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‘Phantom’ debt fraud warning to Gedling borough residents

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Police in Nottinghamshire have warned people in Gedling borough to stay alert to so-called ‘phantom’ debt fraud, following a rise in reports.

This latest scam involves cold-callers posing as debt collectors, bailiffs or enforcement agents of another kind and claiming to be recovering funds for a debt which doesn’t exist. They ask for payment, sometimes by bank transfer, and if refused will threaten to visit the victim’s home or workplace to recover the fictional debt.

The fraudster may claim to be working under instruction of a court, business or other body and suggest they are recovering funds for a non-existent debt.

Nottinghamshire Police has forwarded a warning from Action Fraud, the national crime reporting centre for fraud and cyber crime, following an increase in reports of these ‘phantom’ debt calls.

A spokesman for the agency said: “Action Fraud has recently experienced an increase in the number of calls to members of the public by fraudsters requesting payments for a “phantom” debt.

“The fraudsters are requesting payment, sometimes by bank transfer and if refused, they threaten to visit homes or workplaces in order to recover the supposed debt that is owed. In some cases, the victim is also threatened with arrest. From the reports Action Fraud has received, this type of fraud is presently occurring throughout the UK.”

Action Fraud has provided the following advice for people who think they may have been targeted:

  • Make vigorous checks if you ever get a cold call. Bailiffs for example, should always be able to provide you with a case number and warrant number, along with their name and the court they are calling from; make a note of all details provided to you.
  • If you receive a visit from a bailiff, they must always identify themselves as a Court Bailiff at the earliest possible opportunity. Ask to see their identity card which they must carry to prove who they are, this card shows their photograph and identity number. They will also carry the physical warrant showing the debt and endorsed with a court seal.
  • If you work for a business and receive a call or visit, be sure to speak with your manager or business owner first. Never pay the debts yourself on behalf of the business you work for; some fraudsters have suggested employees make payment suggesting they can then be reimbursed by their employer when in reality the debt is non-existent.
  • Exercise caution believing someone is genuine because you’ve found something on the internet; fraudsters could easily create fake online profiles to make you believe them.
  • Double check with the court, company or public body they claim to work for to confirm whether the call is legitimate; if you use a landline make sure you hear the dialling tone prior to dialling as the caller could still be on the line and you could potentially speak to the fraudster(s) to confirm the non-existent debt. Also be sure to independently search for a telephone number to call; never use a number provided by the caller without carrying out your own research.
  • Do not feel rushed or intimidated to make a decision based on a phone call. Take five and listen to your instincts.
  • If you know you have a debt, keep in regular contact with your creditor and be sure to establish the debt type at the earliest opportunity if you are not aware. This will help you to understand who might be in contact with you regarding any repayments or arrears.

You can report suspicious calls like these to Action Fraud by visiting www.actionfraud.police.uk or calling 0300 123 2040.

Pub talk delves into past of one of Arnold’s oldest venues

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People in Gedling borough are being given the opportunity to delve into the past of one of Arnold’s oldest pubs at a talk later this month.

Local historian and author Bob Massey is hosting the talk about the history of the Robin Hood and Little John pub at the venue on February 13 from 7pm.

It’s the second talk the popular speaker has held at the pub on Church Street, with the first one proving to be a smash hit.

Mr Massey said: “There was an estimated 120 people crammed into the bar for my last talk. Several people had to leave the pub as they could not get in.”

 

ARCHIVE: The Robin Hood and Little John on Church Street in Arnold

The Robin Hood & Little John in Arnold has a rich history, dating back to the 1700’s making it one of the oldest pubs in the borough town.

 In 1940 the pub was was purchased by Home Brewery, which traded from 1875 until 1996 in Daybrook. It’s now owned by the Lincoln Green Brewing Company.

 You can find more information about Bobs talks and history courses at his website: http://www.bobmassey.info

Chase Farm development in Gedling picks up pace

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Work to create a major housing development on the site of a former colliery in Gedling hit its first milestone recently following the completion of several new show homes.

Representatives from Keepmoat Homes, Nottinghamshire County Council, Gedling Borough Council and the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) recently gathered at the Chase Farm site to be shown around the new properties on the extensive £170m development.

The first phase of the development will see 506, two, three, four and five bedroom houses being constructed, with green corridors linking existing residential areas along Arnold Lane into Gedling Country Park.

It is hoped the first homeowners will move into the new properties on the former Gedling Colliery site early next year.

The first release of homes for sale were made available in September, with 28 homes being sold to date, four of which completed this month.

The brownfield land at Chase Farm has long been identified as a site which will help Gedling Council meet the Borough’s housing needs, and the development is crucial in meeting the Council’s target of delivering 7,250 homes by 2028.

Working in partnership with the HCA, Keepmoat Homes gained approval on detailed planning for the first phase of 506 new homes and preliminary permission for the remaining 544 homes.  A new primary school, health centre, local shops and public open space will be created to for the new residents and also the wider community.

Chase_Farm
ARTIST IMPRESSION: The new homes at the Chase Farm site in Gedling

Site developers Keepmoat Homes has also committed £17m of funding to help pay towards the costs of delivering the Gedling Access Road.

The 3.8km new road will link Burton Joyce to Mapperley Top, was granted planning permission in December 2014 and is set for completion by 2020. Funding for the £40 million road has come from a mixture of public and private sector funding, which includes Nottinghamshire County Council, Gedling Borough Council, the HCA, Local Enterprise Partnership D2N2 and Keepmoat Homes.

The new road has been earmarked for development for more than 50 years as a means of diverting traffic away from Gedling Village, easing congestion, and bringing economic benefits to local residents by creating a new access road to employment zones.

Andrew Mason, Regional Managing Director of Keepmoat Homes East Midlands, said: “This expansive project is exactly the kind of development which is helping to ease the housing crisis whilst providing amenities that really transform and benefit local communities.

“We are also committed to leaving a lasting legacy in the long term, ensuring local people benefit by investing in training and employment, creating strong links with local schools and colleges and promoting volunteering in the area.

He added: “We will create apprenticeships for local young people to help them gain qualifications in construction, whilst focusing on employing local small businesses to ensure the major investment in Gedling is re-invested back into the local economy.”

Councillor John Cottee, Chairman of the Communities and Place Committee at Nottinghamshire County Council, said: “This launch marks an important stage in the delivery of the new £40 million Gedling Access Road.

This is the biggest infrastructure project the County Council is currently involved in, which will benefit residents, road users and businesses in the long-term.

Leader of Gedling Borough Council, Cllr John Clarke said:  “This is a very important milestone for Gedling and these new homes are essential for the borough.

“We are very pleased to be working with Keepmoat Homes to ensure that we provide much needed new homes on brownfield sites that will boost the local economy and give back to the community through jobs. This is also an important step in getting the Gedling Access Road, which will relieve the traffic going through Gedling Village and improve the transport connections in the area.”

You can find out more about the development by visiting http://www.keepmoatcorporate.com/

Gedling borough Freeview viewers should prepare to retune TV sets when transmitter updated

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Freeview viewers in the Gedling borough area may find they need to retune their televisions on February 7 to continue watching their favourite programmes.

Some Freeview channels are moving to new airwaves to allow for the future development of new mobile broadband services.

Transmitters across the UK are being updated region by region as part of a major engineering programme being carried out between now and 2020.

The required changes will begin at the Waltham transmitter group shortly after midnight and Freeview channels will be off-air overnight until 6am. After this, any viewers receiving their TV signal from the main Waltham transmitter who find they are missing channels can retune.

Satellite and cable TV are not affected.

For help go to www.freeview.co.uk/tvchanges or contact the Freeview Advice Line free on 0808 100 0288. Some older aerials may need to be replaced to continue receiving all channels. Help may be available for viewers where this is the

Gedling borough Council wages war on single use plastic

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Council chiefs will tonight vote on plans to phase out the use of unnecessary plastic across the borough.

The motion being put forward to help rid the borough of single-use plastics will go before a meeting of the full council this evening (31).

The bid to become one of the first Plastic Clever Councils in the country will be supported by a speech to the full council from local children Amy and Ella Meek, who founded Kids against Plastic, a campaign launched to reduce the damage to our planet caused by unnecessary plastic.

The motion will set out a number of initiatives to phase out the use of single-use plastics in council owned buildings including leisure centres, community centres and the civic centre. Some of the initiatives set out in the motion include:

  • Phasing out (with a view to ending) all sales of single plastic use bottles in Gedling Borough Council owned buildings.
  • Phasing out the use of single use plastic products starting with disposable cups, cutlery and drinking straws in all council buildings.
  • Replacing single use plastic cups with reusable deposit scheme cups at all council run events including the Arnold Carnival.
  • Launch an annual plastic free challenge to encourage councillors, employees, residents, organisations and businesses in the borough to reduce the use of plastic.
  • Promoting the Kids against Plastic campaign through the council’s waste services lorries and other communications channels, to raise awareness of the work they are doing to reduce single use plastic.
  • A strategy will also be created by officers to encourage the borough’s institutions, businesses and residents to adopt similar measures.

Cllr-John-Clarke

Amy and Ella Meek launched the Kids Against Plastic scheme in 2015 with a target to collect 100,000 pieces of plastic after learning the negative effect of plastic on the environment.

They contacted the council and local MP, Vernon Coaker at the end of 2017 asking them to support their scheme to reduce the number of single use plastics. They will be speaking to Councillors at the meeting this evening to encourage them to approve the motion and become a Plastic Clever Council.

Plans are also in place for a spring clean in March with a focus on collecting plastics to go towards the Kids against Plastic target of collecting 100,000 pieces of plastic.

Leader of Gedling Borough Council, Cllr John Clarke gave his full backing to the motion.

He said: “I am very proud of this motion which will be presented to councillors this evening to make Gedling Borough Council a Plastic Clever Council.

“We are committed to becoming one of the first councils to reduce and eventually remove the use of single use plastics in our organisation. We will also encourage our businesses and residents to reduce their use of plastic, working with campaigners like Amy and Ella, who are doing a fantastic job of raising awareness of this very important issue. ”

Gedling MP Vernon Coaker has also voiced his support for proposals.

He told Gedling Eye: “I have publically said that I want Gedling to become the first plastic clever constituency in the country and this is another step in that direction.

2I have been working with Amy and Ella Meek on their Plastic Clever campaign and the work they continue to do is phenomenal. We know it is not enough for us to be annoyed about the photographs and TV programmes that show the devastation plastic is causing to our environment, we have to take action. Gedling Borough Council are leading by example and their influence will encourage other councils, businesses and organisations to become plastic clever too.

He added: “The truth is, each and every one of us can make a difference and we have to make a difference if we are serious about protecting our planet.”

Colwick waste firm urging local organsiations to enter green awards scheme

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A Colwick-based waste management company is urging local businesses, charities and public sector organisations that love recycling to enter their new awards scheme.

Wastecycle, who are based on Colwick Industrial Estate, came up with awards last year but entry was restricted to its customers. This year, Wastecycle’s management team want to widen the focus of the awards.

The Love Recycling Awards celebrate the efforts of organisations which have reduced their waste, reused materials destined for the bin or increased their recycling rates.

A spokesman for the firm said: “Last year’s awards were so well received that this time around we’ve decided to open them up to any company, charity or public sector organisation across Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire and Derbyshire that has done its part of safeguard the environment.”

To enter, all people have to do is email a 300-word entry to loverecyclingawards@wastecycle.co.uk outlining the problem they faced, the innovative solution they implemented and the results of their efforts in reducing waste, increasing recycling or the reuse of materials.

MATCH REPORT: Gedling Miners Welfare 1-2 Kimberley Miners Welfare

Gedling Miners Welfare hosted their namesake Kimberley on Saturday afternoon in what was the third encounter between the two sides this season with both teams each sharing a victory.

The visitors were out to seek the league double against Gedling after their win in September, but were comprehensively dumped out of the league cup by the home side a month later.

It was Kimberley who started nervy and within the first minute of the game there was evidence of uncertainty in the defensive ranks. As early as the 7th minute, after a fine piece of control and an equally impressive turn, Ryan Plummer stung a snapshot on goal, but his effort was saved well down low by away custodian Joss Hourd-Lee. The home side started well and were the better team in the earlier exchanges, but the next best opportunity fell for Kimberley and they really should have taken an early lead.

After a hint of offside, talisman Jordan Alls managed to break the defensive trap set by Gedling but, as he rounded the onrushing Danny Brown in the home goal, his innocuous stumble allowed Martin Holt the chance to recover and the defender superbly blocked the effort with the goal gaping. At the other end, Hourd-Lee was starting become a thorn in any Gedling attack as this time he thwarted a finely floated Joe Meakinfree kick which was headed for the top corner.

Gedling continued on top of the game and were, in the most part, untroubled by Kimberley’s threat. However, in a reflection of their league position this season and only losing 3 league games all campaign, they defended smartly and resiliently and their patience was rewarded as, after half an hour and arguably against the run of play, they took the lead. After a deep corner was delivered by Ellis Evans, Aaron Mitchell bundled his header goal bound and, via a deflection off colleague Alex Doyle, the ball nestled itself under Brown – the goal ultimately being awarded to the latter after minor deliberation.

The go ahead goal gave the travellers the impetus and they may have doubled their lead 9 minutes later but Alls’ effort, whilst certainly not lacking in power, was fantastically tipped over by Brown. However, from the resulting corner, and after being easily collected by the ‘keeper, Gedling went down the other end to equalise in a quite exquisite piece of play.

After sensing urgency since going a goal down, Brown superbly distributed to Aboubacar Sylla who broke forward at speed and after delaying his decision and teasing his full back, he then smartly placed the ball in front of the surging Connor Croft who fired the ball home first time past the stranded Hourd-Lee. A superb team goal that thoroughly deserved the accolades and one that, you could argue, wouldn’t be bettered all season.

The second half opened in very combative fashion, reflected in the loud claims to the officials at every opportunity. However, much was lacking in terms of attacking prowess. Gedling remained the better side and, much similar to the first, Kimberley panicked defensively, though whilst looking threatening, Gedling failed to capitalise.

With very little on show in a football sense, the game was starting to become dictated by referee Craig Hammond – much to the mutual frustration of both sides. The man in the middle guilty of halting the game unnecessarily, questionable decision making and his choice of talking to players and his assistants unnecessarily really did affect the flow of an otherwise creditable encounter.

Though, he couldn’t have been blamed for the decision that arguably turned the swing of things after 76 minutes. After sensing danger following a break, Martin Holt crudely hacked down Alls on the half way line and, after being cautioned earlier in the game, was duly given his marching orders after his second bookable offence. Now with the man advantage, Kimberley sensed a change in their fortune, and they were rewarded 8 minutes from time when, despite being on the back foot for the majority, they took the lead.

After a low corner from substitute Mason Frizelle managed to squirm its way across the face of the goal, through a whole host of bodies, an unmarked Aaron Mitchell tapped home into an unguarded net giving his side the lead ensuring that his name was on the scoresheet after the earlier consultation with Doyle – a real setback for the home side after controlling the game and looking unworried for the most part, whilst admittedly not at their best.

2 minutes from the end and the lively Jack Jepson may have equalised for his side, but his cross-cum-shot was easy pickings for Hourd-Lee as he, and his team, saw out the remainder of the game without further incident, much to the delight of his teammates and their supporters.

Gedling travel to reigning EMCL champions West Bridgford next Saturday (4th February) looking to rid of their inconsistencies they have experienced this season, 15.00 kick off.

Tumble dryer safety warning after house fire in Arnold

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Firefighters are warning of the dangers of leaving your tumble dryer on while asleep after a serious house fire in Arnold on Sunday morning.

Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service (NFRS) issued the warning after crews from Arnold, Stockhill and Carlton were called to a house on Calverton Road in Arnold at 00:23am on Sunday (January 28).

The tumble dryer had caught fire – which then spread along with smoke due to some of the downstairs internal doors being open.

The fire, which left a family-of-three trapped upstairs in their home, has also prompted a reminder to fit and test smoke alarms, close internal doors overnight, as well as making sure that you are aware of any recall notices for your white goods.

Firefighters used two breathing apparatus, one hose reel and a positive pressure ventilation (PPV) fan to extinguish the fire, after the family had been rescued by a brave neighbour who heard shouts for help from inside.

Station manager Jonathan Holford, who attended the incident, said: “This incident had the potential to have more serious consequences, and the family are lucky to be alive thanks to their neighbour.

“Never wait for the smell of smoke to wake you up and always buy yourself time to safely exit your property in the event of a fire by installing smoke alarms and testing them regularly.

“You might think that we as a Service talk a lot about smoke alarms, but I cannot stress enough that such a simple measure can save your life and those of your loved ones.”

IMAGE: Deposit Photos

Jonathan added that there are plenty of things you can do yourself to make sure that you are as safe from fire as possible.

He said: “In this case, the fire was caused by a tumble dryer, and while we would never recommend leaving these on overnight or unattended in general, it is also important to check for any recalls on your white goods which could mean that they are at risk of fault, or even fire.

“It could be that you have had a letter from the manufacturer of your appliance, and if this is the case, I would urge you to take action as soon as possible. We would always advise you to follow the advice of the manufacturer, and alternatively, you can check on their website for the latest recalls. When was the last time you did this? If you take just five minutes to do this today, you can ensure that you are keeping your household safe.”

Borough’s roads set to benefit from council road repair budget increase

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Neglected roads across Gedling borough are to be improved as part of a £20m upgrade to the county’s highways network.

The extra funds will bring Nottinghamshire County Council’s capital roads investment up to £142m over the period – its highest level in more than a decade.

The extra money for roads is part of the 2018/19 budget proposals announced today (29).

The Finance and Major Contracts Committee meets on Tuesday 6 February to consider the report. The final budget will be set at Full Council on February 28.

The highways investment will be focused on roads assessed as being likely to deteriorate in the next few years on a ‘right repair at the right time’ basis, with a view to saving money that would have been required for repairs in the longer term.

Roads in residential areas, some of which have been neglected for many years, will be targeted.

This could include schemes to improve the road surface and new safety features where they are required such as pedestrian crossings and interactive speed signs on routes used every day by people to get to and from home.

Work will also be carried out to reduce traffic congestion and provide economic benefits which, in turn, increases the money available to reinvest in public services.

Announcing the new highways funding today, Councillor Richard Jackson, chairman of Finance and Major Contracts Management Committee, said: “We’ve listened to local people’s priorities and I’m proud to announce that we’re investing an additional £20m in the county’s highways network over the next four years.

“Many of the roads we will be targeting will have not seen any meaningful work to them in years. Residential roads – the roads we all use every day to get to and from home – will be specifically targeted. We’re bringing the improvements to a road near you.”

Police appeal after attempted robbery of wallet from pensioner in Mapperley

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Police have launched an appeal after a man on a mountain bike attempted to steal a pensioner’s wallet in Mapperley.

The man attempted to grab a wallet from the victim, who is in his 70s, at around 9.30pm on Saturday night (January 27).

The man kept hold of the wallet but was punched during the struggle near the entrance of Chungs Restaurant in Woodborough Road.

A spokesman for Nottinghamshire Police said: “Did you see anything? The offender, who made off on his bike, is described as being an Asian man in dark clothing.

They added: “The victim, who was with family at the time, is not believed to have suffered serious injuries.

If you have any information please call police on 101, quoting incident 859 of 27 January.