Elizabeth Fish

Lincolnshire County Council is offering parents free blind cleats to prevent accidents from blind cords in the home.

According to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (ROSPA), there have been at least 27 deaths due to looped blind cords since 1999, 14 of which happened between 2010 and February 2013.

Cords can be of a threat to children due to the possibility of getting caught up, which could lead to serious injury or even be fatal.

Helene Denness, specialty registrar in Public Health, said: “Over one million children are taken to accident and emergency after accidents in or around the home each year. Often tragic accidents occur through play when it comes to blind cords.

“Our advice to parents is to only install blinds that are safe by design, such as a cordless blind or ones with a concealed or tensioned cord.

“But if you live in Lincolnshire and do have blinds with a cord, the county council offers free blind cleats to keep the hanging wire out of the way of little ones.”

Other advice from ROSPA includes:

• Install blinds that do not have a cord, particularly in a child’s bedroom.
• Do not place a child’s cot, bed, playpen or highchair near a window.
• Pull cords on curtains and blinds should be kept short and kept out of reach.
• Tie up the cords or use one of the many cleats, cord tidies, clips or ties that are available.
• Do not hang toys or objects that could be a hazard on the cot or bed.
• Don’t hang drawstring bags where a small child could get their head through the loop of the drawstring.

To get free blind cleats, fill in the form on the county council’s website.

Public toilets in Lincoln run by the City of Lincoln Council that are underused will soon be sold off at auction.

The facilities at St Peter at Arches and the freehold interest in the adjacent building will be sold off due to the council’s ongoing review into how it can save money.

Members of City of Lincoln Council’s Asset Management Group agreed that its relatively low levels of use, and a subsequent consultation, proved the toilets would be a good asset to sell.

They were also not to council standard anymore, and required more than minor work to be brought up to condition.

Cllr Ric Metcalfe, Leader of the council and chair of the Asset Management Group, said: “We are aware there is a demand for improved toilet provision in the city centre and we remain committed to providing a network of good quality facilities at suitable locations.

“In the meanwhile, we will ensure all new developments include public toilet provision wherever possible.

“However, the ladies facilities at St Peter at Arches were not accessible for people with prams or mobility problems, and major work would have been needed to bring them up to the standards we aspire to. The toilets were not being used enough to justify this investment.

“The toilets were declared surplus to requirements following the consultation and there are significant benefits in including the adjacent building, which is occupied on a leasehold basis, to provide a great investment and redevelopment opportunity.

“We are also aware that a third property in private sector ownership next door to the Council’s properties will also be available at the same auction.”

The properties will be auctioned by J H Walter on November 26. Money raised from a sale would be used towards growing the council’s assets.