ID
THEFT & FRAUD
Did you know there's a difference between
'identity theft' and 'identity fraud'? Even more
bizarre is that one is a crime and the other
isn't!
According to the credit card fraud prevention
service (CIFAS), identity theft is the
'misappropriation of the identity of another
person'. In other words, someone impersonates you
for whatever reason – usually to obtain
goods and services in your name.
This often affects your credit rating and can
result in you being turned down for a loan or
credit card or even a mortgage. Strangely, this
isn't actually a crime in the UK at the moment
although the Government is considering making it
one.
It only seems to become a crime when that
identity is actually used to obtain goods and
services by deception at which point it becomes
known as identity fraud.
Unfortunately, identity frauds are hidden in the
statistics for crimes of deception or theft so
the differences become rather merged.
more
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TAX
CREDITS
More than 80 million calls have been
made to the Inland Revenue over new payments
introduced by Chancellor Gordon Brown for
families with children and folk on low incomes.
But staff have been unable to cope after problems
with phones and computers and a staggering 17
million frustrated callers were simply greeted by
the engaged tone.
The Treasury insisted 5.8 million people were now
benefiting from the Child and Working tax credits
which were introduced in April 2003. |
TAX
CREDIT FIASCO
More than 50million calls have gone
unanswered to the Government's tax credit
helpline with many callers getting the engaged
tone or being put on hold and then cut off. So
far, 98million calls have been made since the
Inland Revenue launched it in 2002 but the system
has been plagued with problems. A third of
claimants were overpaid and pushed into poverty
when forced to repay. Lib Dem MP David Laws
called the figures a "disaster" but
ministers said six million families benefited. |
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WATER COMPANIES PLAN PRICE INCREASE
Water
companies argued that household water bills would need to
rise by about £15 annually in the five years.
AMBULANCE SERVICES TO BE
OUTSOURCED
Hailed as
‘another triumph of public-private
partnership’, it was announced that NHS ambulance
services are to be outsourced to a joint venture
initiative between Arriva Bus and NextDay Couriers.
BRITISH
SCIENTISTS HARNESS DRIZZLE POWER
The rest of
the world may be moving towards greater use of solar
power or wind power, but renewable energy generation that
taps into specific local atmospheric conditions in the UK
has leapt forward with a Manchester project that uses
drizzle to power street lights.
SNOOPERS
Government
agencies will be able to access e-mail and phone data,
under measures unveiled by ministers.
ASYLUM
SEEKERS
The Government has announced it will stop
sending asylum seekers to Derby - at least for the time
being.
BEST VALUE REVIEW PROGRAMME
Derby City
Council is to spend £40,000 on external consultants to
review its sport and leisure department.
YOB RULE
For three years, Sallie Powell, who is deaf,
has been subjected to daily intimidation and abuse from a
gang of 20 youths who hang around outside her home.
COUNCIL
UNHAPPY WITH THIS SITE
Derby City Council is unhappy with this site
because of claims that the connecting Derby scheme has
left the city looking like a 'building site'.
FAIRER CHARGING SCHEME
Derby City
Council's scheme could leave some older and disabled
people paying more for help they receive in the home.
BONFIRE
THREAT
Mary
Beadsmoore received a letter from the council accusing
her of lighting a bonfire and threatening her with a
£20,000 fine.
HOUSING
BENEFITS
Derby's
housing benefits backlog has been declared among the
worst in the country.
HOUSING SHORTAGE
The number of
people registered homeless has rocketed in the past year
whilst the number of homes has plummeted.
TRUANCY
Derby College is using a text messaging
sytem to fight truancy and improve communication with
2,500 students.
TOP 10 CITY
A group that
had hoped to make Derby a top 10 city in the UK by 2020
has scaled down its vision.
HOME ZONE
Work on the first stage of a £1m scheme to
create a new look for streets in Normanton is set to
begin by the end of the year.
ILLEGAL
PARKING?
A police mobile camera van was spotted
apparently illegally parked in a busy Derby street during
rush hour.
DERBY
SKYLINE
It may come nowhere near to rivalling the
famous view of Manhattan, but Derby's skyline could be in
line for an illuminating makeover.
BUS STATION
Controversial plans to demolish Derby Bus
Station are to go ahead, despite hopes of a reprieve
through the new political alliance.
ALCOHOL- FREE ZONES
A ban on drinking in the streets, aimed at
combating crime and anti-social behaviour in an area
north of Derby city centre, looks set to be given the
go-ahead.
FAST- FOOD
'Fast food' to some eateries means 'same
day'. Walk into ANY chip shop at ANYTIME and whatever you
want will never be ready.
JOYRIDERS
The vehicles
of nuisance drivers who use streets and parks as race
tracks could be seized under newly-introduced powers.
BEGGARS
Police are planning to use anti-social
behaviour orders in a crackdown on nuisance beggars in
Derby city centre.
SHOPPING
The shops here are much the same as in any
other city with the same 'names' in the High Street.
SHOPPING RIP-OFFS
Holidays, Car Rental, Banks, Mobile Phones,
Theatre Booking Fees and Restaurants.
PARKING METERS
Derby City Council has raised £665,000 -
£40,000 more than expected from controversial parking
meters and the cash is being spent on 14 items such as
repairing street lights and improving roads.
CONGESTION CHARGING
Councillor Sara Bolton, said reports that
Derby was considering introducing congestion charging
were "nonsense" and "totally untrue".
COUNCIL TAX
Council
tax bills for 2003/4 will increase in April by an
inflation-busting 9.3 per cent taking the bill for a Band
A property in Derby from £619.23 to £677.06 - an
increase of £57.83 a year.
RIVERLIGHTS SCHEME
A controversial scheme to replace Derby's
70-year-old bus station and develop its riverfront is a
step closer to being realised. The announcement that -
after six years - the developer behind the Riverlights
project is ready to apply for planning permission is a
welcome relief for some.
FIVE LAMPS
An urgent review of the controversial Five
Lamps traffic lights was approved by Derby City Council.
It followed a motion calling for the review by the
council's Tory opposition group.
WHEEL CLAMPING
Wheel-clamping is an example of inept
administrators attempting to make their lives easier and
solve their own mis-management problems by persecuting
the people they have failed.
CONNECTING
DERBY
The current traffic fiasco at Five Lamps
will be repeated tenfold across the city if Connecting
Derby goes ahead. The first planning application for
Phase 2 is now out and needs to be objected to by
Christmas.
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