The Government is giving Police and Crime Commissioners the flexibility to increase the policing element of the Council Tax in 2022 by £10 per year (for a Band D property) to fund the increasing demands on policing. With over 60% of council taxpayers in the Hampshire Constabulary policing area living in properties that are Band A-C the majority of people would see an increase of less than £10 a year.
The Police and Crime Commissioner for Hampshire & Isle of Wight has launched her annual police budget precept consultation and wants to hear residents’ views. She is asking local residents to complete an online survey and/or to sign up to a focus group:
HAVE YOUR SAY – TAKE THE SURVEY
BorrowBox is the number one digital library lending solution for eBooks and eAudiobooks. We provide the best range of UK and International titles directly to library users. So, if you are a member of your local Hampshire library you can gain access to Hampshire’s BorrowBox collection of titles for FREE. From new releases to the very best backlist, you can borrow authors like Margaret Atwood, Adam Kay, Michelle Obama, J.K Rowling and Lee Childs. If you’re not a member of your library, go to the Hampshire library website and become one today!
For further information please contact Hampshire Library, at www.hants.gov.uk/librariesandarchives/library
To get the free app, visit Hampshire Library or install the BorrowBox app on your Apple iOS or Android device from your app store. To start borrowing immediately, select Hampshire Library within the app and enter your library membership details found on your membership card.
Hampshire BorrowBox website can be found at: https://fe.bolindadigital.com/hampshire
Get the app now and browse, borrow and enjoy bestselling titles with BorrowBox today!
“We would like to reassure customers that Southern Water will continue to provide services – including emergency repairs – during lockdown. We have developed safe ways of working during the pandemic and we ask our customers to keep their distance from our frontline colleagues for the safety of both workers and customers, especially if we need to visit your home. In an emergency you can call us on 0330 303 0368.
“If you are struggling with your bills, help is available. Also if you, or someone you know, is vulnerable then being included on our Priority Services Register will ensure help will be provided when it’s needed. To join the Register contact us through our website, https://www.southernwater.co.uk/account/extra-help-and-support or call 0330 303 0277.”
Ian McAulay, Chief Executive, Southern Water
Scottish & Southern Electricity (SEE) Networks - FREE Extra Support during Power Cuts
At the last Parish Council meeting, a presentation was given by SEE on useful information and tips in the event of a power cut. The leaflets that were given out at that meeting are available below. The first leaflet below provides useful guidance and help on keeping warm and saving money.
The second leaflet provides details on organising a Household Emergency Plan. If a major emergency happens, it may be some time before help arrives. It is very important that you and your family get together to prepare. The advice from SEE is to agree a plan in advance with those in your home and complete the template contained in the document by way of a plan in advance with those in your home. Complete the template together and keep it safe in case you need it to use it.
The final document provides details of the Priority Servies Register. This is a service which provides additional help to people who need it most. If you are eligible and meet the conditions as set out in the document, you should consider contacting the SEE and other utiltities on the numbers contained in the document.
A new campaign, Use the Right Service, which helps people access the correct NHS service, has been launched across south west Hampshire and Southampton.
Use the Right Service promotes alternatives to A&E for non-emergencies, such as home care, pharmacies, 111 and Urgent Treatment Centres (UTCs), and is designed to support the reduction of pressure on A&E at Southampton General Hospital.
Over the coming months we will be promoting our integrated, cross partner campaign, via radio advertising on Heart FM and Smooth FM, digital and social media updates, street and transport advertising, as well as spreading the message through the distribution channels of local partners, such as GPs, councils, schools, voluntary organisations and community centres.
Use the Right Service has its own website – https://usetherightservice.com/– and has been formed through a collaboration of 10 partners across the region:
· Care UK
· Partnering Health Limited (PHL)
· South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust
· Southampton City Clinical Commissioning Group
· Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust
· University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust
· West Hampshire Clinical Commissioning Group
As NHS staff we have an important role to play as ‘ambassadors’, to ensure that people access the right NHS service, receive the highest quality care and to ensure that A&E and 999 services are used for those that urgently need them.
Scam Messages - Beware of text, emails and Social Media messages purporting to be from Argos. The message will be asking you to click on a link which will take you to a website controlled by criminals to steal your personal and financial information.
If in doubt do a separate web search for Argos and look on the official website
for the gift card offer. Do NOT USE any part of the link above.
Please be aware of a new Netflix scam/phishing email that is going around.
Emails are being sent from a fake Netflix email account saying ‘updating
your payment details’ or ‘expired membership’ in an attempt to steal
your personal or financial information.
If you’re worried about the security of your accounts, we’d emphasise
the importance of having strong passwords in place, especially for
accounts such as Netflix in which two-factor authentication (2FA) isn’t
in place.
For advice on how to keep yourself safe from online fraud and
cybercrime, please click the following link which will take you to the Hampshire Constabulary website:
https://www.hampshire.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/fa/fraud/online-fraud2/