:00:11. > :00:11.A grotesque distortion of the facts. is all from us.
:00:12. > :00:14.Judge William Taylor denies sexual harassment claims as he quits
:00:15. > :00:21.Good evening, Judge Taylor had stepped aside during an
:00:22. > :00:24.investigation into the allegations but tonight, in a dramatic love
:00:25. > :00:31.South West hospitals have some of the highest rates
:00:32. > :00:37.We'll hear from frustrated patients who've repeatedly had
:00:38. > :00:47.Do you know how much you're smoking harms me?
:00:48. > :00:50.The school children encouraging people not to smoke at a
:00:51. > :00:53.And full speed ahead on the high seas.
:00:54. > :00:59.A special regatta for youngsters in Plymouth.
:01:00. > :01:01.The retired judge at the top of Plymouth University has
:01:02. > :01:03.resigned, describing sexual harassment allegations against him
:01:04. > :01:09.as either wholly untrue or ` grotesque distortion of the facts.
:01:10. > :01:11.Judge William Taylor says hd will step down as chairman
:01:12. > :01:16.of governors because media coverage of the claims against him are
:01:17. > :01:19.a potential distraction frol the investigation into the condtct of
:01:20. > :01:30.Our business correspondent Neil Gallacher reports.
:01:31. > :01:37.Until this afternoon, Judge Willie Taylor has held the position of
:01:38. > :01:41.chairman of governors at Plxmouth University. He is the man at the top
:01:42. > :01:45.of a self`governing institution that is also a cornerstone for the
:01:46. > :01:50.city's economy. The first concerns emerged in June, with rumours at the
:01:51. > :01:54.board was preparing to suspdnd its chief executive, Professor Wendy
:01:55. > :01:57.Purcell. She was suspended with a brief announcement that there would
:01:58. > :02:03.be a review of her position. If special committee has been set up to
:02:04. > :02:11.conduct that. No reason for this has ever been made public. In Atgust
:02:12. > :02:15.came the second announcement. It ever `` it came out that he had been
:02:16. > :02:20.accused of harassing a numbdr of staff and representatives. That was
:02:21. > :02:23.made by Wendy Purcell's lawxers It statement from Judge Taylor said the
:02:24. > :03:02.allegations are either haul or untrue
:03:03. > :03:09.one local MP gave this reaction I would like to pay a very big tribute
:03:10. > :03:13.to him for all of his hard work and effort which he has put in over the
:03:14. > :03:18.years. I am saddened that this has happened. It would be helpftl if the
:03:19. > :03:24.allegations were dropped, bdcause I think the university needs to move
:03:25. > :03:28.on. We need to make sure th`t we have some real consistency hn
:03:29. > :03:34.getting these messages about how to move on. Plymouth is a glob`l centre
:03:35. > :03:44.for arrears sides and research. We are an important player `` Forum
:03:45. > :03:46.arena science. A barrister brought in by the University is still
:03:47. > :03:47.investigating the allegations. How much do we know about the
:03:48. > :03:54.allegations against Judge T`ylor? Professor Wendy Purcell, thd
:03:55. > :03:56.university's chief executivd, made allegations of sexual harassment
:03:57. > :03:59.on behalf of a number of wolen shortly after she was effectively
:04:00. > :04:01.suspended from her job in Jtne. As chairman of governors, Whlliam
:04:02. > :04:04.Taylor was involved in the decision to suspend her, and he strongly
:04:05. > :04:07.denied the allegations at the time. The university appointed
:04:08. > :04:10.a barrister to investigate. Do we know the outcome
:04:11. > :04:12.of that investigation? But I've spoken to staff
:04:13. > :04:18.and student representatives at the university who have lade
:04:19. > :04:21.complaints about William Taxlor They've described lewd jokes,
:04:22. > :04:24.which they say made them uncomfortable, and incidents
:04:25. > :04:27.of hand`holding and kissing Judge Taylor says he won't comment
:04:28. > :04:37.on those claims until the university's investigation
:04:38. > :04:40.is completed, but he has sahd they He's gone further today,
:04:41. > :04:46.describing the allegations as either wholly untrue or `
:04:47. > :04:49.grotesque distortion of the facts. How much has this damaged
:04:50. > :04:54.the university? Local MPs and business leaddrs say
:04:55. > :05:00.they're very concerned about that. And the university watchdog HEFCE
:05:01. > :05:03.has called for a review Of course, today's announcelent
:05:04. > :05:10.doesn't settle matters as f`r as Wendy Purcell is concerned, although
:05:11. > :05:13.the university said today that the investigation into her conduct
:05:14. > :05:19.was now at an advanced stagd. The BBC has uncovered more dvidence
:05:20. > :06:09.of routine operations being hospital because she will nded three
:06:10. > :06:13.months rest afterwards. She has been waiting since their break for
:06:14. > :06:18.surgery, but states have ch`nged five times. `` waiting sincd
:06:19. > :06:22.February. It has been one thing after another. Emotionally, I am at
:06:23. > :07:46.breaking point. I work operation the go`ahead. The NHS has
:07:47. > :07:51.apologised but says it must prioritise patients
:07:52. > :07:53.Having an operation cancelldd, especially more than once,
:07:54. > :07:56.is clearly a distressing experience, but it appears to be an
:07:57. > :08:07.It is the perfect storm. Increased demand, limited bed space, `nd
:08:08. > :08:11.tighter NHS budgets. We are all living longer so we need more care
:08:12. > :08:15.and treatment. Patients in hospitals tend to be sicker than they used to
:08:16. > :08:18.be with more convex health problems. People are likely to be spending
:08:19. > :08:22.longer a hospital and are blocking a bed that someone else needs. This
:08:23. > :08:29.year we have seen in all hospitals very high numbers of patients, but
:08:30. > :08:33.after years of flat incomes from Beatles, we see unprecedentdd
:08:34. > :08:36.financial pressure. Even thd top hospitals have multi`million pound
:08:37. > :08:44.deficits. That means we will see more cancelled operations and more
:08:45. > :08:48.waiting lists for routine strgery. It hasn't made much of a de`d in the
:08:49. > :08:53.waiting lists. The emphasis in the health service is on seeing more
:08:54. > :08:55.people at home, look after lore people at home and preventing
:08:56. > :09:00.illness and stop people endhng up in hospital in the first place. The
:09:01. > :09:03.trouble is, with local councils are also struggling financial it is
:09:04. > :09:06.harder to find support for those people to keep them well at home.
:09:07. > :09:08.A woman's died after falling from cliffs in Newquay.
:09:09. > :09:10.Coastguards and the police were called to an
:09:11. > :09:12.area between Porth and Whipsiderry yesterday after an unconscious woman
:09:13. > :09:20.The woman, in her 80s, was taken to hospital where she later died.
:09:21. > :09:23.Devon County Council has announced a u`turn over controversial plans to
:09:24. > :09:29.The authority wanted to savd ?1 5 million by making the changds, but
:09:30. > :09:32.following pressure from campaigners it's come up with the idea
:09:33. > :09:35.of a trial involving 10 comlunities working with professionals to run
:09:36. > :09:42.The buildings and staff in those areas would become part
:09:43. > :09:55.of new trusts and be separate from the council.
:09:56. > :10:02.Gordon Oliver has sacked his deputy and several other councillors. It
:10:03. > :10:04.has happened since he faced a rebellion in his old party 's ranks
:10:05. > :10:09.of Tory colleagues voting against him on several issues. Mr Oliver has
:10:10. > :10:14.yet to comment. Dorset police say a trial to use
:10:15. > :10:16.security guards to protect crime scenes has been so successftl
:10:17. > :10:19.that it's being made permandnt. The force says officers now have
:10:20. > :10:22.hundreds of extra hours to spend The pilot scheme ran
:10:23. > :10:24.for four months. Avon and Somerset police also have
:10:25. > :10:30.a similar system. The effects
:10:31. > :10:33.of flooding still being felt in one The call
:10:34. > :10:41.for all secondary school chhldren to And a record`breaking Septelber The
:10:42. > :10:56.driest since records began. Severe flooding in Braunton in
:10:57. > :10:59.North Devon nearly two years ago is Many businesses say they're either
:11:00. > :11:03.being refused insurance completely, or being offered premiums or
:11:04. > :11:04.excesses A campaign's now been launched
:11:05. > :11:10.to try to get fairer treatmdnt. Spotlight's North Devon reporter,
:11:11. > :11:12.Andrea Ormsby, has the storx. This was Broughton nearly
:11:13. > :11:19.2`years`ago, The water may have gone,
:11:20. > :11:27.but many of the problems relain Where did the water get up to
:11:28. > :11:29.in the 2012 floods? Today, many of the businessds
:11:30. > :11:32.here are not insured. They are either turned
:11:33. > :11:35.down point`blank or offered excesses They have said that
:11:36. > :11:45.at best they might revisit le in four or five years time,
:11:46. > :11:48.but I know what the answer will be. If I am flooded again
:11:49. > :11:55.will I have to move on? There have been
:11:56. > :12:02.so many places affected. Is there anywhere
:12:03. > :12:07.for me to go anyway? Both the insurance companies that we
:12:08. > :12:10.have dealt with Obviously, it is very difficult
:12:11. > :12:15.for them and they must take risks We might not get another flood
:12:16. > :12:20.for 100 years, but it is appalling, Now a campaign has been launched
:12:21. > :12:26.to try and get further treatment. The problem will get worse next year
:12:27. > :12:33.because an agreement currently exists between the Government
:12:34. > :12:36.and the insurance industry At the moment
:12:37. > :12:41.the industry is obliged to offer businesses flood cover, but that
:12:42. > :12:48.obligation will end in 2015. I think we're probably going to
:12:49. > :12:52.face a situation where most organisations are not able to get
:12:53. > :12:56.any flood insurance at any cost In a statement today, the British
:12:57. > :13:01.Insurance Brokers Association says it will do all it can to help small
:13:02. > :13:06.businesses get flood insurance. It is asking its members to try
:13:07. > :13:09.and find suitable insurance markets Messages recorded
:13:10. > :13:19.by local schoolchildren encouraging people not to smoke are now being
:13:20. > :13:22.played out through a loudspdaker at The trial has started outside the
:13:23. > :13:28.main entrance of the maternhty unit, where it says people are sthll
:13:29. > :13:46.lighting up even though the whole The maternity unit. The signs
:13:47. > :13:54.couldn't be more obvious. Ydt, people still light up. In this case,
:13:55. > :14:05.an expectant father. You smoke everyday? Yes. Do you know how much
:14:06. > :14:08.your smoking harms me? So now the hospital is using children's voices
:14:09. > :14:14.piped over a PA system in an attempt to change the offenders. We do have
:14:15. > :14:19.smokers out there all the thme. Ignore the signage. Every thme the
:14:20. > :14:26.receptionist sees a smoker outside she pushes the button. Anyone of
:14:27. > :14:34.seven different messages. Please stop smoking outside the maternity
:14:35. > :14:38.hospital. Thank you. This w`s the idea of the hospital's smokd`free
:14:39. > :14:46.league who insists it is just a gentle persuasion. In essence, you
:14:47. > :14:52.are tapping into people's gtilt We don't want it to come from that
:14:53. > :14:55.approach. The reason for ushng children is to find a different way
:14:56. > :15:00.to engage with our patients and the public. We wanted the messages to
:15:01. > :15:07.come across a lot less confrontational. Among most new
:15:08. > :15:15.parents we spoke to, the ond idea was well received. But therd was the
:15:16. > :15:19.odd reservation. I think th`t it would probably get quite annoying. I
:15:20. > :15:22.hope it would work and make people think you're stood outside `
:15:23. > :15:29.maternity hospital and yet xou are smoking. The whole of the hospital
:15:30. > :15:31.is a smoke`free zone. Right here, if you break the rules, you will hear
:15:32. > :15:39.about it. This is a smoke`free site. There are calls for all secondary
:15:40. > :15:41.school children in the south west Charities say hundreds
:15:42. > :15:45.of people a week in the UK die of sudden cardiac arrest, sdveral
:15:46. > :15:48.of whom are children in schools As Tamsin Melville has been finding
:15:49. > :15:52.out, survival rates vastly hmprove if a defibrillator is used within
:15:53. > :16:05.minutes of someone's heart stopping. Life`saving lessons using
:16:06. > :16:11.defibrillators for pupils in Penzance. I didn't know how to
:16:12. > :16:16.resuscitate someone or anything like that, but now it is much easier I
:16:17. > :16:23.think I am ready to do it if it actually happens. The DHS estimates
:16:24. > :16:28.there are more than 30,000 sudden cardiac arrest in the year hn the UK
:16:29. > :16:32.outside hospital. Fewer than one in ten victims survive. It strhkes at
:16:33. > :16:37.all ages and medical experts say that if a shop from a different
:16:38. > :16:45.letter is given in the first minutes chances of survival can increase to
:16:46. > :16:50.90%. Paul has been campaignhng on his `` on this issue after his
:16:51. > :16:55.mother`in`law died in 2008 from a cardiac arrest while playing
:16:56. > :17:01.football. Use a standard by the lack of knowledge around the Lakdrs. He
:17:02. > :17:05.wants all peoples to be trahned A lot of people will not commht any
:17:06. > :17:12.cardiac arrest situation because of fear. What we have noticed hs that
:17:13. > :17:16.those people who ask being trained have to commit. It would just up the
:17:17. > :17:23.road that his brother`in`law collapsed. They can vouch for how
:17:24. > :17:28.vital it defibrillators can be. He has saved two lies with the device,
:17:29. > :17:31.one in the past few weeks. The gentleman collapsed off his bike and
:17:32. > :17:36.was being held by some of the customers and staff. I had `
:17:37. > :17:41.defibrillator and we got it on him as quick as possible. One shock
:17:42. > :17:48.another minute of CPR and hd started coming around. So you are a bit of a
:17:49. > :17:52.hero to the people you have saved. We `` would you say that anxone
:17:53. > :17:58.should be able to do this? Absolutely, anyone. Paul has trained
:17:59. > :18:01.all the pupils at this school and one more in West Cornwall. He was to
:18:02. > :18:04.create a nation of life`savdrs. Somerset County Cricket Club has
:18:05. > :18:06.appointed a new director of cricket. He's the former England and
:18:07. > :18:10.Glamorgan batsman, Matthew Laynard. The 48`year`old replaces
:18:11. > :18:13.South African Dave Nosworthx, Maynard played four tests and 1
:18:14. > :18:19.one`day internationals for Dngland and spent the whole of his 20`year
:18:20. > :18:27.county career with Glamorgan. There are lots
:18:28. > :18:32.of other responsibilities that come He has many qualities
:18:33. > :18:36.in that regard. It is all
:18:37. > :18:38.about setting the right envhronment for the club and the first team
:18:39. > :18:42.inspiring the coaches and players, getting all of those things right
:18:43. > :18:45.because that is how we will maximise It is exciting and we are ddlighted
:18:46. > :18:51.that Matt will be joining us. And staying with sport,
:18:52. > :18:54.do you know anyone that might We've just started out latest search
:18:55. > :18:58.for a very special individu`l. They're all BBC South West Tnsung
:18:59. > :19:04.Sporting heroes from previots years and we're hoping you lay know
:19:05. > :19:07.who their successor could bd. So, if you can think
:19:08. > :19:10.of someone who gives up their time to encourage othdrs to
:19:11. > :19:13.take part in sport or keeps a local team or club going then get
:19:14. > :19:17.inspired and nominate them now. To get hold of a form
:19:18. > :19:20.and see the terms and conditions just go to our website or c`ll
:19:21. > :19:30.the number on your screen. More than 100 schoolchildren have
:19:31. > :19:32.taken to the water off Plymouth today to experience what is
:19:33. > :19:34.like to be afloat. They were able to try out
:19:35. > :19:37.a variety of craft, Johnny Rutherford went
:19:38. > :19:43.along to Mount Batten where the annual special needs regatta
:19:44. > :19:58.has been taking place. One, two, three. Steve! Pulling
:19:59. > :20:01.together as a team. One of two day's lessons for the 120
:20:02. > :20:07.schoolchildren who are literate and English skills while being `float.
:20:08. > :20:10.Some for the first time ever. Today is our annual special`needs regatta.
:20:11. > :20:14.We have children from mainstream schools across Britain and special
:20:15. > :20:16.schools. It is an event is to get children on the water you h`ve
:20:17. > :20:23.disabilities and special edtcation needs. Living in a city likd
:20:24. > :20:27.Plymouth we have the perfect opportunity to get children out on
:20:28. > :20:32.the water and playing on bo`ts of all different sorts. The Centre has
:20:33. > :20:38.worked alongside Woodlands special school and 13 other 30 other
:20:39. > :20:41.Plymouth schools in the reg`tta There are boats of all diffdrent
:20:42. > :20:46.shapes and sizes providing `n invigorating experience. Thdy can
:20:47. > :20:52.sense the outdoors all around them. It is better than being sat inside.
:20:53. > :21:01.So they enjoyed? Definitely. You can tell that from their faces. What do
:21:02. > :21:08.you like best? Going fast! Have you ever been unable before? Now. What
:21:09. > :21:16.you think? Fantastic. I havd learned to use the paddles. You use your
:21:17. > :21:19.muscles. And it is good fun. It has certainly been a busy day. Dvery 30
:21:20. > :21:24.minutes these guys have been changing onto a different txpe of
:21:25. > :21:29.vessel. This one is a gate `nd I have certainly enjoyed it. H don't
:21:30. > :21:37.really want to go back and stop can mediate going? `` can we kedp
:21:38. > :21:40.going? I don't want to have to go back to work.
:21:41. > :21:42.We've all thought it, but now it's official.
:21:43. > :21:44.It's been a record breaking September.
:21:45. > :21:46.It's on course to be the driest September
:21:47. > :21:51.What better way to celebratd than from one of the South West's
:21:52. > :22:01.John Ayres is in Cockington in Torquay.
:22:02. > :22:07.When you think of Alton, yot think of this. Leaves on the ground, the
:22:08. > :22:10.beautiful colours. But we are at the end of September and it has taken
:22:11. > :22:17.this long to get here because we have had such amazing weathdr during
:22:18. > :22:22.September. It is a medieval village listed and was a favourite with the
:22:23. > :22:27.crime writer Agatha Christid, as it is with many tourists now. This
:22:28. > :22:31.site, along with many places across the south`west, have benefited from
:22:32. > :22:35.the weather. Tourists have been enjoying themselves, the we`ther in
:22:36. > :22:40.September has provided a big boost to the region's two is economy,
:22:41. > :22:44.extending bookings and giving hoteliers and restaurant sole much
:22:45. > :22:48.needed extra revenue when the economy has been tight. It has also
:22:49. > :22:53.been a similar story around Cornwall and Devon. There has been lots of
:22:54. > :22:56.swimmers and servers as you can see here in Falmouth. They clearly think
:22:57. > :23:04.it is still warm enough to dnjoy going in the sea. There has also
:23:05. > :23:11.been great scenes along somd of our rivers here in the South West. This
:23:12. > :23:16.is the River Exe. Look at that sunshine. Those are some of the
:23:17. > :23:20.pictures we have been able to bring you over the last month. Later in
:23:21. > :23:28.the programme we will bring some of the pictures that you have brought
:23:29. > :23:30.us. David has all of the st`tistics to go with those pictures.
:23:31. > :23:40.The sea temperature has been unusually high. Let us look at the
:23:41. > :23:45.details for what we saw through September. We are not quite at the
:23:46. > :23:50.end of the month will yet, so these are provisional, but we think if it
:23:51. > :23:56.is not the driest, it is certainly one of the driest. It is thd also be
:23:57. > :24:02.for the warmest. What does that mean in terms of reservoir levels? The
:24:03. > :24:06.total reservoir storage across the South of England is a 67% fool. That
:24:07. > :24:14.is more than this time last year, despite the dry month. Bert or is
:24:15. > :24:24.the reservoir with the lowest total at 54%. What we see into October?
:24:25. > :24:28.Patchy light rain overnight and a few showers tomorrow. We ard losing
:24:29. > :24:33.high pressure and beginning to gain low pressure. It is a long way away
:24:34. > :24:37.at the moment, but the weather systems tomorrow will drag their
:24:38. > :24:42.heels. They move through and it is dry and bright again on Thursday,
:24:43. > :24:45.but the big change is the wdather front to the north`west of Hreland
:24:46. > :24:50.that will come our way late on Friday and into the weekend. It
:24:51. > :24:57.which has plenty of showers and cool air. Let us follow the first line of
:24:58. > :25:05.rain approaching from the north`west in the past few hours. You can make
:25:06. > :25:12.out some of that high`level clouds come in. Enjoying a view out to sea,
:25:13. > :25:17.still some people in the water and a little bit of serve. It hasn't been
:25:18. > :25:23.huge over the past four or five days, but there is enough in
:25:24. > :25:28.Cornwall to at least catch ` wave. Temptress of 16 or 17 degreds. But
:25:29. > :25:31.as the weather increases thd sea temptress will drop. Here is the
:25:32. > :25:35.line of rain we have at the moment. It is light and patchy and loving
:25:36. > :25:41.through steadily overnight. Dry by the morning. It would be quhte misty
:25:42. > :25:48.and some low cry would around first thing that a low cloud around first
:25:49. > :25:52.thing. Tomorrow after that Liss has lifted we should get some stnny
:25:53. > :25:57.spells. A second line of cloud coming in from the west arotnd the
:25:58. > :26:00.middle of the day. That will cloud up in the afternoon. Once it goes
:26:01. > :26:06.through tomorrow evening and night the winds will fall and it will turn
:26:07. > :26:21.colder into the night. Daythme temperatures still pretty good.
:26:22. > :26:26.More surf for our surfers over the next couple of days. Lighter winds
:26:27. > :26:37.tomorrow afternoon, so we should see up to three feet of Queen strf. Here
:26:38. > :26:42.is the coastal water's forecast A few showers around, but gendrally
:26:43. > :26:46.good visibility. Let us look further ahead. We will see a drop in
:26:47. > :26:51.temperatures as we go into the weekend. Thursday is bright and dry.
:26:52. > :26:57.Friday 's stance of fine and dry. The winds increased through the day
:26:58. > :27:02.on Friday, and by the evening is the first spell of wet and windx weather
:27:03. > :27:08.so far this autumn. That introduces colder air for Saturday. It had to
:27:09. > :27:08.change, didn't it? Have a good evening.
:27:09. > :27:11.And we leave you tonight with a look at some of your pictures celebrating
:27:12. > :27:14.the beauty of the South West after our record`breaking Septembdr.
:27:15. > :27:58.The stage is set for the Party Conference Season 2014.
:27:59. > :28:00.Stay with BBC News for the key moments,
:28:01. > :28:04.including Conservative Party leader David Cameron's speech.
:28:05. > :28:08.On BBC TWO and with ongoing coverage on Radio 5 Live.
:28:09. > :28:12.The Party Conferences 2014, as they happen.