The Police are often called upon to deal with animal, usually dog incidents. Here are a few pointers.

Can the police do anything about people who let their dogs foul on the pavement? It is an offence not to clean up after a dog that has fouled. However, it is not the responsibility of the police but that of the local authority. The maximum fine for this offence is £1000 or alternatively councils can issue a fixed penalty of £50. If you know someone who allows their dog to foul and fails to clean up after the dog, you should make a note of the time and date of the offence and the details of the dog owner and then contact your local authority who will advise you how to proceed.

Does my dog have to wear a collar with my name and address on it? Yes, the law states that every dog whilst in a highway or public place has to wear a collar with the name of the owner on it. Failure to do so is an offence and could lead to your dog being seized and dealt with as a stray dog. There are exemptions but these apply to working dogs and not for domestic pets. This is not a police matter; it is a matter for the local authority (dog warden) to enforce.

I have found a dog, what do I do? The police no longer have responsibility for stray dogs. You should call should the local dog warden. The local authority dog warden has a responsibility to collect all stray dogs that are found in a public place. The RSPCA will not go out and collect stray dogs.

My pet has been attacked by a dog can the police do anything? It depends on the circumstances but there have been decisions in the past by courts and authorities to suggest that it is the nature of a dog to kill and wound small animals. Therefore, in the event of your pet being wounded or killed by a dog, it is not a certainty that the police would take any action. However, the police will take action if the dog was dangerously out of control in a public place. The only possible recourse is to take civil action against the dog owner but this would depend on the circumstances. However, there are different regulations where the attack involves farm animals. This answer does not take into account deliberate attacks or dogfights, which are offences.

There is a dog that lives down the street and the owner has let it out without a lead and it has bitten me, what can I do? You can report the incident to the local police. There is an offence of having a dog dangerously out of control in a public place. The dog owner (or the person for the time being in charge of the dog) may be prosecuted and could face imprisonment and/or a fine and the courts can make a variety of orders in relation to the dog, which range from muzzling to destruction.

Change to Neighbourhood Police area.
From the 9th August 2010 the area covered by the team will be expanded. Currently we cover all villages east of the A15 from Welton, out to Faldingworth and north to Waddingham. From this date we will also be responsible for all villages west of the A15 from Scampton, out to Upton and north to Grayingham. As can be seen from the list of officers below PCSO Julie McFaul makes a very welcome return to the team. Julie is a highly trained and efficient officer who makes a real difference to the area she police's which is the Scampton to Grayingham beat.

Key Individual Group E mail - We now have 120+ members who have started to get updates from me by e-mail. If you wish to become part of the group please let me know your e-mail address.

Crime prevention talks. If your group or organisation would like one of us to pop along and give crime prevention talk in 2010, please contact me at Welton Police office.

Reported crime in your area. 12/07/10 to 11/08/10 -
22/07, Burglary, Lincoln Rd.
29/07, Damage to bird feeder, Allwood Rd.
02/08, Damage, Scothern Lane.

Reporting a Crime or Incident? Tel 0300 111 0300 (24 hr)
Voicemail: "Non-urgent messages only. Please leave contact number."

CRIMESTOPPERS: 0800 555 111

National Domestic Abuse Help line - 0800 2000 247
DVLA Hotline: 0800 032 502

PC David Oakes - Community Beat Manager. Mobile 07939890771 (not 24hr)
david.oakes@lincs.pnn.police.uk Voicemail 01522 558798 (0875)

PCSO Matt Trafford. Mobile 07944776999 (not 24hr)
matthew.trafford@lincs.pnn.police.uk Voicemail 01522 558798 (2155)

PCSO Neil Harrison - Mobile 07810500803
neil.harrison@lincs.pnn.police.uk Voicemail 01522 558798 (2272)

PCSO Julie McFaul - Mobile 07825100397
julie.mcfaul@lincs.pnn.police.uk Voicemail 01522 558798 (2206)

An Old Saying common to areas such as the Isle of Axholme and the Ancholme valley and Holderness goes
"February fill dyke
March much muck it out"
February twenty ten proved that a true word. The end of the month with standing water in fields we went 19 days into march with just 2.5mm to record to do the mucking out
Thereafter another 3.3 made a March total of 35.5 mm.
John Voase 01673 860640

INGHAM PRACTICE
It is the time of year again when the Practice receives the results for the National Quality Indicators. We are delighted to announce the results for 2009/10 in which the Practice achieved an outstanding 97.11%. Dr Sultan would particularly like to thank the Practice Team for this exceptional achievement and the patients for their continued support.

The Practice has also received excellent results for the NHS Patient Satisfaction Survey 2009/10. In particular, results of outstanding note are 95% for access to a GP within 2 working days and 94% for the indicator whereby a patient can book an appointment more than 2 days ahead. Full details and more information regarding the Practice Achievements and Patient Survey are on display in the waiting room at the Ingham Practice.

The Practice took part in the West Lindsey Open Churches weekend in May which proved very successful. They put together a colourful display in the porch of Ingham Church using the Practice colours of red, white and blue and many warm and appreciative comments were received.

We are progressing our plans for development of a new multi-purpose minor operations suite attached to the rear of the present building. This is particularly exciting as it will enhance the services offered at present.

OPEN CLINICS FOR COMMON FLU VACCINATION
No Appointment Necessary

INGHAM
Tuesday 28th September 8.30 - 12.00 14.00 - 18.30
Tuesday 19th October 8.30 - 12.00 14.00 - 18.30
OWMBY
Wednesday 20th October 9.30 - 12.00

Common Flu Vaccination is Recommended
IF YOU ARE AGED 65 AND OVER
And
WHATEVER YOUR AGE IF YOU HAVE:
A chronic chest complaint, including asthma
Chronic kidney disease
Diabetes
Lowered immunity due to a disease or treatment such as steroid medication or cancer treatment
Any other serious medical condition - please check with the doctor if you are unsure.

Nature Notes

Hello everyone, hope you can put up with my ramblings again after a short break .
 It is the time of the year when we can see what a harsh Winter, cold Spring and really hot spells in the early part of Summer.  Officially Summer begins on the 21st June, but unofficially it begins when the weather patterns change and the warmth starts to get through to our old bones, etcetera. It seems a bit daft to start a new Season on the longest day of the year, I would have thought that this day should be marked with some other identity. In the very old days them's that were in power and authority had the courses of the Sun and Moon to direct their thoughts and aspirations.  We are guided very much by what parliament decides, i.e. what the heck has happened to Whitsun?  And what is May day?  I could think of far better names for these periods in our time. 

 The weather did set back the re-leafing of our hedges and woodlands so much so that everything started to leaf all at once which in itself was in quite a cold period, which meant that during the same cold period, the blossom was around, but there were very few bees and other insects about to do the business with the pollen, we relied on the fruit trees to pollinate themselves due to the wind strength.  But the wind direction was also paramount, with the volcano dust that managed to stop all the vapour trails in the sky, there came a very long spell of cold winds from the North and North East, very cold directions for this time of the year. The normal Spring winds emanate from the South and South West following the line of the Gulf stream over our little islands, and this in itself creates the necessary warmth for the plants and birds as well as the slumbering insects to get on with a bit of procreating.  So, hopefully, you would have noticed how far behind everything is this year and even on the 13th June the wind direction was still hopelessly wrong  to bring the warmth that we need to feel better and watch the flowers and trees bloom to provide the insects with nectar, for the birds to eat the insects, and then some mammals and the birds of prey to finish off a few birds.  Everything will be squeezed in to a very short season. The next time it gets warm, you watch! 

 We went on a coach trip a couple of weeks ago out past Gainsborough towards  Haxey and Doncaster. It was so noticeable the difference between the blossom on the hedgerows on hedges where it had all be drastically flailed, and the hedgerows that had been left to regenerate. I hate to say it but the hedgerows in Lincolnshire were far worse than the hedges in Nottinghamshire and South Yorkshire.  So not only do our farmers flail all the winter feed off the hedges for our birds and visiting birds in the Autumn,  but the effects of all of this flailing also deprives our bees and insects of a food source during blossom time in the Spring.  I really do not see why this permanent decimation of our hedgerows happens every year after year, it cannot possibly be called stewardship, which is what the farmers get paid for, and the signs are there that the effect on the bee population is tremendous, combined with other very bad viruses and parasites which devastate our swarms. Leave the hedges alone, let them grow back to a normal cycle of life, providing food and shelter for all sorts of insects mammals and birds, and just see how much more of a green and pleasant land we can be, with help and thought, and proper application, it could be so much better than it currently is.

How about that for a good old moan for a first epistle? We have a new government and hopefully there is someone around who cares about rural matters after years of supposed development of urban areas to the detriment of any rural industries and ways of life.  We need a little more than fingers crossed, to save our bees, a visit to the Beekeepers auction on the showground in April would open up a lot of peoples shaded eyes, and the effects of all of nasties that are being heaped on the bees are so very evident. 

All the best, and I'm glad to be back.
John Smallwood.