Warning issued after elderley residents targeted by scam

Warning issued after elderley residents targeted by scam

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Detectives are urging Cheshire residents to be vigilant after an elderly woman from Runcorn and an elderly man from Chester were scammed out of large quantities of money.
They both handed money to a courier for safekeeping after receiving a phone call from a man purporting to be a senior police officer.
The so-called officer told them that their savings had been targeted by thieves and were not safe in their bank accounts.
Cheshire Police’s advice on avoiding such scams is:
• The police will never ask you to become part of an undercover investigation or for you to withdraw money and hand it to them for safekeeping
• Be wary of any calls, texts or emails purporting to be from the police asking for your personal or financial details, or for you to transfer money
• If you are approached, or feel something is suspicious, hang up the phone and do not reply and then report it to police on 101 or Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040. You should also inform your bank on its advertised number.
Detective Inspector Glyn Leech said: “We believe that victims are being targeted county wide by this scam, with us investigating reports of people being scammed in areas including Warrington, Chester and Macclesfield.
“I urge anyone else who has been targeted by this scam, or other similar scams, to report it to us on 101.”

Message Sent By
Dan Hind (Police, Media, Chesh Engagement Unit)

'We love 90s House Live'

Reporter Jonathan White, Wistaston

A 'We love 90s House Live' fund-raising concert took place at Studio Nantwich - http://www.facebook.com/studionantwich - on Castle Street in Nantwich on Friday 4th May 2018.

The event featured live dance music band 'House Jammerz' http://www.housejammerz.com/ making a return to the venue and they performed a range of the biggest and best-ever House tracks.

The gig was followed by an ‘I love the 90s’ club night until 3am.

Admission to the concert was free with all proceeds to Mid Cheshire Hospitals Charity http://www.mchcharity.org/

Nigel Woodhouse, Director of Operations at Studio Nantwich said, "It is always a pleasure to hold an event that plays homage to the iconic age of Clubbing and dance music. The ‘90s saw the explosion of dance music, so to see the classic tracks played by such a professional band like House Jammerz giving them their twist never fails to entertain. We are pleased to support the Dementia Appeal for Mid Cheshire Hospitals Charity in their fund-raising efforts."

ArtsLoco

Reporter Jonathan White, Wistaston

‘ArtsLoco’ is a social group, formed in 2017, for anyone with an interest in arts, crafts, writing, poetry and music. There are no membership fees, so please turn up and participate. Members come from the Crewe & Nantwich area and beyond.

The group meet on a weekday evening every month at The Rising Sun, Middlewich Road, Wistaston.

At previous get-togethers, the group has enjoyed hearing poetry and short stories read by the authors, listening to singing and guitar music, sharing crafts, drawings and sketchbooks.

A representative from ArtsLoco said: “I love how casual and yet creative ArtsLoco is. Some people bring artworks with them to show or work on during the evening, others just come to watch, listen and chat.”

The next ArtsLoco get-together is on Monday 14th May 2018 (7-9 pm) at The Rising Sun, Middlewich Road, Wistaston.

For further information and future dates, please go to facebook.com/groups/cancancrewe

Businesses encouraged to join Digital+ programme

Cheshire East Council’s arms-length Skills and Growth Company has launched a new business support programme called Digital+.

The Digital+ programme offers fully-funded support and advice to help small and medium-sized businesses maximise faster broadband and digital tools – such as cloud computing, digital marketing and social media – and adapt to wider issues, such as upcoming changes to data protection legislation.

The cornerstone of the Digital+ programme is a series of one-day seminars, which provide expert support in small groups and includes a bespoke audit of each participating business’s website.

Seminars on digital marketing or social media will take place on:

● 22 May – Digital marketing, at Wychwood Park, near Crewe;

● 24 May – Digital marketing, at The Cottons, Knutsford;

● 5 June – Social media, at Vale Royal Abbey, near Northwich;

● 12 June – Digital marketing, at Mottram Hall, near Macclesfield;

● 21 June – Digital marketing, at Mottram Hall, near Macclesfield; and

● 26 June – Social media, at Crewe Hall, Crewe.

To find out more and register your interest, visit www.digitalpluscheshire.co.uk

One business already reaping the rewards of the Digital+ programme is Direct Access, of Nantwich, a disability access consultancy.

Managing director Stephen Mifsud said: “We felt our existing marketing strategy was not working, so we needed to be ahead of the game and we now understand how important it is to get our voice heard through social media and how to be consistent with our branding.

“The Digital+ programme has been able to support us in a language we could follow and helped our social media campaigns go from being good to excellent.”

Cheshire East Councillor George Hayes, chairman of the Skills and Growth Company said: “We believe the Digital+ programme is a vital opportunity to help businesses grow and adapt to the ever-changing world of digital tools, broadband and social media. With our support, businesses can maximise the benefits and transform the way they work.”

The Digital+ programme is the latest phase of the Connecting Cheshire programme, which has been rolling out fibre broadband to more than 100,000 homes and businesses across Cheshire since 2013.

Digital+ is available to eligible small and medium-sized businesses in Cheshire and Warrington and is part of the Digital 2020 programme supported by the 2014 to 2020 European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme.

For Cheshire Branch formed

A For Cheshire branch of the For Britain Party has been formed and they recently met in Crewe. (See attached photo below) Chairman Cllr. Brian Silvester said,"We are planning to stand candidates in the Parish,Town and Borough Council elections in 2019. Cheshire East Council staggers from one crisis to another It is time to elect Councillors who will sort out the mess and put the Council on the road to success. The Tories on Cheshire East Council promised in 2015 NOT to increase the Council Tax. That promise was broken as soon as the election was safely won.The Council Tax has gone up every year since. Residents interested in standing for the Council should get in touch.via twitter @CllrBS

Cllr Brian Silvester

Chairman

For Cheshire Branch.

Get involved in mental health awareness week

Mental health awareness week is fast approaching and Cheshire East is leading the way to make sure that people know where they can get support if they need it.

The theme for this year’s awareness week is stress. Research has shown that two thirds of us experience a mental health problem in our lifetimes and stress is widely considered to be an important factor in this.

Cheshire East has joined up with local partners to organise a week of activities in the borough, supported by a broad range of organisations including: the NHS, a number of housing associations, Everybody Sport and Recreation and several community voluntary services.

Activities to mark the week include:

● A ‘mindfulness’ session at Macclesfield Leisure Centre on Monday 14 May, from 7pm-8pm;

● Free mental health signposting event at Crewe Lifestyle Centre on Tuesday 15 May, from 10am-3pm;

● A ‘wear it green’ day on Wednesday 16 May;

● A Crewe central neighbourhood partnership event supporting younger people’s lifestyle choices – with music, arts, crafts and other information. The event is at Crewe Lifestyle Centre on Friday 18 May, from 6pm-8pm; and

● A community event at the United Reform Church in Wilmslow on Friday 18 May, from 4pm-6pm.

Councillor Liz Wardlaw, Cheshire East Council cabinet member for health, said: “The range of activities that are going on for mental health awareness week are really impressive and shows the added value that true partnership-working brings.

“We couldn’t be spreading this message as widely as we are if it wasn’t for the support of our partners. Stress is something that nearly all of us face at some point in our lives and, by tackling it together, we can hopefully reduce the impact of things like anxiety and depression and, in some instances, self-harm and suicide, which can follow.”

To keep in touch with what’s happening over the week, follow the hashtag #goodmentalhealth4Cheshire on Twitter.

FIFA 2018 World Cup Alert

FIFA 2018 World Cup Alert

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FIFA 2018 World Cup Alert

The 2018 FIFA World Cup will take place from 14th June – 15th July 2018. The worldwide demand for match tickets, flight tickets, and somewhere to stay throughout the competition is expected to be significant. Those planning to travel should exercise caution when considering the purchase of tickets or accommodation because the event is highly likely to be targeted by fraudsters looking to take advantage of unsuspecting fans.

Fraudsters will likely be posing as;

- Official World Cup ticket vendors or private individuals attempting to sell on a match ticket via online marketplace.

- A fraudulent website or operator offering non-existent flights or other transport to host cities.

- An accommodation booking service, hotel or operator, offering seemingly convenient accommodation in one of the host cities for the duration of the game.

- Lottery or competition organisers claiming that you’ve won a prize or cash related to the tournament.

Action Fraud received over six hundred reports and intelligence submissions in relation to the previous World Cup so it’s vital that football fans exercise caution when considering a purchase or making a transaction.

Protect yourself:

• Listen to your instincts: If something feels wrong then it is usually right to question it. Fraudsters will use the promise of steep discounts to lure you into handing over your money or revealing personal/financial details.
• Clicking on links/files: Don’t be tricked into giving a fraudster access to your personal or financial details, and never automatically click on a link in an unexpected email or text.
• Visit the Action Fraud website and take a look at their Ticket Fraud, Holiday Fraud and Lottery Fraud advice pages before making any decisions or bookings.
• For useful advice and information on the World Cup please visit the Government Guidance Pages: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/be-on-the-ball-world-cup-2018

Visit Take Five (takefive-stopfraud.org.uk/advice/) and Cyber Aware (cyberaware.gov.uk) for more information about how to protect yourself online.

Message Sent By
Action Fraud (Action Fraud, Administrator, National)

Tea at the Tower’

Reporter Jonathan White

The inaugural ‘Tea at the Tower’ guided circular walk took place on the afternoon of Sunday 22nd April 2018 from St Mary’s Church, on Monks Lane in Acton, near Nantwich. The walk was led by Nigel and Deborah Anderson who directed twenty-one walkers on a four-mile route through beautiful Cheshire countryside involving the Dorfold estate and the Shropshire Union Canal footpaths. The weather stayed dry and all participants were full of enthusiasm and praise. Future dates for ‘Tea at the Tower’ guided circular walks are: Sunday 20th May 2018 (1pm) and Sunday 3rd June 2018 (1pm). All walks start from St Mary’s Church, Acton.

‘Tea at the Tower’ - where drink’s and cakes are served (donations are gratefully received) - takes place EVERY Sunday afternoon (2:30-4:30pm) throughout the year at St Mary’s, Acton. Visitors also have an opportunity to have a guided tour up the church tower as far as the ringing chamber.

A representative from ‘Tea at the Tower’ said: “It is wonderful that the first-ever ‘Tea at The Tower’ walk was a success - the feedback has been fabulous. The ‘Tea at The Tower’ refreshments, which began in March 2017 and raise valuable funds for St Mary’s Church, Acton, is also very popular. EVERYONE is welcome to both the walks and the weekly community cafe”.

For further information, please visit: http://www.stmarysacton.com/

National adviser praises council support for care leavers

A national adviser has praised Cheshire East Council after a visit to supporting young people leaving care.

The visit from Mark Riddell MBE – the government’s national implementation adviser for care leavers – was commissioned by children’s minister Nadhim Zahawi, in response to a change in government legislation.

The changes require local authorities to take on new responsibilities relating to their work with children in care and care leavers, following amendments to the Children and Social Care Work Act 2017.

A care leavers’ adviser was appointed to provide some insight into how councils were instigating these new changes. Cheshire East was one of the first local authorities to be visited and the findings were very favourable.

Mr Riddell found that:

· There is now a higher percentage of care leavers who are in employment, education and training;

· Care leavers’ transitions into adulthood are well tracked;

· Care leavers’ needs are identified quickly and responded to;

· Specialist staff are employed to support care leavers reach their goals; and

· The model of delivery is strong, ambitious and being driven by a team of very passionate workers.

Councillor Gill Merry, Cheshire East Council chair of the corporate parenting committee, said: “This report is a great credit not only to the many determined and hard-working people employed within the care leavers team but also the care leavers themselves, who sometimes have to overcome very difficult starts in life.”

Councillor Jos Saunders, Cheshire East Council cabinet member for children and families, said: “I am very pleased with the outcome of this report which demonstrates what I already know – namely that we have incredibly committed and brilliant people working within the services we provide to children and young people in care and leaving care.

“We are not resting on our laurels, though, and we are looking forward to welcoming Mr Riddell back in the autumn, when he will be able to view even more improvements that we will have made by that time.”

Council and police swoop in crackdown on rural fly-tippers

Cheshire East Council and the police have joined forces to crack down on rural fly-tippers.

The swoop targeted problem ‘hot-spots’ in the borough, which have seen repeated illegal dumping of waste by offenders.

The joint ‘Operation Fly’ was part of the council’s continued crackdown on anti-social behaviour.

The activity focussed on known illegal dumping hot-spots in the Macclesfield borough communities of Sutton, Wildboarclough, Kettleshulme and Rainow.

A total of 14 vehicles were stopped throughout the day, with education and advice being given to 12 of the vehicles’ drivers. Two drivers were asked to produce waste documents within seven days after being unable to produce them on the day. Failure to do so will result in further action.

Councillor Janet Clowes, Cheshire East Council cabinet member with responsibility for safer communities and rural affairs, said: “This joint operation with the police sends out a clear message that anti-social and criminal fly-tipping will not be tolerated in Cheshire East – not in our towns and villages and not in our beautiful countryside.

“The council’s campaign to reduce fly-tipping is seeing results. With our campaigns team we have been working hard to educate people on the anti-social nature of such offences and, as a result, we have seen a reduction in the amount of waste that is being disposed of inappropriately in the borough. But some of our rural areas are seeing persistent problems.

“Unfortunately, there will always be some people who don’t listen to the strong messages and fail to heed our warnings. There is no excuse for this disgusting behaviour and this joint operation with police shows we will not stop pursuing people who have ignored our clear and consistent advice.”

Rural locations in the north of the borough (such as Sutton, Wildboarclough, Kettleshulme and Rainow) have seen a persistent problem with fly-tipping. These incidents, of around two or three a week, have been reported direct to the police and the council.

However, most cannot be further investigated due to the nature of their location and lack of evidence within the waste or lack of witnesses. Due to the volume of waste involved, it is suspected that some offenders may be travelling from outside Cheshire East to  illegally dump waste in isolated, rural locations.

Under section 34 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, the law requires anyone dealing with waste to keep it safe, make sure it’s dealt with responsibly and only given to businesses licensed and authorised to take it.

Illegal waste disposal can be hazardous to the public, especially if it contains toxic material or asbestos. There could be a risk of damage to watercourses and soil quality from the dumped waste.

What you need to know about phishing

What you need to know about phishing

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TEXT VERSION:
What is phishing?

Fraudulently sending emails purporting to be from reputable companies in order to trick individuals into revealing personal information, such as passwords and financial information. Phishing can also be carried out over text messages (smishing) and phone calls (vishing).

Links

Don’t click on the links in unsolicited emails and texts.

Attachments

Don’t open the attachments in unsolicited emails.

Your information

Don’t reveal personal or financial information as a result of unsolicited emails, texts or calls.

Message Sent By
Action Fraud (Action Fraud, Administrator, National)

Pioneering Fairerpower celebrates its third anniversary

A pioneering energy supply scheme established by Cheshire East Council is celebrating its third birthday.

Since its creation in 2015, nearly 9,000 people have switched to Fairerpower and their total quoted savings adds up to more than £2m*.

Since its launch, Fairerpower has sought to reduce fuel poverty by offering competitive prices with high levels of customer care. And Cheshire East was the first council in the UK to sell power since the gas and electricity supply system was nationalised in 1948.

Recent figures show around 78 per cent of new customers save more than £100 when they switch to Fairerpower and the scheme has been very successful in helping those who had not previously switched energy providers – particularly more-elderly customers, who had been put off by the perceived complexity of switching.

To celebrate, anyone requesting a quote for their energy during May will be entered into a prize draw to win an iPad and a free one-to-one digital skills training session.

The scheme was also recently rolled out in Lancashire in a partnership with Preston City Council – and other regional local authority partners are set to join the scheme later in the year.

Since summer 2017, Fairerpower has been managed by the council’s wholly-owned, arms-length Skills and Growth Company. For more details see online at: www.fairerpower.co.uk

Councillor George Hayes, chairman of the Skills and Growth Company, said: “Fairerpower has gone from strength to strength. I am delighted to see that more customers across a broader geography are benefitting from lower energy costs, particularly some of our more vulnerable residents and those who may not have switched providers before.”

Tokyo Misfires

Reporter Jonathan White

The Friends of St Thomas More invite you to a charity music concert by local band ‘Tokyo Misfires’ on Friday 18^th May 2018 (commencing 7.30pm) at St Thomas More Catholic High School, Dane Bank Avenue, Crewe.

Tickets = £10 (includes a pie & peas supper) and are available from the school office, or can be reserved via email: admin@st-thomasmore.cheshire.sch.uk

A bar will be available on the night.

Please note this is an adult only event.

All proceeds will go to the Lourdes Pilgrimage Fund.

'We love 90s House Live'

Reporter Jonathan White, Wistaston

A 'We love 90s House Live' concert takes place at The Studio Nightclub & Entertainment Venue - http://www.facebook.com/studionantwich - on Castle Street in Nantwich on Friday 4th May 2018. Admission is free with donations to Mid Cheshire Hospitals Charity http://www.mchcharity.org/

The event will feature live dance music band 'House Jammerz' http://www.housejammerz.com/ , making a return to the venue, on stage at 9:30pm and performing the biggest and best House tracks ever.

The gig will be followed by an ‘I love the 90s’ club night until 3am.

Nigel Woodhouse, Director of Operations at The Studio said, "The House Jammerz are an incredible act that takes you right back to the biggest decade of dance music the UK has ever seen - I was lucky enough to be a customer and a Club Manager through this iconic decade. We are free entry with any donations going to Leighton’s Dementia appeal - a worthy cause.”

More communities ‘get connected’ as eighth local hub is launched

Cheshire East has celebrated its eighth local community hub.

Belong Village, in Crewe, became the latest Connected Communities centre to open its doors to its neighbours offering support services and a convivial place to meet.

The centre – a retirement village on Brookhouse Drive, Crewe – joins the growing list of connected community venues in Cheshire East, where people can access vital information across a range of local services and enjoy a place to meet up.

Cheshire East Council has invested £150,000 to help community venues develop their services, as well as provide on-going support and training. The council is recognising 30 local places, including church halls, community centres and community cafes, each supported by a neighbourhood partnership representing a range of agencies, including the police, health services and the voluntary sector.

From coffee mornings, computer classes and line dancing, to learning a language, sharing a problem and support for stroke sufferers – there’s something for everyone.  Every centre will also have a computer tablet connected to our Live Well community information website, helping residents to easily find out what facilities and support are  available in the area.

Many local people living near the care village attended an open day last Saturday, enjoying the best spring weather so far.

Councillor Janet Clowes, Cheshire East Council cabinet member for adult social care and integration, said: “I am extremely pleased to see Belong Village become the latest of our Connected Communities centres.

“This venue is ideally placed to be a great community resource for residents in this area and will help combat social isolation. I would encourage anyone living in the vicinity to pop in and discover more about the clubs, services and facilities on offer, including a bistro where they can have a coffee and sit in the garden.

“The team here are friendly and welcoming and provide a great service to the local area. I would like to thank all our partners for making this open day a wonderful event and I want to thank all the centres for the marvellous work that they do.”

To find out more about Connected Communities in Cheshire East visit: www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/communities or email communities@cheshireeast.gov.uk

People can also phone the council’s communities team on 01270 85880.

Eight of the 30 centres are now open.  They are:

· Audlem Community Hall, 12 Cheshire Street, Audlem CW3 0AH (Tel: 01270 811011);

· The Bridgend Centre, 104 Palmerstone Street, Bollington SK10 5PW (Tel: 01625 576311);

· St Johns Church, Wilwick Lane, Macclesfield SK11 8RS (Tel: 01625 612511);

· The Welcome Café, 146-147 Longridge, Knutsford WA16 8PD (Tel: 01565 750905);

· St Barnabas (Barnies), West Street, Crewe CW1 3HX (Tel: 07949 240371);

· Beechmere Extracare Village, Rolls Avenue, Crewe CW1 3FT (01270 747457);

· Poynton Civic Hall, Park Lane, Poynton SK12 1RB (Tel: 01625 872238);

· Belong Crewe, Brookhouse Drive, Crewe CW2 6NA (Re: 01270 561200).

Two more Connected Communities centre will be opening their doors in May.  They are Church of the Resurrection in Macclesfield and the United Reform Church in Wilmslow.

Training sessions show importance of air quality

Cheshire East Council held two events aimed at helping staff and councillors to better understand how air quality can impact on the authority’s work in different service areas.

As air quality has been the subject of significant interest recently, the training sessions were organised to provide a broad overview of how it is relevant in the borough and specifically the impact it can have on the planning process.

The training provided attendees the opportunity to:

· Understand why air quality is an area of national interest;

· Get a local perspective on air quality;

· Understand where air quality fits in within the National Planning Policy Framework;

· Be aware of when local or European assessments apply; and

· Learn about recent legal cases, where air quality was a decisive factor.

Councillor Ainsley Arnold, Cheshire East Council cabinet member for housing, planning and regeneration, said: “I’m glad that we were able to put on these training sessions and that they were attended by such a broad range of professional interests within our authority.

“The sessions have allowed us to look objectively at how we deal with challenges around air quality and to look at the policies and strategies that other organisations have implemented.

“Although air quality is better in Cheshire East than many places, it is still an important issue and the training staff and members engaged with this week has provided food for thought about what more we can do.”

Council to consult on new local transport plan for borough

Cheshire East is to have a new local transport plan to help drive forward the economy and support key policies that promote the council’s core objectives.

The plan (LTP), which is about to go out to public consultation, will look at all forms of transport over the next five years up to 2023. It will be integral to the council’s approved Local Plan Strategy, which sets out the council’s framework for meeting housing, planning, social and infrastructure needs up to 2030.

The LTP will address pressures on the transport network and infrastructure as a result of housing and population growth across the borough, including HS2 in the Crewe area and the South East Manchester Multi Modal Strategy (SEMMMS) and Manchester Airport Relief Road to the north of the borough.

The LTP brings together a wide range of transport strategies and schemes, which have been developed over recent years into a single coherent framework. 

Councillor Don Stockton, cabinet member for environment, said: “It is important to us that as many people as possible give their feedback through these important consultations.

“The local transport plan provides a framework for the future development of our transport and infrastructure across the borough to help us meet our core outcomes, including that people live well and for longer, that the borough has a strong and resilient economy and that the borough is a green and sustainable place in which to live, do business and visit.

“Our transport network aims to support the Local Plan through improved connectivity, a better quality of life and enhanced quality of place.

“We also need to consider our connectivity with key economic centres, such as Manchester, Liverpool, North Wales and the Midlands, in order to best manage the impact of traffic growth around our towns, commuter routes and motorways.” 

The LTP will also consider developments within neighbouring authorities, including Greater Manchester, through the Semmms strategy. A recent consultation in Cheshire East asked residents to comment in key transport issues and options in the north of the borough.  The full draft Semmms strategy will be consulted on in the near future and residents may also wish to comment on this.  

The local transport plan will be open for public consultation and residents and all interested parties are encouraged to take part. The consultation runs for eight weeks from Tuesday 1 May 2018, through to Monday 25 June 2018.

As part of the consultation, there will be the opportunity to attend drop-in sessions across the borough and meet with staff to learn more about the local transport plan in face-to-face discussions.

In addition, residents and businesses can obtain response forms from local libraries and council offices. Completed forms should be returned to: Freepost Plus RSJJ-YTHC —CHZK, Research and Consultation, Cheshire East Council, Westfields, Middlewich Road, Sandbach, CW11 1HZ.

To find out more about the local transport plan visit: www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/localtransportplan