News

Beware Bogus Charity Collections

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HDC LogoResidents and visitors to the Horsham District are being reminded to take care if they are approached by street or door to door charity collectors this Christmas and New Year period.

The message comes from Horsham District Council and Sussex Police at a time of year when there tends to be an increase in the number of bogus charity collectors.  Unlicensed collectors can sometimes be found in Horsham town centre and other busy town and village locations, usually selling charitable tickets.

In a normal year, Horsham District Council licenses over 150 street collections and takes great care to ensure that collection permits are only granted to genuine charities.  If in doubt, remember that:

  • All collectors should be able to produce a valid permit issued by Horsham District Council
  • Charity collectors should have a sealed collection container with the charity registration number and name on it. A business or company registration number is not a charity registration number
  • Collectors should be able to describe the charity’s work in sufficient detail
  • Door to Door collectors should be wearing badges issued by Her Majesty’s Stationery Office (HMSO).

Councillor Sue Rogers, Horsham District Council’s Cabinet Member for a Safer and Healthier District, said:

“Whilst thankfully charity fraud is rare, there are some people who set out to prey on the generosity of others.  It’s not our intention to stop people giving to charity but to encourage them simply to be aware of who, what, where and why they are giving.  If in doubt, don’t be afraid to say no and report the matter to Horsham District Council or the Police.”

Horsham District Commander Chief Inspector Howard Hodges of Sussex Police said:

“Christmas shoppers should take care when opening their wallets and purses in public view.  Our advice would be to avoid giving out any personal information in the street, including address and bank details, which could be used by an unscrupulous person to access your finances or to allow them to use your identity.  Instead, consider researching the organisation on the internet when you get home.”

Further information and advice is available from Horsham District Council on 01403 215488 or from Sussex Police on 0845 60 70 999 or 101 (non emergency telephone number) or the Charity Commission on 0845 3000 218.

Civil Enforcement Officers To Patrol Horsham Town On Sundays

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HDC LogoCivil Enforcement Officers working for Horsham District Council will be patrolling Horsham town centre on Sundays in the lead up to Christmas.

With free parking offered to drivers in Horsham town centre on Sundays, as well as Thursday evenings in the lead up to Christmas and New Year, many drivers still choose to park within the Carfax area and the surrounding area.

There will be a minimum of two Civil Enforcement Officers working in the town centre on Sundays to combat reports that have been received in previous years regarding inconsiderate parkers within that area.

There is a need to clear this congestion and direct vehicles away from this area. As this is an additional enforcement measure, warning notices will be issued until the regulations are enforced from Sunday 2 December 2012.

Cllr Roger Paterson, Horsham District Council’s Cabinet Member for the Local Economy, said:

“Horsham town centre will be making a big effort to attract residents and visitors this Christmas with special seasonal window displays and Christmas lights, supported with free parking for late night shopping and Sundays.

“It therefore seems only fair to ask everyone to park responsibly to avoid causing traffic hold ups or block much needed delivery areas.

“So please park legally so that we can all enjoy a very happy Christmas with no parking tickets to spoil the fun.”

To find out more about the Civil Enforcement Officers, call 01403 215077 or email parking@horsham.gov.uk

District Wardens Given New Powers

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HDC LogoDistrict Wardens working for Horsham District Council are taking a new approach to enforcement on the streets of the Horsham District.  The District Wardens who are patrolling the streets now have new powers which allow them to deal with a range of civil enforcement and environmental issues that used to be undertaken by separate teams.

Following on from a successful trial, the District Council now has a full team of District Wardens who can now deal with a number of issues, which could be anything from anti-social behaviour, dog fouling, littering, fly tipping investigation to parking enforcement.

This is in contrast to previous enforcement roles, which saw wardens deal with a particular type of enforcement activity separately.

In addition to this, patrol hours start at 8am and extend up to 10pm from Monday to Saturday, which assists with issues linked to evening parking control measures and anti-social behaviour.

Cllr Sue Rogers, Horsham District Council’s Cabinet Member for a Safer and Healthier District, said:

“These new powers will allow the District Wardens to respond to a wider number of situations and address many of the issues that affect residents negatively and it represents excellent value for our residents.”

For more information on the District Wardens’ civil enforcement and parking duties, contact Horsham District Council by calling 01403 215077 or for environmental issues call 01403 733144.

Get Ready For Winter!

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Here are some suggestions from West Sussex County Council for the simple things you can do to help you and your family keep warm, healthy and safe through the cold weather – as well as saving money.

Protecting your home – Find out more on how to protect your home in advance of the winter weather:

  • Order winter fuel
  • Check pipes are lagged to prevent them bursting and know where to turn your water off
  • Find out about the Warm Front Scheme
  • Prepare an emergency bag in case you or your family have to move elsewhere at short notice due to weather
  • Floods happen. Be prepared. Check if you are at risk from flooding and sign up for free flood warnings

Health and wellbeing – Steps you can take to protect your health this winter:

Winter travel – Hints and tips on travelling safely during severe weather:

Helping your community – This guidance challenges misconceptions about health and safety laws getting in the way of action and volunteering.  We need the Big Society most in times of adversity, when communities have to pull together.  This guidance sets out how you can survive the ice and snow and help your neighbours to do the same:

  • Check that any elderly or disabled neighbours are alright in the cold weather. If you’re worried about them, contact WSCC
  • Check you know who might need help in your community by speaking to your local Parish Clerk.
  • Sign up for UK weather warnings from the Met Office
  • Help your community by volunteering

Update On Ash Dieback (Chalara Fraxinea)

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Forestry CommissionThe Forestry Commission and partners have been surveying ash trees in woodlands and hedgerows across the South East to estimate the distribution of the disease.  They are regularly updating their website – www.forestry.gov.uk/chalara –  to keep the public informed.  The website includes a map showing the latest confirmed distribution of Chalara across the country, as well as detailed information on the disease.

As of 14th November, 14 confirmed outbreak sites in the wider environment have been identified across the South East; in Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Surrey, West Sussex and Kent.  However, there have been no signs of the disease in the Horsham District to date.

For further information or to report a suspected affected tree, visit www.forestry.gov.uk/chalara.