John Coles Park is a lovely, central & safe environment for all users which include a large community of dog walkers who exercise their dogs on and off lead in the appropriate designated areas. This split has worked well for many years and it is disappointing that Chippenham Town Council have decided to make this decision without a full public consultation and by their own admission in their report for the Amenities, Culture & Leisure Committee meeting dated 9 September stated that the split of users who would prefer dogs on or off leads is 50/50. Although this is not an outright dog ban it does by its enforcement mean that many dog walkers will not be able to use the park to ensure their dog gets their full exercise. It will also cause issues for for those who are less able or without cars to get to places where they can let their dogs run. The majority of the regular dog walkers using the park do so twice a day most days of the years, either earlier or later in the day. Therefore, they don’t interact with the main bulk of public who use the park for socialising etc and feel unfairly treated in this matter. Also, as we are approaching winter would be the main and, in some cases, the only users of the park. Instead of this complete change in usage the signage in the park between the two areas could be much improved to educate, not only the dog walkers but also the non-dog owners as to which area is safely designated for them and the status quo can remain. Or as a compromise certain times of the day, ie a couple of hours early and a couple of hours late on could be designated as dog off lead time and the rest of the time in between dog on leads. There are lots of options that could be considered that would work for all parties without alienating one very large group of regular and loyal users. Suggestions for using other areas – Donkey Field – needs better maintenance and is a less suitable environment esp mornings for dogs of lead with the children going to school. Birds Marsh, so much more difficult to get to now that the new massive estate has been built across most of the access. Monkton Park – a little further away and more difficult to access for some. The main points are that: This decision seems to have been reached very quietly and without discussion with actual regular users of the park. Walking dogs on lead only is not suitable for a large proportion of the dogs currently walked in the park. Dogs on lead can actually become more stressed and more likely to act aggressively. There are no other similar local environments that are as safe to let dogs off lead. Please sign this petition if you would like this decision reversed or at least reconsidered fully and with the input of all park users. Please also petition your local councillor and Chippenham Town Council if you feel strongly about this and have other points to add. Many thanks

This is important because there is a very little amount of public entertainment in the local area. Building a skatepark would bring new people into the village and would help the local stores by bringing in new customers. A skatepark provides endless hours of entertainment for all.

All NHS Trusts across England should allow birth partners to support mothers throughout their whole pregnancy and birth. The government has made it clear that during the coronavirus crisis, birth partners are allowed to be present during pregnancy appointments and the birth. But still, a huge number of trusts in England are preventing birth partners from attending all of the big moments in the pregnancy: the 12-week scan, the 20-week scan and the duration of labour. This means that some mothers are going through birth alone, finding out that they’ve suffered a miscarriage, or that something is wrong during the pregnancy, with no one there to support them. No one should have to go through that alone. It shouldn’t matter where you live in the country - every mother should have access to the same support during pregnancy and birth.

Our village has grown to over 2,000 residents there is very limited transport for people of faith to go to any other church. It is a Beautiful Church which is over 150 years old survived through two world wars. Please help to save our church

This is our national sport; the game we all Watch and keep up to date with. The sport peaks our interest every day: weather it’s a World Cup final, a cold wet night on the first leg of a League Cup match, or the business end of the game -awaiting a much needed transfer to your club, in hope that the club will perform better the following season- the excitement never ends. COVID-19 has taken enough, it cannot erode the very foundations in which that excitement bares its roots!

On 26 July 2020 (!), a new planning application was submitted to The Highland Council (validated 4 September) for an 18-hole golf course, largely on Coul Links sand dunes within Loch Fleet and Dornoch Firth Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), Special Protection Area (SPA) and Ramsar international wetland. A further small par 3 course (14 holes) is proposed for adjacent non-SSSI higher land (raised beach) immediately north of Embo. That area was extensively burnt back in March 2020, also damaging non-SSSI dune grassland which supports a nationally important colony of northern brown argus butterfly. Details of the larger course layout and bogus claims about improvements to site condition are almost identical to the previous application that was refused by The Scottish Government in February 2020 following a Local Public Inquiry, after it had been approved by all but one councillor (plus one abstainer) on the Highland Council Planning Committee. Government agency NatureScot (previously SNH) has expressed serious concerns similarly to before. The applicant is a local councillor, ostensibly acting on behalf of a junior football and athletics club. The application doesn’t mention financing sources. Its Appendix states, “Should this application be progressed, it will be submitted by a consortium of community groups local to the East Sutherland region”. The fear is that the whole exercise is a Trojan or stalking horse for the previous Coul Links Ltd consortium, which included The Embo Trust (Urras Euraboil) as an intended shareholder. The applicant’s Appendix reveals Covid19 and Brexit uncertainties being used for economic opportunism. There is no mention of global ecocide, coastal climate emergency impacts or the waste of resources repeating unnecessary planning Inquiries, should the application gain any traction: money that could be spent on conservation. The councillor sits on all the powerful local committees and is chairman of Embo Trust. Concerning his lobbying of the earlier planning application: he edited and circulated misleading press letters to all Highland Council Planning Committee; in his Coul Links article in The Crofter journal, November 2017 he described ‘those of an environmental persuasion’ as ‘Armchair Environmentalists’ and, as quoted in The Press & Journal, expressed his ignorance of habitat loss as “Cars and cats kill more birds than golfers”. At hypocritical odds with minority golf ambitions are Embo Trust’s Article of Association 4.5: "To advance environmental protection or improvement including preservation and conservation of the natural environment, the promotion of sustainable development, the maintenance, improvement or provision of environmental amenities for the community”. The Scottish Government decision about the previous application followed recommendation by Highland Council’s Planning Officer to refuse; a total of 1864 planning objections, including from government agency Scottish Natural Heritage (now NatureScot); a protracted campaign by many leading conservation charities (led by RSPB); an earlier Wembley Stadium capacity 38Degrees petition (now closed); and a month-long Public Inquiry, officiated by The Planning and Environmental Appeals Division of The Scottish Government, with production of a detailed DPEA Report recommending refusal. Scotland’s Planning Minister Kevin Stewart summarised in February 2020: “Reporters have concluded that the harmful impacts of this development to protected habitats and species would outweigh the potential socio-economic benefits. This proposal does not comply with the relevant provisions of the Highland Wide Local Development Plan and runs contrary to Scottish planning policy’s emphasis on protecting natural heritage sites and world class environmental assets. The Scottish Government has considered the reporter’s findings carefully and agree with the recommendation that planning permission should be refused”. Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) Information Sheet on Dornoch Firth and Loch Fleet Ramsar site: https://jncc.gov.uk/jncc-assets/RIS/UK13011.pdf Highland Council Planning Application Summary Reference 20/02820/SCRE: https://wam.highland.gov.uk/wam/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=QE8IQ6IH0HZ00 DPEA Coul Links Public Inquiry webcasts February & March 2019: https://dpea.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcasts Informative and impartial website by a conservationist golfer (URL not to be confused with developer's): https://www.coullinksgolf.com/

I lost my job at the start of the pandemic, and was forced to live off food banks so that I could keep up with my rent - because my landlord refused to give me a rent reduction. When I fell behind with rent payments I was served an eviction notice. Because of the government’s ban on evictions I’ve been able to stay in my home. But now my teenage daughter and I are being forced from our home on October 1st - because last week the government’s eviction ban was lifted last week. There are hundreds of thousands of others, just like me all over the country, worried about where they will be living in the next few weeks. And it’s down to the government to support us. The government has repeatedly said they won’t let anyone lose their homes as a result of coronavirus - but they’re not sticking to their promises. It doesn’t have to be this way. The government could choose to do the right thing and provide emergency funds to help people who have fallen behind on rent during the pandemic keep their homes. That’s why I’ve set up a petition. I can’t make a difference alone. But if thousands of us come together, we can pile on the pressure that the government can’t ignore.

How important is your child’s well-being and mental health?? Upon watching /the social dilemma on Netflix (which I highly recommend) statistics show how mental health issues in children and young people have risen significantly since social media sites such as Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat & Twitter etc have entered our lives. We don’t let our children drink alcohol until the age of 18 as it is bad for their Health and can compromise their decisions yet we let our 13 year olds roam on social media sometimes with no time limits and no control over what they are doing, watching, speaking too or being influenced by. Things are leading to poor self esteem, anxiety, mood swings, tiredness, bullying, depression and more severely self harm and even suicide. Things need to change drastically now, let’s raise the age for all social media sites to 16 with online photo checks (as they do for alcohol, electric cigarettes etc) and help this generation have a brighter happy future. Please forward and share to all you know xx

Mainly because the dogs are being 'farmed' in pitiful conditions, whilst the breeders will pretend that they are bred at home with mother and father available to see. This isn't the case. They are bred in disgusting dirty outhouses, and brought into the 'home' to be viewed by prospective buyers. Often the puppies are diseased, and come from such distressed backgrounds that they cannot easily settle in a home without a lot of additional care and veterinary expenses.

Many people, myself included, get harassed by their outgoing supplier, having to pay exorbitant exit fees and extra costs they knew nothing about, simply because the switching company ignore customer wishes to wait until the present supplier contract is over.

We are facing an unprecedented climate crisis crisis and the UK government simply isn’t doing enough. The Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill can help us change our course—making the government act with the urgency we need and involving everyday people in a Citizens’ Assembly that has real bite. If the CEE Bill is made law, the government would have to act fast, accounting for our entire carbon footprint while actively conserving nature here and overseas. The bill could set a precedent that can be replicated across the world. According to They Work for You, a website that documents MPs voting records, Alister Jack "generally voted against measures to prevent climate change". It is vital that local environmental groups and concerned citizens have the opportunity to convey to Alister Jack the severity of the crisis we are facing and to demand his representation in parliament. Help us hold him to account!

It is no coincidence that the rise in crime and anti-social behaviour has increased since the numbers of police officers, the closing of the station and the lack of a Magistrates Court occurred.