Domestic Burglary - Help us By Helping Yourself

Did you know that nearly a quarter of all burglaries in the home are as a result of insecurities such as doors and windows left unlocked or even open?

Tameside Crime & Disorder Reduction Partnership has been successful in reducing burglary by over 50 per cent in the last few years1, which equates to over fourteen hundred fewer victims of crime. This has been done by improving security in areas suffering higher levels of crime with the use of CCTV, employing more patrollers and PCSOs to patrol our streets and by providing doorstep crime advice and security devices.

Executive member for crime and disorder, Cllr Margaret Oldham said: "By leaving windows and door open and in particular leaving doors unlocked when your in, gives an invitation to an opportunist burglar. They do not need very long to open the door and remove wallets, car keys, which are often close at hand. Not only is this embarrassing to report for the individual, but also can often cause great inconvenience".

It's worth knowing that along with the inconvenience of the actual burglary, victims can also find themselves losing more than their belongings when insurance companies refuse to pay out.

By following the advice below you can reduce the risk of yourself becoming a victim of burglary in the future:

• Check that your doors and windows are locked even if you're just nipping to the shop.
• Always lock your front door - even if you're nearby, in the garden or kitchen
• Put locks on your windows - and use them!
• Install a burglary alarm and make sure you switch on when you go out or go to bed
• Have a light timer and always use it on darker nights so it looks like you're in the house.
• Try to place electical equipment out of view - if you can see it through the window, so could a potential burglar
• Never leave car keys near the front door
• Mark your property using a property marking pen - these can be obtained from the Community Safety Unit (0161 342 8355)
• Make sure your security light is working properly. These help disturb intruders and put them off working when they can be seen by neighbours.

For more advice about about minimising the risk of becoming a victim of burglary or any crime, please call the Community Safety Unit on 0161 342 8355.

Gardening Column

Tameside has a rich heritage when it comes to horticulture, and this year two events to be celebrated illustrate this fact very well.

In early March the council will be holding an event based on the BBC's Gardener's Question Time, the famous radio program at the Broadoak Hotel in Ashton. This is indeed a special occasion as the event will commemorate the sixtieth anniversary of the very first recording of the program, which took place at the Broadoak Hotel on April 9 1947. Local gardener and nurseryman Bill Sowerbutts was on the panel of experts that day, answering all manner of gardening questions and problems posed by local gardeners and growers. Bill continued as a member of the panel until his retirement in1983.

The second event to be celebrated, is for a building which many local people have visited and enjoyed over the years namely, the Victorian conservatory at Stamford Park. This historic building will be 100 years old this year, and although it has undergone two rebuilds, the last being in 2003, it still retains the original design and many other original features.

The conservatory was opened originally to display unusual and exotic plants for the people of Ashton, Stalybridge and the surrounding areas to enjoy and wonder at! Lots of the plants at the time (1907) would have arrived in the country from exotic locations as a result of the labors of the plant hunters and would have been regarded in amazement in the eyes of the local people, having never been seen in this country before. Nowadays there are new and unusual collections of plants in the conservatory that hopefully encourage similar interest for today's public to enjoy.

Criminal Prosecutions

by Tameside's Legal Department

Ali Anwar from Bennett Street, Hyde was convicted of illegally dumping waste at Harrop Edge, Mottram by Tameside Magistrates in January. He was given s £150 with £450 costs for the offence which happened in June 2005.

Colin Smith, of Oaken Clough Drive, Ashton was convicted of acting as an unlicensed taxi driver by Magistrates in November. He was given a 12-month conditional discharge, had six points put on his licence and ordered to pay £460 costs for the offence which happened between March 2005 and March 2006.

James Mark of no fixed address was convicted of illegally dumping waste at Edge Lane, Droylsden by Tameside Magistrates in January. He was given a £100 and £100 costs for the offence which happened in February 2006.

Azad Miah from Chief Street, Oldham was convicted of illegally posing as a private hire driver by Tameside Magistrates in December. He was given fines of £400, with £200 costs and six points on his licence for the offence which happened last June.

Scott Michael Rowbottom from Wootton Street, Hyde was convicted of illegally dumping waste on land at Dunkirk Lane, Hyde at the Magistrates in November. He was fined a total of £1,000 with £1,000 costs for the offence which took place in September 2005.

Chaudhry Khadim Hussein from Katherine Street, Ashton was convicted of posing as a mini cab driver by Magistrates in February. He was handed a £100 fine, £200 costs and six points on his licence for the offence which happened last August in Stamford Street, Ashton.

Tariq Javed of Newmarket Road, Ashton was convicted of posing as a mini cab driver by Tameside Magistrates in February. He was disqualified for two months and had to pay £250 costs for the offence which took place last August in Wellington Road, Ashton.

Peter Constantine from Church Street, Dukinfield was convicted of posing as a mini cab driver by Magistrates in December. He was given a £300 fine with £150 costs and had six points put on his licence for the offence which happened last August in Oldham Road, Ashton.

Shakil Ahmed Bashir from Bolton was convicted of dumping waste on land in three areas of Droylsden by Magistrates in February. He was given a £900 fine and £616 costs for the offences.

Andrew Leather of Birch Street, Ashton was convicted of selling counterfeit DVDs on Denton Market by Magistrates in November. He was handed an 18-month conditional discharge with £260 costs for the offences which happened in July 2005.

David Hazeldine of Dean Terrace, Ashton was convicted of selling cigarettes to an under aged teenager by Magistrates in October. He was fined £200 with £150 costs for the offence which happened at the Spa Store, Oldham Road, Ashton last February.

Natwariar Mistry of Minto Street, Ashton was convicted of selling alcohol to an underaged teenager by Magistrates in October. He was fined £250 with £150 costs for the offence which happened at Sunny's shop, Princess Street, Ashton in February.

Rita Robertson of Egmont Street, Ashton was convicted of falsely claiming housing and council tax benefit for a property in Mossley by Magistrates in January. She was given a 12-month conditional discharge for the offence which happened around June 2004.

Satish Parmar of Broadoak Road, Ashton was convicted of selling cigarettes to an underaged teenager by Magistrates in February. He was fined £215 with £515 costs for the offence which took place at Danny's Food Store last June.

Purushottam Pankhania of Broadoak Crescent, Ashton was convicted of selling cigarettes to an underaged teenager by Magistrates in January. He was fined £200 with £100 costs for the offence which took place at the Broadoak General Stores, Ashton last June.

Luqman Haskim trading from the Maga Pound 7, Ashton Road, Denton was convicted of selling counterfeit cigarettes by Magistrates in February. He was given a 12-month conditional discharge and £625 costs for the offence which took place in November 2005.

Mohanbhai Patel of Camberwell Drive, Ashton was convicted for selling alcohol to an underaged teenager by Magistrates in October. He was fined £250 with £150 costs for the offence which took place at the Tameside General Stores, Curzon Road, Ashton in February 2006.

Francis Boyd, boss of the Crown Data Collection Enforcement Agency, was given a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence at Liverpool Crown Court in January for fraudulently using the Crown logo to give the impression the letters he was sending came from a legitimate government department. Despite the letters official-looking appearance it was in fact a complete scam, with Boyd taking the money.

Reviews Led to Change

As a result of service reviews in Tameside's Social Care and Health department changes are planned to the way in which day care centres and transport services are commissioned and provided by the council.

Both reviews have taken place in line with the government's aim of modernising and improving care services as detailed in the recently published White Paper - Our Health Our Care Our Say. In a bid to have better value for both the customer and council tax payer the planned improvements are aimed at giving people more choices in the way they use services and more direct control of their own resources via direct payments and individual budgets.

The demand for traditional day care places has reduced over recent years as people become more discerning about their needs so the council has more contracted day care places available than is needed.

As a result of this the number of day service places commissioned under contract by the council, will be reduced by closing activities at three day centres. Day care activity at Sandon House in Mossley; Kingsfield in Ashton and Sunnyside in Droylsden will cease in April.

Cllr John Taylor, executive member for personal services, says the council is keen to reassure users of these centres that anyone who wants to continue to receive a day care place funded by the council will continue to do so, but they may have to use one of the alternative day care centres in the borough.

Alternatively, some people may wish to take advantage of other options which will be discussed with them, utilising a direct payment or individual budget.

The centres that will remain open are Greatwood House in Denton, Daisy Nook in Ashton and Fir Trees in Dukinfield.

Cllr Taylor said: "We will fully support everyone affected by the changes and our staff will be contacting everyone who currently attends one of the centres to arrange a meeting to discuss how the change will affect them and what alternative arrangements they can make."

All current and future users of the service will be assessed to ensure they meet a new criteria for a transport service appropriate to their needs.

Cllr Taylor commente: "Any changes that are needed will follow discussions and consultations. No service user will have their transport withdrawn without an alternative arrangement being put in place."

Could you Spend £150,000?

More than 150 young people from across Tameside came together to share their ideas on how to spend £150,000 improving their communities at the launch of the Youth Opportunity Fund.

The event, organised by young people from the grant panel who decide how the money is spent, was opened by Hollyoaks star Ricky Whittle, who plays Calvin Valentine. He commended the young people for all their hard work and for getting off their settees to help their communities.

Sue Nathan, Head of the Youth Service said: "At a time when teenagers are seen so negatively it is wonderful to witness young people giving so generously of their time and energy, caring so much about their communities, working so hard for other people, acting in such a postive way and having loads of fun in the process."

The young people were joined by local voluntary organisations.

The panel - of more than 20 young people - meets monthly to consider grant applications.

No Cold Calling Zones

Tameside Trading Standards are working with residents who no longer want uninvited salespeople calling at their door.

As part of ongoing crime prevention activities Trading Standards, with other agencies, are working to reduce distraction burglaries, bogus callers and rogue traders. Many callers at the door are genuine but some turn up unannounced and try and trick their way into your home, or may pose as builders, gardeners or use other guises and persuade you into paying large amounts of money for unnecessary work. It is now well established that distraction burglaries and rogue traders are linked.

Tameside Trading Standards now have three no cold calling zones in Denton and Hyde.

The purpose of the schemes is to empower residents to have the confidence to say 'No' to uninvited salespeople and to warn rogue traders and cold callers that they are unwelcome.

The areas chosen are based on police statistics, Trading Standards information and local knowledge. They are usually known 'hot spot' areas and may house vulnerable people of the community.

Each scheme has 100% support of all the residents, this is achieved by consultation, not only to get their consent but also to raise awareness of the issues and encourage community involvement.

Signs identifying the zones are erected at the end of the road and all residents receive an information pack, leaflet, etc. Any cold callers will be questioned by the resident and their details reported to Trading Standards who will then contact the person/trader making the call in the NCCZ and insist on future compliance.

Doors Open for Older People

As a result of service reviews in Tameside's Social Care and Health department, changes are being made to update and improve day care centres and transport services.

Both reviews are in line with the government's aim of modernising and improving care services as detailed in the recently published White Paper - Our Health Our Care Our Say. In a bid to have better value for both the customer and council tax payer the planned improvements will give people more choices in the way they use services and more direct control of their own resources.

The demand for traditional day care places has reduced over recent years as people become more discerning about their needs, so the Council has made more day care places available than is needed.

Day care activity will be available at Greatwood House in Denton, Daisy Nook in Ashton and Fir Trees in Dukinfield from April. Previously day care activities, run by the Council, were also available at Sandon House in Mossley; Kingsfield in Ashton and Sunnyside in Droylsden.

Cllr John Taylor, Cabinet Deputy for Personal Services, explains what has happened to people affected by the changes: "Over the last two months staff have met with all service users and families affected by the changes and discussed their new arrangements.

"Some people are already using their new centres and by the beginning of April we hope everyone will have moved to a centre of their choice. We've also talked to people who are already using Greatwood House, Daisy Nook and Fir Trees to make sure they are getting the full benefit from using a day care centre.

The review of transport services has revealed that efficiencies and cost savings can be made in order to invest in alternative transport options for eligible service users. The service changes will also result in a more economical and efficient use of transport that is managed by the Council.

All current and future users of the service will be assessed to ensure they meet a new criteria for a transport service appropriate to their needs.

Cllr Taylor commented : "Any changes that are needed will follow discussions and consultations. No service user will have their transport withdrawn without an alternative arrangement being put in place.

"Many service users tell us that they would like a customised transport service tailored to their needs. These changes will give more choice and control to eligible service users who wish to use a Direct Payment to make their own transport arrangements."

One-Stop Shop

Child care professionals now have a one-stop shop for training and resource facilities.

The Tameside Early Years Quality Development Centre, located on Manchester Road, Audenshaw, officially opened in January. It is the new base for the Quality Team, which provides support, information and training to develop good practice in schools, pre-schools, playgroups, nurseries and among other childcare providers - such as childminders and out of school clubs - for children aged 0-8 years.

As well as providing access to resources and training, the centre boasts a toy library, which is open to all childcare providers across the borough, families in children's centre areas and other agencies such as Bookstart and local health visitors.

Tameside's Early Years General Advisor Joyce Swann said: "The centre will provide child care providers across the borough with easy access to all the support, training and resources they need to develop good practice and provide the best possible early years settings for our children."

For further information on the centre's extensive training programme contact Melanie Willocks on 0161 342 5383.