athletics club and a primary school to see if there are

wider benefits from the Olympic sailing events which will be held

off Dorset. The Government wants to see a lasting legacy from the Games.

So is that being delivered? Simon Cleminson returns to our three

organisations to assess the progress so far. The long-term

benefits of the Olympics may be hard to imagine that the painters

at least have a lasting legacy. They are from the Portland young

offenders' institution, learning new skills before their final

release. It has given me the chance to come outside and give something

back to the community, give me a chance to do a bit of work.

relief road was never an official Olympic Project but no one doubts

it is vital this year, and for our athletics club it has meant

inheriting some useful new storage containers. But they tell me they

definitely need a new track and far from bringing in new volunteers,

the games may be a diversion. were hoping a lot of people would

come here and volunteer for this will dropping. We think they are

volunteering for the Games instead. Where will the Corby? For our

infants and juniors, the reality of the Olympics is beginning to emerge.

A primary school, again not an official project of the Games but

the new building will be used by the sailors before the children

move in. You might look at the sailing and think, how many of them

are actually going to be future skippers, but the ability to work

together and share a sense of purpose is something to take into

their future life. They can almost touch the Olympics here and the

future benefits they may bring. London Irish have announced that

long-serving forward Nick Kennedy is to leave the club at the end of

the season. The 29 year-old second- row has agreed a deal to move to

the French side Toulon. Kennedy has played more than 200 games for

Irish since his debut in 2002 and has seven full England caps to his

name. By moving to Toulon he will not only have some rise weather but

will be a team-mate of Jonny Wilkinson. We can look forward to

this weekend's sport. This week we are marking the 200

anniversary of the birth of Charles Dickens. He was born in Portsmouth,

of course, but another city in the South celebrated its connection

with the famous author today. The writer's great-great-grandson Ian

Dickens was in Brighton to unveil a plaque on the site of what was the

Bedford Hotel, now the Holiday Inn. Dickens often stayed at the Bedford,

which, in its heyday, was a magnet for royalty and celebrities.

He is probably best known for the stories and characters he created

but Charles Dickens was also a passionate campaigner for shares

will justice. Then refuse journalism and novels he

highlighted the inequality in society. David, you have been

looking at how Dickens' desire to make things better it is reflected

in the city today. Yes, the life-expectancy of men

from the Charles Dickens moored in Portsmouth is seven years less than

the men off the Drayton and Farlington ward. The question of

how we look after the less advantaged members of society is at

the forefront of debate right now as the welfare reform bill goes

through Parliament. Dickens had never heard of incapacity benefit

or disability living allowance but he did get passionately about

helping the most vulnerable. Who is, sir, I want some more.

I have some more, sir? Blues, Sir, Can I might have some more?

plaintive plea of Oliver Twist begging for food in the workhouse.

Probably the best-known line in all of Dickens was not work. Oliver's

story has gripped and shocked pupils at Charles Dickens Junior

School. It would be horrible and miserable. He lived in a care home

and he was just poor. Life was not that good. Dickens's' depiction of

the appalling conditions many endured came from first and

experience. His Honour was Dales -- jailed over unpaid debts and at the

age of six he was sent to work s one a factory. City life fascinated

and appalled him. He felt sympathy, P D, a sort of anguish at some of

the things he saw. He cared very much about education and was active

in philanthropic works in improving housing. He raised money for

children's hospitals. He did a huge amount. The Eve Buckland estate,

close to the Dickens birthplace in Portsmouth. It is peppered with the

names of popular characters from his fiction. But what we didn't

have made of the knowledge that this area now ranks as one of the

most socially deprived in the south-east? Recent figures show

almost 60% of children in the Charles Dickens ward are living in

poverty. We might not have the ball houses as such as they had in

Dickens's time but we do have people having to make difficult

decisions at the moment, for example about whether to heed their

home or to eat. Portsmouth food bank is the -- one of the busiest

in the country. If they have not get much money and they can see a

little bargain there, they can purchase it and it all helps to go

towards the community. But breaking the cycles of poverty here is a

bigger challenge. And fortunately, even if you are in receipt of all

of your benefits, that does not necessarily if you out of poverty,

and I think if everyone helps children to raise their

expectations and know they can go one to succeed, that is something

everyone can do. That begins with helping parents. This family

learning session is funded by the council. It teaches numeracy,

literacy and practical skills like cooking on a budget. They teach you

the ways that your children are learning in their classes as well

so if they bring her work home or ask questions, you can explain it

to them. The best part is when the kids come over, because it is

quality time. Does anybody know... I think Charles Dickens would have

been very proud of what we are doing here. We are bringing

families and children together, improving skills for children and

parents. What we do is recognised by employers as well. Back in

school, it is not rule but Free Books being handed out. Dickens's a

new his words had the power to change lives for the better.

A around 4,000 free copies of Oliver Twist are being handed out

in Portsmouth and improving literacy is a priority for the

council. One fifth of children in the city are reaching expected

reading levels, according to the Department for Education. It is

hoped that the Dickens 200 events will help to springboard those

dealers. Tomorrow is our last film and that looks at the City's Higdon

begins heritage. If you want to find out more, go to

Find out a lot more about Charles Dickens and the films we have done

on the website. I have really enjoyed these films. I have learnt

something. Make sure you are with us tomorrow. On to the weather. You

were commentating last night. Birmingham Portsmouth. We got in

the car at 10:30pm, minus 6. The s, the temperatures were the lowest

around that time last night. -- Yes. I thought it was not as cold as it

was going to be this morning. wind has increased and the bitter

legal east wind is taking the temperature down. We might have

Here are your temperatures for last night. It was not the coldest night

of the winter. That was last week. Even in parts of Hampshire, minus

four and five Celsius. It will be pretty chilly tonight. We still

have that Met Office Level 3 weather warning for the cold which

will affect the vulnerable. Be prepared if you are heading out.

For the rest of the week, frosty nights and the chance of snow

tomorrow and through the early hours of Friday. A lot of cloud

overnight tonight and pretty chilly but not as cold as last night.

Despite the cloudy skies, a widespread frost. More so for the

grass. Temperatures plunging to Myers figures. -- minus figures.

Perhaps down to minus four in the countryside. If there is going to

be any brightness it will be for western areas. Temperatures will

struggle to rise despite the win being lighter than today. Bury it

all changes tomorrow night. Cold air over the country meeting these

mild weather system, moving east wood and southward. It could

The snow risk stays with us on Friday. This weather front is

sinking its way South and eastwards. It could be a tough and Graf --

rush hour drive to work on Friday morning. There is that Met Office

cold snow warning. A drier picture on Saturday as the weather front

retreats north and west. Some sunny spells for particularly the further

south and east you are. The summary for the rest of the week. A cold

day tomorrow but not as cold as today. The potential for snow