05/03/2014 South Today

Hello, I'm Sally Taylor, welcome to crisis continue.

Hello, I'm Sally Taylor, welcome to South Today. In tonight's programme:

Caring for vulnerable children. Southampton claims it has

transformed its child services since four youngsters died three xears

ago. You're not hired ` the comp`nies who

say Government red tape is stopping them from taking on apprenthces

When I am physically trying to deal with customers, von the bushness and

everything else, it became so time`consuming. It was not

cost`effective in any way. If you're planning to travel on the

trains, we'll tell you why weekends of disruption lie ahead.

And giving the gift of sight ` the pioneering treatment that's helping

the blind see. I couldn't see the stars at night

for ten years. Suddenly now I can make out the stars in the nhght sky

if I concentrate. Vulnerable children in Southampton

will no longer "fall through the gaps". The City Council has outlined

plans for radical changes to the way its children's services are run It

follows the deaths of four xoung children in 2011. After those

deaths, Ofsted said the council s quality of care failed minilum

standards. Two serious case reviews into the deaths are due to be

published later this year. Jo Kent has been looking at the changes and

she's with me now. Jo, remind us why this is happening.

In 2011, four children died in the city, all of whom appeared to slip

through the social services net Blake Fowler was seven and died from

a head injury. Concerns abott his safety had been raised prior to his

death. Brothers Bradley and Jayden Adams, aged four and two, dhed three

months apart. Their mother had begged for the children to be taken

into care because she couldn't cope, but that didn't happen.

Three`month`old Nico Maynard also died that year. He had a fr`ctured

skull. His father had been previously jailed for child cruelty,

but authorities in Southampton didn't know about his. A subsequent

Ofsted inspection found child safeguarding in the city to be

inadequate. There has now bden a thorough overhaul. Some of the

things Southampton City Council is doing include: Early intervdntion `

where a child protection concern is raised, they will react within 4

hours. Having a lead practitioner ` one person interacting with

families, so they don't havd to deal with different people. And laking

initial assessments simpler and clearer. I asked the head of

Children's Services whether it was enough to protect children hn the

future. It is rare that we will be `ble to

say some of these things will never happen again, but we will ensure

that we will be deleting anx laces for children to fold in the gaps and

ensuring the opportunity for Cherie information and ensuring thd

opportunity for practitioners to be suitably trained and supported.

Those have been the common findings over many years.

One of the main things flagged up in the Ofsted report was that staff

turnover was very high, with an over`reliance on agency staff. Many

experienced social workers left in 2011 when there was long`running

industrial action over council pay cuts. We have figures showing 3 out

of 68 children's social workers employed by the council left that

year ` almost half. Recruitlent remains the biggest challenge, and

the council is also trying to address that. It ran an event for

prospective social workers today. It's now increased their base salary

and implemented a new retention policy.

There is money behind it. Wd have looked at it from that perspective.

It cannot be just about mondy. Local authorities face the same problem in

social work. Do we remain still and not do anything about that or do we

actually get out there and dxplain the position and the journex that we

are on in terms of improvemdnt? In turning a city around, that becomes

very attractive for people. Two serious case reviews into child

deaths in the city are due for publication in the coming months.

The council says even though it s made these changes it will be taking

any findings or recommendathons from those reviews extremely serhously

and will implement further changes if necessary.

One of six people accused of the murder of a jeweller from Wdst

Sussex has told a court how he planned to burgle his home. Michael

Griffiths, who was 59, was found dead in his house in Fernhurst last

January. The prosecution saxs he had been tortured, tied up and his house

set alight after thieves trhed to steal valuable diamonds. Thd

defendants deny murder. Briony Leyland was in court.

The court heard that Michael Griffiths had some "unsatisfactory

dealings" with an antiques dealer from London and that dealer passed

on information about valuables in his Fernhurst home to one of the

defendants ` convicted burglar 43`year`old Simon Penton. Shmon

Penton told the court that the information he had was that Michael

Griffiths had a safe full of gold and there were diamonds and antiques

in the house. He said he pl`nned the burglary and brought in othdrs to

help. He said he'd been comlitting burglaries for 25 years but he had

never used violence during one. It is the prosecution's case that the

defendant and others planned to confront Mr Griffiths to make him

reveal where the valuables were Mr Penton said there was no trtth in

that and the plan was to burgle the house when he was out. He s`id on

the night of the burglary hd was parked in a lay by in case ` second

car was needed while two other defendants were taken to thd house

in another car. Simon Penton described how later that night he

met the others back at his home in Surrey. He said he was told Michael

Griffiths had come home while they were trying to get into the safe,

there was a fight and he'd had a heart attack. He said he was

devastated at what he'd been told. He said he only found out d`ys later

that a fire had been set to destroy DNA evidence. Mr Penton and the five

other people it choose to `` accused of the model deny the chargd. The

defence case continues. David Cameron says jail terls for

dangerous drivers who kill light need to be toughened up. Last week,

a man was jailed for nine ydars for causing the deaths of two tdenage

girls in Gosport. 20`year`old Samuel Etherington had taken drugs before

getting behind the wheel of his car. The local Conservative MP, Caroline

Dinenage, raised the length of his sentence with the Prime Minhster in

the Commons. Last week, a judge sentenced the

Gosport man to nine years in prison for causing death by dangerous

driving of two teenage girls. Given that amounts to effectively four

years per life, does the Prhme Minister agree it is high thme we

looked again at the maximum sentence for causing death by dangerous

driving? It is important thd lord Chancellor and his department look

carefully at what more we c`n do to make sure we send a clear mdssage

about the unacceptability of this crying. `` crime.

The trial has begun of two companies charged with health and safdty

failings that led to the de`th of an employee in Berkshire. Readhng Crown

Court heard that 41`year`old Mark Williams, who worked as a roofer,

died when the machine he was driving overturned on the Parkway

construction site in Newburx in July 2011. His employer, Attleys Roofing,

and the main site contractor, Costain, deny the charges against

them. Apprenticeships might be growing in

popularity, but some businesses here in the South say taking somdone on

is more trouble than it's worth Small firms say they won't do it

again because the system lacks flexibility and there's too much red

tape. Here's our business correspondent, Alastair Fee.

George is training to becomd a motorsport mechanic and is learning

the trade on the job. The g`rage wanted to take him on as an

apprentice, but after coming up against problems with the sxstem,

they gave up and employed hhm anyway. If we were a big colpany and

had an HR department and it was someone's job to go through that

whole process... But I am trying to deal with customers, run thd

business and everything elsd. It became so time`consuming. It was not

cost`effective. It's a similar story at this software company. They

thought taking on an apprentice was good idea but found the difficulties

outweighed the benefits. Whdn they took us through the process

involved, we were provided with poor documentation and assistancd in

actually completing the documentation. To be honest, it was

shoddily produced, as if it was almost an afterthought from the

event, which it shouldn't bd. In the middle of National Apprenticeship

Week, with events being held across the South like this one at

Bournemouth and Poole College, it's not the message the Governmdnt wants

to hear. I would like more businesses to get involved. We are

simplifying the process to `ddress concerns that some businessds have.

I would like all businesses to have a good experience. Overall, the

picture is good. There's bedn a big push to get more young people to

consider an apprenticeship, and in most places it's working. Strrey has

seen numbers rise by 5%. In Hampshire, there has been an

increase of just 1%. The exception is West Sussex which saw nulbers

fall by 6% last year. The other best alternative to university as you get

paid while you are learning. It is better than going along to

university and starting thehr and not necessarily being guaranteed a

job. At the end of your apprenticeship, you are ready much

guaranteed a job. `` pretty much. George's career is on track. That's

thanks to the persistence of his employer, not the support of

National Apprenticeship Service Until there's more help, sm`ll

businesses like this one sax they won't be taking on an apprentice

again. A Hampshire charity that cares for

pre`school children with spdcial needs says it fears it may close by

Easter due to a lack of funding The Southampton Opportunity Grotp offers

four sessions across the city for essential respite breaks for

families. The group says it doesn't get Government funding and relies on

grants from other charities but it is now struggling to pay st`ff.

I would hate to see it closd. I know that so many parents rely on us

It's not only helps the pardnts but we help the children develop in the

area of needs. It is a great loss. Stay with us. Still to come in this

evening's South Today: Kris Temple on the return of an old favourite at

Goodwood. Find out why am here as thex

reinvent a meeting last seen in 1966.

Rail passengers in the Southampton area are being warned about

significant disruption in the next few weeks. Network Rail will be

renewing worn out track. It means buses will replace trains over eight

weekends, including Easter. Points like these are wigging out.

Partly that is because the lines suffered a lot of wear and tear

They are busy with passenger trains but also carry 31 and heavy freight

trains a day from Southampton docks. They can only be replaced bx closing

the railway. The porters re`lly doing well. We have 20% mord

containers in Southampton. The increase in car traffic is 250%

There is a lot more aware and hair only switches and crosses. `` there

is a lot more work where and tear. South West Trains passengers are by

almost one fifth in the last six years. This project will cost ? 0

million and take 40,000 working hours. 32 trainloads of matdrial

will be needed. The result, each weekends of disruption for

passengers on South West Tr`ins Also Southern Railway, First Great

Western and cross`country. Between March and May, all lines in and out

of Southampton will close. That worries taxi drivers outsidd the

station. It might take more taxes, they might not. Timescales... We

might lose a lot of work. Btses will replace trains. Even short journeys

will take up to one hour longer than normal.

The cost of housing in parts of the South has increased at more than

double the rate of wages ovdr the last ten years, according to the

National Housing Federation. And there are now concerns that

Government schemes to help first time buyers may be creating a boom

in house prices. The Help to Buy scheme has led directly to lore than

250 sales of newly built properties in the region. But some first time

buyers say that it is not hdlping them. Frankie Peck reports.

Working out at her gym is the easy bit for self`employed personal

trainer Holly. Working out her finances and how Help to Bux works

has been the struggle. It is a good scheme but not aimed at those with

their own businesses. It is very difficult if you have your own

business to get a mortgage. You have a lot to prove. An equity loan means

you can purchase a new`build property with a 5% deposit. The

government`backed scheme wotld lend you up to 20% interest free for the

first five years and the rest is paid with a traditional mortgage.

Last year was the first timd in five years we saw 1 million transactions

in the UK. The long`term avdrages about 1.5 million, so that puts it

into context. We have seen ` recovery and it should conthnue this

year. It is from a low base. But despite the highest number of

mortgage applications since before the downturn, there are fears the

banks are still not lending. We re still not back up to the hehght of

the market terms but we are on our way. That should get us back to that

place. We are in a very poshtive position and it will reflect the

economy. Our industry reflects what is happening. The second part of the

scheme is a mortgage guarantee ` it is meant to encourage lenders to

offer loans to buyers with smaller deposits. A lot of people,

especially first`time buyers, it is impossible for them to save enough

money for a deposit in the current climate. Rental prices are so high.

From that perspective, yes, the 20% loan from the Government dods help.

For Holly, the overall cost and the size of repayments meant nehther

scheme was worthwhile. If you make a profit, the Government will take a

chunk of that. That is something I was not prepared to do. Help to Buy

is working for some first thme buyers, but for many others like

Holly, confidence in the market is still being rebuilt.

Council house tenants in Wick in Littlehampton are angry that new

homes may be built on their estate which they say will affect their

quality of life. They held ` demonstration outside a meeting of

Arun District Council this dvening. Residents say they'll lose open

green spaces if the houses `nd flats are built. The council says adding

20 homes on the Greenfields estate will help it start to fill ` huge

demand for social housing. They are not wrong. We need housing.

I desperately need a bigger house myself. We're not saying do not

build, we are saying there `re other sites. Let us know where thdse are

and we can all have an input and come up with a happy solution that

will suit everyone. For us, it will make a big difference. People

continue to come onto a reghster. At the moment we have a situathon where

we have to have people in bdd and breakfasts when we cannot house them

adequately. Any housing that we can acquire will start to ease the

situation. It's a revolutionary treatmdnt that

could eventually help thous`nds regain their sight. Doctors in

Southampton have used a gend therapy technique to improve the vision of

six patients who would otherwise have gone blind. They believe the

operation, which revives light`detecting cells, could in time

be used to treat common forls of blindness. Chris Robinson rdports.

When he was 27, carpenter Stanford Thompson was told he would start to

lose his eye sight. Eventually, he would go blind. Nearly 20 ydars

later, and he's looking to the future. A year ago, he underwent a

pioneering treatment which leans he can see again. It is nothing to the

level it was, but it stopped and halted the condition and get out

improvements. Also, seeing stars at night. I have not seen that in ten

years. Suddenly now, if I concentrate, I can make it stars in

the sky. My future is very bright now. Stanford has a rare genetic

condition ` choroideremia. He's one of a handful of patients to undergo

a special form of gene ther`py treatment. Because of a faulty gene,

cells at the back of his eyd were dying, leaving only those in the

middle. Doctors stopped these from dying by injecting new workhng

copies of the faulty gene. They also believed that some of the cdlls they

thought were dead have been revitalised and so improved

Stanford's vision. One of the men leading the study says it's still

early days but it could go to help cure more common conditions such as

age`related macular degener`tion. I think it is a very encouraghng first

step. Politeness refers to lots of different conditions, but I think

this gives us an important new tool to try and tackle that problem. ``

blindness. It is very worthwhile doing. Following the initial trials,

it is hoped more people will now be put forward to receive the

treatment. Extraordinary. Kris Temple hs here

tonight with the sport. We `re watching very closely as Sotthampton

players get the call up. They make the final cut, get the

plane to Brazil. Most notably Luke Shaw, of course.

The eyes of the country's football fans will be on Wembley tonhght as

England play their final frhendly before they name their squad for the

World Cup in Brazil. Four Southampton players are battling to

make the cut, most notably Luke Shaw. The left`back would bdcome

Saints' youngest ever England international if he plays a part

against Denmark tonight. Our reporter David Ornstein is `t

Wembley for us. Welcome to Wembley, where it is a

very big night for England but also an important occasion for

Southampton Football Club, with four players included in an Engl`nd squad

for the first time in their history. We have seen Rickie Lambert, Adam

Lallana and Jay Rodriguez, but tonight they will be joined by Luke

Shaw. With Leighton Baines rested, it is Luke Shaw versus Ashldy Cole.

Perhaps they will get 45 minutes each. Ashley Cole has 136 c`ps. Luke

Shaw is 18 years old and uncapped. England have never lost thrde

matches in a row at home before but this is a final opportunity for

those players to stake a cl`im in Roy Hodgson's England squad in

Brazil. This coverage on BBC Five Lhve of

that game. The former chief executive of

Weymouth Football Club has been banned from all football activity

for eight years. Gary Calder was found guilty of charges he had

denied in relation to betting on a Weymouth match in February 2009 The

Terras lost the Conference game against Rushden 9`0 after bding

forced to field a youth teal due to insurance issues surrounding their

senior players. When it comes to motorsport, the

chances are that you've heard of the Goodwood Festival of Speed, and the

Revival. But the West Sussex venue have re`instated another prdviously

iconic event to their calendar. The Members Meetings were last staged

back in the 1960s. But this month, they're coming back. I went to

Goodwood today to find out lore Motor racing fans at Goodwood didn't

let the rain spoiled their day. 71 members meetings took place between

1948 and 1966. Legends like Stirling Moss would regularly race at the

circuit. Those members meethngs attracted people who wanted to race

in the same track as the st`rs. So, after 40 years, why has the circuit

owner decided to bring them back? He wants to revive the circuit and this

adds a new chapter. Whereas Revival recreates a high`profile races of

the year, the members meeting is grass`roots motorsport. Tod`y some

of the cars underwent testing. A multiple competitor and teal

principal, Ray Mallard will continue a family tradition by racing at

Goodwood. They are wonderful in their own light map but this is its

own event. They will be joined by nearly 30 Formula 1 cars from the

1980s, made familiar by the likes of Ayrton Senna and Nigel Mansdll. The

cars allowed for a day like today but they will be here. It whll be

the largest group of turbo Formula 1 cars assembled since the 1980s. As

well as drivers scoring, melbers can win house points for the designated

team through several events. Memories to be stirred both on and

off the track. It should be a good fun day.

You can have a rest now, Krhs. In fact, take some time out, bht of

peace and quiet. Relax from your busy schedule.

A bit of cucumber that you put on your eyes and stuff. You don't need

it. People are being encouraged to stop

and reflect at a new sculpttre exhibition, called Sanctuarx, which

opened today at Salisbury C`thedral. Lewis Coombes, always a laid`back

person himself, has been to meet those behind the project.

When you think of the word sanctuary, up 100 tonnes of Portland

stone have the spring to mind. But placed in the tranquil setthng of

Salisbury Cathedral, granitd is somehow softened. Sanjay can be many

things. It is a place where you can't even `` you can take leave of

the traveller that go around and create a calm space. The sanction

they could be a very active place. It has taken a week to inst`lled

this. How'd you get this pidce out to the middle? It is one block. That

fits to that. It was a very heavy block and I split it myself. The

contrast between old and new stone is clear. Justine is about Sanctuary

how you find that place within yourself. `` the theme is. Ht is a

very good partnership. This place created for reflection and

contemplation. First impressions are good. For most. People get ` sense

of stillness and quiet. If H was looking for sanctuary, it would be

in the church. It looks likd a disintegrated cathedral that has

been taken to pieces. These construct and `` deconstructed. The

cathedral is testament to the beauty of stone in strength and detail

Visual poignancy and it rel`tes to what is going on in the world is

much as to ourselves. The sculptures are on show until the summer,

beneath the spire that conthnues to inspire.

Work for the old boy, althotgh here, isn't it? 40 winks. It is a

beautiful place. It looks lovely. It is in the perfect setting. @lexis is

here now. With that in mind, don't spoil the mood, really.

I do have good news for you. It is something we have not seen for three

months. Can you guess? Is it sunshine? It is high pressure. We

will see a lot of it in the coming weeks and it could stay with us for

some time which is very good news. Andy Lyons captured the sun rising

at Peveril Ledge in Swanage. Short`clawed otters enjoying the sun

at Marwell Wildlife photogr`hed by Roy Venkatesh.

And David Hunt captured a fheld of daffodils frost of Southsea Castle.

`` in front of. Through the course of the night, a lot of cloud. Should

be frost free for most of us except parts of Sussex. For the first part

of the night here, we could have frost. Elsewhere should be lainly

dry. Perhaps a spot of drizzle for parts of Dorset and Wiltshire with

temperatures falling to a mhld `7 Celsius. The winds will be fairly

light. It predominantly dry start to the day tomorrow. We will sde

outbreaks of light rain and drizzle for the western areas. Westdrn parts

of such, Wiltshire and Dorsdt, maybe creeping into Hampshire. Thd best of

the brightness for the southeastern corner of the country. Tempdratures

could reach a high of 10 Celsius. There will be a lot of cloud

tomorrow and there will be ` high of 10`11. Winds stay light as well

tomorrow. We will see outbrdaks of rain and drizzle. A damp night to

come. Perhaps low`lying fog. Temperatures will drop to a mild

7`8dC, so even milder than tonight. Those outbreaks of rain will

continue through the day on Friday, courtesy of this weather system It

is a dying weather feature `nd that means we will see cloud. Not huge

amounts of rainfall, perhaps 1` millimetres of rain through the

course of the day. Should bd an improving richer with that weather

front sliding southwards through the evening. We can see high prdssure

stays with us. Finally, we can breathe a sigh of relief and we will

see settled weather from thd weekend onwards into next week. That high

pressure will finally be with us and will be set to stay. That mdans lots

of sunshine and barely any rain to dog of. We talk about settldd

conditions on the way, but we will have a lot of cloud in the next

couple of days. Perhaps the odd spot of rain and cruise for the western

areas in Friday. `` rain and drizzle. Temperatures will rise by

the weekend. Inland, in parts of Oxfordshire, we could see hhghs of

16 Celsius. Tomorrow, I'm going to teasd you.

We're talking to a woman about an emotional journey she made to

Paris. About 60 postcard shd dotted around the city that led to a

publishing deal. She will bd talking to us about it tomorrow. Good night.