Since the start of government imposed austerity 12 years ago, the council has lost £110m of central government funding while demand for services has soared. Over ten years of pay freezes our workers have lost an average of £4-8000 a year in pay, while house prices and rents have soared. We need to keep our key workers and young families in the city for it to thrive, but we can’t do that if we can’t pay them properly. Across the country councils are struggling to retain workers - from social workers to care workers, teaching assistants and planners - thousands are leaving public service for better paid jobs in the private sector. This is a potential disaster for our councils and our services. Government needs to act now to avert a crisis, yet the autumn budget statement had nothing to offer local councils other than more stagnation and a greater council tax burden on already struggling residents. As millions in the country are bracing themselves to have to choose between heating and eating and mass poverty is becoming normalised, councils across the country are going to have to choose between jobs or services. As our residents face one of the toughest winters in living memory, they must not again be expected to pay for mistakes they did not make. They need to know their local councils are getting the support they need from government, not watch them be slowly starved of cash and resources while the government pursues policies that make the rich richer. It’s often the case that trade unions and employers disagree. It is also often the case that different political parties disagree. But these are extraordinary times, times where no-one in our city is free from the anxiety and pressures of the cost-of-living crisis. Times where it is essential that we focus on what unites us, and to work together to protect our vital public services and those that rely on them. Brighton and Hove UNISON, the Green Administration and Labour Councillors at Brighton & Hove City Council are coming together in solidarity with other local trade unions, organisations, charities and businesses, to demand that central government properly fund local public services and public service workers. We are united in the need for well-funded public services and united in the need for a workforce that is decently paid. Corinna Edwards-Colledge, Joint Branch Secretary, Brighton and Hove UNISON; Cllr Phelim Mac Cafferty, Leader, Brighton and Hove City Council and Green Group; Cllr John Allcock and Cllr Carmen Appich, Joint Leaders, Labour Group. Also supported by GMB Sussex Branch and Brighton & Hove NEU.

Please sign the petition demanding a public consultation on the use of the Central Library building as both an adult education facility and a much reduced public library service. We have campaigned, along with other organisations, for 2 years, to save Stockport's 109 years old Central Library with all of its services. We were overjoyed when a meeting of the full Council, in January 2022, voted to object to the resolution of the Cabinet to go ahead with ending the public library services at the Carnegie endowment library despite petitions totalling over 8,000 signatures; opposition to closure in the Council's own pubic consultation; and opposition from 3 of the Council's scrutiny committees. Despite the Council resolution, the Cabinet pressed ahead regardless, However, at the Annual Meeting of the Council in May 2022, the old Cabinet was ousted. Shortly afterwards, the new Council Leader, Cllr. Hunter announced that the policy on Central Library would be reviewed. We wrote to him calling for the review to be "an ambitious, not a defensive one", asking that consideration be given to redeveloping the Borough’s heritage Central Library, as other Councils have done, instead of moving library services to the Council owned Merseyway shopping centre, as the predecessor Cabinet had intended. We also called for the proposals emanating from the review to be put to public consultation. Cllr. Hunter replied, outlining the new plan and rejecting the call for consultation. He reiterated the Cabinet’s rejection of the call for public consultation in reply to a public question which we put to the full Council meeting on 6th October 2022. The question and reply can be viewed on the official webcast (see https://tinyurl.com/ytyxr2me or https://fb.watch/gc4W2ATenP/) The plan has now been approved by the Cabinet, without public consultation. It will, if implemented, move the greater part of Central Library services, including the Local Archives and Heritage Library, to the Merseyway shopping centre. The remaining book stock at the Carnegie would comprise only "the most popular adult fiction titles"; "a selection of non-fiction that will complement the adult education services" and "a selection of junior and children’s fiction". The reference to adult education services relates to the new plan’s proposal to move the Stockport Continuing Education service into the Carnegie building from another grade II listed heritage building, the former Hollywood Park school. This announcement tells us nothing about the intended fate of the vacated school. Floor plans submitted to the Cabinet show that only 18% of the floor area of the Carnegie building would comprise the reduced library service. The new plan would see almost a third of opening hours at the Carnegie library being unstaffed. This system, called by the Council ‘Open+’, has been introduced already in a number of branch libraries, in order to make budgetary cuts in staffing costs. Moreover, a Manchester Evening News article, dated 7th October 2022 reports a ratcheting up of this process, “Libraries service review - £180,000 Under this proposal there would be an increase in self-service (Open Plus) hours at libraries across the borough - meaning longer periods during which facilities are unstaffed. This would see a roll-out of self-service technology as well as a review of the amount of money spent on new books”. Finally, the ‘elephant in the room’ for the Council leadership is surely the question : ‘How will the future of the Archives Service, the Heritage Library, and the overwhelming bulk of the book stock and services of Central Library, be safeguarded by moving these facilities to a shopping centre which, having been valued at £86 million upon its acquisition in 2016, is now valued at £15.6 million and which requires £5.5 million expenditure on prevention of structural deterioration and rainwater ingress from its roof top car park?’ {Sources : Council Statements of Accounts, 2017/18, pages 64/66 and 2021/22, page 79; https://www.placenorthwest.co.uk/stockport-to-sign-off-5-5m-merseyway-works/ } . On 6th October, we wrote to all Councillors calling for their support for public consultation (see the letter here https://tinyurl.com/vd3wemp6 ). This would be entirely consistent with the stand that the Council took in January and is appropriate in view of the far reaching nature of the new plan. We will petition and campaign for support for this demand. Please share the petition widely with friends and colleagues. Stockport United Against Austerity

Our new report shows that from the £240,000 that we receive via HCC Community Grants, we are able to save the public purse at least £312,418 every year – at least £72,000 per year more than we receive in total from the grants. Not only this, but the savings to older people’s lives are even greater. Following a survey of the older people who access our services and activities in Hampshire we found: • 57% felt that activities and services that they engaged with help to reduce their feelings of isolation and loneliness. • 86% who took part in exercise classes (such as strength and balance groups, cheerleading and tai chi) felt that the services improved their physical fitness. • 16% of service users (325 of 2,300) said that accessing services and activities provided by the Community Grants delayed them needing to access social care services in 2021 • 1 in ten (244 of 2,300) service users told us that these services reduced their need to access health services as a result of ill health. We need your support to stop these life-saving grants from being cut so we can keep enabling older people in Hampshire to live later life well, please add your voice to the campaign and sign the petition below. You can help to share this petition on social media using the hashtag #SaveHampshireServices If you would like to add your views to Hampshire County Council’s consultation directly please visit the HCC website at: https://www.hants.gov.uk/AHC-consultation Read our full report here: https://mha.org.uk/savehampshireservices

Coeliac disease/gluten sensitivity is for life. It's hard enough having the condition without been deprived of much loved and missed products. Coeliac disease is on the rise. We need more education on it. Unless there is a cure in the future, there is no alternative currently but to stick to a gluten free diet for life. More products need to be made available and M&S has gone right downhill. We need to change others attitudes towards coeliac disease. Listen to what your customers want and want to buy - BRING BACK YOUR FULL GLUTEN FREE RANGE.

These charges are forcing people into debt and considerable hardship. It simply does not make sense to take legal action against people with Council Tax arrears, who cannot afford to pay, and then direct them to food banks to feed their children.

The Couper Institute and Library are important community facilities in the southside of Glasgow. Built in 1887, the Institute has served as an important venue for community groups and organisations for generations. The attached library was build in 1924 and is an important community resource we cannot lose. The Couper was under threat in the 1990s and the community came together to fight the closure - we need that same solidarity again. The Couper is noticeably missing from any reopening plans and this is extremely worrying. The community calls upon Glasgow City Council and Glasgow Life to ensure both the Institute and Library are reopened as soon as COVID regulations allow. The Couper must not be forgotten!

Across the five Idea Stores and two libraries in Tower Hamlets, we have over 1.92 million visits a year. Idea Stores are more than just a library or a place for learning. As well as library services, we offer a wide range of adult learning courses and an extensive activities and events programme for all the family, seven days a week. The community is at the heart of everything we do but with 30 job cuts and with minimum staffing levels, we will not be able to deliver the services that you know and love. The Covid-19 pandemic has increased residents social isolation and it is now more than ever that residents need a fully staffed library service. Your support is vital to stop excessive front line job cuts at the Idea Stores and libraries.

From our perspective the provision of accessible public toilet facilities is a basic duty of local government to protect and preserve the human rights of Bristol’s residents and visitors. It is also a question of upholding the public dignity of those who need regular access to such facilities. It is also imperative that these facilities include Changing Places facilities for use for those with profound physical and learning disabilities. It is our hope that Bristol City Council will be able to make use of the £30 million fund the Government established to help local councils provide such facilities last year. http://www.changing-places.org/the_campaign/what_are_changing_places_toilets_.aspx https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-53448846 https://www.theibsnetwork.org/about-us/

John Carroll is the last real community facility available in Radford, one of the most deprived areas in Nottingham, which is now at risk of closure due to council budget cuts. Nottingham City Council has made £272 million worth of funding cuts in the last decade, but rather than standing up to the Government's austerity policies, the Labour-run City Council is forcing the poorest communities in the city to pay the price. John Carroll could become the latest victim in this attack on community services but you can help by signing this petition. For decades John Carroll served as place where children could build the confidence they need to succeed and as a sporting facility for under-funded schools. It has been a polling centre, a base for political campaigning and a hub for Notts County to inspire local budding sport prospects. It has even served as an information and confidence building point for victims of Female Genital Mutilation. Most importantly, John Carroll Leisure Centre has served as a meeting place for a diverse range of groups and plays an enormous role in fostering co-operation and trust between people in the community. The centre is a vital asset for the residents of Radford who now, more than ever, need support to keep their community centre going. Help us get to 5,000 signatures! Save the John Carroll!

Tower Hamlets Council seems to think libraries are a thing of the past. When I talked to my 10 year-old granddaughter about this recently. She was shocked when I told her Bethnal Green library is under threat. Before COVID, she used to go there regularly with her school, as her mum did before her. She says children need real libraries and real books. Libraries are vital to the future of our community, now more than ever. Many people don't have access to the internet, or space to do homework and not everyone wants to read a book on a screen. Our libraries also play a vital social role, for children, schools, older people or those who are isolated or lonely. COVID has also reminded us that not all children have access to remote learning. That's compounded in Tower Hamlets, where hundreds of children live in cramped, overcrowded homes. Tower Hamlets Council should join with other local authorities to demand the government provides the money to keep our libraries open.

I see on your website that you are closing our local branch Glynnneath in Feb next year. It also says that the next available bank is in Swansea 16.4miles away ......... or Measteg 9.6miles away. If you are working on these calculations, THEY ARE WRONG. IT STATES ON YOUR WEBSITE THAT OUR BRANCH IS IN NEATH AGAIN, WRONG!!! IT IS IN GLYNNEATH - over 10miles further up The Valley than NEATH. Swansea is 21miles away or 3hr round trip by bus Maesteg is 24.1 miles or a 5hr 30mins round trip by bus !! This is without waiting around for a bus to arrive. The population of our village/small town is nearly 4,300. It has a very large quota of elderly people. They do not have the ability to travel even the shortest of those choices. Most do not possess the ability to use your online facilities. They find this action of closure totally dicscriminatory against the elderly and those with mobility issues. An absolute betrayal of their loyalty to you over many years. Many do not have children living near to be able to help. This bank has been the mainstay of this village. You are the only bank of any kind left with 11miles of our village. I therefore urge you please reconsider this action. I understand that financial decisions have to be made, but, there are also moral issues here. The people of Glynneath have supported your bank for decades and feel totally abandoned at this decision. Hopefully now, you are more aware of the huge impact your decision will have on our community. Please would you reconsider your decision.

⚠️⚠️ G15 YOUTH PROJECT UNDER THREAT OF CLOSURE ⚠️⚠️ ⚠️⚠️ 50% cut in funding ⚠️⚠️ Dear parents of G15 Youth Project Members Due to recommendations from Glasgow city council Glasgow community fund future funding, G15 youth project is set to receive 50% reduction in our funding. This decision will have a devastating impact on the future of the project and the support to local young people of which your son or daughter maybe a member. G15 is also the lead support for Drumchapel D60 which hosted all your community events like D in the park, Halloween in the hills and Winter wonderland/Free Santa’s Grotto that we organise each year. G15 youth project is in danger of closure due to this decision and we need your voice and support to express your value of the service and to help save G15 Youth Project. This can be done by writing or contacting your local elected members MP and MSP expressing your concern. (please see their email contacts below) [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] We have always appreciated your support and would welcome your voice in this difficult situation. WORKING TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE