My 22-year old son James – who has autism and severe learning disabilities – is one of many vulnerable disabled adults who rely on these services. Cuts in support services will have a devastating effect on the lives of all these people - like my son - who are unable to speak up for themselves. Haringey Council plans to cut millions from their budget, with services for disabled and the most vulnerable people bearing the brunt. Just before Christmas I found out that the Council has started a very short consultation about autism and day centre service closures. Haringey Council sent a document to the disabled people who use the services. However, it was only sent out a few days before Christmas and failed to mention some key points. The document did NOT mention the plans to shut three of only four remaining day centres. How can seriously disabled people have their say if they haven’t been clearly told what the plans are? This shows that Haringey are not conducting this consultation in a fair or clear way. My son James needs specialist support 24/7 to keep him safe and to help him to take part in everyday activities, like going to the shops or swimming, that give him some enjoyment in life. If he does not get this support he gets anxious, starts hitting himself or banging his head on the floor. And I am sorry to say, he will attack others too. There are so many people like James in Haringey, who rely on day centres and support services to give them safety and stability in their lives. If these cuts go through I fear for the future of my son and many people like him. Without these essential support services, their future looks bleak. Please help us to stop this from happening. Haringey Council wants to shift the burden of care for people like James back on to families and carers. But only the most severely disabled are currently getting services, and many families will not be able to cope without this support. I want your help to say to Haringey Council: • Don’t close the three day centres for people with disabilities (including the only dedicated autism day service) • Don’t cut care and support packages for adults with the most complex needs • Don’t cut social work staff

" In Penny Lane there is a fireman with an hourglass"...and time is running out. Not only are the UK government cutting funds to the essential Fire and Rescue Services in communities all across the country, the first to go in Liverpool will be one of the most famous and important. The fireman who appears on horseback in the Penny Lane promotional film worked Allerton Fire Station, and the station is directly referenced in the song: "The fire station was a bit of poetic licence; there's a fire station about half a mile down the road, not actually in Penny Lane, but we needed a third verse so we took that and I was very pleased with the line 'It's a clean machine'. I still like that phrase, you occasionally hit a lucky little phrase and it becomes more than a phrase. So the banker and the barber shop and the fire station were all real locations." Paul McCartney (Many Years From Now, B Miles) The Beatles tours that run in the city all take in the fire station as they entertain tourists from every corner of the world. If the station is closed it is very likely that the land will be sold off to private interests and it will be demolished. If and when this happens the city and Beatles fans everywhere will lose an important heritage site. Perhaps worse than this is the wanton disregard for the safety of the people who live here displayed by central government. In a recent consultation about the proposed closure a campaigning fire-fighter who had met with Eric Pickles and Sir Bob Kerslake to try and plead the case for Liverpool's Fire and Rescue Service and this station in particular stated: "..it's quite clear that the people who make these decisions couldn't care less if the people of South Liverpool die in their beds because of delayed response times." This is supposed to be a civilised country waging a war on dangerous extremists in order to keep people safe in their beds. If there is a terror attack, there won't be sufficient emergency services to cope with it. When this issue was raised at the same consultation the chief officer nodded in agreement, and then shrugged his shoulders in a hopeless gesture. It was also stated at the consultation that this will be the first of a number of station closures on Merseyside. Ten stations were closed in the Greater London area last year and this has already cost lives. Let's draw the line here, these are essential services which we've already paid for through our taxes. Please help keep the 'clean machine' running and save lives in the heart of the Beatles home town. Please sign.

Why are they needed? Gender is more complex than a simple male/female binary. For trans or androgynous people the simple everyday activity of using the toilet may be stressful. If their physical appearance doesn’t fit gender norms they may be challenged when using gendered toilet facilities, which can be very distressing. Obliging someone to use a designated accessible toilet isn’t acceptable, since it is sends the message that they are not a ‘Genuine’ male or female. It is also best to leave accessible toilets available for use by people with disabilities, some of whom may have an unpredictable and urgent need to use the toilet. .

On the 22 October 2014 Jonathan Ashworth, Labour MP for Leicester South, in a written question 211600 to the Secretary of State for Health about NHS spending on temporary workers? It was answered by Dr Daniel Poulter on 29 October 2014. Following the Francis report many trusts were required to increase their spend on temporary staffing to meet safe staffing levels. The Department expects trusts to have a strong grip on their finances, and manage their contract and agency staffing spend (including use of locums) responsibly through effective and efficient workforce planning and management and to minimise temporary staffing costs in future years. The amounts spent on agency and contract staff (including locums) in the National Health Service in each year since May 2010 are as follows: NHS Foundation Trusts 2010-11 - £854,700,000 2011-12 - £907,000,000 2012-13 - £1,101,000,000 2013-14 - £1,396,200,000 Total - £4,258,900,000 This means that over a 4 year period from 2010 to 2014 - £4,258,900,000 has been taken directly from the public purse and paid to privately run recruitment agencies for the hiring of contract staff within the NHS without any consideration for the effect this has on the end user. At a time when massive government cuts are being made to spending across the board on all public services, I think this is wholly wrong and quite frankly, obscene. When other public sector establishments such as schools and social care authorities and the exorbitant costs of hiring temporary staff in these places are also taken into account, this means that the only winners in this scenario are the privately run Recruitment Agencies. Similar comparisons can be applied to the Education Sector where schools are spending huge amounts of money on supply staff from private recruitment agencies. In response to the problem, I have developed a blueprint for change entitled ‘Share and Share Alike’ administered through a new social enterprise business called ‘Social Recruitment Solutions Limited’ that will recycle 60% of its Net Profit back into the system on a pro-rata, dividend basis and will also give a further 10% to charity. I want to make my vision a reality by garnering support from like-minded individuals who share my belief, to come together through the spirit of partnership and co-operation in order to make a real difference in the field of Public Sector Recruitment for the benefit of all UK citizens. We cannot affect the lack of council funding but what we can do is change the way recruitment is carried out through my New Social Enterprise Model. This model will save millions of pounds in the cost of temporary and permanent recruitment and at the same time ‘give back’ to the stakeholders who work within these sectors and also to charity. Using the figures provided by the government as mentioned before, £4,258,900,000, my new social enterprise business model will see the NHS get back £391,631,100 and the staff the same amount distributed on a pro-rata, dividend basis. In my area, the new Hexham General Hospital cost £54,000,000 over 3 stages. This means the money given back over the same 4 year period through using my model - 7.25 new hospitals could be built at no extra cost to the tax payer. I firmly believe that the time has come for change. We need to remember that privately run recruitment agencies have their place in the Commercial Sector but not within the Public Sector. Why should a hospital have to pay a £7,500 for offering a supply nurse a permanent contract? Multiply that by 100 (100 nurses) - £750,000. As far as education is concerned, I know that many supply teacher agencies are offering 2 for the price of one? How does that affect the professional status of a teacher? How does that make them feel? It makes them feel like a commodity to be bought and sold like a loaf of bread. These introduction fees that agencies charge for staff to be taken on full-time contracts can be up to 25% of their annual salary. It prevents schools and hospitals being able to offer permanent positions to temporary staff because they simply cannot afford to do so. This is part of the recruitment problem particularly in the NHS. My Social Enterprise model will not charge these introduction fees and as a result schools and hospitals and other public sector establishments will be free to offer permanent contracts to temporary staff if they wish to do so without being penalised by massive temp to perm fees. They will not have to think twice about offering staff contracts because it will cost them nothing. This model can be used by all NHS Foundation Trusts and all Schools and Social Care Establishments run by Local Authorities, across the whole of the UK with no geographical boundaries. It all depends on which local authority has the desire to change, the vision to make a difference and the courage to take the bull by the horns and do something about it.

We have critical levels of pollution, congestion and obesity in London. Our children have the highest levels of obesity in the EU. In Holland and Denmark where more than 50% of children cycle to school they have less than half the obesity levels. Children and adults are also suffering from health issues caused by dangerous chemicals from car exhausts. At present cars dominate our roads in Central London even though the large majority of households do not own a car (69% in the city, 63% in Westminster). Many more people would like to cycle and walk but find the number of deaths and injuries from motorised traffic off putting (tragically 1,216 fatal and serious injuries in London the year ending June 2014) Please help us make this radical change in London's transport system and reclaim the streets for pedestrians and cyclists to enjoy without fear.

The UK public purse loses tax that can be used to fund much needed public services 25% is too low for the new tax rules. Organisations that have little or no investment in the UK and earn large sums for example: Google made £3.3 billion they paid tax of £20.4 million small compared to if they were taxed 50 % through the new scheme: The public purse would have gained £1.65 billion that could have went to the NHS, Schools, Fire Services, Legal Aid. The consultation closes on the 4th February 2015. Evidence: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4d5FZU64Bnw&x-yt-ts=1422503916&x-yt-cl=85027636

Cobbett Road Library has been the heart of Bitterne Park and surrounding areas community for 75 years. It is a thriving library with 20+ community groups from Tai Chi to Toddler groups, Business Forum to Art Groups, Book groups to Coffee mornings. There are also regular evening talks and annual events such as the Christmas Fayre and Autumn Fayre. It is a haven for people of all ages, and we have many vulnerable people coming in to a friendly, safe space, with fantastic staff who know many people by name. Libraries such as Cobbett are moving with the times and offering more than just books, but also offering old fashioned face-to-face contact and community spirit which is so important for so many. We need to safeguard such treasures for future generations, as generations before us have.

Currently autistic people fall between services in Wakefield, many people with serious need for help cannot access it due to not fitting the current criteria for existing services such as the Community Team for Learning Disabilities (because many of us do not have learning disabilities) or the Community Mental Health Teams (most of us do not have mental health difficulties). Even those of us who are 'lucky' enough to fit in some kind of service, often have our primary needs ignored or misunderstood, often leading to frustration, anxiety and even misdiagnosis. Autism is a serious and lifelong condition that affects a persons communication skills, understanding and often affects ability to live independently in the community. This can be despite having no additional learning or mental health disabilities. It is wrong that currently people who have a serious need cannot access appropriate or any help at all, and is not acceptable.

(£600,000 from Inverclyde Council, £600,000 from Riverside Inverclyde (Inverclyde Council incognito) and £600,000 Creative Arts Scotland. Should CA Scotland be unable to offer further funding, then the Council would be asked to make the full £1.8m available. Since 2012 Inverclyde Council has repeatedly added to it's initial £5m investment in the Beacon Theatre with multiple undisclosed £250,000 sums on top of £75,000 per year in funding from it's Arts budget. Throughout this period the Beacon Board has torn itself apart, facing Board Room votes of no confidence in Chairperson and having had 3 different Chairs in as many years. They had knowledge of outstanding debts 54weeks ago, yet no signs of fundraising, private investment procurement of any energy to save the Theatre during this time. Instead they sat on the issue until one week before Christmas 2014 and submitted a begging letter to the Council saying they would enter administration with they didn't receive funding. They have explicitly stated they cannot repay a loan and that they seek a GIFT. This money will NEVER be repaid to the Council, it will not be secured against any assets and the money will be effectively stolen from the people of Inverclyde. Are we rewarding an mismanaged over-budget third-party vanity project from limited Council funds with anticipated cuts in the wings? Are we seriously considering cuts to social care, sharing headteachers, roads & flooding cuts or other critical frontline services whilst this moronic attitude to chucking good money after bad continues? Is it not prudent to save what little surplus we have now to stave the harshest of the cuts on the most vulnerable in our Community rather than slimey private backroom deals to empty the coffers via events like this? We want to force Councillors to hear objections to the raiding of public funds for the Beacon. They have a track record of poor growth, poor revenues, reliance on local subsidy and have offered little in return to the wider community. We may "want" a Beacon, but we NEED services. Protect Services, Not Profits. Sign if you agree. Get involved, here's the campaign links : Say No to Beacon Bailout Inverclyde Radio Interview : http://www.inverclyderadio.scot/Politics/nobeaconfunding.html Say No to Beacon Bailout Community Campaign FB page : https://www.facebook.com/saynotobeaconfunding 38Degrees Official Petition for Say No to Beacon Bailout : https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/say-no-to-council-funding-the-beacon-arts-theatre Alan Roberston (Chairman of Beacon Theatre) Inverclyde Radio Interview: http://www.inverclyderadio.scot/Arts/beacon.html Council Leader Stephen McCabe Inverclyde Radio Interview: http://www.inverclyderadio.scot/Arts/beacon.html Inverclyde Councillors Email Addresses : http://bit.ly/1Bdbi70 Inverclyde Councillors Address & Contact Info : http://bit.ly/1CYXpeJ Other Related Articles: "BEACON Building Cash Problems Spelled Out" - http://www.inverclydenow.com/photostream/13647-beacon-building-cash-problems-spelled-out "Beacon on the brink of going bust" - http://www.greenocktelegraph.co.uk/news/greenock/articles/2014/12/31/520281-beacon-on-the-brink-of-going-bust/ "Beacon 'begs' for £1m bail out" - http://www.greenocktelegraph.co.uk/news/greenock/articles/2014/12/18/519402-beacon-begs-for-1m-bail-out/ "Beacon Arts Centre's ‘cash crisis’" - http://www.greenocktelegraph.co.uk/news/greenock/articles/2014/02/01/487068-beacon-arts-centres-cash-crisis/ Councillor Responses: https://www.facebook.com/saynotobeaconfunding/posts/788462011228367 Non-Facebook links/content: Cllr Ronnie Ahlfeld Response to Campaign : http://bit.ly/1xm7dfg Cllr Martin Brennan Response to Campaign : http://bit.ly/1K78UCW Cllr Chris McEleny Response to Campaign : (http://bit.ly/1xfUZ8d) Cllr Jim McLeod Response to Campaign : (http://bit.ly/1BrxN69) "Protect Services Not Profits" Inverclyde Deserves Better

Cardiff Council is currently consulting on their proposed budget plans for 2015/16. These plans include a major attack on the city’s library service. Under the current proposals some libraries will stop receiving any council funding at all, which means that if “community groups” cannot be found to take over the running of Cathays, Radyr, Rhydypennau, Roath and Whitchurch libraries they will have to close completely. Others, such as the Central Library, Llandaff North & Fairwater will be forced to become “hubs” and share premises with officers administering and giving advice on housing benefit, council tax and loan services. Many of the Libraries already provide these services so the addition of these “hubs” would mean a non-efficient public library service. If Cardiff Council proceeds with its plan to continue running down the city’s library service, it will not only mean that less people in the city will be reading – it will be depriving residents of a place to meet and study, imposing further job losses on council staff, and making it harder for unemployed people to search for work. Rather than closing libraries or running them down by forcing them to share premises with other inappropriate services, the council should find a way of living up to its legal obligation to provide a comprehensive and efficient service throughout the city.

Birmingham’s beleaguered children’s services have come under repeated assault from Ofsted and senior politicians. The so-called experts such as Julian Le-Grand, Lord Warner and Isabelle Trowler in calling for commissioning of services are beating the drum of privatisation. Allowing private companies, or non-profiting making organisations that will soon be swallowed up by profit making companies, to make a money out of children at risk in Birmingham is not only morally wrong but a false economy. We say that Birmingham City Council, as a public body, should have an interventionist role in reducing social inequality and improving the life chances of all Birmingham’s children. The Government is attempting to impose change upon children social care services in Birmingham and elsewhere through public spending cuts, marketisation, privatisation and profit making. Change and improvement of social care services are necessary for Birmingham’s children but that change must be led by principles of social justice, human rights and democracy. We say that; there is a public duty to children, there has to be more and better democratic control of children’s services, that there is no place for profit in providing children’s social care, that children’s social care services must be fully funded to meet the needs of Birmingham’s children, that change should focus on improving social work and social care practice, and that there must be a commitment to reducing inequality for children growing up in Birmingham. Please sign the petition.

Safety of vulnerable and poorer people of Merseyside. Possible exploitation of those vulnerable Unfair dismissal and silencing of staff and volunteers. We NEED a fire service which helps ALL the people of Merseyside to keep safe, not to place restrictions and make fire safety an issue only for the middle-classes only.