Archive for category: News

Please find attached the latest newsletter from the Northamptonshire Police Fire and Crime Commissioner.

This month we are asking if you could help ensure standards remain high in our custody suites by becoming an Independent Custody Visitor, more about the Immediate Justice Scheme, news about funding grants made available to community groups and the third roundtable event bringing together national and local business together with the police.

The newsletter can also be viewed on our website:

We’re warning people of a new scam we’ve been made aware of which involves winter fuel allowance payments.

Earlier this month, officers received a report from a member of the public in The Headlands, Northampton, which involved a cold caller knocking on the door of an elderly person in the area.

When they answered, the cold caller told the occupant that they from “Survey Solutions” on behalf of “Northants Council” who were supporting those who have had their winter fuel allowance stopped.

The scammer produced a card machine attached to a mobile and asked the victim for his debit card details so they could receive the winter fuel payment directly into his bank.

Luckily, they were suspicious and declined.

We’re issuing this warning to encourage people who have been approached in similar circumstances to come forward, as well as to try and prevent anyone from falling victim to this scam.

You can help protect older neighbours and relatives against this type of crime with this advice:

There’s no need to open the door to unexpected callers – it’s OK to send them away
Find other ways to speak to callers – through a window or even the letterbox
Don’t bother to check ID cards – they will be fake if the caller is not who they say they are
Display a ‘No Cold Calling Home’ sticker
Set up passwords with utility companies so you know if they are genuine when they call
Keep the outside of your property well maintained
Don’t keep large amounts of cash at home
Use a lifeline pendant alarm to call for assistance
IF YOU’RE NOT SURE, DON’T OPEN THE DOOR

If you would like a free ‘No Cold Calling Home’ sticker, please email crimeprevention@northants.police.uk.

For more information, please visit Take Five – To Stop Fraud | Take Five is a national campaign offering straightforward and impartial advice to help everyone protect themselves against fraud. (takefive-stopfraud.org.uk) and Stop! Think Fraud – How to stay safe from scams (stopthinkfraud.campaign.gov.uk).

A5 resurfacing works

 

I’m writing to inform you of some upcoming essential maintenance work on the A5 between Tove roundabout and Gibbet Island. As part of this work, we’ll carry out resurfacing, renewal of road markings and replacing road studs to provide a smoother, safer carriageway for road users.

 

When will this work take place?

We’ll be working overnight, from 21 October 2024 to 1 November 2024, 8pm to 6am Monday to Friday.

To complete our work safely, we’ll install full overnight closures of the A5 between Crick and Shawell (3 nights), followed by Weedon Bec to Crick (2 nights) and a final phase from Tove/Towcester roundabout to Weedon Bec. (2 nights).

What does this mean for you?

 

During the closures, the following fully signed diversions will be in place.

Crick to Shawell – motorway traffic

Crick to Shawell – non motorway traffic

 

Weedon Bec to Crick – motorway traffic

 

 

Weedon Bec to Crick – non motorway traffic

Tove Roundabout to Weedon Bec – motorway traffic

 

 

Tove Roundabout to Weedon Bec – non motorway traffic

We’ll make every effort to ensure the impact on the local community and travelling public is kept to a minimum. We always aim to work to the programme, however unforeseen circumstances or adverse weather conditions may mean changes.

 

Please accept our apologies in advance for any inconvenience this may cause.

 

Further information

If you’d like to receive updates about future work along the A5, please subscribe to our distribution list by emailing noreplya5emids@nationalhighways.co.uk

 

For further information about this work, please contact National Highways Customer Contact Centre on 0300 123 5000 open 24/7, email info@nationalhighways.co.uk, or write to us at National Highways, National Traffic Operations Centre, 3 Ridgeway, Quinton Business Park, Birmingham, B32 1AF.

Full information about the scheme will also be available on our website https://nationalhighways.co.uk/our-roads/east-midlands/.

Winter is coming – and this may mean that some hedgehogs who have not been able to find the right kind of food over the last few months may be underweight and struggling.

 

How do I know if a hedgehog is in trouble?

• It’s out in the day time – slow moving hedgehogs in the daytime are not normal
• It is not moving well – a sluggish or wobbly hedgehog in the open
• There are a flies buzzing around it – may indicate it is ill
• Small young hedgehogs out by themselves – may have lost their mother and need help

 

How can I help?

If you have found a hedgehog who looks to need rescuing there are some immediate things you can do to help:

• Use gardening gloves or a folded towel to collect it up, bring it indoors and put it in a high-sided box with an old towel or fleece in the bottom for the hedgehog to hide under.
• Fill a hot water bottle so that when it is wrapped in a towel there is a nice gentle heat coming through and put that in the bottom of the box with the hedgehog, ensuring it has room to get off the bottle should it get too warm. Make sure the bottle is always kept warm (if allowed to go cold it will chill the hedgehog and do more harm than good). During particularly hot weather providing heat may not be necessary.
• Put the box somewhere quiet.
• Offer meaty cat or dog food and fresh water

These steps will help the hedgehog warm up and give it the opportunity to stabilise.

 

Call the experts

Once you have a hedgehog in a safe place you should contact one of the groups who can help find someone able to offer the hedgehog specialised care – below are contact sites you can call for help:

The British Hedgehog Preservation Society

Web: https://www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk

Tel: 01584 890 801

 

Warwickshire Hedgehog rescue

Web: https://warwickshirehedgehogrescue.org/Contact-Us/

Tel: list of numbers on the contact page

 

The start of October marks Stoptober, a national campaign which encourages people to quit smoking for good.

Smoking remains the biggest behavioural cause of preventable death, with 64,000 deaths a year and quitting is one of the best things a smoker can do for their health. If you quit for 28 days, you’re five times more likely to quit for good. That is why West Northamptonshire Council will be hosting events out in the local community to encourage people across the area to join thousands of others who are committing to quitting this October. People across West Northamptonshire can access free support through the Council’s Stop Smoking Service. There is a wide-range of support including a 12-week course with sessions either on the telephone or face-face, as well additional support with e-cigarettes and nicotine replacement therapy which can be delivered straight your door. If you’d like to speak to someone about support this Stoptober join one of the drop in sessions at: Friday 4 October 9am – 4pm at Weston Favell shopping centre, outside Costa Tuesday 8 October 9am – 4pm at Grosvenor Shopping centre, outside River Island on the ground floor Thursday 10 October 9am – 4pm at Northampton General Hospital at the South Entrance outside Marks & Spencer Cllr Matt Golby, Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Adult Care, Public Health and Regulatory Services said: “When you stop smoking good things can start to happen, within days or weeks you have more energy, and your senses of taste and smell improve. Not only this, but quitting could save the average smoker £2,000 per year. Quitting this autumn could ease financial pressures and you could see significant improvements to physical and mental health. “If you’ve quit before, or are looking to save money and improve your wellbeing – I’d encourage you to reach out to our stop smoking service to find out more about the free support we can offer to help you quit for good.” To find out more information please visit www.westnorthants.gov.uk/stopsmoking or you can get in touch with the service today on 0300 126 5700.