www.henley-in-arden.org launched

Following the electronic poll about the Henley Community Websites Initiative, which showed almost unanimous support for the idea, www.henley-in-arden.org has been launched.

It provides visitors with details about our town and residents with a quick and easy way to view all the significant websites in the town.

Further information will be added by organisers as it is received. Those organisations, which do not have a website, will be provided with a few pages for free of charge. Henley NEWS on-line has removed all the buttons and hyperlinks from its layout and from now on will concentrate solely on news. All future editions will follow this layout and the familiar buttons have been moved to the Henley gateway site. In the context of the Henley Websites war, it is important to note that no additional links have been added to those that already existed on Henley NEWS on-line. They have simply been transferred.

Contributions and volunteers are now sought to build a great website which will be a credit to our town.

To view the new gateway website, go to:

www.henley-in-arden.org

The Readers speak about last week

Since last week's police investigation following a complaint about Henley NEWS on-line publishing screen shots of the JPC website before it was officially launched, we have received a number of emails from readers, some of the best were:

As a resident of this town, it irks me to see that the body that runs this town has got nothing else to do but report a matter like this to the police (who must have more important jobs to do !!). They certainly do not seem to act responsibly. They are childish. They are wrongly using their time and indirectly MY money. They are wasting their own resources which should be used for better purposes for the good of the town.

I can't believe it has come to this. I do hope you don't feel too damaged by this experience and will keep up the fight for democracy. I feel we should insist on the names of those who decided to involve the police and make sure, through the ballot box that they never hold office again. I am skiing for a week from tomorrow. Please try and keep out of prison while I am away.

You should call the Stratford Herald. This is getting out of hand.

Nothing surprises me about Henley...there are some very strange people there, with tin pot ideas. I wish you well. Success always attracts jealousy.

We were very pleased to support you.  I very much like the simplistic way that you have set out your alternative to the JPC ideas.  Keep up the good work.

No emails were received supporting the contrary view, although the JPC did issue a press release but did not include Henley NEWS on-line on its circulation list.

Stratford Herald Reports
Preston Witts of the Stratford Herald reports on the Police investigations in this weeks edition, with an article covering a third of page 4 and containing two colour photos.

Speed awareness course clocks up 1,000

This week sees the 1,000th Speed Awareness Workshop take place in Warwickshire.

The half-day courses, which were pioneered by Warwickshire County Council’s Road Safety Unit, are offered to motorists detected driving just above the speed limit as an alternative to accepting a fixed penalty notice (£60 fine and 3 penalty points) or having their case heard at court. Nearly 16,000 motorists have now attended the courses that are designed to change drivers attitudes to speeding and help them become safer drivers.

Warwickshire was one of the first areas to run speed awareness workshops, launching them in 2003. The courses are delivered by Warwickshire County Council’s Road Safety Unit on behalf of Warwickshire Casualty Reduction Partnership. The workshops have proved very popular with 70% of motorists taking up the offer to attend the courses. The vast majority of participants give highly positive feedback on the course content and delivery.

County Councilor Martin Heatley, Environment Cabinet Portfolio holder said: “Education of road users is a meaningful way of affecting attitudes. I am very confident that this intervention introduced by the Warwickshire Road Safety Unit will contribute to the casualty reduction targets.

“All of us as drivers must take on board that speed limits are in place for the safety of all of us.”

Temporary Police Chief Superintendent Gary Hollis and Chair of Warwickshire Casualty Reduction Partnership said: “Inappropriate and excessive speed remains the single largest cause of crashes on our roads. Achieving a higher level of speed limit compliance will reduce the number of road casualties in Warwickshire. Educational initiatives such as the Speed Awareness Workshops along with speed enforcement and engineering measures, play a vital role in making our roads a safer place for all users.”

Many people think it is acceptable to drive just above the speed limit. However, an average family car traveling at 35mph will need an extra 6 metres (21 feet) to stop than one traveling at 30mph.

For further information about the course, please contact Brian Pierce, Warwickshire County Council 01926 418037

Ban the pan during National Chip Week

Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service is supporting National Chip Week (13 – 19 February) by urging people to stop using chip pans, as they are a major fire hazard.

Around 8,200 chip/fat pan fires result in 34 deaths and nearly 3,000 injuries in the UK each year Source: ODPM fire statistics based on a three year average from 2002 to 2004. so it is vital to reduce fire hazards and cook safely.

Area Risk Manager, Kevin Gardner, believes National Chip Week is an ideal time to ban the use of chip pans in your home.

“Chip pans cause a high number of fires resulting in deaths and injuries. People leave pans full of fat bubbling away, which can be lethal, as the overheated oil will ignite. All you need is an interruption like a telephone call or even worse to fall asleep while the chips are cooking.

”Simply changing the way you cook can prevent fire. Invest in a deep fat fryer or opt for oven chips as an alternative.”

Follow these fire safety tips all year round:

• If you have to use a chip pan never fill it over a third full of oil or fat.
• Never be tempted to cook with a chip pan after consuming alcohol.
• Don’t take risks by tacking a fire. Get out, stay out and dial 999.
• Never throw water on a chip pan. This will cause it to explode into a fireball causing severe burns to anyone nearby.
• Have an escape route planned so everyone knows what to do in the event of a fire.
• Install a working smoke alarm in your home and test it regularly.

For further advice on fire safety visit www.firekills.gov.uk or order a copy of the fire prevention handbook by calling 08456 087 087 or visiting the website.

Views on the largest ambulance trust

Local people are being asked for their views on the controversial plans to merge Coventry and Warwickshire Ambulance Trust into one super trust. Warwickshire County Council and Coventry City Council have joined forces to urge local people to make their views known during the consultation period that runs until the 22nd March. A web questionnaire has been set up by Warwickshire County Council so that residents can give their views. Your comments will then be sent to the Strategic Health Authority who will be responding to the government on the proposals.

Copies of the health authority’s proposal document can be viewed on-line at www.wmssha.nhs.uk/Corporate/SHAConsultation/ConsultationPapers.htm. The council’s questionnaire can be accessed on www.warwickshire.gov.uk/consultation.

Cllr Jerry Roodhouse, Chair of Warwickshire’s Health Committee, said: “We would ask local people to read the government’s proposals for our Ambulance Trust. You can either go to the web site or get a copy of the consultation document at your local library. Warwickshire County Council has joined with Coventry City Council to ask the public two critical things: Firstly we’d urge local people to tell us about any benefits or concerns they have about merging the ambulance trust in the West Midlands region.

“We also want to know if people actually know that this consultation is being conducted by the Department of Health. This is a big decision and we want to be sure that local opinion is being seriously considered. If the only way the public knows about this merger is through the media or through our web site then that issue needs to be scrutinised. Under the proposals the ambulance trusts in Coventry and Warwickshire, West Midlands and Shropshire, Staffordshire, and Hereford and Worcester’ would merge into the world’s largest ambulance trust serving a population of 5.5 million people.

“The new trust would stretch from East of Rugby in Warwickshire, to the Welsh borders, and from just north of Monmouth almost to Greater Manchester, in all covering a mammoth 5,766 square miles, nearly ten times the geographical size of London Ambulance Service which is presently the largest in the world.”

Barford Bypass Construction Starts

A highly anticipated project to create a bypass at Barford over the River Avon begins on Monday 13 February 2006.

This major Warwickshire County Council scheme will result in traffic bypassing the village of Barford, and the existing bridge over the River Avon. The 2.1km single carriageway bypass will leave the A429 at the south end of Barford, rejoining it north of the river, approximately a mile from Longbridge Roundabout at M40 Junction 15.

There will be a four span steel composite bridge over the River Avon. One span will bridge the river whilst the remaining three spans will bridge the flood plain. Four concrete box flood culverts will be installed with an additional flood culvert placed under the existing A429.

A mound will be created between the new road and Barford, blocking the view of the road from the village and absorbing much of the noise from the traffic.

Alerts from Trading Standards

Baddesley Ensor and Baxterley
Householders are warned to beware of a tarmac gang operating locally. The gang are claiming to be affiliated to the Highways Agency and sub-contracted by Warwickshire County Council - these claims are untrue.
The gang are claiming to have a van filled with tarmac which the traders claim they cannot return to the yard with so will sell it for £15m2 rather than £50 m2 . One family had their drive resurfaced and the bill, estimated to be £300 came in at £5000. The householders was also subject to intimidation when they queried the bill.

Prize Notification - Stratford upon Avon
Consumers have contacted the service after receiving letters that suggest that they have been allocated winnings of £10,000. At the bottom of the letter is a pretend cheque for that amount and recipients are asked to phone a 090 number to claim. Consumers are warned however that this is in fact a premium rate line 'competition', and that the cost of the call (a maximum of around £10) may be more than the value of any 'prize' the consumer receives. There is for example only one £10,000 prize. Responding to these letters may also increase the number of similar letters you receive in the future.

Credit Card Scam - All Warwickshire
A consumer contacted the service to relay a scam they had become aware of. A consumer receives a call from someone claiming to work for "VISA" or "MasterCard". They claim to be calling from the Security and Fraud Department and give a badge number. They then tell you that your card has been flagged for an unusual purchase pattern, and that they are calling to verify. They ask if you purchased an Anti-Telemarketing Device for £249.99 from a Marketing company based in (name of any town or city). When the consumer says no the caller says that they have been watching this company and that the your account will be re-credited. They then give your address and ask for confirmation and then tell you a six digit number you are required to repeat back to them. This gives the consumer a false sense of security that they are talking to a genuine person and encourages them to provide information.

They then ask you to turn over your card and ask you to read out the three security numbers you would normally use when you make Internet purchases, to 'verify you are the possessor of the card'. It is at this point that the fraud occurs because by obtaining the three numbers on the back of your card, (and with all the other information the fraudsters will have already obtained), they can use your card to make Internet purchases. This type of fraud is thought likely to increase as chip and pin makes face to face payment fraud more difficult. Never reveal any personal/financial information to anyone who phones you.

Pressure On For Air Line Gauge Accuracy!

It is very important for the overall safety of your vehicle that your car tyres are correctly inflated. Most drivers will use petrol forecourt tyre pressure gauges - but what about if you are concerned that the tyre pressure reading is inaccurate?

One Warwickshire driver called upon Warwickshire County Council’s Trading Standards Service to investigate after he became concerned that a tyre pressure gauge he had used at a petrol station in Warwick was grossly inaccurate. This led Trading Standards Officers to undertake a testing project to find out if this was a common problem or an isolated case.

There are three main reasons why maintaining the right tyre pressure is important. The first is safety. Tyres that are under inflated can overheat; while over inflated tyres can lead to poor handling on the road.

The second reason is cost-efficiency. Over or under inflated tyres suffer more damage than those with the correct pressure and need to be replaced more regularly. Vehicles with under-inflated tyres also require more fuel to maintain the same speed.

The third reason for maintaining the correct tyre pressure is that it helps to extend the legal life of the tyre, saving you time and money. This is because a tyre with the correct tyre pressure avoids premature or uneven wear.

A Trading Standards Officer visited 24 petrol station forecourts across the county, and examined the accuracy of the airline machines at each location using an accurate test gauge. Seventeen airlines passed the tests conducted on them whilst a further five airlines were found to be out of order.

However, two air line machines, or 8% of the total number tested were found to be very inaccurate. The two petrol stations were located in Warwick and Bedworth and with the cooperation of both businesses the air line machines have now been taken out of service.

At the Bedworth garage the air line machine was so inaccurate that when its gauge read 20 psi, the correct reading was actually 80 psi!

Noel Hunter, Director of Warwickshire Trading Standards Service said:

“Ensuring the accuracy of weighing and measuring equipment is one of our services traditional roles. However, even in today’s modern and fast moving society it still has a crucial role to play in helping to ensure that consumers are safe, protected, and not ripped off!”

Further work is now planned for the future.

Warwickshire consumers concerned about the accuracy of any type of weighing and measuring equipment used to delivery goods or services can contact Warwickshire Trading Standards Service on 01926 414040.

Simon Cripwell
Senior Information Officer
Warwickshire County Council Trading Standards Service