Clwyd West AM Darren Millar has welcomed proposals to make Abergele Wales’s first ‘No Cold Calling Town’.
Darren, Shadow Minister for Older People, recently led a debate in the National Assembly on protecting older people from scams and doorstep crime and is therefore very much behind the proposals put forward by Conwy Trading Standards, North Wales Police and Conwy Community Safety to ban doorstep callers from Abergele.
He said:
“Too many vulnerable people in Wales are falling victim on a daily basis to phone, doorstep and internet scams, which aim to make money through deceit and intimidation.
“As well as robbing elderly and vulnerable people of their lifesavings, scams can cause considerable distress and severely limit someone’s quality of life. There is a high number of elderly people living in Abergele and making it a no cold calling town would give these residents peace of mind that they will not be conned by cold calling rogue traders.
“For this initiative to go ahead, it is important for local residents to give it their support and I therefore urge them to give their response to the proposals at an event at Abergele Youth and Community Centre, Market Street, Abergele, on 11 March between 10.30am and 1pm.
“Llandegfan on Anglesey recently became Wales’s first ’No Cold Calling Village’ – I would love to see Abergele become the first ‘No Cold Calling Town’.”
The proposals have also received the backing of Age Cymru.
Gerry Keighley, Campaigns Co-ordinator for the charity said:
“Every day, older people in communities across Wales are conned into having unnecessary work done on their homes for staggering amounts of money upfront by cold calling rogue traders.
“Older people need more protection against these rogue traders and Age Cymru wants legally enforceable ‘No Cold Calling Zones’ created across Wales. This is why Age Cymru commends Conwy Trading Standards, North Wales Police and Conwy Community Safety for their idea.”
