News from
West Ella
Neighbourhood Watch

NHW Members in West Ella receive information from the West Ella "grapevine". Residents who do not have access to the internet receive information from their neighbours. Contact Jean Harne or Phil Williamson at westellagrapevine

On Weds 4th AugustI received a phone call from a person saying they were from The Criminal Awareness Group and could they speak to the property owner. I said I was that person. My immediate thought was that she was something to do with Neighbourhood Watch but on reflection she did not know my name. She told me I was one of four households in the area that had been selected to receive a visit from their group with the intention of fitting a burglar alarm for me, either free of charge or extremely cheap. At this point I smelt a rat!!! I guess she would have liked me to say that I had not got an alarm (easy entry to burgle me) or that I had and furnish her with details. On questioning she was not forthcoming so I told her I was not interested. I could find nothing else out from her and upon calling 1471 her number had been withheld. I immediatley contacted PCSO Steve Clayton to ask if he had heard of these people. He told me it sounded like a very familiar scam where the company offers to install an alarm for £1 and after installation charges a lot more. He had not heard of this particular group but had heard of similar.

Good advice from PCSO Clayton is to steer clear of these groups. He said 'remember if it is too good to be true ... it most probably is' and in between time do not give away any personal information i.e the number of householders, what securtiy you currently have etc etc.

Another resident of West Ella has received a similar call from a group supposedly updating security on your computer for free.

Jean

This message has been received from The Chairman of The West Ella Enviromental Body who have, over the years, done so much to help make our lovely village even more attractive.

'As you will most probably have seen, The West Ella Village Enviromental Body successfully completed the bus shelter project this week. This is the 6th project the Enviromental Body has completed, to the benefit of West Ella, at a total cost for all projects, of £46,000. 90% of the funding was claimed through taking advantage of The Landfill Tax Credit Scheme, with the remaining 10% funded by very generous donations from West Ella residents. In order to accommodate the shelter at the top of Chapel Lane, the Heritage Map has been moved to a carefully selected new location on West Ella Road near to the corner of Elveley Drive. The Enviromental Body is very grateful for the continued help and support given by The Kirk Ella and West Ella Parish Council to the bus shelter project and all previous projects.

The Enviromental Body still has around £3,000 of funding, for West Ella, and would once again welcome suggestions from residents for further enhancements to our beautiful village. Under the rules of the scheme the cash can only be spent on the provision, or improvement, of an amenity available to the public for leisure and recreation. It cannot be used to fund anything which would normally be the responsibility of local councils.'

We would like to add our thanks to The Chairman for all his hard work in this project and which, especially in our bad winters, will be very well used and appreciated. More and more people are using public transport and this is a good way to encourage the use of our bus service.