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RESIDENTS and businesses have been urged to be vigilant following reports of two potential phone scams.

Staffordshire Police has issued the warning after two residents in the south of the county were contacted by someone claiming they were from the DVLA.

The caller asked for personal details in connection with alleged speeding offences.

Ian Fegan, Staffordshire Police Corporate Communications Manager said: "Our general advice is tell them you don't buy from cold-callers.

Anyone with concerns about a person claiming to be from the police should call 0300 123 4455.  

My letter printed in Lichfield Mercury 27-09-08

I WRITE as a local member of the Popular Alliance, a political party whose polices are based solely upon factual economics.

I have no links to the local group Fradley Against Curborough Town (FACT) apart from having signed its petition and praised its work.

Referring directly to our Government's own figures, I believe that opposition to the Curborough new town is only scratching the surface of far wider problem right across our country, of out of control immigration and high birthrates among many immigrant communities, while the indigenous British have their lowest birthrate for decades.

There would be no need for another 10 cities the size of Birmingham to be built over the next 20 years, of which Curborough is lined up to house 90,000, were this nation's borders professionally maintained by a responsible government in charge of its destiny.

Surely the reported national benefit of 67p per working immigrant, per month (again – Government figures) is not worth cramming our homeland so irresponsibly and vastly overwhelming our infrastructure, built from our own hard earned taxes over many years?

I make no racial slur here, I simply assess the reality.

Craig Chapman, Burton on Trent.

ALEX KELLER

Lichfield District Council has complained about a controversial Government advert promoting the proposed eco-town near Fradley.

Council director Richard King has lodged a complaint with the Advertising Standards Authority over the ad from the Department of Communities and Local Government.Mr King is claiming the £1,250 advertisement in local media 'provides misleading information'.

"It is claimed that the proposed site for an eco-town at Curborough is brownfield - previously developed land. The site in fact comprises substantially of greenfield, previously undeveloped," he said.

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Post office future 'not under threat' by KEITH BULL, Burton Mail   A POSTMASTER has moved quickly to quash speculation that his post office could be earmarked for closure. Rumours have been circulating in Stretton that its well-used post office, in Main Street, could be another outlet under threat. However, postmaster John Randle says he is 'reasonably confident' that the facility will remain open. The rumours have come after it was revealed that another 2,000 post offices in the Birmingham and district area could be closed. Residents have speculated that Stretton could be a candidate. Fuel was added to the fire after the branch sent letters to customers announcing that its credit card account could be under threat. The Government has decided to ditch the account nationwide in 2010. Its replacement, to be announced soon, could be run by private firms outside the post office network. The card account is very popular, particularly with elderly customers, for collecting benefits, such as the state pension. Customers at the Stretton branch are being asked whether they would like the card account retained at the post office. Dozens of letters of support have already been passed onto Burton MP Janet Dean. Mr Randle, 79, who has been a postmaster for 39 years, said: "I've had a letter from Post Office Ltd and as far as they are aware there is no likelihood of Stretton Post Office being closed. "Obviously, I can't say categorically they won't do that, but it is unlikely we will be affected, especially as we have just had a free ATM fitted. "I am reasonably confident about it. "The credit card account is under threat and I want to save it. The Government will choose a successor soon, and I want to carry it on at the post office. "I think a lot of other people do too. It will be nice when we get confirmation." Mr Randle, whose son Roger is manager at the post office, says the outlet is as busy as it has ever been and very popular in the village. Community leaders are urging residents to back the post office. Frank Bather, who represents Stretton on East Staffordshire Borough Council, said: "There have been a lot of rumours but it is a flourishing business which provides a fantastic service for the village. "All of the staff are very good, and are exactly what you would want in a rural environment. We should all offer our support to this business." A consultation period recently ended on whether Stapenhill Post Office, in St Peter's Street, and Burton's High Street branch, should close.

MOSQUE TRIAL GUILTY VERDICT

by ADRIAN JENKINS - Burton Mail

ONE of two remaining defendants in the Burton Central Mosque brawl trial has been convicted of affray.

 Self-employed builder Mohammed Arif, of Branston Road, Burton, was found guilty by the Birmingham Crown Court jury yesterday after more than five-and-a-half hours of deliberations.

The panel confirmed the prosecution charge that the 54-year-old had thrown the punch which sparked the near-riot involving 150 worshippers in Uxbridge Street on April 9 last year.

However, the six men and five women were unable to reach a verdict on a charge of violent disorder against suspended police officer Tariq Hussain, 40, of Anglesey Road, Burton, and will resume their deliberations after the weekend.

Arif showed no emotion when he learned of his fate at 11.17am - 67 minutes after the jurors were asked to begin day 24 of the trial by continuing their discussions.

Judge John Maxwell then released the offender on bail after telling him he would learn his fate in June at Stafford Crown Court following the completion of pre-sentence reports.

However, the judge made it clear that he may punish Arif with an order to carry out unpaid work, adding: "I think I can give him the reassurance that he is not looking at a prison sentence."
 

 

WEAPONS AMNESTY TAKES TO QUIET VILLAGE STREETS

ALEX KELLER - 24 April 2008

Villagers are being urged to hand in their air weapons, BB and imitation guns when a mobile police station visits Alrewas and Fradley.

The mobile station is going to be in Main Street, Alrewas from around 10am on Saturday, April 26.Later in the day, police will be staffing the station when it moves to Fradley Community Centre between 1.30-4pm.

Officers including PC Lesley Kimberley and PCSO David Ramm will be on hand to receive any air weapons and offer advice on any local concerns.

FRADLEY / CURBOROUGH ECO TOWN

The 2 peaceful villages of Fradley & Curborough, just north of Lichfield in Staffordshire have been earmarked to form a new ECO Town with accomodation for up to 25,000 new residents (5,000 new homes).

The Fradley aerodrome seems to be the main area for new homes and a few years back a number of 3 storey town houses were built in a rather "nowhere" manner, neither in Fradley village or anywhere else, besides having enormous warehouses overlooking some of the back gardens. Perhaps the devlopers at the time were privvy to this plan ? 

News items in the Lichfield Mercury have suggested that the ECO Town will reach to within 1 mile of Lichfield. The proposed 25,000 population will equal that of the Burntwood/Chasetown connurbation to the west of Lichfield which causes absolute chaos every working day, with minor roads barely able to cope with the volume of traffic. No doubt north east Lichfield will suffer likewise if this plan goes ahead. 

Fradley has 1 school built to handle the capacity of the original small village and outlying farms. Lichfield has 3 secondary schools, all bursting at the seams already. Lichfield dentists are already closed to new users. Parking in Lichfield is already chaotic. Lichfield has a small re-developed hospice/health centre. Trent Valley Police already try to cover Burton on Trent areas from Cannock, this simply adds to the problem. Just what sort of ECO are we talking about here ?

So Popular Alliance ask, just where are they going fit all these new people ? Are these houses to offer an escape to working white families in Birmingham & Walsall areas, being forced out of their neighbourhoods by endless, out of control immigration, needlessly bringing yet more and more Africans, Asians and Eastern Europeans to our cities ?

Even the House of Lords has decreed that this practice is creating such a strain on our services, that any benefit the economy might receive on the work front, is doubly swlaloed up by the strain on services, healthcare, schooling, housing, welfare, multi-cultural problems and policing. This is not a racial matter, its a "we're already full" matter.

If the indiginous British population is decreasing and droves are emigrating, sick of the state of our country, then this can be the only answer to why this new housing is needed.

Mr Brown and Mr Darrrrrling will be looking to create a bigger house moving market, to create more tax to waste on needless intiatives that they keep stirring up. What a couple of prize idiots !!!

Popular Alliance welcome the views views of local people who are terrified just what this might bring to their previously peaceful lives. Please email C.Chapman@popularalliance.org, we'll do all we can to publicise this matter and we are not afraid to "say it like it needs to be said."

 

 

Poor families in Budget booster

By Sarah Marshall, Staffordshire Newsletter

EXTRA benefits will be handed to families on low incomes and schools will get extra cash but Stafford 's prospective Tory candidate predicts difficult times ahead in the wake of yesterday's budget.

Chancellor Alistair Darling delivered his first budget in Parliament yesterday and announced a number of changes.

They include big increases in tax on high-polluting cars, although a 2p rise in fuel duty has been delayed until October.

There will be an extra 4p on a pint of beer, 14p on a bottle of wine and 55p on a bottle of spirits, with an extra 11p on cigarettes.

From October 2009 rules for housing and council tax benefit will mean families on benefits will be better off in work and from April 2009 child benefit will be increased to £20 per week.

Winter fuel allowance will go up from £200 to £250 for the over 60s and £300 to £400 for the over 80s. There will also be £200 million extra for schools to raise GCSE results, with £30 million towards science.

Patricia Evans-Nixon, of Stafford and Stone Citizens Advice Bureau, said extra benefits for families would be welcomed and she urged any families who were unsure how they would be affected to get in touch.

"Any change in circumstances can be worrying for families but we would urge them to contact us," she said.

"We can do a quick benefit check to ensure people have their maximum entitlement. Quite a lot of benefits aren't currently taken up, particularly Working Families Tax Credit for people who don't realise they are entitled to it. We are very keen to see people maximise their incomes."

But Jeremy Lefroy, prospective parliamentary candidate for the Conservative party, said he was concerned about capital gains tax changes due to come in which will affect small businesses.

"I think it could be discouraging for businesses. In fact, overall I don't think there is anything in this budget that will particularly bring cheer, largely because of the state of the economy.

"The winter fuel, benefits for low income families, education and plans to eradicate child poverty are to be welcomed but I think we are facing some difficult times ahead."
 

 

JUDGE'S FEAR AFTER VERDICT

Surprise at acquittal of gun raid accused - Burton Mail

A JUDGE has told a jury who found a habitual car thief not guilty of armed robbery that he hopes "somebody else doesn't find themselves on the other end of a gun from him in the future."

Robert Court was charged with taking part in the raid on the Tesco Express store in Common Road, Church Gresley, on May 10 last year.

But after more then seven hours of delibrations at Derby Crown Court, the jury found the 19 year old, from the Birmingham area, not guilty by a majority verdict.

Court had admitted stealing a silver Mini convertible a week before the Church Gresley raid as part of a house burglary in the Birmingham area.

But the repeat offender told the court that he had merely supplied the car to the criminal gang and had played no part in the raid.

Court also said that the gang leader - who he had earlier refused to name "because he would be killed by him" - had taken his mobile phone to use in the robbery and had not returned it until later that day.

Court's co-accused in the Church Gresley raid, Corey Gaskin, 23, also from Birmingham, was found guilty of the May 10 robbery and of an earlier raid at the Tesco supermarket on St Peter's Bridge in February of last year.

Gaskin was also found guilty of two counts possessing an immitation firearm with intent in both raids.

But he was found not guilty on a third robbery, also at a Tesco Express store, in Lichfield in January.

Moments after the jury returned the not guilty decision for Court, Judge Andrew Hamilton said: " I only hope that he is rearrested for the burgarly; he is a very fortunate young man.

"I only hope that somebody else does not find themself on the other end of a gun from him.

"He can be discharged but I hope that he is rearrested immediately," Speaking about Gaskin, who was found guilty unamiously earlier in the day, Judge Hamilton said: "He has been found gullty of very serious firearms offences and a substantial prison sentence awaits him."

Gaskin was remanded into custody until March 7 for pre-sentence reports to be drawn up.

Gaskin was arrested after police found CCTV footage of his blue Chevrolet people carrier in Church Gresley the day before the raid and travelling between Birmingham and the village and back on the day of the robbery.

Motorway cameras also recorded the vehicle as it travelled to and from Burton on the day of the Tesco supermarket raid on February 11 last year.

Two mobile phones which belonged to Gaskin were also tracked by police, confirming that they had both been used in the Church Gresley and Burton areas on the day of the raids.

But the Crohn's disease sufferer, who had no previous convictions, said that he had lent the car to a friend on the date of both raids and that he was not in possession of either phone when the robberies occured.

Court earlier told the jury that he had recieved a call out of the blue from a notorious Birmingham-based gangster asking if he could sell him the stolen Mini.

A price of £1,500 was agreed for the vehicle and Court said that he drove it to Tamworth the following day where it was collected by the gang.

He was then forced to wait more then six hours at the home of an accomplice 'playing on a PlayStation' before the gang returned with his cash for the car and his phone, which they had taken from him before they left Tamworth for the Church Gresley raid, the court heard.
 

 

OVER 700 VACANT HOMES IN TOWN, CLAIMS AMINGTON MAN

Gemma Toulson - Tamworth Herald

More than 700 properties are currently lying vacant in the Tamworth area, according to a local planning enthusiast.

Amington resident Ken Forest, a former chairman of Tamworth Civic Society, says the number of vacant properties has been slowly increasing in recent times.