The Community Safety Newsletter aims to keep Buckinghamshire residents, businesses and partner agencies informed about what the Community Safety Team has recently been involved in, crime prevention advice, information on awareness raising campaigns and upcoming events.

Newsletter Content:

1. Extension of Street Warden Scheme to Aylesbury

2. Meet the Team (please see the photograph of 4 officers. Derek R)

3. Prevent Projects

4. Relaunch of the Buckinghamshire Safe Place Scheme

5. Thames Valley Police – Tackling Knife Crime across Buckinghamshire

6. Domestic Homicide Review Learning Events

7. Think Before You Dial

8. Victims First Connect Programme

9. Serious Violence

10. Keyless Car Theft

11. National Hate Crime Awareness Week

12. Bucks & Surrey Trading Standards: Business Against Scams online sessions – Farming Industry

13. Anti-Slavery Day

14. Clocks Go Back

15. Halloween

16. Fireworks

17. Police.UK

18. Coronavirus Information

19. Social Media

20. Useful Contact Details


Extension of Street Warden Scheme to Aylesbury

Following the successful introduction of Street Wardens in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire Council is extending its scheme to include two new wardens for Aylesbury, jointly funded by the Aylesbury Community Board.

The concept of Street Wardens has been around since 2001 when the Government introduced the Community Safety Accreditation Scheme. The intention was ‘to harness the contribution others working in the community, such as street wardens and security staff, could make to the fight against crime and disorder.’ The purpose of any Street Warden scheme is usually to reduce crime and disorder and link together all parts of the community, acting as a highly visible reassuring presence.

As well as deterring crime and Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) our wardens act as ambassadors to our towns, principally working in our town centres to welcome and reassure visitors, residents and those who work there.

The Wardens are extensively trained, and this includes Safeguarding, Emergency First Aid, Conflict Management, CCTV (SIA Licence), Radio Communications and Naloxone training.

The recruitment phase has been carried out and we are looking forward to welcoming our new Aylesbury Street Wardens at the end of September.


Meet the Team (please see the photograph of 4 officers. Derek R)


Prevent Projects

With the easing of lockdown measures, the Prevent team have been working on engaging with communities to raise awareness on radicalisation and safeguarding.

In response to community needs the following projects will be delivered and funded by the Home Office Prevent Strategy:

Nicola Benyahia – Nicola is a qualified counsellor and currently runs an organisation called Families for Life, which supports families affected by violence and radicalisation. As a mother whose son, Rasheed Benyahia, travelled to join ISIS and was sadly killed in 2015, Nicola shares her own story while delivering training on spotting the signs of radicalisation and how to access support. This is particularly important as the first to notice differences in behaviour of those vulnerable to radicalization, tend to be family members. https://familiesforlife.org.uk
Parent Zone – This organisation provides specialist training, advice and knowledge to parents on keeping their children safe online. This is particularly important for children in an increasingly digital world, especially as online activity has risen during the pandemic. Parents will be trained on how to respond to digital risks to allow their children to make the most of the online world.
Wycombe Youth Action (WYA) – WYA work with vulnerable young people in promoting critical thinking, challenging stereotypes while developing their skills and confidence. This is done through group sessions as well as one-to-one mentoring with young people and often involves creative arts such as graffiti and rap music to reduce social exclusion. These sessions give young people the chance to directly engage with a trained youth worker who understands the impact of radicalisation on young people, their families and wider community. www.wycombeyouthaction.co.uk

For further information on the above projects please contact Lily Syed, Prevent Project Officer: lily.syed@buckinghamshire.gov.uk

Relaunch of the Buckinghamshire Safe Place Scheme

The Safe Place Scheme was first launched in Buckinghamshire in 2012 and has built a network of suitable venues and businesses, such as local shops and libraries, where anyone can go for help and assistance if they find themselves in need while out and about in our local communities.

Having access to a ‘Safe Place’ offers vulnerable members of our communities who are feeling confused, scared or upset somewhere they can go to ask for help. They may simply need directions or may wish to make a telephone call to someone they trust, either to collect them or advise them of what they need to do.

Following on from this difficult last year, understandably some members of our communities will be nervous about going out and about. We hope that re-launching the scheme this September, with increased membership, will provide reassurance so that vulnerable people can lead independent lives and feel more confident while out in Buckinghamshire.

To help identify which premises are a ‘Safe Place’ a sticker with the image below will be displayed in the shop/ business window. Anyone in need can approach a member of staff and ask for help or assistance.

For further information on the scheme, please email: safeplace@buckinghamshire.gov.uk

Thames Valley Police – Tackling Knife Crime across Buckinghamshire

The national campaign ‘Operation Sceptre’ shows the policing commitment to tackling serious violence along with partner agencies. The initiative aims to reduce knife crime by disrupting the supply of knives available and targeting those carrying weapons. Operation Sceptre takes place twice a year and supports the work Thames Valley Police carry out all year round to keep people safe within their communities.

Targeted engagement, operations and education activities take place across the Thames Valley in order to inform young people to walk away from harm in dangerous situations and that by carrying knives they would be putting both themselves and those around them at risk.

As part of the campaign, Aylesbury have introduced their first year-round knife bank situated at Southcourt Baptist Church, Penn Road. The knife bank is funded by Thames Valley Police and managed by Aylesbury South Neighbourhood Policing Team. Within the first two weeks, 25 knives of all types were deposited, and a steady stream continues, with all weapons being destroyed.

Southcourt Baptist Church also oversees Bridge the Gap Foodbank, the Treehouse Pre-School and community mentoring schemes, as well as having a series of outreach and care programmes to help combat weapon-related crime.

Domestic Homicide Review Learning Events

Domestic Homicide Reviews (DHRs) have been a statutory requirement since 13 April 2011. A DHR is a multi-agency ’lessons learned‘ review and is conducted if someone dies as a result of domestic violence and abuse, whether by suicide or directly killed by another person. To maximise learning the Safer Bucks Board organises two DHR learning events per year, for frontline professionals and those who sit on DHR panels. The second in our series of events was delivered virtually on 23 June 2021 to 170 attendees and centered around domestic abuse and Black, Asian and Ethnically Diverse (BAED) victims.

Guest speakers included Payzee Mahmod (Iranian & Kurdish Women’s Rights Organisation) whose sister Banaz was murdered on the orders of her family in a so called ’honour‘ killing, Dorett Jones (Genesis Consultancy), Waheeda Islam (Nour) and Elizabeth Jimenez-Yanez (Step Up Migrant Women, Latin American Women’s Rights Service).

The event feedback was hugely positive, and our next learning event will take place in December, with the focus on domestic abuse and male victims.

Think Before You Dial


During the summer months there is often an increase in the number of people getting in touch with the police to report a crime. Between July and September, Thames Valley Police are running the ‘Think Before You Dial’ campaign.

The aim of the campaign is to raise awareness of online reporting. We should all be familiar with using 999 for emergencies when a life is in danger or for when a crime is occurring, and with using 101 for non-emergency incidents. However, you can also report non-emergencies online.

The online reporting service is not automated; each report is dealt with by an experienced Thames Valley Police call handler – the same police team who answer your calls.

Online reporting allows you the freedom to report at a time that is convenient for you. It means you can spend some time writing in your own words exactly what happened and there is no need to wait for a call handler to become available to take your call. Reporting a crime can be a difficult process, so the online reporting service is designed to make it a little easier and more convenient for you.

Victims First Connect Programme

Victims First Connect allows organisations and professionals working in communities to help victims of crime by learning more about the services available to victims, how to signpost people to support or process a referral for support on their behalf. They will also be able to support victims or witnesses of hate crimes by making a report to the police.

Victims First are working with organisations such as community and family centres, colleges, Citizens Advice Bureaus, universities, GP surgeries and libraries to raise awareness of the support available to victims of crime. The scheme is structured into two different tiers which will provide different levels of information and support. Organisations can decide what level of support they would like to offer, which could be as simple as displaying a Victims First poster.

For further details on how to get involved or for training opportunities please visit: Victims First Connect

Serious Violence

The Government has made tackling serious violence a top priority; in April 2018 it set out a new Serious Violence Strategy and in 2019 created Violence Reduction Units (VRUs) across the UK. Thames Valley Police lead our local VRU, which covers Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, and Berkshire.

Using a multi-agency partnership approach, we work with our key partners e.g. NHS, Police, Youth Offending Service and Department of Work and Pensions to prevent and reduce serious violence. In line with our priorities set out in the Safer Buckinghamshire Plan, we aim to reduce serious violence, protect our communities and support victims of serious violence.

One of our key objectives is early intervention and adopting a ‘holistic’ approach, particularly with young people, to prevent and safeguard people from becoming (for example) involved in knife crime which is often associated with County Line drug activities. We do this by raising awareness and working with schools, youth clubs and community boards to provide mentoring, youth services, diversionary activities and well-being support.

Keeping our communities safe and protecting them from harm is everyone’s responsibility. We want to build good relationships with our local communities by working together to keep our young people safe. You can help do this by getting involved with supporting our young people by volunteering; the Community Impact website is a good place to start.

Getting involved in Neighbourhood Watch (NHW) is also a way of helping to keep your streets safer. For further details please visit the national NHW website which also contains useful information on safeguarding – spotting the signs.

To report a safeguarding concern or suspicious activity, please contact Thames Valley Police.

Keyless Car Theft

There has been a recent increase in keyless car thefts, particularly of Range Rovers. If you own a keyless vehicle, please read the following information to find out what security measures you can put in place to protect your vehicle and to avoid becoming a victim of crime.

National Hate Crime Awareness Week

National Hate Crime Awareness Week is taking place from 9 – 16 October 2021. We will be supporting the campaign by sharing a variety of information, such as what is a hate crime, support services and how to report such incidents.

A hate crime is defined as 'Any criminal offence which is perceived by the victim or any other person to be motivated by hostility or prejudice based on a person's race or perceived race; religion or perceived religion; sexual orientation or perceived sexual orientation; disability or perceived disability and any crime motivated by hostility or prejudice against a person who is transgender or perceived to be transgender.'

A hate incident is any incident which the victim, or anyone else, thinks is based on someone’s prejudice towards them because of their race, religion, sexual orientation, disability or because they are transgender.

If you have been a victim of a hate crime you must remember that it is not your fault. You do not have to live with this form of abuse, and it is important to report such incidents as soon as possible. Speaking up can be difficult, but by reporting a hate crime you may be able to prevent it from happening again to you or to someone else. Keeping people safe from harm is everyone's responsibility. To report a hate crime, please see our ‘Useful Contacts’ section at the end of our newsletter.

Bucks & Surrey Trading Standards: Business Against Scams online sessions – Farming Industry

In the last year there has been a 66% increase in scams, with farmers being particularly vulnerable due to isolation in the workplace due to the pandemic and Brexit uncertainty, causing financial loss and stress.

Bucks & Surrey Trading Standards are offering free webinars with the aim of helping farmers learn how they can protect themselves from frauds and scams. The webinars are also an opportunity to discuss any problems and issues arising from these topics in a confidential manner. Sarah Reeve, Bucks and Surrey Trading Standards officer and representatives from the Farming Community Network will be present at the webinars to provide advice with regards to animal health and welfare, pastoral and practical help.

To book your FREE place visit: Buckinghamshire and Surrey Trading Standards Events | Eventbrite

Tuesday 12 October - 6.30pm
Tuesday 26 October - 12.30pm
Thursday 11 November - 6.30pm

For further information on the Farming Community Network visit:

The Farming Community Network | Facebook
The Farming Community Network | Twitter
The Farming Community Network | LinkedIn

Anti-Slavery Day

Monday 18 October marks Anti-Slavery Day, an opportunity to raise awareness of human trafficking and modern slavery. Unfortunately, slavery is still widely prevalent in our society, and could be happening right under your nose, in your street or neighbourhood. It’s a hidden crime happening in plain sight across the UK. The Global Slavery Index estimates that Britain is home to around 136,000 victims of modern slavery, far surpassing the government’s own statistics.

Modern Slavery has many forms, from being forced to carry out manual tasks such as domestic work or labouring for little or no money to criminal and sexual exploitation. Many victims are often trafficked and are forced to live in fear in squalid conditions under the constant threat of violence and intimidation.

You could be closer to Modern Slavery than you think! Download the Unseen UK App today to play your part in ending modern slavery. The app provides a simple guide to recognising the signs and you can easily pinpoint the suspected locations and connect to the Modern Slavery Helpline.

If you suspect something, please contact one of the teams below:

Bucks Safeguarding Adults Team - 0800 137 915
Bucks Emergency Duty Team (out of hours) - 0800 999 7677
First Response Team - 01296 383 962
Modern Slavery Helpline - 08000 121 700 – Online reporting form
In an emergency always dial 999

Clocks Go Back

With the clocks going back on 31 October our homes will be in darkness in the afternoon – a gift for opportunist burglars. Unfortunately, burglars see the longer winter nights as an opportunity to increase their criminal activities, so to avoid becoming a victim of burglary we are encouraging residents to look at their home security and take some simple, yet effective steps to protect their homes:

Use a timer switch to turn on lights and a radio to give the impression someone is home.
Keep valuables and other electronic equipment such as laptops out of sight.
Security mark valuables with a UV pen and register them with Immobilise.
Double-lock UPVC doors or use dead locks on solid doors.
Keep all spare keys, including car keys, away from the front door and out of sight to avoid them being ‘fished’ through the letter box.
Keep windows locked with the key and keep it out of sight.
Don’t leave the packaging boxes from expensive new TVs or game consoles outside by your bin, this will just act as advertising what goodies you have inside your home.

Halloween

In preparation for Halloween we have created a downloadable poster which you can display in your window to say that you do not welcome trick or treaters. Halloween is a night of innocent fun for many youngsters, but for elderly and vulnerable residents having an unexpected caller can be distressing and frightening.

Download your Halloween poster now; alternatively you can collect copies from Buckinghamshire Council’s Reception areas.

Fireworks

Over the next few months we will see an increase in firework displays. If you are planning to have fireworks in your garden, please follow the advice below and visit Bucks Fire & Rescue for further guidance.

Please also be considerate and let your neighbours know. Not everyone enjoys fireworks and unexpected loud bangs can cause great distress to both animals and humans.

Police.UK

Police.UK is the national website for policing in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The website is full of information, such as crime reduction advice and support services for those affected by crime. The Police website also provides local area information - you can explore the latest crime statistics, see your Neighbourhood Policing Team and find out what's being done to tackle crime.

Coronavirus Information

For information on the coronavirus, vaccinations, rapid testing, service changes and details on how to access support across Buckinghamshire please visit: Bucks Coronavirus information

Social Media

Follow us on our social media channels for the latest key messages and crime reduction advice:

Community Safety Twitter: @Bucks_Safety
Communities Facebook: @bcccomunities
Nextdoor: @Buckinghamshire Council

Useful Contact Details

Below is a list of contact details for local and national services:

Community Safety -Aylesbury Area

01296 585 858

communitysafety.av@buckinghamshire.gov.uk

Community Safety - Chiltern Area

01494 586 535

communitysafety.csb@buckinghamshire.gov.uk

Community Safety - South Bucks Area

01494 586 535

communitysafety.csb@buckinghamshire.gov.uk

Community Safety - Wycombe Area

01494 421 117

communitysafety.wyc@buckinghamshire.gov.uk

Action Fraud

0300 123 2040

Action Fraud Website

Crime Stoppers

0800 555 111

Crime Stoppers Website

National Domestic Abuse Helpline

0808 2000 247

National Domestic Abuse Helpline Website

Modern Slavery Helpline

08000 121 700

Modern Slavery Helpline Website

Thames Valley Police

101/ 999

Thames Valley Police Website

Victims First

0300 1234 148

Victims First Website

Hello Everyone,

The traffic light system for travel abroad has now become much more simplified and easier and there is a huge advantage if you have been fully vaccinated. From Monday, October 4th – there will be just two types of destinations– Red listed countries and the rest. So if you arrive back from a non-red listed country all you need to do now is carry out a lateral flow test (LFT) 2 days and 8 days after returning. These LFTs are much quicker and much cheaper than laboratory-based PCR tests. These changes should be in place by half-term in October. If your LFT is positive then you have to isolate and get a PCR test. These PCRs for the vaccinated will be free. If you’re still unvaccinated you will have to take day 2 and day 8 PCR tests on return. So travel will be much easier and cheaper for those who are fully vaccinated and will get more difficult for those that are not. The UK will also recognise certain vaccines done in other countries including Moderna and Janssen. However the Chinese made Sinopharm vaccine – often used in the Middle East, Africa and parts of Asia is still not recognised and travellers into the UK will be assumed to be unvaccinated. So many people and their children will be getting a welcome holiday but as always do take the usual precautions to keep safe. Before travel has a look at the country’s profile to see how they are coping with the pandemic. The website www.worldometer.com is very useful and can give you case figures for every country.

These changes to travel may persuade those who are non-vaccinated to get the jabs. Over 80% of the adult population in the UK has been fully vaccinated but that still leaves almost 6 million who are not. The government has shelved the idea of ‘vaccine-passports’ at the moment but the evidence from Europe is that they do work. France and Italy who introduced mandatory vaccine passports for restaurants as well as public venues have much lower infection rates than us.

The high number of cases and deaths in the UK is putting added pressure on the NHS. If you go to your local supermarket or most other stores people are wearing masks less and less. One would almost think the pandemic is behind us. That’s far from reality but I think many people have become ‘immune to the numbers as they are bombarded on a daily basis. There’s some truth in the saying by Stalin – ‘ a single death is a tragedy, a million deaths is a statistic.’ As a reminder, the UK recorded 164 deaths in the last 24 hrs and 30,144 new cases. Many of those people who died did not believe that it could happen to them. Many were elderly but there are a number of people dying from this virus who are under 60. More children are also being hospitalised and dying from Covid and suffering the chronic effects of ‘Long Covid.’ So please do take care out there – wear your mask in public places, meet in well ventilated places and get your vaccination. The shorter cooler days over the next 6 months will inevitably mean a surge in infections but we can minimise this if we all take sensible precautions. If we don’t the danger is that we will be getting compulsory mask wearing again and another lockdown. I understand that there are still people out there who are reluctant to get vaccinated. That is up to you but please don’t listen to anti-vaxxers. If you were worried about your blood pressure, or your cholesterol or were anaemic – would you get advice from someone on social media? You would hopefully go to a professional. So please talk to a doctor or nurse if you are still unsure about vaccination. They will give you a balanced view. For the vast majority of people, the only side effects you get after vaccination is a sore arm, some aches and pains and a temp for a few days and then you make a full recovery. Vaccines do not interfere with your fertility or cause impotence. The risk of getting a clot after a vaccine is extremely low but the risks of getting a clot with Covid is much higher. Children from 12 years and upwards will also get definite protection from the jab. Unfortunately, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has been giving a very confused and mixed message to parents. They say these children at not at great risk of Covid. Yet this is totally contrary to the evidence from other countries – vaccinating children will protect them, significantly reduce the chance of Long Covi, stop them passing on the infection to other children and adults and reduce disruption to their education.

Booster jabs have now started to be given and the data from other countries shows that if you are over 60 and had your 2nd jab over 5 months ago then having the booster makes you 11 times less likely to get infected with Covid. Also, the booster makes you almost 20 times less likely to get a severe infection. So overall if you are over 60 yrs old, had your 2nd jab over 5 months ago then a booster is highly protective.

As well as Covid surge doctors expect a flu epidemic this year and we are already seeing an increase in the numbers of other infections in children including croup, bronchiolitis, middle ear infections, and tonsillitis.

With added pressures on the NHS waiting times for operations and outpatient appointments have increased dramatically. Some people have been cancelled several times due to a shortage of doctors, nurses and operation capacity. If you have an issue with the hospital such as persistent cancellations or receiving a ‘did not attend letter (but you had an appointment or actually cancelled it) - please don’t call us – there’s not much we can do as GPs. Instead, call PALS – the Patient Advice and Liaison Service. You can talk to them directly at the local hospital by asking the switchboard to put you through. They will talk to the hospital team on your behalf and are an excellent service for getting things done. But they can only handle problems not long waiting times which every patient has to endure these days.

Stay Safe Everyone

Bye for now

Dr M Tanvir Jamil

Senior Partner

Burnham Health Centre

Join Thames Valley Police As A Detective Constable
If you have a degree you can now join Thames Valley Police’s direct to Detective Constable entry programme - register your interest here

Following the success of our 2020 programme, Thames Valley Police is again opening recruitment for our direct to detective pathway called the Detective Constable – Degree Holder Entry Programme, or Detective-DHEP for short.

This entry route allows those with a degree to complete a two-year graduate diploma focused on developing their skills to investigate serious and complex crimes.

The force is looking to recruit 38 new Detectives during 2021/22 using the new Detective-DHEP entry route.

Head of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) at Thames Valley Police, Detective Superintendent Ailsa Kent, said: “Thames Valley Police is delighted to offer this entry route into policing for a second year. If you are a degree holder with the desire to provide high quality service to the public, the determination to see an investigation through from start to finish and the compassion to work with victims and witnesses to bring offenders to justice, then this is the career for you."

“By opening up this route to becoming a detective the intention is that we will attract a range of candidates who bring with them a variety of different life experiences which will further enhance our response to criminal investigations.”

Attracting Difference
Launched originally in 2020, 2021 has seen 25 people join Thames Valley Police via the Detective-DHEP pathway. Over 60% of these new recruits were women and 21% came from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds.

Over 70% were over the age of 26, with our oldest recruit in their early 50’s which highlights that policing is continuing to attract people from diverse backgrounds and experience including those from the military, finance, education, planning, civil engineering, retail, travel and leisure sector and marketing industries.

Student Detective Constable Michael Hopcroft, 27, joined the force’s first Detective-DHEP cohort in July 2021. He recently completed week 9 of a 21-week initial training phase.
He said: “Previously I spent four years in the travel industry as a flight attendant. During the pandemic I was furloughed and began to consider other opportunities. Times were uncertain, so I took a delivery job. One evening I was out delivering groceries and ended up being first on the scene to a traffic accident; I helped administer first aide until the emergency services arrived. Once they did, I was in awe of the professionalism and teamwork – the police co-ordinated the response and I knew then that I wanted to pursue a policing career, helping others when they are unable to help themselves.

“The Detective DHEP itself was a new and exciting entry route that caught my attention. When I saw it was offered by TVP I considered that a massive bonus and applied. The sheer size of the force and opportunities to move around and develop my skills really appealed.
“I didn’t realise at the time the variety of skills I have honed and gathered through my differing roles would lead me to where I am today, but every experience shaped and prepared me for policing with TVP.”

Who are we looking for?
We encourage interest from candidates from a variety of backgrounds who are eager to pursue a career in investigation.
Candidates must hold a degree or be in the final year of their study in order to be considered for this programme.
We are keen to attract those with transferable skills and work experience from other professional backgrounds to consider a policing career.
Applicants who consider themselves as inquisitive, observant, tenacious, methodical, dedicated, resilient, and who aspire to take ownership of their careers should consider the Detective DHEP programme.

How to Apply
Applications for the Detective-DHEP programme will open on Wednesday 15 September, with all interested candidates required to register their interest on the force’s Detective DHEP talent bank, which will remain open until Wednesday 22 September. A link to the application will be sent to all those who express interest.

The first cohort of 19 student detectives are due to join the force in Summer 2022, and a further cohort of 19 planned for Autumn 2022.

For those with a degree who would prefer to follow a Police Constable route in, TVP offers the Police Constable Degree Holder Entry Programme (PC-DHEP).

For those who do not currently hold a degree qualification, Thames Valley Police offers the Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship entry programme (PCDA).

More information about our entry routes into policing is available at www.tvpcareers.co.uk/police-officer
Message Sent By
Cristina Bratu (Police, Comms, HQ)

If you’re learning to drive or ride, you’ll no doubt be studying the Highway Code to learn the rules of the road.

From today there are changes to the rules on using motorways, so it’s as important as ever that you “check the Code” – and continue to do so on a regular basis.

For life, not just learners
The rules in the Highway Code are updated when there are changes in the law.

New rules may be added while you are preparing for your practical test, or after you have passed. There have been 15 changes since 2015 alone.

That means it’s really important to stay up to date, whether you’ve only had one lesson or held a licence for years.

Most recent changes
The changes made as of today refer to guidance on smart motorways. A total of 33 existing rules will be amended and two new rules introduced, with a number of amendments made to the additional information annexes.

These include:

clearer advice on where to stop in an emergency
the importance of not driving in a lane closed by a Red X
the use of variable speed limits to manage congestion
updated guidance on key factors that contribute to safety-related incidents, including unroadworthy vehicles, tailgating and driving in roadworks
How to stay updated
It’s easy to keep up to date with the Highway Code, and any other future changes, online.

GOV.UK includes a list of the latest updates that have been made, so it’s quick and easy to see what has changed.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/updates

You can also sign up for email alerts whenever the Highway Code is updated.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code

The Highway Code on GOV.UK allows you to:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code

search for key words and phrases within The Highway Code
quickly move between related rules
follow links to the original laws that the rules are based on
print sections more easily
There’s also an official Highway Code app.

More ways to stay up to date
You can follow @HighwayCodeGB on Facebook to get regular road safety reminders and news of any updates.

Future changes and print editions
Over the coming months we anticipate some further changes to the Highway Code; we will keep you informed of these by email, on GOV.UK and on social media.

We will write to you again with further details about the next, new printed edition of The Official Highway Code in 2022.

Thank you for your support,

Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency

More information
Check GOV.UK for the latest about:

theory tests
driving tests
instructor guidance

My apologies for it being posted late, I only received my copy today. Derek


Hello Everyone,

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has advised the government that it does not recommend giving the Covid vaccines to 12 to 15 yr olds. The Committee feels that having a jab does not give a particular child increased protection as hospital admissions for this group is quite low. However, did not take into account the wider benefits to the whole of society where having youngsters vaccinated would stop the flow of the virus to other more vulnerable groups. The argument that giving the Covid vaccine to young people would make a marginal difference to their protection is also gaining much criticism from doctors and scientists outside the JCVI. The global evidence seems to indicate that there would be a substantial benefit to this age group as well as reducing the incidence of ‘Long Covid.’ Data from Public health England (PHE) shows that there were over 60,000 cases in the 10-19 yr old age group in the last 2 weeks. About 0.5 – 0.7% of under-18s get hospitalised. Over 2,300 of this age group have been admitted to hospital with Covid since the beginning of July. One in 7 cases of under 18s with Covid infection will go on to have persistent symptoms of fatigue, muscular aches, breathlessness for several months. Some will go on to develop chronic disabilities. Currently, there are 11,000 children in the UK who have had these symptoms for over 12 months. It’s not just young people with underlying problems either – ‘healthy’ children can get a severe infection, become hospitalised and go on to develop Long Covid. Myocarditis – an inflammation of the heart muscle – is a rare side effect of the mRNA vaccines such as Pfizer and Moderna. The incidence is about 13 cases per one million second doses of the vaccine in 12-39 yr olds. However, it is usually very mild and resolves itself within a few weeks without any active treatment. No one knows yet why boys are more affected than girls but it appears to be linked to sex hormone differences affecting the immune response. Even taking this into account research from North American shows substantial benefits to vaccinating the young. That is why many European countries have already started the programme as well as the US, Canada and Israel. In the Southern US states such as Louisana which have low rates of vaccination – Covid cases and hospitalisations are high even in children.

So will be the government take the advice from the JCVI or go ahead and authorise vaccination? We await their decision. We are still waiting for ‘official ‘ confirmation of the booster jabs although it is fairly clear that they will go ahead. Hopefully, the programme should start in the next few weeks. GPs were hoping to give the flu and the Covid jabs at the same time but delay in government decision making has meant that we have had to organise the flu jab clinics independently. We may be able to give both together in the future. When your turn comes for the booster jab please do have it – we know they work in older people whose immunity is reducing after the first two doses over 6 months ago. Israel has started its booster programme already and found that 12 days after this third dose there was a tenfold reduction in severe illness in those who had a booster.

At present just over 70% of the total UK population has been immunised which is pretty good. That also means though there is a substantial number of people who have still not had both jabs. Over 1 million over the 60s are still not fully vaccinated. This may be due to vaccine refusal or hesitancy. If you are still unsure about getting a vaccine – please speak to a health professional about it. Right now we have a high number of infections in the country and this will probably surge again with schools opening up and people mixing more. About 950 people are admitted to hospital each day with Covid but many, because they have been vaccinated, are only having to spend a few days as in-patients while they get help with their breathing. A few still go on to need an intensive care bed and some die. Most deaths are in people who have not been fully vaccinated. The vaccines may not stop you from catching the virus but they will almost certainly stop you from needing hospital treatment and getting severe complications such as long term disability and death. Vaccines will also reduce the incidence of Long Covid.

What about the next few months? If there is a surge in infections then we could possibly be looking at reimposing more restrictions such as mandatory masks, isolation of contacts, no mass events with the rule of six indoors and working from home again. The government will be very reluctant to impose an all-out lockdown unless we get a different more contagious and deadly variant than the Delta.

Keep Safe Everyone

Bye for now

Dr M Tanvir Jamil

Senior Partner
Burnham Health Centre

Sept Our News - The Neighbourhood Watch National Newsletter

SEPTEMBER ‘OUR NEWS’ OUT NOW

We are delighted to bring you the September OUR NEWS edition
https://bit.ly/OurNewsSept21
– a monthly newsletter for all Neighbourhood Watch supporters across England and Wales.

This edition introduces you to our Neighbour of the Year Awards 2021 - open for nominations from 14th September, the no-excuse approach to gas safety, fraud trends, rural crime reporting, discount offers from ERA and Patlock for our readers, and much more.

We hope that you will enjoy reading our newsletter and share it with your community. Why not share this newsletter link
https://bit.ly/OurNewsSept21
with your street WhatsApp groups, community Facebook groups or neighbourhood email groups to keep your neighbours safer and more connected.

Best wishes

NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH NETWORK, Central Support Team
Follow us.. ourwatch.org.uk / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / LinkedIn
Neighbourhood Watch Network is a charity registered in England & Wales, CIO no: 1173349

Message Sent By
Central Support Team (NWN, Neighbourhood Watch Network, England and Wales)

We Invite You To Our Facebook Live About Our Family Liaison Officers
Date: Thursday 9 September
Time: 7pm
Location: Tune in and join us via the Thames Valley Police Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/thamesvp

When a serious crime or murder unfortunately happens, our Family Liaison Officers (FLO’s) quickly make contact with the victim’s family to offer support and help them through the traumatic experience. But how do the FLO’s help?

We want to give you a behind the scenes look at how we aid victims. On Thursday 9 September at 7pm, we will be undertaking a Facebook Live broadcast and will have FLO's and Ian and Sue Farquhar joining us. Ian’s brother, Peter Farquhar was murdered by Ben Field in 2015. This was a truly disturbing case… Ian and Sue will be discussing how the FLO’s assisted them throughout the ordeal.

Do you have any questions for our FLO’s?

Curious about what they do? How they help? The types of incidents FLO’s get involved in? But also how they cope?

We encourage you to send us your questions as a reply to this TV Alert.

We will try to answer as many of your questions during our Facebook Live event, so make sure to tune in.

To view our Facebook Live on Thursday 9 Sept, at 7pm, please go to our Thames Valley Police Facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/thamesvp

Thank you and we hope you will be able to join us!

Please note:
We will not be able to discuss individual cases during the Facebook live;
We will try our best to answer your questions during the Facebook live, however we will not be able to reply to your questions via TV Alerts.

Message Sent By
Cristina Bratu (Police, Comms, HQ)

There have been recent reports of distraction burglaries in the borough and we are reminding residents of some simple tips of how to protect themselves and their property.

*If you are not expecting a workman be extremely cautious
*Expect ID cards to be presented
*Call the organisation stated if an ID is presented. A genuine caller will not mind or hurry a householder
*Try and find the number for the organisation independently of any information on the ID card
*Close the door when making the call
*Organisations like "the water board" or "the gas board" do not exist
*Ask for information about specifics like your account number if you are unsure of the caller

We are also urging families with vulnerable relatives to talk to them about how to deal with unexpected callers so they are better prepared.

Any suspicious callers should be reported to Thames Valley Police on the non-emergency 101 number or via the website
https://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/ro/report/ocr/af/how-to-report-a-crime/

We want to urge local residents that are selling off-road motorcycles, quad-bikes and ATVs online, particularly on selling platforms such as Facebook Marketplace and Gumtree, to be vigilant following a number of reports of thefts or attempted thefts across the county.

It comes after numerous sellers have received a call, or direct message, from people pretending to be ‘buyers’ and requesting an image or a video of the vehicle engine running from the seller.

Those pretending to be ‘buyers’ have then extracted the image metadata – which allows users to see when and where the image or video was taken – allowing the bike to be pinpointed to a specific location.
The vehicles are then targeted by criminals and are often stolen or attempts made to steal the vehicles.

We know online buying and selling sites have grown in popularity in recent months, however we want to remind people to please be vigilant when selling items in this way.

Our advice would be:

• Ensure that ‘location’ settings are switched off on your mobile device / camera if you’re then sending images to prospective ‘buyers’; this would mitigate against the location metadata being extracted and the vehicle located

• If asked for additional images or videos from prospective buyers, upload them directly to your online listing; do not send them directly

• Do not provide you home or work address to buyers; arrange to meet them in a public place or neutral location

• Report any crimes or suspicious activity via our online reporting tool via the Hampshire Constabulary website - https://www.hampshire.police.uk/ro/report/ocr/af/how-to-report-a-crime/

•If a crime is in progress, please dial 999 immediately

Message Sent By
Wes Hutchins (Police, Corporate Communications Officer, Hampshire)

Burnham Taplow and Farnhams Neighbourhood Policing Update September 2021

Taplow, Burnham and The Farnhams

Neighbourhood Team
Your neighbourhood team consists of
Sergeant 6792 Rachel Dale
PC 5099 Trevor Walker
PCSO 9715 Caroline Sampson
PCSO 9791 Angela O’Connell
PCSO 9345 Kam Benawra
PCSO 9623 Shoaib Mahmood

Neighbourhood Priorities

The priorities for your Neighbourhood Policing Team (NHPT) will be decided by the Policing Issues Panel; comprised of representatives from Community Boards from the whole of Chiltern & South Bucks. The Police do not run the panel, although we do attend as representatives. This allows us to speak to a wide cross-section of the community, find out what you most want improved in the area and consider how we and others can accomplish these aims. The top three priorities are chosen by the forum every three months and are then assumed by your Neighbourhood Policing Team.

Priority – Speeding

The NH Teams have been out and about across the area carrying out speeding operations. In July we carried out checks on Marsh Lane, Dorney after reports from local residents. 70 Vehicles passed the site within one hour between 8-9am and 8 vehicles were identified as driving over the speed limit. The highest speed recorded was 42mph.

Our Roads Policing unit have been deploying our mobile speed camera vans over the last couple of months at various locations around the South Bucks area. This quarter the mobile speed camera was deployed on 4 occasions and identified 374 offences. Our fixed camera has identified 363 offences in South Bucks.




In addition, we now have two very active Community Speed Watch teams. This is a great opportunity for residents who wish to volunteer their time to monitor speeding in areas highlighted for concern by fellow residents. If you are interested in helping out, then please contact the team or your local Parish Council.


Priority – Burglary

This quarter we have seen a decrease in Burglary of 73% which has reduced from 15 to 4 compared to last year. Now that the darker nights are approaching and lockdown measures are easing please remember to stay vigilant.

• Holiday plans may be a little different this year, but if you are planning a staycation, please take a look at the home security tips below, to prevent you from becoming a victim of crime: Shut and lock all windows and doors
• Keep car and house keys out of reach from windows and doors
• Set timer switches to turn your lights on for when it gets dark
• Avoid leaving valuables in plain view e.g. laptops and tablets
• Set any house alarms
• Lock side gates to prevent access to the rear of your property
• Keep any tools and ladders stored safely away in a locked garage
• Don’t advertise that you are away and that your home is empty, by ‘checking in’ or posting your holiday snaps on social media
• Resist uploading any holiday pictures to social media until you have returned home





Home Security – Keyless Car Theft

Keyless Vehicle Theft is where a vehicle is stolen without the thief having physical access to the key. Thieves use a signal boosting device which picks up and boosts the signal detected from your key to the vehicle, making your vehicle think the key is nearby. Driving out of range of the key will not cause the engine to shut down and allows the thief to reach their destination.

What can you do!

• Keep your keys away from the front of your property
• Consider investing in a steering lock as these can act as a real deterrent.
• Use a signal-blocking pouch or metal tin to keep your car key in.
• Turn off keyless fobs wireless signal
• Motion sensor outdoor lighting and CCTV


Priority – Anti-Social Behaviour

Being surrounded by the lovely countryside across Buckinghamshire does attract more visitors. It is great to meet up with friends and family in open spaces (in-line with current government restrictions) however it is important to be mindful of your surroundings. We must remain considerate of our communities and neighbours at all times.

Last summer, we saw an increase in large groups gathering in an open space area in Taplow. Unfortunately, those gathering did not take into consideration the residents living close by and caused many issues, including acting in an intimidating way, playing loud music, swimming in the river and leaving a lot of litter behind. A multi-agency problem solving meeting was held to see how we could try and resolve the issues. The outcome in our partnership approach saw:

• An increase in police patrols
• Buckinghamshire Council Waste team visited the site to ensure all litter was removed and collections were made more frequent
• Buckinghamshire Council Estates team carried out various repairs at the location
• We (Community Safety) discussed the issues with the local residents and urged them to report concerns to the police, as and when the incident occurs
• We have recently installed water safety and ASB signage at the location to help act as a deterrent, see images below
• We are continuing to engage with residents and future site visits are being schedule

There are many hidden dangers beneath the surface of the water which we can’t see. There can be strong currents, submerged weeds or rubbish which can cause entanglement or injury. Never jump or ‘tombstone’ from bridges. You won’t be able to estimate how deep the river is. Sudden immersion in cold water can cause your body to go into shock which will affect your ability to breathe and swim.
None of the lakes at our country parks are suitable for swimming in, so please stay safe by staying out of the water.

For further guidance please visit: Bucks Fire & Rescue and Environment Agency

Other News

This quarter the team have been working with local landlords to carry out a drug itemiser operation in the pubs around Burnham. Officers carried out random drug swab checks on anyone entering the local establishments in an effort to reduce drug offences in the area.

Acting on information provided by local residents and extensive foot patrols by our PCSO’s we have identified two well established cannabis factories. One in Taplow and one in the Burnham area, this has resulted in numerous arrests and a large quantity of cannabis being taken off the streets and destroyed.

NHPT have been working alongside local shops and other business to tackle shoplifting by a prolific offender. The person has been identified and has conditions to prevent further offending.

Offenders Brought to Justice
A male has been charged with criminal damage and arson with intent in Burnham
A male has been charged with shoplifting in Taplow
A male has been issued a fixed penalty notice for public order in Taplow
A male has been issued a fixed penalty notice for public order in Farnham Common
A male has been issued a caution after being found in possession of cannabis in Taplow

Have Your Say Events
During the Pandemic we have had to move away from ‘HAVE YOUR SAY’ Events as normally they encourage people to gather which we are looking to avoid. We understand some people still want to see us face to face, therefore we have been looking at ways we can still give people the opportunity to speak with officers, pass concerns, information or a smile and a wave to your children. To overcome gatherings we have identified areas for us to be present, visible and whilst completing our never-ending paperwork. We want the areas to be key points in each community where people are able to see us safely, varying times throughout the month and locations. Due to various reasons, on demand, operationally commitments and to prevent large gatherings we will not be publishing times and dates. however we wish to make the community aware of these locations and if you see a Police vehicle or officer at these locations, we are there for you to speak to us, please come and say hello and help us identify any concerns you have or any information, you may feel will assist us.

Taplow/Hitcham – The Parish Car Park, off Rectory Road.
Farnham Royal and Common – Car Park next to Broadway Autocentres.
Burnham – The Summers Road Car Park, Summers Road.
Dorney – The Dorney Lake Car Park off Court Lane

The NH team have also been carrying out impromptu street meetings in locations where areas have identified issues.

Contact Us:

Call 101 (Non-Emergency Contact Number)
Call 999 in an emergency only

Thames Valley Police Webform:

https://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/report-a-crime

Follow us

Twitter @TVPChiltSBucks

Facebook TVP Chiltern and South Bucks

Sign up to Thames Valley Alerts to receive crime and policing updates directly from your local Neighbourhood Team as well as more crime and policing issues. Sign up to the service online
at: www.thamesvalleyalert.co.uk or speak with one of your Neighbourhood Team.

www.thamesvalley.police.uk

Message Sent By
Ian Stacey (Police, Neighbourhood Policing Administrator, Chiltern & South Bucks)

Hello Everyone,

The latest survey from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) covering the week ending 20th August estimates that 1 in 70 people in England has the virus. The figures are a lot higher than 12 months ago when ‘only’ 1 in 1900 people was infected. At that time there were no vaccinations. Now just over 60% of the total UK population (ie not just the adults) are double jabbed and we know that the vaccines have a significant protective effect. The last time infection rates were this high was at the beginning of 2021 when there were 2,300 hospital admissions and over 1000 deaths daily. Now even though case numbers are similar we have 700-800 admissions and 100 deaths per day. So the vaccines are working. However, infection rates are rising again with numbers in Scotland have doubled in the last week. That may be due to schools re-opening there earlier than in England. The likelihood is that as children and young adults return to school and university in the rest of the UK there will be a fresh wave of infections being passed on to older parents, grandparents and the vulnerable. In fact, SAGE – the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies - has warned the government that it expects an exponential rise in Covid cases and a high prevalence by the end of September which the government needs to plan for. We know that the immunity acquired from the vaccines can start to wane after about 6-9 months and that in a small percentage of people the vaccines don’t work as well. This is the reason that the government has set up its booster programme – the details of which we are still waiting. Many countries in Europe and North America have already started to vaccinate children from 12 yr and up not only to protect community transmission to the elderly but also to protect the children themselves. We know that a small proportion of children can get serious consequences from Covid-19. If a very large number of children get an infection then that small proportion becomes a big number – some will end up in the hospital and some will develop ‘Long Covid.’ That is why the government is looking at following the lead of other countries and vaccinating all children over 12 and not just those who are vulnerable. In addition, scientists are still recommending that all those attending school and university continue to wear masks, have carbon dioxide monitors installed (these check the quality of ventilation in a classroom), and get regular testing. Even though we have high vaccination rates in the UK many people have missed out on their 2nd dose of the Astra-Zeneca (AZN) vaccine. This has been mainly due to fears of clotting from the vaccine and other possible vaccine side effects. As more people are vaccinated we are able to collect more data worldwide. Both Pfizer and AZN are very safe and millions of people have had them in the UK and worldwide without any significant ill effects. The risk of a clot and dying from the AZN s extremely low. However, Covid itself causes severe clotting disorders and it is believed that is why many deaths occur from respiratory failure and cardiac arrest. Long Covid also seems to occur due in part to the clotting effects of the virus. So the risks of getting the virus and its consequences are very high compared to the extremely small risk from the vaccines. Please do get your vaccine if you have missed it.

Worldwide Delta variant cases are spiralling. The US has been particularly affected by a significant increase in deaths of non-vaccinated people and a shortage of intensive care beds. Even children as young as 5 years are being admitted to intensive care particularly in the South where vaccination rates are low due to misinformation and misplaced ideas on ‘freedom to choose'. The infection is much more rampant and some children have inevitably caught the virus and have become very ill. Australia is imposing more restrictions and infections and deaths continue unabated in developing poorer countries that lack any sort of effective immunisation programme.

What level of immunisation do we need to aim for? Previously some scientists said that we needed to aim for over 70% for ‘herd immunity’ – some are now saying possibly 90% of the total population – this includes children. Many feel this is an impossible figure to reach. The current vaccines were designed for the original Wuhan Strain of the virus but they do seem to work well for most people with the Delta strain. The vaccines are great at preventing hospitalisations and deaths but they do not stop people who have double jabbed from carrying the virus and passing it on. As I’ve already mentioned above immunity seems to wane after 6-9 months and a booster jab should prolong protection. As well as vaccinating children 12 yrs and above – some countries are also looking at jabbing younger children. Vaccines for 5-11 yrs old may be approved soon. Then later this year vaccines for 2-4 yr olds may be coming online and eventually by early next year vaccines for 6 months to 2 yr old may be approved.

However, a high rate of immunisation may not be enough by itself. Delta is twice as contagious as other variants and may well be the most contagious virus we will see in our lifetime. It has surged even in countries with high vaccination rates such as Iceland (over 70% vaccinated) and Israel. Many of the leading Covid experts worldwide think that immunisation together with other preventative measures are essential if we are to get to the ‘new normal’. So some of the additional measures that are being talked about now are very good quality masks for everyone. Cloth masks are ok but only partial protection - they are best for catching your aerosols when you breathe out but are not very good at protecting you from inhaling other peoples' aerosols. So they are only really effective if everyone wore them. Other measures our society may need is to reduce indoor dining, carbon dioxide metres for all indoor venues, HEPA air filters, vaccine passports, upper air UV disinfection and regular testing. However, all these preventative measures cost money and it is up to the government to look at and assess these.

So the consensus seems to be that we will have to aim for a ‘New Normal’ where we don’t aim to live with the virus but take preventative measures until the vaccine is available to everyone. Then eventually the virus may die out as it has nowhere to spread. When will that be? No one knows yet.

At the Burnham Health Centre, we are still keeping the doors closed and patients have to ring for an appointment – some face-to-face appointments are directly available but most Doctor appointments are telephone first. If the doctor cannot sort out the problems or you need to be seen then you will be made an appointment usually for the same day. I know many of you are frustrated at having to call and can’t just walk in but the last thing we want at the surgery is a waiting room full of people with potential covid infections spreading to other patients or staff. You can book an appointment by telephone or going online and using ‘Patient Access.’ The current situation is reviewed regularly and I will keep you updated. A worldwide surge in demand for blood tests has caused a shortage of collection tubes in the UK. Many GP surgeries have had to cancel routine blood tests at short notice. Burnham Health Centre is OK at the moment but if we start running low we may need to keep the blood tubes for urgent blood tests only.

Burnham Vaccination Update
We have a Pfizer clinic running this Saturday 4/9 from 0900-1300. This is for first doses for people aged 16 years and second doses from 8 weeks. We are also vaccinating 12-15-year-olds if they are immuno-compromised or living with a family member who is immuno- compromised. We do not at present have any more Astra-Zeneca vaccinations.

We are awaiting updates on the booster programme and are ready to proceed when given the go-ahead.

Stay Safe Everyone

Bye for now

Dr M Tanvir Jamil
Senior Partner
Burnham Health Centre

Dear Resident,

As August comes to an end, I hope everyone has had a reasonable holiday period – despite the weather!

In my last newsletter, I said I wasn’t going to send my next one out until early September. However, with so much going on in Buckinghamshire I thought it was important to update you on some important news impacting on local people.

Helping Hand for Afghanistan

The top international news has, of course, been Afghanistan. The efforts of our fantastic Service personnel is beyond praise. Many people who have supported British troops as interpreters, or in similar roles within the former Afghan Government and society have been, and many still are, at very genuine risk to their lives. Buckinghamshire Council believes these are exceptional circumstances where it is important to support the British Government’s efforts to relocate the most vulnerable to the United Kingdom.

The situation is complex and evolving rapidly. We are currently in discussions with Government agencies, such as the South East Migration Partnership, to understand exactly what is required. At present we understand that many new arrivals are in hotels before being relocated to longer term accommodation. The Government has indicated that many of those arriving are in large family groups. We are in discussions with various parties, such as the Ministry of Defence and housing providers, to see where it might be possible to repurpose existing property for this. However, accommodation is not the only requirement and it will be necessary to consider the other support needs such as health, schooling and potentially psychological support. We will also need to consider how best to help any new arrivals integrate into the local community and access employment.

We are extending our existing ‘Helping Hand’ programme for vulnerable families to include these new arrivals and working closely with the Voluntary and Community Services in Bucks, a partnership built up following our experience of tackling Covid together.

The residents of Buckinghamshire are again showing how generous they are, so it is no surprise that local people are keen to make generous offers of assistance.

If you want to make a donation
Working closely in partnership with Heart of Bucks, we have established a Helping Hands: Support for Afghanistan crisis fund. This enables any residents or businesses to pledge their support. Money raised from this fund will provide crisis support for individuals and their families, long-term resettlement support and grants to charities supporting Afghan Refugees.

Keen to register your interest?
https://enews.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/5438-F1P5-30HOJW-AZ4RN-1/c.aspx
We will keep our website regularly updated and we will be active on social media so resident and community groups are aware of what support is required. Please note, that at this stage, we have been advised that donations of clothes or toys are not needed.

Importantly, if you would like to make us aware of any specific skills, support or experience you or your organisation have, please enter your details here
https://enews.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/5438-F1P5-30HOJW-AZ6FI-1/c.aspx
and we will get in contact with you once we know what the families need. This could include offers of accommodation, specific language or cultural skills.

I have been so impressed with the way in which the people of Buckinghamshire have shown their support in these exceptional circumstances.

Temporary changes to bin collections

Temporary changes to the former Chiltern and Wycombe areas only

Like many organisations up and down the country our waste service provider has suffered from the national shortage of HGV drivers. This, together with some crews having to self-isolate due to being ‘pinged’ by Covid Test and Trace, has meant we have seen a significant impact on waste collections. This has been particularly severe in the former Chiltern and Wycombe areas.

As an interim measure, residents in these former areas only have been asked to dispose of their food waste together with their general rubbish (in the black bin). Brown food caddies will still be emptied if presented on general rubbish week only, but this waste will not be recycled during this time. General rubbish is still being collected every two weeks. Collections in the rest of the county are unaffected.

This is a temporary measure only. We anticipate that food waste in these areas will be collected separately again from Monday 13 September.

I’m really sorry if you live in these areas and are facing disruption. We hope that ultimately, this is a short-term issue. Please be assured we are all working very hard to address it and thank you for your patience and understand during this difficult period. I also want to thank our crews who are working hard in challenging times to maintain the service.

Bin collections over the Bank Holidays
Bin collections across Buckinghamshire will be operating to a revised timetable next week. With no bin collections on the Bank Holiday (Monday 30 August) all collections that week will take place one day later than usual.

Please check the revised timetable and present any bins by 6:30am on the rescheduled collection day.
https://enews.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/5438-F1P5-30HOJW-AZ4RL-1/c.aspx

Our nine household recycling centres will remain open over the bank holiday weekend – including on Monday 30 August. However, before making a trip to the tip, please check our website for all the latest household recycling centre information.
https://enews.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/5438-F1P5-30HOJW-AZ76T-1/c.aspx

Supporting the reopening of local theatres

Local theatres are a huge part of the cultural life in Buckinghamshire, and their return marks an important milestone in the county’s journey to recovering from the pandemic.

Wycombe Swan Theatre reopened its doors this week and the Aylesbury Waterside Theatre is opening its doors on 5 September. (Read more here.)
https://www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/news/buckinghamshire-council-welcomes-the-reopening-of-local-theatres/?dm_i=5438,F1P5,30HOJW,1QBPX,1
Other local theatres are also reopening so please check locally.

The theatres, their staff and all of those involved in upcoming productions have worked really hard to prepare for their reopenings, and I wish them well as they start to welcome back visitors.

New safe cycling route extension officially opens

The Haydon Hill extension to the ever-popular Waddesdon Greenway, which links Aylesbury to Waddesdon to the west, was officially opened this week.
https://www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/news/new-haydon-hill-greenway-extension-officially-opens/?dm_i=5438,F1P5,30HOJW,1QBPX,1

The new extension means that a 5½ mile long, low-traffic route from Aylesbury town centre all the way to Waddesdon village via the Roman Park Leisure area at Berryfields is now available for the very first time.

The route is the latest addition to our vision of a network of safe cycling routes in Buckinghamshire running north to south right across the county from the Brackley borders to the Colne Valley.

Bierton Crematorium wins prestigious architectural award

I am delighted that Bierton Crematorium,
https://enews.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/5438-F1P5-30HOJW-AZ4TW-1/c.aspx
near Aylesbury, which first opened in April 2019, has been awarded the prestigious RIBA South Award 2021. The Royal Institute of British Architects awards and prizes are regarded internationally as a mark of excellence, recognising the best architecture in the country.

Vision for the so called ‘Oxford to Cambridge ARC’

I wanted to make you aware of a Government consultation on what they describe as the Oxford to Cambridge ARC. This sets out their intention to prepare a ‘Spatial Framework’, effectively a Regional Plan, for the area between Oxford and Cambridge. This would potentially have very serious implications for Buckinghamshire as Government could use it to set the direction and scale of new development, in particular new housing. This could mean much higher ‘top down’ housing targets that would need to be met locally.

This Framework would be legally binding upon councils when they come to prepare their own Local Plans, effectively overruling local communities and democratically elected councils’ wishes.

Our position is that Buckinghamshire is already delivering large numbers of new houses within current Government targets. We do not wish these targets to be significantly increased by this Regional Plan. We believe that democratically elected local councils are best placed to make local decisions on where and when housing is built, rather than having this imposed ‘top down’ by central Government.

We understand local residents may be asked to join focus groups to collect views. If you wish to understand our position in more detail, please refer to our website.
https://enews.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/5438-F1P5-30HOJW-AZ78U-1/c.aspx

Next newsletter

My next newsletter will be in a couple of weeks. I would like to thank you again for signing up for this and future newsletters.

We can now only send newsletters to residents who sign up for them so please let your neighbours and friends know they can also sign up for updates about Buckinghamshire Council activities here:

Sign up for our e-news
https://enews.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/5438-F1P5-30HOJW-AZ3QV-1/c.aspx

Keep well and stay safe.

Martin Tett

Leader of Buckinghamshire Council

GET IN TOUCH WITH US
To contact us online, please use our Contact Us form. If you’re unable to contact us online, please call us on 0300 131 6000. Phone lines are open:

Monday to Thursday 9am to 5:30pm
Friday 9am to 5pm

Please note we’re closed on bank holidays.

To keep up to date with the latest news from Buckinghamshire Council, please follow us on social media:

Buckinghamshire Council
The Gateway, Gatehouse Road, Aylesbury, HP19 8FF

buckinghamshire.gov.uk

Changes To Front Counter Provision In Thames Valley
We have made changes which affect our front counter services across Buckinghamshire, Berkshire and Oxfordshire.

Thames Valley Police is working to adapt to the different ways in which people contact the police, to meet the changing needs of the diverse communities we serve and to make necessary savings.

There will continue to be good geographic coverage of front counters across the Thames Valley if you need to access one.

The force is retaining front counters at Milton Keynes, Oxford, Reading, Slough, Aylesbury, High Wycombe, Abingdon, Banbury, Newbury, Loddon Valley and Maidenhead. There will be some changes to opening hours.

Front counters at Amersham, Bicester, Bracknell, HQ South in Kidlington, and Witney have now closed. These counters had been temporarily closed since March 2020 due to the global Covid-19 pandemic (with the exception of HQ South in Kidlington, which temporarily reopened following an initial closure). If you usually attend one of these front counters, you will need to seek alternative ways of contacting us.

The changes do not affect police officer numbers nor the number of police bases so you will not experience any difference to officer visibility in your local community.

Further details and front counter opening times are available on our information page.
https://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/police-forces/thames-valley-police/areas/au/proposed-front-counter-provision/
There are a number of convenient alternative ways to contact police.

An increasing number of people are contacting us online and by phone. You can access a number of our services on our website.
https://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/
This includes reporting non-emergency crimes or incidents, anti-social behaviour, applying for firearms licensing, telling us about something of concern or updating us on a crime report, among many other functions.

Further information about when and how to make a report to police is available here. https://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/ro/report/
Our non-emergency number is 101. In an emergency always dial 999.

If you do attend a front counter that has closed, there is a yellow phone available outside which you can use to contact police if required.

Message Sent By
Hannah Jones (Police, Communications Officer, Thames Valley)

Older Drivers Forum Webinars
Message sent on behalf of The Older Driver's Forum:

The Older Drivers Forum are supporting Project Edwards week of action, themed ‘Fit for the Road’ between the 13th to 17th September 2021. The Forum will be running a series of six free webinars during the week. Each webinar is on a different subject and designed to help and support the mature motorist to carry on driving safely for longer.

Project EDWARD stands for 'Every Day Without A Road Death’ and is an annual UK-wide road safety campaign backed by government, the emergency services, highways agencies, road safety organisations and British businesses.

Shockingly, on average 5 people a day are killed and around 150,000 people are injured each year on roads in Great Britain. Unfortunately, 20% of all deaths on our roads are older people. As older licence holders are increasing every year, fatalities for drivers aged 70 and over are forecasted to increase by 22% by 2040.

We know that older motorists have a wealth of experience, confidence and tolerance. However, sight, hearing, reaction time and judgement of speed and distance may not be as sharp as it once was.

The Older Drivers Forum is about keeping mature motorists on the road safely for longer. Whether that’s helping giving practical and informative help and support to continue driving or pointing people in the right direction for an assessment to identify their driving needs – from wing mirror adapters to an elevated driving seat – the Forum’s here to help and signpost you to the people to help. The Forum is a not-for-profit organisation made up of experts in road safety – from representatives from the emergency services, to charities, local authorities and businesses specialising in keeping older people on the road.

The chair and founder of the Older Drivers Forum Rob Heard said “We are excited and proud to support Project Edwards quest to make the roads safer for all. We can all become complacent about our driving and often pick up bad habits, which if not addressed can increase our risk of an incident on the roads. This week of webinars will help give advice on a number of subjects from Confidence building appraisals, Safe driving tips, Electric vehicles and driving with various medical conditions. We have a special webinar on Thursday afternoon hosted by Valerie Singleton OBE on Dash cams, which is one not to miss. We have 1000 free places, so make sure you book early to reserve your place.
I am looking forward to welcoming you again to our webinars. We have had great feedback from previous ones we have run, one person who attended said ‘Extremely useful and informative. This is definitely one of the better webinars I’ve attended over the past few months, both in presentation and content.’

The webinars are FREE and have expert speakers as well as participants being able to ask questions. People will need to register their place for each webinar and this can be done by visiting https://olderdriversforum.com/webinars/ .
We have increased the number of places available this time to 1000 free places, so should be able to accommodate anyone who wishes to register.

Hello Everyone,

The good news is that there has not been a huge surge in infections that were predicted for August and that is probably because we have been mainly outdoors and enjoying the weather. However, numbers are generally rising slowly and there have been some areas where spikes in the number of infections have been caused by large gatherings especially if these are indoors. So areas such as Cornwall, the Isle of Wight and parts of Northern England have seen rises. Infections are highest amongst the 18-30 yrs old as they tend to mix more and many are still unvaccinated. We know that only a small proportion of children and young people get serious Covid infections. But if a lot of youngsters become infected then that proportion can be a big number putting greater pressure on hospital and intensive care beds. The R number – the ‘Reproduction rate’ of the virus has increased from 0.8-1.0 last week to 0.9-1.2. This means that 10 people with Covid will on average pass the infection to between 9-12 people. So this means that the pandemic is growing. This is borne out by numbers on Friday (20th August) - 37,300 infections and 114 deaths. Over 6,300 people with Covid are in hospital and this is up by about 1000 in the last month. While the majority of deaths from Covid have occurred in older people, the under the 50s account for more hospital admissions. Three-quarters of this age group in hospital are unvaccinated and are obviously very ill. So the message for those young people is to get vaccinated as soon as you can.

Sixteen year olds have been getting their jabs in the latest update to the vaccination programme. New studies indicate that the younger you are the longer the immunity lasts from a vaccine. So for now, 16 yr olds are only being offered a single dose. In the UK Children aged 12-15 who are clinically vulnerable to Covid or live with adults who are at increased risk of serious illness are being invited for a vaccine. Children who are eligible include those with Down’s syndrome, undergoing cancer therapy, who have had organ or bone marrow transplants or who are on the learning disability register. The vaccine is also being offered to children 12 yrs and above who live with someone who is immunosuppressed, such as those receiving chemotherapy or who have had a transplant. All children and young people will only be getting the Pfizer vaccine.

A new study from Oxford and the Office of National Statistics (ONS) on PCR tests from more than 300,000 volunteers was published last week. The study looked at how immunity decreases over time after getting both jabs. They found that two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine initially gave more than 90% protection against Covid protection. For the Oxford-Astra Zeneca (AZN) jab this was just over 70%. Over three months the protection given by the Pfizer jab falls significantly whereas that of the AZN reduced also but much less. This is not alarming as it sounds as Pfizer starts off from a high level. The researchers concluded that both vaccines will give similar but very effective protection at around 5 months but it's worth emphasizing that both give excellent protection against severe disease and hospitalisation. Longer term protection of the vaccines still needs further work. The study also showed that double vaccinated people can carry the same number of viruses if they get infected with delta as unvaccinated people. What this means is that they can pass on the infection to other people. So if you get a Covid infection you need to take extra precautions to stop infecting other people even if you are double vaccinated.

Third booster doses for the over 50s are being planned from September. However, government advisors from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) are yet to confirm the next phase of the vaccination programme. They feel that instead of a catch-all booster programme that these particular jabs should be targeted to only those that need a booster. So the very elderly and vulnerable would have the jab but how do you decide on the rest of the population over 50? Looking for low antibody levels (a blood test) will be time consuming on a large scale. However, the government have just announced that from Tuesday 24th August anyone over the age of 18 will be able to opt in to have an antibody test. Up to 8,000 participants will then be sent two finger prick tests. The first must be taken as soon as possible after a positive PCR test and the second 28 days later to allow the body to generate antibodies. The main purpose of this testing is to see whether antibodies protect against other variants of coronavirus. Such testing may also allow us to see what groups of people do not develop an immune response. A similar system could possibly be used in the future to target people who need a booster. Israel is already giving boosters to the over 50s to try and curb a huge recent spike in infections - nearly 7,500 per day, almost double what it was 2 weeks ago. Most other wealthy countries are planning to offer boosters also. The most likely scenario is that the UK booster programme will start in September.

Long Covid is a problem that is affecting thousands of people in this country including many children and millions worldwide. New studies seem to indicate that patients with this syndrome have higher markers for blood clotting which may help explain their persistent symptoms of fatigue and reduced physical fitness. These clotting markers are high in patients who need hospital treatment with severe Covid. However, they are also raised in patients who are able to manage their symptoms at home. As people recover the inflammation markers gradually reduce but in some, the clotting markers remain elevated. This suggests that the clotting system is one of the root causes involved in Long Covid. Understanding this will help scientists and doctors to develop effective therapies.

Now something non covid related but very important. Bowel cancer. 1 in 20 people will get this in their lifetime. NHS bowel screening is being offered but at the moment only just over 60% take this up in our area. If you are 55yrs you will be invited for a one-off ‘bowel- scope’ which involves a camera up the back passage. If you are 60-74yrs you will automatically be invited to do a home test every 2 years. Please watch out for this information through the post and please do go for your bowel screening or submit a home stool test. It might save your life. If you are over 75 yrs then you can ask for a home testing kit every 2 years by calling the bowel screening helpline on 0800 707 6060.

At any age please don't ignore symptoms such as persistent abdominal pain, chest pain, shortness of breath, abnormal bleeding, weight loss, odd skin blemishes. If in doubt - please give us a call or 111.

Stay Safe Everyone
Bye for now

Dr M Tanvir Jamil
Senior Partner
Burnham Health Centre

Hello Everyone,

In herd immunity a large proportion of the population is immune and this prevents the infection from spreading to other people in the community who do not have immunity. So what level or threshold of herd immunity do we need? This figure is very changeable – it is higher if you have more social mixing or if the virus is more infectious like the Delta variant.

The completeness of our immunity is also important to consider. The vaccines are over 90% effective at preventing severe disease, hospitalisations and deaths. However, they are only about 60% effective against you catching an infection even though it might be very mild or you may have no symptoms at all. However, you will be carrying the virus and still be able to pass it on. This 60% figure may be even lower for some of the other variants. Doctors think a herd immunity figure to stop transmission of the Delta virus is over 85%. If you have a vaccine that only prevents infection in about 60% of people then even if you have everybody vaccinated you cannot reach that herd immunity threshold where the disease would be eradicated. We have managed to completely eradicate smallpox by vaccines because they were so effective. Others we have almost eradicated – eg measles and polio. With the nature of this Delta variant and the vaccines, the level of immunity achieved is not high enough. If a new vaccine is developed that is 95% protective against severe disease and 95 % protective against getting the infection then we would have a chance to eradicate it. We know that the virus changes over time into newer variants so the vaccines would also have to change. So the feeling amongst some scientists is that the chances of eradicating this virus is very small and that it will become ‘endemic’ ie a disease that is with us all the time and will probably occur in recurrent outbreaks, especially in communities with low levels of immunity.

Listening to the media and the politicians you might be forgiven for thinking that the pandemic is easing and we are coming out of it. At the moment, however, we are still in the throes of the pandemic with almost 30,000 new infections per day and about 100 deaths per day – that’s about 3,000 deaths a month from Covid. Normally there is a lull in NHS activity in August – this year we are already near winter levels of activity. What can we expect in the winter months?

Seventy-five percent of the adult population in the UK has now been double vaccinated against Covid. The worry is that another variant may emerge which is even better at evading the effects of the vaccines and even more easily transmitted amongst the vaccinated population. The government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) have suggested that a new more deadlier variant is a real possibility. Ministers are being advised to prepare a contingency plan if this situation arises. However many researchers think that the virus will evolve slowly and gradually reduce vaccine effectiveness so giving us time to develop newer vaccines.

Case numbers of coronavirus infections are now starting to creep up again and scientists expect this figure to rise as social mixing increases over the summer. Then when schools go back there will be a large population of unvaccinated children mixing with adults who were vaccinated 10 months ago and who will have waning immunity. As we all know now there is often a 2-3 week lag from when cases rise and the effect on hospitalisations and deaths. Doctors will be hoping that we don’t get a surge in either. Not only that but there is also the real possibility of children being admitted to hospital with severe Covid disease as well as the increased incidence of Long Covid amongst adolescents and the risk of organ damage. It’s a worrying development that more children are now being admitted to hospitals worldwide. Perhaps we should be paying attention to what is happening in the US. Dallas, Texas, one of the states with low vaccination rates has run out of intensive care beds for children and California has made vaccines or testing mandatory in schools.

The reproduction number ‘R’ is the average number of people infected by someone with the virus. At the very beginning of the pandemic when everyone was susceptible and none of us had any immunity the first variant of coronavirus had an R-value of 3 ie, one person can go on to infect 3 others. However, the Delta variant is much more infectious and this has an R-value of 7. The R-value in England at the moment is 0.8-1.0. This means that one person will probably only pass the infection onto one other – so the pandemic is stable – not increasing or decreasing. Remember though that this particular R-value number is only based on data 2- 3 weeks old. As numbers are creeping up – the R-value is probably now over 1 but we will only know for sure in a few weeks We need the R number to be well below 1 for a decreasing pandemic. Over the last year, it has varied considerably and the likelihood is that it will increase again. Even though we are still in the third wave some scientists are now talking about a ‘fourth wave’ with the return of schools and people moving indoors after the summer.

Sorry if this all sounds like scaremongering but this is the reality of the situation. I’m sure you all know the message by now. This pandemic is going nowhere soon. If we want to carry on meeting people and having some sort of normal life we need to be mindful of any precautions we can take to help protect ourselves, our families and our communities. So masks in public places, good ventilation and good hand hygiene. Perhaps schools & businesses should be thinking about carbon dioxide monitors which can tell you how good the ventilation is in a room.

There is some good news - all 16-17-year-olds in England will be offered their first vaccine by 23rd August. Will they be getting 2nd dose as well? The government has not decided yet but we know that the vaccines are much more effective (over 90%) after 2 doses. As far as routine vaccines go for 12-15 years olds we are still behind most other rich countries which have started to vaccinate this age group. It is thought that the government might give the go-ahead soon and the task would be for schools to carry out this part of the vaccination programme.

From Monday, August 16th – people in England and Northern Ireland who are double vaccinated or under 18 will no longer have to self-isolate if they are identified as a close contact of someone who has tested positive for coronavirus. This is already the case in Scotland and Wales. Instead, you will be advised to have a PCR test and you only have to isolate if it comes back positive.

Stay Safe Everyone

Bye for Now

Dr M Tanvir Jamil

Senior Partner

Burnham Health Centre

... Throughout the pandemic, a doctor in Burnham, Bucks., has been sending out emails regarding Covid-19. A friend, who is on his mailing list, forwards it on to us.

It is full of interesting information, but is only what he has collated and distributed.

Would anybody in this loop be interested if I posted it here? It is not "Official" information from the Government. However, it is the considered view of a practising GP.

Please let me know.
Thanks
Derek

Are you looking for a rewarding career that offers challenge and variety?
Do you have a degree qualification?

Start your career in policing - apply today for our Police Constable – Degree Holder Entry Programme:

https://thamesvalleypolice.tal.net/vx/appcentre-External/brand-3/candidate/so/pm/6/pl/1/opp/6437-Police-Officer-Degree-Holder-Entry-Programme-DHEP/en-GB

Thames Valley Police (TVP) is actively looking for people to ‘be the difference they want to see’ in their communities, as Police Officer recruitment re-opens.

The force is now accepting applications the Police Constable-Degree Holder Entry Programme (PC-DHEP).

This will be followed by an opportunity for those who do not hold a degree to join via the Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA) on 1 September.

Since introducing the new Police Constable entry routes (PC-DHEP and PCDA) in 2019, in partnership with Bucks New University (BNU), TVP have recruited over 170 new officers from a wide variety of backgrounds.

In the past 12 months, 44.1% of those new joiners have been female, whilst 15.2% of new joiners have been from Black, Asian or Minority-Ethnic backgrounds; this is progress as the force works towards fully representing the communities it serves.

Our new student officers have ranged in age from 19 to 51, bringing with them a wide variety of previous life and work experience including community mental health support, the military, retail and leisure, foster care, the prison service, the travel industry, teaching, animal welfare, as well as university graduates and college-leavers; demonstrating that policing continues to appeal to a wide range of people.

Despite their many differences, our new recruits all share a common purpose; to serve the public, protect our communities and keep people safe; it is this natural affinity to help others that we are looking for now.

Policing is a challenging yet rewarding career. It offers opportunity for progression and specialisation, plus unrivalled camaraderie and team spirit. It is not easy though; we serve the public 24/7, 365, demand is high and the reality is that you are dealing with people often at the worst moment of their lives who will be looking to you for support.

Chief Constable John Campbell says “When things are at their worst for people, I want us to be at our best.”

We are looking for resilient individuals whose first instinct is to help and support others; the problem solvers and solution-finders, those calm under pressure, who ask questions and are curious, but also approachable with a natural ability to communicate with people from all walks of life.

Does this sound like you or someone you know, who can make a positive impact in the community?

Hurry and submit your application today!

More information about a career as a Police Officer is available at www.tvpcareers.co.uk/police-officer

Message Sent By
Cristina Bratu (Police, Comms, HQ)

Following the success of last year’s first-ever Neighbourhood Watch Impact Report, we are delighted to share this year’s Impact Report for 2020/21.

https://www.ourwatch.org.uk/sites/default/files/documents/2021-07/NW_IMPACT%20REPORT_202021%20FINAL%20Spreads.pdf

This report builds on last year with data and case studies demonstrating the continued hard work and dedication, and impact of our 90,000 volunteers and 2.3 million household members.

The report demonstrates how we are achieving each of our three ambitions within our 5-year strategy, which we embarked upon last year, namely being:
the authoritative voice on community-based crime prevention
the most popular gateway for citizens to engage in their locality
a recognised contributor to community health and wellbeing.
In addition to preventing crime and the fear of crime, we have made a significant impact in supporting communities, especially through the Covid-19 challenges.

As many charities have experienced, we have adapted the way we work and learned new ways to improve our services to serve our communities better. Whilst the restrictions have been relaxed over the Summer, we know we are not yet through these difficult times, and our role within communities is still just as much in demand as it was at the start of the pandemic.

None of the work we do would have been possible without people like you who support the work we do and the values we stand for. We want to thank you for your ongoing, unwavering support.

Visit www.ourwatch.org.uk/impact to download the report.

Let’s stay connected!

Yours sincerely,

John Hayward-Cripps, CEO Neighbourhood Watch Network
Follow us.. ourwatch.org.uk / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / LinkedIn
Neighbourhood Watch Network is a charity registered in England & Wales, CIO no: 1173349
Message Sent By
Central Support Team (NWN, Neighbourhood Watch Network, England and Wales)

Action Fraud has received over 700 reports from members of the public about fake emails purporting to be from the NHS. The emails claim to be able to provide people with a “digital passport” that “proves you have been vaccinated against COVID-19”. These emails are fake, and the links within them lead to genuine-looking websites that steal your personal and financial information.

How to protect yourself:

In the UK, coronavirus vaccines will only be available via the National Health Services of England, Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland. You can be contacted by the NHS, your employer, a GP surgery or pharmacy local to you, to receive your vaccine. Remember, the vaccine is free of charge. At no point will you be asked to pay.
The NHS will never ask you for your bank account or card details.
The NHS will never ask you for your PIN or banking passwords.
The NHS will never arrive unannounced at your home to administer the vaccine.
The NHS will never ask you to prove your identity by sending copies of personal documents such as your passport, driving licence, bills or pay slips.
Your vaccination status can be obtained for free through the official NHS app, NHS website, or by calling the NHS on 119.

How to report scams:

If you receive a call you believe to be fraudulent, hang up. If you are suspicious about an email you have received, you can report it by forwarding the email to: report@phishing.gov.uk. Suspicious text messages can also be reported by forwarding them to the number: 7726 (it’s free of charge).

If you believe you are the victim of a fraud, please report this to Action Fraud as soon as possible by calling 0300 123 2040 or visiting www.actionfraud.police.uk.


Email tracking gif
Message Sent By
Action Fraud (Action Fraud, Administrator, National)

Tvp Opens Police Officer Recruitment
Thames Valley Police (TVP) is actively looking for people to ‘be the difference they want to see’ in their communities, as Police Officer recruitment re-opens.

The force is now accepting expressions of interest for both Police Constable entry routes, ahead of applications opening for those with a degree qualification on 8 August via the Police Constable-Degree Holder Entry Programme (PC-DHEP). This will be followed by an opportunity for those who do not hold a degree to join via the Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA) on 1 September.

Since introducing the new Police Constable entry routes in 2019, in partnership with Bucks New University (BNU), TVP have recruited over 170 new officers from a wide variety of backgrounds.
In the past 12 months, 43.4% of those new joiners have been female, whilst 14.3% of new joiners have been from Black, Asian or Minority-Ethnic backgrounds; this is progress as the force works towards fully representing the communities it serves.

Our new student officers have ranged in age from 19 to 51, bringing with them a wide variety of previous life and work experience including community mental health support, the military, retail and leisure, foster care, the prison service, the travel industry, teaching, animal welfare, as well as university graduates and college-leavers; demonstrating that policing continues to appeal to a wide range of people.

Despite their many differences, our new recruits all share a common purpose; to serve the public, protect our communities and keep people safe; it is this natural affinity to help others that we are looking for now.

Policing is a challenging yet rewarding career. It offers opportunity for progression and specialization, plus unrivalled camaraderie and team spirit. It is not easy though; we serve the public 24/7, 365, demand is high and the reality is that you are dealing with people often at the worst moment of their lives who will be looking to you for support.

Chief Constable John Campbell says “When things are at their worst for people, I want us to be at our best.” We are looking for resilient individuals whose first instinct is to help and support others; the problem solvers and solution-finders, those calm under pressure, who ask questions and are curious, but also approachable with a natural ability to communicate with people from all walks of life.

Does this sound like you or someone you know, who can make a positive impact in the community?

Register your interest today: To find out more about a policing career with TVP – including the realities of working on Response and more about initial training and to register your interest in applying please visit: www.tvpcareers.co.uk/police-officer

Police Recruitment and Initial Training through Covid
The continuation of police officer recruitment and training has remained a force priority during the Covid-19 pandemic.
TVP is delivering the programmes of learning in partnership with BNU, with initial training continuing to be delivered primarily from TVP’s training centre in Sulhamstead, Berkshire.
New student officers on both pathways will have much of their initial training in person at Sulhamstead, but due to Covid-19 we are also utilising new methods of virtual delivery by both TVP trainers and BNU lecturers; the course curriculum has been adapted for this purpose.
Initial training for both entry routes involves blended learning combining operational training reinforced by academic study. It is a fully immersive period of learning, with student officers trained in how to apply critical thinking, problem solving and evidence based policing skills.
The emphasis remains on practical policing with the majority of learning undertaken ‘on the job’.

Hear from recent new recruits:
For some of our new recruits, joining the police means a career change and achieving a long held ambition, which was the case with Student Officer PC Catherine Titcombe, 44, for whom joining the police has been a long held ambition, which she is now able to fulfil later in life.
She said: “I started completing the application form to become a police officer over 20 years ago, and have started the process on several occasions since.
“Something stopped me from completing it in the past, but October 2019 was when I finally found the courage to go through with the full process.
“The fact that I would also be given the opportunity to study at degree level was also a bonus, as when I had the opportunity in the past, I was not ready.
“I feel like all the experience I’ve had in life so far has prepared me for now and I am really excited to become qualified and finally achieve my potential.”

For others it’s making a difference:
Student Officer PC Sanika Mehta, 31, joined to ‘give back to the community’, adding:
“Although I have enjoyed my previous jobs, there wasn’t always a sense of job satisfaction. I therefore decided that I wanted something more challenging and fulfilling.

“Whilst working at a phone shop previously, the store was robbed. It was an awful experience and the first and only time I have been placed in a position where I was threatened with demands, and felt no sense of security or control over the situation.
“When the police arrived, I felt a huge sense of relief and safeness. I decided then that I wanted to join the police so I could give back and make others feel that sense of security.”

A diverse workforce is an important part of operational effectiveness for Thames Valley Police and is essential in maintaining public trust with all of our communities.
Chief Constable Campbell said: “Attracting people from a range of backgrounds will bring different knowledge and expertise and help us to build stronger relationships with the public, enabling us to serve and protect them more effectively.
“We have had success in attracting more women into policing, but realise there is work to do to increase broader diversity within the force.”

TVP’s Positive Action and Engagement Team made up of four serving officers, focuses on building engagement in our under-represented communities and encouraging people from our Black, Asian and Minority-Ethnic communities to consider a career in policing.
As well as focusing on outreach work, the team supports applicants through the recruitment process and subsequently with their professional development and progression once they have joined. You can find additional information about our Positive Action and Engagement Team on our TVP Careers website.Email tracking gif
Message Sent By
Cristina Bratu (Police, Comms, HQ)

By now I think that we are all aware that on Monday (19 July), England will move to the final stage of the roadmap for unlocking and all current laws and restrictions around Covid will be lifted.

I am certain that when this was being planned the Government had not fully anticipated the rapid increase in infection rates. This has been due predominantly to the ease of transmission of the so-called ‘Delta variant’. The infection rate in Buckinghamshire has increased significantly to 248 per 100,000. However, for those over 60 years the rate is far lower at 38.1 (51 cases). It would appear that the vaccination programme has been a major factor in the lower infection rate and the potential for serious illness amongst the older and most vulnerable groups. Hospitalisation rates also remain low with Buckinghamshire Hospital trust having 10 patients with Covid in the latest data.

You can get the latest data on Buckinghamshire at the Covid dashboard on our website.
https://enews.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/5438-EBI4-30HOJW-AEJL2-1/c.aspx

On balance the Government’s view is that this is the best time, during the summer months, to allow some return to a more normal life. This involves a shift away from laws and rules towards us all making personal choices about how to manage the risk both for yourselves and, importantly, for others.

Next Monday will not feel like a big release for everyone and some people will find this next step worrying, particularly after such a long period of legal restrictions. We are expecting the Government to update the guidance for people who are Clinically Extremely Vulnerable in the coming days. So please keep thinking of others and how we all still need to work together to keep everyone safe.

For that reason, I will personally be continuing to respect requests to wear a face covering in busy indoor spaces like shops and on public transport. I would also ask that we do not seek to challenge or stigmatise anyone who continues to wear a mask where this is not specifically required as this can be very upsetting for those who remain apprehensive.

I also want to thank everyone for all the effort and sacrifice that’s been made since the start of the pandemic, as we move into this new phase of adapting to the virus. None of us could have imagined what we have collectively been through and I’m incredibly proud of everything the people of Bucks have done, and continue to do, to help their communities and to help stop the spread of the virus.

Guidance from Monday

As we know, the Government is moving from imposing rules and restrictions to issuing guidance on what people should continue to do to stay safe and protect others.

From Monday, some key protections will still remain in place:

Get a PCR test if you develop Covid symptoms and isolate your household while you wait for the results.
Isolate if you test positive for Covid or if contacted by NHS Test and Trace.
Government expects and recommends that people continue to wear face coverings in crowded areas such as on public transport.
While the work from home instruction is being lifted, a gradual return to the workplace over summer is expected and recommended.
Government is encouraging more use of the NHS Covid Pass in high risk settings (you can get this via the NHS App, which is different to the NHS Covid-19 app).

Overall, the Government is still strongly advising people to really think carefully about minimising the number, proximity and duration of social contacts and to try to meet outside or where you can let plenty of fresh air in.

For the full details on the guidance for England from Monday, please check the Government’s website.

Vaccinations

It was very reassuring to hear again this week from the Government scientists about the overwhelming evidence that the vaccines are continuing to weaken the link between infection and serious illness and death. We know having two doses of the Covid vaccine is the best way to protect yourself and others from the risks of Covid-19 and with restrictions lifting on Monday and the current rise in cases, it’s more important than ever to get your vaccine. If you haven’t had your first jab yet, or are due your second, please arrange it as soon as possible. Currently, the NHS advises an eight-week gap between doses.

673,777 vaccine doses have now been administered in Buckinghamshire. Anyone aged 18 or over is eligible for a Covid-19 vaccine and, as ever, you can book both doses through the NHS national booking system. Please call 119 if you can’t book online.

Drop-in Pfizer clinics this weekend

Please be aware of our drop-in vaccine clinics – which make it really quick and easy to get your first or second dose with no need for an appointment. There’s a Pfizer clinic today (Friday) and tomorrow (Saturday) at Wycombe Library, 8:30am – 5:30pm both days. So anyone aged 18 or over can get a first dose here, or second dose if their first dose was already Pfizer.

And there’s more ‘drop-in’ vaccine clinics at Stoke Mandeville Stadium (9.30am – 7.30pm, every day until at least Sunday (18 July), again offering the Pfizer vaccine. Finally, the ‘Health on the Move’ vaccine van is back in Bucks visiting Aylesbury, Wycombe, Gerrards Cross and Chesham. You can get first or second jabs here without an appointment (please leave an 8-week gap between doses).

Timings and venues for drop-in clinics may be subject to last minute changes to the schedule, so please check the CCG (Clinical Commissioning Group) website for the latest updates, and for other local vaccine information.

Testing

Covid testing will continue to be an important part of keeping us all safe. I know there’s a lot of different information and messages out there about testing so I just wanted to underline the basics of which test to get, when, and how to access Covid testing in Buckinghamshire:

If you have Covid symptoms, book a PCR test via the national site. PCR tests can be ordered by phone or online and can be delivered direct to you, or you can visit a local testing site.
If you’ve been asked to isolate by NHS Test and Trace as a contact, you can book a PCR test – but a negative test result does not remove the need to self-isolate.
If you don’t have Covid symptoms you can use rapid tests, known as Lateral Flow Tests (LFTs), to regularly check whether you might have Covid. The easiest way to do a rapid test is with a home-testing kit which can be picked up from pharmacies or ordered online.
You can find out more about accessing rapid tests on our website.

Please remember that if you are on a low income and have been asked to isolate, you may be able to claim a £500 support payment – go to the Government’s website to find out more.

Silverstone – British Grand Prix

The British Grand Prix is on at Silverstone this weekend (15-18 July) with a capacity crowd expected. This is because the event is part of the Government’s Event Research Programme so stringent measures are being followed and information and advice is available for local people on the Silverstone website.

Even though it’s not in entirely Buckinghamshire, we know large events at Silverstone do have an impact on our local communities and of course, it’s an event many of our residents are likely to be attending – obviously you should only go to Silverstone if you have a ticket and please be mindful that the event takes place before the final easing of Covid restrictions. Please be sure to follow all the measures outlined as part of the safe staging of this event.

How to keep getting our email newsletters

This will be my last Covid newsletter. I have often been asked why they only talk about Covid, rather than other local and council issues like roads or waste collection, housing, jobs etc. That is because these newsletters have been produced under the Government’s Emergency legislation. That legislation will now expire and I will not be able to continue to write to you as I have over the past 18 months.

Personally, I would really like to continue this regular communication with you and importantly be able to widen it to include all those other matters that you would like to both hear about. The only way we can now do this is if you sign up for the new newsletters. The link is: www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/signup

I really hope that we can keep this conversation going and would welcome your feedback.

Stay safe, protect Bucks

Lastly, we know Covid isn’t over, we know that risks remain, and whilst it feels like we’re entering a new phase in this pandemic, with the current rise in cases none of us can be sure of what lies ahead in the coming weeks and months. Please remember that even if you’ve been vaccinated, you can still catch and still spread Covid-19, sometimes without knowing it.

Thank you again for continuing to play your part. Please continue to look after yourself, your loved ones, and importantly each other in our wider communities across Buckinghamshire and the country.

Martin Tett

Leader of Buckinghamshire Council

To keep up to date with the latest news from Buckinghamshire Council, please follow us on social media:

Buckinghamshire Council

The Gateway, Gatehouse Road, Aylesbury, HP19 8FF

buckinghamshire.gov.uk

The Joint Operations Roads Policing Unit of Hampshire Constabulary and Thames Valley Police are supporting the National Police Chiefs Council Speeding Campaign, running from the 19 July to 8 August.
Throughout the campaign, officers will be carrying out enforcement across the force area, targeting a small but significant minority of drivers who make the choice to speed, increasing the risks to themselves and other road users.
In 2019, there were 1,561 collisions where people were either killed or seriously injured across Hampshire and Thames Valley. Of those collisions, 191, around 12%, were recorded as having either excessive speed or travelling too fast for the conditions, as contributory factors.
PC Dave Hazlett, Road Safety Officer for Hampshire & Thames Valley Police said:
“As traffic gradually increases to pre-pandemic levels, the risk of collisions will naturally increase.
“We are urging drivers and riders to simply slow down; not only to drive within the speed limit but also drive to the road conditions.
“There are times when driving to a speed limit maybe too fast particularly on motorways, dual carriageways and rural roads which present higher risks.
“Expect the unexpected and drive at an appropriate speed where you can react quickly to any hazards and stop safely.
“Speeding is one of the fatal four factor that could increase the chance of road users being killed or seriously injured in a road traffic collision.
“It’s not worth the risk.”

Message Sent By
James Butler (Police, Corporate Communications Officer, Hampshire and Isle of Wight)

We are excited to tell you more about our SLING YOUR HOOK campaign running throughout July to help tackle scams

WHY ‘SLING YOUR HOOK’?
The campaign taps into the psychology that scammers use to hook people in, helping you stay one step ahead and protect yourself and your loved ones against the increasing variety of scams happening every day. We’ve identified the following five behaviours Sling Your Hook Campaign Launched By Neighbourhood Watch To Tackle Scamsscammers commonly use:
They imply they’re doing you a favour (reciprocity)
They indicate everyone else is doing this (social proof)
They say your only chance is to act now (urgency)
They act like they’re similar to you, so you like them and want to please them (connection)
They ask you to do one little thing which makes you do more (commitment).

We also know that often victims of scams report that in hindsight they felt something wasn’t quite right at the time. This campaign aims to raise awareness of the tactics scammers use and encourages people to ‘stop and think’ if something doesn’t FEEL, SEEM, LOOK or SOUND right. This allows them time to trust your gut instinct and help prevent becoming a scam victim.

“Everyone likes to feel special. But watch out! If a stranger is going out of their way for you, something fishy may be going on instead. Scammers like to offer one-off deals and favours. Don’t be afraid to tell them no.” John Hayward-Cripps, CEO of Neighbourhood Watch Network

How can you support this campaign?
LEARN: Visit our scams website pages
https://www.ourwatch.org.uk/protectfromfraud
to learn more about common scams, preventing scams, reporting scams, supporting victims and a scams campaign toolkit
SHARE: Follow us on our Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / LinkedIn channels and share our posts
JOIN THE CONVERSATION: Join us for an online talk (details below)
ONLINE TALKS
We are delivering a series of scams awareness online talks in partnership with the Dedicated Card and Payment Crime Unit (DCPCU), the National Trading Standards Scams Team (NTSST) and Avast.

Anyone can attend, but we are now running waiting lists only for all the webinars apart from one! Last week we ran an online talk on ‘Exploring the psychology behind scams and how scammers are so effective at their crimes’. It was so popular we have decided to re-run it on 27th July, 5pm. Click here to book your place.
https://www.ourwatch.org.uk/webinars

Please note – this event will not be recorded.

Keep safe,

NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH NETWORK, Central Support Team
Follow us.. ourwatch.org.uk / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / LinkedIn
Neighbourhood Watch Network is a charity registered in England & Wales, CIO no: 1173349

Message Sent By
Central Support Team (NWN, Neighbourhood Watch Network, England and Wales)

July OUR NEWS – The newsletter for all Neighbourhood Watch supporters

We are pleased to share with you our July newsletter – click here to view it.

https://www.neighbourhoodalert.co.uk/images/site_images/77989_July_2021_OUR_NEWS.pdf
In a world where we have become more dependent on using technology and being digitally connected, we are increasingly aware that the downside to using is the increase of scams, amounting to a staggering 41% of crime is now either on the phone or online. To help tackle this issue, we have launched a SLING YOUR HOOK scams awareness campaign to run on our social channels during July. Our newsletter contains more information on this campaign and a link to our website’s dedicated scams section, which includes clear guidance on protecting yourself and others from becoming a victim.

On a brighter note, we have some great new partnership opportunities to share with you, including our new partnership with Deliveroo to train riders in community safety, discounts from Patlock for our members and supporters, and the chance to win a fun-filled Croods 2 inspired family vacation.

With all this and more, we hope you enjoy this month’s edition.

Keep safe,

NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH NETWORK, Central Support Team
Follow us... ourwatch.org.uk / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / LinkedIn
Neighbourhood Watch Network is a charity registered in England & Wales, CIO no: 1173349

Attachments
July 2021 OUR NEWS.pdf - 7,104.0 KB

https://www.neighbourhoodalert.co.uk/images/site_images/77989_July_2021_OUR_NEWS.pdf
Message Sent By
Central Support Team (NWN, Neighbourhood Watch Network, England and Wales)

Just 15% of people have heard of a ‘ghost broker’.* Do you know what one is?
Have you ever heard of a ‘ghost broker’? No, we are not talking about things that go bump in the night – this is a lot scarier. ‘Ghost brokers’ are fraudsters who sell fake or invalid car insurance policies. Victims are sold fake insurance documents for a policy that does not exist, or for a genuine policy that has been set up using false details to lower the price of the premium.

How do ‘ghost brokers’ operate?
Fraudsters lure victims in with the offer of cheaper insurance premiums, usually via social media or by word-of-mouth. These individuals or groups pose as middlemen for well-known insurance companies, claiming they can offer you legitimate car insurance at a significantly cheaper price.

This type of fraud is typically carried out either by forging insurance documents, falsifying your details to bring the price down, or by taking out a genuine policy for you but cancelling it soon after.

Often, the victim is not aware that they have been scammed until they are involved in an accident and try to claim on the policy.

Who do ‘ghost brokers’ target?
‘Ghost brokers’ tend to target vulnerable communities, including members of non-English speaking communities who may not have full knowledge of UK insurance and laws, as well as young people looking for cheaper insurance deals.

Last year, Action Fraud received 694 reports of ‘ghost broking’, with almost a third (29%) coming from victims aged 17-29. The reported losses for these victims alone totalled £113,500, with each individual losing an average of £559.

Figures also indicate that over half (58%) of all reports in 2020 were submitted by men.

What could happen if I drive without valid insurance?
As policies sold by ‘ghost brokers’ are either invalid, non-existent or fraudulent, this means that the driver is technically uninsured, meaning that you could face:
£300 fixed penalty notice
Six points on driving licence
Vehicle being seized and crushed
How can I protect myself from ‘ghost brokers’?
There are simple steps that you can take to spot the signs of these scams and avoid being taking for a ride by ‘ghost brokers’:
‘Ghost brokers’ often advertise and communicate via social media, online forums and messaging apps. If a broker is only using a mobile phone or email as a way of contact, this can be a sign of this type of crime. Fraudsters do not want to be traced after they have taken money from their victims.
They may also try to sell insurance policies through print adverts in pubs, clubs or bars, newsagents
If a deal seems too good to be true, then it probably is. If you are not sure about the broker, check on the Financial Conduct Authority
www.register.fca.org.uk/s/

or the British Insurance Brokers’ Association
www.biba.org.uk/

website for a list of all authorised insurance brokers. You can also contact the insurance company directly to verify the broker’s details. You can also check to see if a car appears to be insured on the Motor Insurance Database website.

www.ownvehicle.askmid.com/

If you think that you have been a victim of a ghost broker, you can report your concerns to Action Fraud at actionfraud.police.uk or on 0300 123 2040.
You can also contact the Insurance Fraud Bureau via its confidential Cheatline on 0800 422 0421 or on the IFB website.
www.insurancefraudbureau.org/

*According to a YouGov survey commissioned by the IFB
Message Sent By
Action Fraud (Action Fraud, Administrator, National)

Interestingly the number 1 scam currently is the Boiler Room Scam.

“What is this, who has a need for a new boiler room?” I hear you say.

Please have a read of the below taken from the FCA’s website;

Boiler Room Scams are where; Share and bond scams are often run from ‘boiler rooms’ where fraudsters cold-call investors offering them worthless, overpriced or even non-existent shares or bonds. Boiler rooms use increasingly sophisticated tactics to approach investors, offering to buy or sell shares in a way that will bring a huge return. But victims are often left out of pocket – sometimes losing all of their savings or even their family home. Even seasoned investors have been caught out, with the biggest individual loss recorded by the police being £6m.

How share and bond scams work: Share and bond fraud usually comes out of the blue, with scammers cold-calling investors after taking their phone number from publicly available shareholder lists. The high-pressure sales tactics can also come by email, post, word of mouth or at a seminar. These scams are sometimes advertised in newspapers, magazines or online as genuine investment opportunities. They may even offer a free research report into a company, or a free gift or discount on their dealing charges.
You will often be told that you need to make a quick decision or miss out on the deal. The scammers might also try to sell you shares or bonds in a company that doesn’t exist. If you already own shares in a company, you may receive a call from someone offering to buy them at a higher price than their market value. The scam will request the money upfront as a bond or other form of security, which they say they’ll pay back if the sale doesn’t go ahead – but you’ll never hear from them again.

Beware of clone firms; Many bogus trading and brokerage firms will use the name, ‘firm registration number’ (FRN) and address of firms and individuals who are FCA authorised. This is called a ‘clone firm’. The scammers then give their own phone number, address and website details, sometimes claiming that a firm's contact details on the Register are out of date. Scammers might also claim to be an overseas firm, which don’t always have their full contact and website details listed on the Register. Scammers may even copy the website of an authorised firm, making subtle changes such as the phone number.
How to protect yourself: FCA-authorised firms are unlikely to contact you out of the blue with an offer to buy or sell shares or bonds. You should only deal with financial services firms that are authorised by us, and check the Register to ensure they are. You can also check our Warning List of firms to avoid. You should check the firm isn’t a clone firm by asking for their firm reference number (FRN) and contact details and then calling them back on the switchboard number on our Register – never use a link in an email or website from the firm offering you an investment. If you use an unauthorised firm, you won’t have access to the Financial Ombudsman Service or Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) if things go wrong – and you’re unlikely to get your money back.

Buying bonds may not be protected by the FSCS, unless there has been misconduct by an authorised adviser or arranger. This includes mini-bonds, which are generally risky investments. Always be wary if you’re contacted out of the blue, pressured to invest quickly or promised returns that sound too good to be true. Generally, the higher the return promised, the more likely it’s a high-risk investment or a scam. You should seriously consider seeking financial advice or guidance before investing. You should make sure that any firm you deal with is regulated by us and never take investment advice from the company that contacted you, as this may be part of the scam. The Money Advice Service has information on investing and about how to find a financial adviser. Alternatively, you could get further information from a group that represents advisers such as PIMFA.

If you have been scammed; You can report the firm or scam to us by contacting the FCA’s Consumer Helpline on 0800 111 6768 or using our reporting form. If you have already invested in a scam, fraudsters are likely to target you again or sell your details to other criminals. The follow-up scam may be completely separate or related to the previous fraud, such as an offer to get your money back or to buy back the investment after you pay a fee. If you have any concerns at all about a potential scam, contact us immediately.

Message Sent By
Ian Stacey (Police, Neighbourhood Policing Administrator, Chiltern & South Bucks)

Hate Crime and Places of Worship
Are you concerned about hate crime happening at your place of worship? Grants are available from central government. Apply easily and find out more by searching "gov.uk places of worship security". the closing date is 2nd July 2021.

Message Sent By
Ian Stacey (Police, Neighbourhood Policing Administrator, Chiltern & South Bucks)

Hampshire Police has received a few reports from NS&I customers who have had their accounts compromised and savings withdrawn.

From initial reports, it appears that the customers' BT account is compromised giving the suspect access to emails and landline call forwarding functions. These services are exploited by criminals to gain control of the victims NS&I accounts. Once breached the victim's funds are withdrawn.

BT is the only telecoms provider featured in reports thus far, but many other companies provide email services and landline call forwarding functionality that will allow this scam to operate.

Any email account linked to finances must have good security. If you do not have 2 Factor Authentication (2FA) on your email account, you are very vulnerable to account compromise and should consider linking those financially important accounts to a more secure email address that has 2FA.

To find out more visit www.ncsc.gov.uk/cyberaware
For a personalised online security action plan visit: www.ncsc.gov.uk/cyberaware/actionplan/individuals-and-families

Message Sent By
James Adnitt (Police, Cyber Protect Officer, Hampshire )

Following on from our Alert last week relating to yet another online scam to look out for, I am delighted to be writing to you to invite you to join us in July for a month of weekly online webinars to expose the truths behind scams.

The webinars are FREE to attend and are open to anyone who would like to know more about scams, the psychology behind scams, prevention and how a fraud case is investigated.

The webinars bring together experts in their field relating to online fraud, a topic which we are all too familiar with and can affect anyone and everyone, as our lives are played out more digitally.

The dates of the webinars and their topics are as follows:

6th July, 5pm
Exploring the psychology behind scams and how scammers are so effective at their crimes
Paul Maskell, Fraud & Cyber Crime Prevention Manager, Dedicated Card and Payment Crime Unit (DCPCU)

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYrduCvrjkrG93lMtwB-PdW4SGPLsu4AkOI

14th July, 5pm
Insights into how a fraud case is investigated and how not to be the next victim
Ben Hobbs, Detective Sergeant; and Catriona Still, Head of Fraud Prevention & Training, Dedicated Card and Payment Crime Unit (DCPCU)

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIlce2rpzkjHNH65KO5sa9knv2u23J3KB5o

23rd July 5pm
Scams awareness training from the Friends Against Scams initiative
The National Trading Standards Scams Team (NTSST)

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0sdeqsrjwuGNQJARFOKQci4VBIR_-ZakHT

30th July, 5pm
Don't get hooked by scammers! What you need to know about flubot and phishing scams
Christopher Budd, Senior Global Threat Communications Manager, Avast

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0ufuuhqzwsH9FCjsky35J73Q8xOxAv6pIc

How to book your place
You can click on the links within this message on each of the webinars topics to register your place or you can go to www.ourwatch.org.uk/webinars and click on the webinar that you wish to attend, you can attend all of them if you wish and so make sure that you complete the registration page for each of them.

We look forward to seeing you all there.

Best wishes

Cheryl

Cheryl Spruce | Head of Membership and Community Engagement
NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH NETWORK, Central Support Team


Follow us.. ourwatch.org.uk / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / LinkedIn
Neighbourhood Watch Network is a charity registered in England & Wales, CIO no: 1173349

Message Sent By
Cheryl Spruce (NWN, Head of Membership and Community Engagement , National)

Hundreds of people have been caught not wearing a seatbelt by officers during a successful month of action.

From Monday, 24 May until Sunday, 13 June, the Joint Operations Unit (JOU) of Hampshire Constabulary and Thames Valley Police supported the National Police Chiefs' Council seatbelt campaign.

This saw officers highlighting the dangers of not wearing a seatbelt – and from 31 May, carrying out dedicated operations targeting those who fail to wear a seatbelt despite the clear dangers.

Officers stopped 342 vehicles in Thames Valley, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight as part of the campaign.

Together with council partners, officers from the JOU’s Road Safety Unit educated those who were not wearing or incorrectly wearing seatbelts as well as drivers with an unsuitable child seat.

Unfortunately, 214 people chose not to wear a seatbelt and were reported for that offence.

Some may have the option to carry out an online diversion course, Your Belt, Your Life.

Drivers with pets that were not properly secured were also given advice on keeping them safe for future journeys.

Sgt Scott Kerr, Road Safety Sergeant for Hampshire and Thames Valley Police, said: “The recent seatbelt campaign in May and June showed that the vast majority of people are wearing their seatbelts. This is very positive, as we know that wearing a seatbelt correctly saves lives.

“It does not matter how far you are travelling, every journey needs all occupants to buckle up. Research has shown that many collisions occur at low speed and within only a few miles of home.

“You are twice as likely to lose your life in a collision if you are not wearing a seatbelt. If unrestrained, you will hit the windscreen, or the front seat in the case of a rear seat passenger, at a force of 30 to 60 times your own body weight.

“Please wear a seat belt every time you travel in a vehicle. It's just not worth the risk.”

Message Sent By
James Butler (Police, Corporate Communications Officer, Hampshire and Isle of Wight)

This Tuesday 29th June at 11am Get Safe Online will be holding an exclusive Facebook Live session in collaboration with our partners at Lloyds Banking Group, where we will be providing advice and tips on some of the most commonplace scams.

You and your communities are warmly invited to join us where you can hear advice from our panel of leading fraud prevention experts.

Our Facebook page can be found at https://www.facebook.com/GetSafeOnline/ . The live event will start streaming on this channel at 11am on Tuesday. Simply access the page at this time to view the session, there is no need to register.

You will also have the opportunity to ask the panel questions during the discussion.

Topics will include:
Impersonation scams: including scam calls
Investment scams: the different types of investment scams currently circulating, from promises of ‘high return, low risk’ investments to attractive ‘pension pots’.
Purchase scams: With many people purchasing more products more frequently online, purchase and delivery scams have become rife in recent months. We’ll discuss some of the most commonplace, and how you can avoid them.

Attached is an e-leaflet providing all the details, as well as social media posts that you are able to use to share details of the session, if helpful.

We look forward to seeing you and your communities there!

Many thanks
the Get Safe Online team

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Message Sent By
Get Safe Online Admin (Get Safe Online, Content Director, National

We have been made aware of a Covid Vaccine Passport scam email going around that purports to be from the NHS and informs recipients that they can apply for their “Digital Coronavirus Passports”

Clicking on the link within the email, takes you to a convincing but fake NHS website that asks for personal and payment details. (for an admin fee)

The website has since been taken down, but in case similar emails/websites appear can you please circulate the attached alert to your residents, members, groups and mailing lists.

And just to reiterate, your vaccination status is obtained FREE through the NHS App, website or by calling the NHS on 119.

More information can be found on the gov.uk website;
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/demonstrating-your-covid-19-vaccination-status-when-travelling-abroad

Please note that any Phishing scams can be reported to SERS (Suspicious Email Reporting Service): report@phishing.gov.uk

Best wishes

NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH NETWORK, Central Support Team
Neighbourhoood Watch Network is a charity registered in England & Wales, CIO no: 1173349


Attachments
Scam Alert.pdf - 494.6 KBhttps://assets.neighbourhoodalert.co.uk/images/site_images/77476_Scam_Alert.pdf


Message Sent By
Cheryl Spruce (NWN, Head of Membership and Community Engagement , National)

Following a year of travel bans, quarantine, uncertainty and missed holidays, many of us are desperate to get away for a break, whether it’s a holiday in the sun or a weekend by the sea in the UK.

But cybercriminals are busy thinking about holidays and travel too ... not taking them but exploiting your desperation for a break, with fake websites, advertisements, emails, social media posts, texts and phone calls for holidays, flights, accommodation or pilgrimages that don’t exist.

Avoid disappointment and financial losses when booking a trip: start by reading our expert tips on searching and booking holidays and travel safely and securely. Our latest leaflet is attached but if you'd like to read more then visit getsafeonline.org

Many thanks
the Get Safe Online team

Attachments
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Message Sent By
Get Safe Online Admin (Get Safe Online, Content Director, National) (

This time of year often brings with it a rise in deer vehicle collisions. The following advice is what to do if you are involved in one, or become aware of a situation in which you might need to know what to do next.

STAY SAFE AND REPORT THE INCIDENT

If you see an injured deer on the roadside?

- Pull over at a safe place
- Call the Police.
- Giving as precise a location as you can (eg What3Words)
- They will deal with the situation and have access to specialists.
- Do not try to assist or move the deer as this can put you in danger.

If you hit a deer while driving, your priorities, in this order, are:

- Keep yourself and anyone with you as safe as you can
- Park your car in the safest place with hazard lights on.
- Call an ambulance if human injuries warrant it
- Call the Police

If the deer is alive and still visible at roadside:

- It is best not to approach it. Doing so may cause it to run across traffic causing another accident.
- Do not move or handle live deer, this needs a trained specialist. Do not attempt to place it in your car.
- Call the Police.
- Giving as precise a location as you can (eg What3Words)
- They will deal with the situation and have access to specialists.

For full advice, please visit - https://www.bds.org.uk/information-advice/issues-with-deer/advice-for-drivers/

Yours faithfully

The Countrywatch Team
14753

Message Sent By
Anna Preswell (Police, Police Staff Investigator, Hampshire Countrywatch )

Many of you will be aware of the Prime Minister’s confirmation yesterday that the government has announced a 4 week pause before further easing current Covid restrictions. You will probably also be aware that this is because the so-called ‘Delta’ variant, first identified in India, is fuelling a rise in Covid cases in all parts of the country. Whilst this new variant looks to be more infectious, the good news is that growing evidence shows that our vaccines are highly effective, especially after two doses. The strategy is to put the final stage of unlocking on hold until 19 July, to allow more people to be vaccinated.



I am as frustrated as any of you. This is a situation none of us wanted - it’s particularly tough on businesses that run events or depend upon having larger numbers of customers in their premises, such as pubs or restaurants but frankly it’s tough on everyone. However, the Government’s position has always been that these decisions will be led by data, not dates and unfortunately nationally the numbers are not going in the right direction at the moment. So, the main message this week is to ask everyone to hang in there a little longer and to keep following the current guidance. As has always been the case in this pandemic, there will be setbacks, but if we all work together, we can all help turn the tide as quickly as possible. Another four weeks is not so long if it enables the relaxation of restrictions to be permanent.



How to do your bit

Please keep following the current guidance on what we can and cannot do. When you do meet friends and family, err on the side of caution and try to stay outdoors where possible. Remember that around 1 in 3 people with Covid do not have symptoms.
enews.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/5438-DSA...


· Take your vaccine - and your second dose - when it’s your turn (anyone aged 23 or over, or who will be 23 before 1 July is now eligible)

· Use free lateral flow tests (LFT) twice a week even if you’ve had a vaccine
enews.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/5438-DSA...

· If you test positive from an LFT test, isolate your whole household and book a PCR test to confirm whether you have Covid-19. This is important to stop the virus spreading.

· If you develop symptoms of Covid-19, isolate your whole household and book a PCR test for anyone with symptoms
enews.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/5438-DSA...

· Where possible, stay outside and meet others in the fresh air – if you are indoors, try to make sure there’s plenty of ventilation

· Carry on working from home where you can and in agreement with your employer

· Wear your face covering when it’s needed



Regular testing really helps us detect cases and it’s very easy to do. We have mobile testing units moving around the county and you can get up to date information on where they are by checking our social media channels (Twitter, Facebook and Instagram)



The situation in Buckinghamshire

We do know cases are rising again in Buckinghamshire although infection rates overall are much lower than in most other parts of the UK. We also know that the ‘Delta’ variant is now the dominant variant, and that it’s more infectious. On the plus side, hospitalisations and deaths in Bucks remain at very low levels at the moment, showing that the vaccine is currently weakening the link between infections and death and serious illness.



However, we also know that the more cases we get, there will be more people who do become ill, or be more at risk of long-Covid. And the more infections there are, sadly the more deaths there will be amongst people who aren’t fully vaccinated, or for whom the vaccines don’t work as well. This is why we all need to take a really cautious approach as outlined above. For the latest data on Bucks please see the Covid dashboard on our website.
enews.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/5438-DSA...



Vaccine news

It was heartening to hear the evidence from the chief scientists last night that two doses of the current vaccines do offer good protection against the ‘Delta’ variant and that the Government is able to accelerate the national vaccination programme. The analysis suggests:
enews.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/5438-DSA...



· the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is 96% effective against hospitalisation after 2 doses

· the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is 92% effective against hospitalisation after 2 doses



So please do take your vaccine when it’s offered, and make sure you attend both first and second dose appointments.



Overall, 568,967 vaccinations have now been given in Buckinghamshire and the local programme is going really well. Vaccines should be booked via the national system online or by calling 119 and most people will be given an appointment at one of many local sites close to where they live. There are community sites run by pharmacies and some larger mass vaccination sites too such as the Guttmann vaccination centre at Stoke Mandeville Stadium.
enews.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/5438-DSA...



If you’re eligible and haven’t had your Covid vaccine yet, you may get a call from the Contact Tracing team from this week. This will predominantly be for people aged 30+ who haven’t had their first dose yet. They will be letting you know of drop-in clinics happening over the next few weeks. You can read more information on the CCG (Clinical Commissioning Group) website.
enews.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/5438-DSA...


Working with businesses and the HSE

As I have already said, we know this extra delay is bad news for many local businesses and I want to thank all business owners and customers for all you are doing to operate in a Covid-safe way.

We are also working with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to offer support and advice to businesses to ensure they have the right Covid-secure measures in place. This is not about a ‘big brother’ approach but is about working with businesses to check they have all they need to make sure their premises are safe.



Teams will be making calls and visits to all types of businesses to check that measures they’ve put in place to manage the risk from Covid are in line with current guidance. There will be a special focus on convenience stores and small food outlets across the county - the teams will do some spot checks and carry out inspections where there are any concerns about the Covid measures they have in place, such as their risk assessments, social distancing measures and ventilation.



We know how much effort our businesses are going to keeping staff and customers safe, and so thank you again for all you are doing whilst these necessary restrictions remain in place.



Scam awareness

Just a quick note to say that sadly, evidence has shown that scammers are exploiting the pressures the pandemic has put people under and there’s been a particular rise in scammers targeting people with finance-related schemes.



Please be on your guard for “Get Rich Quick” schemes or phone calls, emails or texts pretending to be from your bank asking you to move your money or provide your personal details. These people are manipulating the situation created by the pandemic in the worst way – as a Friends Against Scams Organisation we are supporting the Citizen’s Advice Scams Awareness Fortnight (14-27 June) and will be posting lots of advice on our social media channels so keep a look out for that.



In conclusion, please stay safe, stay cautious, and make the most of the fresh air and better weather we had to wait so long for this year!



Martin Tett

Leader, Buckinghamshire Council

Online gaming has seen a massive increase in popularity with children over the COVID-19 pandemic, as result of more time spent at home and restrictions on physical social contact.

As grandparents, parents or guardians of children under the age of 18, your parenting community is very welcome to join one of our free Gaming4Good webinars where they can hear from a panel of experts in family gaming who will discuss psychology, gaming risk and finance, how to approach your child's gaming to help them get the most out of it... and avoid the pitfalls.

There are three one-hour webinars, each tailored for parents of children of different age groups.

Thursday June 17, 10am – 11am: parents and guardians with children 2–12 yrs
Thursday June 24, 10am – 11am: parents and guardians with children aged 12–15yrs
Wednesday June 30, 10am-11am: parents and guardians with children aged 15–18yrs

Our expert panellists include:
Liz Stanton MBE, Get Safe Online (moderator)
Annette Whalley, HSBC
Cath Knibbs, cyber trauma & psychology specialist
Adrian Sladdin, gaming & gambling expert
Andy Robertson, author and gaming for kids expert
Mat Hasker, Get Safe Online, gaming specialist & Dad

Please find attached a PDF flyer providing all the details. Also attached is our latest leaflet providing helpful tips on the subject.

All the information can also be found on our website:
getsafeonline.org/gaming4good-webinars/

We hope they are helpful and look forward to seeing you there.

All the best,
the Get Safe Online team


Attachments
Final Get Safe Online_Gaming4Good_Webinar_leaflet.pdf - 472.7 KB https://assets.neighbourhoodalert.co.uk/Attachment/267516/385392/77089/77089_Final_Get_Safe_Online_Gaming4Good_Webinar_leaflet.pdf

Gaming4Good E-Handbook June 2021.pdf - 739.1 KB
https://assets.neighbourhoodalert.co.uk/Attachment/267516/385392/77088/77088_Gaming4Good_E_Handbook_June_2021.pdf

Message Sent By
Get Safe Online Admin (Get Safe Online, Content Director, National)

Along with our Cyberhood Watch partner, Avast, we have launched a new survey to understand whether the Covid-19 pandemic has changed our attitudes towards certain aspects of cybersecurity and privacy since the first lockdown in March 2020.

The findings from the survey will be used to inform ongoing Cyberhood Watch awareness initiatives for the Neighbourhood Watch community and draw attention to important cybersecurity and privacy topics though the media to help UK citizens improve their knowledge of, and protection from, cyberthreats.

The survey of 16 questions will take you less than 5 minutes to complete and all answers are anonymous. It is open from today and will close on Sunday 27th June 2021. If you’d like to take part, please follow the link below:

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/XSYQQTD

Thank you very much in advance for your support in the fight against cybercrime in the UK.

NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH NETWORK, Central Support Team
Follow us.. ourwatch.org.uk / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / LinkedIn

Neighbourhoood Watch Network is a charity registered in England & Wales, CIO no: 1173349
Message Sent By
Central Support Team (NWN, Neighbourhood Watch Network, England and Wales)

WIN A FUN-FILLED TREEHOUSE ADVENTURE STAYCATION
To mark the end of a very successful Neighbourhood Watch Week
https://www.ourwatch.org.uk/nwweek
, and to celebrate the release of The Croods 2: A New Age, we are delighted to launch a prize draw on our Facebook page to give you the opportunity to win a fun-filled treehouse adventure.

The Croods 2: A New Age, which is in cinemas on 16th July 2021, celebrates community, neighbourliness, inclusivity, and working together - values that are close to the heart of all Neighbourhood Watch supporters. The opportunity presented by this partnership enables us to reach more young families and to build on the awareness of Neighbourhood Watch as positive and approachable. The Croods and the Bettermans are two very different families who are thrown together and have to learn to live with one another when an evil tribe of monkeys threaten their homes. The Croods and the Bettermans realise that home is not a place, its people, and together they create history’s first neighbourhood!

Neighbourhood Watch’s partnership with this film provides the opportunity to promote the importance of neighbourliness and community spirit to new audiences and across diverse communities. We know many young people and their families share the values that we stand for and this partnership gives them an introduction to Neighbourhood Watch and hopefully they will become supporters for life.

The Croods faced their biggest threat when they left their cave - another family – while we are offering an opportunity to leave your cave behind and experience a very different treehouse adventure with your family! To be in with a chance to win this amazing prize, be sure to visit our Facebook page and enter the prize draw. Terms and conditions can be found here.

HOW TO SUPPORT THIS CAMPAIGN
We rely on the wonderful Neighbourhood Watch volunteers to promote Neighbourhood Watch as the first step for all people to connect with their neighbours for mutual support. We hope that you will share this campaign within your community and use it to reach more young families across your area. We have amazing prizes to be won over the course of the partnership.

To support this campaign, you can:
ENTER: Visit facebook.com/ourwatch to enter the prize draw
SHARE: Follow us on social media and share our posts on the prize draw
Facebook: facebook.com/ourwatch
Twitter: twitter.cm/N_watch
Instagram: neighburhood.watch.insta
INFORM: Share this activity pack
https://www.ourwatch.org.uk/sites/default/files/documents/2021-06/Activity%20pack_small.pdf
with your community. This could be via email, WhatsApp or in your local newsletter
WATCH: Go and see the film when it comes out on 16th July. See the trailer here https://youtu.be/XUN5EEDwHcI

NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH AND THE CROODS 2: A NEW AGE SPECIAL EDITION LOGO
The Neighbourhood Watch brand and iconic yellow roundel is undeniably widely recognised across the UK. To celebrate the film’s release, we have created a unique and playful adaptation of our logo to be used on all supporting material. We will be using the fresh and fun logo on all our social media channels, on relevant pages on our website and materials created for this partnership. Feel free to use the logo on your materials up until the end of the partnership.

Want to be part of Universal Pictures’ universe? To hear more The Croods 2: A New Age news and find out about other upcoming film releases, exclusive competitions and giveaways, click here.

NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH WEEK 2021: LISTEN. TALK. DO!
Thank you to all those that supported Neighbourhood Watch Week. Please find links to resources and activities below which you may find useful:

New Neighbourhood Watch resources
Every Mind Matters neighbourly postcard
https://www.ourwatch.org.uk/sites/default/files/documents/2021-05/Every%20Mind%20Matters%20NWW%20Postcards.pdf

‘How to run a listening campaign’ guide
https://www.ourwatch.org.uk/sites/default/files/documents/2021-05/HOW%20TO..%20Listening%20Campaign.pdf

‘How to organise a litter pick’ guide
https://www.ourwatch.org.uk/sites/default/files/documents/2021-05/HOW%20TO....Organise%20a%20litter%20pick.pdf

‘How to organise a street party’ guide
https://www.ourwatch.org.uk/sites/default/files/documents/2021-05/HOW%20TO..%20Street%20Party.pdf

‘How to conduct an Environmental Visual Audit’ guide
https://www.ourwatch.org.uk/sites/default/files/documents/2021-05/HOW%20TO..%20Visual%20Audit.pdf


Podcast
Listen to John Hayward-Cripps talk about community safety in the 21st Century
https://share.transistor.fm/s/92617d20


Webinar (click to book onto an upcoming scam webinar)
6th July, 5pm: Exploring the psychology behind scams and how scammers are so effective at their crimes
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYrduCvrjkrG93lMtwB-PdW4SGPLsu4AkOI

14th July, 5pm: Insights into how a fraud case is investigated and how not to be the next victim
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIlce2rpzkjHNH65KO5sa9knv2u23J3KB5o

23rd July, 5pm: Scams awareness training from the Friends Against Scams initiative
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0sdeqsrjwuGNQJARFOKQci4VBIR_-ZakHT

30th July, 5pm: Don't get hooked by scammers! What you need to know about flubot and phishing scams
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0ufuuhqzwsH9FCjsky35J73Q8xOxAv6pIc

Kind regards

Central Support Team, Neighbourhood Watch Network
www.ourwatch.org.uk
Neighbourhoood Watch Network is a charity registered in England & Wales, CIO no: 1173349

Message Sent By
Central Support Team (NWN, Neighbourhood Watch Network, England and Wales)

Please follow the link for the latest update.

https://enews.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/t/5438-DL9V-B64C9E01074413DAMS25N721070059456EF66/cr.aspx
Message Sent By
Ian Stacey (Police, Neighbourhood Policing Administrator, Chiltern & South Bucks)

Phishing remains the most successful attack vector for cyber criminals targeting individuals and businesses.


Cyber criminals love phishing. Unfortunately, this is not a harmless riverbank pursuit. When criminals go phishing, you are the fish and the bait is usually contained in a scam email or text message. The criminal’s goal is to convince you to click on the links within their scam email or text message, or to give away sensitive information (such as bank details). These messages may look like the real thing but are malicious. Once clicked, you may be sent to a dodgy website which could download viruses onto your computer, or steal your passwords.

As of 30 April 2021, over 5.8 million emails were reported to the Suspicious Email Reporting Service (SERS). The tool, which was launched by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and the City of London Police last April, allows the public to forward suspicious emails to an automated system that scans it for malicious links. Since its launch, over 43,000 scams and 84,000 malicious websites have been removed.


What are the most common phishing scams?

The most commonly spoofed organisation reported in phishing emails was TV Licensing, with victims of these emails reporting losses totalling £5.3m. The majority of losses occurred as a result of victims following malicious links in the emails and inputting their personal information into what they thought was the legitimate TV Licensing website. Shortly after, they would receive a call from criminals impersonating bank staff who was able to convince them that their bank accounts were compromised and persuaded them to transfer all of their money to a new ‘safe’ account. Some of the other most commonly impersonated organisations included HMRC and DVLA. We also received more than 40,000 suspicious email reports relating to COVID-19.


How you can protect yourself from phishing messages.

Fake emails and text messages can sometimes be difficult to spot and criminals are constantly getting better at finding ways to make them seem more authentic. Email address spoofing, for example, is just one of the tactics criminals will use to try and make their fake emails look real. Here are some tips you should follow to protect yourself, and others, from scam emails and text messages:

1: Be cautious of messages asking for your personal information. Official organisations, such as your bank, should never ask you for personal or financial information via email or text message. If you receive a message and you want to check that it’s legitimate, you can call the organisation directly using a known number, such as the one on a bank statement or utility bill.

2: Report suspicious emails. If you receive an email you’re not quite sure about, you should report it to the Suspicious Email Reporting Service (SERS) by forwarding the email to: report@phishing.gov.uk. Your reports will help government and law enforcement agencies to remove malicious emails and websites.

3: Report suspicious text messages. If you receive a suspicious text message, you can report it by forwarding the message to 7726. It’s free of charge and enables your mobile network provider to investigate the origin of the text and take action, if found to be malicious.

4: Report fraud. If you’ve lost money or provided personal information as a result of a phishing scam, notify your bank immediately and report it to Action Fraud.


For more information on how to protect yourself from fraud and cyber crime, please visit: actionfraud.police.uk/cybercrime


Thanks for reading! If you found this information useful, please help us spread the word by forwarding this email to your friends.


Message Sent By
Action Fraud (Action Fraud, Administrator, National)

Chiltern & South Bucks Policing Issues Forum –
18th May 2021 6-30pm
– Held via Zoom.

Chair: Andy Garnett

Introduction – AG – Welcome and introduction to the purpose of forum. We currently have 55 people on line. Robert will go into the responses in more detail but we have had over 650 responses to the survey.

Matthew Barber Police & Crime Commissioner for TVP –

Introduction and talk on his priorities.

Strong local policing - more police officers, strengthening neighbourhood policing with both police officers and community support officers. Focussing on the crimes that matter most to residents.

Fighting serious organised crime - cracking down on the threat from “county-lines” drugs gangs to protect children from abuse and exploitation.

Dealing with cyber-crime and fraud - investing in the technology and resources the police need to protect individuals online
Improving criminal justice - supporting victims of crime, bringing more criminals to justice and reducing reoffending.

Tackling illegal encampments - ensuring a fair but firm response to illegal encampments and reducing the effect on communities. There is new legislation coming in which will help in dealing with incursions.

Speeding. Community Speedwatch is being re-introduced with a new pilot system. The data from Speedwatch will be fed into Roads Policing tasking and also influence local authority speed limits.



Q. Is there any way that there could be more police stations? – Burnham needs a base.

A. There is currently a review on neighbourhood policing in TVP however, I would rather spend money on officers than buildings. Less front counters but more police bases.

Q. Victims and perpetrators are often in disadvantaged circumstances. Can I remind police that they are able to refer people to the Chiltern area foodbank.

Q. How is a Conservative PCC different to other parties PCC’s?

A. Although I am a Conservative I regard the role as being non-political. I don’t have any party whip. My loyalty is to securing the best for TVP.

Q. Can Speedwatch be set up quickly in Holmer Green?

A. If there has been an existing scheme then yes. If not, then the new groups will follow the pilot scheme. See PCC website. Community Speedwatch scheme · Thames Valley Police & Crime Commissioner (thamesvalley-pcc.gov.uk)

Q. Is speeding more important than burglary and drug offences?

A. No it’s different. We are developing a new approach to SpeedWatch along with our Roads Policing units.

Q. Regarding drug use in public – is it worth reporting to police?

A. Yes. Contact 101 or report on line. Although there may not be any immediate answer to helps develop intelligence on where the issues are.


James Ellis – Inspector TVP responsible for the South Bucks geographical area.

Buckinghamshire Council have 16 community boards of which 7 are in the Chiltern & South Bucks LPA. There is a varying degree of usefulness in police attending these meetings. This forum is more relevant.
The neighbourhood priorities were previously decided by this forum. These priorities feature in our daily patrol plans. There is an expectation that officers contribute to the priorities, as well as assisting with emergency calls. As well as local priorities we have TVP priorities and national government requirements. Lots of competing demands. The patrol plan allows us to feedback to members of the public what we are doing and where we are doing it.

The online meetings are of great use to police. There are a lot more attendees than people who will attend a hall in person. Community Boards are useful for police to attend when there is a specific item people may want to know about and discuss.

With regards to anti-social behaviour we have been using the legislation to good effect. Our Closure Orders are in double digits as are our Criminal Behaviour Orders which helps towards reducing demand.

Inspector Richard Vine Inspector TVP responsible for the Chiltern geographical area.

The Neighbourhood Teams will have a further 2 PC’s in July and 4 new PCSO’s should be with us by the end of the summer.

Burglary – there is a 41% reduction in residential burglary compared to the previous year. There is a 56% reduction based on a 5-year average. There have been 4 burglaries in the last two weeks.

ASB – we have conducted numerous operations with regards to youth ASB in various areas including complaints of drug use. We have disrupted 12 County Drug Lines (CDL) from London and several local drug dealers who are awaiting trial.

Q - How can we work towards reducing the number of nitrous oxide canisters littered around streets and parks?

A – We have discouraged shops from selling them to youths however they do have a legitimate use and can be easily bought on line. If you see youths abusing canisters, please report.

We have recently had a week with the National Crime Agency dealing with modern slavery. Scrap dealers, nail bars and car washes were targeted. There were several referrals to agencies who may help.
We have had a week of action targeting metal thefts. This is primarily catalytic convertor thefts. We worked with garages establishing a scheme where owners of cars that are vulnerable to catalytic convertor theft are able to get the car marked. There was also one arrest.

Keyless car theft. A number of cars are being stolen by thieves picking up the signal the key gives out and using it to open and start a car, usually on a drive. It is important to shield the car key. Wallets can be bought or even putting the key in an old tin box will block the signal.

Speeding. We are the only Neighbourhood Team in TVP to do lots of speeding operations and respond to public complaints. There are not many prosecutions as most of the people caught are only just above the speed limit. We have secured additional support from the Roads Policing Specials and from the camera vans.

In the last quarter, TVP issued 538 tickets, the vans have issued 694 and 710 from the static cameras. Speeding is a societal problem. It needs to become anti-social like drink driving.

In May and June, the new Community Speedwatch will be rolled out.

Roads Policing covering Buckinghamshire will be committed to towns within the county next month.

Theft from motor vehicles. There has been a 34% reduction in the last 12 months. Theft of motor vehicles is down 7%.

Drugs. Drug crime is up 74% in the last year. This is due to the wishes of the community to focus on drug dealing and use.

Violence against the person. This is up by 29% in the last year. Domestic abuse is up by 24%.
Fraud. We have been working with Action Fraud in supporting older people who may be victims of scams. There was a discussion regarding cyber-crime.

Q. The forum is mainly old people giving a response to the questionnaire. Why can’t police attend the Bucks Council Community Boards? Withdrawing is not the answer.

RV. We are engaging with the boards. A lot of the Community Board time has nothing to do with policing. The coordinators can invite us if a police response is required. We will attend if there is a need.
There was further discussion regarding attending the 20 plus parish councils. RV and JE said they had both made themselves available to most Community Board meetings in the last 12 months. Often, they have not been required to contribute.

Q. Is the reduction of burglaries due to Covid?

RV – last year, before Covid there was a 37% reduction. During lockdown the reduction is 54% and the most recent figures show a 41% reduction. This sustained reduction is because people are at home.

Q. Gerrards Cross have put money aside to purchase CCTV for the town centre. I cannot find anyone in TVP who will monitor them. Who does monitor them?

JE – TVP do not monitor CCTV. Previously it was the responsibility of the district councils and presumably it is now Buckinghamshire Council.


Report on the questionnaire by Robert Gibson.

There have been 674 responses to the online questionnaire. This is way above the usual number of responses.

The top concerns are burglary, ASB, speeding, drug dealing and littering. These are the usual main concerns however child exploitation has risen in importance. Other concerns are dog theft, fly-tipping and lack of police presence.

These concerns are generally the same in all community board areas. This information will be passed onto the community boards.

The age profile shows most responders are over 60 and few under 35. 25 of the responders declared they were councilors.

The focus on burglary from the forum has contributed to the numbers falling.

Open forum.

Q. The PCSO for Chalfont St Peter has provided us with crime information when we needed it but lots of information is available on line and does not always need an officer to attend parish council meetings.

Q. Cyber-crime – how can the local police help to tackle it? The importance of not giving people your details either on the telephone or online was discussed. Make sure you report any such incidents.



----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The date and time of the next meeting to be decided at a later date but hopefully the meetings will continue to be every three months.

Meeting closed 8-20pm.

Patient safety
A joint National Patient Safety Alert has been issued by the NHS England and NHS Improvement National Patient Safety Team and Royal College of Emergency Medicine on the need for urgent assessment/treatment following ingestion of ‘super strong’ magnets.

National Patient Safety Alert – Urgent assessment/treatment following ingestion of ‘super strong’ magnets
About this alert

Small powerful magnets, also known as neodymium or ‘super strong’ rare-earth magnets, are sold as toys, decorative items and fake piercings, and are becoming increasingly popular. Unlike traditional magnets, these ‘super strong’ magnets are small in volume but powerful in magnetism and easily swallowed.

If more than one ‘super strong’ magnet is swallowed separately, or a ‘super strong’ magnet is swallowed with a metallic object, they can be strongly attracted together from different parts of the intestines. This compression of bowel tissue can cause necrosis and perforation of the intestines and/or blood vessels within hours. Therefore urgent assessment and treatment is vital.

The alert asks providers to ensure any patients who have ingested (or are suspected of ingesting) ‘super strong’ magnets are referred to an Emergency Department as a medical emergency. In addition, organisations with an Emergency Department are asked to ensure the right processes are in place so that any child or adult seeking emergency care having swallowed these magnets receive the necessary urgent assessments, investigations and treatments.

Following the recent winter rural crime campaign there was a large uptake from the community in Chiltern & South Bucks for joining our Country Watch Scheme. The team focused on engaging with the rural community to make local farmers and other members aware of the Country Watch scheme to try and find a way to work together in making the community safer.

From reviewing local crime trends we found that large numbers of attacks on livestock were being reported. As a result of this we made the public aware of the issues faced by farmers and circulated out over 100 Cattle Grazing warning signs in our community.

For the spring campaign my aim is to get Country Watch members to review their security practices and ensure that they have strong security working procedures in place for their staff to follow. I have obtained some security marking anti-tamper stickers and will be looking to assist members in marking up their tools.
I will be getting the local Neighbourhood teams to work with Country Watch Members and offer a security health check

For the summer campaign we will be advertising the Rural Spotters Scheme, to help the Police as the eyes and ears of the rural community and to help prevent rural crime, and training up new members. Please let me know if you are a horse rider and would be interested in joining the scheme.
We will shortly be introducing What’s App on our area and I hope to have information by the next quarter about the roll out of this. This has proved a popular resource in the rural community elsewhere in keeping people updated of problems that are occurring.

Keeping people and property safe from harm is all of our responsibility and members of the public can help by being our eyes and ears in the community. By working together we can better protect our rural communities, bring offenders to justice and make Thames Valley a safer place to live, work and visit.
It can be hard to know whether something is a crime and whether to contact the police or another charity or organisation. It is vital to report all crimes. We need information to target resources and develop intelligence. Tell us if you think an offence has or is about to be committed. If it is happening now, ring 999. If you have information that does not require an immediate response report it to Thames Valley Police online or by calling 101.

If you would like to become a Country Watch member please let me know.

PS 3675 Darren Walsh
Amersham Police Station
Message Sent By
Darren Walsh (Police, Sgt, Amersham)

Following a year of travel bans, quarantine, uncertainty and missed holidays, many of us are desperate to get away for a break, whether it’s a holiday in the sun or a weekend by the sea in the UK.

But cybercriminals are busy thinking about holidays and travel too ... not taking them but exploiting your desperation for a break, with fake websites, advertisements, emails, social media posts, texts and phone calls for holidays, flights, accommodation or pilgrimages that don’t exist.

Avoid disappointment and financial losses when booking a trip: start by reading our expert tips on searching and booking holidays and travel safely and securely. Our latest leaflet is attached but if you'd like to read more then visit www.getsafeonline.org

Many thanks
the Get Safe Online team

This message is on behalf of North West Chilterns Community Board, where a group of people representing Neighbourhood Watch, Hughenden Street Association produced the attached document as a project concerning the rise of Dog Thefts during COVID .

Please see attached.

Attachments
Dog Theft Poster https://assets.neighbourhoodalert.co.uk/Attachment/267516/382567/76001/76001_Dog_Theft_Poster__8_.pdf

Message Sent By
Val McPherson BEM (NWN, Multi Scheme Administrator, Thames Valley)

Scammers arested

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-57226704.amp

In response to the increased fear of pet theft, Neighbourhood Watch has launched our PROTECT YOUR POOCH campaign.

The campaign will run on social media from 17th – 30th May but those who do not use social media can support the campaign by displaying this poster in their community, or attending our online Dog Theft webinar on the 27th May at 5pm. The webinar will be led by Neighbourhood Watch Network with speakers from the Met Police and Crimestoppers, as well as special guest speaker Katy Bourne, PCC for Sussex. To book your place, click here.

The PROTECT YOUR POOCH campaign encourages people to keep their pets SECURE, IN SIGHT and SEARCHABLE, and to HELP MAKE PET THEFT A SPECIFIC CRIMINAL OFFENCE. The Met Police and Crimestoppers are backing our SECURE, IN SIGHT and SEARCHABLE message. More information on the campaign can be found on www.ourwatch.org.uk/protectyourpooch.

You can support the campaign by acting on our advice and sharing our messages in the following ways:
Follow us on Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / LinkedIn and share our campaign posts

Print this poster and display it in your community

Share this campaign image on your local Whatsapp groups

Help make pet theft a specific criminal offence by signing a petition or writing to your MP. Find out more on www.ourwatch.org.uk/protectyourpooch

Attend our online Dog Theft webinar on 27th May, 5pm. Book your place here.

About guest speaker Katy Bourne, PCC for Sussex
Katy Bourne is in her third term as Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for Sussex. She was first elected in 2012, re-elected in 2016 and again in 2021. The PCC’s role is to hold the Chief Constable to account for the performance of the Force; effectively making the police answerable to the communities they serve.

Katy is responsible for setting the strategic direction and priorities for Sussex Police through the Police & Crime Plan. This includes setting the police budget and local police precept – the amount residents pay for policing in their council tax. She also has a statutory duty to deliver community safety initiatives including Restorative Justice and crime reduction grants, along with commissioning support services for victims of crime.

Her genuine passion and commitment to making a difference has won her praise from successive Home Secretaries and Prime Ministers and in June 2019 she was awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.


For anybody who wishes to have a PROTECT YOUR POOCH campaign pack, please email Deborah.waller@ourwatch.org.uk.

Keep safe,
NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH NETWORK, Central Support Team

Follow us.. ourwatch.org.uk / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / LinkedIn
Neighbourhoood Watch Network is a charity registered in England & Wales, CIO no: 1173349Email tracking gif
Message Sent By
Deborah Waller (NWN, Senior Digital and Communications Manager, England and Wales)

Watch "2021 AGM" on YouTube
https://youtu.be/ivuGlSMGc3g

Following the end of election restrictions, it is good to be able to write to you personally again with an update on the Covid situation in Buckinghamshire. It’s a particular pleasure as I am able to report that the infection rate in Buckinghamshire is following the national trend downwards and is now at 12.1 per 100,000 residents. This is far lower than it was just a few weeks ago. A tribute to the effects of both the observance of the lockdown but also particularly the high take-up rate locally of the vaccination programme. There are still some causes for caution and I will cover them a little later in this update.



On Monday next week (17 May) we can all look forward to further easing of Covid restrictions. You’ll no doubt be aware that the government is satisfied its four tests are continuing to be met and that the roadmap can safely continue.



From Monday we’ll be able to eat and drink inside pubs, cafes and restaurants. We can meet others indoors (two households or rule of six), and we can stay overnight in a hotel. Of huge importance to all of us, we can hug loved ones once again, and we can make our own choices on social distancing with close friends and family – this includes everyone, including anyone who’s been shielding. All of these are freedoms we’ve been without and that I’m sure we will never take for granted again.



I must underline the importance of doing all of this cautiously. The message is clear; let’s take this next step carefully. Covid hasn’t gone away – people are still catching it and people are still spreading it. There are still rules in place that should be followed, such as the limits on numbers of people who can meet socially, so I ask you to make sure you are familiar with what we can and cannot do from Monday. When considering close contacts, weigh up the risks and stay cautious. Social distancing will still apply in settings like shops and hospitals. Still meet outside where you can and let fresh air in when you’re indoors.



Importantly – get tested regularly and have your vaccine when it’s your turn. We have new mobile testing units offering free rapid tests in various locations from this week – you can also visit one of the fixed sites and take test kits home if you prefer. There’s more information about rapid testing on our website and you can also get up to date information on where the mobile testing units are on our social media channels (Twitter, Facebook and Instagram).




If you or someone you live with develops symptoms of Covid make sure your household isolates and book a test for anyone with symptoms, either online or by calling 119.



Extra testing in Aylesbury

A small number of cases of the variant of Covid first identified in India have been found in the Kingsbrook area of Aylesbury. All the people involved have followed the guidance and have self-isolated. However, it’s really important we track this as closely as possible, so Buckinghamshire Council and Public Health England have started targeted testing in the area this week. This is so we can help avoid the spread of this variant and understand whether it is spreading in our community.



We are asking everyone who visits, lives or works in the Oakfield Village area of the Kingsbrook estate (postcodes HP22 7AA to HP22 7BP) to come forward for a PCR test regardless of whether you have symptoms or not. There will be special mobile testing units in the area and we ask as many people as possible to visit them between today (Thursday 13 May) and Saturday 15 May. These test centres will be at four different locations, two in the centre of Aylesbury (Lidl Oakfield Road and Vale Retail Park) and two in Bierton (Aktiva Nursery and ‘The Dog House’ pub).



If you cannot attend a test site you can order a kit online; there will also be a team taking test kits door to door on Saturday for anyone who’s not been able to get to a test site themselves. The full details are on specially set up pages on our website.



The situation in Buckinghamshire

As I mentioned, the infection rates in Buckinghamshire are now very low with an overall rate of 12.1 and a rate as low as 6.2 in the former Chiltern District area. You can see all the detailed figures on the Covid dashboard on our website. While every death is a terrible loss, the number of people dying from Covid in Bucks is currently very low. Nevertheless, the situation in Kingsbrook reminds us all of the need to stay vigilant.



Vaccine news

437,886 vaccinations have now been given in Buckinghamshire. The vaccine is safe and effective and anyone aged 38 or over (or who turns 38 before 1 July) is currently eligible to book their vaccination appointment.



You can book your vaccine online via the national booking system or by calling 119 – you can read more via this NHS link. Please remember that while your first dose will offer a good level of protection a few weeks after you’ve had it, you need two doses to further increase your level of protection. It is very important you attend both appointments.



Local people are being offered appointments at the Guttman vaccination centre at Stoke Mandeville Stadium, Aylesbury and other large centres in neighbouring counties (which may be closer for some Bucks residents). Community pharmacies continue to offer appointments too. Some GP practices are only offering COVID-19 vaccinations to patients in priority groups 1-9. Anyone not in these groups should book their appointment online using the national booking system when it’s their turn.



People aged 18-39 with no underlying health conditions will receive an alternative vaccine to AstraZeneca (AZ) - either Pfizer or Moderna. This follows the latest advice by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation.



For updates and news on all our local vaccination sites, including which vaccines are being offered, visit Buckinghamshire Clinical Commissioning Group’s new local site update webpage.



Lastly, a reminder that the vaccination clinic at the Odeon Cinema in Aylesbury has moved just up the road to Buckinghamshire New University, Aylesbury Campus. Anyone who has an appointment for the Odeon site is being contacted, so do make a note of this change if it affects your vaccination booking.



#WelcomeBackBucks

Many council services that were closed during lockdown are open for business again and it’s brilliant to be welcoming customers back into libraries, leisure centres and other sites across Bucks. For details of opening times and arrangements at your local library check our website.



It’s fantastic that Bucks County Museum is opening its doors again next week too. The garden is already open and you can take a look at what’s happening from next week too on their website.



I should remind you that of course, Covid measures and social distancing will still be in place at all of these venues so please carry on sticking to the guidance to help keep us all safe.



Car parking

I hope as many people as possible are enjoying being able to shop, eat, exercise and enjoy themselves at our local businesses too. We expect even more people to return to our high streets with businesses such as pubs and restaurants being able to serve customers inside from Monday too. I just wanted to remind you that, after having been suspended for a month, parking charges do now apply again in Buckinghamshire Council car parks. We’ve put Covid safety measures in place such as marking out social distancing around ticket machines and there are ticketless and cashless payment options at more of our sites now.



Boost your Business

We know businesses across Bucks have faced unprecedented challenge this last year. If you’re a business owner then do use our #WelcomeBackBucks hashtag in your social media promotion to reach a bigger audience. We’ve also produced a free ‘Boost your Business’ digital toolkit to help our local businesses get back on their feet, containing poster templates and a marketing guide – so do check it out if you want that extra support and advice.



Business grants

With businesses able to start trading again, the government support grants scheme we’ve been operating has now closed. I’m delighted to say we’ve been able to pay out more than £140 million during the pandemic to help our local firms to help cover losses caused by the necessary Covid restrictions. Unlike many other councils, we prioritised getting these grants paid so every penny of available help could be passed onto local businesses.



Stay safe, stay cautious and enjoy getting more of our freedoms back,

Martin Tett

Leader of Buckinghamshire Council