Recent Posts

URGENT: The RBWM Borough Local Plan that failed examination by the inspector in 2018 has been redrafted and approval is being sought at an extraordinary council meeting at the Town Hall on Wednesday 23rd October at 7.30 Desborough Suite.  You are encouraged to submit questions by Monday 21st at 9 am. You are also encouraged to attend the meeting.

The draft of the proposed revision is available at

https://rbwm.moderngov.co.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=134&MId=7569

There has been some removal of planned development sites but the three in Cookham totalling 270 new homes in Cookham Rise in the original  plan is now increased, with a 25% increase in the densification of the Whyteladyes Lane proposed development . An objection was formally made to this original BLP proposal in 2017 on Heritage and traffic gridlock grounds but this was never examined as the inspector drew a halt to the inspection after failure to pass the first examination tests. If you have views on this or any other aspect to the plan, please get involved and submit your points .There will also be a 6 week consultation period following any council acceptance of the revision.

You may also want to consider the aspect of climate change and whether you feel it is being adequately covered in the plan document .

[CALL BLOCKER PHONES:]

I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that I attended the One Borough Group, where the Borough’s Dementia Team, made a really good presentation.

David Learoyd from the team, has now sent me details of their services - see below.

In connection with this and purely by coincidence, I have also received a really interesting email from David, one of our members, which relates to this subject and Video doorbells, which we are heavily promoting.
Also - by pure coincidence - Honor Ryan from Trading Standards, has also emailed me, with a special offer, of some Call blocker phones - underneath David’s message.

I therefore thought it useful enough, to do a quick message:

Hi
Re video doorbells – as my father suffers dementia, we fitted a video doorbell, not only to keep an eye on who’s at his front door, but also, to let us know, when he leaves the house.  We can then check that he has his mobile phone with him.  It also let’s us know that he returns, when expected.

Just to add, we live close to my father and we noticed from the streaming to my phone that someone was going door-to-door, possibly a cold caller. Interestingly, although seemingly going door-to-door, neither my father or I, had them approach out properties and we suspect, the large video doorbell - alone - may have been deterrent enough that they passed us both by.

Enjoy your leave.

Regards David

CALL BLOCKER PHONES:
Hi
Just to let you and your members know that his offer, has gone live today and I have already applied for 20 units, for various vulnerable consumers, I have visited in over the last year.

Can you circulate for me please ?

Many thanks

Honor Ryan
Trading Standards Officer
Trading Standards & Licensing Team | Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead
Council Offices, Tinkers Lane, Windsor SL4 4LR
Tel: 01628 683557
Email: honor.ryan@rbwm.gov.uk
 
ARE YOU, OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW, INUNDATED WITH SCAM CALLS ?
If so, you can apply for a FREE call blocker at:
www.friendsagainstscams.org.uk/callblocker
 
The National Trading Standards Scams Team are offering FREE call blocking phones, for people who receive a high level of scam, or nuisance phone calls.

If you know of anyone who could benefit from a FREE call blocker phone, please apply for one for them.

Also circulate this information, to promote this offer and to spread awareness.

Why install a call blocker?
Research from the previous call blocker project, shows that 99% of scam and nuisance calls were blocked.
People have reported many benefits, from having a call blocker, such as:
- Significantly reducing the risk of financial harm.
- Reducing the risk of trips, falls and distraction accidents due to answering the phone unnecessarily.
- Helping those who live alone feel safer and more in control and giving peace of mind to their family and friends.
 
If you would like to receive a social media pack or have any queries regarding the project please contact:
BlockerProject@surreycc.gov.uk
We would also encourage everyone, to compete the ‘Friends Against Scams’ online learning session, which provides information about scams and those who fall victim to them.
www.FriendsAgainstScams.org.uk
and follow #ScamAware today!
 
THE RBWM DEMENTIA TEAM:
I have received this information from the RBWM Dementia Care Advisors, for you to store away somewhere in case someone asks:

Dementia Care Advisors - Supporting you and your family to live well with Dementia at every stage of the journey.

Our role is to act as a key point of contact to help you and your family or carers to live well with dementia.  We work closely with a wide range of local services to help you remain independent for as long as possible.
 
Advice & support for people diagnosed and living with dementia
Dementia care advisors team:- Our office is based at the Windsor Day Centre, Imperial Road, Windsor SL4 3RU.
 
How we can help you:-
We are a point of contact, for any advice and support, you may need.

We can help you and your family,, or carer, to gain access to relevant professional services, volunteer services, information and support as you go through the dementia journey.

We will listen to all your concerns and provide you, with confidential support.

We are here to support anyone, with a diagnosis of dementia, regardless of age and their family, or carers, within the Royal Borough.

Dementia Care Advisors
Providing support and advice for you and your family, to live well with dementia at every stage of the journey.
 
Dementia drop in service:-
We hold monthly drop-in sessions, for those living with dementia and their families/carers.
Join us on the first Tuesday of the month at Boyn Grove Dementia Day Centre, 11 Courthouse Road, Maidenhead, SL6 5JE from 10.30am – 12pm
or the first Thursday of the month, at Windsor Day Centre,
Imperial Road, Windsor, SL4 3RU from 10.30am – 12pm.
 
Telephone: 01628 683715
Email for self referrals - dementiacareadvisor@rbwm.gov.uk
or for NHS referrals email: dementia.careadvisor@nhs.net
Contact hours:
Monday – Friday 8.30am – 4.30pm
 
COMMENTS:
 
I have also just had this in from Barbara:

Hi
I received this today in my inbox. I have ignored, it but some people might not.  It might be useful, to let people know of this scam.  it’s definitely a new one on me and I receive all the usual ones you let us know about.

Keep up the good work.

Kindest regards

Barbara

The email came - supposedly - from the ‘Ministry of Justice’
It invited her to the law court and then gave a case number and a date.  It then adds that if she wants to see the case - as she has a right to do - she should click on the link below.
 
As I mentioned from Paul Hay’s presentation - 4 elements to all scam emails.
Unaddressed personally - it merely says - Your Subpoena
You have to do something - she had x number of days to respond
A suspicious link - definitely
A threat - If you don’t do this, the court will proceed without you.
 Classic SCAM.
 
DON’T DO IT !    JUST DELETE IT
 

There seems to have been a rumour that Smiles in Bourne End has closed. This is totally incorrect, it is up and running and very popular.

It was about 8.30am, police cars, ambulances .... a car tipped over.

RE MY CRIME INFORMATION SENT LAST WEEK.
 
I have had this from Peter our CCTV Guru:
 
Hi

typo alert!
 
The doorbell camera is HD quality not HDD (which means Hard Disk Drive) J
 
Regards
 
Peter
 
I just though HDD meant ‘best quality’ !!!
 
NEXT:  From Rodney:
 
Hi
 
Just a comment that there are several video doorbells available that do not require WiFi.
 
They are as simple to install, as a standard wired doorbell. They use a wire, to connect to a screen inside the home.
 
They record the video footage to a memory card. They obviously do not allow you to see package etc deliveries remotely on a mobile phone, but if you are home all day, as many vulnerable adults are, they do allow you to see and talk to callers, without opening the door to them.
 
Keep up the good work.
 
Thanks,
 
Rodney
 
Many thanks Rodney - we can cover everyone !
 
 
NEXT:  Another SEXTORTION case. This case was a woman talking to a scammer man online !
The woman was going through a divorce and was very low.  A man online took an interest in her, talking to to her frequently and paying a lot of attention.    He asked her to register an app - Kick me, which she did - so that they could talk privately !  The man was very persuasive and got her to take intimate photos, which she sent to him.  As soon as he had them, his attitude changed.  He said he knew where she worked and unless she did as he said, he would send them to her employer.
 
PLEASE, PLEASE - DO NOT TAKE, OR SEND, PHOTOS YOU WOULD NOT BE HAPPY FOR YOUR FAMILY TO SEE - YOU KNOW IT MAKES SENSE !!!
 
NEXT:  A young woman was chatting to a man on Instagram, when he asked her if she wanted to make £1,000.  She said yes and passed over all her bank details including her PIN number - later she found he had stolen £360 !!
 
DON’T LET IT BE YOU !!!!
 
CRIME
MAIDENHEAD CENTRAL:
maidenheadcentralnhpt@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk
12/10  Saturday midnight / 8.45 a.m.  King’s Grove.  The owner returned to find the car doors open.  THE CAR HAD BEEN ENTERED BY UNKNOWN MEANS.  Gym bag and wallet stolen.
 
RIVERSIDE & BELMONT:
NO CRIME TO REPORT.
 
MAIDENHEAD WEST
maidenheadwestnhpt@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk
BISHAM, COOKHAM, HURLEY, THE WALTHAMS, LITTLEWICK GREEN & KNOWL HILL:
11/10 - 12/10  Friday 6 p.m. / Saturday 9.50 a.m.  High Street, Hurley.  Engine stolen from a boat parked on a driveway.  On the 14th the witness phoned back to say a trolly, she believed to belong to the owner, had now also been removed.  The thieves had obviously brought it with them to remove the engine.
 
PINKNEYS GREEN & FURZE PLATT:
12/10  Saturday 11p.m.  Mallow Park.  Burglary.  The owners returned to see lights on in the house.  As soon as they drove up a kitchen light went off, so they immediately phoned the police.  The Police arrived almost immediately and entered the house.  There had been a very untidy search - jewellery stolen.
 
MAIDENHEAD SOUTH
maidenheadsouthnhpt@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk
BOYN HILL, COX GREEN & WOODLANDS PARK:
12/10  Saturday 9.30 p.m./ 10 p.m.. Cox Green Road.  Attempted Burglary.  Some of the family went out.  Others at home heard a noise and went to investigate, they found that someone has smashed the patio doors but made off when disturbed.  There was also damage around the lock.
12/10 - 13/10  Saturday 4 p.m. / Sunday 8 a.m.  Ross Road.  A witness reports that a neighbours flat has been broken into.  A window has been smashed - no further details at this time.
12/10 - 13/10 Saturday 9 p.m. / Sunday 8 30 a.m.  Priors Way.  Attempted burglary.  Front door handle knocked off and CCTV camera moved.  No entry gained.
12/10 - 13/10  Saturday 5 p.m. / Sunday 2.30 p.m.  Cox Green Road.  Burglary.    Rear garden gate forced to gain entry to rear garden.  Then entry via unlocked conservatory door.  Untidy search of entire house.  Cash stolen from a wallet - cards ignored, iPhone 6, 2 white shirts, a polo shirt and an epilator stolen.
11/10 Friday 7.30 a.m. / 4.15 p.m.  School, Highfield Lane.  Bike stolen from bike shed.  A black, Giant Boulder, mountain bike.
 
OLDFIELD, BRAY & HOLYPORT:
11/10 - 12/10  Friday 10 p.m. / Saturday 0.45 a.m.  Burglary.  Shoppenhangers Road.  The police were called by a witness, who reported what appeared to be an abandoned car.  When the arrived, they found a house insecure and an untidy search carried out inside.  The offenders had entered via a side garden gate, piled up garden furniture to climb onto a flat roof extension.  They have then reached in through a small transom window to open a a larger window and climbed inside.  Untidy search of the entire property.  Nothing reported as yet, but keys and 2 cars stolen.  1.  A silver, Mercedes A class index  RA ** ZNK.  2.  The second Mercedes was abandoned when it went out of control.  This has been recovered by the Police.
 
COMMENTS:
 
FIRST: SCAM EMAIL was in my TVP inbox twice !
 
It was not addressed to anyone, had no header and just gives a foreign name and says that I had been selected out of a list of potential beneficiaries to share in $5m - please respond if you are interested !
 
The email to reply looks Spanish
 
DON’T DO IT !
 
NEXT:  from Jayne.  She has received a text to say that ‘they’ were unable to process her last ‘bill ‘no details as to what it was for - to avoid fees ………click on the link to update all your billing information.
 
DON’T DO IT !
 
NEXT: from Ann:
 
Hi
 
I have had half a dozen similar emails, during the past two weeks, for different amounts, from different companies.  They say that I have ‘failed to make a payment’.  It goes on to say, that the payment may have been made, but is not yet showing.  It then gives a Link, to go to the Resolution Centre, to resolve any outstanding issues on the account.
 
I forwarded them to spoof@ PayPal.com which replied with thanks, telling me to check my PayPal account and delete the email. Nothing appears on my account, they are obviously phishing, but there is a risk that vulnerable people might click on them and reply, thus giving the spammers their details.
 
Ann
 
Thanks Ann
 
NEXT: from Pauline:
 
Hi
I believe the email below is a very elaborate scam. As you can see it has been sent to someone else and I have been copied into it.
 
I'm a retired teacher and have nothing to do with any sort of building works and know no one, by called ‘Steve Hill’, so I can't see that it was a simple mistake.  I'm presuming, they think I will open the PDF to find out what this is about and then whatever nefarious activity they are involved in, will kick in.
 
If you think that it is a scam perhaps you can warn all your subscribers.
 
Kind regards
 
Pauline
 
The email says that they have been trying to make contact, but the email is not addressed, it merely says - ‘hello’.  But for some reason emails have failed.  It then goes on to talk about wall insulation.
 
A copy of the survey is attached - presumably if you have not been involved, you may open the link to see the ‘Survey’.
 
DON’T DO IT !

Apparently this road has been closed due to an earlier accident. Not sure for how long.

Missing cat. Ziggy is sadly still missing, it has now been nearly 3 weeks and there has been no confirmed sighting since 7.20am at the bottom of Long Lane, Cookham near Copas Industrial on 25th September 19. At that time he usually would of been making his way back across Cannondown Road/Switchback Rd North, through Southwood Gardens across Maidenhead Rd home. He could be hiding in a warehouse/unit, stuck in a garden shed/garage, he may be injured but we do feel he is in this area...perhaps there is an empty house or you know someone who has been away. Please check if you can and see if you can find him in your garden. Thank you to everyone who has been looking out for him. We would appreciate any news. Thank you, Janet & Tony x

Has anyone lost a blue bin on Lower Road (near New Road)?
Been there unclaimed for over a week. Council will take away unless someone wants to claim it.

Electrical items left behind for yet another week! 

[How do you protect your home, if it will be dark before you get home.]

WE ARE ABOUT TO LAUNCH OUR WINTER BURGLARY CAMPAIGN.
 
We do this every year at this time, as the evenings get darker and clocks change, at the end of the month.
 
This really relates to houses left in darkness, before you get home from work or you go out.
 
How do you protect your home, if it will be dark before you get home.
Timers.  Please use these, on lights, to come on randomly around the house.  A single kitchen light left on, with a door left open, to allow a small glimmer of light, to show down a hallway - means you are out.
Leave a radio on, tuned into a talk radio station.  If an opportunist thief listens at the letterbox, they will hear voices.
Buy a ‘Fake TV’ from major online stores.  These are placed in an upstairs, front facing room, plugged in, turned on and left.  They have an on / off switch and two setting - summer / winter.  It has a dusk to dawn sensor and comes on in the summer for 4 hours, and when switched over to winter, comes on and stays on for 7 hours.  The lights are LEDs so it costs very little to run.
Think about a video doorbell.  These are brilliant, but you do need WiFi.  The coverage is brilliant, the camera is ultra-wide-angle, full HDD colour.  It activated like an external security light, every time the beam is broken, so you will get footage of your postman, dustman, foxes etc.  The mechanism sends live footage, directly to your mobile phone / computer and it is interactive.  There is a speaker and you can tell someone ‘to go away or get off your driveway’ !  If you do have footage, you can send it directly to the police.  We are having parcels stolen from front steps / porches and this is a really good way to prevent that.

External security lights - are essential.  Think about replacing one of them with a ‘Guard Cam’, again easily obtainable from online shopping sites.  They contain a hidden, wide angle, HDD, colour camera - and speaker.  The advantage of these over conventional CCTV, is that the video only records, when the beam is broken and the floodlights come on, so images are full, floodlit, HDD colour.  Traditional CCTV goes over to fuzzy grey when it gets dark and is not really very useful.  Opportunist thieves, are CCTV savvy and wear hoodys to cover their faces.  As they don’t know there is a camera in the security light, they often look up when the lights go on.  These range in price from a basic model, which contains a memory card, which needs to be removed to view and incident, to more expensive models, that send the footage to your computer / mobile phone.
Buy and fit a burglar alarm.  This is a 90% deterrent for our opportunist thieves.  Alarms are now zoned, fob activated and pet sensitive.  As they are all now wireless, technology has moved on and they are now relatively inexpensive.
 
We do not want you to live in a fortress, locked inside.  Please just be reasonable and take reasonable precautions - lock doors and windows at night, don’t leave keys in patio doors or rear doors where they can be seen through windows.  Cement down garden ornaments and don’t have loose bricks, rocks around that can be used to smash patio doors.
 
NEXT: SOME FRAUDS AND SCAMS TO BE AWARE OF:
 
RBWM Community warden, Clive Dent came to see me yesterday.  He had just visited a previous victim of a Courier Fraud, who had fallen victim a second time !  The first time it was a straightforward call from Hammersmith Police Station in January - and she lost £96,000 !
 
This time, it was a call from her bank to say there had been unusual expenditure on her account.  To protect the account could she give them all her bank details.  This she did and over three days, they transferred, £10,000 per day into other accounts.  For some reason the ‘banking protocol’ did not kick in.  Her usual expenditure was £300 per month to cover her expenses and in this instance, the scammers took £30,000 in three days.  Clive is working with the bank to get the money back, as the protocol should have caught this.  This is just a warning, that though it is a brilliant backstop to prevent these frauds, it doesn’t always work, so protecting people is the only real way to prevent this.  In this case, the victim was not vulnerable and was perfectly compos Mentis, the scammers pretending to be her bank, were just really good at what they do !
 
I was at a village NHW meeting in Hurley last night - standing room only.  Paul Hay my IT online Safety Guru, was there to do a presentation about online safety.  Afterwards, one of our members came up to me to say, the scammers had got into his bank account - again, he was really switched on, but the scammers, were so convincing, he had fallen for it.  They asked for all his bank security information, which he gave them.  Fortunately, the bulk of his money was in a savings account and they could not withdraw directly from it - but they did manage to transfer a large sum from that savings account, to the current account, in readiness for a transfer - fortunately, in that case, the protocol worked.  The aggrieved received a real call from the security department at his bank, asking if he had made the transfer.  He explained he knew nothing about it - so the money was saved.
 
The banks are doing their bit - they do not want their customers to be scammed - we must do our bit, to protect ourselves.
 
If you get a call from the police, bank or anyone else.  Thank them for the information, then either go into your bank - if you can, or get a real phone number - if it is a bank, it will be on the back of your card - not one the scammers give you - and call the bank yourself.
The main message from Paul’s presentation was - ‘YOU ARE IN CONTROL’
 
Scam emails usually have four components:
It has a generic address.  These are sent out to tens of thousands of people, they can rarely address them personally - so - dear customer / dear online banker etc.  Your bank . telephone supplier - whoever - knows who you are
They want you to do something - usually click on a link
There is a threat or implied threat and a short time limit - if you don’t do something, something terrible will happen - your account will be closed etc.
There is a link - ‘click here’.  The email may really look like a real Bank email, but they are really easy to copy.  The Link may say ‘Nat West Bank’, but if you run your cursor over the ‘hyperlink’, it will show you where it is really going.
Look at the top tool bar.  Real encrypted bank sites, will show a small padlock image and the address will not be http:, but will be https:, which shows the site is encrypted and genuine
 
PLEASE REMEMBER - NOTHING BAD WILL HAPPEN, IF YOU SIMPLY DELETE AN EMAIL.  Banks will still make contact with you by letter !
 
YOU ARE IN CONTROL.
 
If you get a strange phone call - don’t panic and react immediately.  The scammer will try to panic you.  Go and make a cup of tea and think about it !  Phone a friend or relative and ask if it sounds OK.
 
DON’T LET IT BE YOU !
 
CRIME
MAIDENHEAD CENTRAL:
maidenheadcentralnhpt@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk
NO CRIME TO REPORT.
 
RIVERSIDE & BELMONT:
9/10 - 10/10  Wednesday midnight / Thursday 9.35 a.m.  Boatyard, Ray Mead Road.  Car index plates stolen.
 
MAIDENHEAD WEST
maidenheadwestnhpt@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk
BISHAM, COOKHAM, HURLEY, THE WALTHAMS, LITTLEWICK GREEN & KNOWL HILL:
NO CRIME TO REPORT.
Brilliant meeting last night in Hurley - standing room only !  I talked about our Winter Burglary Campaign.  Paul Hay our NHW IT Guru, did a fantastic presentation about 'online safety' - some of his advice is above.  Many thanks to everyone who attended and Marion Armson, the NHW Area Co-ordinator, who organised it.  I hope everyone enjoyed it - I certainly did and learned a lot from Paul.
 
PINKNEYS GREEN & FURZE PLATT:
NO CRIME TO REPORT.
 
MAIDENHEAD SOUTH
maidenheadsouthnhpt@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk
BOYN HILL, COX GREEN & WOODLANDS PARK:
10/10  Thursday 12.30 p.m. / 1.30 p.m.  Boyn Valley Road.  Vanette cargo lorry index V8 ** GAN stolen outside a house.  It is believed it was put on the back of a flatbed truck and driven away !
 
OLDFIELD, BRAY & HOLYPORT:
NO CRIME TO REPORT.