News | Highley Parish Council

soemthing

something

22nd January 2026

This week, the City of London Police, the national lead force for fraud, announced the full public launch of Report Fraud, which has now officially replaced Action Fraud.
A new media and advertising campaign is going live from Monday 19 January to help raise awareness of the brand-new service for reporting cyber crime and fraud.
The advertising campaign will run across radio and social channels, featuring the service’s clear new visual identity and message, ‘Every Report Counts’.
Please see our campaign hero film here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpZRbpNxCOM

21st January 2026

West Mercia Police - Local Policing Changes
Hello, I’m Inspector Julie Watson of Hereford City and South Herefordshire Safer Neighbourhood Teams and I’d like to tell you about some positive changes we’ve made to the organisation of West Mercia Police.

On Monday (19 January) the force changed the way it organises and delivers local policing to make sure services continue to meet the needs of local communities.

As part of these transitions, Herefordshire and Worcestershire has gone from being two local policing areas to a combined one (Herefordshire & Worcestershire).

This new structure is designed to strengthen resilience, improve coordination and ensure resources are focused where they are needed most.

Herefordshire’s communities will continue to receive the same level of service from their Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT), where we have recently seen an uplift in officer numbers.

The force has operated under its current structure since 2018, and feedback from the public has highlighted several ways to enhance how it functions and meets demand.

The planned investment supports the Police and Crime Commissioner’s Safer Communities Plan and contributes to the national Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, helping ensure policing remains visible, accessible and responsive.

The updated operating model is expected to provide a stable, long-term framework that better supports officers and staff, adapts to evolving demands and maintains a high standard of service for the public.

We look forward to engaging with our communities as we continue our duties to protect and serve the people of Herefordshire.

21st January 2026

Services focused on domestic abuse receive £1.5m investment from PCC
Life-changing programmes, delivered by Cranstoun, that tackle domestic abuse and protect victims across West Mercia will receive £1.5 million in funding from the PCC to continue their vital work.
Domestic abuse destroys lives and the rising number of cases in West Mercia shows just how vital it is that the PCC continues to invest in services that work to protect victims and challenge the behaviour of those causing harm.
Read the full article about the funding here:
https://www.westmercia-pcc.gov.uk/.../services-focused-on...
Read more about the work Cranstoun does here:
https://cranstoun.org/.../dom.../west-mercia-domestic-abuse/

15th January 2026

In the last week, many Instagram users began receiving unsolicited emails from the platform that warned about a password reset request.

The message said:

“Hi ,
We got a request to reset your Instagram password.
If you ignore this message, your password will not be changed. If you didn’t request a password reset, let us know.”

It is believed that 17.5 million user details have been made public on the dark web. These records include:

Usernames
Full names
User IDs
Email addresses
Phone numbers
Countries
Partial locations
Please note it is believed that there are no passwords listed in the data.

What to do to stay safe….

If you haven’t already, enable 2SV/2FA on your Instagram account. We would suggest doing this via an authenticator app rather than text message.

Change your password. Using the NCSC guidance of linking three random words together rather than using personal information such as pet name or favourite football team.

If you do change your password, do this via the app or on the trusted website and do not click on any links in the email.

Another thing to keep in mind is that some users may have linked their Instagram to their Facebook or WhatsApp accounts. You can check recent logins or active sessions and log out from any devices that you do not recognise.

Lastly have you changed your email password recently. If you haven’t, consider changing this password too, using a unique password and not the same as your Instagram!

More help and guidance on how to stay safe online can be found here -

https://padlet.com/WMPCyber/cyber-fraud-protect-for-individuals-bc38ps7z...

13th January 2026

FRAUDULENT HOLIDAY OFFERS

This is that time of year when the media is full of tempting offers of holidays at home and abroad. These may also be landing in your email Inbox as well.

But just remember this is also a marketplace exploited by the fraudsters and criminals as well.

These offers are many and various, and range from fake caravan or motorhome listings to “too good to be true” offers for holidays, villa rentals and holiday lets. Criminals use a variety of methods to trick the public into handing over their money and personal information.

Always remember

Be suspicious of any “too good to be true” offers or prices – if it is at a rock bottom price - ask yourself why
Do your research before making any purchases by reading reviews of the site or person you are purchasing from. Before booking accommodation ask what checks the agent makes on both the landlord and advertised property.
Verify that the address exists through web searches and online maps.
Where possible, book directly with an established hotel or through a reputable travel company/agent that is a member of a trade body such as ABTA or ATOL.
If you do decide to book independently, establish if you are dealing with the property owner, a letting agent or via the local tourist information desk.
Ensure you read the terms and conditions before making any bookings to confirm exactly what you are being sold. Double-check both your travel and accommodation information, particularly if there is a long gap between making the booking and arrival.
Always use the secure payment options recommended by reputable online travel providers. Beware of any requests for payments in cash, or bank transfers via Moneywise or Western Union which may be difficult to trace or gain any refunds
Where possible, use a credit card when making purchases over £100 and up to £30,000 as you receive protection under Section 75 rules
Always access the website you are purchasing from by typing it into your web browser and be wary of clicking on links in unsolicited emails. The website should use the padlock symbol to indicate that the site is secure.
Do not click on links or attachments in social media posts or emails
Question uninvited approaches and contact organisations directly to confirm requests using a known email or phone number
Only give out your personal or financial information to services you have consented to, and are expecting to be contacted by.
Please feel free to share these messages with any vulnerable friends, relatives or neighbours

Search form

soemthing