Strut House, an ‘outstanding’ short breaks home for children and young people who have severe and profound disabilities, has officially opened its new site.

Three single-bed units have come on stream in Grantham for South Kesteven District Council to accommodate the most vulnerable homeless individuals.

Changing your tyres has to be one of the most arduous tasks of winter and summer. Not only is it physically demanding, but you really have to know what you’re doing in order to do it correctly. Otherwise, you might have to spend some money on having it done professionally at the garage. But there’s one simple solution – all season tyres. With a set of these, you don’t need to worry about having separate sets for the seasons, finding storage space for them, and then swapping them when the time comes. Perfect for businesses that have big fleets of vehicles and individuals who don’t want to face the task anymore, here’s everything you need to know. What are they and how do they work? All-season tyres basically combine all the best characteristics of summer and winter tyres to create a hybrid tyre that can take on all weather conditions. Winter tyres are usually composed of different materials that are designed to stay softer in lower temperatures. This makes them perfect for cold and slippery surfaces, providing enough coverage to avoid an accident. Winter tyres also have a lot more tread blocks and sipes which improve the overall grip. Summer tyres, on the other hand, are much simpler in design and have far fewer tread marks. The material is also harder to withstand higher temperatures. All-season tyres are great because they provide grip on slippery surfaces all year round, can adapt to the changing of temperature throughout the year, and don’t wear and tear to the same extent as off-season tyres. Do all-season tyres have better grip in winter? All-season tyres perform remarkably well during winter’s more hostile conditions. The tyres are composed of different ingredients that include a special kind of resin that performs well in cold conditions. They also integrate more silica that keeps the rubber of the tread flexible in cold weather. The tread pattern works well too. They have an open pattern specifically designed to disperse of water and slush effectively whilst extra sipes provide more grip on slippery roads. How much do they cost? All-season tyres are generally more expensive than a set of seasonal tyres, but the savings one makes in only buying one set of tyres is significant. The initial cost might be a bitter pill to swallow, but you will soon reap the financial rewards. It might be tempting to opt for a used set that are cheaper, but this isn’t generally advised. Seeing as these tyres are doing all the work all year round, you need them to be in tip top condition to take on any conditions you throw at them. That’s why the expense of a new pair is absolutely worth it.

With cars getting more and more expensive, many of us are turning to used cars to get an affordable deal. The second hand car market has never been bigger and if you’re lucky, you can purchase a car that has only been on the road for a handful of years. However, buying second hand motors comes with its fair share of risks. If you’re not careful, you could cross paths with scammers who are trying to sell faulty cars. However, if you know what red flags to look for, you’ll be in a far stronger position. Curbstoning Curbstoning refers to unregistered dealers posing as a private dealer to get around a few laws. For anyone who wants to buy and sell cars as a business, they need to have a dealer licence, therefore protecting customers from dealers who sell defective vehicles. One way to spot whether a dealer is just posing as a private seller is when they meet you at the curb in front of their private residence or in an empty parking lot. Hence the name! Title washing If a vehicle has been really damaged or has any issues, it should be clearly stated in the title. However, in order to sell their car quicker, scammers will often remove negative information by editing the title or moving the vehicle into a state where a certain brand isn’t well known. Make absolutely sure by getting the vehicle history report or contacting your insurance company with the vehicle registration. These measures should reveal all issues that were not previously stated. Odometer rollbacks Odometers might not be commonplace anymore, but that doesn’t stop scammers selling close to half a million false odometer readings each year. Scammers will often roll back the odometer reading to advertise the vehicle as less used that it actually is, and therefore attach a higher price tag. Hire a mechanic to look over the car and look out for signs of odometer rollback. The vehicle history report might also reveal the vehicle’s mileage at certain points, like at a sale or service appointment. How to safely buy a used car It might feel overwhelming buying a used car when there are so many potential scams out there, but it always helps to ask for a vehicle history report whenever you’re unsure. This will confirm or deny any details you were given for the car. If the seller is reluctant to give it to you, that’s a big red flag. It also always helps to get a professional opinion, so hire a mechanic to look over a potential car. It might be an expense, but it will save you money in the long run if you’re being sold something faulty.

Irresponsible dog owners are being targeted in the latest offensive across North Lincolnshire designed to protect and enhance communities. While litter louts and people caught not picking up after their pooches can already be  fined, the latest development is to target people out and about walking their dogs without bags to collect the waste – and not having bags could land offenders with a £100 fine. North Lincolnshire Council’s Rob Waltham said: “We will keep saying this until people get the message – it is your dog, and you should clean up after it – it’s disgusting, and it’s lazy to expect other people to clean up after you. “It can blind children. That’s not alarmist, it is a fact. I would not want that on my conscience for the sake of a very simple action of picking up after a dog. “There are thousands of bins across North Lincolnshire and there is no excuse for not having a proper bag for the proper disposal of waste.” It is difficult to catch perpetrators after the act, so the powers available to community wardens mean people who do not have the proper waste bags can be fined £100. In April more than 200 people were fined for littering. The news comes after recent figures revealed the number of complaints about dog mess have reduced. Cllr Neil Poole, cabinet member for environmental operations, welcomed the reduction in complaints but added: “Dog fouling is a scourge on our streets and public places, and it simply won’t be tolerated. “It is an offence not to pick up after your dog, and no decent dog owner will leave the house without a pocket full of poo bags. “We are determined to keep fining the small minority that persists in this disgusting behaviour. They are simply not fit to own a pet and give responsible dog owners a bad name. “Anyone who sees dog mess on the street or who has any information about people who don’t clean up after themselves should let us know. By working together with the community, we can make sure the people who do this are punished.”