THE STRATFORD ENERGY SUPPORT FUND 2022
FINANCIAL HELP WITH ENERGY BILLS

The scheme is administered and managed by Act on Energy on behalf of Stratford-on-Avon District Council who are offering financial support this winter for vulnerable households within the district who are struggling to pay their energy bills.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR THE SCHEME?
All homeowners, private rented tenants and housing association/Council tenants, can apply or be referred for fuel vouchers or fuel payments if they:
1. Live in the Stratford on Avon district; Alcester, Bidford-on-Avon, Quinton, Sambourne, Shipston-on-Stour, Southam, Stratford-upon-Avon, Studley, Upper Lighthorne and Wellesbourne & Walton,
2. Have a combined gross household income of no more than £30,000.00 per year
3. Have no household savings
4. Have someone living in the home with a vulnerability (see list below)

If you satisfy ALL the 4 criteria above, you can apply for support through the Stratford Energy Support Fund.

Applications will also be taken through referrals from recognised community and voluntary organisations, including Citizens Advice, Stratford District Council, Foodbanks, Housing Associations, professional health and family services, Age UK, schools etc.

WHAT HELP IS AVAILABLE?
Financial support with fuel vouchers and fuel energy payment. This is a one-off payment.
When applying for Fuel Vouchers or Fuel Payment you will need to provide the following details:
• gas or electric supplier on the online application form including your energy supplier’s name and account number (referee must have seen this energy bill)
• Council Tax reference number, telephone number, date of birth, tenure, vulnerability, benefits, method of energy payment, will also be needed to when making the application.

Please make sure the energy account details are accurate. If they are incorrect the payment will be void and may not be able to be redeemed.

HOW WILL THE PAYMENT BE MADE?
FUEL VOUCHERS – If you use a key or a card to top-up your pre-payment meter you will be issued with Paypoint or Post Office Vouchers. A letter will be sent in the post to your address, containing the fuel voucher codes with instructions on how to redeem them.
FUEL PAYMENTS – A one-off payment onto your gas or electricity account, (select 1 fuel type only, when completing the application form), for:
• those paying by direct debit or
• on receipt of bill or
• direct to their supplier

HOW MUCH WILL I RECEIVE?
Families with under children under 18 (or up to age 21 in full time education), will receive £500 via direct payment to their energy supplier or 9 x £49 pre-payment vouchers for those paying by key or card.
Single households or couples will receive £300 via direct payment to their energy supplier or 6 x £49 pre-payment vouchers for those paying by key or card.

HOW TO APPLY
You can, or a partner referrer can, apply online by completing the application form link at the bottom of the page.
Before applying please be aware that:
1. There is no guarantee of support.
2. The funding is available until 31st March 2023 but it is limited and will be withdrawn once all funds have been allocated, which may be sooner than March 2023.
3. This is not an emergency scheme and it may take several days for the payments to be made onto your account.
4. No money will be paid directly to applicants.
5. You will have to confirm on the application form that you meet the above qualifying criteria.
6. Details of those who apply will be stored by Act on Energy in line with our privacy policy which can be found at: GDPR & Privacy Policy – Act On Energy

To register a client for the fund please complete and submit the ‘Online Expression of Interest form’ at https://actonenergy.org.uk/project/energy-support-fund/
For any other queries please contact 0800 988 2881

The mental health charity, Coventry and Warwickshire Mind have launched their Xmas appeal. Please consider donating to support this worthwhile charity.

Two popular events are returning to Avon Dassett this December:

Christmas Carol Concert, Sunday 18 December

Traditional carols and readings at St Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church

1730: Meet at Avon Carrow for refreshments

1800: Carol Concert at St Joseph’s

1900: Meet up with friends at The Yew Tree

Sing-along with Sally and her Band, Tuesday 21 December

Sing along to popular Xmas tunes with Sally and her brilliant band at The Yew Tree from 1730.

Residents living within Warwickshire might be eligible for funding to help with energy costs (subject to eligibility and availability). The following grants are currently open for new applicants:

Warwickshire Household Support Fund

Households with a combined gross household income of no more than £30,000.00 per year, no household savings and someone living with a vulnerability, may be eligible for:

• Financial support toward current energy debts only
• Assistance to repair or replace broken boilers and heating systems
• Financial support to top up an oil or LPG tank (not bottles)

Further details here WARWICKSHIRE HOUSEHOLD SUPPORT FUND 2022 – Act On Energy

Warm & Well in Warwickshire

Owner occupiers/private rented households with cold related health conditions and in receipt of certain benefits/low income may be eligible for:

• Emergency Heater Scheme
• Grants for Boiler Replacements
• Grants for Boiler Servicing & Repairs
• Loft and Cavity Wall Insulation Grants

More details here Warm & Well in Warwickshire – inc Grants – Act On Energy

Energy Efficiency Grant

Owner occupiers with a gross household income of less than £30,000 year  OR  someone in your home receives a means tested benefit AND a home that has an EPC rating of D, E, F or G (if you don’t have an EPC then this will be arranged for you if we think that your property is energy inefficient) may be eligible for:

• Solar PV panels
• Loft insulation
• Cavity wall insulation
• External wall insulation
• Air source heat pumps
• Smart heating controls

To find out more, please complete an Expression of Interest form here ENERGY EFFICIENCY GRANT SCHEME – Act On Energy

For more information call us on 0800 988 2881 or visit the website www.actonenergy.org.uk or email: alvynne@actonenergy.org.uk

Please see below for the online issue of the Compton Chronicle. The paper copies will be delivered shortly:

• CC NOVEMBER 2022 FINAL

Warwickshire Road Safety Partnership is inviting the public to a memorial service to ‘Remember the lives lost and injured on Warwickshire’s roads’ at St Mary’s Church, Warwick, between 2.30pm and 4.30pm on Sunday 20 November 2022 – the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims (#WDoR2022). The service will also be live streamed on Facebook (please search @stmaryswarwick on Facebook).

The church will open from 2.30pm to provide the opportunity for anyone who would like to light a candle and take some time for silent reflection.

Open to all faiths, the service, led by Canon Peter Holliday, will start promptly at 3pm and last no longer than one hour.

The service will include:   

Introduction of the World Day of Remembrance led by Canon Peter Holliday

Songs and Hymns

A reading from the Chair of the Warwickshire Road Safety Partnership Philip Seccombe

A minute’s silence led by Canon Peter Holliday

Senior Family Liaison Officer Karen Powell speaking on behalf of victims

Police force Chaplain Matthew Hopley speaking on behalf of the emergency services

Closing remarks from Canon Peter Holliday

We welcome all those who are able to attend.  However, if you are unable to attend the service in person but would like to remember someone on the #WDOR2022 a Remembrance Service ‘toolkit’ is available on our website (https://warksroadsafety.org/warwickshireremembers/)  with information and readings you can choose from to create your own service of remembrance at a time and place that suits you. The toolkit also includes text and images that could be used in a newsletter and to share on social media.

We understand how important it is never to forget the lives lost and injured on our roads and that’s why Warwickshire Road Safety Partnership has also created an online space for you to leave a tribute.  This can be anonymous if you wish.  Please do what’s right for you. (https://warksroadsafety.org/warwickshireremembers/)

Warwickshire Remembers provides an online space to visit whenever you want from a mobile or computer to see your tribute and remember your loved one.  By posting a tribute you are also helping to raise awareness of the long-term consequences of a collision.

Sheila Vale’s life totally changed when she was left paralysed after being hit by a car while walking her dog in October 2019.   This moving video of Sheila Vale from Studley was filmed last year telling her story of recovery after she suffered these life-changing injuries. Warwickshire Road Safety Partnership Remembers 2021

We will also be sharing Sheila’s story on social media using #WDOR2022

This is just part of the work being done in Warwickshire to remember those lives lost and injured on our roads. At the service, we also plan to unveil designs for a permanent memorial, and these will be available for you to view if you wish.

In Warwickshire in 2021, 15 (2019, 34) people lost their lives and 215 people (2019, 282) were seriously injured in road traffic collisions.  Globally, road traffic crashes are a leading cause of death among young people, and the main cause of death among those aged 15–29 years. Source: Brake

Philip Seccombe, Chair of WRSP and Police and Crime Commissioner for Warwickshire said: “The World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, on 20 November provides an opportunity to raise awareness of the magnitude and impact that road traffic collisions have on society. It is still a sad fact that far too many people are killed or suffer life-changing injuries on our roads each year.

“The service allows people from all backgrounds, faiths and beliefs who have been affected by a tragedy on our roads to come together and have a moment for reflection. It also allows the wider community of Warwickshire to show solidarity and support for those who have been bereaved.

“The event also acts as a reminder to us that all deaths and injuries on our roads can be prevented and that we all have a responsibility to use the highway network safely. Warwickshire Road Safety Partnership has set a target of halving all road casualties in the county by 2030 and, ultimately, we want to get to a position where no-one suffers the loss of a loved-one on our roads. That will need everyone to play their part and become safer road users and as a Partnership we are working hard to achieve this.”

The service will also be attended by representatives from key partners and Warwickshire’s civic leaders have been invited.

Please follow us online @WarwickshireRoadSafety (Facebook) @WarksRoadSafety (Twitter) to find out about the work we are doing to reduce the number of people killed and seriously injured on our roads by 50% by 2030.  You can also visit our website www.warksroadsafety.org  The hashtag #WDoR2022 is being used worldwide to support the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims and if you search this on social media you will see a wide variety of posts including ours.

Winter Warm Hubs

We have small start-up grants available for any halls wanting to set up a Warm Hub for their community this winter. We’ve produced an Organiser’s Checklist guide – you can download it and the (very short) application form on our website. We hope to be able to add additional funding in the near future too.

Please note that Avon Dassett Parish Council will be discussing warm hubs and the village at the next parish council meeting on 7 November and as always welcome residents’ views and input.

Energy Advice

ACRE and Utility Aid have published a short Briefing for people managing village halls: Urgent Energy Advice for Halls. It’s really important that you understand your energy usage and billing and engage with an expert like Utility Aid (come to our AGM – we’ll tell you more then!).

Halls Together Facebook Group

We have over 200 village hall people in the group now with recent posts about EV charging points, the rising energy cost, online banking and more. It’s a closed group for people involved in running village and community halls only (i.e. no advertising!) and it’s the first place we post news. Join at https://www.facebook.com/groups/1052306918837175

Winter Closure

ACRE research suggests that 1 in 10 halls might close this winter due to rising energy costs. If your hall is thinking this way, please get in touch. This information will help us to represent the impact of the crisis better. We will only share information with permission.

WRCC Annual General Meeting 2022

We’re holding our AGM online on Thursday 10th November 2022 at 7.00pm.

The meeting will feature a presentation about our Warm Hubs project with details of the start-up grant funding available to halls wanting to set up a Warm Hub this winter. We will also include a presentation on how halls can deal with the energy crisis, with up-to-the-minute guidance from Utility Aid.

It would be great if you could join us – details at https://www.wrccrural.org.uk/agm2022/, including the link to book your place. Please excuse the reminder e-mail that will arrive nearer the time.

Warwickshire Police is supporting the national NPCC anti speeding campaign between 10-30 October 2022 that aims to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on Warwickshire’s roads.

In Warwickshire in 2021, despite lockdown, 56,136 people were caught speeding in the county.  Two thirds of speeding drivers were male and 98% were in cars and vehicles under 3.5tonne.  Worryingly despite needing greater breaking distances 2% of drivers caught speeding were in vehicles over 3.5tonne.

Whilst most people don’t speed, the campaign aims to change the behaviour of the few that do and also enforce against those who continue to put their own lives and the lives of other innocent road users at risk by speeding.

Speeding motorists may try to convince themselves that speeding is normal but enforcing speed limits has been proven to reduce collisions, deaths and injuries and Warwickshire Police will be conducting proactive operations on our main arterial routes.

Throughout the campaign police officers, PCSO’s, special constables and Community Speed Watch volunteers across Warwickshire will also be out and about in local communities taking part in a mixture of enforcement and educational initiatives.

This includes National Safe Speeds Day on 19 October that has the aim that no one dies in a road collision during the 24-hour period starting at 0700 on Wednesday 19 October.

During the campaign officers will be reminding drivers they stop of their responsibility to drive legally, within the speed limit and at an inappropriate speed for the road conditions to protect themselves and other road users from road collisions resulting in death and injury.

This is because speeding especially in residential areas puts lives at risk as pedestrians are four times more likely to die if hit by a vehicle travelling at 40mph than at 30mph.

Speeding uses more fuel and also affects air quality on our roads as research has found that slowing down just 10mph on our motorways for example can have a positive impact on the environment as emissions are reduced.

Chief Inspector Faz Chishty said “Road safety is a joint responsibility and we are asking drivers who speed to think about why they speed, the potential effects on themselves and other people and to commit to making all their road journeys at speeds that are both safe and legal for the conditions at the time. 

“Speed limits are there to protect the public and to assist traffic flow as well as improving the quality of life for local residents. As well as being illegal, driving too fast or at an inappropriate speed for the road environment or conditions means that drivers have less time to react and near misses can easily turn into collisions.  That is why our officers will actively target those who speed on our county’s roads as well as on our motorway network.”

We need speeding drivers to change their behaviour because speed kills and in Warwickshire despite COVID, between 1 January 2018 and 31 December 2020, 40 people were killed and 317 seriously injured in collisions where speed and/or loss of control was recorded as a contributory factor.

During the campaign we will also be using social media to raise awareness of the facts around speeding. Please help share our road safety messages on social media from @WarwickshireRoadSafety (Facebook) and @WarksRoadSafety (Twitter)

Sanctions

Speeding drivers who are eligible for and accept a conditional offer of a fixed penalty receive 3 penalty points and £100 fine.

Excessive high speed offences will not get a conditional offer and will be prosecuted via the courts.

You could be disqualified from driving if you build up 12 or more penalty points within a period of 3 years. New drivers who receive 6 or more penalty points within the first two years of driving will have their license revoked.

Those drivers who admit the offence of speeding and are eligible may be offered the opportunity to attend the National Speed Awareness Course on the effects and dangers of speeding as an alternative to a speeding fine and penalty points.

The course aims to influence the attitudes and behaviour of drivers by directly challenging attitudes towards speeding, offering motorists insight, awareness and understanding about their speed choices, and helps equip participants to change their behaviour.

The course is not a way to avoid fines however, you can only attend one speed awareness course every three years.

Warwickshire Police also offer a National Motorway Awareness Course and if this is offered only one can be attended every three years.

The new issue of the Compton Chronicle has now been published online and will be delivered in hard copy shortly:

• CC OCTOBER 2022 FINAL