INSIDE DON’T BE A VICTIM OF DOORSTEP CRIME • EMPTY HOMES BROUGHT BACK INTO USE A MAGAZINE FOR NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY COUNCIL TENANTS Newsham MATTERS YOUR VOTE - use it or lose it SPRING 2017 x174962_NCC_p3_sw.indd 1 03/03/2017 09:28 FOREWORD Welcome to the Spring edition of Your News, which focuses on investments made 4 by the council to help DON’T BE A VICTIM OF DOORSTEP CRIME improve the communities in which you live. The word community means a group scheme, which can improve the lives of people who live in the same area of everyone in the area. Hopefully, and who have a shared interest or a this pilot will help us to develop our common goal. approach and we may then replicate this in other areas. As a council we are committed to working with our tenants and A community is also about taking partners to create welcoming care of each other, whether that’s communities you can be proud looking in on an elderly or vulnerable 8 of and live in. neighbour, or reporting suspicious activities in your estate, such as One of the ways we try to achieve EMPTY HOMES BROUGHT door-to-door callers or anti-social this ambition is by investing to BACK INTO USE behaviour. improve our estates with improvement projects, such as We all have a part to play in making those at The Oval in Newsham. Northumberland a happy place to live and we welcome your support We couldn’t do this without your and involvement. co-operation. Projects like Newsham Community Matters aim to bring a Allan Hepple, cabinet member community together, to develop a for housing at the council YOUR HOUSING 14 MANAGEMENT SOLID FUEL TEAM IS ON THE MOVE The team, currently based at Blyth Civic Centre, is moving to a new home at Compass House in the centre of Blyth, following the sale of the civic centre. Compass House, as with the Civic If you need to access the team 16 Centre will not be open to the public or have a housing management but we intend to improve access to enquiry, you should continue to GET YOUR KIDS DAY OFF our services by offering meetings by call our Contact Centre on TO A HEALTHY START appointment. 01670 542424 or call into one of our Information Centres. FRONT COVER IMAGE: No set date has been agreed for the Spring fun at move but we anticipate that it will <RX·OOÀQGDIXOOOLVWRIWKRVHFHQWUHV Whitehouse Farm Centre. take place in May. on page 19. 2 YOUR NEWS Spring 2017 x174962_NCC_p5_sw.indd 2 03/03/2017 13:43 NEW BUNGALOW brings back memories for tenant “The bungalow is going to make things so much easier for us, we are really impressed with it. As time passes and we get older, we will now have a house which will hopefully suit our needs.” New tenants have now moved into a Rita Railton development of bungalows in Blyth. And for Rita Railton opening the it. As time passes and we get older, Northumberland County Councillor doors to her newly built bungalow, we will now have a house which will Allan Hepple, cabinet member for on the site of the former Morpeth hopefully suit our needs.” housing said: “The lack of affordable Road school, was like stepping housing is one of the biggest issues The £2.8m development is part of back in time. facing people in Northumberland the council’s Affordable Homes and the council has placed a strong The 70-year-old is a former pupil programme and is made up of emphasis on building new of the school and grew up on the 26 two-bedroom bungalows, affordable homes. nearby Cowpen Road. The old two of which have been built to school railings now also border accommodate wheelchair access. “It’s fantastic to see the tenants her back garden moving into their new homes, which The bungalows are part of a focus are helping local people, such as the She said: “It’s like I’ve come full on affordable housing by the Railtons, stay in the communities circle. The bungalow is going to council, which has seen more than they know and love.” make things so much easier for 300 new homes being built across us, we are really impressed with the county in the last three years. YOUR NEWS Spring 2017 3 x174962_NCC_p3_sw.indd 3 03/03/2017 09:28 SAFER NEIGHBOURHOODS DON’T BE A VICTIM OF DOORSTEP CRIME Northumberland Trading Standards Service is warning residents to be Remember aware of bogus door to door callers. if you are unsure call the Citizens These callers may offer services They often have a good “story” to tell such as garden maintenance and and can be very persuasive. Once Advice Consumer home repairs, or try to sell you LQVLGH\RXUKRPHLWFDQEHGLIÀFXOW Helpline on products. Fish sellers are a common to get them to leave. Tenants should complaint for Trading Standards. also be aware that in some cases 03454 04 Rogue door to door sellers target some people have been subject to 05 06 vulnerable or elderly tenants, who distraction burglary after allowing may feel intimidated or pressured these sellers into their home. into buying from them or agreeing Typically the work carried out is of to have work carried out in their a low standard, people are charged home or garden. an excessive amount for work done You may also end up on a “suckers or they fail to complete the work list” where your details could be altogether even when they have passed around to other rogue been paid to do it. Complaints about traders. As a result you may then ÀVKVHOOHUVLQGLFDWHWKDWWKH\PD\ receive an increased number of show you a small amount of quality calls and visits to your home. product, but leave you with a large amount of lower quality product, for which you may be charged a lot of money. If you have elderly neighbours or relatives be aware that they may be vulnerable to rogue traders so pass on these tips and advice. 4 YOUR NEWS Spring 2017 x174962_NCC_p5_sw.indd 4 03/03/2017 13:43 SAFER NEIGHBOURHOODS NORTHUMBERLAND TRADING STANDARDS SERVICE ARE HERE TO HELP WITH SOME TIPS AND ADVICE: If you are unsure about the service being offered, you should always take the time to think. Ask for a business card and say that you will contact the trader rather than agreeing to work immediately. For home maintenance or gardening services it may be better to ask a friend or neighbour for a recommendation for a tradesperson they have used. PHONE AND EMAIL SCAMS Be wary of letters,phonecalls Look for businesses on the Business Approval Register or emails asking for personal www.businessapprovalregister.com. This is a directory of information, such as bank businesses providing home improvements and professional account numbers, login details services, providing a safer way to choose a tradesperson. or passwords. Sometimes emails may look convincing but banks $VNIRULGHQWLÀFDWLRQ0RVWUHSXWDEOHEXVLQHVVHVZLOOKDYHD and Government departments WHOHSKRQHQXPEHURQWKHLGHQWLÀFDWLRQFDUGV\RXFDQFDOOWKLV such as HMRC would not ask for WRFRQÀUPWKHLGHQWLW\RIWKHGRRUVWHSFDOOHU,I\RXDUHFRQFHUQHG your personal details in this way. about a door to door caller report it immediately. Contact the police Never respond to letters or via the 101 emergency number or call the Citizens Advice emails asking for you to send Consumer Helpline on 03454 04 05 06 for further advice. money to an account. Even if an email is from someone in your Avoid allowing someone you do not know into your home and use contacts, their account could a door chain if possible. have been hacked, so always FKHFNZLWKWKHPÀUVW Never agree to take someone to your bank to withdraw money to pay for goods or services. Be wary of letters, e-mails or phonecalls which tell you you ɿ Staff in most high street banks are now trained to have won a prize, especially if look out for any suspicious withdrawals they are asking you to send Fish sellers need a licence to sell door to door, so ask for evidence money or call a premium rate of this. number in order to claim this prize. Remember if it seems too Place a no cold callers sign in your window good to be true, it probably is. (please cut out the sign provided) If you are still unsure call the Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline on 03454 04 05 06. CUT OUT YOUR NO COLD CALLERS SIGN HERE We DO NOT deal with COLD CALLERS PLEASE LEAVE AND DO NOT RETURN Failure to do so is a criminal offence The Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 YOUR NEWS Spring 2017 x174962_NCC_p3_sw.indd 5 03/03/2017 09:29 ELECTIONS Local Elections: ‘THEY’RE ON YOUR DOORSTEP’ Deadline to register Thursday 13 April Elections take place Thursday 4 May Northumberland County Council and local Parish and Town Council Elections take place on Thursday 4 May. This is your opportunity to choose who decides, on your behalf, what happens in your area and for the people of Northumberland. To be able to vote, you must be may not be on the Electoral Register. how to apply, or contact Electoral registered and registering to vote If you are unclear about whether Services on the details above to is easy. You can do it in just a few or not you are on the register call request an application form. 01670 624811 or email minutes at gov.uk/register-to-vote. Once you have registered you will You’ll need to provide your National [email protected] receive a polling card which advises Insurance number, your date of birth If you can’t vote in person you can you that you either have a postal and your address.