& Epney

Dates for Parish Newsletter December 2020 your Diary December 2020 & January 2021

Parish Council Meeting The next meeting is scheduled for the 11th January 2021.

A beautiful sunrise photo by Brian Everett! Due to latest Covid guidelines it will be via a Zoom meeting. Christmas Church Services If you wish to join this please email clerk@longneyandep- neyparish.co.uk for the password. A reminder of this year’s Christmas Church Services. Nine Lessons & Carols

Sunday 20th December, Longney Church, 6.30pm. Ticket Only, Limited Spaces.

Midnight Mass

Thursday 24th December, Elmore Church, 11.15pm. Ticket Only, Limited Spaces.

Christmas Day Service

Friday 25th December, Longney Church, 9.30am. No ticket needed.

To book tickets follow the link below. Tickets are free of charge. https://bookings.hardwicke-elmore-longney.church

2

Domestic CCTV Guidance Reporting The Parish Council was recently asked by a parishioner about CCTV and Non-Emergency the law surrounding the use of it on domestic property. Below are some things to think about when considering CCTV to protect your property. Police Incidents Online How can I use CCTV responsibly at my The Police are property? encouraging people to You should ask yourself whether CCTV is the best way to improve your home security. report non-emergency incidents and crimes via Think about the following questions: the Do I really need CCTV? Constabulary website. Are there other things I could use to protect my home, such as better lighting? What is the most privacy-friendly way to set up the system? It's quick, more What areas do I want the cameras to capture? convenient (if you are Can I position the cameras to avoid intruding on my neighbours’ property confident with the or any shared or public spaces? Do I need to record the images, or is a live feed enough? internet) and handled by Has my CCTV system got an audio-recording facility? Audio recording is the same team who very privacy-intrusive. So, in most cases where householders use CCTV, answers our calls. they should disable audio recording. Think about the problem you are trying to tackle. It will usually be to safeguard you and your property against crime. Check your local police The link below will take advice about crime prevention. Better locks, security lighting or an alarm you to the Gloucestershire system may be more effective and less expensive ways of securing your property. Police Website. If you decide to use CCTV, think about what areas need to be covered,

and whether your cameras need to capture images beyond the boundary https://www.gloucester- of your property. Remember, if your cameras do not capture images beyond your boundary, the data protection laws won’t apply to you. shire.police.uk/ Below is a link to help you keep within the law.

https://ico.org.uk/your-data-matters/domestic-cctv-systems-guidance- for-people-using-cctv/

Home Burglaries

Our local Police Officers have reminded us that dark winter nights are an ideal opportunity for burglars to take advantage of empty properties. Follow the link below for some advice on protecting your property. Remember not to leave Christmas presents on view and once you have opened all your goodies on Christmas Day don’t leave boxes outside for recycling which let everyone know what’s inside your home. https://www.gloucestershire.police.uk/police-forces/gloucestershire-con- stabulary/areas/gloucestershire/campaigns/burglary/ 3

Flooding Dog Fouling The plan for a parish meeting with Siobhan Baillie was discussed during the latest Parish Council meeting and it is still the intention for this to be held. It is felt that this would be better when it is possible to get together in person and not via an online meeting platform as there are several agencies that also need to be involved.

Cllr. Godwin has been in contact with Tom Barratt, Flood Resilience Officer for Council, more sandbags will be made available and Cllr. Godwin will arrange for further sand to be delivered from Cullimores.

Cllr. Godwin would like to remind everyone that sandbags will perish if left in the sunlight, so please keep them safe and covered in case of an emergency. It has been noted that there is an increase in dog It was also advised that Tom Barratt will speak to the internal drainage fouling on the School board regarding clearing the ditches from the flooding in March as the Maze from people parking surface water will not be taken away while they are still full of the debris. to walk dogs. During the Parish Council meeting it was brought to attention that our Dogs are being let out of “Village Emergency Plan” was out of date on the website. This has now cars off lead and then been updated and can be found via the following link:- using the field straight away to go to toilet. https://www.longneyandepneyparish.co.uk/important-documents

Signage is underway regarding the use of the Severn Voice Meeting car park and dog fouling will be included in the During the latest Severn Voice meeting in November there was a guest wording. speaker fro NHS Clinical Commissioning Group, Becky Parish. She spoke about “PALS” the “Patient Advice and Liaison Service”. We were asked to share this information with our parishioners.

PALS is a confidential service that provides information advice and support for patients, families and carers. PALS seek to promote the importance of listening to patient enquiries and concerns. To support this, the PALS team work closely with staff who have direct contact with patients, their families and carers, providing help and information regarding enquiries or concerns raised by those receiving care or treatment.

For further enquiries call PALS on Freephone 0800 0151 548 or land line 01452 566698. The phone lines have an answering service so messages can be left at any time and will be responded to as quickly as possible, or email: [email protected]

4

Speed Camera 2021 Census

There has been growing “Ready, steady, census”, the decennial concern over the last few census is almost upon us. Census 2021 years about the speed will provide a snapshot of modern that vehicles travel society. through the parish. Households across Epney and Longney will soon be asked to take part in Over the coming weeks Census 2021. there will be a number of trials to collect data of the The census is a once-in-a-decade survey that gives us the most accurate vehicles travelling through estimate of all the people and households in and Wales. It has the village lanes. The aim been carried out every decade since 1801, with the exception of 1941. of this data collection will It will be the first run predominantly online, with households receiving a be to have enough letter with a unique access code, allowing them to complete the information to submit to questionnaire on their computers, phones or tablets. Highways to request a more formal speed “A successful census will ensure everyone from local government to monitoring exercise which charities can put services and funding in the places where they are most needed,” Iain Bell, deputy national statistician at the Office for National could be used to either Statistics, said. extend the current speed limit areas or add “This could mean things like doctors’ surgeries, schools and new transport additional restrictions routes. That is why it is so important everyone takes part and we have through areas of the made it easier for people to do so online on any device, with help and parish. paper questionnaires for those that need them.”

Notice of the trials will be Census day will be on 21st March 2021, but households across the country given on the village will receive letters with online codes allowing them to take part from Facebook page. early March. The census will include questions about your sex, age, work, health, education, household size and ethnicity. For the first time, there If anyone does not have will be a question asking people whether they have served in the armed access to this page and forces, as well as voluntary questions for those aged 16 and over would like to be notified on sexual orientation and gender identity. by email, please contact Results will be available within 12 months, although personal records will the Parish Council Clerk. be locked away for 100 years, kept safe for future generations. clerk@longneyandepney- parish.co.uk For more information click on the following link.

https://census.gov.uk/

5

Longney School Christmas

Church Service Covid Update

At the end of the latest lockdown guidance was issued regarding Christmas Church services and is as follows:- School has been far from normal this year, no day trips out and no onsite visits. They have, however, prepared a “Virtual Tour and Our choir can perform, Overview of Our School” unmasked, but they The video is a really lovely insight into our local village school and will be at the far end of shows the values of how they educate the pupils. the Church away from the congregation. Follow the link below to watch the video!

The congregation must be socially distanced and wear a mask. Also, https://vimeo.com/476904772 no (enthusiastic) joining in with carol singing.

6

We Wish You a Very Safe & Happy Christmas

Forming a Christmas Bubble, not to be confused with Christmas Baubles! The rules on forming and using a Christmas bubble will be the law. You must follow them to minimise the spread of infection.

Everyone is allowed to form a Christmas bubble. There are three main rules:

You can only be in one Christmas bubble. You cannot change your Christmas bubble. Your Christmas bubble should not include people from more than

three households. It is important that you keep your Christmas bubble as small as possible. You must not form a Christmas bubble if you are self-isolating. Between 23 to 27 December, if you form a Christmas bubble, you should not meet with friends and family that you do not live with in your home or garden unless they are part of your Christmas bubble. You can continue to meet people who are not in your Christmas bub- ble outside your home according to the rules in the tier you are meet- ing people in. There are specific guidelines for those who have chosen to form a different Christmas bubble from the people they normally live with, and for those who choose not to form a Christmas bubble.

If someone is in your Christmas bubble, you can visit each other’s homes and stay overnight, including in private rented accommodation. You can also go to a place of worship together or meet in public outdoor spaces.