Beware of bogus doorstep sellers posing as ex-offenders
There have been reports of bogus doorstep sellers posing as ex-offenders targeting homes across Cheshire West and Chester, following a rise in such incidents nationally.
The unwelcome callers tell residents that they are visiting homes as part of a probation service scheme. There is no such scheme in operation, but the callers may also show a bogus ‘pedlar’s certificate’ or permit to try to validate their scam.
The Council’s Director of Environment and Communities, Maria Byrne said: “Our Community Safety Partnership is concerned that vulnerable residents could be targeted by these scammers. We have been told the so-called ‘ex-prisoners’ try to sell household items, often at inflated prices.
“When residents declined to buy anything, they ask for a donation instead. The individual may be very polite at first but may become aggressive and abusive. If you or anyone you know is targeted, please report it.” Residents are being advised to report any incidents to Cheshire Police on 101, or to Action Fraud to help track down a scammer.
There are a few things you can do to feel safer when answering the door, such as:
Putting up a deterrent sign – You could put a ‘no cold callers’ sign up on your door or window, which should deter any cold callers from knocking on your door.
Setting up passwords for utilities – You can set up a password with your utility companies to be used by anyone they send round to your home. Phone your utility company to find out how to do this.
Nominating a neighbour – Find out if you have a nominated neighbour scheme where a neighbour can help to make sure if callers are safe.
Over the next six weeks Cheshire West and Chester Council will be asking the public for its views on how to balance its budget in challenging times.
A public consultation has launched to give the opportunity for local people to share their views. The consultation will run to 4 December and will inform decisions the Councillors make in February on the overall Council budget.
The Council currently spends £862million on services for local people, which have an impact on everyone’s lives and futures. These services range from schools to social care and support for vulnerable families, from public protection to economic growth and from libraries to highways and street cleaning, plus many more.
Financial pressures, the increase in demand for some services, and inflation are all taking their toll on what the Council can deliver, leading to increasingly challenging choices having to be made.
Leader of the Council, Councillor Louise Gittins said: “We are in the middle of a social and economic crisis. We know that the cost of living is making it hard for many local people to make ends meet.
“Like organisations up and down the country, our costs have gone up. We also have increasing numbers of children and adults with complex needs that need our help, placing pressure on our finances. Now, accelerating costs and inflation are squeezing out the headroom available in our capital programme to invest in our borough’s future.
“We will put all our efforts in continuing to provide help within the resources we have available. Overall, we could face a funding gap of around £105 million over the next four years. After additional business rates and council tax income are accounted for, alongside existing savings proposals that we have already consulted on, the gap remains around £42 million, with £19 million we need to bridge in the first two years.
“This represents the biggest funding challenge faced by this Council in its history. And it may yet increase in severity.
“Our proposed response is to be innovative, and in line with our values. We want to protect the vulnerable who depend on our help. We want to introduce new ways of working that are as efficient and effective as possible, and to invest in prevention to avoid more people requiring more expensive care. However, some incredibly difficult decisions may need to be considered, informed by your views.
“I urge people to take part in the consultation. Your responses matter, now more than ever. Have your say and play your part in shaping your services and helping us make hard decisions.”
Cllr Carol Gahan, Lead Member for Legal and Finance said: “The Council has been recognised for strong financial management and this continues in our approach to engaging residents on how we spend our scarce resources. But we face a stark financial challenge. We must plan for the next two years, and a future beyond that. We need our residents’views on some of the ideas we are proposing to address the budget gap in the medium term.
“These ideas include areas where we could save money but also areas we want to protect.
“This year, as well as commenting on the budget proposals, local people can have a go at a Budget Simulator Challenge which asks, ‘If it was up to you, how would you spend the Council’s budget?’.”
Council joins national fight against “zombie batteries” in bid to tackle recycling and waste fires
Cheshire West and Chester Council is supporting the new national ‘Take Charge’ campaign, which urges consumers to recycle dead batteries and to never throw batteries away alongside general rubbish.
Consumers across the UK are being urged to “join the fight against Zombie batteries” in a bid to tackle the growing number of fires caused by carelessly discarded dead batteries.
Dead batteries thrown away with other waste and recycling, which the campaign refers to as “zombie batteries”, are likely to be crushed or punctured once the waste is collected and processed.
Some battery types in particular, like lithium-ion (Li-ion) and nickel-metal Hydride (NiMH), can ignite or even explode when they’re damaged. Once this happens, the batteries can quickly set fire to other materials present in the waste, like paper, leading to serious incidents that put lives at risk.
Although safe to use normally, powerful lithium-ion batteries are typically the most dangerous if they are not recycled properly. These batteries are often found in products like laptops, tablets, mobile phones, radio-controlled toys, bluetooth devices, shavers, electric toothbrushes, power tools, scooters and even e-cigarettes.
The Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Environment, Highways and Strategic Transport, Councillor Karen Shore said: “Many people may not be aware of the potential risks from discarded dead batteries. Our residents can recycle batteries using their kerbside collection service. All you need to do is put them in a separate container beside your recycling bins on collection day. Batteries can also be recycled at the HWRCs. Please play your part and never throw dead batteries into your general rubbish bin.”
The recycling and waste management trade body, the Environmental Services Association (ESA), which launched the campaign, conducts an annual survey of its members to record the proportion of fires occurring at recycling and waste facilities that are known or thought to have been started by lithium-ion batteries in particular.
Recent data collected by the ESA shows that, between April 2019 and March 2020, lithium-ion batteries alone were thought to be responsible for more than 250 fires at its members’ facilities during the year – or well over a third (38%) of all fires.
Members of the ESA hope that by encouraging the public to recycle batteries responsibly, it will reduce the number of “zombie batteries” present in general waste and recycling, thereby reducing the number of fires in future.
Executive Director of the Environmental Services Association (ESA), Jacob Hayler added: “Unfortunately, the majority of batteries thrown away in the UK at the moment are not recycled properly. Fires caused by carelessly discarded batteries endanger lives; cause millions of pounds of damage and disrupt waste services. We urge consumers to please recycle batteries responsibly by using widely available local battery recycling services.”
Consumers can find out more about the dangers of Zombie Batteries, by visiting the campaign website at www.takecharge.org.uk
Challenges and events arranged by Cheshire West and Chester Council’s libraries have boosted reading during this year’s summer holidays.
The Summer Reading Challenge for children and the Adults Read Two scheme have been a great success across the borough both in libraries and on-line.
The Summer Reading Challenge is for children under 12 and takes place during the school holidays each year. The 2022 theme, chosen by The Reading Agency, was Gadgeteers, it focused on how children can discover science and innovation in the world around them.
The Adults Read Two challenge also encourages adults to read more and celebrate their love of books and reading. Entrants needed to read two books between 9 July and 4 September. They could choose from a library book, eBook or eAudiobook and this year 13- to 15-year-olds could also enter again with parental permission.
The Council’s Leader and Cabinet Member for Wellbeing, Councillor Louise Gittins said: “By the end of the Summer Reading Challenge an impressive 3,912 children had signed up to take part. This year an amazing 93,005 children’s book were borrowed across our borough over the holidays.
“It’s wonderful to see that so many children were able to boost their reading over the summer months before the new school term, it can make all the difference to their reading confidence.
“On-line children’s events were also a big success with on-lines shows, professional storytellers and question time with famous authors.
“The Adults Read Two programme saw a 116% increase compared to last year with 341 participants.
“And just for fun we encouraged customers to take part in our #BooketList. Staff selected their 30 favourite reads from the last 12 months which could be used for ideas for reading over the summer. Staff also sent in images of their books which we were posted on our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts – we got some great comments back.”
For environmental reasons, the medals given out to children this year included a combination of wooden medals and generic medals from previous years.
Councillor Gittins added: “This meant children were delighted not to have to wait for their medals and parents told us that they appreciated the immediacy of the reward and that it saved them having to remember an awards evening a few weeks later in their already busy schedules.”
