Co-Chair of the Warwickshire LRF and speaking on behalf of all agencies, Deputy Chief Constable Alex Franklin-Smith, urged all residents to take heed of his message:

“I cannot begin to imagine the pain the families and friends of those who have recently lost their lives just across the border at Babbs Mill Lake must be going through following the tragic loss of four young lives.  Collectively across Warwickshire we send all those affected our deepest sympathies, and our hearts go out to everyone in their local community.

“Despite this incident, yesterday in Warwickshire we had two reports of young people being seen walking on frozen water.  Each was quickly responded to by multiple emergency services with extensive searches carried out and thankfully there has been no evidence in each case of anyone coming to any harm.

LRF Co-Chair and Chief Fire Officer Ben Brook said:

“All open water, particularly when it’s frozen, can pose significant risks to people.  Our message to everyone right now is to stay well away from the water’s edge. Please don’t try to walk or skate on frozen water.”

Law students put school exclusions in the spotlight

To help support families through the process, Warwickshire County Council have been working in partnership with The University of Warwick, Bailey Wright and Co Solicitors and Warwickshire Parent Carer Voice to create a resource families can use to better understand the law and their rights.

Working together with students volunteering with Warwick Law in the Community (LinC), an independent legal information resource in the form of a video has been created to help parents, guardians and carers to understand what school exclusions are, how to prevent them through early intervention and what to expect.

Warwickshire’s Lord Lieutenant presents British Empire Medals to local residents

British Empire Medals (BEM) mark the extraordinary contributions and service of people from across the UK. They recognise people who have made achievements in public life, committed themselves to serving and helping the UK, and who make life better for others by being outstanding at what they do.

Helping Warwickshire residents stay fire safe this Christmas

The festive season is a time for celebration, from wrapping presents to enjoying Christmas dinner and spending time with family, but this year is likely to see people cut back on what they spend as the cost of living continues to rise.

However, WFRS is keen to stress the importance that residents don’t neglect keeping themselves and their families safe from the risk of fire as a result.

M42 to close between Junction 9 and 10 from Friday 23 December to Tuesday 3 January

HS2 and Balfour Beatty VINCI are working closely with National Highways to plan and complete these works. There will be a phased temporary full closure of both the M42 southbound and northbound, between junctions 9 and 10.

Grant funding available to support development of English language skill

Voluntary and community organisations are encouraged to apply for grants from the Council’s Community Provision of Conversational English Language Grant to support small-scale projects that aim to increase and sustain the capacity of volunteer ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) provision.

Help to shape a sustainable future for Warwickshire

The new draft Sustainable Futures Strategy establishes the direction and priorities of Warwickshire County Council to reduce carbon emissions, support biodiversity and promote economic growth across the County. It directly addresses the significant challenges of climate change, which poses a direct risk to Warwickshire communities and economy, and declining biodiversity, which impacts on both our wellbeing and economic prosperity.

The Council is encouraging everyone with an interest in creating a sustainable Warwickshire now and for future generations, to read the Strategy and give their feedback through an online survey. They can leave their thoughts on the Strategy approach, the priority areas and planned actions as well as their views on how the goals should be delivered. The Strategy and survey can be found at:
https://ask.warwickshire.gov.uk