Safer Melbourn

cambridgeshire

www.melbourncambridge.co.uk/safermelbourn/

Elderly people targeted in distraction burglaries

POLICE are warning residents of a number of distraction burglaries, which took place over two days in South and East Cambridgeshire.

In one incident three men tried to distract an elderly woman at her home.

The men, claiming to be from the ‘gas board’, called at her home, at 7.50 pm. They asked to turn the gas off, as there was a problem in the area, one of the men went through to the kitchen while the other two stood outside. Nothing was stolen. The men left when neighbours chased the men off.

The second incident was in Whittlesford, at 10 am. A man knocked at the home of an elderly couple asking for a pen and paper. While they searched for a piece of paper the man left, the couple later noticed two handbags were missing and money had been stolen.

The third incident happened shortly after 10 am in Linton. An elderly man opened the door to a man claiming there had been an explosion and water needed to be flushed in his pipes. The victim let him into his house, but was suspicious, so when he threatened to call the police the man left and nothing was stolen.

Detective Inspector Ian Simmons, who is investigating these incidents, said: All of these offences are targeting vulnerable people and are despicable crimes. I would urge the community to look out for their elderly neighbours, be vigilant and report any suspicious behaviour.

If you see anything suspicious contact DI Simmons on 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111. Sarah Redman

Previous Priorities

At the neighbourhood panel meeting in 17th January 2012 the following issues were adopted as priorities. The tables below summarise action taken and the current situation regarding the priorities which were set: Objective: In partnership, investigate any links between sale and consumption of high energy drinks and anti-social behaviour in Melbourn. Action Taken: Consultations with partners in South Cambs District Council, Primary Care Trust and Trading Standards have taken place.

Findings are that there is no enforcement action possible to prevent the selling of high energy drinks to young people as the drink have no alcohol content.

The Licensing Act 2003 legislation only applies to drinks containing alcohol.

Any decision by a retailer to refrain from selling such drinks to children would be purely voluntary. Current Situation: Any code relating to sale of these drinks is purely voluntary.

Emerging issues

Melbourn (Melbourn, Gt Chishill, Lt Chishill and Heydon). • No dwelling burglaries occurred, non-dwelling burglaries increased by 1 to 4 offences • Violent crime more than doubled to 8 offences • Criminal damage offences increased to 5 • ASB incidents increased by 5 to 31

Shed burglaries

There has been a spate of shed burglaries in the Foxton area, 2 on the High Street and 1 in Shepreth Road,

In all 3 of the burglaries Bicycles were stolen as well as a lawnmower and a strimmer.

Here are a few tips to try and secure your shed better 1 A lighting system that covers the area of the shed can deter criminals. 2 Most thieves gain entry by forcing off the lock. Use a heavyduty hasp and staple (also known as a pad bar) and secure it with suitable coach bolts and locking nuts. 3 Prevent the thieves from window shopping by boarding the windows over on the inside or fit net curtains. 4 Fit a shed alarm to the door of your shed to warn of any attempted break in.

Safer neighbourhoods

There are many things you and your community can do to make your neighbourhood safer. Neighbourhood Watch and Home Watch groups have repeatedly shown the way.

Every community is different and each has its own specific requirements when it comes to safety. Neighbourhood Watch and Home Watch groups succeed by taking a clear-eyed look at the needs in their areas and responding with intelligent, targeted and often innovative solutions.

Making your neighbourhood safer is partly about increasing security, but it’s also about reducing the incentive to commit crime. Neighbourhood and Home Watch groups work on both aspects. They initiate security measures and also work to make their neighbourhoods pleasant and friendly places where crime is less likely to happen.

Security measures can include no cold calling zones, key holder schemes, home security improvement drives and even architectural alterations to reduce the potential for crime and anti-social behaviour on estates.

Initiatives for community spirit can include street parties, communal planting and clean-up days, organised activities for young people, community notice boards, newsletters and workshops.

For more information about setting up and running a Neighbourhood Watch Scheme call 101 and ask to speak to Melbourn’s Neighbourhood Policing Team.

What is the right number to call when seeking Police Assistance?

Call 999 – for serious emergencies in which human life and limb are deemed to be at risk, or when a crime is in progress or has just happened, and those responsible are believed still to be in the vicinity. It is appreciated that many occurrences may fall into this description and situations may change very quickly. But if, in your opinion, the definition fits then call 999.

The police Operations Centre will assess your call using all other information known about the incident and will then decide upon the appropriate response to meet the emergency. Sometimes it is necessary, when many calls for priority assistance are received at the same time, the Operations Centre will decide which call must take precedence. So it is important to make clear in your call exactly what the dangers are as the situation is developing. Call 101 – for any other form of police assistance – usually described as being ‘Non-Emergency’. This means incidents NOT involving life or limb risks or where a crime may have happened but those responsible are NOT present in the area. However even simple ASB can sometimes qualify to be upgraded by the Operations Centre when other aggravating factors are deemed to be present.

Hoaxes / Scams on the Internet

Sadly a feature of using the Internet is the chance that you will receive some form of Scam or Hoax message. This is not something to fear, indeed many of them are quite amusingly transparent and obviously are scams. If in any doubt though, take no chances and delete them from your PC and don’t download them.

There is an official safe site www.hoax-slayer.com (used by the Police) which logs all the Scams and Hoaxes since 2003. It can advise you if a particular message to you has been categorised as a Hoax or a Scam and whether it is topical. Beware Fake Home Security Calls

Cambs Police are warning us about a company calling itself ‘Home Security’ has been cold calling in the area of South Cambridgeshire for security systems. They may also have been in the Peterborough area for we have received information on two strange phone calls made by a company to elderly householders there. In these cases, fake reference numbers and contact telephone numbers were offered. The best advice is to be aware of who you are talking to on the phone should you receive a call.

The company is being investigated by Trading Standards but if you do receive a call from them be aware and report any information back to the police and Trading Standards. Please also remember that the police can offer appropriate, realistic and cost effective advice on improving home security free of charge. So if you or your scheme members have concerns over security please get in touch with your local Crime Reduction Officer on Telephone 0345 456 456.

Avoid Being Caught Out (on the Internet)

To avoid getting caught up in a hoax / scam, the simplest practice to adopt is: never go to a web-site offered by a link in the text of the message. If it’s a financial topic, your bank will never send you an email directing you to their web-site for some pretext urgent reason.

If you have decided to go to the web-site - never sign in on a link to get to your personal details or to get to your bank, building society or credit/debit card account details. This is likely to be a fake web-site with the operator just waiting to capture your login ID and password in order to get at your account to transfer your funds elsewhere.

The latest virus checker and Internet protection software products can also provide a warning of a potential hoax scam if you try to open an attached document or click on a link to a web-site (which is likely to be fake using an unregistered URL location address).

Avoid Being Caught Out (Telephone Cold Calls)

The simplest way of avoiding convincing cold call threats is to monitor your incoming phone calls and only pick-up those from known or expected callers (caller ID facility on your phone of course assists and is an immensely helpful means of filtering). Leave all other calls to go onto the answer phone. ‘Cold Callers’ do not proceed with any message onto an answerphone, it wastes their time and money, and so they just move on quickly to the next telephone number on their urgent job list (and it is usually a computer conducting random search and selection for, making the cold calls)

An Example Cold Call – BT Rep I received a call from a ‘representative’ of BT, informing me that he was dis-connecting me because of an unpaid bill. He demanded payment immediately of £31 or it would be £118 to reconnect at a later date.

The guy wasn’t even fazed when I told him I was with Virgin Media, allegedly VM have to pay BT a percentage for line rental! I asked the guy’s name – he gave me the very ‘English’ John Peacock but with a foreign accent – & phone number – 0800 0800 152. I said I didn’t believe his story so he offered to demonstrate that he was from BT. I asked how & he told me to hang up & try phoning someone – he would disconnect my phone to prevent this – AND HE DID!!

My phone was dead – no engaged tone, nothing – until he phoned me back.

Very pleased with himself, he asked if that was enough proof that he was with BT. I asked how the payment was to be made and he said credit card, there and then. I said that I didn’t know how he’d done it, but I had absolutely no intention of paying him, since I didn’t believe his name or that he worked for BT.

He immediately broke off the call.

Of course what he was really after was access to my credit card details and security code, ostensibly so he could take the payment, but in reality to bill a very large sum.

Note: When you receive a telephone call, if the person who makes that call does not disconnect, the link can be maintained for up to 10 minutes. No outgoing or incoming calls can be made until the caller replaces the receiver.

Credit and debt

Financial Services Bill We are working to make sure the rights of consumers are better protected. We want to ensure that protection for consumers from the Consumer Credit Act is maintained and enhanced with the transfer of consumer credit regulation from the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) to the new Financial Conduct Authority. Support for Mortgage Interest Following on from our work on the impact on our clients of the reduction in 2010 of the Support for Mortgage Interest benefit, we will be talking to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to find out what their plans are and if there is further evidence we can gather to inform the Government’s policy in this area. Payday loans The Government has announced that it has agreed with the four trade associations representing the payday loan sector on a customer charter, setting out clearly what consumers can expect from payday lenders, due to be published at the end of July. We are working with the trade associations, alongside other consumer groups, to help shape this code to better protect consumers using CAB evidence. Consumer Parking enforcement on private land We lobbied for better dispute resolution processes for the parking on private land provisions of the Protection of Freedoms Bill, The Bill is now an Act and is due to be implemented from 2 October 2012. It includes a ban on most clamping and towing. The Act will also allow for registered keepers, whose details are held by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), to become liable for parking charge claims when the driver fails to pay, once the British Parking Association (BPA) has a working independent appeals process for its members. We are now working with the BPA on improving their code of practice and the independent appeals service. New Consumer Bill The Consumer Bill of Rights is expected in the next Queen’s Speech in April/May 2013. This legislation will: • simplify statutory consumer protection rights for consumer purchases; • transpose the EU Consumer Rights Directive into UK law (which changes distance and doorstep sales law and some aspects of shop sales); • reform unfair terms legislation; • bring in new consumer rights for unfair, misleading and aggressive practices; • allow both consumers and business to obtain redress for anti-competitive practices; • amend some Trading Standards powers, including of powers of entry to business premises and allow them to take enforcement action outside their local authority boundary. We want the Bill to include better access to redress for consumers and are conducting surveys to inform our lobbying. We will use this data in a briefing report and in responses to consultations on the various parts of the Bill.

NON EMERgENCY PHONE NUMBER 101

MINICOM helpline for the deaf and hard of hearing, anywhere in the force area: 01480 422493 RNID TypeTalk is a national telephone relay service which enables, deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing and speech impaired people to communicate, to access the service dial: 0800 515152 Emergency 999

16th October 2012 Melbourn Village College Doors open at 19:00 for 19:30 start. All welcome

Energy

Ensuring that the Green Deal meets the needs of consumers on low incomes Earlier this month the Government released its long awaited response to the consultation on its Green Deal proposals. In brief, the Green Deal aims to encourage people, whether they own their own home or rent, to make their homes more energy efficient. Consumers who sign up to the scheme will have energy saving measures, such as loft insulation, installed in their home which will help them to use less energy and save money on their bills. The measures are paid for through a loan which the consumer repays through a charge on their energy bill. If the consumer who took out the Green Deal moves on the loan stays with the property, and the next tenant or owner becomes responsible for paying the Green Deal charge for as long as they live in the property (or until the loan is repaid in full).

While the Government has addressed some of the issues raised by Citizens Advice and other consumer groups about the initial proposals, we remain very concerned about some aspects of the proposals. In particular: • The Green Deal is a complex financial package which will have significant long and short term consequences, both for the consumer who takes out the package and, potentially, future occupants of the property. We are concerned that the

way that the assessment process is designed, and the way in which Green Deal salesmen are likely to be incentivised, may lead to mis-selling. • Locking future occupiers of a property into a Green Deal contract to which they were not initially a party, without the ability renegotiate any aspect of the contract, and with inherited liability not just for repayments but also for any failures of the previous householder to gain the correct consents, is in our view unreasonable. • We do not agree with the Government’s proposal to treat the

Green Deal as a special case with regard to early repayment under the Consumer Credit Act. Contrary to all other loans regulated by the Consumer Credit Act, if a consumer wishes to repay their Green Deal loan early they will be required to pay the total loan amount, plus approximately the total amount of interest that would have been paid throughout the lifetime of the loan. • We are very disappointed that 75 per cent of the new

Energy Company Obligation (ECO) scheme is ring fenced for hard to treat homes (15% of which will be targeted at low income rural areas). Just 25 per cent is ring fenced for Affordable Warmth, which we believe will not provide adequate support for consumers in fuel poverty.

We will continue to work with other consumer groups and Government to ensure that all consumers are adequately protected throughout the roll-out of the Green Deal and that it meets the needs of consumers on low incomes.

Smart Meter roll-out – The Government is committed to ensuring that the roll-out of smart meters in every home in the country is completed in 2019. Smart meters empower consumers by informing them about their energy use and bring a number of other benefits. For example, as smart meters are able to communicate remotely with the energy supplier there will be no need to take a meter reading to get an accurate bill, bringing an end to the practice of estimated billing.

We are members of a number of smart metering working groups and are working with Ofgem, the energy regulator, and the Government to ensure that, as well as making sure that consumers see the benefits of smart meters, the rollout does not compromise or reduce the consumer protections currently in place in the energy market. Any failure to do so could not only cause serious detriment in individual cases but would also be likely to have wide-ranging and negative repercussions on the willingness of consumers more widely to engage with the smart meter programme.

Some energy suppliers, such as British Gas, are already piloting the installation of smart meters

Water companies’ social tariffs The Government’s Flood and Water Management Act 2010 allows water companies in England and Wales to introduce social tariffs to reduce bills for customers who would have difficulty paying them at full cost. It has now published its guidance giving water companies advice on how to do this. As this leaves each company to devise its own scheme, our policy influencing work will focus on engaging with water companies to highlight what would work best for vulnerable customers, especially in the areas of deciding eligibility criteria, and determining what measures will provide adequate support, and to promote consistency in good practice.

Supporting proposals to make 0800 numbers free We are currently responding to proposals from Ofcom, the telecoms regulator, to make all 0800 numbers free from mobiles and landlines. Following up on Leeds CAB’s 2009 report, Hung up, and the cases from bureaux we have been alerted to since, we are highlighting that although the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has negotiated some free 0800 numbers for their lines, there are still many vulnerable consumers who cannot afford to call the government, as well as some utility companies, because the 0800 numbers they use are too expensive.

To help pinpoint problems and find practical solutions to reduce anti-social behaviour in the village, Melbourn’s Practical Solutions Group (PSG) has recognised that a less formal and more inclusive approach is required to achieve its aims. This group remains multi-agency, and can work with and include Melbourn residents (young and old). If you are affected by ASB would like to be involved in this worthwhile project then please get in touch by using the contact form at; www.melbourncambridge.co.uk/ problemsolving or phone 01763 221323

Advice for under 25s

Last year young people under the age of 25 sought help from Citizens Advice on nearly 700,000 problems.

Amazingly, eighty per cent of their problems related to just four issues: debt, benefits, housing and employment.

We’ve hand picked the most relevant information from our self-help website and pulled it together into one spot. www.citizensadvice.org.uk/advice4me.htm

Heating oil and gas – getting the right measure

At the time of writing we’re having a mini heat wave, so you might not thank me for turning your thoughts to the winter months! But sometimes time flies far more quickly than we like, and in our British climate who knows how early a cold snap will arrive. Some of you may therefore be considering buying in your fuel for those cold months.

In Cambridgeshire, Trading Standards work closely with heating oil and bulk gas suppliers to help them ensure their tankers are measuring and dispensing fuel accurately. This helps to ensure that you, the customer, can be sure you’re getting what you’ve paid for. When it comes to bottled gas, local Trading Standards services check the meters at the bottling plants to ensure they are accurate. We provide support for businesses to make it easier for them to meet regulations and provide good customer service too.

However, for added peace of mind there are a few checks you can make yourself, at the time of delivery, to ensure you are getting the fuel you paid for.

On most tankers there is an automatic ticket printer that records and prints the quantity of fuel dispensed into your tank. You should be given a copy of this delivery ticket. If you want to make absolutely sure it is correct, you can take the following steps: • For heating oil, observe the fuel being dispensed from start to finish. (For safety reasons we do not advise this for bulk gas). • Inspect the ticket before it is put in the printer and before the fuel is dispensed to make sure it is yours and that it remains in place until it is printed again on completion. • When the ticket is inserted, make sure the meter shows

‘zero’. • At the end of the delivery, check the reading on the meter is the same as on your ticket.

A small number of oil tankers still use a dipstick to measure fuel being dispensed. This is harder for you to check as your own dipstick or sight tube may not be as accurate.

Bottled gas

Bottled gas is sold by the weight of its contents, which should be clearly marked on the cylinder. If you want to be sure that you have received the correct amount of gas, you can take the following steps: • Check the amount marked on the cylinders adds up to the amount on the delivery note and both match the amount ordered. • Where fitted, check the plastic seals are in place and that the essential safety information is stamped or painted on the side. If you have concerns or issues with any products that you have purchased, you can contact our partner, Citizens Advice Consumer Service, on 08454 040506 for advice. For business advice and support contact 0345 0455206.

Home-Start Royston & South Cambridgeshire are looking for Home Visiting Volunteers

Our volunteers are all parents or grandparents who can give a few hours a week to help families who are finding it difficult to cope.

All parents need emotional and practical help to get through the first few years, but not everyone has friends or family nearby.

This is when Home-Start volunteers can help!

The 10 Session training course for new volunteers will take place on the following dates:

October

Tuesday 9th & Wednesday 10th, Wednesday 17th, Tuesday 23rd & Wednesday 24th November

Wednesday 7th, Tuesday 13th & Wednesday 14th, Tuesday 20th & Wednesday 28th

For more details contact Katie or Sarah at:Home-Start Royston & South Cambridgeshire, Unit 6, Valley Farm, Station Road, Meldreth, Royston, Herts, SG8 6JP

Tel: 01763 262262 or e-mail admin@hsrsc.co.uk

Registered Charity No 1105385 Sustainable Parish Energy Partnership (SPEP)

Would you like to make your home warmer and more comfortable in winter without turning the heating up (as well as keeping it cooler in the summer when the heating’s off)? Would you like to cut your electricity, gas or oil bills? Would you like to use your car less?

All of these are things that the Sustainable Parish Energy Partnership (SPEP), is here to help with. SPEP was set up in 2009 by South Cambs District Council to bring people together to save energy, cut carbon emissions and build a sustainable future. Melbourn PC became its 25th member earlier this year. The SPEP menu of support, all free of charge, includes: • electricity monitors which can help you save electricity, and can be lent out • support for setting up and running a village ‘energy events’ to bring people together (film shows or stalls at village fetes) • a village Living Sustainably booklet with easy-to-use templates for you to fill in, with helpful information, photos and local examples of what really works to save energy. • workshops, on subjects such as Improving the Energy

Efficiency of your Community Buildings, Promoting Lift

Sharing in your Village and Making the most of Feed in

Tariffs • Visits to sustainable initiatives, such as Rampton Drift

Retrofit project and the Gamlingay Ecohub. • Updates on new developments, grants, subsidies and other opportunities.

Ray Pritchard is the SPEP representative for Melbourn. If you would like to get involved, then please contact him on 01763 260701 or find more information on the SPEP webpages at www.spep.net.

Two really important things for right now…

Does your home have cavity wall insulation? Cavity wall insulation makes a huge difference to how warm your home feels in winter, and it’s available now, for a limited period, completely free of charge.

Do you have sufficient loft insulation (should be 27cm deep)? The Government is currently subsidising this and the cavity wall insulation, but this subsidy is coming to an end this year.

For more information call the government’s free Energy Saving line today on 0300 123 1234 to arrange a free survey from an approved local installer or contact Ray 01763 260701 or Siobhan or Richard at the District Council on 03450 450500.