Prizes up for grabs for those who take part

Households in North East Lincolnshire who have been sent a postal survey about life in the borough are being urged to complete and return it so their views can be addressed.

The Government sponsored surveys have been sent to thousands of randomly selected homes and asks residents’ opinions about the quality of life in their immediate neighbourhood.

There are prizes up for grabs for those families who complete their survey, with the grand prize being a year’s family gym membership, up to the value of £800.

The council and its partners who include the police, health authorities, businesses and community representatives, make decisions that affect everybody’s lives. They want to be certain they understand the views of local people and deal with the issues that matter to their customers.

Councillor Steve Beasant said: “It is important you respond to this survey as it will be used to see how well we and our partners are doing at delivering the services that matter to you. It will help us to decide what needs doing differently in the future.

“We are asking for your views on public health, poverty, crime, regeneration, public transport, household waste and recycling and a host of other big topics that affect you.”

As well as the fantastic leisure centre offer courtesy of Sports and Leisure Management, prizes include theatre tickets, visitor attraction passes, health care plans and meal vouchers.

The deadline for people to respond and return their survey is Friday, December 19.

DODGY dealer Derek Trotter was on hand to warn shoppers not to be a “plonker” when it comes to shopping in the run-up to Christmas.

He joined trading standards officers in Grimsby town centre yesterday to offer advice on how to avoid falling foul of scams.

A stall was set up in Freshney Place, packed full of dodgy goods – including toys with a dangerously high lead content, Christmas lights with a risk of electrocution and fake football shirts.

After Del Boy had reeled in the shoppers, staff were on hand to offer advice.

Councillor Steve Beasant, portfolio holder for communities and neighbourhoods, said: “If you buy a fake, you are going to get a fake Christmas. It is worth paying a little bit more and knowing everything is as it should be. I have with me today a photograph of my two grandchildren, and I am not going to ruin their Christmas by buying them a ‘dodgy deal’; if I am little out of pocket by paying little extra it will be well worth it.

“With the credit crunch, this is going to be a hard Christmas for everyone, but the message is not to compromise. Every year, we all look for a good deal and you can get some good deals, but it no good getting ‘ripped off’!”

And Del Boy urged customers not to “be a plonker”.

He said: “You could buy bad toys, dodgy fags and fake football tops, but all they will do is make you ill or you will have wasted your money.”

The trading standards officers also urged customers to make sure they were aware of their rights when picking up their Christmas gifts.

North East Lincolnshire Council’s Trading Standards manager Andy Foster said: “Our message is to have a great Christmas, but to do it sensibly.

“We have displayed a lot of things that we have seized already, including Christmas tree lights that overheat and start fires and the usual fake clothes and perfume.

“We want to offer advice and tips and help people if they have a problem.”

    YOUNG people from across North East Lincolnshire have voted in their first-ever Young Mayor - choosing Amy Blackett for the position. 

    Amy will take up the appointment on Monday, November 17, attending community engagements which are focussed around local young people. 

The appointment will last for six weeks, until the New Year, on a trial basis. Should the scheme be considered successful it will be considered as an annual appointment in the future. 

Amy said: “I was really surprised to hear of the result - I’m really excited. I’m looking forward to meeting people and helping people.” 

Amy added that she is keen to show the positive sides of the young population she will now be representing. 

The council is currently organising an initial meeting between Amy and the Mayor of North East Lincolnshire, Councillor Colin Eastwell.

     Nominations have now been made and nine candidates have been selected for the forthcoming North East Lincolnshire Young Mayor elections.

     In the first vote of its kind in the borough, young people aged between 12 and 18 will choose a Young Mayor to take a ceremonial office for a trial period of six weeks.

Details of each candidate have been published on North East Lincolnshire Council’s PulseLincs website, at www.pulselincs.org.uk/mayor.

Ballot cards are being distributed to schools and colleges this week, and votes can now be made until Friday. The result of the vote will be announced early during the week commencing Monday November 10.

The new Young Mayor will take office from November 17 until the New Year, to allow the council to assess the scheme. Should it prove successful, future elections for a Young Mayor could become the norm in North East Lincolnshire.

You can find out the latest information on the election on this website.

Hard-working Hackney Carriage drivers employed by North East Lincolnshire Council have gone the extra mile by securing an academic qualification which will boost their professional careers.

Sixteen taxi and private hire drivers employed by the council have completed a nine-week BTEC Level 2 Transporting Passengers by Taxi and Private Hire course at the Second Avenue Resource Centre in Grimsby. And a further 84 drivers have expressed an interest in taking the course, which has been supported by the council with financial help from central government’s Train To Gain programme. 

Hackney Carriage driver Ray Lawrance said: “Drivers have given up their own time to complete this course to give their passengers greater piece of mind and to provide a better service across the streets of North East Lincolnshire.”

Drivers have to complete modules on health and safety, handling difficult customers, and how to transport passengers with mobility problems. Passing this qualification has been a real confidence boost for the drivers who now have the recognition that they have passed a nationally-accredited course. 

“It shows there are some excellent and committed drivers working within North East Lincolnshire. We have been well supported by the local authority in realising ambitions of having an academic qualification that will increase professionalism and confidence.” 

Success on the BTEC means students can then take the NVQ Level 2 in Road Passenger Vehicle Driving. Several drivers within North East Lincolnshire have now moved on to the advanced course. Topics on the 27-hour BTEC course also cover customer service, passenger safety, disability awareness, hire regulations and driving technique - with the drivers not only gaining recognition for their experience and skills, but also being able to demonstrate that they comply fully with the highest standards of customer service and key operational standards. 

    Councillor Steve Beasant, the council’s portfolio holder for communities and neighbourhoods, said: “Drivers have used their own initiative to take this course, which shows their commitment to passengers receiving the very best possible service.

“Passing an academic qualification not only gives drivers greater confidence that their job is a valuable and important one, but shows the council’s commitment to further education for all its employees. 

“As someone who has just passed an academic qualification at Huddersfield University I fully support the idea of lifelong learning, in this case I am sure it will add power and weight to their overall knowledge.” 

Nearly one in three electric blankets inspected by North East Lincolnshire Council’s trading standards team recently were defective and could put lives at risk. 

That’s the worrying verdict from the council’s trading standards manager Andy Foster, following testing of 205 blankets owned by residents in North East Lincolnshire in a two-day operation. 

There was a 31 per cent failure rate - with the majority of those that failed (68 per cent) due to having no protection from overheating. The figures show a large increase on last year’s results when 91 blankets were tested and 23 per cent failed. 

Mr Foster said: “As the nights draw in and people start to use their electric blankets once again, it is extremely worrying to see such a large number of these items failing to come up to scratch. 

“Every year, fatal fires are started because of a defective electric blanket, but trading standards are on hand to help, not only with advice, but with a collections service which will see our officers picking up any blankets from people’s homes.” 

The extra service of having blankets collected has already been taken up by 22 North East Lincolnshire residents.  Mr Foster added: “The high failure rate reinforces our call for people to get their blankets tested on an annual basis. There are also a number of simple checks that people can perform themselves.” 

Checks should include:

Ø     Checking the length of the cord to ensure there are no breaks in the insulation - increasing the electrocution risk

Ø     Ensuring the plug has correctly sleeved pins

Ø     Ensure you’re electric blanket has overheat protection

Ø     If your electric blanket has the old kitemark symbol it will not have overheat protection and hugely increases the fire risk. All modern blankets will carry the BEAB mark 

Councillor Steve Beasant, portfolio holder for communities and neighbourhoods, said “The health and safety of residents is a priority for the council and I am pleased we were able to offer this service again. 

“Faulty electric blankets can pose a real danger and sadly, statistics show that older people are often at most risk. I believe this council initiative will reduce the number of accidents related to faulty or old electric blankets.” 

If you have any queries about your electric blanket and have missed this year’s testing ring trading standards on 01472 324770 and ask to speak with Jessica Body.

The launch of North East Lincolnshire Council’s Scores On The Doors website has shown that more and more restaurants and caterers are stepping up to the plate and providing excellent hygiene and food management standards.

Nearly 350 inspections have now been uploaded on to the Scores On The Doors website, which launched in April.

The site grades restaurants and other premises selling or serving food from five stars to zero stars, judging the premises on a range of food hygiene and management criteria.

The council’s environmental health manager, said: “The results in the first five months of offering an online service have been promising. Nearly nine out of 10 premises have been awarded two or more stars, showing at least an adequate state of compliance.

“Only five per cent received no stars, which means they will receive education from the council on how to improve standards and quality in their kitchens and restaurant areas.

“We have also had close to 22,000 hits on the website, meaning our online service is fast becoming an important destination for people looking to choose a venue for a night-out or celebration.

“The site serves a twin purpose. Making these results available is encouraging under-performing businesses to raise their game, while highlighting good and excellent practice in others.”

Results for July, released this week, show 11 premises receiving five stars. Only two - Annies in Grant Street, Cleethorpes and Sara Barbecue Kebabs & Takeaway in Freeman Street, Grimsby, received no stars.

Councillor Steve Beasant, portfolio holder for communities and neighbourhoods, said: “I am pleased to see a high-level of compliance amongst our local eateries. I’m sure, as the Scores On The Doors website becomes more popular, we will see more and more restaurants reaching a five-star standard.”

Go to Scores on the Doors for more information

The 10 five-star premises are: Eskimoo Milkshakes; Freshney Place; Paul Butts’ Fish; Cygnet Foods, Birchin Way; Russells; Frenchies; Great Coates Nursery School Kitchen; Grimsby Hall and Lodge; Grimsby Police Station Staff Restaurant; McDonalds Restaurant, Birchin Way; Scartho Junior School Kitchen.

Five children were knocked down on roads in North East Lincolnshire last winter; however if a child wears a high-visibility vest they could keep themselves safe.  

DON’T let your child get injured on the roads this winter. 

“It’s such a difficult job to break the news to parents that their child has been killed or seriously injured on the roads.” 

The words of Humberside Police casualty reduction officer, as we urge thousands of children throughout North East Lincolnshire to wear your high-vis vests! 

Following a successful campaign last year when 14,500 primary schoolchildren were issued with the fluorescent vests, thousands more have been reissued to schools this week. 

And 600 fluorescent orange vests are also being distributed to our newspaper boys and girls in the area as part of a stay safe campaign. 

For today, the Grimsby Telegraph joins forces with North East Lincolnshire Council’s road safety department and Humberside Police to urge everyone to stay safe this winter – and make sure every child is SEEN and not HURT all year round. 

With the introduction of the vests last year there were one fewer casualty than the year before. With extra focus on wearing the high-vis vests, you could help bring that casualty number down to zero. 

The council’s road safety officer, stressed the importance of being seen and being safe. 

He said: “The important thing for us is to reduce casualties on the roads and as the dark nights come on, and the clocks go back, the obvious answer is to make children more visible. 

“That applies to everything, whether they are walking, playing or riding their bikes and we want them to be aware of the dangers so they can manage the risks involved.” 

Today, we are urging every child in North East Lincolnshire to follow this example by wearing their vests to and from school – and while playing outdoors. Be seen; be cool!   

And to help encourage them to stay visible, North East Lincolnshire Council is launching a rewards scheme competition. 

Each child who wears their vest to school every day for a week will be given a prize – but pupils who wear them every day for a month will have their name featured in a roll of honnour in your Grimsby Telegraph and have their name put in a monthly draw to win a Nintendio DS Lite. 

Draws will be held each month until March, when children who have worn them throughout winter will be in with the chance of winning a Nintendo Wii.

       ELECTIONS are to take place this autumn to appoint North East Lincolnshire Council’s first-ever Young Mayor.

      The appointment will be made following a vote on November 3. The new Young Mayor will take office for a trial period of six weeks, from November 17 until the New Year, to allow the council to assess the scheme. Should it prove successful, future elections for a Young Mayor could become the norm in North East Lincolnshire.

Becky Smith, the North East Lincolnshire representative on the national Youth Parliament, said: “This is an absolutely brilliant opportunity for young people in our area. It is going to involve them in the community more than ever before, and this new post will allow the council to take a key step into including young people in the administration and decision-making of local community services.”

Youngsters between the ages of 12 and 18 who live or attend school or college in North East Linconlshire will be eligible to nominate candidates, stand for election and vote.

Nomination packs are available from Paul Windley on (01472) 324121 or via paul.windley@nelincs.gov.uk. The deadline for the return of nominations is October 21. Ballot cards will be distributed to eligible voters via schools and colleges.

Trading standards officers at North East Lincolnshire Council are advising the public about new government legislation which gives them additional protection from rogue traders.

A change to the government’s Doorstop Regulations cover extends the reach of a seven-day ‘cooling off period’ on all work and products undertaken and offered by salespeople, provided the service is worth more than £35.

Consumers now have the right to cancel any agreement they entered into, regardless of whether they initiated the visit. And doorstop sellers must also inform customers in writing of their right to cancel.

But trading standards officers say consumers should still remain vigilant and follow a list of simple steps to beat brazen bluffers into submission.

The council’s principal trading standards officer, said: “While the council welcomes any strengthening of legislation that helps consumers, past experience shows that this alone is not enough to stop rogue traders from pursuing targets, particularly the elderly and vulnerable.

“Trading standards is on hand to explain the new legislation offer advice, and consumers can also help themselves by following our advice.”

If you need work doing around the house, get three quotes, ask friends and family for recommendations or use traders listed in the council’s home services directory (HSD) so you can contact them should anything go wrong.

He added: “Recent reports suggest residents are being targeted by traders who knock on the door without warning, offering house repairs and maintenance and often offering to carry out free checks hoping to agree to have the work done there and then.

“It could be paving driveways, repairing roofs and chimneys, general building work, etc”

“Any intelligence reported to us, including vehicle registration numbers, names and descriptions, will be collated regionally to determine any trends or patterns which may help future enforcement action.”

Previous trading standards investigations have found these traders often travel into the area from all over the country, and will often give a price for work to be done but rarely give any paperwork.

Halfway through the job they will try to inflate the price, often intimidating the householder into paying the higher price, and have also been known to accompany victims to the bank in order to obtain their money.

Councillor Steve Beasant, the council’s portfolio holder for communities and neighbourhoods, said: ‘”It is vitally important for householders to be able to exercise their cancellation rights when a trader visits their home and to be able to obtain advice on the most suitable product for their needs.

“If consumers are concerned about the aggressive sales tactics used by salespersons cold calling at their door they are advised to report this to trading standards.”

If you would like to report a rogue trader to trading standards, or are a trader looking to join the HSD, call Consumer Direct on 08454 04 05 06.