AN 81-year-old grandmother has won her case against the Department for Work and Pensions.As reported, Edna Nixon, of Bader Close, on Grimsby’s Willows Estate, was alarmed when she received a letter from the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP), saying she owed them £1,390.42 because they had been paying her too much severe disability premium.She legitimately started receiving extra money in her pension after she had half a lung removed in 2001, to treat cancer.Despite the major surgery and the fact she suffered with asthma, the spirited and independent pensioner rang up benefit officers in 2005 and said she felt she was not severely disabled, and therefore should not receive the benefit.While this phone call cancelled the attendance allowance, she was later told that technically she should have also called another team within the DWP to cancel the severe disability premium.As a result, civil servants worked out that during 2005 and 2006, she had received too much money and they demanded she repay the difference.But a tribunal at Grimsby Magistrates’ Court this week ruled in favour of Mrs Nixon, and deemed she would not have to pay the £1,390.42 back to the DWP.

She said: “I’m exhilarated with the outcome. Absolutely thrilled. It’s taken two years and it’s a weight off the mind.”

Lib Dem Ward councillor, Dave Boylen, who has been supporting Mrs Nixon, and attended the tribunal with her, said: “I’m delighted for her and that common sense has prevailed. To pay back nearly £1,400 at 81 is too much, and it isn’t going to break the Bank of England.

“She deserves this outcome, she never gave up and stood for justice and she’s first class.”

A Department for Work and Pensions spokesperson said: “We always try to provide a good service to our customers and if they have had problems dealing with their benefits, try to make sure we learn from this.  As in this case, decisions made by the Department can be challenged through the appeal process and be looked at by an Independent Tribunal.”

Mrs Nixon added: “I would like to thank everybody who has supported me through this, and I am glad to prove I am not a cheat or anything.”  

Plans to increase tolls on the Humber Bridge will put more pressure on the local economy, a campaigner has said.

The proposed rise means car drivers will pay be forced to pay £2.90 each time they cross the bridge, 20p more than current prices.

Jenny Walton, who leads Humber Action Against Tolls, said: “This rise is no surprise but it will push up costs of everything for people and the economy.”

The Humber Bridge Board which controls the bridge blamed a rise in inflation and “debts on the financing of the bridge”. 

Tolls on the bridge last rose in 2006, but a recent study commissioned by North East Lincolnshire Council, North Lincolnshire Council, Hull City Council and other local authorities recommended that the toll system is axed completely.

Cllr Andrew De Freitas, leader of North East Lincolnshire Council, said that the bridge is a very important part of our road network and he believes the high bridge tolls are impeding our economic development.  The tolls also have a major impact on residents who need to access services across the river - many people on the south bank have to travel frequently to the hospitals in Hull for essential treatment.”

The proposed increases are subject to a period of public consultation which ends on 2 October.

Lorries will see the biggest increase in tolls with a rise from £14.60 to £15.90 for each crossing, if approved - a total of £2.60 extra for each return trip! 

Heart attack victim Neil Doore is putting his best foot forward to help others.Walking has changed Neil’s health and lifestyle for the better and now he has become a walk leader, for Walk Well, to help others do the same.Mr Doore (43), from the East Marsh, in Grimsby, said the scheme has completely altered his outlook on his health and life.He said: “Since joining the health walks, my health has improved no end and I wanted to be a part of the scheme to help people like me.”In 2005, Mr Doore suffered from a heart attack and was signed off work on medical grounds.Now, thanks to Walk Well, he has gained a new lease of life, walking three times a week with the Health Walk Scheme.Steven Markham, North East Lincolnshire Council health promotion specialist, said: “Neil is a shining example of what our scheme is all about.

“He started doing one walk a week and built up to walking three or more times a week with us. He then enjoyed the walks so much that he wanted to be a health walk leader himself.”

The scheme is based on the national Walking The Way to Health Initiative (WHI) which aims to improve people’s health by encouraging them to be more physically active.

The group walks all start and finish from community locations and each walk ends with an optional social gathering.

Mr Markham explained: “At your first walk you’ll be asked a few short questions about your current health status and then you will be off enjoying the surroundings. So just turn up and join in.

“All of our walkers find it great fun and make new friends, as well as getting healthy.”

The group-led, 30 to 60- minute, health walks take place on a weekly basis and are all led by a specially trained volunteer walk leader.

One of the Walk Well walks takes place at 10.00am every Tuesday from Saint Michael’s Church, on Great Coates Road. For information about the other walks, or about becoming a volunteer health walk leader, please contact Walk Well on (01472) 625500, contact steven.markham@nelctp.nhs.uk or visit www.heartwell.org.uk

Moves are underway to abolish North and South Humberside once and for all.A campaign has been launched demanding the Prime Minister brings to an end the use of the outdated titles.It has been a decade since the counties of North and South Humberside have existed, but organisations, such as the Post Office, continue to keep the names on their database.

Now nearly 300 people have signed an e-petition calling on the prime minister to prohibit the use of the names.The e-petition, submitted to the Downing Street website, claims: “The counties of North and South Humberside have not been in existence for over 10 years, having reverted to the original names of East Yorkshire and North and North East Lincolnshire.“However, companies and Government departments persist in using these outdated titles in addresses.

“The majority of people did not wish to become part of ‘Humberside’ and to continue using this title long after its abolition is offensive.”

The county of Humberside was created by the Local Government Act 1972, on April 1, 1974, and was abolished in 1996.

In its place came four individual unitary authorities: Kingston-upon-Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, North Lincolnshire and North-East Lincolnshire.

The use of Humberside in naming our region’s police and fire services is another sticking point for those campaigning to end its use.

Only two years ago a proposal was put forward and then abandoned to rename the force the Greater Yorkshire Police.

But Humberside Police, one of the services involved, say to change the name would prove too costly.

A force spokesperson said: “Any name change for Humberside Police would prove extremely costly and I suspect that the taxpayers in all four unitary authorities that we serve would agree there are far better ways for their money to be spent.

“Furthermore, although Humberside no longer exists as a county, the people served by Humberside Police do indeed live on both sides of the River Humber.”

Earlier this year, Beverley and Holderness MP Graham Stuart launched his own petition calling on the Royal Mail to remove all references to the counties from its official database.

He presented the petition - signed by more than 750 people - to Royal Mail bosses last month.

However, Royal Mail said the company no longer uses the titles, but it does exist on their database.

A spokesperson for Royal Mail said: “Royal Mail does not use county information because it has not been required for postal purposes for many years.

“We want to remind our customers about the importance of correct addressing at every opportunity.

“However, Royal Mail is one of a number of companies who sells address databases to external organisations.

“Our Postal Address File includes three types of county information: the former postal county, the traditional county and the administrative county.

“This information is used by some purchasers of the product for their own purposes, though it is made clear to them that it is not required for postal purposes and it is not updated.”

The new chief executive of North East Lincolnshire Council, Tony Hunter will join a panel answering taxpayers’ questions, and the council’s performance will come under the spotlight at a Question Time event.

The open debate will be part of North East Lincolnshire Council’s Community Engagement Week.

It will take place at Whitgift Theatre, Grimsby, on Monday, September 15.

Or email paul.windley@ nelincs.gov.uk or paul.wisken@nelincs.gov.uk . Or write to: NELC Question Time tickets, Law and Democratic Services, Municipal Offices, Grimsby, N E Lincs, DN31 1HU. The closing date for ticket applications is Wednesday, September 3.

Audience members who would like to ask a question of the panel on the night are asked to submit their questions beforehand. Residents can either do this when applying for their ticket, or you can submit your questions separately, sending them to the above contact details with your name and ticket number.

The deadline for question submissions is Wednesday, September 10.

Patients are opting to have teeth removed because it is often the cheaper option under the Goverment’s dental contract

More patients are having teeth taken out since the Government’s ‘botched’ dental contract came in two years ago.

The number of dentures fitted has gone up, following warnings that the new system favours quicker, old-style dentistry over complex procedures.

Figures from the NHS Information Centre released on Thursday also show for the first time that more than 1.1million fewer patients are seeing NHS dentists in England.

But it is the changes in patterns of treatment that are causing most concern, with the British Dental Association (BDA) calling for an urgent investigation into the crisis.

To read the complete item cick on:  http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/health/article-1047719/Dramatic-rise-dental-patients-having-teeth-taken–cheaper-fillings.html