Can anyone recommend someone to do this
Many thanks
Lyn

From 23rd March, the price of first class stamps will increase by 6p to 76p and second class stamps will increase by 4p to 65p.

Any recommendation gratefully received

Thank you

Lyn

Can anyone recommend a good carpet cleaning company in the Waterlooville area? Plenty on the internet but it's always good to get one recommended. Thanks

Has anyone used one of the companies that claims to remove the condensation in between the sheets of glass on a double glazed window? And, if so, did it work and is there a company you would recommend? Thank you. Adele

Received from Neighbourhood Alert


https://www.surveygizmo.eu/s3/90204869/Policing-Budget-2020-21

Police and Crime Commissioner, Michael Lane, is urging residents to ensure they have their say on the level of contribution they are willing to make towards the cost of local policing.

The Government has today announced that Police and Crime Commissioner’s will be given the flexibility to increase the policing precept by £10 per Band D household per year to help meet the current challenges policing faces.

Michael Lane said “It is good news that the Minister has recognised the continued need for flexibility in the local tax precept setting powers that Police and Crime Commissioners have.

“An increase in the policing precept this year will enable Hampshire Constabulary to maintain its current level of police officers and build on this with additional recruitment. Despite the investments being made nationally, without an increase in the policing element of the council tax police officer numbers could still reduce. It is therefore more important than ever that I hear from council tax payers share their views about the level of contribution they would be willing to make through my precept survey.”

“As a result of the public’s support for an increase in policing element of the council tax last year, I am pleased to confirm that 210 additional police officers and 65 police investigators were recruited into Hampshire Constabulary and they are now working to keep you safer in your local communities. This places Hampshire Constabulary in a good position to build upon.”

“I continue to believe that a nationally fairer funder formula is the most appropriate way for the long term future of policing funding. I know that there are pressures on government, but I will continue to fight for this.”

The settlement recognises the challenges faced by today’s policing of increasing demands, greater complexity and changes in criminal activity.

If an increase in local council tax precept of 803 pence (83p) per month or £10 per year for a Band D property is supported it will help to keep communities safer and will,
• ensure the recruitment of new officers to maintain the current level of policing
• enable Hampshire Constabulary to access the national funding to recruit an additional 156 police officers

This funding will:
• Allow police officers to spend more time in local communities to prevent and investigate crime as it happens
• Provide equipment and training to make police officers even more effective
• Fund additional police staff in contact centres so that emergency and non-emergency calls are answered more effectively

With 61% of council tax payers in the Hampshire Constabulary policing area residing in properties that are Band A-C the majority of people will see an increase of less than £10 a year.

Proposed contribution to policing in council tax bands for 2020/21

Band A £140.97
Band B £164.47
Band C £187.96
Band D £211.46
Band E £258.45
Band F £305.44
Band G £352.43
Band H £422.92

I wonder if anyone has any fair sized cardboard boxes they could lend me for a week or two. I am having some work done at home and need to remove all the "stuff" on shelves and in bookcases while it is going on. (Obviously they don't actually have to be cardboard, just anything suitable). I tried posting on Freegle but couldn't remember how to do it! Thanks in advance.
Adele

I was told today that Asda will close their fish counters in all branches in the middle of February.
That probably only leaves Sainsbury’s or Waitrose in Waterlooville.

Hampshire County Council is asking people who live, work and study in Hampshire to have their say on proposed changes to library services.

The Council is facing an anticipated budget shortfall of £80 million by April 2021 and anticipates that changes to library services could save £1.76 million.

A 10-week public consultation opened on 9 January 2020 asking for views on:
• the emerging vision for Hampshire’s libraries to 2025;
• the level of need for library services in specific local communities;
• proposed changes to library services and the potential impacts; and any alternatives that respondents may wish to propose.

Options include:
• Closing up to 10 libraries, and reducing opening hours in others.
• Independent community-managed libraries.

Drop-in sessions at libraries are listed on the website.

More information and Response Form here.

https://www.hants.gov.uk/aboutthecouncil/haveyoursay/consultations/library-consultation?sap-outbound-id=8AD30F8F8DB5E702AF7BE59511BEB523768E6632&utm_source=SAPHybris&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=705&utm_term=Libraries%20Spydus___Have%20your%20say%20banner%20link&utm_content=EN

I may have missed it but I did not know this until a friend shared on Facebook. It appears that in 2020 (not sure when) there will be barriers at the entrance which will only rise if you have registered your vehicle. It's very easy to do - took a minute or 2, but I think could have been a lot better advertised. Here is the website
https://www.hants.gov.uk/wasteandrecycling/recyclingcentres/vehicle-registration/register

Another warning received from Neighbourhood Alert this afternoon.

Scam Messages - Beware of text, emails and Social Media messages purporting to be from Argos. The message will be asking you to click on a link which will take you to a website controlled by criminals to steal your personal and financial information.

If in doubt do a web search for Argos, and look on the official website for the gift card offer. Do not use the link within the message.

Message Sent By
James Adnitt (Police, Cyber Protect Officer, Hampshire)

Received from Neighbourhood Alert this afternoon.

We are appealing for information after an elderly couple fell victim to a fraud in Waterlooville.

Between noon and 12.30pm on Saturday 23 November, a man pretending to be from a well-known drainage company visited the couple at their home in Corbett Road.

He said there had been a drain blockage further down the road. On checking their drain, he informed them it was fine and they were entitled to a refund due to the inconvenience caused.

The man said the money could be paid straight into their account and asked for their bank card. This was placed into a card reader and they gave the man their PIN when requested.

It was not until the couple attended their bank on Monday 25 November that they were informed their account had been emptied.

For further info: https://www.hampshire.police.uk/news/hampshire/news/appeals/2019/november/appeal-after-scam-in-waterlooville/
Message Sent By
Phil Rogers (Police, Corporate Communications Officer, Hampshire Corporate Communications)

A variation on the same theme, also received today from Neighbourhood Alert.

ONLINE SHOPPING - Beware of "legit" companies giving away gift cards, coupons and vouchers on social media (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp etc.). Criminals are using this to get people clicking on links, giving away personal information or downloading malware onto their devices through web browser extensions, appearing as pop ups. Make sure your devices are up-to-date, including your web browser (Edge, Chrome, Firefox, Safari etc.). Don’t click on links or pop ups. Search for the website the message purports to be from and see if the offer appears on it. Do your research, have others used the site & what was their experience.

Message Sent By
James Adnitt (Police, Cyber Protect Officer, Hampshire)

Received from Neighbourhood Alert today.

ONLINE SHOPPING - Beware of phishing emails from unknown shops, offering good deals as part of Black Friday & Cyber Monday. Criminals can clone websites and post them under different web addresses so they look official. Do your research, have others used the site & what was their experience. Search for both the website address and the name that appears on the website's branding as the two may be different. If different reviews come back for both, this should be considered suspicious. If in doubt look at NCSC guidance for online shopping www.ncsc.gov.uk/guidance/shopping-online-securely

Message Sent By
James Adnitt (Police, Cyber Protect Officer, Hampshire)

Received today from Neighbourhood Alert.

With Christmas fast approaching and new phones/gaming devices on the wish-lists of many children, join us at this workshop to gain skills and knowledge to understand the inter net and technology in the way your children do. Learn more about resources available to help you and support having the right conversations with your child about online safety.
　
Thursday 5 December 2019
6.30pm to 8pm (arrival from 6pm)
Warblington School, SouthleighRoad, Havant, PO9 2RR
Delivered by trained Hampshire
Police and NSPCC staff

Message Sent By
Hamlyn Strawn (Police, PCSO, Havant District)

A few of us meet up every other Monday at 10.00 a.m at the Denmead Queen, Waterloovile, for coffee and chat (free refills!). Why not join us? Numbers have diminished lately so do come along and swell the numbers. Just women at present but all welcome. Look out for us tomorrow in the back room.

Would anyone like to "rehome" one of these. Need more space and T.L.C. than I can give. I've had them for many years but time for them to move on. They are approximately 16 inches tall and the blooms are spectacular although they do not last long. Send me a p.m. if interested.

Can anyone tecommend someone who can come to house to see if can fix laptop?

Thank you
Lyn

Did anyone go to the Pop Up Market in the Boulevard on Saturday or Sunday? And, if so, what did you think of it? I couldn't make it unfortunately.

Well worth a look.

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/visiting-woods/vote-tree-of-the-year-2019/england/
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/gallery/2019/sep/09/englands-tree-of-the-year-2019-the-woodland-trust-shortlist

The Guardian gallery includes some different images to the Woodland Trust website. They are the same trees.
One of the trees is close enough to visit although I do not know exactly where it is (two if you don't mind using a ferry).

I wonder if anyone has any broken paving slabs that are surplus to requirements. (Or unbroken ones. I can break them myself!) I want to use the pieces for edging in my garden.

Please PM me if you can help me out. Many thanks.

I have just been informed that a 14 year old leopard tortoise has escaped near Deverell Hall, Purbrook. It sounds vicious, but you should be able to outrun it. If you see it, I have the owner’s contact information.

Just had an e-mail purporting to be from TV licencing. They say my licence expired on 28th August (it didn't). As I have always paid on time they are giving me a free one for a year!!

Just click here. I don't think so.

The noticeboard in Purbrook Village was damaged beyond repair towards the end of last year.

The Men’s Shed at Cowplain have made and installed a replacement for the cost of materials which was funded by St John’s Church, Purbrook Horticultural Society and
PAWARA.

The new noticeboard is ‘lockable’ and better protected against the elements. There are a number of key-holders (details on the noticeboard) who can put notices up. PAWARA is one of the key-holders.

The litter pick went ahead yesterday, despite the rain.
There had been a record number of likes and shares on the PAWARA Facebook account. In the event, we had ten volunteers; the others must have been put off by the weather and the earlier start.

We collected 33 bags of litter (see photo). That makes a total of 229 bags from Johnston’s Coppice altogether, 63 from the first session.

We also attached a notice to the fence, encouraging people to take their litter home. This one was reinforced, so we will see how long it lasts.

Can anyone please help me. I have a Lenovo ten inch Tablet. The keyboard is on the screen at the bottom and goes the full width of the screen. Although the keys are fairly small I have got used to using it. However, yesterday it suddenly changed to a tiny little keyboard in the middle of the screen at the bottom. It is so small it is almost impossible to use. Also, when typing an e-mail, after the first couple of lines the keyboard obscures the text. I have tried just about everything to get it back to normal but to no avail. I have tried "Googling" this but there only seems to be instructions for a laptop. I would be so grateful if someone can please tell me what to do. Help! Before I go completely mad!
Thank you in anticipation.

Nextdoor was featured on You and Yours on Radio 4 today. There have been complaints (and there must have been a lot for it to feature in the programme) concerning Nextdoor issuing letters from neighbours recommending Nextdoor. The neighbours know nothing about it and, despite claims from Nextdoor to the contrary, some have not given permission for the letters to be issued. If you receive a letter that looks as though your neighbour has printed it at home and saying how wonderful Nextdoor is, don't believe it.

Cars in remote car parks are being broken into again. Six cars had rear screens or windows smashed in the car park at Compton (near West Marden) recreation ground this evening.

Just received from Havant Borough Council:

Young, predominately single, people are being encouraged to join a WhatsApp group to find out ways of receiving more Universal Credit or for help to submit a claim.

The group then coaxes relevant information out of the customer, accesses their online account and amends the details to include several children, before requesting an advance on funds.

Once the advance hits the young person’s account, the group demands the funds and threatens violence to the young person and their friends and family if this request is not completed. The threats often include graphic, and distressing images and/or videos.

The Department for Work and Pensions - DWP will NEVER ask for personal log-in information and/or passwords from you, and doesn’t use WhatsApp to provide service to customers.

If you do need help to claim Universal Credit, Citizens Advice can offer support at the local Job Centre.

(their spelling, not mine)

I was in Waterlooville this morning and I noticed the tree in the centre of the circular seat outside Costa has not yet been replaced. Two large branches broke off the tree in a storm last July and it was subsequently cut down. Adele M and Mike W posted some helpful photos on Kahuti. From the photos and Adele’s description of autumn colour it appears to have been a Liquidambar (Sweet Gum).

Does anyone know who owns the tree stump and the seat or when the tree will be replaced?

I have attached:
Adele’s photo from June 2015 showing the tree before the damage.
Mike’s photo showing the size of one of the branches that broke off.
The seat as it looks now. Photo by Adele.

I photographed this nuthatch at its nest on the edge of a small woodland in Purbrook last month. It's a little shaky because the camera was hand held and I used the zoom, but recognisable. This is only the second time I have seen nuthatches. The first sighting was a few years ago in the New Forest when one was taking mud from a puddle to reduce the size of the entrance to a disused woodpecker’s nest.

The new owners of the Boulevard have commissions a pop up market in September (Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th). It is very reassuring that they are showing their commitment to a long term investment in the area.

I posted this in the Anything group a couple of days ago and I have received some useful suggestions. Does anyone have any local recommendations?

When I switched my TV set on yesterday there was no picture or sound, not even static. It is not worth repairing, so I have a choice of replacing it and probably getting my first flat screen or using my time more productively.

So far, I have searched Freecycle (nothing, only people who wanted TV sets) and Gumtree where there was a wall mounted Alba Freeview TV with no stand for £55. The owner could not remember how long she had had it. I am reluctant to pay more than that for a second hand TV set which may not last very long.

I had a look in Asda today and thought the Polaroid TVs looked a reasonable price. Fortunately, I did not buy one at the time and I have just looked at online reviews for Polaroid TVs. Apparently, Polaroid is owned by Asda (probably Wal-Mart). Out of more than 1,000 reviews, it is hard to find a favourable one and when things go wrong, as they generally do, Asda are not helpful and they don’t want to know if it is out of warranty. It is even worse in the USA; if something goes wrong during the warranty period, customers are expected to pay $120 to ship the item to California for repair.

Can anyone recommend a reliable TV make and model and a reputable supplier who will deal with any issues? I do not want a smart TV.

Any assistance would be appreciated.

Just joined. Hope this group works out well.
Regards
Adele M

If you are interested in Waterlooville come along to the consultation on the proposed redevelopment of Wellington way

Thought I would try this. Hope it is a success

Hi everyone, I have just joined as a refugee from Kahuti! Looking forward to using Scooploop instead.