Christmas in no excuse

“Domestic abuse is a CRIME” is the simple, powerful message being used by Bolsover Community Safety Partnership in a Christmas campaign it hopes will encourage both victims and perpetrastors to call for help.

Beer mats, posters and advertising are all being used to deliver the message, with Christmas chosen because calls to helplines show that it can be one of the worst times of the year for victims of domestic abuse.

Jo Selby, Community Safety Officer for Bolsover says: “Our message is quite clear. The family and financial tensions that Christmas can bring, along with excessive drinking, are absolutely no excuse for domestic abuse.

“It is always a crime, regardless of the time of year, and no-one should tolerate it.”

The awareness-raising materials being used by the Partnership feature contact numbers for Bolsover District Council’s Domestic Abuse Officer who can be called on 01246 242503 or mobile 07852 111268, as well as the numbers for North Derbyshire Women’s Aid and the national Women’s Aid 24-hour helpline number.

Over the Christmas period anyone seeking help or advice on domestic abuse should call the Derbyshire Domestic Abuse helpline on 0800 0198 668. North Derbyshire Women's Aid will have a skeleton staff working throughout the holiday and its Advice Centre will be available on December 30th and 31st.

 Police Safer Neighbourhood Teams (SNTs) youth workers and CAN rangers are among those helping to distribute campaign material in a bid to reach as many different people and places as possible.

Councillor Brian Murray-Carr, Chair of Bolsover Community Safety Partnership, says: “Domestic abuse does not discriminate, it can and does happen to anybody, regardless of their age, gender, race, sexuality, wealth or where they live.

“We urge anyone who is in or who knows of someone in an abusive relationship to pick up the phone and call for help. In an emergency always call 999 and at other times use one of the local helplines.”

The free Derbyshire Domestic Abuse Helpline is available 24 hours a day on 0800 0198 668. The service is completely confidential and offers excellent support and advice for men and women who are either victims themselves or who know someone they believe is a victim.

Jo Selby concludes: “Domestic abuse can take many forms including physical, emotional, sexual or financial and is often not recognised. People should ask themselves if the way they are being treated is fair and appropriate and if not they should pick up the phone and get help.”

Date: 15th December 2010                                 

Winter Combi Boiler Problems

During periods of very cold weather tenants who have combi boilers may have a problem with the condensate pipes freezing up.

If the boiler is showing fault EA or D5 on the digital front panel of the boiler or a slow blue flashing light appears on the bottom control panel then it could be possible that the condensate pipe has frozen.

The first thing to do is try to reset the boiler. This can be done by holding in the “RESET” button on the boiler control panel for 10 seconds. Once you have released the button you should wait 2 to 3 minutes to see if the boiler refires.

If the boiler does not refire and it is making a gurgling noise then it will almost definitely be frozen but if it doesn’t gurgle then the condensate pipe should still be checked.

The condensate pipe will be black, white or grey coming from the bottom of the boiler, if this pipe runs outside then it is possible that it has frozen.

You should only attempt to thaw a condensate pipe if it is at ground level and easily accessible.

A hot water bottle or hot water can be used to thaw the condensate pipe, once thawed the boiler can be reset by holding in the “RESET”  button for 10 seconds and then waiting 2 to 3 minutes for the boiler to refire.

If the advice does not work then an appointment should be made for an engineer to call by telephoning 01246 242424. You can also watch a video on how a boiler condensate pipe can be thawed.

Last Updated on Tuesday, 21 December 2010 16:31

Eat Safely this Christmas

The Food Standards Agency is reminding people to follow some simple safety steps this Christmas when preparing their turkeys, to help keep the festive period free from the misery of food poisoning.

Most people aren’t used to cooking such a large bird, so to keep you and your loved ones safe this Christmas, just follow a few simple rules.

• If you buy a frozen turkey make sure it’s completely thawed before you cook it .A larger turkey can take up to two days to defrost entirely.
• Don’t wash your turkey before cooking. Washing is more likely to splash food bugs on to worktops, dishes and other foods. Proper cooking will kill bugs.
• Plan your cooking time properly. Follow the cooking times and other instructions on the label or, as a general guide;
  • For a turkey weighing less than 4.5kg, allow 45 minutes per kg plus 20 minutes
  • For one weighing between 4.5kg and 6.5kg, allow 40 minutes per kg plus 20 minutes
  • For those over 6.5kg, 35 minutes per kg plus 20 minutes.

All turkeys should be cooked at 180ºC, 350ºF, Gas Mark 4 (after the oven has preheated).

• Check the turkey is cooked properly by cutting into the thickest part of the meat. None of the meat should still be pink and any juices that run out should be clear. Finally, the meat should be steaming hot all the way through.

For more information you can visit the food standards agency website or read our Eat Safely This Chrismas guide.

Last Updated on Monday, 20 December 2010 15:56

Reduced search fees for homeowners

We are helping home owners across the district by reducing our residential search fee to £60.

We decided to lower our fee from £75 to £60 in an effort to make the cost of moving and purchasing a house less expensive and hassle free in these tough times.

The search is one of the most comprehensive on the market which includes lots of information that isn’t currently available to other third parties plus we give some ‘added value’ with our searches that will help you when setting up home like reminding you to contact Council Tax, making sure you are on the Electoral Register, when your refuse collections take place and much more.

If the search has our logo on it you can be assured it’s an official product.

With an average turnaround of only 3 working days, resident’s solicitors can order our searches by emailing land.charges@bolsover.gov.uk or via our Land Charges section. All they need to do is complete one A4 sheet, plus one site plan and the search process starts immediately.

For further information please telephone 01246 242231 or email land.charges@bolsover.gov.uk 

Date issued: 10th December 2010

Last Updated on Friday, 10 December 2010 15:28

Don't let thieves spoil your Christmas

Bolsover Community Safety Partnership is reminding residents to be on their guard and not to leave presents on show during the Christmas period.
 
Officers from the Bolsover Safer Neighbourhood Teams and Bolsover District Council are offering the advice to prevent people falling victim to opportunist thieves who may target homes with gifts left under the tree.
 
The advice comes as people across the district start to put up their Christmas decorations and put out their presents in full view of prying eyes. 
 
Bolsover Community Safety Partnership Sergeant Paul Smith said, "Piling presents under your Christmas tree before December 25th is unfortunately a big advert to opportunistic thieves looking in windows.
 
"Put your holiday goodies out at the last minute and make sure the windows and doors are locked at all times, even if you are home. You should also consider taking extra care when you go out shopping as presents left on a car seat can also be inviting to thieves.
 
"Christmas should be a fun time so please follow our practical advice and make sure your Christmas is a happy one."
 
Officers are also advising people to ensure boxes and packaging are recycled or removed as soon after Christmas as possible to prevent burglars stealing your new TV or games console.
 
For more information about your local Safer Neighbourhood Team call 0345 123 3333.

Last Updated on Tuesday, 07 December 2010 17:03