The NHS has abandoned attempts to appeal against a ruling in favour of a woman who said she suffered brain damage as a baby. Marianna Telles, 22, of Newport was treated at the Bristol Royal Infirmary for low blood oxygen levels caused by a congenital heart defect. In February, a High Court judge ruled against the local health authority and said she could claim for damages. Ms Telles' family said problems with communication and mobility stemmed from operations she had as a baby.In a statement the NHS Litigation Authority (NHSLA) said it was committed to dealing with claims arising from the events leading to the Bristol Public Inquiry on their individual merits. "The case of Marianna Telles was defended on expert evidence which indicated that liability was far from clear cut. This was recognised by the trial judge. We now wish to work with the family towards a negotiated settlement to provide for Ms Telles' needs going into the future.
REPOSSESSIONS UP IN CITY
Property repossessions in Newport have increased significantly in the last six months. The final figures for 2007 from the Court Service reveal an increase in the number of homes repossessed from 821 to 969, an increase of 18 per cent.
PLANNING UPDATE
Applications have been submitted to City planners for further developments in Newport. Changes are proposed to the former Halifax Bank on Commercial Street to create new reatil units and offices. Plans have been put forward to convert the Hereford Arms public house in Maindee in to nine flats. Perhaps most interestingly plans have been submitted for a residential development by Fairlake Properties on part of the South Wales Argus site in Bideford Road. The newspaper recently announced plans to move its printing from this site to the West Country.
RADIO MAY HAVE SAVED SOLDIER'S LIFE
A soldier who died on his first day of parachute training with the SAS may have been saved if he had been given a radio, an inquest has heard. Capt Daniel Wright, 25, from Newport, died in Oxfordshire, when his parachute failed to open. Personnel on the ground were shouting to him to cut away his main chute but by the time he deployed his reserve it was too late, the inquest heard. Capt Wright's mother has called on the army to learn from his death.
URGENT MEETING CALLED TO DISCUSS NEWPORT RAIL LINK
Blaenau Gwent Labour leader Hedley McCarthy has requested an urgent meeting with First Minister Rhodri Morgan to discuss the potential rail link between Ebbw Vale and Newport.The local Labour party is campaigning for the link and will be travelling to Cardiff to express the views of local people. Council leader Hedley McCarthy praised the work of the Welsh Assembly Government in working with the council to deliver the rail link between Cardiff and Ebbw Vale.Councillor McCarthy said a link to Newport would connect the borough to the two main economic centres of south east Wales and would potentially lead to more investment and employment opportunities throughout Blaenau Gwent.He said that although he was delighted with the link to Cardiff he believes it is vital that a link to Newport be established as soon as possible.
LIB DEMS CRITICISE MAINDEE POOLS REPORT
Newport Liberal Democrats have expressed concern after it emerged that the decision to sell the Maindee Pools was based on an unfinished feasibility study. The feasibility study which was ordered in Spring 2006 was not completed before the decision to sell the site was taken in January this year.
Commenting Councillor Jeff Evans said: "It appears this decision has been rushed. The whole point of the feasibility report was to explore potential options for the building and to take account of the constraints of the site. We now know that the report was not finished nor its final conclusions fully considered. Once again, the site has been badly handled by the Council."
