25/11/2011 Spotlight

Young and jobless - the generation struggling to find work. I am

trying my hardest, but it's really hard to get a job.

Good evening. We'll hear more from those teenagers, as the Government

outlines plans to deal with the growing problem of youth

unemployment. Also tonight: Killed stealing

copper - Keith Greaves was electrocuted in these tunnels under

a former mental hospital. And Scott of the Antarctic - 100

years later, the Plymouth student selected to retrace the expedition.

I felt hugely honoured. That was my main reaction. I realised what a

huge thing I was part of. The Deputy Prime Minister, Nick

Clegg, has announced a one billion pound scheme to tackle youth

unemployment over the next three years. It'll provide incentives to

encourage companies to give work placements or training to 18 to 24-

year-olds. Although youth unemployment is below the national

average across much of the south west, more than 13,000 youngsters

in the region could benefit. Torbay, Cornwall, Plymouth and Somerset are

worst affected, with more than 6% of 18 to 24-year-olds out of work

and claiming benefit. Teenager Bradley is one in a

million. That is one in a million young people who are unemployed.

His friend Gabby is another. Here, they are turning to music for

editor farm, but since leaving school at 16, much of their time

has been spent trying to find a job. Apply for at least eight or nine

jobs a week, easily. I go online and stuff as well. And I go to the

JobCentre and look at the little things in there. So I am trying my

hardest, but it is hard to get a job. Both are so-called no

education, employment or training affected people. Bradley says it is

a catch 22 situation. They moan about young people on the streets

doing nothing and not working and not having money, but then they

don't take us on to earn money and get a job. I don't understand how

they can sit back and criticise us for what we have not and have done

when they will not give us a chance to do what they want us to do.

today the government announced that chances would be made through its

use contract scheme. Firms will be subsidised to provide payment --

placements for a the to to to four- year-old. Industry leaders say

south-west and this -- businesses will benefit. In the long term,

they should have employees who are trained and ready for their future.

We want a skilled workforce for the future. So as an investment for all

firms, it should be taken seriously. The Government says this firm is

being funded with new money, not cash reallocated from elsewhere.

Labour argued that working tax credits were being cut to pay for

it. Fortunes may be about to change for these two. Bradley now hopes to

go back into training at a music college. It is giving him hope for

the future. A coroner has issued a warning to

thieves after a man was electrocuted while stealing copper

cables in Cornwall. An inquest has heard how Keith Greaves died in

tunnels underneath an old hospital in Bodmin.

These are the narrow tunnels that stretched underneath the old St

Lawrence's Hospital site in Bodmin. In this film by the BBC, you can

see the Mars of electricity cables. It is the copper in these cables

that the thieves want. It can fetch a high price on the black market.

Parts of cent Lawrence's Hospital have been refurbished, but Keith

Greaves and a friend had broken into a disused area of the sight

and climbed into the tunnels. Their initial target had been the wires,

but after finding an old copper pan, they decided to cut it up and take

that instead. The inquest heard how the batteries to there, which are

double power tools had run out. Mr Greaves then decided to run an

extension cable from live power cables hanging from a wall. He was

attempting to attach a step on connector when he was electrocuted.

He died at the same, despite his friend's desperate attempts to

resuscitate him. Today Mr Greaves' family heard how the cable he had

been working on supplied the hospital's fire alarm system and

carried 240 volts. The police said copper theft is a growing crime and

that many people are now risking their lives. These pictures show a

man trying to rip copper wiring from a railway track. They say this

latest case in Cornwall demonstrates how dangerous it can

be. If you think about where this happened, in tunnels under the

ground, there are a lot of dangers down there. But even from building

sites, there are a lot of inherent dangers. The deputy coroner said he

hoped those hearing about this death would consider the perils of

this sort of activity. He recorded a verdict of accidental death.

The police officers' union has reacted angrily to news that senior

managers' jobs in the Devon and Cornwall Force are safe, despite a

cut of 700 posts. The Police Federation says it's not fair to

protect the eight most senior roles when so many of its members are

losing their jobs. But the Police Authority has defended its decision,

saying it needs experienced mangers to see the changes through. At this

critical moment, the judgment we have taken is that it would be

right to make reductions in the chief officer crew in time. That is

the right thing to do. But because of the criticality of getting

continuity of leadership through a period of massive change, this

isn't the precise right moment to do it. All our members have made it

clear that they are not happy with it. We are looking for support from

the public. The public will surely understand that this is the

protection of jobs for the boys. The loss of police officers is a

far greater risk to the public of Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of

Scilly. The Exeter-based airline Flybe has

secured $500 million to buy 20 new aircraft. The new jets are

scheduled to join the existing fleet between now and July 2014.

The finance was secured from the Brazilian Export Development Bank.

Motorists on the Isles of Scilly are to get a discount on their fuel

from March as part of a scheme covering drivers living in remote

island communities in the UK. It's a pilot scheme which has now got

final clearance from the European Union. It'll cut the cost of petrol

and diesel by five per pence a litre.

The master of one of the southwest's most prominent hunts

has told the BBC it's the wrong time to have a vote on repealing

the hunting ban, because it would be likely to go against them. Our

Political Editor Martyn Oates is here to tell us more. Martyn, can

you just remind us of where the government stands on this? Before

the election, the Conservatives said they would offer a free vote

on repealing a hunting ban, the only one of the three big parties

to do that. But during the election campaign itself, neither of the

Tories nor the pro-hunting ban seemed keen to discuss that pledge.

But the pledge made it into the coalition agreement, but with no

indication of timescale. The Prime Minister was asked when it might

happen a few weeks ago, but just said it would be brought forward in

due course. But some backbench Conservative MPs have said

privately that they do not want to push for a vote on the ban at the

moment because they have crunched the numbers and they know they

would lose, as one of them put it to me. We haven't got a Tory

government, we have a coalition government. So the vote would be

wrong. But there are some Conservative MPs who are opposed to

hunting. It is something that pro- hunting government MPs at say - the

Government needs to get on with dealing with the economic crisis

before it considers things like hunting. It is difficult to

disagree with that argument on the face of it. But it is worth

remembering that the Government will be offering a straight yes or

No vote on repealing the ban. There will be none of this business of

considering licensed hands, which happened before the ban. So

presumably it would be quite quick. And the government and

parliamentary business is routinely allotted to business which is not

in the first rank of importance. Her there will be a full report on

this on the Politics Show on Sunday. At midday.

The southwest's inshore fishermen have been pioneering a new system

to closely monitor where their boats are working. Mobile phone

technology is being used to provide a cheap, but very precise record of

exactly who is fishing where. That's set to become increasingly

important as more stretches of coastline become Marine Protected

Areas. Fishing is an important part of the

South West landscape, and big business for the region's economy.

But a strict -- as strict conservation measures come into

force affecting smaller boats, fishing closer to shore, a new

mobile phone technology is being introduced to prove that fishermen

are avoiding areas where they are not supposed to fish. He AUC a map

of the day. Mic chairs the south- west Inshore Fishermen's

Association. These green dots represent a minute report. Nick is

a fan of the new technology, which ensures his vessel and even

hundreds of individual crab pods could be closely monitored. He has

go to the area he was supposed to stay out of. You can scale in

within an accuracy of two metres. There is his track. These tags are

central to the system. They do not cost much, and can also be used on

all kinds of pieces of wood: at such as this crackpot. They allow

everyone to know what is going on where. The tags record location and

other information which has been the shore by the mobile network.

And mobile phone technology is cheaper to run and can offer more

detailed and accurate information to those policing the seas. The

system has some advantages over costly satellite tracking. This is

a pilot project. It is where lessons are being learnt. It is

working with the fishing industry and the regulators together, which

has proved useful. Other authorities are looking at this

with a view to possibly rolling it out with in their districts.

Protecting our important marine habitats has been a key campaign

the south-west conservationists. is important that we begin to

rebuild and restore our marine environment for the benefit of all.

If the system can help us manage a network of particular areas which

we hope will be designated sin, it will be a good thing. It is rare to

have agreement about conservation at sea, but most have welcomed this

system. All the sport still ahead in the

programme, including a frank insight into life behind the scenes

during Plymouth Argyle's recent turmoil from two former players.

faith got me through it. That's what I held on to. My wife was

behind me. Got through it that way, you know?

In 1989, Prince Charles had a vision for Britain, and a few years

later it was being turned into bricks and mortar at Poundbury in

Dorset. The estate, which is still growing, will eventually provide

5,000 homes and 2,000 jobs. Today the Duke of Cornwall's been there

to meet staff, volunteers and supporters of the Red Cross as he

officially opened a new care centre. He also went shopping and chatted

to workers in the community's new supermarket and planted a tree to

commemorate the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's wedding. Work to build

homes and business spaces at Poundbury will continue until 2025,

but is the project living up to expectations?

Poundbury looked to the past in architecture, but the future in

concept. Look closely, and you can see a factory, homes, cafes and a

garden centre, or clustered together. Work, live, relax - it is

just a short walk. Sustainability ahead of its time. In comparison to

Poundbury, new towns spring up. But once good ideas can quickly be

superseded. So what if you build over decades? Roger has spent

nearly 50 years planning towns. danger is that when you start off,

you are dealing with something which is right for that time. As

you move through time, life changes. So you have to make sure the town

you are building adapts and changes to those circumstances. Has that

happened in Poundbury's case? jury is still out. But so far, the

signs are good. Doreen and Gary Cooper were some of the first

people to move into Poundbury in the mid- '90s. The notion was that

it would be a pedestrianised development. Actually, the people

who can afford to buy the houses have been newcomers, and they come

with their cars. It is not like being in a street in any other part

of England, because the houses are so different. And we have social

housing. We are not just retired old East. Drawing on scenes of

historic Dorset, you could argue that these buildings will never

date. But what about that master plan? The impressive thing is that

the masterplan has survived the test of time. How? If you relate

buildings and communities to a human scale, which was the mistake

of the latter part of the 20th century, where it was overwhelmed

by technology, tower blocks, jaw carriageways, glass and concrete,

that left behind people. Poundbury, like the Duchy of Cornwall, was

built to last. And there's even -- even as times change, it seems to

have that longevity. The official launch of Dartmoor

National Park as an international dark sky Reserve has taken place

today. It is only the second area to achieve the status. It means the

skies over the moors will be protected from light pollution in

future. Time for the Friday sport now, and

Dave's been catching up with some ex-Plymouth Argyle players who are

now in Aberdeen. Two former Plymouth Argyle

footballers have been talking exclusively to BBC Spotlight about

their unsettling time at Home Park, when the club went into

administration. Kari Arnason and Rory Fallon are now playing at

Aberdeen in the Scottish Premier League. I went up to Pittodrie

Stadium to hear about their woes when they had to forego most of

their wages. Kari Arnason and Rory Fallon - just

two players who suffered while Plymouth Argyle were in

administration. Now plying their trade with Aberdeen, some of their

goals will be fondly remembered by pilgrims fans. Icelander en masse

and was sacked by June, when he refused to agree to the latest wage

deferral. They e-mailed me, saying, you are sacked. To do it in those

terms obviously, it was not the club, but the administrator that

did it. But I was frustrated. I am glad not to be playing in League

Two now. Fallon arrived at Pittodrie Stadium by Yeovil Town

after leaving Argyle at the end of last season. The New Zealand World

Cup striker was also affected by non-payment of his wages whilst at

Home Park. You get to the end of your contract and there is no money

coming in. It is tough. But my faith got me through it. That is

what I held on to. My wife was behind me. We got through it that

way. The pair are now enjoying a new lease of life in the Granite

City, which is thriving due to its revenue from North Sea oil and gas.

There is a lot more money in this city. Not in the football, but in

the City have it is obvious driving around town. Another former Argyle

regular, Chris Clark, is also at Aberdeen, opting to take the high

road as opposed to below one. I am sure he will never meet Plymouth

Argyle again. Certainly not on the bonny banks of Loch Lomond

Torquay United try to make it five straight League wins tonight when

they tackle Port Vale in the Potteries. BBC Radio Devon will be

there. Exeter City and Yeovil Town need to

hit form to help them climb away from the lower reaches of League

One. City look to beat Tranmere Rovers at St James Park, while the

Glovers go for their first win since mid-September at Hartlepool.

Plymouth Argyle manager Carl Fletcher has signed three new

players this week to try and beat Northampton Town at Home Park and

start closing the gap on their relegation rivals.

Exeter Chiefs are out to arrest a four game losing run tonight in

rugby's Premiership when they go to Sale Sharks. Nigel Walrond will be

your commentator on BBC Radio Devon. In the Championship, the Cornish

Pirates visit Doncaster aiming to recover from last weekends defeat

at Bristol. With 20 minutes left, they were leading by sixteen points

but lost 37-33. At Brickfields, Peter Drewett takes charge of

Plymouth Albion for the first time against London Welsh. The former

Chiefs coach replaces Graham Dawe, who was dismissed this week, and

Drewett has set his sights on eventual promotion. I was lucky to

get the job in 2006. That was my ambition. I consider it a privilege

to be here. I am only here to achieve that.

The new point to point season gets underway this weekend. Black Forest

Lodge, near Exeter, hosts seven races on Sunday, starting at eleven

o'clock. Point to point enthusiasts will be looking out for new talent

for this season. Young novice horses take their place in the

first maiden race run over two miles and four furlongs. There are

two divisions, with 19 horses in each.

Don't forget BBC Radio Devon's coverage of Exeter Chiefs and

Torquay United tonight. Alan Richardson is your host from 7.05.

The year is flying by. It did not used to start until January, but

they have brought it forward. Let's hope they have good weather.

A Plymouth University student's won a competition to follow in the

footsteps of Captain Scott to the Antarctic. 21-year-old Henry Evans,

who is studying marine biology, has spent the last year preparing for

the trip. Earlier, he came into the studio and he told me how he felt

when he found out he was going on the expedition. I was shocked. It

was quite an emotional period when I got the e-mail. But then I felt

hugely on it. That was my main reaction. I realised what a huge

thing I was part of. Being selected for it sounds relatively

straightforward, but you had to put in a lot of hard work to get to

that point. Tell us about the training you did. It was an 11

months struggle. It began on HMS rally. That was a stretcher race.

It was a very heavy person on that stretcher. This was me in Norway a

few weeks ago. That is all the deer from our sponsors. This was my

first attempt at cross country skiing. It is very different from

normal skiing. When the snow got thinner, we reverted to backpacks.

A lot of physical training. This is familiar training, pulling a tier

behind you. But what about preparing mentally - how much

preparation have you gone through? Psyche make testing has been part

of the selection. You learn about yourself and you see how events

through your lifetime have affected you. It is quite a tough experience

the certain people. I learnt a lot about myself and how I can be more

positive in situations. The Tuffers bid is that you will spend a lot of

time by yourself, trekking. So you have to find a lot of ways to

overcome that boredom and appreciate the environment you are

in. You will have the latest and Brad -- technology and equipment to

help you. We have footage of the original Scott expedition. We can

see how primitive it was, compared to what you will experience. What

do you make of it when you see these pictures? It is an even

bigger achievement. That was 100 years ago in a polar environment.

Even today, we find it tough to survive in these environments. What

they must have gone through was the standing. It makes me more keen to

experience it myself. You are training to be a scientist yourself.

What do you hope to gain? I plan to carry on some of the science that

captain Scott and his men achieved. I am studying marine biology, so if

I can bring a climate change aspect of the expedition, I have learnt

some facts such as that they brought back 2000 specimens. And

400 of them were new species. If I could discover any new species or

in any way contribute, it would be quite an achievement. It is still

12 months off. What do you do between now and then? The plan is

to build on my polar training. There is another trip to Norway

next year to build on what I have learnt. I will be doing more tier

pulling in dart off. I am not looking forward to that! It is to

build up the upper body strength. And just try and improve my

confidence. Good luck with the preparations.

Time for the weather forecast now. It is still warm. When will it feel

like November? It is still relatively mild. There will be some

frost this weekend, so that might make it feel more like a member.

But nothing compared to last year. We remain relatively mild. Both

days of the weekend are mainly dry, Saturday and Sunday. Quite breezy,

with the possibility of patchy rain overnight on Saturday night into

Sunday, but gone by the time most of us are up and about. Several

areas of low pressure have been steaming towards the north-west of

Scotland from the Atlantic. But we still have a high ridge of pressure

of extending from northern Spain across the south of Britain. That

is still there tomorrow. By the time we get to lunchtime on Sunday,

the high pressure has established itself back in after a weak cold

front will cross us overnight on Saturday night into Sunday. We have

had some clear skies today. We have also had a few showers turning up.

Earlier today, our cameraman was flying with 771 Squadron, the

search and rescue squadron, getting a good view of the Cornish

countryside and the coastline, with some fine weather here. He also

went closer to home in Plymouth. We had some blue sky. There has been a

breeze from the north-west debate which has fed in some cloud, but

for much of the day, we have had hazy sunshine. It has now clouded

over. The winds were a north- westerly today, meaning it has been

choppy through the Tamar estuary. Tonight there will be a few holes

in that cloud. Just a few light showers, which will move away

overnight. By the morning, a lot of blue sky reappears. As a result,

quite chilly tonight. Just about cold enough for a frost on the

ground first thing tomorrow morning. Tomorrow is a reasonable day, with

some sunshine. It may cloud over in the afternoon and into the evening,

but for most of us, some sunny spells, patchy cloud. A dry day for

all of us, and the temperatures should climb back up to 14 degrees,

again above-average for November. But quite a brisk breeze developing.

It will become a strong, possibly even reaching gale force for a time.

But most of the time, it will be a The surface this week has been good

for most of our beaches. The north coast will be on the choppy side.

But the beaches which are sheltered from the breeze should have could a

surfing conditions. The wind will increase through the day. The

forecast for Sunday - a bright and dry. A lot of sunshine to start the

day. It should be dry after the overnight rain has cleared. Perhaps

a brief frost on Monday morning, then clouding over with the risk of

rain later. The wet they will probably be Tuesday.

The top stories: Clegg plans to tackle youth

unemployment, but will it help the 13,000 thousand young people in the

southwest without a job? And an inquest hears how a man was

electrocuted trying to steal copper from these tunnels in Bodmin.