Campaigners from Gedling borough will today join protests against controversial amendments to a bill that would give police powers to stop and search protesters without suspicion.
Amendments to the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill (PCSC bill), which has already included “draconian” powers to ban protests over noise, were sparked by recent disruption caused by Insulate Britain demonstrations.
Campaigners say that if the Bill goes ahead without the House of Lords making changes, simply taking part in a demonstration, or making too much noise (such as playing drums or chanting) could result in a criminal record and a 51-week prison sentence.
‘Locking-on’, a technique used by protesters to make it difficult to remove them from their place of protest, would also become illegal and protest organisers could also be imprisoned for nearly 10 years.
Two protest events against the proposals will now take place over the day (December 8) in Nottingham.
Ruth Devlin, 62, from Carlton is a retired journalist and public relations consultant and member of Global Justice Nottingham and is in full support of today’s planned action against the PCSC Bill.
Extra powers could be given to police to stop protests
She said: “Looking back at history we often celebrate protesters. There are statues to Gandhi, Mandela, Emily Pankhurst, all of whom won historic freedoms for people denied their rights. These people were criminalised at the time, but now they’re seen as role models.
“I fiercely believe that everyone should have the right to protest, whether I agree with them or not!”
“This is horrific. It’s what you’d expect from the Middle East, China or Russia,” said Tanya Myers, 63, Mapperley Park, theatre director, carer and grandmother, who is one of the bound and gagged protestors.
“We have a proud history of freedom of speech and it’s about to quietly vanish. Working class men got the vote through protest, and so did women, thanks to the suffragettes. The fact I can go on a country walk today and that there are public footpaths is thanks to the Kinder Scout trespass.”
A small group of Extinction Rebellion activists will be outside Nottingham Crown Court at 10amto express their opposition to the Bill. Four women and one man, all dressed in black, with red mouth gags and their hands held high and bound with rope. A sign says “Death of Protest = Death of Democracy”.
At 5pm people will gather at the Brian Clough statue, (the same time as many protests across the UK) in defiance of the PCSC Bill and it’s proposed restrictions. The march will be led by the five bound and gagged protesters, followed by representatives from a number of groups dressed in black, carrying a candle, and singing a lament to a lone drum beat.
“The Bill was bad enough to start with, but recent amendments seem to imply that posting an event on social media could bring the police to your door. Threatening peaceful protestors with 51 weeks in prison is outrageous!” said Ben Rosser from Sherwood, CEO of The Pythian Club.
“Priti Patel proposes to remove important freedoms and we‘re not going to take that lying down.”
Police are promoting home security advice after a spate of burglaries in villages across Gedling borough.
Homes in Burton Joyce, Ravenshead and Gedling Village were broken into by intruders in the last week.
Two offences were reported on Regina Crescent, Ravenshead where offenders forced entry to residential properties by damaging doors and windows. Over on Wood Lane in Gedling offenders also forced open a window at a rural property before stealing Jewellery and cash. Other break-ins were reported at properties in Burton Joyce.
Police said in all cases it looked like doors or windows have been forced open in order to steal property including cash, power tools, a bicycle, snowboard and speaker.
Inspector Chris Pearson, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “Our lines of enquiry are ongoing into these incidents and we are working hard to find those responsible and bring them to justice.”
Police warn that most domestic burglaries are committed by opportunist thieves looking for the easiest way of getting into your home without being seen or disturbed.
The advice says: “Look at your home through the eyes of a burglar. Are there places where a burglar could break into your home without being seen? How would you get in if you had forgotten your keys? If you could get inside, so could a burglar.”
Follow this police advice to keep your home secure…
In the winter as the nights get darker earlier, leave a light on inside your home. Remember to choose low energy lamps. Use a timer switch to operate the lights as it starts to get dark. Change the times that the lights come on to simulate an occupied home. Make sure your front door is well lit. Use dusk to dawn lighting that automatically comes on as it gets dark.
Make sure you keep your doors and windows locked at all times.
When you go out, always close and lock external doors and windows, even if you are just going out for a short time.
Fit a five-lever mortice lock (British Standard 3621) to all exterior wooden doors. If you are having new windows or doors installed, ensure they are certified to PAS 24:2016 standard for Enhanced security performance requirements for doorsets and windows in the UK.
UPVC or composite doors have multipoint-locking systems, but it is strongly recommended they are fitted with an anti-snap lock cylinder (TS007) of 3* standard as a minimum.
Window locks can be seen from outside and could deter a burglar from forcing the window.
If you have deadlocks, use them. They make it more difficult for a thief to get out again. But don’t leave the key near the door or in an obvious place nearby.
If you have a flat roof extension the windows above it should always be locked
Ensure your keys are kept in a safe place out of sight and well away from your letterbox
Don’t tag keys so they can be easily identified.
Keep all spare keys in a safe place. Don’t leave spare keys outside or in a garage or shed.
Consider buying a safe for personal papers, passports and small items of jewellery. This must be secured to the floor or a wall
Never leave garages or sheds unlocked, especially if they connect to your property.
Visible burglar alarms and carefully directed security lighting can deter burglars. Make sure alarms stop sounding after 20 minutes and lights don’t disturb your neighbours.
High demand for puppies and kittens is leaving Christmas shoppers across Gedling borough at risk of being duped by deceitful pet sellers, a top vet has warned.
Animal welfare experts say families in the borough should think twice before buying a pet in the coming weeks with a warning from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) that unscrupulous sellers are looking to exploit the festive season.
Defra launched its Christmas ‘Petfished’ campaign this week, warning the public of the dangers of purchasing puppies or kittens from low welfare breeding practices during the Christmas period.
A recent survey found that less than half of dog or cat owners questioned visited the seller in-person in the animal’s home when researching their recent pet purchase and more than 10% of pet buyers didn’t do any research before visiting their new pet for the first time.
The survey also found that most pet owners quizzed were unaware that the clinical and behavioural signs of their pet may be linked to low welfare breeding practices.
Christine Middlemiss, Defra’s chief veterinary officer, has warned household in Gedling borough to be careful.
She said: “Christmas can be a difficult time to settle a pet into a new home and it’s vitally important that people not only research the breed of animal they want, but also the person selling it to them.
“Puppies and kittens bred in low-welfare conditions can often be separated from their mother too soon which can lead to severe health and behavioural problems, heartache and high vet bills for their new family. We urge people to remain vigilant and to always thoroughly research pet sellers before getting in touch.”
To avoid being petfished, the public are being urged to spot vital red flags when researching sellers, with the help of the acronym S.P.O.T. They are:
1. Seller: Put the seller’s name and details including phone number into a search engine – avoid those with multiple adverts.
2. Parent: Make sure you see puppies and kittens in their home with their mother.
3. Old enough: Check puppies and kittens are at least eight weeks old before you take them home.
4. Treatment: Ask to see the animal’s health records and avoid sellers who can’t provide them.
Bill Lambert, Health and Welfare expert at The Kennel Club also issued a warning.
He said “Buying a puppy is a huge decision and all prospective owners should do the proper research and have all the facts available so that they can make an informed decision.
“We know there has been a surge in demand for puppies during the pandemic. The current mismatch between supply and demand can lead to more people being duped by rogue breeders and scammers, and inadvertently fuelling low-welfare breeders.
Here’s his latest update on progress his team made over November…
Policing priorities
First up is an update around the work we are doing towards our three policing priorities of burglary, drug supply and anti-social behaviour. The priorities are due to be refreshed in our partnership priority setting meeting at the end of December.
I am really keen to hear your views about the issues that we should focus on as we move into 2022.
‘Operation Interlude’ has continued to be our focus in Arnold town centre.
The neighbourhood policing team and Op Reacher officers have been carrying out regular patrols during the evenings following reports of youths throwing items from the roof of buildings. As ever we have been working together with Gedling CCTV and the neighbourhood wardens. As a result of the ongoing work we have identified a small number of young people involved and we are now working with the Council’s ASB officer to issue ‘Acceptable Behaviour Contracts’ to those involved.
We also working with wider partners such as the Youth Justice Service to look at diversion opportunities. As we move towards Christmas there will be an increased number of officers present in Arnold, carrying out both high-visibility and plain clothes patrols as we continue to clamp down on anti-social behaviour and violence.
In the last month reported antisocial behaviour in Arnold town centre has fallen by 25% which is encouraging. There is clearly more to be done and that will remain our priority going forward.
We have received a small number of reports of youths kicking the doors of houses in both Daybrook and Calverton. I just want to be very clear that this is unacceptable behaviour and my colleagues are reviewing CCTV footage which I hope will take us forwards in that investigation. Clearly we will be looking to take positive action against those involved and I know that some damage has been caused in at least one case.
Over in Carlton the Neighbourhood team have been focused on some reported ASB around Carlton Forum leisure centre. Following enquiries we have identified a small number of people involved and they are now being invited for a meeting with the Beat Manager PC Catherine Flint and the councils ASB officer where they will also be issued with an Acceptable Behaviour Contract (ABC).
This is clearly the starting point in trying to prevent ASB but we will look at alternatives if the issues continue.
Police in Arnold town centre during a crackdown on anti-social behaviour
Drug Supply
We are continuing to work on our priority of drug supply.
Earlier this week neighbourhood policing officers on patrol in Arnold stopped a male who was found in possession of deal bags containing white power and cannabis. They also found a large quantity of cash and arrested the male for drug supply offences. He has since been released while further enquiries are carried out into the offences. An excellent stop by the team and a clear message that we are carrying out patrols and will stop/search individuals who are suspected of being involved in Crime.
Alongside this officers have made 14 individual drug seizures as part of their daily patrols in the last month.
The Op Reacher team have also made two further arrests where drivers have failed a road side drug wipe test indicating that they are driving while under the influence of controlled drugs.
Residential Burglary
Burglary remains a priority at Gedling, especially in the run up to the Christmas period.
We have continued to deploy officers into hotspot areas of the Gedling Borough which includes our rural areas such as Ravenshead and Gedling Village after three homes were broken into by intruders in the last week. Two offences have been reported on Regina Crescent, Ravenshead where offenders have forced entry to residential properties by damaging doors and windows. Over on Wood Lane in Gedling offenders also forced open a window at a rural property before stealing Jewellery and cash.
Recorded residential burglary continues to be 17% lower than last year so far this year and 46% lower than in 2019 which is encouraging but as always there is more to be done.
Knife Crime
During November we supported the national Knife crime week of action known as ‘Operation Sceptre’. The week of action involved officers from across the force and our partners at the council who were involved in some of our activity. During the week of action we completed the following:
6 x open space searches for concealed weapons with none found
7 x Stop/Searches following patrols in Arnold and Netherfield
2 x arrests made for individuals stopped who had failed to appear at court
2 x vehicles seized
Knife crime input given by PCSO Mark Careless to approximately 250 young people spread over 5 local schools.
2 x premises visited as part of a test purchase operation to check compliance around the sale of knives
9 x visits completed to a number of people suspected to have been involved in knife crime.
Overall it was a busy week for us at Gedling and as you know we are determined to continue the crack down on knife possession across the force area.
Recently the law changed in relation to the possession of some weapons in private and the week of action was a good opportunity to send out a clear reminder about the changes. If you are unsure or need any advice then please contact the neighbourhood policing team who will be happy to provide advice.
Autocrime
We are aware of a slight increase in autocrime in Gedling Village with a number of vehicles targeted earlier this week. CCTV footage shows offenders trying a number of car doors in the area. Unfortunately some vehicles were insecure and property was stolen including laptops, handbags and wallets. We have increased patrols in the area and officers have been out talking to members of the local community to encourage the removal of belongings from vehicles. A letter drop has also been completed in some of the affected streets.
We have seen a similar trend across Gedling Borough with a couple of offences also reported in Redhill.
The key message is to ensure that vehicles are locked, with valuables removed at all times. Vehicle keys should be kept well away from doors and windows where they could potentially be reached by offenders.
We have also had a small number of vans stolen across Gedling and the wider Nottinghamshire force area. I was pleased to hear that three suspects had been arrested travelling through Papplewick Village on the evening of November 30. As a result of police enquiries a stolen van was recovered and we have also seized a number of engines and vehicle parts suspected to be stolen. This is very much an ongoing investigation but a good result for those who I know have been affected after their work vans have been stolen.
Shop Theft
Finally, Shoplifting is very much on our agenda in the run up to Christmas.
Sgt O’Connor and the Carlton team are planning an operation in Netherfield and at the Victoria Retail Park as we are experiencing a high number of recorded offences. In some cases store staff have been threatened when challenging offenders which is of course unacceptable.
We will shortly be launching a ‘Shop Watch’ scheme in Netherfield and then Arnold which will give us the opportunity to share images of potential offenders with local stores to prevent offending so I am looking forward to seeing that come together over the next few weeks.
That’s all for this month and I look forward to meeting some of you as I will be out and about on patrol in the run up to Christmas.
Police have stepped up patrols in a number of villages across Gedling borough after a spate of burglaries.
Officers said high-visibility reassurance patrols are now being carried out in Burton Joyce, Gedling village, and Ravenshead .
Local police teams said four addresses were burgled between Thursday and today (December 6) – two in Ravenshead and others in Gedling village and Burton Joyce.
In all cases it looks like doors or windows have been forced open in order to steal property including cash, power tools, a bicycle, snowboard and speaker.Inspector
Chris Pearson, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “Our lines of enquiry are ongoing into these incidents and we are working hard to find those responsible and bring them to justice.
“We have stepped up patrols and the Operation Reacher team has been deployed into these affected rural areas to provide reassurance while our investigations continue.
PICTURED: Police have steeped up patrols in Ravenshead
“We are also urging people to stay vigilant and report any suspicious activity to us as well as making sure doors and windows are locked and any valuables are kept secure and out of sight.
“We would also advise residents to check any visible burglar alarms they have are working to act as an additional deterrent as we continue to work hard to prevent any further offences from occurring.
”Anyone who sees any suspicious activity in their area is advised to report it immediately by calling Nottinghamshire Police on 101. If an incident is in progress call 999.For more advice on home security, visit https://crowd.in/mJGy21
Images giving a ‘first look’ at the latest development of 131 factory-built homes on a site ravaged by fire in Arnold have been revealed.
Modular housing pioneer ilke Homes is manufacturing the homes offsite for Jigsaw Homes Group which will eventually own and operate the scheme on Rolleston Drive, to be known as Birch Fields.
The computer generated images show how some of the 45 two-bedroom homes, 73 three-bedroom homes and 13 four-bedroom homes could look.
A total of 46 homes are available through shared ownership from Snugg Homes, part of Jigsaw Homes Group. The remaining 85 for affordable rent will be managed by Jigsaw Homes Midlands and allocated to local people. Prices for the shared ownership properties are yet to be agreed.
The development has been named Birch Fields to reflect the naming of its streets after fallen soldiers, many of whom died on the battlefields, and the birch tree, which is a symbol of new beginnings.
PICTURED: The site where the new homes will be built on Rolleston Drive
The street names – Armson, Butler, Clegg, Dexter and Hammond – were chosen by some of Gedling Borough Ward and Parish councillors after soldiers who lost their lives serving during the First and Second World Wars and are commemorated at the War Memorial at nearby Arnot Hill Park.
Work to manufacture the homes will begin at ilke Homes’ 250,000 sq. ft factory in Knaresborough, North Yorkshire in February, before the first phase of 15 are delivered to the site at the end of March.
These are expected to be in place, tested and ready in May 2022 with all 131 homes completed by summer 2023.
A number of the properties at the Homes England-backed scheme will be fitted with a mix of photovoltaic (PV) panels and Air Source Heat Pumps to maximise energy efficiency.
Joanne Bonnington, assistant director of Development at Jigsaw Homes Group said: “We are really pleased to see what the homes will look like. Having visited the factory to see some being constructed, these new images really bring it all to life. Some people may think modular homes will look a little different because they are factory made, but these pictures showcase the quality and standard people can expect.
“As an organisation we are looking to deliver and build our new homes more sustainably and these do just that, as well as being affordable and meeting the local housing need.”
The leader of Gedling Borough Council has explained why a £4m Arnold Market Place development has taken so long to get off the ground.
Cllr John Clarke (Lab) spoke out after the development was delayed by around a year.
Last week, the local authority unveiled the name for the new development – AMP – which is an acronym of Arnold Market Place.
The development will consist of a new build – which will cater for seven small businesses as well as a top floor which has the potential to be a restaurant, office space or a gym.
Marketing is currently taking place to find suitable tenants.
There will also be around 20 pitches for market traders as well as an entertainment space which can be used for craft, food and antique fairs.
There are also plans for a new toilet block including a disabled unit.
Cllr Clarke said he is hoping the whole development will be open by April or May next year.
PICTURED: Councillors unveil the new ‘The AMP’ branding at Arnold Market Place
He said concerns had been raised by some residents about why the development was taking so long.
He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “People will be asking why it is taking so long but this is the modern world now. Dare I mention Brexit.
“There has been a long wait for steel and general building materials and escalating costs getting hold of them. You take your place in the queue.
“Legal deals have been difficult because people are working from home (due to Covid) as well as skilled labour costs.
“It seems a tremendous long period since the original market closed. We are aware of that but I think it will be a hub when it is all put together.
“It is not a loss to the taxpayers. It is £4m of real estate. We have not wasted money. It will not be a white elephant.”
Funding for the project is coming from the council’s capital programme budget, boosted by a successful bid for £1.25 million from the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership’s Local Growth Fund that supports town centre improvements.
The project will create around 40 new jobs through business employment and through the construction of the new buildings.
Craig Stopper, Framework Construction Manager at G F Tomlinson, said: “We are delighted to see the new name be unveiled to the public as we continue to make great progress.
“The AMP will provide Arnold with a modern, state-of-the-art facility that will serve the community and many businesses for years to come.”
A police officer was assaulted after being called to reports of a group fighting in Arnold town centre.
Five people have been arrested after police were called to break up the fight in Front Street just before 11.15pm on Saturday (December 4, 2021).
A man was reportedly knocked unconscious and was taken to hospital for treatment. However, he is believed to be recovering and his injuries aren’t thought to be life threatening or altering.
As they were making arrests, an officer was reportedly bitten and spat at, leading to a woman, aged 21 and a man, aged 28, being arrested on suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker. They were also arrested on suspicion of affray.
The officer is not thought to have suffered any injuries and will be receiving support following the incident.
Three more men, aged 20, 34, 48, were also arrested on suspicion of affray.
Detective Sergeant Charlotte Henson said: “This behaviour that has been reported to us is unacceptable – it is not only disruptive to people around in the area but it can also have very serious consequences, in this case landing a man in hospital. Thankfully, he is recovering.
“It is also even more appalling to hear that, during their quick response in an attempt to help and calm down the situation, they were met with similar, violent behaviour. It is not part of the job as an officer to expect this and wherever this is reported we will take robust action.
“Officers are continuing their enquiries into this incident and we believe members of the public also tried to break up the fight. We’re keen to speak to these people and we would ask anyone who witnessed this or has any information to get in touch on 101, quoting incident 662 of 4 December 2021.”
Information can also be reported anonymously through the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
