Cookham Discussion Board

My favourite message – only one crime to report – a car entered and searched.

NO BURGLARIES TO REPORT.

FIRST:- From the Borough:

Volunteers needed for COVID-19 vaccine rollout

Our local health and care service, Frimley Health and Care, is looking for volunteers to help with the COVID-19 vaccination programme rollout. If you’d like to volunteer, please email: volunteer@rbwm.gov.uk.

Update on skate parks and playgrounds

The skate parks at Desborough Park and Kidwells Park in Maidenhead and Vansittart Recreation Ground in Windsor, are currently closed under lockdown restrictions, as the Government classes them as sports and exercise venues.

Playgrounds are allowed to remain open at this time, providing parents and children do not mix with other households and social distancing is maintained. If your local playground is busy when you arrive, come back at a quieter time.

If you’re unsure about the Government’s lockdown restrictions for sports and exercise, see the restrictions in full

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/national-lockdown-stay-at-home

Single person council tax discount review

Residents who live alone are entitled to apply for a single person council tax discount.

Like other council’s, we carry out regular reviews to ensure that everyone who is receiving the single person discount is still entitled to it.

If you are currently claiming the single person council tax discount, you will soon receive a letter providing you with a PIN to complete an online form, or asking you to return a paper form within 14 days. This process is intended to confirm that you are eligible for the single person discount.

We are carrying out this review in partnership with specialist local government data solutions provider, Datatank.

For more information and to complete the online form:

https://www.rbwm.gov.uk/home/council-and-democracy/consultations/single-person-discount-review

Have your say

We regularly hold consultations to get your views on proposals within the Royal Borough.

Responding to our consultations and giving your feedback is the best way to ensure your views are heard.

Our current consultations are:

Housing strategy consultation – deadline Wednesday 3 February 2021
https://www.rbwm.gov.uk/home/council-and-democracy/consultations/housing-consultations

Public Spaces Protection Order to tackle anti-social behaviour – deadline Sunday 7 February 2021
https://www.rbwm.gov.uk/home/council-and-democracy/consultations/consultation-proposals-introduce-public-space-protection-orders

Proposed walking and cycling scheme consultation – deadline Tuesday 9 February 2021
https://www.rbwm.gov.uk/news/have-your-say-proposed-cycling-and-walking-schemes

New COVID-19 business grant available

You can now apply for the COVID-19 ‘business support package for January lockdown’ grant if your business was legally required to close due to the latest national lockdown.

Full details, including how to apply, can be found on our:
https://www.rbwm.gov.uk/home/council-and-democracy/contact-us/coronavirus-information-and-support/business-support/covid-19-business-grants

Thames Valley Police Public Consultation on police front counters

Thames Valley Police is holding a public consultation on proposed changes to front counter services at police stations across Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire.

The proposals include a change to Maidenhead Police Station’s front counter hours from 8am-10pm, seven days a week to 8am-4pm, Monday to Friday.

The consultation closes on Sunday 31 January, and you can share your views on the consultation website:
https://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/police-forces/thames-valley-police/areas/au/proposed-front-counter-provision/

Slow broadband speed?

If you experience slow broadband speeds, you could benefit from the rural Gigabit Broadband Voucher scheme.

The scheme provides residents and businesses in some of the hardest-to-reach parts of Berkshire with future-proof broadband connections. If you are eligible, you can access funding up to £1,500 (or £3,500 for a business) towards the cost of full-fibre installation.

To find out more and to see if you’re eligible for the funding:
http://www.superfastberkshire.org.uk/article/37722/Gigabit-Broadband-Voucher-Scheme

The Windsor Lions Club have sent me this to circulate – to say thank you.

CHRISTMAS TREE RECYCLING COLLABORATION IS A BIG SUCCESS!
 
Two successful local charities - Thames Hospice and Windsor Lions Club, joined forces to carry out a successful first-time project, to collect used real Christmas trees from around the streets of Windsor and Ascot.

The collaboration raised over £7000, removing and chipping over 450 trees.

Local residents were invited to book a collection, via the Thames Hospice website, in return for a donation.  Vans then patrolled the streets of Windsor, Datchet, Eton and the Ascot area, collecting the trees from outside residential properties.

Apart from the much-needed fund raising for the two charities, they were determined to maximise the ‘green’ elements of the project: the chippings were used by Blue Acre Stables to make their rescued horses more comfortable, and a planning app called Optimo Route utilised to minimise the miles covered by the collection teams.

Talking about the event, Head of Community & Event Fundraising, Alison Evans said “We are delighted with the results of our efforts.  This was the first time we have done this type of thing and it was great, to raise such a large amount of money and to work with our friends at Windsor Lions again.  There were a few challenges posed by the Covid restrictions, but it didn’t put us off and we will be back bigger and better next year’.


CRIME
I have attached reference numbers to each crime report. If you live in the vicinity of any of the crimes mentioned and have CCTV or a video doorbell, can you please check the footage. If you have any that might be of interest to the police, can you please make contact with us, quoting reference number given.

I have added a new email address below.  The first email address is directly to your local Neighbourhood Team.  The second is to our investigation team.  Please use it to send any intelligence / video doorbell / CCTV footage you may have, which is relevant to any of the crimes lists below - quoting the reference number.

Alternatively you can call 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or email - www.crimestoppers-uk.org


MAIDENHEAD CENTRAL:
maidenheadcentralgeographical@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk
SR.windsor&maidenhead@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk
NO CRIME TO REPORT.

RIVERSIDE & BELMONT:
NO CRIME TO REPORT.

MAIDENHEAD WEST
maidenheadwestgeographical@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk
SR.windsor&maidenhead@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk
BISHAM, COOKHAM, HURLEY, THE WALTHAMS, LITTLEWICK GREEN & KNOWL HILL:
19/1  Tuesday 4 a.m.  Choseley Road, Knowl Hill.  Car entered and an untidy search.  Nothing appears to have been stolen

PINKNEYS GREEN & FURZE PLATT:
NO CRIME TO REPORT.

MAIDENHEAD SOUTH
maidenheadsouthgeographical@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk
SR.windsor&maidenhead@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk
BOYN HILL, COX GREEN & WOODLANDS PARK:
NO CRIME TO REPORT.

OLDFIELD, BRAY & HOLYPORT:
NO CRIME TO REPORT.
We have received several reports about a Facebook entry that an assault took place in Holyport, in an attempt to steal a dog.  Can we reassure everyone that this has now been fully investigated and it appears it was a case of Chinese Whispers and no such assault / theft of a dog took place.  An update has been placed on the Facebook page.

MEMBERS’ COMMENTS:

FIRST:  A really good question from Norie
Hi Jeff,

How do we spread the message about scams to those that need to be aware ?

Not all of elderly people, are computer savvy – most don’t have a smartphone.  Some, don’t even have a mobile phone !

Some, don’t have relatives near them, no one to talk to when they are targeted.

I think we need to deliver this useful information about scams, via different channel – but I don’t know what that is !

I live upstairs to an elderly lady who lives alone and we look after each other.

I sometimes noticed someone knocking at her door and I wave them off, but I am not always at home to notice.

She doesn’t have mobile phone.

Norie

Many thanks Norie.  This is a real problem for us and we try our best to use every tool at our disposal.  In non Covid times, both I, the PCSOs from the various Neighbourhood Teams and the RBWM Community Wardens, go to all our residential homes, retirement villages, community care groups, day centres, lunch groups, carers associations and as many other groups as we can find, to pass on this message.  We have set up with our brilliant RBWM Trading Standards Team a ‘Scambusters Group’.  Honor Ryan along with our PCSOs and RBWM Community wardens, still go out – fully Covid protected with gloves and masks to the homes of anyone who has been targeted by scammers, or residents referred by neighbours to provide ongoing support and advice.  The RBWM Warden team provides a lot of ongoing support of months if needed.
We also rely on all of you, to spread the warnings and advice, to all your neighbours, friends, relatives and work colleagues.  One really useful group for this is the ‘U3A’ – The University of the third Age – a fantastic resource for anyone who is retired with hundreds of members – they have dozens and dozens of specific interest groups, led by enthusiasts – there is something for everyone, with time on their hands and an enquiring brain !!!  They help us to spread the message.
https://windsoru3a.org.uk/

If anyone knows of anyone who is in need of this type of support and assistance p please let me know and I will pass their details onto the various teams.  Please though – make sure you have obtained their consent to do so.  Some of our elderly and vulnerable residents are fiercely independent !!!

DO YOU KNOW HOW TO BLOCK UNWANTED SCAM CALLS AFTER THEY ARRIVE ??

Hi Jeff,

I'm sorry to hear about Suzanne’s scam Amazon call.

This type of call is not typical of Amazon, which is of course a very reputable company, but these calls should be recognised as a scam.

I suggest that if anyone gets one of these, they just put down the receiver and must not be tempted, to engage or respond.  This will only flag up to the scammers that it is a 'live' target line and may induce repeated attempts, by them or scammers, they sell the number to.  Some people think that by engaging with the caller, they are taking up their time and therefore protecting someone else, from becoming a victim.

My father has been drawn into doing this and it only increases the annoyance and call frequency.

We now use BT's1572 service.  If these calls are received then numbers are automatically directed to the BT's junk folder, so repeated calls from the same number are blocked.

I hope this helps?

Regards David

It does – many thanks David

FIRST: YET ANOTHER AMAZON SCAM:

Hi Jeffrey,

We are the Neighbourhood volunteers for our road. For the last week, we have been getting telephone calls from an overseas telephone number, at exactly 8.10am every morning.
The caller keeps asking me about my Amazon Prime subscription. As I haven't got an Amazon Prime account, I just put the phone down, but it's really annoying to be woken up with these calls. Last night I spoke to Amazon's customers services, they said it's a scam going around and don't speak, or give them any information.

Sue and Leslie

Thank you both for all the work you do in your community.

AND: Another Amazon prime Scam – which can bypass Call Blocker Phones:

Hi Jeff

I received yet another scam call on my landline this morning.

The call did not have a caller ID, so it bypassed my Call Blocker phone !!!

It was from a foreign lady, saying that I had a subscription to Amazon Prime (which I don’t).  Despite telling her I don’t, she kept going on, and asking for bank details to re subscribe.

When I challenged her again, she put the phone down !

As I say, I have BT call blocker phone with numbers I choose, however I can’t block this one, as it was No ID for the phone to recognise !

Hopefully nobody falls for this scam.

Thanks.

Charmian.

Thanks Charmian.  This is a worry and we need to warn people with Call Blocker phones, that this call can get through and they need to be on their guard.

NEXT: Another Windows Scam call

Hi Jeffrey,

I’m a subscriber to the Windsor Alert Newsletter.  I was wondering if you could help me ?

I’ve just received a scam call from "Microsoft Internet Support".  I’m familiar with these scams, but what was different about this one, was it was a Slough phone number.  

I would like to do everything within my power to get these people prosecuted, as they once scammed my Mum.

Who should I be reporting this to?

Tom

Thanks Tom, first – I am glad you recognised it as a scam and dismiss it – people still fall for it every day !

The scammers now have the ability and software, to show any number they like on your phone.  They know you will not answer international calls, so they display a local number.  The number is not real, but is like a hyperlink on your display.
These calls generally come from organised call centres abroad – as a result, we are dealing with international law and these people will be impossible to track down and bring to justice.  The companies whose brand is being used, are always interested to have their details, so I am sure if you access the Microsoft website, there will be a section to report scams of this kind.

What we can do is simply bin them – and if we can, report them to the companies involved to follow up.

It is not ideal, but is all we can do, as these are going out by the hundreds of thousands.

NEXT: An HSBC Scam

Hi Jeff,
No doubt this scam text, is doing the rounds.

I received a text message this morning, allegedly from HSBC, saying a new payee was requesting access to my account.   I could either allow or refuse this access, by clicking on the link. As I don’t have an HSBC account, it was easy to identify as a scam text.

Without an HSBC account, I was automatically on my guard. Anyone with such an account, might be more easily taken in.

I did contact HSSBC, who said they have been aware of this particular email for about a week now.  It’s the usual ‘send it to enough people and someone will fall for it’, with very profitable results for the scammers.

If you get it - just delete it.

I thought you might want to make readers aware.

Keep up the great service

Thanks

Malcolm

Thanks Malcolm.  Soon it won’t be - did you get these scam texts ?  But – didn’t you get one – as they are going out by the hundreds of thousands !!!  We are really fortunate in RBWM that so many people are willing to share their experiences, to protect others – and - we have the mechanism, to put it out the advice to protect others.