20/01/2014 South Today

the windscreen first thing in the morning. That is all from

Hello, I'm Sally Taylor. In tonight's programme: Energy bills

and standing charges ` how simple find the system has left some out of

pocket. Trying to stop the flow. Ground

water is rising. And reunited ` a dog that was still

a year ago is found during a police raid on a farm. `` a dog that went

missing. It was a Government pledge to make

energy bills easier to understand but for pensioner Jean McKelvie it's

meant she's paying a lot more. The gas and electricity companies were

told to simplify their tariffs to make it easier for customers to find

the best deals. But it's made standing charges compulsory ` and

that's bad news for low users like Jean. Her standing charges will now

eat up all of her winter fuel allowance. Sean Killick reports.

Jean's cooker is the only gas appliance in her flat and a bill for

the amount she actually uses is only around ?20 a year. So when the

latest bill arrived, she was shocked to find there is now also a standing

charge added of ?96 a year. Coupled with a similar standing child on her

electricity bill, it uses up almost all of her ?200 winter fuel

allowance. `` similar standing charge. That ?2 goes a long way to

my bills and they are taking ?92 of it. I feel very upset with that.

Last year discuss introduced a single standing charge resulting

from a change in pricing rules by energy watchdog Ofgem, which told

us... As prices continue to rise, so too

does the number of people stealing their fuel. I've come to inspect the

gas meter. It is estimated ?500 million a year of gas and it is

estimated ?500 million a year of gas and at the city is stubborn, which

equates to ?30 on each person's bill. Tonight's Inside Out programme

has been given access to a British Gas team trying to cut down on the

problem. We're going to take out the index mechanism. Only a fraction of

the gas has been recorded. Meanwhile, Jean has paid for the

unit of gas she's actually used but has withheld payment for the

standing charge. She's now been told that until she pays that as well,

she will be disconnected. Ofgem refused to come onto the

programme ` but last year they did have to answer questions from a

committee of MPs who were concerned about the changes to standing

charges. One of those committee members was Southampton MP Alan

Whitehead, who joins us live from Westminster. This is presumably

exactly what you didn't want to see ` low users paying a lot more. Yes,

Jean is right that where people are using low amount of gas and

electricity, the introduction of the differentiated standing charge

certainly means that they will pay a higher bill and it's an unintended

consequence, I think, Ofwat Ofgem said was going to be simpler bills

and better tariffs. The counter of that is that regardless of how much

gas or electricity a household uses, getting energy to people's Holmes

does cost and that's where the standing charge recognises that.

It's absolutely reasonable that energy companies should recover

their fixed overheads from delivering the supply and the

maintenance and similar charges but the issue has been that previously,

those are standing charges were in what were essentially variable

tariffs. Now the standing charges separate and is not recoverable

within the overall variable tariffs. What's the answer, then? Is it to

get rid of standing charges or to sympathise them or make them less?

The answer is to make them defunct. `` simplify them. The energy

companies can make them zero but virtual nobody has done so. To

recover their costs, they would have to put them in the overall tariff

level and make sure that didn't penalised those people who had

relatively high usage of electricity or gas but you can do that by

different tariff rates. I think this needs to be reviewed fairly

urgently. There's been very little ` if any `

rain today but the East Hampshire village of Hambledon has been piling

up the sandbags to keep the rising water at bay. That's because the

area is prone to ground water flooding, which happens days or

weeks after the severe weather. Roads are swamped, homes threatened

and the local pre`school is closed. But the villagers are soldiering on.

Laura Trant reports. Roads turn into rivers as ground

water relentlessly seeps from the oversaturated soil. This is nothing

new for the residents of Hambleton and that's the problem. Floodwaters

were channelled right through the village. Over time, for one reason

or another, for amendments to the highway, ditches getting blocked and

things, that has exacerbated the problem. We need that channel to

take the water back again. What we have is a less effective way of

getting rid of the water than we did 100 years ago. The sellers and

Hambleton are filled with water rather than wine. They were

specifically built as flood sellers but they are reaching full capacity.

It comes up from the bricks very slowly, just a trickle, and then it

starts going in two or three different places, just coming

through the bricks. What goes through your mind when you see those

bubbles coming up? I didn't worry at all because you think, "it won't go

as high as last year, " and it did. I hope it goes down as quick as it

came up. Local agencies met for an emergency meeting today to discuss

temporary and long`term measures. In the meantime, it's hoped the 12,000

sandbags can keep the ground water at bay.

Laura is still in the village this evening. Is the situation going to

get worse? That's the question everybody is

asking. Trucks are still pumping water away as I speak. It's been a

real problem today. Water levels have risen by up to ten inches in

some places. It hasn't rained but when it does, locals will have

ground water and surface water to content with. From a very wet

Hambledon, back to you. One of the busiest road bridges

across the River Thames has re`opened today following the recent

flooding. But drivers using Sonning Bridge will continue to face

disruption for some time yet. That's because the road surface has been

badly damaged. As Ben Moore reports, businesses in the area fear the

disruption they've suffered will continue.

The river was the only thing flowing through Sonning at rush hour this

morning. The bridge closure has affected most commuters in Reading,

even those trying to get to school on the bus. We've had about a

one`hour wait for the last few weeks. The school have had to be

understanding because so many students get the bus into school.

There's been quite a few late students surveyed had to change the

plans. The flooding may have gone at the flooding has been happening

since the New Year and it has taken its toll. Damage means the road is

down to one lane and businesses fear that will mean going from no traffic

to too much. It is not going to be good. We are going to have two lots

of traffic meeting head on and nowhere for them to go. That's going

to take some sorting out. Reading has been gridlocked because of the

closure and it has proved more than just an inconvenience. Over a period

of time, the lateness of people getting to work is happening an

enormous number of times in recent years. The general congestion is a

deterrent to businesses coming to the country. All these things have

an impact. Reding's commuters are happy that Sonning bridges now

reopened last two weeks have shown just how fragile the road system can

be. The issue is certainly not water under the bridge. It's given fresh

momentum to the campaign to build another Thames crossing.

A badger cull is looking increasingly likely in Dorset.

That's the opinion of the Dorset Police Crime Commissioner Martyn

Underhill, who believes the cull could happen next year. Badgers help

to spread bovine TB among cattle and tackling it has been the

Government's main justification for the controversial approach. Recent

culls in Gloucestershire and Somerset last year cost nearly ?2.5

million in policing costs. Around half a dozen people have

already signed up to have their remains placed in a modern long

barrow chamber on the edge of Salisbury Plain. Farmer Tim Daw, who

is also a steward at Stonehenge, is turning the clock back thousands of

years and reviving the Neolithic tradition. He believes it will

appeal to those who want an alternative to the usual choices for

burial or internment. Julia Causton reports.

Beneath these rocks in West Kennet are ancient underground chambers.

It's called a long barrow and in Neolithic times, it's where they

buried their dead. Just a few miles down the road, they're turning back

time. This'll be the first long barrow that's been built in

thousands of years. There's something very magical about it. And

so, as an alternative to what we are perhaps used to, how about having

your remains underground here, in vast chambers? We had one of those

pub conversations ` wouldn't it be great if someone built a new

Neolithic long barrow? Another separate conversation was about what

you do with cremated remains. Unless you've got some very special that

the deceased loved, you're not sure what to do with them. I came out

here and thought, what a fantastic spot. It may look like a muddy ditch

at the moment but in six months, with 300,000 tonnes of chalk, this

will stretch as far back as the fence behind me and will be as high

as the digger's arch above me. When finished, it will be the final

resting place for 2400 people. Judith Robinson has orally paid for

the plot, so what was the attraction for her of a burial underground? ``

already paid. It's almost dotting the eyes and crossing the Tees.

Wiltshire is known for its historical landmarks but people are

hoping that there will be those who want to spend eternity on this

ancient burial ground. Still to come: Reunited at last ` we

hear from the owner whose dog was stolen a year ago.

Last year the number of passengers commuting into London went up by

just under 5%. But the income received by the train operators went

up by almost 18%. So where did this money come from? The Government

capped fare increases to just above inflation. The figures don't appear

to add up, because the railway's income is clearly rising a lot

faster than that. Our transport correspondent Paul Clifton has some

answers. This is an extraordinary rate of

increase in railway income. 5% more people in this region took the train

last year. Yet the income from those passengers went up by 18% ` almost a

fifth ` Even though the Government capped commuter fare rises to 4%,

just above inflation. So how did it happen? The Government does not cap

off`peak fares. Train companies can put those up as much as they like.

They can do the same with station car parking charges. They can

massage the fare boundaries too, moving the time when peak fares

become off`peak. They can put up the rent for shops on station platforms.

And they can trim their operating costs. The statistics call into

question the fairness of allowing specific tickets to be increased by

up to 6% above inflation last year, provided there are reductions

elsewhere in the fares basket. That happened in the past at Reading, by

far the region's busiest station. What's clear is that commuters in

London and the south`east have been taken for a ride, paying huge

amounts of money ` more to the Treasury every year. Rail fares are

going up faster than inflation and then we've got a huge hidden costs

are like the cost of station parking. In Southampton, Chargers

have gone up by about 40 present in three years. Everywhere you turn,

commuters are being hit. The cost of commuting into London has risen by a

quarter in the last five years. I'd say that's an important thing and I

wouldn't mind paying more but it should be more in line with

inflation. They have developed a lot in the last three years. A better

railway would be good but the cost is far too high and doesn't really

compare with a car if you have more than one passenger. This extra money

isn't going into the pockets of rail managers. The Government is now

making a net profit from rail franchises ` it is more than meeting

the cost of providing services. It still gave ?5 billion to Network

Rail last year for improvements such as the Reading upgrade ` that's

about stimulating the economy. It is also buying a railway that carries

twice as many passengers as it did 15 years ago. And passengers are

clearly paying a great deal more for it, too.

We often hear about the demise of UK manufacturing. Well, today, the

Eastleigh`based cable making company Prysmian is celebrating its

centenary. The industry may now only employ a fraction of the numbers of

its heyday but every month Prysmian makes enough energy cables to reach

all the way around the world. The company began as Pirelli ` and our

business correspondent Alastair Fee has had exclusive access to its

plant. This is what keeps the country going

without power cables, our businesses would grind to a halt. Davies in his

41st year. Both his parents worked here before him and last year his

son followed the family tradition. I've never seen this amount of work

coming through so quickly than in the last couple of years. It's

tremendous. It's good the younger people coming in here, like myself.

I started at 20 and here we are, 40 odd years on, still going and

getting stronger. Orders are healthy here on the outskirts of Eastleigh

but UK manufacturing has fallen sharply. In 1995, there were 65

companies making cables. That's dropped to just four and company

macros the only big player left. So `` Prysmian is the only big player.

We've had to move as technology has moved. Whether it is within power or

the telecommunications sector, it is something we've had to always

continually be on top of. The manufacture of fibre`optic cables

that deliver superfast broadband is now big business and sustained a

dedicated factory. They produce enough every year to go to the moon

and back. In terms of our UK telecom business, it makes up the vast

majority of it. The future is firmly in the optical area and that's where

we are now with significant investments. But change has seen a

decline in the number of workers. The industry used to employ tens of

thousands of people. Technology has changed its hugely. I imagine that

it is the leap from my grandfather to my father, which was a lot

smaller than the leap that has happened in my time here. This high

voltage testing lab was opened last year. Exports make up 20 present of

what is made here and the work is good because the business is kept

moving. `` 20%. Tony is back with us after being ill

last week but he has managed to share his illness around with

everybody! Thanks ever so much! Loving you dearly(!).

Reading are continuing to talk to US investors over a proposed takeover.

The club want to conclude a deal this month, amid reported interest

from another group based in Oman. On the field the club stormed to their

best result of the season, 7`1 over Bolton. Striker Adam Le Fondre

bagged a hat trick in the first half as the visitors were blown away by

Nigel Adkins' men. The Royals have won their last two and, after a

tricky spell around Christmas, have rediscovered their form to go sixth

in the table. Pavel Pogrebnyak, Nick Blackman, Hope Akpan, and Kaspars

Gorks were the other goal scorers. You can feel it to rally around the

whole football club. Players have been working extremely hard on the

training ground. We're looking forward to where we want to get to

and great credit to the players because everyone is together,

everyone is working hard and it was a good victory today. We'll keep a

close eye on what's going on at Southampton, because owner Katharina

Liebherr addressed the club's staff today after the high`profile exit of

Executive Chairman Nicola Cortese. Her first priority is to appoint a

new Chief Executive. And the BBC understands former Blackburn Rovers

Chief John Williams, seen here on the right, is the lead candidate.

Saints led 2`0 at Sunderland on Saturday through early goals from

Jay Rodriguez and a superbly controlled volley by Dejan Lovren,

one of two players to be stretchered off by the end of the game.

Sunderland got one back before half time and went onto claim a point.

Saints captain Adam Lallana played down the events of the past week,

saying nothing has really changed. Here's what else we learned from the

Football League weekend. Long queues on Saturday and they

weren't all waiting to see Watford. This was the line for fans trying to

get to see the World Cup tie against Liverpool. This player signed a new

contract. Watford lead at half`time. This player was sent off

in the second half. The referee changed his mind over a penalty and

gave a red card. Bournemouth won another penalty, with a player

accused of diving by some. This penalty was saved with the much up

for grabs. These follow`up efforts were missed as well. Portsmouth said

this weekend they're working hard on a deal for a new training ground.

Pompey got another point. Guildford Flames suffered a 5`1

defeat against Swindon in ice hockey's Premier League. While they

slip to third, Basingstoke are second after a come`from`behind win

over Peterborough on Saturday night. The Bison were two down within a

minute as the Panthers caught them napping. By early in the second

period it was 4`3 to the Bison before Thomas Karpov finally netted

the winner. England's men beat Australia in

controversial circumstances to win the bronze medal match at the

inaugural Hockey World League Final in India. Goals from Reading's Tom

Carson and Barry Middleton either side of a Glenn Turner equaliser had

given the Bisham Abbey based squad a 2`1 lead. Australia then thought

they had forced extra time, after finally breaching England's

determined defence from a penalty corner in the closing seconds.

However, Turner's strike was ruled out for obstruction by the video

umpire. I like those video umpires because they are very quick and get

the decision made. Last January, South Today reported

on a string of thefts of working dogs across Hampshire and Sussex.

It's not just the wrench for the owners of losing what is considered

a family member ` the dogs are also high value breeds. Sammy Thatcher

was one of those victims, losing two spaniels. She's just been reunited

with Tia a year after she was taken ` but Maisy is still missing. A

short time ago, I asked Sammy about the night she lost both dogs. It was

absolutely horrible, bearing in mind it was 2am. So from then until a

good few days later, I haven't slept. It was constantly just trying

to keep easy and not try and think about where they could be. It was

just horrible. When you were reunited with Tia, what was the

moment like? Absolutely brilliant. I didn't know if she would remember me

but she could. She couldn't stop wagging her tail. I know Maisie is

still missing and that must be very distressing for you but you've got

Tia back. Do you think they were stolen to order because they're

working dogs? Possibly, more than likely. When I went to the vets,

they told me that she would definitely have a litter. `` she had

definitely had a litter. In the time she's been away? Yes, so we think

that may be why. The crucial part of this is that they both have

microchips and that is how you were traced as the owner after the raid

on the farm. Absolutely. If it wasn't for that, I wouldn't have got

her home. Do you think you will get the other dog back? Definitely now.

We will not be giving up until she comes home as well. Let me turn to

Jon, who is the presenter of Inside Out. You've done many programmes on

this over the years. It's very distressing. Indeed and it won't go

away. There are still hundreds out there missing for everyone we get

back. What can we expect a night on Inside Out? It's an energy special.

We find out about the power cuts over Christmas. We're after the

energy thieves ` people who take it for free. And how would you like a

fuel bill of ?3 per month. Thank you for coming in. I'm glad you're

reunited with at least Tia. That's lovely. Thank you. Jon will be back

on Inside Out tonight at 7:30pm. On to the weather, Alexis. You've

done well today and yesterday. A bit of rain to come. I'll tell you

about the forecast in a minute but the big issue tonight is fog. Ken

Rayner captured the sun burning through the fog over the swing

bridge on Kennet and Avon Canal in Hungerford. Martin Perry took this

photo of the blue skies over Christchurch Quay in Dorset.

And Alan Smith took this photo of a male Gadwall in the sunshine at

Langford Lakes Nature Reserve in Wiltshire.

Lots of sunshine today but the big issue tonight will be quite

widespread, dense fog patches. Staging to your BBC local radio

stations for the latest on the travel because it will reduce this

ability on the roads. The Met Office has issued a yellow warning, in

force for the next 12 hours or so. Through the course of tonight, we

see the fog form and there may be some frost and Mr patches.

Temperatures will take a plunge down to freezing, even in our towns and

cities. Lows of minus one or minus two in the countryside so it may be

freezing fog patches. The fog will slowly clear tomorrow morning,

lingering throughout the mourning period, but we hope that the winds

will increase. The best of any brightness the further east you are,

east of the Isle of Wight. Temperatures will reach a high of

seven to nine. The rain is waiting in the wings, which is going to head

towards us tomorrow night after dark. Winds will increase in

strength tomorrow afternoon. The fog patches will disperse through the

morning. You can see the dark blues and greens and that is further Wayne

fall, which is unwelcome. Temperatures around four to seven. A

wet start to the day on Wednesday and the band of rain isn't going

anywhere quickly. It lingers over the southeastern part of the

country, so parts of Sussex and Surrey may have an unpleasant day.

The winds will be fairly light on Wednesday, hence the weather front

will be slow to clear eastwards. We are looking at some rain this week

but the main issue is the fog patches, which will be very dense,

reducing visibility on the roads. Rain on Wednesday with the best of

any dryness and bright conditions the further west you are.

You might want to sit at the end of the couch because we've got germs! I

thought it was because of the dog that was there earlier!

There is more later on. Good night.