 Local store has licence revoked
Following the discovery of six bottles of counterfeit vodka containing substances harmful to health at Brecon Stores in Woodley, our partners in Trading Standards applied to review the premises licence.
Trading Standards had explained in their application that within the period of one year, they had received 11 reports of underage sales of alcohol, cigarettes and vapes from the store, and had found several bottles of duty evaded vodka in the storeroom.
Thames Valley Police highlighted that even after the review papers had been served on the licence holder, a further complaint of sale of alcohol to a 12-year-old girl had been received.
A hearing was held on 21 May by elected members of the Licensing and Appeals Sub-Committee, and attended by our Licensing Officers, Trading Standards, Thames Valley Police, and the licence holder, Mr Kulbir Kapoor, to determine the review. At the hearing, Mr Kapoor claimed that the counterfeit vodka was bankrupt stock from a previous shop owner and the duty-evaded vodka was purchased at duty-free for personal consumption but admitted to a proportion of the alleged underage sales.
The Sub-Committee considered the options available to them and decided, with regard to both local and national policy, to revoke the licence.
The licence holder has taken up his right to appeal to the Magistrates Court and may continue to sell alcohol whilst that is pending. We will update you on the outcome of the appeal.
If you have any concerns about items being sold by shops or concerns about underage sales please report them via email.
 New Domestic Abuse Strategy published
We are continuing to raise awareness of domestic abuse and the support available to all those affected. The progress we have made since 2021 and what we plan to do over the next three years is included in the newly published strategy.
Thanks to everyone who took the time to complete the Community Safety annual survey and let us know how they think we are doing and what our new priorities need to be. Going foward we will be focusing on:
- Raising awareness and early intervention
- Support for victim-survivors and their children
- Holding perpetrators to account
- Delivering support in ‘safe accommodation’
To find out more about our work and the support available to victim/survivors please visit our website.
 Stay waterwise this summer
The Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service have all you need to stay waterwise this summer.
Stop and Think
Enter any bodies of water slowly and carefully, never jump from heights, and ask yourself, is the area safe? Ensure you think about all the hazards, including whether the water is too deep or too shallow, the strength of any currents or tides, and the presence of underwater objects. Remember, you never know what could be below the surface. There could be unseen currents and reeds, which could pull you under when you least expect.
Think about the temperature of the water. Cold water shock, which is the reaction of your body when entering cold water, can have harmful effects, including weakening of the muscles, breathing in of water, and even abnormal heart rhythm; ultimately resulting in death. Anything below 15°C is considered cold water, and the average UK and Ireland sea temperatures are just 12°C. Even in summer, be wary of cold water.
Do not enter the water after having consumed alcohol. Avoid walking routes near water if you are under the influence of alcohol. The sedative effect of alcohol will slow your reaction time, compounding the already present dangers of water.
Stay Together
Only swim in lifeguarded areas at the beach and always ensure someone is available to raise the alarm in case of an emergency.
61 percent of accidental water-related fatalities in 2024 occurred at inland waters such as lakes and rivers
Enter the water slowly, stay within reach, and keep to a standing depth.
In an Emergency... Call 999
Ensure that everyone in your group knows who to call in an emergency. Ask for the Coastguard if you are at the coast. Anywhere else, ask for the fire and rescue service and an ambulance.
Never enter the water to try and save someone, even if you are a strong swimmer. Instead, shout to the person ‘swim to me’, and use any lifebelts or throw bags that may be available; ensuring if they are attached to a rope to secure it or to hold the end of it. If there is no equipment of this kind, look for anything that can float, and throw it to them. Tell the person to float on their back.
Float to Live
If you fall in or become tired, stay calm and float on your back until the effects of cold-water shock pass. Bear in mind that moving water will rob you of heat 250 times more quickly than still water. When the effect has passed, either call for help or swim to safety.
Ensure you and your group know basic water safety and what to do if someone finds themselves unexpectedly in water. Use the Free RLSS UK resources for tips on water safety.
 Dealing with Doorstep Crime
One of the priorities of the Trading Standards Team is to support residents, especially vulnerable people, to live independent lives by protecting them from doorstep crime and to stop doorstep criminals from profiting from their activities.
As summer approaches our Trading Standards Officers are warning residents to be on their guard against rogue traders involved in doorstep crime. They will knock on doors unannounced and claim, as they have just finished a job nearby, they can assist with repairs, landscaping or clean your driveway.
Since the start of this financial year, in Wokingham Borough alone we have been alerted to 20 doorstep crime incidents with victims paying out over £105,843 at an average loss of £5,292 per incident. Officers continue to undertake routine patrols to identify and move on some unscrupulous operators.
Protect yourself by:
- Researching any traders or companies before confirming any payments especially if they seem too good to be true
- Talking to friends and family
- Not being rushed into making a decision
- Acting straight away if you think you have been scammed
If a doorstep caller is at your home now, or you have recently been contacted by one, call us on 01635 519930. You can also report 'non-active' incidents via email.
 Air quality monitoring
The Public Protection Partnership undertakes air quality monitoring in Wokingham Borough to measure the main source of pollution derived from exhaust emissions from road traffic.
They measure nitrogen dioxide using diffusion tubes. These are small tubes with a rubber stopper on one end housing a fine mesh that captures the pollutant. The tubes are attached onto or very close to residential properties, to assess the pollution levels where people live and work.
Every 4 or 5 weeks these tubes are swapped over and sent for analysis. This gives a monthly result which goes towards providing an annual average level.
They are obliged to produce annual status reports of the monitoring results including an assessment of air quality levels for each local authority. These reports known as Annual Status Reports (ASRs) and are submitted to the Department of Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) for appraisal.
There are things we can all do to help improve air quality.
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