Close the Curtains on Burglars
For Crime Prevention Advice or a Home Security check please contact Emma or Simon at Neighbourhood Watch on 01785 23598. Some top tips for home security include:
{*]With the nights drawing in, draw the curtains when it goes dark to prevent potential intruders from viewing inside your property
[*}Burglars prefer to operate where they won’t be seen, so consider fitting low dusk-to-dawn lighting around the outside of your home; it’s cheap to run and can make thieves feel more vulnerable. Use 9watt lighting to the front of the house and 11 or 1 Swatt at the side and rear.
{*]Check your doors and windows to make sure burglars can’t get in when they are closed and locked. Consider fitting window locks and mortise locks for doors.
[*}If you feel vulnerable, don’t answer the door to uninvited callers.
{*]If you don’t arrive home until after dark, consider using timer switches for lights and TV or radio to make your home look as if someone is home
[*}Stay safe when out and about in dark nights avoid unlit back streets or aiiey ways. Do not walk down the street with a brightly lit mobile phone that may attract would be robbers.
[*]Consider purchasing a personal attack alarm to carry on your person, this will act as reassurance for yourself and will scare off anyone who approaches you. You can purchase personal attack alarms from your local DIY shops for a small price.
Working on your own in the village?
You’re not on your own..there are quite a few of us and every year, we hold a Home Workers’ Christmas Lunch so we can all meet, have fun and not miss out on the Christmas office bash! It’s very informal and the only criteria to join us is that you have to want to have a nice Christmas do!
Why not join us on 22nd December at the Goat’s Head?
Contact Shirley Mann: shirleym@harvestpr.net or 01283 840628 as soon as possible and definitely before 16th Dec.
Staffordshire Police request your on-line feedback
Staffordshire Police is arranging itself to enhance delivery of local neighbourhood policing services.
They would like those who are residents of the area to help them develop their services by completing a short questionnaire about your policing needs.
The questionnaire is very short (five pages), but will provide them with some valuable information about the type and focus of policing that should be developed for your area.
Click on (link expired) to access the short questionnaire which can be completed and sent on line.
Minerals and Waste Development Framework (MWDF)
The Government has introduced major changes to the plan-making system through the introduction of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004.
The new Act requires local planning authorities to prepare and produce a new generation of planning policy documents termed ‘Local Development Frameworks’ (LDFs) which are to eventually replace existing Local Plans. These new documents, along with other changes to the planning system are intended to make the planning system much more streamlined and promote a positive approach to managing development.
For more information and access to the consultation documents visit (link expired)
21st year – New Production – New Directors
This comedy based on timeless themes of family and personal relationships will set audiences laughing and thinking. Tracy is not sure how to tell her parents, her boyfriend, or her indomitable, though bedridden, grandmother that she is pregnant. Hypochondriac Idris, her father jumps to wrong conclusions and feeds the neighbours’ misunderstandings.
Charlie and Tom, experienced actors with the Players, are making their directing debut with this production. Sixth Formers at Thomas Alleynes, Uttoxeter, we expect to hear much more from this talented pair in the future.
Performances are at 7.30pm each night, with doors and a licenced bar opening at 7.00pm. Tickets are available from the Abbots Bromley Post Office or from 01283 840247.
Climate Change and Staffordshire
In July Staffordshire County Council Members passed a resolution on climate change, in which they agreed that a County-wide public consultation should be undertaken to gauge what the people of Staffordshire think the Council should be doing about this global problem.
We want everyone to know that they can have their say about what actions we take here in Staffordshire to tackle climate change and its effects. We are particularly keen to reach people who might not ordinarily consider responding and those with limited opportunities perhaps because of health, lifestyle or geography.
The consultation was launched on Tuesday, 18 October and will run until Thursday, 12 January so there is plenty of time to take part.
Visit (link expired) to read more and fill in a brief on-line questionnaire.
Homebuy Scheme
The Homebuy Scheme is available to those living in or wishing to live in Staffordshire & Shropshire and provides the opportunity to tenants of Local Authorities or Registered Social Landlords (eg. Housing Association) to move on and acquire a property of their own.
The aim of the scheme is to reduce housing waiting lists and those who are registered on the Local Authority housing list may also be considered. Those who are in receipt of housing benefit will be considered but you must be able to fund (with a mortgage, if required) your contribution, being 75% of the purchase price.
The Scheme helps people to buy a home on the open market by allowing The Association to provide a loan of 25% of the purchase price. There are no monthly payments and instead the loan may be repaid when you sell the property. Alternatively, the loan may be repaid sooner and one option would be to increase your mortgage when your financial circumstances have improved.
This provides a brief guide to the Scheme and other considerations will be taken into account. Funding is limited and is not guaranteed to everyone who applies.
Please note, that whilst The Association is still accepting Homebuy applications, funding for this scheme for this year has now been spent. Any new applications received will, therefore, be held on file and processed as soon as possible in the new financial year, being April 2006. Please also note that the Homebuy Scheme is undergoing a review at the moment and some changes to the terms and conditions may be introduced in April 2006.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE MORE INFORMATION, AN APPLICATION PACK OR WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES FURTHER PLEASE CONTACT
Mandy Riley, sales assistant or
Gill McGovern, senior sales officer
Tel: 01782 203570 / 69
Email: Ariley@BJHG.co.uk / GmcGovern@BJHG.co.uk
Uttoxeter Road roadworks
Uttoxeter Road is due for resurfacing. To make this possible, temporary removal of the traffic calming build-outs is required.
The work was started on Monday 24 october 2005 and is expected to be completed within two weeks.
The traffic calming will be restored after the resurfacing has been completed.
Abbots Bromley Show Committee
The appeals for new Show Committee members following the 2004 show did not result in any new volunteers. Consequently there were insufficient people to organise a show for this year and there are no current plans for next year. It has therefore been decided to make further donations out of the funds held. These donations are as follows:
Village Hall as contribution to renovation of driveway – £500
First Responders – £100
Under 5’s play area – £100
Children’s Christmas Party – c£300 (TBC). (The party is to be held at the village hall on Saturday 17th December. Watch for further details.)
This will leave some £300 remaining which it is proposed to retain as a basis of funding for when hopefully at some time in the future another show will be organised.
Bob Heaver
Mike King
Tina Scanlan
Charity Fun Day – 27th August
There will be a Charity Fun day at the Bagot Arms on Saturday 27th August starting at 12 midday.
The day will include various stalls such as splat the rat, golf challenge, name the teddy etc plus any further stalls that people would like to hire either as a charity based fund raiser – or a commercial stalls.
There will be a barbeque, bouncy castle, bucking bull and live music for an hour mid afternoon from a local group made up of very talented teenagers.
The Community First Responders and the Fire Service have also been invited to get involved.
All funds raised will be divided between nominated village charities.
