Drive to recruit foster parents with perks package pays off
ADAD of four is frightened to carry his kids in his family motor after the latest recall of the vehicle.
Zafira driver Darren Bell said he was left believing the car was not safe to drive after a letter came telling him “urgent action” was required.
Last month, Vauxhall had to issue its third fire-related recall for the Zafira B people carrier.
Some had previously been recalled because of a fire risk due to “melting of the plug that connects to the resister fuse” in the heating and ventilation systems.
According to Vauxhall, the car is safe to drive, but drivers should not leave it unattended with the engine running.
The firm warned that “if the blower motor is not working or there is a smell of melting, please switch the fan speed to the off position and under these circumstances please contact your Vauxhall retailer to arrange repairs immediately.”
After receiving the letter from Vauxhall, Mr Bell, who paid £1,300 for the car a year ago, phoned the firm’s helpline number.
He claims he was advised not to drive his vehicle until work was carried out to rectify the problem, and that he was left believing it was not safe to use.
Mr Bell, 36, from Amlwch, said he bought the car specifically because it was a car capable of carrying a large family.
Vauxhall has said that the vehicle is safe to drive subject to certain conditions in the recall notice.
But Mr Bell says he is not confident using the vehicle, given the fires that have affected the model in the past.
He said: “Meanwhile the car is lying outside my house, and I’m having to rely on friends to take me shopping and I couldn’t take my children back to their home in England last weekend as I don’t feel safe driving the car until the problem has been fixed.”
He says he had been told the car would be picked up and taken to a Vauxhall garage, where the work
A BENEFITS package to attract more foster parents on Anglesey is already paying off with another 15 having signed up over the past six months.
Foster carers offer security, stability, and support at a crucial time in a child’s development, often providing their first experience of a positive family life.
But in many instances, authorities are forced to place would be carried out, before being told he’d have to take the vehicle there himself and could end up having to pay for the cost of a courtesy car.
When our sister paper, the Daily Post contacted Vauxhall, it said the work should only take around an hour-and-a-half.
This latest recall applies to 234,938 second-generation Zafira ‘B’ models sold in the UK.
The cars were built between 2005 and 2014, and are fitted with either no air-conditioning or manual airconditioning.
A spokesman for Vauxhall said: “Mr Bell’s Vauxhall Zafira has been recalled for work to be carried children with private foster carers via private agencies, which results in councils paying a premium due to not having enough of their own to meet the demand.
As a result, a new benefits package for foster carers was unveiled earlier this year in a bid to recruit more to register on Anglesey Council’s own list.
The package included increasing the foster allowance by 10%, out on
“This is part of a national recall for selected Zafira models, and while our retailers are not bound to provide a courtesy vehicle while work is being carried out, they will of course make the recall process as convenient as possible for customers.
“To this end, Mr Bell’s retailer has managed to bring forward the recall appointment, and will carry out the work while he waits (approx. 90 minutes).
“In the meantime, Mr Bell’s vehicle is safe to drive, taking into account the guidance provided in Vauxhall’s recall letter.” its heating/ventilation system. providing a 50% discount in council tax, a free leisure services membership card and council car parking pass.
A meeting of the Corporate Scrutiny Committee saw the head of service reveal that as a result of the package, an additional three foster families had already been found with several others having expressed an interest - potentially saving tens of thousands of pounds.