Read Parish Council – Read Parish Council Ribble Valley Lancashire

Read is in the Ribble Valley Parliamentary Constituency (Ribble Valley North East County Electoral Division). There are approximately 600 houses and 1160 electors on the Register of Electors. The population figure is estimated at c.1500.

to find out what’s going on in Read visit our Community pages, for Read Parish Council updates check our Facebook page

Consumer alerts December 2025

Beware bogus roofers in Preston
Lancashire Police are warning
householders to be on the alert for cold
callers claiming there is a problem with
your roof. In one incident the offender
approached a householder in Preston
claiming work needed doing to their roof.
Initially the trader took £2500 from the
victim before claiming he wanted another
£75,000 to complete the work.
Fortunately, this money was not handed
over and the alarm was raised.
Beware bogus roofers in Hyndburn
An Accrington resident received a knock
on their door from a roofer they were
aware was working in the area. The
roofer claimed there was a problem with
the chimney, quoted a price and asked
for a deposit of £400. The trader was up
in the attic for a very short space of time,
dislodged some tiles, left and didn’t
return. A neighbour suffered similar
circumstances, giving money, the trader
doing little work then not returning.
Beware mattress sellers in South
Ribble
Beware door to door sellers offering
mattresses for sale. A South Ribble
householder agreed to buy one, only had
£50 in the house and so the seller drove
the householder to the bank. Luckily the
seller did not get any more money due to
a set withdrawal limit.
Never deal with such cold callers, often
their prices change depending on who
they are trying to sell to. The mattresses
may also not conform to stringent British
safety standards.

Mystery box phishing scam
Beware of receiving an unexpected
email claiming ‘Limited time offer. Don’t
miss out on this exclusive deal. Get
ready to unbox exciting gadgets, smart
devices and surprise gifts. What will be
in your Mystery Box?’. Often, these
messages claim to be giveaways by
popular stores and provide links to dodgy
websites where you’re asked to
complete a survey to be in with the
chance of winning an item. The aim is to
steal your personal and financial
information to either scam you
immediately or later down the line.
This scam can target at any time of the
year but may be one to watch out for
over the Black Friday sales, Christmas
period into the January sales.
Scam parcel delivery texts and emails
At this busy time of year make sure you
keep track of online orders and parcels
that you are expecting to be delivered to
your home. Be on the alert for scam
texts or emails claiming to be from a
delivery company to reschedule or pay
additional delivery fees, or false tracking
information being given for parcels that
never arrive.
Contact the Trading Standards
Service via the Citizens Advice
consumer Helpline on 0808 223 1133.
Check out our Facebook page,
www.facebook.com/StanleyDards/
Trading Standards advice is to always
say no to cold callers. The Safetrader
scheme can help you find a trader in
your area, contact 0303 333 1111 or
go to www.safetrader.org.uk.
Update to Boiler Upgrade Scheme

The government recently announced that it has expanded the Boiler Upgrade Scheme to include air-to-air heat pumps and heat batteries. The scheme currently offers grants of £7,500 off the cost of installing an air source or ground source heat pump, which can keep homes warm during the winter, and has been expanded to offer a £2,500 discount off the cost of installing an air-to-air heat pump providing heat in winter and keeping you cool in summer.

The grants are available to all households, and form part of the government’s £13.2 billion Warm Homes Plan. Households will also be able to claim £2,500 off the price of heat batteries, which can store heat overnight for use during the day. This is alongside a consultation on the role alternative heating systems, such as storage heaters, infrared panels or renewable liquid fuels, can play so that every household has a low-carbon option that is right for them.

(no title)

Notice from Lancashire Police

Our message is clear – don’t drink or drug drive

We are urging motorists not to drink or drug drive throughout the festive season. Offenders will face the full force of the law if they do, like any other time of year. Operation Limit is a national campaign that runs throughout December. It aims to prevent drug and drink-related casualties across the Christmas period .Extra road policing patrols will be out across the county, as well as using drink and drug check sites. The campaign also involves messaging on pub screens, petrol pumps and other locations. Last December, police conducted 307 drug wipes and 2,189 breath tests. Officers arrested and charged 314 people with either drink or drug driving. Each year, this figure sadly rises, particularly with regards to drug driving offences. Men between the ages of 20-39 make up more than half of all drink and drug drivers. Many of these men still test positive from drugs or alcohol consumed the night before. Supt Dave Hannan said: “We carry out activity all year round to keep our roads safe. But we know that Christmas is a busy time on the road network. With more parties and social events, people will potentially be indulging more. The wintry weather also brings extra risks. “Everyone on our roads has a responsibility to keep themselves and others safe. We have zero tolerance for those who choose to drive impaired. Regardless of how confident you feel about your driving ability under the influence, you are risking serious harm or death. It’s never, ever worth it. This is reckless, selfish and dangerous behaviour.” He urged people to think about their actions and to make appropriate arrangements for travel. “There is no appropriate time for taking illegal substances and there is no way to guarantee how long it may take for drugs or excess alcohol to leave your system.“This is why our officers will be out on the roads, day and night, across the county looking for signs of impairment and stopping motorists at checkpoints doing alcohol and drug screening tests.“Our message is simple: say no to drink or drug-driving so everyone can stay safe and get home this Christmas. We also ask that if you know anyone who drink or drug drives, do the right thing and report it. You may save a life or prevent someone from injury. Friends don’t let friends put themselves in danger.”Clive Grunshaw, Police and Crime Commissioner for Lancashire, said:”Driving under the influence of drink or drugs is completely unacceptable. Anyone who chooses to endanger the lives of others on our roads should expect to face the full force of the law.”Targeted enforcement operations like this are vital for improving road safety and sending a clear message that getting behind the wheel under the influence of drink or drugs will not be tolerated.“We know the devastation these reckless choices can cause. If you’re going on a night out, plan, nominate a sober driver, book a taxi, or use public transport. Don’t risk becoming the reason for a tragedy on our roads this Christmas.”Anyone who suspects that someone is either about to, or is currently, driving under the influence should call 999.For up-to-date Op Limit information and results throughout December, follow Lancashire Police across social media.