07/03/2017 South Today

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

In tonight's programme, Deal or no deal?

What happened behind closed doors at Surrey Council comes to light

A series of conversations took place outside tenderness it.

An investigation reveals what 999 call handlers

Tributes to the Hampshire athletic coach

who trained a golden generation of 400-metre runners.

He gave up his time for hundreds of people because he loved to be the

man who could help you become the best that you could be.

And the small space showing new art from talented artists.

BBC South has obtained a secret recording of Surrey's Conservative

council leader David Hodge describing the negotiations he had

with government ministers prior to calling off the referendum

The Prime Minister has repeatedly denied that Surrey has been given

what Labour calls "a sweetheart deal" to drop plans for a big rise.

But in a meeting with his own councillors, Mr Hodge tells them

he has written assurances and recordings

Our Political Editor Peter Henley has this exclusive report.

Sorry Conservatives were in rebellious mood when they met to

decide their budget last month, threatening to increase council tax

by 15% to cover the rising costs of cuts in government funding. Then

suddenly they found they did not need so much. Leaked text revealed

that council leader David Hodge had been trying to negotiate a deal. The

Prime Minister denied it when she was ambushed with this at Prime

Minister's Questions. How much did the government offer sorry to? What

has been made available to every council, which is the ability to

raise the precept. But BBC South has obtained a recording of the meeting

at which the Surrey council leader tried to assure his councillors that

the government had heard their pleas. First, he calls for secrecy.

He spells out the high-level contacts. A series of conversations

took place with the Secretary of State for local government in his

car outside Number Ten Downing St, looking for assurances and

clarification of how we can stop a referendum. Finally, he talks about

the need to call this a gentleman 's agreement, although he says he has

recordings and something in writing. What I call a gentlemen 's

agreement, if it is not honoured we will have to revisit this in a

year's time. If we do, let me assure year's time. If we do, let me assure

you, you will have to drag me kicking and screaming to call the

referendum next year. He says that if extra cash is not found, the next

year, you will have two drag me kicking and screaming from calling a

referendum on a larger increase. And Peter joins me

in the studio now. So Councillor David Hodge really

can't dodge it this time. He is there, recorded on tape. When

I spoke Aime said I'm not angry with whoever leaked this, I'm a

politician, I take these things in my stride but it would have been

remiss of me not to try to get the best possible deal for Surrey.

Labour have seized on this. They believed the recording proves that

somebody was not telling the truth. What we now know is that David Hodge

is very clear that they deal was done. I have said that his group. We

never that the Chancellor, according to David Hodge, was in on the deal.

We know that there is at least something in writing as a result of

this transcript. In Surrey, Lib Dems are saying that they are most

worried that it seems the budget isn't really settled. The leader of

the council repairs to a referendum next year and a council tax

referendum has been debated in Surrey recently and there was huge

opposition to a council tax referendum and a large increase in

the council tax 15% and I am and horrified that the leader of the

council is still talking about this. We've had a statement from the

Department for Communities and Local Government, who say, this happens

every year, it involves council is making representations to the

government. It has always been a process that they then say there is

no special deal for Surrey County Council and they will not receive

any special funding that would not otherwise be provided. And what has

the Chancellor said tonight? We will see tomorrow if he has got money for

Surrey or not! There are calls for tighter laws

to protect 999 call handlers after a BBC investigation revealed

the extent of abuse Operators are taking a growing

number of calls which are either threatening or contain racist

or sexist abuse. One female call handler

at South Central Ambulance There's nothing allocated yet

because we are very busy. What do you mean there's

nothing allocated yet? Just tell me and I'll

take her to hospital myself Just a normal shift for 999

call taker Josie Wass. The 22-year-old's been doing the job

about a year and says she's

insulted on a daily basis. You just feel like you're the

smallest person in the world for doing your job with this abuse.

The staff in this control room take more than 1,000 999 calls a day

from across Oxfordshire, Hampshire, Berkshire

At the minute, the only person I care about is my daughter... I

understand that it is upsetting... But I am trying to help you.

Figures obtained by the BBC show call takers in England,

Wales and Scotland logged hundreds of abusive calls in three years.

Were they should be a safe environment for anybody. You should

not have to put up with anybody talking to you like that.

Currently abuse is covered under the wider

and the Protection from Harassment Act 1997.

Both carry a maximum penalty of six months.

But the union, Unison, says it's not enough.

It wants harsher sentences to deter offenders

and more requirements on employers to report incidents.

The government need to look at the law surrounding prosecuting people

that have threatened and threats of violence. I don't think the law in

itself is enough. I think they need to go further. It would also send

out a strong message to people that we take ambulance and NHS staff

health and safety seriously, and that we will prosecute.

A Government spokesman said sufficient laws were already

For now, it seems, abusive calls will remain

something Josie has to put up with.

The pilot of a private jet which crashed killing three members

of Osama bin Laden's family was overwhelmed as he approached

a Hampshire airport, and landed too fast and too late.

An inuqest heard how the private jet overshot the runway at Blackbushe

Airport in July 2015, before bursting into flames.

Just minutes after this picture, the bin Laden family jet

Osama bin Laden's stepmother, Rajah, his half sister

and her husband all died in the crash.

Along with the Jordanian pilot who had been flying the family

The pilot of the bin Laden family jet

that day was a last-minute replacement, but he had flown in and

out of Blackbushe before, although he was far more accustomed

to operating out of larger airports than this.

If you take a look up there, you can see that

Blackbushe does have a tower

but it doesn't control aircraft landing and

Instead it simply offers information about the weather and

As a consequence, people who listened to

the radio that they said the jet's pilot sounded stressed, and that he

had to make a few last-minute course alterations to avoid other aircraft

in the sky and, as a consequence, by the time he arrived over the runway

here, he was flying far too high and far too fast.

The disaster that followed could have been averted

right up until the moment of touchdown,

according to accident investigators.

But once the wheels were on the ground

there was no chance the plane could stop in time.

You could see, as he was getting further and further down the runway,

he was descending very, very gradually.

At his speed, the lift produced by the wings just kept

him above the runway without the wheels taxiing.

Eventually, he touched down over halfway, nearly two thirds of

Then I thought, I hope that your brakes are good.

And then he just carried on, went through the

perimeter fence and disappeared from my view.

Fire crews were on their way within seconds,

A worker at the car auction site where the plane came

to rest said that there was debris all over the place.

The jury recorded a narrative verdict that all four on board died

when the aircraft overshot the runway.

A gay couple who were viciously attacked by a gang of men on a train

from Reading say they're now afraid to travel by rail.

It happened on Valentine's Day, with horrified passengers calling police.

Images have been released of the men police want to speak to.

They knocked these two teeth down here and I had a lot of bruising

And Spinek, you had a lot of bruising round the eyes and

Phil and his boyfriend Spinek fell asleep on a

train home after celebrating Valentine's Day in Reading.

They were set upon by a group of men.

One guy just wake me up and said something nasty to us and I just

said, "leave us alone" and then the attack starts.

I think they didn't like me laying on Spinek.

I was laid over him and I think that's what

I've never got in a fight in my life, so to suddenly

Police have now released these images of

four men they want to speak to in connection with the incident.

They got off the train at Ealing Broadway

Police say this was a prolonged attack and

very nasty, which the victim is believed to

They say hate crime of this type will absolutely not be

tolerated and they are appealing for anyone with information

Every moment, I am just a bit scared to go on the evening train.

I try to have a look round and see who's coming.

So many bad things are happening, and why are

people picking on people because of their sexuality?

But I'm glad the police have got those

images now, because it makes people aware what they look like in case

And there are 80 art works on display in this very small space. In

fact, it is so small, they call it the Tight Modern!

There're fears the reopening of Reading's Edwardian swimming

baths as an outside pool could be delayed, because the local

sewer network might not be upgraded in time.

Thames Water insists the sewers will be ready for the opening.

But the man behind the ?3 million project says they've been

Originally built for the ladies of Reading, King's Meadow baths

But after a successful campaign to save them,

Arne Ringmer and his team have been breathing new life into

But the local sewerage system running through the park outside has

a history of flooding and needs to be upgraded, just as the Thames Lido

team wants to transform this into a landscaped park. Pathways, lighting,

benches and that opportunities for the people of red and enjoy this

section of the park. Hopefully it will open up the rest of the park.

And the last thing I want is to have all of that team dug up again by Nu

sewerage installation. So I am begging Thames water to come and

activate this process now. They will have two years to do this process

and they are dragging their feet and dragging their feet, saying next

week, but nothing ever happens. Thames water declined our request

for an interview but said that they would be walking a good distance

away from the Lido. The sewerage network will be prepared in good

time to the planned opening, but can be prepared at short notice, should

be Lido open earlier than land. The park and lido must

be finished and open by September at the very least,

if this historic riverside gem is to star in the very first

Thames Festival to celebrate Onto sport and it's a big

Tuesday night of football Tony is at the Madejski stadium for

Reading's game against Newcastle. But first tonight, Tony,

tributes to a legendary athletics coach and a figure many of us

here at the BBC knew very well, too. A lovely man. Yes, Mike Smith, at

the age of 88, has passed away. He was a broadcaster with BBC local

radio for more than 30 years. I have my own personal memories, I joined

the BBC has a raw 21-year-old and the port me how to be calm in the

fraught world of monthly broadcasting. He presented the

non-league show and commentated on football on local radio for many

years. He will be best remembered as an athletics coach guiding the

careers of some of the greatest sprint athletes Great Britain has

ever seen on track and field, leaving a lasting legacy. Here is

Steve Humphrey. When you are sprinter, 21, 22 is not passed. He

was the athletics coach with the Midas touch. Mike Smith turned

talented runners into Olympic, world and Commonwealth champions. Amongst

them, Roger Black, Chris Akabusi and Iwan Thomas. Everything I have in my

life is because of Mike. All of the good memories I have from athletics,

Mike was by my side. Today, he left flowers in Mike's memory at least

without an athletics track where the master coach prepared is at to

compete on the world stage. Mike was an old teacher. And he was very

strict with his training. And that is exactly what I needed.

First-time... He cheered on Iwan in the 1988 Commonwealth Games from the

BBC studio in Southampton. Come on, you've done it, you've done it! He

said success was based on simple ingredients. They can do repeat runs

and repeat runs and get iron hard bit. It is iron hard fitness, hard

work in the gymnasium and so on. He created an environment where many

talented athletes, not just Olympic athletes but club athletes came

together in the power of the group, and under his guidance, worked

incredibly hard and then ran fast. If I hadn't met Mike Smith I would

not have been a world-class quarter-mile runner. He said, if you

want to run fast, you have got to run fast! And he made me run fast.

For many years, Mike was an important part of the BBC radio

Solent sports team. One of those people who had a real genuine love

of sport. Like all of the freelance staff who are so important to the

programme, he did it for what it meant, not for the money, and he did

it very well. In a statement, Mike Smith's family said that the

88-year-old had "Crossed the finishing line" last Sunday. He

Talent plus hard work is a recipe Talent plus hard work is a recipe

for success. A fine man, Mike Smith. Condolences to his family. I know

that Mike is watching now and he's saying, come on, Husband, get on

with the sport. Tonight, Reading take on the leaders, Newcastle. It

has been a good week for their opponents. 11 games to go now and

the question is can the Royals stay in the hunt for promotion to the

Premier League? Let's bring in our BBC radio Berkshire presenter. This

is a massive one. I am nervous. The players will be nervous. We have the

best on show, championship leaders Newcastle, they have won seven and

drawn three. Reading have won nine of their last 11 matches here on the

right stadium. It is a freebie for me. Lots of Reading families expect

Newcastle to win, W but I don't think like that at all. Jaap Stam is

tempering expectations. This is better than everyone expected

Reading Doody. Everyone knows that he has done a brilliant job.

Overachieving. Leeds, Reading and Huddersfield are overachieving being

in a top six and long may it continue. You have a statistic about

the referee. Andy Davies has refereed Newcastle twice this season

and they won those games 6-0, 4-0. A week ago we mentioned that Brighton

were top of the table and things were looking good. Tonight they are

facing rock bottom Rotherham and they know that they have fallen off

the pace of Newcastle as they try to stay in that second automatic

promotion spot. Chris Hughton is without Shane Duffy who's had foot

surgery. He will miss six weeks. A big game for brighten up in

Yorkshire. The Kassam Stadium hosts a big game

in League One tonight. Oxford United host

the leaders Sheffield United. There's full commentary

on BBC Radio Oxford. Meanwhile Portsmouth are in action

tonight in League Two. Last night the club's

community work was recognised in parliament, with the award

of the Football League's Checkatrade Community Club of the Year

for the south-west region. On the field, matters

are pretty serious now. A trip to Crawley

tonight, and fifth-placed

Pompey need to bounce back after two home games

which produced only a point. We want to do our best and get

promoted. But you bring that type of stuff on yourself. We backed

ourselves and we know that we can keep going. We believe in one other

and you want to show people, but we needed a performance and we are

going to this game that we can get it. These final Tuesdays of the

are super Tuesdays. Lots of are super Tuesdays. Lots of

ramifications for the league tables tonight. We will wrap it all up in

our update at 10:30pm. Reading against Newcastle beer, Brighton on

the road at Rotherham and other important matches in League 1 and

two. If no-one sees your artwork,

are you still an artist? Many people with disabilities

struggle to get recognition Now a pop-up exhibition

the Aspex Gallery in Portsmouth is challenging that with a display

by artists whose work You have heard of the Tate Modern,

this is the Tight Modern. 86 pieces of art is squeezed into the world's

smallest pop-up gallery, or by artists who often go unseen. They

have social issues, disabilities, and perhaps have not had an

opportunity to show their artwork in this way. Lots of people beaver away

and nobody but their family and closest friends get to see the work.

But many artists, in order to flourish, need to put their work out

there in the wider world. It symbolises the way that it had gone

through the city and out onto the motorway and then arriving. This

piece, the 700, chart is a journey from Portsmouth to the arts centre

in Emsworth, a simple trip for some, a huge undertaking for him, as is

having his work on display. I use the art as my therapy to get over my

ME, and it pushes me to produce the work, and being at this exhibition

and into the previews, it just pushes me that little step, it gives

me that carrot to get it. And there's a precedent for work shown

at the Aspex Gallery to reach a wider audience. The Aspex Gallery

has supported local artists for 35 years, some of whom have gone on to

display at the Tate Modern and other galleries. Let's hope at the artists

on display here today can go on to do the same. The pop-up is in place

until next month, opening the door for little-known artists. A lot of

talent there. It is definitely worth a look.

Onto the weather now and Sarah Farmer will be

here with the forecast in just a moment.

The sun was shining earlier today - but it seems a cold front

has descended on Portsmouth this evening.

It has been a glorious day across the south of the day. There's a bit

of a chill in the air at Southsea. There is a special performance

running at the King 's Theatre all week. They are going to have a

specially destructed ice Rink on the stage. An extreme setup for an

extraordinary performance and the producer joins me now, Julian. What

agreement set up. We're excited to be here in Southsea. And it has been

pretty to get the logistics setup. Yes, it has not been the easiest.

One of the biggest headaches is this stage, which is raked, so we had to

get a specialist team to produce a scaffolding platform. It has been an

interesting few days. But we are ready for the opening night tonight.

As well as the practical challenges you are going all out with planes,

with acrobatics. Yes, we will be going to set fire to the ice rink at

some point. We don't want to give too much away. You will have to pop

down to the King 's Theatre to see us, hopefully enjoy the show. It

promises to be a terrific performance. As you raise your

garden tomorrow morning, the curtain will be going up here at half past

seven so you need to be clear. Wow! Is she good or a see good? And

she is here. Not too far to go. Not so much of a frosty forecast for

today. We have some above average temperatures to look forward to in

the coming days. It's going to be a beautiful -- it has been a beautiful

day today with lovely, sunny spells. The cloud beginning to picking

through the afternoon. Then we have rain arriving later on this evening

and tonight. About ten o'clock we will see that band of rain working

its way in from the West. Outbreaks of drizzle, then some heavier pulses

through the course of the night. It will tend to come and go. Not with

us consistently but there will be some downpours through the overnight

period. Temperatures around six Celsius but climbing through the

overnight period, so by dawn, temperatures up towards around 10

Celsius. So are mild, I'll damn, dreary start tomorrow. Looks like we

will have that rain coming and going through the course of the day. And

easing away through the afternoon. The northern part of the region seen

the best of any dry weather. Limited brightness on offer. You might just

catch a glamour to the north of our patch. Temperatures around 12, 13,

so above where they would normally be for this time of year. Tomorrow

night we will see further rainfall for southern parts once more.

Probably not quite as heavy as through the course of the night. But

there will be the odd burst here and there. Overnight we will see

temperatures down to around eight Celsius. Through the course of the

day on Thursday, a quieter day with things settling down. The best of

any brightness to the north of the M4 corridor. A largely dry day but

we could see one or two bits and pieces of drizzle. Here is your

summary for the next few days. Outbreaks of rain through much of

tomorrow. Some good brightness further north, but cloudy for

Thursday. Some drizzle for Friday and showers at the weekend. Thank

you very much, Sarah. Tomorrow, of course, the Budget, and we explore

ancient Rome through a model created by Reading University. Good

I could be a boxing champ, AND build your computer.

I am more than just the beard or the nation's favourite dish.

There's 4 million different ways to understand what British Asian is.

mixed with fish and chips and visions of five rivers,

this is a modern-day collision. That's just how we're living.

I could be a boxing champ, AND build your computer.

We are everything that the past has made us, and we are the future.

We've found a place to call our own. Not one city, not one town.

You know what British Asian looks like -