22/12/2011 Spotlight

The fight over a new incinerator for Plymouth is decided - the plans

get the go ahead. Good evening and welcome to Spotlight. The news came

in late this afternoon following a debate which began first thing this

morning. We'll have all the reaction. Also tonight: Truro pays

tribute. The family of a soldier who died after he was injured in

Afghanistan are supported by a whole city. He was always laughing.

A really nice boy. Too hot to handle - the Government is accused

of panicking in its cut to subsidies in the solar rush. Losing

out in Looe - businesses say closing a road will leave them out

of pocket, but builders promise to work around the clock. And as a

baby they didn't think she'd live beyond a day, but today Hilda

celebrates 101 years. Months of protest came to a head in hours of

debate today as councillors in Plymouth met to decide whether to

agree to a new incinerator being built. The list of concerns was

long, but the project will now go ahead. Reacting to the news tonight

campaigners said it was disappointing. But the local

authority said it was the right decision. In a moment we'll be

speaking to the company behind the plans. First Spotlight's Scott

Bingham reports. Stuart's home is just 60 metres from the site where

the waste to energy plant will be built. He was one of many left

disappointed by today's decision. Well apart from boarding up the

windows and bars with sound- reducing panels, I can't see any

way of reducing the impact. We have already experienced noise from test

drillings. That has made residents evacuate their houses. I sigh no

choice, I won't be able to stay. well as noise and traffic some

locals are concerned about the potential health risk of emissions.

They also feel they haven't been given a fair hearing. All I'm

trying to do is fight for clean air for a safe place for my two

children and myself. Call me what you will, but the fact they

couldn't respond in that chamber today I think was a very bad

judgment. We think there is a problem. The protesters were out

early and they packed into the public gallery for the meeting. The

meeting became heated on a number of occasions, at one point a public

speaker was threatened with ejection after deliberately

exceeding his five minutes speaking time. The chairman was forced to

call the public gallery to order several types. It took planners

five hours to approve the application. It was clear that a

building of this size, of this design, so close to local residents

was unacceptable. It is the only decision for the people of Plymouth.

There is nowhere else to go with refuse now. We have to built an

incinerator somewhere. It had to go somewhere and it is going in Nair

area. The approval comes with �16 million worth of conditions,

including money for schools and a community trust. 3 hundred jobs

will be create -- 300 jobs will be created during construction. But

protesters feel that is little compensation for the cost to their

lives. One of the concerns is the level of emissions, Paul Carey is

the managing director of company that runs the plant. Can you

guarantee there will be no risk to people's health. It is clearly an

emotive point. Our application inclued a detailed record of the

impact. The planning officers have looked at that, the health

protection have looked at that and come to same condition collusion

that it should be given consent. That is not the same as saying

there is no risk. Nothing is risk- free, you walk across the road you

take a risk, you throw waste in a bin and it goes to landfill. What

we have here is a state of the art design, the best you can get and it

is as low risk as you can get. The impact have been deemed as Cemable,

as not significant. That -- acceptable. That means people

should be rest assured that it won't cause the concerns they have

stated. We understand those concern and want to continue talking with

the community about what we do, how we do it and reassuring them what

will happen is no t what they fear. The protesters say there were 28

incident in three years at your plant in Germany, is that true?

There were some problems a few year ago to do with mercury and we shut

the plant down. That shows how we respond. That was to do with a

particular type of fuel. It is not the same kind of plant as here. And

we took action. These plants are built to high standard and have

extensive control systems. The emissions are monitored every

second and they are always under observation, 24 hours a Kay, -- day,

seven days a week and they will always be kept under clot scrutiny.

Just reassure them, they will be worried about that, how can you

reassure them? We want to carry on talk. For this is the beginning of

a journey of being part of community and we want to be a

significant part and play our role. We want to carry on talking with

people, as we have been doing over the last year or two. That is an

important part after trying to -- of trying to proindividual

reassurance. Thank you. -- provide reassurance. Thank you. Hundreds

gathered to pay tribute today to a Cornish soldier who paid the

ultimate price of his life on a mission aimed at improving the

lives of Afghan people. Sapper Elijah Bond was described as a

soldier who always had a smile on his face and who was an inspiration

to all. Spotlight's Matt Pengelly was at his funeral today in Truro.

The centre of Truro stood silent as the hears carrying sapper Elijah

Bond moved through the city. The 24-year-old had been serving with

35-engineer regiment in Helmand when he was badly injured by a

roadside bomb. He was flown back to the UK, but died two days later.

Today, Elijah Bond's parents, Liz and Mark watched as his brother and

sisters paid their own tributes. will always remember you for your

beautiful big brown eyes, noticeable ears and gorgeous

grinment your personality has tumped not om your family, but

everyone who met you. -- touched not only your family, but everyone

who met you. Now you're free in heavens light up the sky and make

the night spectacular. However hard it is though we will take comfort

in the thought of all the memories we have and the happiness you

brought. You lived life to the full. But our won't be the same until the

day we can see your smiling face again. Elijah Bond was an an

engineering reconnaissance mission, looking at ways to improve the

infrastructure for local Afghan people, when he was wounded.

squadron has been devastated and our thoughts and prayers are with

his family and friend. His millimetrery lives on -- memory

live on. After the service, a firing party paid their last

tribute. Before the cortege moved away to a private family burial.

The Government's plans to cut solar energy subsidies by half from this

month suffered another blow today. Yesterday the High Court ruled that

changing the so-called feed in tariffs before the end of an

official consultation period was legally flawed. Now two influential

committees of MPs have also been severely critical Our Political

Editor Martyn Oates joins us now. The brief hisry of the fees in

tariff has been a roller coster. Yes it started before Labour lost

power. The coalition came in and confirmed they would go ahead with

the scheme. In Cornwall we had Cornwall council predicting a solar

power gold rush. Then the Government said the scheme was

becoming unaffordable and the Government's cutback in a big way

the subsidies to bigger solar installation and wants to do the

with -- same with staller installations. Two committee said

the Government was right to do that, but they were critical of way in

which ministers have gone about the process. They say that could put

jobs at risk. Well, the department could have realised back in the

summer that actually so many people were taking up these incentives the

position could not be sustained. If they had started a consultation

process back in July, they could have conducted the whole thing in

an orderly manner and not damage the industry and penalise people.

What will happen now? Government seem determined to stick

to its guns. It doesn't have to listen to select committees, the

legal judgment is different, there noise option of ignoring it. The

Government wants an appeal heard as soon as possible. If it can't get

the judgment overturned it seems likely this cut off for the higher

rate of payments will have to be extended. Thank you. If you're

driving a float in a carnival or cutting grass for the local

community, should you be allowed to fill up your tank with cheaper red

diesel? Well BBC Spotlight has found there may be an answer after

some have got caught out by the law. The Treasury is hoping common sense

will prevail. Hamish Marshall assess whether it will. It is a

spectacular sight, bring communities together and raising

money for charities. But fears over prosecution led some carnival

committees to make changes this year, for fear of breaking the law.

Last summer John was prosecuted for mowing the local football pitch in

Devon. His crime was to use his tractor filled with red diesel,

which has a lower rated of tax than normal diesel. The Treasury has

said its telling revenue ooh customs to adopt a common-sense

approach with community events. But the details haven't been released

and until they are, those who have been campaigning remain wary.

course it is ease y toy discern what is being -- easy to discern

what is being done unpaid for the community and what is a business

enterprise. The latter would be wrong. The former must be permitted.

As well as tractors that keep the roads clear during winter, the

carnival seen could benefit. Many use normal diesel. At the moment,

no one knows where they stand. There are several clubs have been

on white diesel and it has cost them a fortune for no reason.

Whether that that clarity comes will only be known when the

guidelines are publisheded - published. On the eve of Plymouth

City Airport closing for good, an MP is making a last attempt to save

the runway. The final passenger flight took off in the summer. The

Labour MP for Plymouth Moor View, Alison Seabeck, says she's written

to the Department for Transport calling on ministers to subsidise

regional air services. Police in Dorset say the number of people

caught drink driving in December has risen. They arrested 90 people

in the first three weeks of the month, compared with 50 in the same

period last year. Repairing the collapsed river wall in Bridgwater

is now expected to take until the end of next summer. The work will

begin in the New Year and will cost �1.5 million. The wall fell down in

November. Residents in the Cornish town of Looe are furious about

plans to close one of the main roads into the town. They say the

closure next month will cause huge disruption and put businesses at

risk. The developers say they'll do the job as fast as they can.

Spotlight's Janine Jansen reports. This is the B 235 to Looe. The

developer is building an estate of around 180 new houses. The work's

already causing congestion, but in January, the road will be closed so

a new sewer can be laid. The work will take weeks, locals are unhappy,

they're planning new routes and a fight back. This road clesure will

cost this business �3,000 each day. We're one of 300 businesses. So the

impact on Looe will be huge. South West Water and Barratt Homes say

they will do their best to minimise disruption and the developers have

promised to work around-the-clock. But locals are still unhappy about

problems for the emergency service. If there is a problem on one side

of town, the fire service will not be able to get to the other side of

the town in the time they need to for aen emergency. So where it

might be four minutes to get across town f they have to take the

alternative route, we're looking at 15 or 20 minutes. Cornwall's fire

and rescue service say they will work with the contractors and

making a specific effort to push a fire safety message. Safety is the

top of our agenda and we will make sure you get a fire appliance as

soon as possible and we will be in the area pushing fire prevention

messages. The road will close on 4th January. People are worried it

will be a far from happy new year. The troubled economic waters are

lasting longer than many expected so what if you swam against the

tide in 2008 and opened up shop? This week we're returning to three

small businesses we've been following since 2008; a restaurant,

a garage conversion firm, and a B&B. Today it's the turn of The Green

Door restaurant at Woodbury, near Exeter. It's now decided to go from

pile high, sell it cheap to expensive and exclusive and is now

turning a profit. Our business correspondent Neil Gallacher

reports. If any of our three businesses has had a battle, it

appears to be Mark's restaurant. have been open for lunch for about

a month and we have done about 20 lunches. That is terrible really.

Hopefully we will take enough to pay the bills and pay the rent. I

think I have spent some money that we're going to earn in Christmas

already. So 2011 ends and Mark is not only in business still, but has

done well. He has arrived a t a decision that may sound perverse.

We have cut the number of customer, make the restaurant smaller, but

make the food better. So we're doing less customer, but better

food, which you can charge more for and so in the long rung you,

hopefully you make more. You have tot try this and if you don't try

that, you try something else. I have done the cheap three courses

for �10. But your busy and can fill the restaurant, but you don't make

any money. After three years of hard work, how does Mark feel about

the fact that we could be slipping to another recession? I don't we

have come out of recession have we? I don't know. Business is normal?

Yes I don't know, you have to just keep the food good. Some people

have got money! So the Green Door still open. Now, to the final BBC

South West sports award of 2011. Tonight, it's the turn of the

Sportsman of the Year accolade. Spotlight's Dave Gibbins has been

to the Midlands to present the trophy to someone who's been making

something of a splash! We're here at the where the top swimmers train

and also our own top twimer from Exeter, Liam lan cock. He made a

big splash this year by retain your 50 metre world backstroke title in

Shanghai. Although you were disappointing in the 100 metre, you

won gold earlier in the British Championships. So I have no

hesitation for the second year running in announcing Liam

Hancock's the BBC South West's sportsman of the year for 20 lever.

Well done. It is a pleasure. It has been a great year. I have retained

my bitele -- my title and that hadn't been done for 36 years. To

retain it two years on the trot is amazing. Thank you and I'm looking

forward to coming back to the South West. 2012 is the big year for you,

to complete your set you need a medal in the Olympics, prefer Blay

gold. Do you feel as though --ibly plefribly a cold. -- prefer Blay

gold. I train hard and for me it is about doing the hard work so when I

get to next summer, hopefully I qualify at the trials in March and

let's see what happens. I have a feeling I might be here again this

time next year and you have won yourself a medal in the Olympics.

We hope so, well done. Thank you. A patient from the South West has had

a pen removed from her stomach 25 years after she swallowed it. The

woman, who's not been named, was using the pen to check her tonsils

in 1986. When she reported the accident at the time, nothing

showed up on the x-rays and her GP and husband didn't believe her.

Doctors at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital took it out after

she complained of weight loss and diarrhoea. You know what?

Apparently it still works! I mazing - it must have been the write time!

Celebrating your 101st birthday is something of an achievement, but

Hilda Marchant was never expected to live beyond a day. On 22nd

December 1910, her parents were told she probably wouldn't survive.

More than a century later she's still proving everyone wrong.

Spotlight's John Henderson joined the party in Dawlish. I'm Caitlyn

and I'm seven and I'm here to celebrate my big gran's 101st birth

Tay day. David it is a good thing to be here. I'm Charlotte a great

grand daughter and this is my son. He is a great, great grandson.

Hello I'm a great, great grandson. This is the birthday girl giving

only a day to live after being born two months premature in 1910.

doctor said I wouldn't live out the day and told my mother to get the

vicar to get me Chris tened and so I could die properly. I'm still

here. I'd like to see that doctor today. I'd tell him to where to go

to. Hilda has lived in Devon through two World Wars, countless

Prime Ministers and many changes. She's been through a lot. He has

had three or four major cancer operations and she fell coming home

from choir practice when she was 925 broke her arm, which is still

wrobg broken. She has to wear a plaster on it. Her family

celebrated with lunch in Dawlish. Top of the table was hill ta. -

Hilda. I don't know what it look like, but she has stuck it on me

head. You haven't had a kis then? No. -- kiss then. Ore thank you.

oh thank you. Many happy returns. Now time for the weather. It -- I

it cold and Christmassy. Well grey it cold and Christmassy. Well grey

and mild is the weather. A brief frost on Saturday morning and then

mild and a lot of cloud and Christmas day and Boxing Day. This

stripe of cloud is coming towards us tomorrow. It will bring some

rain, not tonight, just some drizzle. That will move in and by

lunchtime it is across most of the South West. Some heavier bursts of

rain and then a change of direction and north-west winds will bring

colder air and the risk of a frost. On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day

we have the mild temperatures of double figures. Earlier we had some

brightness, but it has been very mild. That is the case at Rose Moor

Gardens where our camera woman went to see what is happening here. We

have a few flowers out that shouldn't be out at this time of

year. That is a Snowdrop, which shouldn't be out until February. So

many of the flowers have been fooled into thinking they should be

starting to flower. There will with be a brief frost tomorrow. But not

tonight. Mild and damp. After a light drizzle, more rain turns up

by the end of the night sm Particularly in the west. Breezy

too and temperatures no lower than eight or nine degrees. Tomorrow we

have some rain coming in. Wit bill heavy for a while and it moves --

it will be heavy for a while and it moves away. A a clearance does

happen in Devon and Cornwall. Slightly colder air following

behind. After a strong south-west breeze, the winds become north-

westerly, remaining strong and by early evening the temperatures are

back down to eight or nine degrees. For the Isles of Scilly the rain

will clear and there will be some showers, but some fine weather and

better in term of seeing sunny spells. Times of high water are on

screen. For surfers, for north and south coast it will be quite choppy.

A change in the coastal waters wind, the winds first thing sou westerly,

force six to seven. Veering north- westerly. Rain then showers,

moderate or poor visibility and the visibility becoming good. I

mentioned we could have frost. This is Christmas Eve morning where

there will be some frost. Especially in east Devon. But

Christmas day we are expecting milder air returning and look at

the temperatures, by Boxing Day up to 12 degrees and quite a bit of

cloud. Have a good evening. Thank you. We're back tomorrow. But

before we go tonight we've had a number of calls and e-mails asking

for the name of the church which has been the setting for the

Christmas Carols we've been ending the programme with all this week.

You may need a pen and paper for this one - it's the Garrison Church

of Saint Katherine The Virgin-Upon- The Hoe. So here with Silent Night

is Plymouth's Military Wives Choir. From us all - goodnight. # Silent

night # Holy night # All is Kwai -- calm # All is bright # Round yon

virgin mother and child # Holy infant so tender and mild # Sleep

in heavenly peace # Sleep in heavenly peace # Silent night #