To be in with a chance to WIN FREE County Cricket tickets at Grace Road please register to a village and click on the above link. All you need to do is reply "I want FREE tickets to see Leicestershire" and it's that simple. You will then be automatically put through to our draw.

The date ending for this competition is Sunday August the 31st.

ANOTHER CHANCE TO CLAIM

People aged over 60 are again urged to call the freephone number to find out if they could get a reduction in their council tax.

Earlier this year more than 100 people who called saw their council tax reduced.

Some people still do not know they may qualify for a reduction in their council tax bills. Anyone aged 60 or over who lives in the County of Leicestershire can call.

When calling, please have your council tax bill, income and savings details available. If you have more than £16,000 in savings you will not qualify unless you get guaranteed pension credit. More »

Officers in the city are warning people to be on their guard after a number of cash point distraction thefts.

Suspects are targeting lone people at cash machines in Melton Road, Belgrave Road, Fosse Park and the city centre. The suspects watch the victims put in their PIN numbers into the machine. Once they have obtained the PIN number they distract the victim and take their card out of the machine. They then leave the victim thinking the machine has swallowed their card.

Sgt Wayne Nimblette from Keyham Lane local policing unit said: "Members of the public are being urged to be vigilant while using cash machines.

September is Older Person's Month with a wide range of events taking place throughout Leicestershire and Rutland. For more information, contact Liz McGregor on 0116 2334243 or liz@ccp.org.uk, or look on the website for electronic programme www.ccp.org.uk (via Health & Social Care / Older People

If you want to be included on a panel of people who will be asked for their views on a range of issues concerning Older People, please contact Liz McGregor, Engagement Officer (Older People) CVS Community Partnership on 0116 2334243 or liz@ccp.org.uk, then further information will be given to you. You choose when to respond, and you won't have to leave home!!

A paper setting out the context for the policy review of the Government’s strategy for Neighbourhood Watch is being carried out by the Home Office.

There are four questions which they would like local associations to comment on, use this link for further details.

M·E·L Research have been commissioned by Leicestershire County Council to carry out a survey amongst local residents to gain awareness levels form residents about Food waste.

As part of this process, they will be carrying out door to door survey interviews across the 7 districts of the county from 16th August to 5th September when we are interviewing 1,100 residents who live in the area. There will be a group of interviewers carrying out these interviews in the county

All of the interviewers will be wearing identification badges and carrying a letter of authorisation. If you have any queries or require any further information, please do not hesitate to contact me Azim Khan on 0121 604 4664.

Roads identified by members of the community as hotspots for speeding motorists will be targeted by police as part of a week long crackdown.

Leicestershire Constabulary is taking part in a European-wide Speed Enforcement Campaign from Monday August 18 to Sunday August 24.

see this link to download the latest newsletter from the national Neighbourhood & Homewatch Network, the official body representing ALL Neighbourhood Watch members in England & Wales

See the latest press release from Leicestershire Police Authority.

The Bosworth Community Forum are hosting a free event aimed at raising awareness about Affordable Rural Housing.

The event will be held on the 18th September 2008 at the Royal Arms Restaurant and Hotel, Sutton Cheney, nr. Market Bosworth, CV13 0AG.

Topics to be considered at the event will include delivery processes, the identification of need, and lettings policies. There will also be a screening of The Commission for Rural Communities’ short film – Rural Housing – A place in the countryside? More »

We have just held the draw for the winners of the tickets to watch Leicestershire County Cricket Club and congratulations to Jane Appleton and Gillian Tapping!

Many thanks to Matthew Kempson representing the Leicestershire Rural Partnership for kindly making the draw for the competition.

Thanks to everyone who took part in the competition and don't worry if you didn't win as we're starting a NEW competition from today! More »

Police are appealing for witnesses following a burglary at a pub in Melton Mowbray.

The incident took place between 3.30am and 7.30am on Monday August 4 at The Welby pub on Nottingham Road, Melton Mowbray. The pub was broken into the contents of three fruit machines, a pool table and a quiz machine was stolen.

In the last week we have received several reports from around the district of letters being received notifying householders that they have won some money in a foreign lottery, in most of the recent cases it was the Spanish lottery that was mentioned. These letters will mostly ask for some form of payment up front in order to release the winnings.

This is a scam in almost every case.

Due to popular demand for training Leicestershire Villages has more training dates available for you! If you are interested in learning how to submit information and create your own web pages then this course is for you. If you would like to attend one of these FREE training dates then please contact the admin team via admin@leicestershirevillages.com or call 01509 643448. Included with your training is a FREE buffet lunch.

There is also Fresher Training for those of you who have already had training and would like to refresh on what you already know. You can view these dates by clicking on the above link.

Crimestoppers received its one millionth actionable call in July, which was about a knife crime in Leicestershire. An actionable call means useful information that can be passed to the police which they can act on to make arrests and charges. This important milestone - which translates as 136 information logs being passed to the police every day - coincides with the charity's twentieth anniversary year.

Leicestershire Constabulary has begun using 50 Mobile Data Terminals (MDTs) in its patrol vehicles, freeing up to 30% of frontline officers' time to be reinvested in tackling local neighbourhood priorities.

The MDTs, vehicle-mounted ruggedised laptop PCs or ‘tough books', allow officers to access over 70 separate IT systems whilst out on patrol - and for the first time nationally, to record crime at the scene - live onto the Constabulary's main recording database.

Leicestershire CCC are kindly offering Leicestershire Villages users the chance to win some FREE tickets to watch a match at Grace Road.

Until the end of the season we will be holding draws periodically to give away two pairs of adult tickets for a match of your choice (remember that kids go free so you can take your kids along as well!).

Click on the link above for more details and to enter the draw.

RIP OFF TIP OFF
Leicestershire Trading Standards manage the rogue trader reporting website. Officers are encouraging Leicestershire residents to report any business that is engaged in unfair trading practices. All information is treated confidentially and can be left anonymously if required. All information is welcomed but Trading Standards are especially keen to hear about:

• Car Clocking
• Cowboy tradesmen
• Aggressive Selling techniques
• False claims concerning the business, product or service
• Counterfeit goods
• Illegal sales of age restricted products

Visit the site at www.ripofftipoff.net and please provide as much information as you can.

Retina Youth Dance Company

Retina Dance Company is auditioning young dancers to take on a unique trip to Belgium. They are looking for 15 to 19 year olds that live in the East Midlands to create a new dance piece on, that will be performed in the Body Dynamics festival in Bornem, Belgium in October.

Retina is a professional international touring contemporary dance company based in Nottingham. As well as their touring productions they specialise in teaching contemporary dance to young, old, community and professional dancers. More »