Month: February 2017

BOGUS TRADERS
We have received intelligence that there are rogue home and garden maintenance traders operating in Solihull claiming to be limited companies and often producing leaflets that make them look like credible businesses.

We do not recommend accepting services from companies who conduct door to door sales pitches without establishing that they are legitimate companies and where possible are recommended to you.

You can check the legitimacy of a Ltd company via this link  ​http://wck2.companieshouse.gov.uk//companysearch You will be able to determine whether the Ltd company exists at all or if it is dissolved.

Some rogue traders find dissolved company names to trade with giving unsuspecting residents a perceived belief that the company is legitimate.

Please share this message to help protect your elderley and vulnerable neighbours.

Kind Regards

Solihull Police
IF IT SOUNDS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE….. IT USUALLY IS !!

Good afternoon,

Following the recent spike in Burglaries in the Hockley Heath area, a vehicle has become of interest to Police.

A black Audi SQ5 has been seen acting suspiciously in the area, with the occupants witnessed looking into windows of properties.

This vehicle has been seen on multiple occasions in the area with the same occupants but baring a number of different registraion plates, which are believed to have been cloned.

Be on the look out for this vehicle and if seen, please call Police on 101, or if a crime is being committed, call 999.

Remain safe, do not approach the vehicle and do not put yourself in a compromising position

A basement in inner-city Birmingham is not the place you’d expect to find nuns running a hugely successful computer club but, thanks in part to West Midlands PCC, Sisters Mary and Marie are doing exactly that.

In the depths of the St Francis Centre in Lozells, the nuns run Conscious Café, hosting weekly computer classes for women.

Led by tutor Paula Sawyers, the sessions are mainly attended by women in their 60s and 70s from all walks of life who want to break down technological and cultural barriers – as well as making new friends over a cuppa and a cake and boosting their confidence.

Sisters Marie McGrogan and Mary Horgan applied for cash from the Police and Crime Commissioner’s Active Citizens Fund, which sees criminals’ ill-gotten gains ploughed back into the community for good. They received £1,500 and were able to buy four new laptops for the club, which currently has 20 women taking part in the classes.

Sister Marie said: “When the women first arrive, they are often so nervous and shy but it is wonderful to see their skills and confidence blossom.

“The classes help in so many ways: on a practical level, obviously there’s the computer skills and the ladies learn about word processing, paying bills online or Skyping their family and friends in other countries.

“But then there’s the other side of things: they become more confident, their self-esteem improves, it gets them thinking again and they make new friends and build up a new support system.

“We have a comments book and some of the statements are so wonderful to read. Examples include ‘I feel 40 years younger’, ‘the laptops have opened up a new world to me’ and, my favourite, ‘you’ve brought us back to life’.

“We are so grateful to the Police and Crime Commissioner for this funding and would encourage other community groups to make the most of the Active Citizens Fund.”

West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner David Jamieson said: “The Conscious Café is doing exceptional work supporting these women and giving them new skills and renewed confidence.

“It is wonderful to see cash being taken from criminals and redistributed within the community for good causes such as these. This money really does help our active citizens make a difference.

“Projects such as the Conscious Cafe do immeasurable good within the community and I am delighted to be able to support it via my Active Citizens Fund.”

Perry Barr Inspector Noeleen Murrin added: “Active Citizens is a brilliant initiative and projects such as these are the way forward.

“Active Citizens empowers communities and allows them to make positive changes. I am extremely proud of it.”

For more information on Active Citizens and how to apply for funding, click here.

Solihull Council is inviting people to a public engagement event where plans will be presented for a new affordable care home for older people with dementia on land at Tanworth Lane in Shirley.

The proposed care home located adjacent to a medical centre would provide affordable beds on a long term sustainable basis to meet the needs of the increasing number of older people in the borough.

The drop-in event will take place on Tuesday 21 February between 3pm and 7pm at Sans Souci, Tanworth Lane, Shirley, B90 4DD. People will have the opportunity to view drawings of the home and comment on plans before a planning application is submitted.

As the population of older people in the borough grows, so too does the demand for high quality care and support services. The proposed new home is in response to the consistent challenge this causes the Council when trying to find affordable care within the borough.

Councillor Karen Grinsell, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health, said: “As a Council, our aim is to care for people suffering with dementia with dignity and respect.

“That is why we are proposing this new care home. Not only will it be purpose built to meet the specific needs of people with dementia but it will also help us to cater for the growing number of older people in our borough.

“Crucially, this will mean that more people will be able to receive care in the borough as opposed to moving further afield and away from loved ones.”

For people that cannot attend the event, physical copies of the drawings will be available to view at Shirley Library from 22 to 24 February. Comments should be emailed to: commissioningteam@solihull.gov.uk by 24 February.

The next meeting of the Steering Group will take place on Tuesday 7th February at 8.30pm in the Pavilion, Hockley Heath Recreation Ground.  Minutes from these meetings are available on this website.

In light of the recent spike in burglaries, Solihull Police are pleased to inform Solihull residents that 3 males pleaded guilty to burglary in court today.  These offences were daytime break-ins across the Rural/ Solihull Area.

Sentencing for 2 of the men was 2 years 4 months. The 3rd man received a sentence of 2 years 7 months.    The police continue to carry out active burglary patrols across Solihull if you see any suspicious activity call the Police on 101.

For advice on how to secure your home pleas click on the link below
http://www.west-midlands.police.uk/advice-centre/crime-reduction/home-security/

It would be great if you could also sign up to the WM Now alert system, which will email you alerts on spikes in crime, local updates on local issues/ crime prevention from various partner agencies i.e. Fire, Council, Action Fraud ect. You can personalise who you get alerts from, once you have set yourself up as a member.