Category: News

THERE has been a sudden rise in a particular crime type where fraudsters are targeting the more vulnerable by telephone.

The fraudster will call the intended victim claiming to be from either the Police or a Bank. They will tell them that their card details have been fraudulently used and that they need to act urgently to protect themselves. They suggest that they hang up and ring the bank/ police back to ensure that the call is genuine. Don’t be fooled – they stay on the line and pretend to be the police or the bank. They then tell the intended victim to key in or read out their PIN number.

They will then send a taxi or courier to collect the bank card. With this and the PIN they will then have full access to spend the victims money.

We are aware that the fraudsters have targeted residents in Crawley and Mid Sussex in the last 24 hours, but urge all residents of East and West Sussex to be on their guard.

Ch Insp Beeken of Sussex Police stated: “Under no circumstances would the police or your bank request your pin number over the telephone or arrange collection of your bank cards from your home address in this manner, I advise all members of the public to never give out your bank details to someone who has contacted you on your home phone unsolicited. If you have any suspicions please do not use the phone you have just been called on to contact the police or your bank. If possible use another phone to contact the police to report it, or to contact a friend to relative to alert them.

I urge anyone reading or hearing this message to pass it on to any friends and relatives who may not be aware of this particular type of targeted fraud, to prevent any vulnerable friends or family members from becoming victims.

I urge anyone with any information to contact Sussex Police, whether you have received similar calls or know someone who has been a victim of this crime please contact Sussex Police quoting Op Galvani, e mail 101@sussex.pnn.police.uk or dial 101 or 999 if appropriate, or call the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”

CONSULTATION on the possible withdrawal of the East Grinstead Town Council annual £3.30 discount on Senior Citizen Railcards from April 2014.

The consultation has now finished.

Why is this proposed?

The Council have provided a subsidy of £3.30 for a number of years. This is paid for out of the council tax precept, approximately £2,200 per year. From April 2014 the administration of the rail passes will change and the town council will no longer issue these. They will be issued directly by ATOC the administration company. ATOC currently give a discount of 15% to all Mid Sussex District Residents who are eligible for the card. This discount is worth £4.50. East Grinstead residents currently receive an additional £3.30 on top of this making their total discount £7.80.

Mid Sussex District have been offered an increased discount of 20% if the Town Council removes its discount. This will apply to all Mid Sussex eligible residents. This new discount will make the total discount £6. East Grinstead residents will therefore have to pay an additional £1.80 per year for their rail card. However the Town Council will no longer be paying this from the Council Tax precept.

How many people are affected and by how much?

Currently around 620 passes are bought by eligible residents each year. The passes cost £22.20 for the year after the discount and allow the user to have 1/3 off rail tickets for travel after 9.00am. The changes will mean that the pass costs £24.00, but they will still get the 1/3 discount off the rail fare for the whole year. If the subsidy is removed the £2200 budget can be put in to other projects that could benefit all East Grinstead residents. There will also be some administrative saving as the Council will not have to process the subsidy payments to ATOC.

What happens next?

The Council are considering withdrawing the subsidy from April 2014. If you wish to make a comment on this proposal you may write to the Town Clerk at East Grinstead Town Council, East Court, East Grinstead, RH19 3LT. or email townclerk@eastgrinstead.gov.uk. Please ensure that your email has the subject “Rail Card Subsidy”. Representations must be received by 20th January 2014.

The consultation has now finished.

JULIAN Spencer and a team of fellow musicians played a live concert for the staff and members of the town’s Saturday Dementia Respite Club of Age UK at Swan Mead on December 14.

The Christmas get-together was also attended by carers and family members who enjoyed the entertainment and ended up singing and dancing with the live music.

Cllr Danny Favor, who helped to organise the event, has also received a cheque on behalf of the Respite Club from Sue Joy of East Grinstead’s Justice and Peace group.

Cllr Favor thanked the J&P group for “their continued support, kindness and generosity” in contributing to the invaluable work carried out on behalf of members of the dementia club and their families.

AS the Town Mayor I would like to wish the residents of East Grinstead a very Happy Christmas.

Since taking office in May I have been very lucky to meet many kind and generous people – we are indeed fortunate to have so many fantastic people who give their time to help others.

I wish you all a healthy, happy and prosperous New Year and hope that I will have the opportunity of meeting many more of our townsfolk in the coming months.

With my very best wishes,

Margaret Belsey

TOWN Mayor Margaret Belsey flicked the switch to turn on the Rotary Club’s Christmas tree lights in the High Street on Saturday.

Meridian FM had been touting the event since noon, and encouraged by a town crier many of Saturday’s shoppers took a break to gather around the tree for carols accompanied by the East Grinstead concert band.

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THE Town Mayor’s bazaar on Saturday was a success with many local charity and community groups taking part to raise much-needed funds.

Mayor Margaret Belsey opened the event which was held at East Court and attracted a steady stream of shoppers who were entertained by Choir Power as they shopped.

FATHER Christmas will be making a tour of parts of East Grinstead, Ashurst Wood and Lingfield in the run-up to Christmas to raise money for the East Grinstead Rotary Club’s annual appeal for the needy.

Last year the Rotarians gave 350 families and individuals a helping hand in December thanks to the generosity of local people who contributed to the sleigh ride appeal through the town’s residential areas.

Santa’s schedule for this Christmas has just been announced, so make a date to catch him and please give generously to a very worthy cause.

Saturday 7 December Stuart Way
Monday 9 December Lingfield
Tuesday 10 December Estcots Estate
Wednesday 11 December Hurst Farm Road
Thursday 12 December Herontye Estate
Friday 13 December Blount Avenue
Saturday 14 December Fairlawn Drive/Heathcote Drive
Monday 16 December Blackwell Estate
Tuesday 17 December Ashurst Wood
Wednesday 18 December Woodbury Avenue
Thursday 19 December Sackville Gardens
Friday 20 December Stockwell Road/Dunnings Road
Saturday 21 December Gardenwood Estate

EAST Grinstead’s Filipino community has raised £2,300 from a charity event held at the Tarana in Lingfield in aid of the Philippines relief fund.

Cllr Danny Favor helped to organise the event, which was attended by Town Mayor Margaret Belsey, fellow councillors and representatives from many of the town’s organisations and community groups.

The money will go towards helping the millions left bereaved and homeless in the wake of typhoon Haiyan which caused widespread devastation and loss of life.

An additional £2,124 was raised by the parishioners of Our Lady and St Peter’s Catholic Church in East Grinstead to support the work of CAFOD in the stricken islands.

Speaking after the Lingfield event Cllr Favor said: “On behalf of the officers and members of the Extra Care Team and the entire Filipino Community here and back home, we would like express our sincerest gratefulness and deepest appreciation to everyone for their thoughts, prayers, kindness and generosity during this terrible time.”

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On Friday 8th November, one of the most powerful storms ever recorded, smashed into the Philippines killing over 4,000 people with Typhoon Haiyan sweeping away entire coastal villages and leaving utter devastation in the region’s main city. This Typhoon has affected over 11 million people, 4 million people have been driven from their homes and 1 million homes have been damaged or destroyed. The people who have survived do so without clean drinking water, food or even clothes.

We have a strong knit Filipino community in East Grinstead and we want to do our best to help them.

On Monday 9th December at 7:30pm, this fantastic charity fundraiser, Flame of Hope is being performed at Chequer Mead, with all profits going to aid the Philippines Super Typhoon Haiyan Appeal 2013.

We are so lucky to have the relentless support of such fantastic acts, like, Chris Andre who wowed the Chequer Mead crowds back in September, X-Factor performer Andrea Magee, classical cellist extraordinaire Lizzy May with Silken Strings, Kyla & Nat Stroud, King of swing Stephen Dunnett, and the wonderful Bullfrog Youth Theatre, with the whole night being compered by the wonderful Cheryl Baker!

Please come along on Monday 9th December not to just have a fantastic night but also to show your support for a very deserving fund. Tickets are selling fast so please book your tickets to avoid disappointment

All tickets are £15, with all profits going to the Philippines Super Typhoon Haiyan Appeal, and available from the Box Office: 01342 302000

We hope you can join us on what will be a very special evening.

TOWN Council staff Jenny Watson and Katrina Hamill took part in a recording of Radio 4’s Gardener’s Question Time at Wakehurst Place in November and Katrina’s question – about next summer’s planting scheme for the High Street beds – was one of ten chosen to be answered by the panel of experts.

You can hear what they advised Katrina when the programme is broadcast on Friday 13 December at 3pm and again on Sunday 15 December at 2pm on 92-95FM.