Please click on the link below for "cold calling" survey
http://www.freewebs.com/blackpoolresidentsfederation/coldcallingsurvey.htm
WHAT AND WHY
"No cold caller" zones
Quite simply, this is about local residents or communities
having the confidence to say "NO" to uninvited salespeople and to
warn rogue traders and cold-callers that they are not welcome.
Following successful trials, this information pack has been
put together to help local communities set up their own cold-calling zones.
Doorstep Crime
This is crime arising from doorstep callers, bogus workmen,
high pressure salespeople, bogus officials and distraction burglary. It is now well established that distraction
burglaries and rogue trading are interlinked - all too often, the seemingly
innocent doorstep seller is actually checking things out for a re-visit to
carry out a burglary or distraction burglary.
Whilst this type of criminal behaviour can impact on anybody
in any place, research shows that older people are particularly vulnerable,
especially those living alone.
A national Trading Standards Institute survey involved
feedback from 9,000 randomly selected households. The results showed that nationally, 96% of
people simply did not want doorstep cold-callers and nobody actually welcomed
them.
The number of serious doorstep crime incidents reported to
both the police and trading standards services has grown significantly over the
past few years. Incidents involving
older people losing thousands of pounds are now not unusual and what has become
clear is that the response and support mechanisms of enforcement agencies has
not kept pace with the skills and organisation of the criminals.
GETTING STARTED
Key partners
The support of partner organisations is essential to the
success of this initiative. However, the
level of commitment from partners will vary from area to area.
For local schemes to succeed, there will need to be a local
champion (manager). This could be, for
example, an enthusiastic Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinator, a community support
officer, a community warden, or indeed anybody willing to give a little of
their time to help their local community.
With the co-operation of local residents a scheme can be
established without the support of official agencies such as the trading
standards service or police, but far better that they be involved as they can a
make a major contribution to its success.
Community safety issues are high on the agenda for local
councils and, in every area of the UK, councils will have
policies and groups specifically dealing with local issues such as this. In many cases funds are available to support
local initiatives and staff may be on hand to give help and support. Listed below are some of the key potential
partners to contact when thinking about setting up a scheme.
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Trading
Standards
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The Trading
Standards Service is part of your local Council. It is a criminal enforcement agency, but at
the same time, works closely with communities and businesses to protect them
from rogue traders. Trading Standards
is likely to be a key partner.
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Police
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All police
forces are committed to crime prevention through community policing. How they do this varies from one force to
another. In addition, the police
generally take a lead role in organising Neighbourhood Watch schemes.
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Local
Council
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Local
councils are required by law to consider community safety issues in relation
to everything that they do and as such, it will be very high on their
priority list. A local council will be
a key partner if only through its network of contacts and ability to
influence others.
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Local
Councillors
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All areas will
have a local councillor, maybe two or even three. Local councillors are elected by local
residents. In some areas there could
be a parish / town councillor, a district councillor and a county councillor
- three different people. In others,
particularly unitary, metropolitan and London Boroughs, there may only just
be one councillor representing an area.
Whatever the case, councillors can be very influential people and
their support is important.
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Crime and
Disorder Partnerships (CDP)
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These are
high level partnerships between councils, police and other agencies. They help establish crime policy and
direction for their areas (usually based on Council areas). CDPs are a vital route to funding.
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Community
Safety Partnerships (CSP)
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These are
more local and more 'hands on'. CSPs
bring together many agencies with community safety roles and they have
budgets to support local initiatives (contact through your local council).
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Neighbourhood
Watch
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Neighbourhood
Watch is a well-established national scheme usually operated and managed
through the local police, but delivered by local residents and volunteer
Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinators. The
organisation of Neighbourhood Watch makes this an ideal vehicle on which to
deliver 'no cold calling zones'.
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For details of other partners and useful contacts see www.doorstepcrime.com
GETTING STARTED
Funding
It doesn't cost much to set up a No Cold Calling Zone, but it
does cost. In most cases there will be
funds available from or through one or more of the partners listed in the
section "Key Partners".
Obviously costs will vary depending on the size and
organisation of the scheme, but at its most basic, the following provides a
rough outline.
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Street signs *
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Approximately £20 each
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Door stickers *
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Approximately £250 for 250
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Information packs for residents *
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Dependent upon content, but likely to use existing
leaflets and the information material
- possibly cost of envelope and covering letter.
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Initial letters to residents
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Copying and printing costs
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Ongoing information to residents
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Depending on what information and frequency
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* For further details see
following sections.
GETTING STARTED
Selecting an area
The most important thing is that the initiative has the support
of local residents. How this is achieved
will depend on the local situation, but consultation with residents is a vital
first step, not only to get consent (from the majority), but also to raise
awareness of the issues and encourage community involvement.
It is known that doorstep criminals will target particular
properties, areas or residents. Older
people, living alone, are especially vulnerable. Agencies, such as the Police and Trading
Standards, will have reports, statistics and experience to help identify areas
at risk and as such, make them priority for establishing No Cold Calling
Zones. This will be particularly
important to gain support (and possible funding) from Crime and Disorder
Partnerships, Community Safety Partnerships or local councils.
Other local partners which may be keen to assist include:-
Community wardens / Community beat managers
Neighbourhood Watch
Parish Councils
Housing agencies
Tenants' associations
Age Concern / Help the Aged
Social Services
Home Improvement Agencies (accessed through local councils)
Citizens Advice Bureau