‘‘Sainsburys’

Cue

Its been a three year struggle for the supermarket giant, but Sainsbury’s has finally been given the green light to construct a new superstore in Southampton. Our reporter has more.

“Local residents are in the uproar over plans to construct an out of town sized Sainsbury’s in the heart of Portswood Southampton.”

‘Supermarket giant Sainsburys has been granted permission to construct a nine thousand square meter store in the heart of Portswood Southampton. That could bring over 300 jobs to the area.’

‘Along with the store, Sainsbury’s also have planning permission to construct a three hundred and forty-four space car park, a community facility and 59 homes on the former First Bus depot site. ‘

‘Over 40 local residents have launched objections to the plans to construct on the site.’

‘Rafael Persaud is the chairman of the NBSP Community group and a local Portswood resident.’

(Audio)

‘Alongside concerns about the traffic, residents and small business owners are worried that Sainsburys will take customers away from independent stores.’

(Audio)

‘Sainsbury’s was originally granted planning permission for the project in two thousand and eight and two thousand and nine but amendments were made after plans to construct a health center feel through.’

This is Nandi Mundeta reporting.

Radio Portfolio Submission

Southampton Park Attacks Script:

Detectives in Southampton have launched an investigation into the attack on a 25-year-old woman in Palmerston Park at 5pm on Tuesday evening.

The victim had just left Southampton Solent University, and entered the park when her attacker pounced from behind, covering her mouth with his hand.

She suffered a puncture wound to her neck before she managed to kick her way free and make her way home. She was later taken to hospital, and was said to be ‘extremely shaken’ by her ordeal.

This attack occurred just over a week after a 19-year-old woman was sexually assaulted in the same park in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Detectives have launched investigations into both attacks and have been trawling through CCTV images of the area in the hope they can identify those responsible. But some local residents believe the police just aren’t doing enough to keep them safe.

(Audio)

According to Home Office statistics, Southampton has a higher recorded crime rate than the national average.

In  the violence a person category, the national average per one thousand population is sixteen point seven percent. In Southampton, that figure increased to forty two point two percent.

It’s difficult for police to gather information on all crimes, as a vast majority go unreported. Some victims consider some crimes too trivial to report.

Leanne beard is a student in Southampton who was recently set upon by a group of men as she walked through Palmerston Park.

(Audio)

Police in the area insist that they are doing all they can to ensure that those who commit crimes are brought to justice. According to Hampshire Constabulary, from two thousand and nine until two thousand and ten crime rates in central Southampton are now lower than in previous years.

]]> http://solent-news.com/star/?feed=rss2&p=2554 0 http://solent-news.com/star/?p=2548 http://solent-news.com/star/?p=2548#comments Tue, 03 May 2011 13:59:36 +0000 student http://solent-news.com/star/?p=2548 As of April 21st 2011, applicants wanting to study here in the UK have to abide by the new changes to Immigration rules.

On the 21^st March 2011, Home secretary, Theresa May, delivered the new proposals to the House of Commons. Her reasons being:

“We had too many people coming here to work and not to study. We had too many foreign graduates staying on in the UK to work in unskilled jobs. And we had too many institutions selling immigration, not education.”

The changes that were implemented last week include: the introduction of higher English language requirements for incoming students, limitations to the amount of international students education providers can accept, standards that education providers need to meet before they can accept new international students and restricting applicants to study one course only.

Speaking with immigration minister Damien Green, he announced the major reforms to the student visa system.

IN: “What we are doing….

OUT: ….the next few years.”

Speaking with Zoe Green the international marketing officer at Southampton Solent University, she explained how the new visa rules could affect smaller universities like Solent.

IN: “Solent has had concerns…

OUT: ….to UK universities.”

With the UK government cracking down on the amount of international student visa’s, only time will tell how this would affect the entire educational institution in the UK. This is Andrew Moses for Solent radio.

INTRO: A radio station in Hampshire underwent massive changes for their re-launch this month. The re-launch is an attempt to secure future listeners and demonstrate how Hampshire’s local radio is stepping up to compete with national radio stations. Our reporter Andrew Moses tells us more.

Southampton’s very own Radio Sonar has received a massive upgrade after the award winning southern radio station completely re-launched themselves onto the air this week, promising an array of new programmes, content and entertainment.

The station, which was off-air for an entire week to make way for the changes, underwent studio redecoration, revamped systems and newer, more modern equipment.

Radio Sonar has also announced that they have an entirely new playlist with all up-to-date music which is available for free listen on their website rasiosonar.co.uk which received a refreshed new layout which is more aesthetically appealing and easier to navigate. Also podcasts will be added to the mix for future playback.

Speaking with Helen Casey, assistant manager of Radio Sonar, she gave insight to the new programmes and features listeners can look forward to.

IN: “As a good experience…

OUT: …

Radio Sonar hopes to set themselves apart from the competition whilst aiming to receive more broadcasting awards for 2011 period onwards. With tough competition from BBC’s Radio Solent along with The Saint Wave 105 and Surge, Radio Sonar attempts to set themselves from the competition by offering a refreshed service to its thousands of listeners all over Hampshire and other parts of the country.

This is Andrew Moses reporting for Solent News.

Our reporter Jack Hannaway tells us more

Click here to view the embedded video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G15qzjdAz_Y

By Jessica Small

Script

Hampshire Constabulary opened its doors on the 9^th November 1933, making this week the end of an era. The 78 –year-old Southampton police station is a grade II listed building. It withstood two bombs during the II World War, and high explosives during the blitz.

Cllr Royston Smith and Inspector Doug Ashman came to the old police station this week for a last view of the cells, and a final exchange of keys.

The new constabulary on Southern Rd, was opened to the public on the 7^th March.

Inspector Ashman said that the civic center could no longer compete for size with the new six floor police station.

Doug Ashman Interview – why they had a new station built.

The old police station will become a new visitors attraction, called Sea City, which is set to open in one year’s time. The opening will mark the 100^th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic and the center will host a permanent exhibition in honor of the ship and those who sailed on her.

Cllr Royston Smith believes the new project will cost a total of fifteen million pounds

Royston Smith Interview – How they will pay for it.

Final approval came just days after the council received a funding offer of seven point two million pounds from the Arts Council England. The money was to build a new Arts Complex and this is final piece in the jigsaw for Southampton’s Cultural Quarter.

This is Jessica Small for Solent News.

HIV Story Collaboration Broadcast student Jessica Small. Print student Stuart Gower

More people are unfortunately discovering that they have contracted than ever before and (A PATIENT) believes that this would fall if GP’s had the equipment to carry out these check up on a regular basis. “The increase in testing will cut down the amount of people diagnosed. There is a lot to be said for GPs to feel confident on testing HIV in local areas so it isn’t something that has to be done via sexual health clinics”

This comes after Dr Ruth Smith revealed that over the past three years there has been an increase in UK acquired infections “In 2010 we estimate that 6750 people were newly diagnosed with HIV. The 2010 figure is a slight increase of the 2009 figure and this is following a 4 year decline after a peak for 7837 in 2005.”

Currently HIV testing is only available at STI screenings and Sexual Health clinics but it if GP’s could be given the appropriate tools and trained to be able to handle a positive diagnosis better (Patient) thinks that this could help tackle the continual increase in HIV diagnosis: “There does have to be some work on learning how to take the HIV test potentially offering a positive result, because there is a lot of nervousness around GP’s about how they handle a positive diagnosis. So its something that would be of great use to tackle and reduce HIV but we would certainly need to give GP’s better tools to tackle it.”

The patient was diagnosed 11 years ago whilst studying a masters degree and went to get checked with a new boyfriend 6 months into their relationship, they went to a sexual health clinic because they wanted to stop using contraception, the patient tested positive, his partner negative and they went their separate ways six months later.

Cuts across the country mean ten of thousands of doctor and nurses are set to lose their jobs. Small communities are set to lose their local centres due to these spending cuts. In Southampton they are being affected just the same with possible health centre closures across the city.

Southampton’s NHS are set to slash the operating hours of the Walk in clinic in Bitterne possibly leaving only it with weekend opening hours to save money. Demonstrations are expected amongst disgusted members of the public. A Hampshire MP has this week though voiced his opinions about giving the people the power.

Labour’s Shadow Cabinet Minister John Denham hopes concerned residents will join him in voicing their opinions at the final consultation meeting. Denham called for consultation for the Bitterne Walk In Centre after stating the clinic was “just to important to close.”

Ivan White Councillor for Bitterne Park understands the frustrations of the local residents but underlines the importance for cuts. “Yes but I can also understand the PCT position as well, part of the problem is saving money, part is that the costs they incur are because people from outside the city come in and use the walk in centre”

White agrees with Denham though giving local people the opportunity to voice their opinions. “I think these decisions should be by consultation, not necessarily giving them the final decision, they should have a high degree of input.”

Local Nurse Sam Walker based at the Bitterne Walk in centre voiced her frustrations. “I think the cuts they are doing are terrible cause their trying cut things back so quickly, they’re not actually looking at the quality of peoples lives.”

Daniel Windle investigates this potential closure.

Cuts threaten Bitterne Walk In Centre

Unite, the union representing the workers, met with Ford’s UK HR director to give them a final opportunity to prevent a strike ballot of 10,000 current employees.

The planned strike action arises from Ford’s announcement that they would changing the way in which it calculates how inflation is linked to increases to pension payment schemes.

The company announced in January that they would no longer be using the higher Retail Price Index (RPI) and would instead be using the Consumer Price Index (CPI).

Under these plans a worker retiring on a gross final monthly salary of £3,900 after 35 years of service would lose £90,000 over the course of a 25 year retirement.

Ian Woodland, Southampton officer for Unite said: “We are concerned that the company want to move to indexing pension payments from RPI to CPI which does make a significant saving for the company, but at the same time will give a significant loss for our retired members.”

The Consumer Price Index is on average one per cent lower than the Retail Price Index and by changing from the latter to the former will provide retired workers with a lower pension than what they were planning to receive.

Plans have been in place with Ford in the past to stop this happening. Mr. Woodlands said: “We’ve got agreements in place that pension indexing will be worked out for that RPI which is bigger and our concern is that the company is pursuing a line which will ensure that our pensioners are worse off in the future.

Words by Matthew Lanyon.

Radio package by Daniel Windle

Students raise money for local charity.

‘Get Your Welly Out’ Event Proves Successful
by Tasha Pert

Southampton Solent University students have managed to raise money for charity after organizing an event at La Margherita Bar in the Ocean Village sector of the city. The classy dockside venue played host to an evening of entertainment  and welcomed all in the name of raising money for local children’s charity, The Rose Roads Association. To support young people with disabilities in and around Hampshire, the organization runs workshops and sessions to help families cope with any strain.

The enthusiastic group of events management students behind the evening had named themselves Yellow Welly Events and spent over a month arranging the special night of fundraising. Wearing the bright footwear was suggested to contributors attending and was a popular choice, despite being optional. Simon Valentine, part of the team, detailed how they spread awareness, “We’ve put links on both the ‘uni’ websites, Solent and the main one, about the charity and the event. We’ve also been in touch with all the societies”.

Price of entry to the event aptly named ‘Get Your Welly Out’ was £10, which covered all costs incurred to make the event a reality as well as ensuring a size-able portion going directly into the money pot for the charity.

Hot Portrait, a four piece band from Surrey, played as guests arrived to hear their soulful mix of covers and original tracks.  Following the live entertainment was a buffet selection of food that those attending could pay a visit to and enjoy in the seated area of the bar, a factor that people seemed to enjoy;”I like that it’s intimate, the atmosphere’s really nice”.This was round up in the early hours of the following morning after Solent DJ’s took to the decks to play sets up until 3am.

It has since been revealed that Yellow Welly Events managed to raise £300 thanks to worthy contributions from the guests and La Margherita Bar, and members of the team have said that they ‘didn’t think it could go any better”.