Please see a link below to the April edition of the Compton Chronicle. The hard copies will be delivered when safe to do so:

• CC APRIL 2021 FINAL

Introduction – Roadmap Reopening Webinars from Warwickshire County Council and Partners 

Following the Government announcement of the four-step  roadmap to cautiously ease lockdown restrictions in England, Warwickshire County Council is working with district and borough council partners to run a series of ‘Roadmap Re-opening’ information and advice webinars during March, April and May for organisations and businesses as they prepare to reopen.

The first couple of these begin next week, w/c 22^nd March, focused on sports clubs and amateur sports bodies, and places of worship. The details are below.

WEBINAR – Sports clubs and amateur sports bodies – COVID Secure Reopening of Outdoor Sports – Your Questions Answered 

The first of these is for Sports Clubs and Amateur Sports bodies as they prepare to get ready for the re-opening of outdoor sports activities. The webinar will cover key learning from the latest lockdown and advice on keeping players, coaches and spectators safe.

The panel on the webinar will include local authority colleagues from public health, trading standards, Warwickshire Police, Fire and Rescue and our Towns Team.

We are inviting any organisations to join our webinar to raise any questions they may have and to learn from the experience of others. The event will be recorded for those unable to join live to view later, and questions may be submitted in advance to business@warwickshire.gov.uk

Webinar Details: Tuesday 23^rd March 5pm-6pm 

Microsoft Teams meeting 

Join on your computer or mobile app 

Click here to join the meeting

Or Dial in: 

0203 321 5213

Phone Conference ID: 279 755 974#

Webinar – COVID Secure – Places of Worship – Information Webinar   

As we begin our journey following the national roadmap to recovery from COVID-19, Warwickshire County Council and partners are running an advice and information webinar to help answer some of the common questions that we have been receiving from the faith sector.  Many faith establishments wish to open at the end of March for public worship and are looking towards services and festivals to mark Easter, Ramadan, Holi and Vaisakhi during the Spring months.

The webinar panel will include local authority colleagues from public health, trading standards, local district and boroughs, Warwickshire Police, Fire & Rescue and Town Centres.

As well as any questions raised on the day, we’ll cover:

• A brief current COVID-19 picture in Warwickshire

• COVID secure key public health advice in Places of Worship
• Risk assessments, how to undertake these & what help is available
• Local lateral flow testing and contact tracing

We are inviting any voluntary groups to join our webinar to raise any questions they may have and to learn from the experience of others. The event will include an overview of any recent changes and responsibilities. The event will be recorded for those unable to join live to view later, and questions may be submitted in advance to business@warwickshire.gov.uk.

Webinar Details: Thursday 25^th March 2021, 11.30 – 12.30.   

Microsoft Teams meeting

Join on your computer or mobile app

Click here to join the meeting

Or call in (audio only)

+44 20 3321 5213,,338350128#   United Kingdom, London

Phone Conference ID: 338 350 128#
Find a local number | Reset PIN

As part of the national embed and evaluate programme for the NHS Volunteer Responders (GoodSam) scheme, we are undertaking some local evaluation across Warwickshire and Coventry of how people have accessed community support either as a volunteer or a recipient.

To help with this, please could I ask you to distribute the attached survey link through your local contacts and networks.  The closing date for responses is tomorrow, 23rd March.

https://ask.warwickshire.gov.uk/resources/community-support

You need to complete your census form online on or soon after Sunday 21 March 2021. If you need help, please phone 0800 141 2021

Be like the Spike family of Avon Dassett in 1911. Complete your census form!

The information can also be found here: https://safeinwarwickshire.com/2021/03/17/copycat-holiday-websites-and-other-scam-warnings/

Looking for a Cheap Holiday or Airline Flight? Don’t be Caught out by the Copycats!

Fraudsters are setting up copycat websites through which they sell fake airline tickets and holidays. The fraudsters use the same names (or very similar names) and ATOL numbers of genuine travel companies.

Before the pandemic, in 2018 UK holidaymakers lost more than £7m to fake sites and fraud. According to ABTA, 53% of reported online holiday scams concerned the sale of fake airline tickets from copycat and bogus websites.

These websites look very professional and even include telephone numbers that use local area codes to where the genuine companies are based! The telephone numbers are actually linked to foreign call centres.

If you are a victim of a bogus website, report it to Trading Standards on 0808 223 1133.

There are many companies that sell holidays and airline tickets online, from large brands to small independents. We’ve put together a few top tips to help you protect yourself.

1. If the seller is unfamiliar to you, research them online. You can check to see when a website was first registered using https://who.is/ If the website was registered very recently, but the company claims to be well established, be wary!
2. Pay in a way that offers some form of protection if things go wrong, for example with a credit card. Be wary of companies that will only accept payments that offer little or no protection, such as bank transfer.
3. More advice on holiday and travel bookings is available here: https://www.getsafeonline.org/shopping-banking/holiday-and-travel-booking/

Everyone’s a Winner!

Beware of bogus ‘pop-up’ quizzes and competitions that appear on websites and social media sites. Many bogus promotional competitions claim to offer iPhones and other technology as prizes. People are asked to answer a few simple questions and of course, everyone wins! ‘Winners’ are then asked to provide their card details to pay for posting their non-existent prize to them. When the fraudsters have this information they can start taking money from ‘prize winners’ bank accounts, often by setting up a continuous payment authority.

More on competition scams: https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/a-z-of-fraud/prize-draw-scams

Scam DVLA Emails

Warwickshire residents have reported receiving scam DVLA email messages. The messages state that their car must not be driven on the highway because its road tax had expired and the application to renew it had been refused because the account did not contain sufficient funds to cover it. The recipient of the email is then invited to click on a link to a website to ‘resolve the matter’. These links direct recipients to bogus websites from which personal and financial information can be stolen. Be wary of any unexpected emails. Never follow a link in a suspicious email. Always visit the website by typing the correct address in to the browser.

More on phishing emails: https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/a-z-of-fraud/phishing

Pet Registration Microchip Copycats

New pet owners are warned to beware of bogus ‘copycat’ websites offering pet microchip registration services. These bogus websites, that can appear above genuine websites in online searches, take money for falsely claiming to be able to register your pet. Before you register your pet, make sure that you have visited the correct website.

The Government guidance for carers has been updated. Informal unpaid carers can now access PPE from the local authority. Please see the guidance below which states:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-providing-unpaid-care/guidance-for-those-who-provide-unpaid-care-to-friends-or-family

“We are currently rolling out an offer of free PPE for COVID-19 needs to unpaid carers who do not live with the person or people they care for. This will be available until the end of June 2021, and will be available from local authorities (LAs) and local resilience forums (LRFs).”

Please let families know if they want to access PPE they can if they provide informal care to a family, neighbours or friends that they do not live with. To order please fill out or return this online form https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=BqqwiCdZu0uok4nMJxOsgnktloL_n6xMgdqxlItsyy9UOVlPRDFMTEQ2M1RZQUUzVUpERjNNUjBVOSQlQCN0PWcu or email cv19ppe@warwickshire.gov.uk 

Census 2021 ‘Be Scam Aware‘

Census Day is Sunday 21 March 2021. After Census Day, at the end of March and into April, census field officers will be visiting households from which they have not received a completed census form. They will encourage people to complete the census and help residents to access further help if they need it.

Scammers may seek to use the Census as an opportunity to perpetrate doorstep, telephone, and online scams, so it is important to remember the following:

• At no point will you be asked for your national insurance number, passwords, bank account details, or your credit or debit card numbers, nor any payment
• You will not receive any payment for completing the census, so any offers of money in exchange for your account details will be fraudulent
• You will not be called for information about the census unless you’ve made an appointment with the Census Contact Centre or made a query or complaint
• No-one will enter your home in relation to the census
• Help to fill out your form is free (for more information visit: https://census.gov.uk/ or phone 0800 141 2021)
• You can report a fraud direct to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or visit: https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/

Damp Proof Scam Warning

Warwickshire homeowners have reported receiving nuisance phone calls from people informing them that someone will visit their property to check for damp. The callers were also asking about the resident’s financial situation. Offering free surveys is sometimes a way for unscrupulous businesses to access people’s properties so they can apply the ‘hard sell’ and carry out often very expensive and unnecessary insulation work. Put the phone down immediately on cold callers and never buy goods or services from unexpected callers, either on the doorstep or over the phone. For more information visit: https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/consumeradvice

Bogus Royal Mail Parcel Delivery

More residents are reporting receiving bogus emails stating that Royal Mail has attempted to deliver a parcel to them without success and now requires ‘additional details’ in order to attempt to re-deliver the parcel, as the ‘address appears to be incomplete’. The emails contain a  ‘book your delivery’ link that directs you to a bogus website. Never click on a link in a suspicious email. For more information on scam emails visit: https://www.getsafeonline.org/protecting-yourself/spam-and-scam-email/

Beware Puppy Scams

Trading Standards Animal Health Officers have received reports of criminal gangs illegally smuggling puppies into the UK to sell, puppies being stolen and sold on and consumers paying huge deposits to online sellers for puppies that don’t exist. Illegally imported puppies may carry diseases that are a threat to human health such as rabies. Criminal gangs have also been involved in puppy farming, where dogs are often bred in appalling conditions, increasing the risk of disease and ill health. To help avoid puppy scams, follow our top tips: https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/news/article/1795/don-t-pay-criminals-for-stolen-puppies-sick-puppies-and-puppies-that-don-t-even-exist-

For more information see: https://safeinwarwickshire.com/2021/03/09/census-2021-be-scam-aware-and-other-warnings/

To make a consumer complaint or for consumer help and advice, please contact the Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133.

For consumer or business help and advice, including details of our approved trader scheme, please visit our website: https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/tradingstandards

Sign up for regular scam alerts to your email inbox: https://mailchi.mp/warwickshire/scamawareness

Consumers are paying thousands to criminals for stolen and sick puppies and in some case puppies that don’t even exist, Warwickshire County Council’s Trading Standards Service is warning.

Warwickshire County Councillor Andy Crump, Portfolio Holder for Community Safety said: 

“The popularity of owning a dog has increased since the pandemic began, such that demand for puppies has gone through the roof and prices for many breeds have more than doubled.”

“Unfortunately, this has encouraged criminals to get involved, leading to more puppy thefts and prospective owners paying huge sums for stolen or sick puppies or large deposits for puppies that don’t even exist.”

“We’ve published some top tips to assist would be dog owners to avoid these scam puppy sales.”

Trading Standards Animal Health Officers have received reports of criminal gangs illegally smuggling puppies in to the UK to sell, puppies being stolen and sold on and consumers paying huge deposits to online sellers for puppies that don’t exist.

Illegally imported puppies may carry diseases that are a threat to human health such as rabies. Criminal gangs have also been involved in puppy farming, where dogs are often bred in appalling conditions, increasing the risk of disease and ill health.

In April 2020 ‘Lucy’s Law’ was introduced, meaning that anyone wanting to get a new puppy (or kitten) in England must now buy direct from a breeder, or consider adopting from a rescue centre instead. Licensed dog breeders are required to show puppies interacting with their mothers in their place of birth. If a business sells puppies (or kittens) without a licence, they could receive an unlimited fine or be sent to prison for up to six months. The new law seeks to tackle the low-welfare, high volume supply of puppies (and kittens), by banning their commercial third-party sale in England.

Beginning on Monday 8^th March, Warwickshire Trading Standards is launching a new campaign to promote their top tips, search ‘buypuppysafe’ or follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/warwickshiretradingstandards and Twitter: https://twitter.com/WarksTSS

Top Tips to Buy a Puppy Safely  

1. Buy from a reputable and recommended dealer. Consider the Kennel Club Assured breeder scheme
2. Always view the puppy with its mother and siblings, where it has been bred
3. Ask to see the health test certificates for the puppy’s parents and the puppy’s vaccination documentation
4. Be prepared to wait for the puppy you want. Be very wary of anyone claiming they can provide the puppy you want quickly
5. Many bogus breeders ‘sell’ puppies on social media where money is taken for large deposits, but no puppy is ever delivered. If you’re asked to pay a deposit, check to ensure the seller is genuine first.
6. Never agree to meet the seller anywhere other than where the puppy is kept, for example car parks, motorway service stations etc. Do not allow the seller to deliver the puppy to your home
7. Beware of anyone offering a puppy at a ‘too good to be true’ price
8. To report puppy scams, the illegal sale of puppies and obtain advice on your consumer rights, contact the Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133
9. For more information and advice about buying a puppy, visit:

• https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/dogs/puppy
• https://www.dogstrust.org.uk/help-advice/buyer-advice/
• https://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/getting-a-dog/ 
• Lucy’s Law https://www.gov.uk/government/news/lucys-law-spells-the-beginning-of-the-end-for-puppy-farming Dog breeders can contact their local authority for more advice.

Warwickshire County Council are carrying out a Mental Health and Wellbeing Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) to understand the needs of the Coventry and Warwickshire adult populations.  As part of this we want to hear from residents aged 16 and over and professionals about their own mental health and wellbeing.

https://ask.warwickshire.gov.uk/insights-service/adult-mental-health-services/

Saturday 22 May is destined to be the first Saturday that pubs can welcome people back indoors (albeit keeping to strict social distancing and COVID prevention measures).

To celebrate, there will be a social event at The Yew Tree in the morning from 0900-1100.

First and foremost this will be a chance to catch up with friends and neighbours in a safe way – but there is more!

The ever popular pop-up market will be returning with all your favourite craft, food, drink and produce stalls from local businesses and the local community.

There will be children’s activities and games.

And the event will also see the launch of the refreshing of the Avon Dassett Parish Plan. The original parish plan was completed 14 years ago in 2007 and so it is now time for residents and the local community to take a fresh look at the facilities and services we would all like for the village. There will be a chance for those attending the market to share their thoughts on everything including issues such as local crime, traffic calming, improving the environment, leisure facilities, housing, and many more. Everyone can get involved including children who will have a change to design their ideal play park and fantasy village. All of these ideas will feed into a survey which will take place later in the year and be run by Stratford District Council.

The Yew Tree and Frellies Ice Cream Shack will be on hand to provide refreshments. Please put the date in your diary and we look forward to seeing as many people as possible on 22 May.