Recent

Developments

Support

& Funding

Legislation

& Regulation

Crime

Prevention

Health

& Safety

News

Archive

Warwickshire Rural Hub

Protect your business with the help of Warwickshire Business Watch

Warwickshire Business Watch has been created in partnership between the Warwickshire County Council Community Safety Team, Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner and Warwickshire Police.  Their main aim is to work with government and non government partners to provide information and advice to businesses, helping them to protect themselves from becoming victims of crime.  The Warwickshire Business Watch website contains many useful downloadable documents and links which will help protect your business from becoming a victim of crime.  It includes Secured by Design crime prevention advice, the official police security initiative that works to improve the security of buildings and their immediate surroundings to provide safe places to live, work, stop and visit.

Visit the Warwickshire Business Watch website on this link.

National Cyber Security Centre draws up specialist advice for farmers

The National Cyber Security Centre has worked with the National Farmers Union to support the agriculture and farming sector with a new guide especially created for the industry.  The increased use of email, online accounting tools, online payment systems as well as automated farming equipment means that its increasingly important for farmers and rural communities to look at their growing exposure to cyber risks and how they can best protect themselves and their businesses.   The guide has been written to be clear and understandable for a range of technical abilities, to help you become more aware or enhance your knowledge of cyber security measures. It offers advice in the form of tips for you to easily implement to become a more resilient and secure business.   You can download the guide as a PDF from this web page. 

Register your livestock or equines with Warwickshire Police

Warwickshire Police has a field and farm mapping system to allow them to trace the owner of any livestock or horses which might get out of their fields and need returning home safely.  If you have not already registered your livestock or equines, please email the Rural Crime Team and they will send you a complete to complete.

Email: ruralcrimeteam@warwickshire.police.uk 

 

Stay alert for illegal farriers

There is concern nationally that there are illegal farriers operating throughout the UK.  By using an unregistered person a horse owner may be risking the welfare of their animal, may invalidate any insurance if their horse is lamed or injured and may be aiding and abetting criminal activity.  Illegal farriery is a criminal offence which can result in a fine of up to £1000, legal costs and a criminal record.
Check that your farrier is registered with the Farriers Registration Council on https://www.farrier-reg.gov.uk/find-a-farrier/.
Warwickshire County Council will investigate all allegations of illegal farriery activity where sufficient information is available.  If you have any information regarding illegal farriery activity please contact the Farriers Registration Council:
Tel:  01733 319911
You can also submit information using the Illegal Farriery Report Form on their website https://www.farrier-reg.gov.uk/illegal-farriery
Alternatively you can report any suspicions of illegal farrier to Warwickshire Rural Crime Team or trading standards at Warwickshire County Council.  Your personal details will be handled in confidence.

Check if your waste disposal firm is registered

Fly tipping is an on-going issue and incidents in north Warwickshire have just been reported to the Police.  Did you know that if you ask someone to collect and dispose of waste on your behalf, it is your responsibility to ensure that they hold a waste carrier’s licence and supply a waste transfer note?   If you don’t undertake these checks and your waste ends up dumped illegally, you could be fined and prosecuted! You can check for a waste carrier licence on this page. 

 

Crime prevention advice for agricultural GPS systems

Theft of GPS systems, used by farmers on their vehicles and implements, is on the increase nationally, especially those used on tractors.  As well as the loss of this important piece of equipment, offenders can also cause damage to the tractor when removing it.  Forces around the country and abroad are working together, with key agencies, to identify the offenders and tackle this emerging crime. If you have this kind of equipment on your tractor, combine harvester or other machinery please read this advice sheet from Warwickshire Rural Watch.  You can download the advice sheet here.  

HOWL for help if your dog is stolen

HOWL is a dog theft prevention app developed with a solicitor.  It is designed to gather evidence for prosecution purpose, emit an alarm and send a notification to your SOS contact.  You can download the app from the Apple store.  Full information on the app can be read on the HOWL website.  

Contacts for the Warwickshire Rural Crime Team

We are fortunate in Warwickshire to have a dedicated Police team to work on rural matters. Please note the names and contact details for the Officers in the rural crime team below:

PC Andy Steventon– South West Warwickshire –- 07557 033186

PC Kate Taylor– South East Warwickshire –- 07814 046730

PC Matt SimmsSouth East Warwickshire –- 07841 048543

PC Andy Timmins– North Warwickshire –- 07790 951230

PC Andy Hoey– North Warwickshire –- 07870 514842

PC Jennifer May-Royle– Rugby, Nuneaton & Bedworth –– 07890 390715

The team are also supported countywide by Carol Cotterill who can be contacted on 07787 151848.

Please do not contact the above Police Officers to report a crime or when a crime is in action –  in these instances ring 999 or 101.  But the above contacts are available if you wish to discuss a specific issue or understand more of what the rural crime team is doing in your area. They will appreciate an invite to come and say hello, as they want to know their patches and the issues on the ground.  The above contacts can also offer crime prevention advice.

You can also follow the team on Facebook or subscribe to the Warwickshire rural alert system here.

Set your iphone to call emergency services with 5 clicks of the sleep/wake button

Did you know that you can set your iphone to call emergency services just by pressing the lock button 5 times?  Go to “Settings” and search for Emergency SOS.   You then need to enable “Auto Call”.  You can also select to set a loud warning sound.

Could the uWatch cube help with your security concerns?

The uWatch Cube is a little weather proof box that can be sited anywhere that has a mobile signal. If the cube is moved, something moves in front of it, a Bluetooth Tag activates it, the temperature is outside a range you have set or the internal clock has told it to activate you will receive an alert on your smartphone in less than 30 seconds. The uWatch Cube could therefore be used for a variety of situations including security and as such the device has Police “secured by design” approval for preventing and solving crime. To view full information on wWatch Cube please visit this website.

Rural Crime Reporting

As part of their ongoing work to tackle the serious issues surrounding criminal behaviour on farms and in the wider countryside, the NFU has partnered with the charity Crimestoppers to launch the Rural Crime Reporting Line, a service through which information about four rural crimes can be given anonymously. Rural crimes often go under-reported and their true extent remains unknown. Anyone who has experienced, witnessed or has any information about these rural crimes is encouraged to come forward and call the line – your information could be extremely valuable.

Contact number: 0800 783 0137
Website: http://www.ruralcrimereportingline.uk

Beware of fraudsters targeting farmers who receive subsidy payments

In the past, banks have warned that fraudsters pretending to be from their bank’s fraud department may try to target farmers who receive subsidy payments. Remember:
• Your bank will never ask you for your full online password
• Your bank will not ask you to make a payment over the phone using your online account.
• If you get a call from someone claiming to be from your bank (or any other organisation), make sure it’s genuine. End the call then wait 5 minutes and call them back on a number you know is correct (not a number they’ve given you).
• Never give your PIN and other passwords to a 3rd party even if you think you are speaking to your bank.

Cyber Safety Advice

In the light of the recent cyber attacks on the NHS Warwickshire County Council has produced some cyber safety advice for businesses.
To read the advice in full please use the link below.

Website: Open Website

New YouTube videos to help businesses avoid cyber crime

A new YouTube Channel has recently been launched which is specifically aimed at businesses. The Channel houses an array of short, useful videos covering cyber crime related topics.  Some of the video topics include Ransomware, Phishing Emails and Password Management. If you’d like to view the videos or look at what other topics are covered visit this YouTube Channel.

Contact:
Telephone:
Email Address:
Website: Open Website

Horse Watch

Warwickshire Horsewatch is also open for horse owners in the West Mercia area. Warwickshire and West Mercia forces also recognise that with rural and equine crime, thieves do not respect borders and what happens in one county soon moves across to another. Therefore, alerts from many other counties are included on their Facebook page and in their Bulletins. You are invited to join the Warwickshire Scheme. To join, please visit the Warwickshire Horsewatch website.

Would you Like to

Donate to the Hub?

 

 

A donation to the Rural Hub of any amount is always gratefully received. However, only donations of over £100 can be acknowledged on our Hub Supporter's page.  A donation can be paid by cheque, BACS, standing order or by the Paypal link below.  If you would like our bank details please contact the Co-ordinator on info@ruralhub.org.uk 

 

 

Contact Us

The Warwickshire Rural Hub CIC
Archway Cottage, 2 Church Street, Marton, Rugby CV23 9RL

Email: info@ruralhub.org.uk
Tel: 07780 159291

Company Registration No: 7026157
Registered office: 23 West Bar Street, Banbury, OX16 9SA

 

Rural Hub

Co-ordinator

Jane Hampson
E: info@ruralhub.org.uk

Tel: 07780 159291

 

Warwickshire Rural Hub CIC Directors

Karen Ellis (Chair)
Amy Brant
Rosemary Collier
Emlyn Evans
Ian Jelley
Henry Lucas
Marion Perrett Pearson
Alexandra Robinson

 

Environmental Steering Group Members

Zoe Bell (Chair)
Tony Beysens
Meehal Grint, Kings Seeds
Tom Newbery, Highfield Farm
Louis Phipps, Bragborough Estate
Zoe Burrows, Rookery Farm

 

 

Disclaimer

The Warwickshire Rural Hub accepts no liability for any direct, indirect or consequential loss arising from any action taken in reliance on the information contained on this website.

© 2018 Warwickshire Rural Hub. All rights reserved.