Peel Ports are vandalising the facilities at Inchgreen Dry Dock purchased in 2002 from Clydeport. They blew up the cranes in July 2017 claiming it was too costly to service and maintain. No investment has been made in the facility since 2002 and rumour was they wanted to infill the dock and sell the land for housing. They have now confirmed to Inverclyde Council that they are not selling the dock or infilling. The Dry Dock is the second largest in the UK and a major asset for Inverclyde and the west coast. Who are Peel Ports? The Peel Group is constructed like a Russian Doll, a company within a company within a company and so on that produces hundreds of companies. The holding companies are registered in Tax havens, the Isle of Man and the Cayman Islands, owned and controlled by John Whittaker tax exile and his sons through Billown Trust. They own 75% of the parent companies Tokenhouse Ltd, Tokenhouse Investments (Guernsey) Ltd and Peel Port Holdings, the other 25% is owned by a Saudi Arabian conglomerate the Olayan Group. The Peel Group own A&P Group (APG) based at Cammell Lairds in Birkenhead Merseyside and have 4 Dry Docks, they also have dry docks in Falmouth, Tyneside and Teesside, and now control Inchgreen according to their web page. APG have a joint venture with BAE Systems (BAES) and tendering for the Type 31e Frigates (each £250m +) have the same build time as the Type 26 Frigates being built by BAES in Govan and Scotstoun. The Frigates and a £200m BAES investment promised and supported by the Tory Government during the 2014 Independence Referendum did not materialise. Former Tory Defence Secretary of State, Lord Michael Fallon also reduced the build number of Type 26 from 13 to 8, another broken promise and BAES have only been contracted to build 3. Sir John Parker’s 2016 Report ‘The National Shipbuilding Strategy“ has also been used to break promises to Glasgow hence the joint venture, BAES providing Engineering, Design and Systems and APG doing the build in Birkenhead. However this report also suggested that a Regional Industrial Strategy could be developed to build the Type 31e and Clydeside has the capacity. Which begs the question- Did BAES not consider a joint venture with Ferguson’s Marine using Inchgreen and develop a Regional Strategy to build these Frigates? We think not, the joint venture would not like Ferguson’s Marine gaining expertise in MOD work, and APG would prefer their Merseyside investment to benefit. Peel Group have invested over £250m in Cammell Lairds and have grand plans to invest £50 Billion over 50 years in the Atlantic/Ocean Gate Project which covers both sides of River Mersey and the Manchester Ship Canal, the docks, container facilities, shipyards and riverside developments etc. Their future investment and the millions of public money they receive from the EU, Merseyside & Manchester Local Authorities, Enterprise & Regional Boards and Government is all for the Atlantic/Ocean Gate Project and none for Inchgreen. Merseyside and Manchester newspapers with community groups have asked whether the tax payer is getting value for the vast amounts of public money Peel receive and continue to receive. Their control of the Merseyside waters and coast has been a major concern for some community groups and one ExUrbe produced a critical 2013 report on Peel’s operation - “PEEL AND THE LIVERPOOL CITY REGION”. Peel has no intention of investing in Inchgreen Dry Dock and attracting work or they would not have destroyed the cranes. The Peel Group’s investment strategy is totally focused on Merseyside. However they could be in for another Public Purse payday when the Greenock Ocean Terminal Project under the City Deal gets final business case approval. Estimated costs are £14.793m, £7.193 from the Tax Payer, identified private sector investment £6.1m from Peel and £1.5m from the Dunard Art Fund, to date no contract has been signed or approved. We petition the Scottish Government and Inverclyde Council to bring Inchgreen Dry Dock into Public/Community Ownership for the future prosperity of Inverclyde and its citizens. We now have support from the local political parties Lib Dem’s, SNP, Greens, Labour and most Independent Councillors, local MP & MSPs also Unite and Unison Trade Unions. Our local newspaper the Greenock Telegraph have raised the profile of the Campaign with the Inverclyde public by their many articles on the issue. Copies of the Campaign petition can be obtained by contacting the below or sign online at:- https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/campaign-to-save-inchgreen-dry-dock-1 email: [email protected] Tel 07719 646944 Its important for the future Industrial development of Inverclyde, attract good paid skilled jobs, secure a major asset for the West Coast of Scotland and preserve its shipbuilding heritage.

Rough sleeping has almost doubled in the last year, but, the number of supported beds for homeless people has plummeted. There is also not enough affordable accommodation for people to move on to, making matters worse. As a result, despite the goal of no second night out, rough sleepers are waiting an average of 12 weeks before some form of accommodation is provided. We therefore urge BHCC to fund resources to expand the amount of support accommodation available for homeless people all year round, not just when temperatures hit 0c and ensure that the existing budget available is spent. PLEASE SIGN THIS PETITION BEFORE WEDNESDAY 31ST JAN 2018 so that we can take the signatures to the council at their next meeting. Please share this with family, friends, work colleagues, school mates, members of your clubs etc - it really does have an impact.* *My first petition to BHCC received 4,111 signatures. On the 6th April 2017 the Housing Committee passed the petition with 100% of the vote, which was then carried to the resources committee - who reserved £135,000 for night shelters. This funding has gone to finance a night shelter which the council opened on the 10th Dec 2017 in the Brighton Centre. Many thanks to all those who signed up, you made a big difference to some of the Brighton and Hove rough sleepers!

As a Granny of 3 children at Kelty Primary School I was shocked to see text sent out by Fife Council informing parents that only the entrance to school will be salted..the playground today is like a sheet of Glass and 1 wee girl took tumble landing fully on her face..yesterday a wee boy broke his wrist after slipping on ice ...It is Fife Councils policy to make pupils go out in all weathers at break times so therefore it falls upon them to make the playground a safe environment, Surely!

As many of you know, at Inclusion Ventures we offer a range of support to young people aged 7+ and their families. We run a number of our sessions from Coppins Hall Community Centre in the 'Base' room, in the last six months alone we have been running up to six sessions a week from the centre supporting around 15+ children in each session. We had a re-launch of the Inclusion Ventures space back in March this year, where the staff and the children took on the task of making the room into a safe, welcoming and home from home type environment. Being at the centre of this estate our sessions have been used to meet the needs of the community, we have offered from these sessions a variety of support. Support includes: -Emotional Support - Mentoring -Sports Activities - Arts and Crafts - Drama - Music - Relationship Building, -Health eating -Restorative justice -Employment -Family Support -We also know that healthy eating is a big concern of many of the parents of our young people so we also use these sessions to provide healthy meals free of charge. For the time being we will continue to support our young people as we know they are the most important people in all of this and will unfortunately be the most affected by this change. We will be providing out reach services and offering trips to local organisations at the times when sessions would have been on whenever possible. This petition will be a vital way of showing funders and the local council that Inclusion Ventures needs a space of its own within the Percy King community in Clacton to fully meet the needs of our young people. So we need your help! Please could you sign the petition and leave any feedback you have about the services and the need for Inclusion Ventures to continue being a part of such a fantastic community. We are so sorry that this is happening and for the inconvenience it will cause. Please be assured that all of the Inclusion Ventures team are working hard to get this issue resolved. You can contact us on 01255 688685 for any further information or concerns.

Fife's Education Service is proposing to cut all instrumental tuition in schools except for those pupils taking SQA Music. This will decimate music for Fife's children and young people. Learning any instrument will become an exclusive activity, reserved for those who can find a private teacher. Only these pupils will have the option of taking SQA Music at high school. Pursuing further study in music, at school or college, will be closed off to children whose parents cannot afford years of private tuition. Starved of upcoming players, school and youth orchestras and bands will struggle to survive and become increasingly elitest.

The markets create important revenue for the already struggling town centres. Many people travel specifically to Knaresborough and Ripon to shop at the markets, and whilst they’re there, they also patronise the other local businesses, most of whom will say that Wednesday (Thursday in Ripon) is their busiest day. We are lucky in our towns to have a traditional communities where we can shop for everything such as meat, bread and vegetables locally. This is a rare experience in the modern world, and one to be treasured, especially as it promotes local community and ecological trading.

Paul O’Grady is a national treasure and has been on tv for decades and he deserves to be knighted and become Sir Paul O’Grady

Hallglen Sports Centre is the hub and heart of Hallglen Community but also caters for other areas in Falkirk. I have been involved with Hallglen Sports Centre for over 20 years now. The last 18 as the Chairman and the Lead Coach of Azami Falkirk Judo Club and have members of our club represent Scotland numerous times at home and in Europe. The club caters for a wide range of disabled people who have competed at a high level in disability competitions which has improved their lifestyle and confidence generally, but it is not just our Club who use the centre, there are numerous other groups and organisations that use the Centre on a weekly basis (Forth Valley Gymnastics, three different Cheer Leader and Dance Groups, weekly Yoga Sessions, two different Ju-Jitsu Clubs, two different Taekwondo Clubs, Karate Club, Balintawak and the main hall is booked most weekends for birthday parties and various other events. This is a busy centre with some weeks up to 1,000 people entering the centre. Could everyone please get behind this petition. There is nothing else in Hallglen or the surrounding area for community events and some place for children and young adults to go. Please support this petition. Gregor Gardner.

This brings tourists into the town therefore bringing money with it, it's a small local business where now loads of people had lost their jobs so close to Christmas!! This place brings/brought loads of joy to children and adults!!!

Some of these concerns are (but not limited to) the haste with which the plan has been launched with seemingly little data, plans or research available to residents to substantiate claims of regeneration. Furthermore, there has been information emerging throughout the process that has caused alarm such as the design of the scheme, environmental impact, impact upon current residents and loss of public facilities and access to public space. Whilst we broadly support a vision to regenerate our town centre we cannot support a Masterplan which shows no consideration for incumbent residents and any impacts upon them. With further information it is entirely possible that we would support this plan - however as such information is not forthcoming we ask you to extend consultation and engage with the community meaningfully and openly. For further information - on twitter @m32dogs or [email protected] or facebook 'Development Opportunity Group for Stretford 'https://www.facebook.com/groups/347186892414426/

There have been a number of near misses due to the layout of the road and its geography. Tragically, a motorcyclist was involved in a serious accident on the 2nd December and residents are, rightly, demanding that something be done.

Not only will this have a devastating impact on the bank workers who are set to lose their jobs, these closures will also have a negative effect on the local communities of Biggar, Carnwath, Douglas, Dunns, Eyemouth, Hawick, Jedburgh, Lesmahagow, Melrose, North Berwick, Penicuik, Selkirk and Strathaven. Those who are older, in poor health, who cannot afford to travel further afield to do their banking, or who run small businesses will be hit hardest by these branch closures.