Winter Wellbeing – nominated neighbour scheme

Cheshire East Council and its partners are offering a range of advice and support to residents on how to keep warm, well and safe this winter.

This week, we urge residents to consider joining the council’s ‘nominated neighbour’ scheme.

The scheme has been developed to tackle bogus callers, rogue traders and other kinds of distraction thefts and burglaries.

The project means people can be protected by someone they know and trust, such as a neighbour or relative.

The vulnerable person is given a card that they hold up to a window or door which advises any unidentified or unexpected caller to go to the address of a nominated neighbour. This person will then check the caller’s identity.

If they are genuine, the nominated neighbour will return with them and supervise the visit to make sure that nothing untoward takes place and will remain there until the caller has left.

Councillor Paul Bates, cabinet member for communities and health at Cheshire East Council, said: “This scheme helps people within our communities feel safer in dealing with unwanted or unexpected people who call at their homes. In turn, it protects our residents and reduces incidents of doorstep crime.

“While it is the older and vulnerable adults who are more at risk from becoming victims, anyone can be targeted.

“That’s why I’d urge all Cheshire East residents to consider joining the scheme and support others to live safely in their own homes.”

When the festive season is at its height, the temptation to buy last-minute goods on the cheap is strong. But the council is urging residents to avoid people who are selling such goods, who may rip them off.

Cllr Bates said: “The nominated neighbour scheme makes the most of our extremely strong community relationships and will limit the opportunity for doorstep callers to con their way into homes.

“Once they fail to gain access and the community is alerted to their activities, it will act as a strong deterrent to stop them returning in the future.”

“A simple phone call to the Citizens Advice consumer service is all that is needed for an information pack about the scheme to be sent out.”

If you would like a nominated neighbour scheme pack sent to you, or to a vulnerable relative or resident of Cheshire East, contact the Citizens Advice consumer service on 03454 040506. More information is available from Trading Standards.

For further winter-related advice, visit: www.facebook.com/cheshireeastcouncil or our winter weather information and advice page.

Residents can help friends and neighbours, who do not have internet access, by downloading and printing off information from the website and giving it to them.