10/07/2014 South Today

many but still some disturbed weather. Not a wash-out but stay

tuned for the details. Hello, I'm Sally Taylor. Welcome to

South Today. In tonight's programme: Would you volunteer to stand in

for a striking firefighter? Berkshire fire service launch

a new recruitment campaign 06 years After all the years they have put in

themselves, it would be an hnsult to expect a member of the publhc with

three days training to just be on standard `` stand`by really.

16 years too late, say camp`igners, as the government launches

a review into suspicious de`ths at a Gosport Hospital.

Could we soon be bobbing up and down beside a lake

And the pain of Brazil losing to Uruguay in the 1950 World Ctp and

The reaction of one family to the announcement.

There is to be a formal inqtiry into dozens of suspicious ddaths

There's already been police investigations

and numerous inquests which ruled that the use of painkillers

contributed to the deaths of some elderly patients in the 1990s.

The new inquiry will be led by the former Bishop of Livdrpool,

the Rt Rev James Jones, who previously chaired a panel dxamining

Our Health Correspondent David Fenton is outside the hospital.

How significant is this announcement?

You know, I think it is hugdly significant because we now have this

major two`year enquiry that is going to reopen a lot of the issuds about

the use of these are very strong opiate painkiller is at this

hospital here, how they werd prescribed and how they werd given

to many, many elderly patients, a lot of whom were given to m`ny, many

elderly patients, a lot of whom later died.

What is the panel going to dxamine? The details haven't really been

announced yet but I underst`nd that it is going to be quite a

wide`ranging enquiry. It is not just looking at the NHS and what happened

at this hospital, it will include the police, local authoritids, and

the role of the General medhcal Council is well and the hopd is that

the overarching kind of enqtiry may shed new light on what happdned

here. It will work in the same wax that

Hillsborough did and I think that whole experience was cathartic for

the families involved and crucially it got information that had hitherto

been kept secret, it got it into the public domain and all of thd various

organisations involved, the police, Ambulance Service and so forth had

to come forward with the information that they held and I want the same

to happen here. How have the families reactdd to

this? I think they generally welcome to

the news. They had been askhng for a full public enquiry and thex have

not got back but they had got something close to it.

Our opinion and people incltding myself who were eyewitnesses were

completely flawed and that should not happen. We had something

worthwhile to say and the pdople that were listened to were so`called

expert witnesses who not only were strange to the families involved but

strange to the victims and were looking at the paperwork thdy were

given and it was not necess`rily the right paperwork or all the paperwork

but that is what people werd making judgements on and I think that is

totally wrong. One last thing, the families have always said that

someone should be held to account for what they believe happened here

and I believe they will be pressing very hard for that accountability

and responsibility when this new enquiry.

Berkshire fire service is asking for volunteers to do some of the

As members of the Fire Brig`des Union today took part in

their 15th stoppage, a recrtitment drive is looking for people to fill

Fire chiefs say it isn't an admission that they're struggling

The nerve centre here in Redding on strike today at Berkshire Fhre and

rescue. Managers say 60 firdfighters are on duty, about half the usual

number, some of them are answering the call is. A road traffic

collision with four cars and one of the vehicles has caught fird. In

Surrey private contractors `re performing the duties of thd

firefighters and aid voluntders are working during the strike ndar in

Berkshire. The Fire Service wants to treble that number and it is asking

for lorry drivers to drive fire engines. Professional crews will go

in first and deal with the hncident but there is a lot of clearhng up to

be done and that is what thdse crews will do. They will also deal with

low risk incidents such as rubbish fires and that kind of work.

Managers say the emergency volunteers will get 12 days training

but unions dispute this. I have spoken to some firefighters who did

not want to say this on camdra but they have grave concerns about

public safety. They say bashc firefighter training lasts 04 weeks

but emergency volunteers will get around three days of training and

they also say that they will not be able to use specialist equipment on

the deficiencies in training will only become apparent in a sdrious

incident. People in this arda were divided. If they saved us I would be

happy but it is pushing expdctations a bit. I would be happy if the

professionals turned up. Wh`t about the volunteers? As long as they

could put up the spire safely than I would be OK. Next week membdrs of

the Fire Brigades Union will strike on eight consecutive days and

Berkshire Fire and rescue whll be hoping to recruit more volunteers.

Those firefighters were takhng part in a strike day that also included

teachers, dinner ladies and tax inspectors. A series of picket lines

and rallies were held across the South as the public sector workers

protested about cuts, pension forms and the government's 1% cap on pay

rises. In some areas the effects of the strike were limited.

We have a roundup. In Portslouth this morning they were painting

their messages to ministers on placards and then it was off to a

march and rally through the city centre. I do not see the pohnt in

paying local government workers like this pittance and then they had to

pay tax credits and it does not make any sense. Paid a decent wage and

give them some dignity. In Bournemouth the Victorian costumes

were said to underline the tnions were describing as Dickensi`n wage

rates. Amongst those on strhke was this man, a teacher in Gosport. I

have a young family and two small children and keeping up`to`date with

the day`to`day bills and incoming standout Cummings is getting to be

quite tight. Lynette keeps traffic flowing in Portsmouth. We are all

feeling the pressure, not only from the work point of view but we all

have a lot more put on us. This man is an experienced social worker The

pay has not kept pace with hnflation and it still is not. The strike has

had an impact. 121 schools were closed in the south. Amongst those

that stayed open was this one, although two junior classes were

affected by the dispute. Sole parents backed teachers who were

taking strike action `` takhng strike action but others were

opposed. To be honest, if they need a pay rise they should earn it. It

is appalling considering we cannot even take our children out for the

odd day or two so I think it is wrong that they should be allowed to

strike. If they don't get p`id enough for what they have got to do

then I agree with it. There were picket lines outside a numbdr of

public buildings. In some areas there were no strikes. That is

because some councils, incltding Surrey and East Hampshire, have

local pay agreements with unions that can put extra cash in the

pockets of workers. At the loment the lowest paid council workers

currently get ?6 45 an hour. The national pay offer would boost it by

4.5% to ?6 75. Under its local deal Surrey council workers alre`dy get a

minimum of ?7.85 an hour, 20p above the UK living wage. We belidve it

provides a fair pay and rew`rd structure for workers doing the same

job wherever they live in the UK. Some councils have chosen to opt out

and where they do so we will consult with our members the best for them

about staying with national pay or moving to local pay if something on

offer is worth consulting about The government tried to play Danny

impact of the strike and thdre are no signs that the Treasury purse

strings will be loosened. After years of pay restraint for tnions ``

the unions should have a rethink, say the government.

Still to come in this evening's South Today: Remembering 20 years

when the Tour de France hit the roads across the south.

An inquest has heard how a better tripwire warning sxstem

and training should be introduced on expedition trips from now

It's after a polar bear mauled to death a Salisbury teenager on a

17`year`old Horatio Chapple was on an adventure holiday with

the British School Exploring Society when he died.

What recommendations are being suggested?

An independent report was c`rried out and it criticised the tripwire

This is, of course, one of the ways the group could have been

alerted to the presence of ` polar bear as they slept in their tents.

This particular warning system was held together

by several paper clips which was found to be unsatisfactory.

We all know what happened in this case.

17`year`old Horatio Chapple was attacked as he was sleeping

in his tent by a polar bear who managed to get in,

As well as a better warning system, the report also called

for the introduction of bear watches and better rifle training.

So the bear itself was said to be stressed?

We heard how the bear had worn down teeth so it would have been

That, of course, would have made it much mord

difficult for it to get food, again raising its stress levels

It would have been more aggressive, making it more unpredicatable.

This was an old bear reaching the end of its life.

It was seriously underweight, just over half

All this points to a very dhstressed bear which, of course, led to this

Tomorrow we will hear the vdrdict of this inquest.

A three`year`old boy who was found in a swimming pool in a Wiltshire

The boy was airlifted to Southampton General Hospital

He'd been reported missing `t 7 00pm and was found 20 minutes later.

The Police say he died in the early hours of this lorning.

It has been a desperately s`d day here in the village of Upavon in

Wiltshire. The alarm was rahsed at around 7pm last night when the boy

was reported missing and thd police were called. A search was bdgun and

in around 20 minutes the box was found in the family swimming pool.

Police gave emergency medic`l assistance but the boy did not

respond. The air ambulance was called and he was airlifted to

Southampton General Hospital where he was said to be in a life

threatening condition and wd are told he passed away in the darly

hours of this morning. The village is now in shock and the pardnts of

the little boy asked said to be the little boy asked said to be

devastated. I spoke earlier to the chairman of the parish council.

These things always have thhs sort of impact. I have been involved in a

charity in Swindon looking `fter children with cancer and letkaemia

so I know the grief they ard going through. This is not an easx time

for them or any of the people around them. They have got to be treated

with sympathy and left alond. A real sense of grief and Ross `` grief and

loss here in the village. The identity of the boy has not been

formally revealed as yet but many people in the village do know the

family and everybody says their thoughts are with them.

On last night's programme wd highlighted the issue of low pay

That was one of the themes picked up tod`y

in a Parliamentary report examining changes in adult social card.

The report praised Government ambitions to make improvements

but has questioned the impact of the changes.

It found up to 220,000 care workers earn less than the minimum wage

It questions whether people paying privately for places in card homes

are being charged more to stbsidise places paid for by councils.

And it raises concerns about an 8% real terms cut in spending on adult

We really welcome the policx intent that more and more elderly people

and disabled people should be able to lead `` live independently in the

community but it is no good proclaiming a policy without

enabling it to happen and you have just got to get the

in spending on adult social care and demand is rising, it is not

achievable anymore, is it? Ht is getting very much tougher for

councils, we all know that. Everybody has to make cuts but I

think the councils can make a lot more. We are over regulated in our

business and there are too lany people telling us what to do and how

to do it and nobody seems to be getting their sums right in a lot of

places. I have the sea to sda in one hand and providers on anothdr and

the City Council another and all of these people are coming in `nd they

look at the regulations over and over again. A lot of cuts c`n be

made there and then the mondy can go forward. There are other thhngs they

can do which is helping the care home people themselves. There was a

tremendous amount of expendhture being lost, such as winter fuel

payments. My bills have gond up and most of my residents get winter fuel

payments but none of it comds into the care sector. It is good to talk

to you. Thank you for joining us this evening.

Questions remain over whether the military's newest jet

will make it to the Farnborough Air Show next wdek.

The F35 is due to take centre stage at the week long event.

But last week the US grounded all it's versions of

The jet is unlikely to make it to the RAF Fairford

But the MOD says it is hopeful it will still appear at Farnborough.

Two cathedrals in the south have been awarded money to help with

repairs. Salisbury and Chichester have been included in more than ?5

million worth of grants announced today from the government as a part

of the First World War centdnary Cathedral repair fund.

At Salisbury Cathedral they are counting their blessings after

getting the second largest grant of the 22 awarded two cathedrals in

England. The ?485,000 will fund external repairs and conservation

work. It is from a special fund from the government recognising the

importance of cathedrals in helping to commemorate the centenarx of the

First World War. We pushed out of the door just under ?5 millhon of

our fund two cathedrals all over the country and people all over the

country will recognise Salisbury Cathedral, immortalised by the

painting of John Constable `nd it is just an iconic building. Thhs money

is needed because buildings like this cost an absolute fortune to

maintain and repair. There hs good news as well for Chichester

Cathedral which has been aw`rded ?140,000 for an urgent repahrs to a

special chapel there, furnished as a memorial to Sussex man who lost

their lives at sea in wartile. Fixing the leaking roof is ` big

undertaking from one of a ddclining number of cathedrals with a free

entry policy. It is a chapel to do with water and ironically the water

is coming in from the top and we would like to keep the sailors

chapel drive. It was opened by the Queen so it is a particularly

special part of the cathedr`l. The rest of our roof is coming to the

end of the working life so ht is a big project for the future but we

are grateful to have the money now so we can get going on the work as

soon as possible. In the sport I have missed ht make

next to me here and the Germany/Brazil match, this lan was

telling me that Brazil had to watch out for Germany.

It was only a two horse racd. A lot of people predicted that Germany

would win. During this World Cup we also heard the story of a m`n who

went to school in Southampton played football in the area and took

football to Brazil. It was ` well told story so I thought I would tell

you a different one that is not so widely known tonight.

The referee for Sunday's World Cup final is yet to be announced,

Englishman Howard Webb is in contention.

If selected he'll be followhng in the footsteps of George Reader,

who refereed the last match of the 1950 finals.

And as I've been finding out Reader played a big part in Southalpton

It is the one medal in the Southhampton trophy cabinet that

does not belong to a player. In 1950 George Reader, a future chahrman of

the club, refereed one of the biggest matches in football history.

George Reader was the man in Black in front of 200,000 fans as Brazil

faced Uruguay. He was a forler player and he was there due to a

conversation with a friend to years before. When Saints toured Brazil

and outstanding director told George to come out of prison and t`lk to

the referees out there and `ct as a consultant. He went out with the

team in 1948 was introduced to the local referees who were so hmpressed

with him that he asked them to referee the Games that Saints were

playing. He impressed the locals so much that he was asked to stay and

become a referee. He did not stay, he came back to his job as ` teacher

at a school in Southampton. He already had a reputation as a man

enforcing the rules of the game in the area. We just knew that we had a

proper referee and that we were always told when he was refdreeing

our Games by our sports master and we had to be on our best behaviour.

He was just a referee and hd seemed to love the game as much as we did.

We seemed to be enjoying evdry minute of it with the boys `nd

refereeing a football game. In 950 George Reader returns to officiate

at the finals and the last latch was until this week rated as thd worst

moment for Brazil in football, as they lost to Uruguay. 11 minutes

from the end Uruguay found ` gap at the near post and it was Br`zil one,

Uruguay two. Uruguay were shgnals to be champions for the second time.

They were not expected to lose to resurrect `` Uruguay. It was a shock

throughout South America but George controlled it very well. He went on

to become the chairman of S`ints until his death in 1978. I was so

proud when he became the ch`irman of the club because I knew he refereed

our Games and I remembered him as a cheerful character who did seem to

love football. George Reader was next to the Queen for the 1876 cup

final which was a shock as Southampton beat Manchester United.

George Reader, man for the big occasions.

A lovely story and links th`t Southhampton have with football in

Brazil and World Cups in Br`zil and it all finishes with the final on

Sunday night life here on BBC1. And share have signed Nathan

Middleton. Meanwhile Hampshhre drew with Gloucestershire in the latest

County Championship match. The Tour de France came to this side

of the Channel at the weekend. Yorkshire hosting the start and

on our Facebook page the Totr's visit to the south is part

of our Throwback Thursday. 20 years ago this week

the tour was in Brighton before moving along the coast to

Portsmouth and South Today followed the peloton as it weaved its way

across the region, Stage 5, in fact, Wouldn't we love to see it back

again? England confirmed its line tp for

the rugby sevens at the Comlonwealth On tomorrow night's programle we'll

meet the group aiming for glory Among those selected

from our region, Phil Burgess and Christian Lewis Pratt, who

we'll hear from on tomorrow night. We look forward to that. Just on

that Tour de France, it is worth watching because there is a very

young Steve Humphrey on that. He looks great! Sarah is here tonight

and we have the weather for the next coming days and the weekend.

Most people today have had ` pretty good day but there is a excdption to

the rule. Many

of us enjoying sunny skies today, Branksome Beach looking

very enticing. This is Florence the Tortoise

basking in the sunshine in Thanks to Olly Staines

for that lovely shot. But cloudier skies for Maurden Coles

who took this photo of a whdat field We have generally had a beattiful

day with lovely and sunny spells but the exception is the eastern fringes

of the region where there w`s a bit more clout and that is the picture

for the coming hours as well. Overnight we see the cloud

increasing. The satellite phcture from earlier today with the eastern

part of the country having cloud attached to it and seeing hdavy

downpours in the south`east corner of the eastern side of the country.

The fringes of it avoiding ts for the time being but we have ` yellow

weather warning in place for the far east of our region for that wet

weather overnight tonight. Luch of the region stays dry with clear

spells and temperatures of 04 or 15 degrees. West is best for brightness

tomorrow morning with decent sunny skies. Further eastern grey start.

The cloud will lap over our region as we go through the afternoon. We

could see brighter intervals and the odd shower as well with temperatures

up to around 22 degrees. Through the course of tomorrow night generally

cloudy affair and it looks like much of the wet weather will easd away

and become quieter through the early hours and temperatures will get into

the mid`teens. Looking ahead to the weekend it is a humid start and the

story of sunshine and showers with wet weather overnight Saturday into

Sunday but the coming presstre as we reached the tail end of the weekend.

Through Saturday not blue skies wall`to`wall but we will sed bright

and sunny intervals and the odd shower crops up through Sattrday

evening in particular. 22 or 23 degrees. Saturday night into Sunday

we see this front coming in and it brings fresh conditions to Sunday.

We have some events to look forward to this weekend and it looks largely

dry and fine for the Lymington arts festival which runs until S`turday

with a number of concerts and arts and crafts competitions as well If

you are taking part in the loonlight stroll in Oxford it will be warm on

Saturday night. Here is your summary for the coming days. Shari `nd

pressure to end the weekend. Thank you. This is something you may

not have heard of. We are going to have an exclusive first look at the

plans for a dinosaur tourist attraction in Dorset. David

Attenborough has backed it `nd that is tomorrow night. Join us hf you

can. Good night. with some new adventures to share

with YOUR little ones. Please, double please.

We're going to Dad's office today. These look really yummy.

I'm so excited about going to school.