Trading Standards Alert – Illicit Tobacco

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Illicit tobacco is often sold from small shops and comes in the forms of non-duty paid known branded cigarettes, this includes genuine plain packaged items which have simply been smuggled in. Other brands are likely to be brands you cannot buy legally in the UK and will come in coloured packaging. Some may well be counterfeits of well-known brands, Amber Leaf Hand Rolling Tobacco being one of the most common counterfeited tobacco items. What they will all have in common is that the vendor will be selling them cheaply compared to legal cigarettes.

When people buy cheap, illicit tobacco they are supporting organised crime and making it harder for legitimate businesses to run successfully.

We would encourage you to report any instances where a retailer is selling illicit tobacco. They will often be hidden under the counter, or nearby and bought into the shop at the point of sale. Some criminals even build secret hides within the shops to store the goods.

To report the sale of illicit tobacco please use the following channels:

Please remember to report any scam to Action Fraud 0300 123 2040.

If you have actually been the victim of a trader or scam such as the above, or require consumer advice, please call the Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline 0808 223 1133

Planning Report – October 2022

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To find out the latest news on what is being planned in your local area, check out our latest Planning Report with up-to-date information on Planning Applications including developments in:

  • Addiscombe Road
  • The Glade
  • Gladeside
  • Orchard Avenue
  • Orchard Rise
  • Shirley Avenue
  • Wickham Road
  • Woodmere Avenue and Woodmere Gardens.

With the all the latest information on the Local Planning Authority’s Residents’ Association Meeting and the Planning Advisory Peer Review that MORA has contributed towards.

Also, take a look at the MORA Planning App, which gives you an easy way to track all the current and recent planning applications within the MORA area. It’s simple to use and free for you to access

Scam Alert: Scam Energy Rebate Texts

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Action Fraud has received 139 crime reports relating to fake text messages purporting to be from the UK government. The texts state that the recipient is “owed” or “eligible” for an energy bill discount as part of the Energy Bill Support Scheme. The links in the emails lead to genuine-looking websites that are designed to steal your personal and financial information.

How to protect yourself

  • Energy Bill Discount : £400 off energy bills for households in Great Britain from October 2022. You do not need to apply for the scheme and you will not be asked for your bank details.
  • Spotted a suspicious text message? Forward it to 7726 (it’s free of charge). If you forward a text to 7726, your provider can investigate the origin of the text and arrange to block or ban the sender, if it’s found to be malicious.

For advice on how to stay secure online, please visit: www.cyberaware.gov.uk

Please remember to report any scam to Action Fraud 0300 123 2040.
If you have actually been the victim of a trader or scam such as the above, or require consumer advice, please call the Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline 0808 223 1133

Elstan Way Highway Maintenance Resurfacing – 5th & 6th Oct 2022

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FMCONWAY, on behalf of Croydon Council, will shortly be commencing resurfacing at the location/s and date/s below:

Date: 5TH & 6TH October 2022 between 08:00-17:00
Location: Elstan Way

To enable the Contractor to undertake the works, on-street parking will be suspended during works hours. We also kindly ask that with forward planning vehicular access to and from properties adjacent to the road are reduced to a minimum during the works hours. Pedestrian access will not be affected.

Advance driver / resident information boards will be in place before the works commence, advising of the precise dates and times of the Traffic Management.

Please however note that unforeseen circumstances (e.g. inclement weather conditions) may necessitate a change to the scheduled dates and information on road signs will be changed accordingly. Please check the road signs regularly for any updates

The resurfacing works will take place between: Woodmere Avenue and The Glade.

Due to the nature of these works it is inevitable that some disruption will occur. For this reason, it is recommended that where possible you use alternative routes or allow extra time to complete your journey.

The on-street parking suspensions that will be in place within the works area are 07:30-17:00 on 4th to 6th October 2022.

No parking for residents on the highway in the areas covered by the enforcement signs.

Please note that penalty charge notices (PCN’s) will be applied to vehicles parked within the suspended areas during the works hours and/or vehicles relocated.

We are extremely sorry for the inconvenience this may cause residents; however, we want to ensure that all works carried out on the Croydon network are to the highest standards to ensure value for our residents.