People in Gedling borough waiting for parcels to arrive have today been given a fresh warning about a scam that claims payment is required for a package to be delivered.

The scam involves a text message being sent that claims a parcel is awaiting delivery by Royal Mail.

The link in the text connects to a copycat website run by fraudsters, which is designed to steal your personal details and banking information.

Royal Mail said it would never send a text message of this kind – unless specifically requested – and would use a grey card instead to tell people if any fee was required.

It warned the public in Gedling about a similar email scam in February, and it appears that the fraudsters’ campaign is gaining momentum.

Katherine Hart, from the Chartered Trading Standards Institute, said: “This delivery scam is yet another example of fraudsters attempting to make money out of the unsuspecting public.

“Due to the lockdowns, many millions of people rely on product deliveries, so scammers have focused their efforts on this theme.

“Also, the public must also be aware that these types of scams may come in many forms, and scammers do not only use Royal Mail branding. Indeed, in January, I commented on a similar scam that used DPD branding.

“These types of scams come in many forms, not just via text but also in emails and through the phone.”

Mark Johnson from Calverton was one of the readers asking to raise awareness about the scam.

He said: “My mother had one and luckily showed it to me during a Zoom call. The domain just didn’t sound right to me and a bit of research online revealed it was a common scam.

“My mum was lucky as if she’s not have been in communcation with me, she would have clicked through and given her details.

“People need to know elderly relatives in particular aware aware of this scam.”

The government is investing £56 million in high street shops nationwide as part of their ‘Welcome Back Fund’, with Gedling borough set to receive almost £105,213 in an essential lifeline for many struggling businesses.

Councils can use the funding to hold street markets and festivals, boost the look and feel of their high streets, with more seating areas and street planting or less graffiti, and install new signage to help keep people safe as restrictions are lifted.

The fund has been set up to help boost the high street, which has been heavily impacted by three lockdowns during the last 12 months.

Gedling MP Tom Randall welcomed the fresh funding.

He said: “I know how difficult it has been for businesses on our high streets across Gedling Borough over the last year, and I am determined to secure them all the help they need to recover.

“That is why I am delighted that our area will receive £105,213 as part of the Conservative Government’s new Welcome Back Fund, which will help our high streets to re-open safely and successfully this Summer as restrictions lift.

“This will ensure that our high streets have the support they need as we move into recovery, and build back better from the pandemic.”

Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick outlined the reasons for setting up the Welcome Back Fund.

He said: “As we move to the next stage on the roadmap out of lockdown we are all looking forward to being reunited with friends and family outdoors and making a safe and happy return to our favourite shops, cafes, pubs and restaurants.

“Our Welcome Back Fund gives every city, town and high street support to prepare for a great summer. This funding will help councils and businesses to welcome shoppers, diners and tourists back safely.

“As soon as the roadmap allows, we need to get behind our local businesses and enjoy all that this country has to offer and that we’ve been missing so much.

“I’m allowing every pub in the country to erect a marquee in their garden for the whole summer as a one-off power to support our locals.”

The government has set out regulations which will pave the way to the easing of all restrictions from June 21.  

These plan proposals are to maintain support for the most vulnerable, businesses and public services.  

Government support packages, such as the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and Self-Employed Income Support Scheme, have been rapidly rolled out under the Coronavirus Act, providing income for many families and a life-line to thousands of businesses throughout the pandemic.   

With the extraordinary success of the UK’s historic vaccination programme, with over half of all adults now vaccinated, and the commitment of the public in playing their part, infection and hospitalisation rates have fallen significantly.   

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: “We are today setting out the legal foundations which, if agreed by Parliament, will deliver the Roadmap out of lockdown.  

“These measures have been vital to reducing infections, hospital admissions and deaths across the country, and thanks to peoples’ commitment and support, we have made strong progress.” 

The regulations set out today mean from 29 March outdoor gatherings of either 6 people or 2 households will be allowed including in private gardens.  

The government has been clear that the roadmap out of lockdown is cautious, but irreversible. 

It sets out which measures must continue in order to protect the hard-won progress and ensure the nation can meet the four tests which will allow further unlocking to take place. 

A full review will be conducted in advance of moving to step 2 of the Roadmap on 12th April.  

The health secretary also said: “We are rightly ending as many national measures as safely as possible, while maintaining those which remain necessary and proportionate to help reduce and control infections further as we cautiously but irreversibly ease restrictions and our historic vaccination programme continues apace. 

The regulations laid today will be voted on by Parliament this Thursday, and if approved, will replace the ‘All Tiers’ regulations which were made to enact the tier system at the end of last year.   

Alongside the Roadmap regulations, the government has today published a review of the Coronavirus Act ahead of a vote in parliament, which sets out 15 measures which will be expired or suspended after Easter recess as they are no longer essential to the national response to COVID-19.  

It explains which measures of the Act will be retained and how they will help to support businesses and individuals, shore up capacity in the health and care service and ensure delivery of essential public services.  

The Act ensured the NHS had the capacity to deal with the peak of the virus by allowing the temporary registration of nurses and other healthcare professionals.  

It provided courts with the ability to use video technology and it allowed the government to put in place support packages such as the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and Self-Employed Income Support Scheme, which have provided a source of income for families and a lifeline for many businesses. 

It has also enabled businesses to access loan schemes, which have provided over £72 billion of support to businesses with over 1.5 million loans approved.  

Gedling MP Tom Randall has backed the Home Secretary’s new plan for immigration in the UK. 

Mr Randall, who is Conservative MP for Gedling, has voiced his support of Priti Patel’s planned changes to the UK’s approach to asylum. 

The new approach, which represents the biggest overhaul of the immigration system in decades, will aim to deter illegal entry and break the business model of people smugglers. 

For the first time, how people enter the UK will directly impact the status of their asylum claim and right to stay. 

Those who prevail with claims having entered illegally will receive a new temporary protection status rather than an automatic right to settle and will be regularly reassessed for removal from the UK 

Speaking on the new plan, Mr Randall said: “I strongly back the Home Secretary’s overhaul of the UK’s asylum system because I know how frustrated my Gedling constituents are about small boats coming to the UK.  

“The new plan for Immigration will ensure that these perilous and illegal journeys to the UK via safe countries in which people should and could have claimed asylum are no longer worth the risk, whilst ensuring the world’s most vulnerable can still seek refuge.”  

The plan has three main objectives, those being to increase the fairness and efficacy of the system, to deter illegal entry into the UK and to remove more easily from the UK those who have no right to be here. 

The Home Secretary, when discussing the implementation of her new plan, said: “Under our new plan for immigration, if people arrive illegally, they will no longer have the same entitlements as those who arrive legally, and it will be harder for them to stay.  

“If, like over 60 per cent of illegal arrivals, they have travelled through a safe country like France to get here, they will not have immediate entry into the asylum system – which is what happens today.  

“And we will stop the most unscrupulous abusing the system by posing as children, by introducing tougher, more accurate age assessments.  

“Profiteering from illegal migration to Britain will no longer be worth the risk, with new maximum life sentences for people smugglers.  

“I make no apology for these actions being firm, but as they will also save lives and target people smugglers, they are also undeniably fair.”  

Last year, 8,500 people arrived into the UK by crossing the Channel in a small boat – with the majority claiming asylum. 

An interactive map produced by the Office for National Statistics shows the number of deaths where Covid-19 was the underlying (main) cause on the death certificate in every neighbourhood across Gedling borough.

The latest figures cover deaths registered between March 2020 to February 2021.

With 35 deaths, Gedling South remains the area worst affected during this period.

It’s followed by Woodthorpe & Arno Vale (30), Mapperley Park (29), Burton Joyce & Lambley (26) and Gedling North (24)

Netherfield & Colwick recorded the lowest number of deaths during the period, with seven being recorded.

Here’s the latest borough neighbourhood figures (March 2020 – February 2021):

Woodthorpe & Arno Vale – 30

Gedling South – 35

Mapperley Park – 29

Gedling North – 24

Arnold town – 18

Mapperley Plains Estate – 17

Burton Joyce & Lambley – 26

Carlton – 21

Redhill -16

Bestwood Village – 15

Daybrook – 13

Carlton Hill – 13

Calverton & Woodborough – 11

Mapperley & Porchester – 7

Netherfield & Colwick – 7

You can enter your postcode on the map below to view stats in your area…

March data will be added to the map on April 22, 2021.