We deeply regret that, despite strong arguments against it, you and your Cabinet colleagues decided on 28th June to press ahead with a tendering exercise to outsource the County’s library service. Given recent national experience, we are convinced that this is misguided. There is no material evidence that outsourcing libraries in Herefordshire would be cheaper or deliver a better service – we know of no contractor with a successful track record of running a library service in a rural setting comparable to Herefordshire. The current management and staff of Herefordshire libraries are doing a fine job under strained circumstances.

THE TOWNSPEOPLE WANT TO KEEP IT

The 1st Musselburgh Senior Section want to end period poverty. We’re calling for free period products for everyone who needs them. We’ve been working on Girlguiding Scotland’s Citizen Girl challenge badge in our unit – which is all about exploring why our voices matter and how we can speak out on the issues that matter to us. This got us thinking about some of the barriers girls our age face and we decided to campaign to end period poverty after seeing how condoms are provided for free at our school but how girls currently have to pay for period supplies like tampons and pads. It’s not fair that girls have to pay for something they have no choice in! We’re really encouraged to see free period products will now be available in Scottish schools but think more needs to be done to end period poverty once and for all. That’s why we’re calling for free products in other public places like Community Centres, Sport Centres and Libraries and for a system to make sure these products are easily accessible and freely available to anyone who needs them. We also want to tackle the stigma around periods and period poverty – so girls and women know this isn’t something they have to hide or be ashamed of. Women worldwide, are incapacitated by an inevitable biological process, not one of their own making. Many women cannot afford this basic necessity, which impacts so heavily on their lives. We would like to ask that Angela Constance MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Communities, Social Security and Equalities, and Shona Robinson MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport, to help end the stigma around periods and make sure period products are freely and easily accessible to anyone who needs them, not just while we’re at school but throughout our lives.

Students experiencing mental health difficulties need to be supported by their University as fully as possible. Being given access to the university mental health services is not always substantial. Students should be empowered to help themselves. Moderate exercise has been proven to help improve mood and general well being. Therefore, there should be no barrier preventing individuals from being able to attend regular gym classes. Classes can be expensive, and for those who find it difficult to motivate themselves in the first place, the cost of the class can be a further disincentive. Furthermore, financial hardship at university can be inflated by the experience of a mental health problem. Giving those with a diagnosed condition free access to the exercise program encourages them to take positive action to help themself. Better mental health can result in improved academic performance, and being part of an exercise class can improve someones mood and self esteem by enhancing their feelings of belonging within a community. Please sign this petition to encourage the University of Strathclyde to create a system which gives those with a diagnosed mental health problem free exercise class access/ passes.

Approximately 19% of the total population or 1 in every 7 persons suffer currently from hearing loss. Around one in three people between the ages of 65 and 74 will suffer from hearing loss. Friendship and communication is such a beautiful thing. Lets make the future more connected. Lets make sign language an essential lesson in schools. One simple step but a leap for the future.

Air pollution can permanently damage children's developing lungs and has been linked to a lower IQ later in life. Air pollution has been implicated in 40,000 premature deaths in the UK already, and it's only going to get worse. 2,091 schools, nurseries, further education centres and after-school clubs in the UK are within 150 metres of a road with illegal levels of nitrogen dioxide. Is it too much to ask that schools should offer our kids a safe haven from air pollution, not worsen their health and damage their future prospects?

It's July, it's 7 pm and it's hot, incredibly hot. The sun is shining bright and high still at this time of day. Sadly, July means school, homework and 7:30 pm bedtimes. Even more sadly, the heat and long daylight of July is not a feature of late August/September nights when the kids are still on holiday (why?!!). They simply miss the best part of the British summer because they have to be at school so late into it! Why should we shorten the summer term to finish by 15th July? 1) The warm, long, light evenings make school-night bedtimes a nightmare for kids and parents. 8pm easily becomes 10pm. 2) Children get less sleep at this time of year and it greatly affects their learning and behaviour 3) The academic learning objectives and targets for the year will have been largely reached and it’s just a waiting game for everyone before the end of term. Late August / September are much more productive in terms of learning, NOT hot July! 4) The hot, sunny weather makes it difficult for the children to learn at school / do homework, making the teacher's job more difficult. 5) At the moment, the children cannot enjoy the long July summer nights… because they are school nights. That means heading home early from parks, pools and beaches and missing out on a lot of physical exercise. Late August and September do not offer the same outdoor opportunities in the evenings as people go indoors when evenings are dark and cold. Also, you are unlikely to make a long drive for a swim in the sea in September, but July would be ideal (but it's a school night, so we can't) 6) In our fight against the dramatic rise in childhood obesity, we need to enable everyone to be physcially active by giving them opportunties do so (long daylight, evenings in the park) 6) For those who do not go abroad, mid-July is really the best time for camping to make the most of the weather and the light evenings. 7) It is likely to reduce school absences as the motivation dwindles in hot weather at the end of the academic year. To enable the legally required 190 school days per academic year, we propose starting the autumn term a little bit earlier when the lesser daylight and lower temperatures at night are more conducive to studying. Although this will make the autumn term slightly longer, this time of year is more productive for both children and parents. It’s a small price to pay to be on holiday at a more suitable time in mid-July. Alternatively, the Easter break could be shortened or all training days could be shifted to the end of the summer term. This year, some schools are having their training days at the end of term, thereby letting the children go on holiday on Thursday 19 and Friday 20 July. It would also be very considerate to family holiday planning if all schools could finish the summer term on a Friday. Being able to finish the summer term by th 15th of July or earlier would make a huge, huge difference to the many families. Please let school children enjoy the best time of the British summer.

40 percent of premature deaths and the burden of disease is attributed to "behaviours" such as diet, physical activity, smoking and alcohol. In Newham, with a high population of South Asian backgrounds, the focus on public health is even more important as diabetes is up to 6 times more likely in this population. The obesity and diabetes epidemic particularly affect Newham and we urgently need lifestyle changes programmes at community level, as recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. In 2013, the Secretary of State for Health Jeremy Hunt and the Chief Executive of Public Health England wrote to all the Chief Executives of Local Authorities to ask them to put people's health and wellbeing at the heart of everything they do. However, this has not taken place in Newham and we request it to change. Our local community with Food Academy and with funding from Diabetes UK, British Heart Foundation and Tesco has been able to deliver 400 fun holiday lunch clubs in the last 2 years, involving 700 mothers and more than 1400 children. We have supported a public health prevention agenda with hands-on cooking and fun physical activities targeting obesity and diabetes in adults and children. However, this type of public health work now requires promotion and funding from the local government and the local NHS for the benefit of our families.

The brave, hard working fishermen of Torry gifted money to the City Council to build a school for their children to ensure they would receive an education.

This building is a classic piece of mid twentieth century architecture. It beautifully complements the historic and verdant churchyard adjacent. If it closes as a library, which we hope it will not, then it would make a first class art gallery, which Shoreham desperately needs.

The academisation of schools affects the lives of our school children and teaching staff. The academy chain will benefit the CEO and their inflated salaries. Autonomy and local control NOT a profiteering chain.

It's impossible to be in two places at same time both schools opposite directions never going to work!