GOVERNMENT ACTS ON PET DISCRIMINATION

CHANGES to government guidelines will make it easier for tenants with well-behaved pets to find rented accommodation. Under the new Model Tenancy Agreement, landlords will no longer be able to issue blanket bans on pets. Instead, consent for pets will be the default position and landlords will have to object in writing within 28 days of a written pet request from a tenant and provide a good reason. The housing ministry says that just 7% of private landlords advertise pet friendly properties, meaning in some cases people have had to give up their beloved pets in order to find somewhere to live. To ensure landlords are protected, tenants will continue to have a legal duty to repair or cover the cost of any damage to the property. Long Eaton-based charity AdvoCATS has welcomed the announcement of the new Model Tenant Agreement, describing it as “a huge step forward for responsible renters who struggle to find accommodation that will accept them and their pets”.

 “The focus of the agreement is on demonstrating responsible pet ownership, which is at the very core of the AdvoCATS message,” explained Jennifer Berezai, who co- founded the charity in May 2018. We offer a free support and advice service to landlords and tenants where a tenant wants to bring a pet into a rented property. Providing some background information for a landlord to consider - our own tenant check, vet reference, pet assessment for example - can be enough to allay their concerns and allow them to make an informed decision as to whether to allow that pet in their property. AdvoCATS has helped many, many people since we began in 2018, and has gained support from Cats Protection, Battersea Dog and Cats Home, RSPCA, NRLA, ARLA Propertymark, EMH Homes and Nottingham City Homes to name but a few.”

The charity’s work has been included and commended in a parliamentary report into pets alleviating loneliness, and also been featured in the Your Cat and Cat World magazines.  Added Jennifer: “It's important to realise that the new Agreement isn't enforceable by law - for this to change we've been working with Romford MP Andrew Rosindell and his #JasminesLaw campaign, which seeks to ban blanket “No pets” clauses in rental home agreements. AdvoCATS requests readers to add their voice to this campaign by signing the petition and/or using the mail generator to send a letter to their MP for support:

 Petition: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/566355  Letter: https://paaw.house/campaigns/

 “It isn’t right that only a tiny fraction of landlords advertise pet-friendly properties and, in some cases, people have had to give up their beloved pets in order to find somewhere to live,” said the Housing Minister Chris Pincher, announcing the changes last Thursday.

Cat owners or landlords seeking to resolve an issue with a pet in a rental property can contact AdvoCATSeastmids

at advocatsem@gmail.com or visit the website at www.advocatseastmids.org.uk for further information.

IMAGE RELEASED AFTER SANDIACRE ROBBERY

Officers who are investigating a robbery at a Sandiacre convenience store, have issued an image of a man they would like to speak to in connection with the incident. The incident happened at around 6.40am on 17th December when a man entered the store in Stanton Road and threatened the shop assistant before leaving with a quantity of cigarettes. He is described as around 5ft 6ins tall, of slim build and was wearing all black clothing. Since that time officers have been following several lines of enquiry, but are now looking to the public to help them identify the person pictured.

Detective Constable Matthew Ward, said, “We appreciate that this is not the clearest image and that the person’s face is not visible, however we do believe that someone may recognise the clothing as belonging to someone they know. The jacket and jogging bottoms are North Face branded and the logo can just about be seen in this image. Does someone you know own similar clothing and have a similar build? Were they in the Sandiacre area around this time? If you have any information which could assist with our enquiries, please contact me via the details below.”

·         Facebook – send us a private message to /DerbyshireConstabulary

·         Twitter – direct message our contact centre on @DerPolContact

·        Website – complete the online contact form www.derbyshire.police.uk/Contact-Us.

·         Phone – call us on 101.

You can also anonymously contact the independent charity Crimestoppers, on 0800 555 111 or by visiting www.crimestoppers-uk.org.

WHERES LULU

Where is she? Well Lulu is still nowhere, I am thinking of renaming the column, Theres Lulu, still in her pyjamas and counting beans out of boredom, it’s not quite as catchy but quite true.

Fabulous news has surfaced about a brand new micro pub opening up at the old Rowell’s on the High Street. The former haberdashery still has branches in Eastwood and Stapleford but the Long Eaton store closed in June 2019, after over 100 years trading at the site, due to the owner Bob Marshall wanting to retire, he was the third generation of his family starting with his great Uncle in 1913 to run the shop which opened previously as Derby Drapery. The little Aladdin’s cave was full of useful trinkets, curtains and clothing, as I heard it put before ‘if ya can’t find it head to Rowell’s’.

The blow to the oldest store in the town came after Swann Menswear also sold up in 2019 after 111 years trading; formerly at High Road then the Market Place since 1981 the two shops are a sad passing of the town’s history. The three floor menswear shop is now a convenience store and Rowell’s is set to be a micro pub after a £50,000 makeover, however the shop is said to need it as cupboards have been eaten by damp and the property needs bringing up to modern standards.

The property is now owned by Martin Edwards and a partner, and to be run by his son Tyrell, of course all work is underway but the actual opening date is going to be whenever the lockdown and tier systems allow he quoted to a local news source it may be June.

I am happy that they are keeping the two long counters, with dating back to 1879 the counter is heaped in history, it was actually in the first Rowell’s shop which opened in Bath Street Ilkeston in 1865 and quickly became a staple shop in every Derbyshire town. The original store was a drapers shop and burnt down, the Field family who ran the shop, had two daughters who married into the Rowell’s family and it is from here the brand was born.

I never actually thought I would see the day the shop was sold, its lay out always reminded me very fondly of the Two Ronnie’s sketch, Four Candles, and as a teenager I would always giggle at the sign ‘Visit Rowell’s rug passage’, immature but everyone needs a giggle.

The building no doubt needs plenty of work, rewiring and the windows have been broken numerous times over the years, the news that it is to be used and not sit empty is welcome I hope they preserve the shops past with a name that hints at its history, I suggest Bobbins, the name has been used before for Corner Pin I believe..

Social media news sites quoted Tyrell of saying "We want it to be a hub for the community. We were talking about putting things on for elderly people in the week such as a bingo session or an old film. I hate the thought of people being lonely. I want to be open for everyone. We'd like to have live music as well."

Without the masses of towels and undergarments hanging everywhere the shop is actually quite large with 128 sq metres floor space plenty of room for seating and live music, I cannot wait to see the finished micro pub and am looking forward to giving a full report as soon as we are able to.

That’s all for this issue, stay safe, stay home and don’t get too bored!! 

 

MAN CHARGED WITH STAPLEFORD MURDER

A man was formally charged on January 25th in connection with a fatal stabbing of a teenage boy on Boxing Day. Jake Rollinson, of Hickings Lane, Stapleford, appeared at Nottingham Crown Court and has now been charged with murder. The 20-year-old has also been charged with perverting the course of justice and was remanded in custody. Joe Whitchurch, 16, suffered fatal stab wounds at an address in Hickings Lane, Stapleford, shortly before 5.30am on Saturday 26th December. Lorna Richardson, 25, of Blake Road, Stapleford, also appeared in court charged with perverting the course of justice and has been granted conditional bail. Both Rollinson and Richardson denied the charges and are due to appear in court on Friday 12th March 2021. Detective Inspector Steve Wragg, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “We now have a formal murder charge after this was upgraded from attempted murder. Since Boxing Day, Detectives have been working hard to understand the events that led to Joe’s death, and the investigation continues.”

LONG EATON MAN JAILED FOR SEX OFFENCES

Long Eaton man has been jailed for committing a catalogue of sexual offences against young girls. Ryan Chadwick, of College Street, appeared at Nottingham Crown Court on 21st January and was handed a 16-year prison term for committing offences against three girls.

At a prior hearing the 23-year-old had pleaded guilty to several counts of assault by penetration and sexual activity with a child, two counts of inciting a child into sexual activity, two counts of attempted rape of a child, and paying for the sexual services of a child.

The court heard how Chadwick began speaking to a young teenager on Snapchat in February 2020 and offered her money for sex. He then met up with the girl and had sex with her on two occasions.

In May 2020 he sexually assaulted another girl under the age of 13, and twice attempted to rape her.

Shortly after this he had sex with a third, underage girl on two occasions.

The offences took place in Long Eaton.

As well as the jail term, of which he must serve a minimum of two thirds, Chadwick was also handed an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order. This prohibits him from having any contact with any girl under the age of 16, amongst other conditions.

He was ordered to sign the sex offender register for life and has been banned from ever working with children.

Detective Constable Claire McKeown, who lead the investigation said:

“I cannot give praise enough to the three girls in this case, who came forward and bravely spoke about their individual ordeals at the hands of Chadwick.

“This sentencing reflects the seriousness of Chadwick’s crimes, for which he showed no remorse, and I am hopeful that it will give some closure to each of the girls whose lives have been turned upside down as a result.

“My message to anyone reading this who may have also suffered sexual assault or abuse, whether now or in the past, is please speak to someone. There is help available, whether you wish to involve the police or not.

“If you do feel able to contact us, we will always listen, investigate and support you through the process.”

If you have been affected by a similar crime, whether recent or non-recent, and would like some support you can contact SV2 – a Derbyshire based organisation who support victims of sexual violence.

Online www.sv2.org.uk or via their advice line 01773 746 115 (open 7 days a week 8am – 5pm).

You can contact Sv2 regardless of whether you wish to report an incident to police.

If you do wish to report something to us, you can do so via the following contact methods.

·         Facebook – send us a private message to /DerbyshireConstabulary

·         Twitter – direct message our contact centre on @DerPolContact

·         Website – complete the online contact form www.derbyshire.police.uk/Contact-Us.

·         Phone – call us on 101.

You can also anonymously contact the independent charity Crimestoppers, on 0800 555 111 or by visiting www.crimestoppers-uk.org.

GARDEN WASTE COLLECTIONS

Garden waste collections are to resume in the borough soon meaning that brown bins can no longer be used for dry mixed recycling. In Ilkeston and the north of the borough garden waste collections resume the week of February 22nd and, in Long Eaton and the south of the borough collections start again the week of Monday March 1st. Brown bins can be used for dry recycling – paper, glass, cardboard, tins and plastic - in Ilkeston areas for the last time the week of February 8 and in Long Eaton areas the week of February 15th. Dry mixed recycling can then only be put in blue bins, brown bins with a blue lid and green bags.

Councillor Garry Hickton, Lead Member for Environment at Erewash Borough Council, said:

“Every year residents can use their brown bins for dry recycling during the winter months. We would like to remind people that this is due to come to an end shortly and they can once again start using their brown bins for garden waste.”

More information on refuse and recycling collections can be found at erewash.gov.uk  

COMPENSATION FOR NIGHTCLUBBER

The victim of an attack at a Long Eaton nightclub has been awarded £250 compensation. Nottingham Crown Court heard he was left with a black eye, swelling to his eyelid and needed two weeks off work. Ryan Burton the man who attacked him was ordered to pay the £250 compensation over the attack which took place at Manhattans on Saturday, April 20th, 2018. Burton had pushed in front of the victim and his friends and was asked to go to the back of the line, words were exchanged and Burton Burton punched him in the face. CCTV footage showed the two had to be separated by door staff. Later Burton punched him in the face again and he was taken to Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham. Burton was picked out from an indentification parade by a member of the door staff. Judge Stuart Rafferty QC sentenced Burton to a two-year community order.

EREWASH ARE NOW IN THE TOP 5 AREAS WHERE CORONAVIRUS IS RISING FASTEST

The latest list of coronavirus rates for each part of the country shows that in the West Midlands Redditch tops the list, up from 615 to 686. Erewash has moved into second place with 456 cases per 100,000 people. The figures, for the seven days to January 16th, are based on tests carried out in laboratories and in the wider community. The rate is expressed as the number of new cases per 100,000 people.

The 5 areas with the biggest week-on-week rise in rates are:
1. Redditch (up from 615.8 to 686.1)
2. Erewash (417.8 to 456.8)
3. Malvern Hills (302.4 to 340.5)
4. Preston (460.4 to 497.4)
5. Somerset West & Taunton (368.1 to 404.2)

The most recent four days data, January 17th-20th, has been excluded as it is incomplete and does not reflect the true number of cases. Of the 315 local areas in England 17 have seen a rise in cases 296 have seen a fall and two are unchanged. PA news agency based on Public Health England data published the list on January 20th on the Government's coronavirus dashboard.

STOLEN CAR CRASHES

A car that crashed into a garden fence on Windermere Road in Long Eaton had been stolen from Wirksworth around 25miles away. Police say the Range Rover Evoke was reported stolen from the Derbyshire Dales town just before 8.20pm on Sunday, January 10th. Officers signalled to the driver to pull over in Long Eaton just after 9.45pm. The 37 year old driver was remanded overnight and charged with: Handling stolen goods, dangerous driving, driving without insurance and driving whilst disqualified.

Police would like to hear from anyone who may have any dashcam or CCTV footage of the incident or shortly before the vehicle collided. Anyone with any information should contact Derbyshire police by calling 101, quoting reference number 21*16515 in any correspondence. You can also contact the police via their social media channels or by calling Crimestoppers, which is an anonymous service, on 0800 555111.

TWO BOYS SENTENCED AFTER STABBING

Two 15 year old boys, both 15, have been sentenced after a 14-year-old victim was stabbed at a bus stop on Tamworth Road, Sawley, on 11th November. Derby Crown Court heard the boy collapsed on a bus after trying to escape his attackers. His injuries included a lacerated liver and collapsed lung and he has since been discharged from hospital. On the afternoon of the stabbing, the victim was approached by a group of four boys, in total he was stabbed three times. Only two of his attackers were ever identified, both of whom pleaded guilty to grievous bodily harm and having an offensive weapon. They were sentenced to two-and-a-half years each in a juvenile facility. They cannot be identified for legal reasons.

FLOOD WARNING

Following snowfall and heavy rain a flood alert has been issued for the River Derwent and River Erewash. The following warnings were put in place on Friday, January 15th. Lower Derwent in Derbyshire (Church Wilne, Draycot, Sawley) and the River Erewash in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire (Pinxton, Langley Mill, Ilkeston, Sandiacre, Stapleford). People are being warned to avoid walking on low-lying paths close to affected waterways.

A52 CRASH

Police were called out after a car crashed into the central reservation on the A52 at Stapleford. The driver suffered a head injury which was not thought to be life-threatening. The incident occurred around 8.40am near the M1 roundabout on Thursday January 14th. One lane was closed with the other running as usual. Fire crews from Long Eaton and Stapleford  were called to the scene, paramedics were also in attendance.

£500 GRANT

 

Erewash Borough Councillors provide £500 grant for University of the Third Age

Councillor Kewal Singh Athwal and his fellow Wilsthorpe Borough Councillors, Chris Corbett and Michael Powell, have arranged for the Council to give a grant of £500 to the Long Eaton and District U3A which has been used to purchase a new laptop. This will be used to assist with the training of interested Group leaders and members on their new computer system.

U3A Chairman David Barradell said;

"He was delighted to receive these grant funds of £500, adding that the laptop will be a great help to the organisation in bringing everyone up to speed with the new procedures"

Meetings of the U3A are currently curtailed due to the Covid-19 restrictions but if anyone wants to know more about the  local U3A, and how they can join, full details are given on their website, https://u3asites.org.uk/long-eaton/home

BUSINESS SUPPORT CONTINUES

Money to support small businesses across Erewash continues to be rolled out, with the borough council now also working to issue the government’s latest one-off national lockdown grants.

Automatic payments will be made as quickly as possible to the retail, hospitality and leisure sector businesses, with the amounts varying depending on rateable value. Well over £1m of grants have already been paid out to help hundreds of businesses in Erewash affected by Tier restrictions over the last few months. Councillor Wayne Major, Erewash Borough Council’s Deputy Leader and Lead Member for Resources, says:

“The latest Tier 4 and national lockdown grants will be made as swiftly as possible as we continue to offer help and support to our business community. These remain tough and challenging times, but we are doing all we can to keep everyone up-to-date with the support on offer.”

Since the start of the pandemic last March, millions of pounds of support has gone out to help small businesses in the borough – over £23m in total. Details of all the covid grants can be found at www.erewash.gov.uk and businesses are advised to register for a My Erewash business account at the website where full details of the grants’ criteria and online application forms are available.

ATTEMPTED BUGLARY IN BREASTON

Police have released an image of a person we want to speak to in connection with a possible attempted burglary at a home in Breaston.

Windows were damaged at the property on Willoughby Close between 8pm and 9pm on Tuesday 12th December.

Officers have been making inquiries and have now released these images in the hope someone will recognise the man in the picture.

If you recognise him, or noticed anything suspicious around the time of the picture, please contact us using the below methods.

Please quote reference 20*658175, and the name of the officer in the case, PC John Revill, in any correspondence.

·         Facebook– send us a private message to /DerbyshireConstabulary

·         Twitter– direct message our contact centre on @DerPolContact

·         Website– complete the online contact form derbyshire.police.uk/Contact-Us.

·         Phone – call us on 101.

You can also anonymously contact the independent charity Crimestoppers, on 0800 555 111 or by visiting www.crimestoppers-uk.org.