Chilly reception for town’s cold callers
Sycamore Way residents group chairman Phil Hall, Sally Dodgson from West Yorkshire Trading Standards, Residents group secretary Pauline Beckett, PC Anthony Swain, WDH Tenant Involvement Officer Lorraine Taylor.
ROGUE traders and pushy sales people will be stopped in their tracks with the launch of a new cold calling zone in Featherstone.
West Yorkshire Trading Standards has joined forces with Wakefield and District Housing (WDH) to make Sycamore Way a no-go zone for doorstep criminals.
The street is the fifth cold calling control zone to be implemented in Wakefield district as part of a national campaign.
Graham Hebblethwaite, chief officer of West Yorkshire Trading Standards Service, said: “A number of criminals do pose as doorstep salesman and bogus utility company officials.
“These zones help to raise awareness over the type of tactics often employed by doorstep criminals and also brings this type of criminal activity to the forefront of people’s minds.”
The move has been welcomed by a tenants and residents group in Sycamore Way, which backed the campaign after seeing the success of other cold calling zones.
Pauline Beckett, 66, resident and group secretary, said: “Having this zone will give local people peace of mind and security, The support we’ve had from everyone involved has been great. The group has worked really hard to make this happen and we think it’s brilliant.”
Information packs containing safety messages will be distributed to residents in the street – the 72nd zone to be established in West Yorkshire – advising them on ways to deal with cold callers and who to call for help and advice.
Each household also receives a sticker to display on their doorsteps and signs have been put up at the main entrances to the area, advising cold callers that they are entering an area where they are not welcome.
Gary Lumb, WDH community safety manager, said: “The scheme sends a clear message that cold callers and doorstep lenders are not welcome here. The zone will give residents the confidence to say ‘no’ to these people.”
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Weather for Wakefield
Thursday 23 May 2013
Today
Light showers
Temperature: 5 C to 11 C
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