this is important because a good road surface will keep the residents of Burton safer will cause less damage to our cars vans & motorbikes. Also to stop any injuries to cyclists who have to use the roads too. We deserve better roads and we will campaign to get it done!

In the past three years the following 10 former council services have been outsourced to another provider: 1. Your Choice Barnet 2. Housing Options 3. NSL (parking) 4. Capita CSG: Finance, HR, Payroll, Estates, Property Services, Pensions, Revenue & Benefits, 5. Capita Re: Building Control, Environmental Health, Planning, Trading Standards & Licencing 6. Legal Services 7. Registrars & Nationality Services 8. CCTV 9. Music Trust 10. Mortuary Services The Council is about to begin Competitive Dialogue procurement for Education & Skills and School Meals services with the following contractors • Capita Business Services Ltd • EC Harris LLP • Mott MacDonald Ltd, trading as Cambridge Education Looking at Capita’s track record to date http://www.capita.co.uk/who-we-are/our-history.aspx in bidding and winning contracts it is highly likely they will win this contract making it the third big contract they have won with Barnet Council. Outsourcing is no quick fix or easy win. Here in Barnet we were only 16 months into the Capita contracts when it was announced on Barnet Council website that Capita had received £110 million http://barnet.moderngov.co.uk/documents/s21029/Appendix I - Capita Payments.pdf Outsourcing is being promoted not just in Barnet but across the whole of the public sector as the answer to shrinking budgets. This dogma is being promoted contrary to the rapidly growing evidence from We Own It web site that it leads to: 1. Your Services get worse 2. Your costs go up 3. You can’t hold private companies accountable. 4. Staff terms & conditions are undermined which impacts on quality of services. 5. It is risky and difficult to reverse. Supporters of outsourcing often claim that the public isn’t bothered about who runs services. Again contrary to the evidence which found: • Only 21% of the public trust outsourcing companies - the lowest level of trust compared to other organisations like the NHS (79%), the police (65%) and the armed forces (79%) • 64% distrust outsourcing companies • 69% of the public think Atos, Capita, G4S, Serco are motivated by maximising profit - while 38% think this should be important • 22% of the public think Atos, Capita, G4S and Serco are motivated by providing the best service to the public - while 80% think this should be important • Only 28% of people think it is appropriate for private companies to run prisons, and only 25% think it is appropriate for them to provide court services • 65% of the public would not feel comfortable using GP services provided by a private company like Atos, Capita, G4S or Serco • Only 16% think there is adequate regulation of private companies running public services, compared to 59% who think more regulation is needed http://weownit.org.uk/privatisation-doesn%E2%80%99t-work/whats-problem-outsourcing-companies Barnet Council is now promoting itself as a Commissioning Council. The clue is in the title and for our members it simply means they will be working for someone else not the Council. Commissioning is being driven by consultants and their friends in the public sector, who secure contracts for them to outsource services. They have no interest in service delivery which inevitably leads to greater inequality both in the workforce & the community we serve. Please view short Animation explaining how Austerity is impacting on our community The Disappearing Council https://youtu.be/YQ5t63fSu-s

As business leaders have been widely reported warning of possible Labour damage to the economy, why has the BBC made no mention of this important intervention by top professionals warning of possible Tory damage to the NHS. Not reporting this letter is political bias, and allows a huge section of the population to be misinformed about an issue that is of huge national importance.

Broxtowe is undergoing great change with centrally-imposed infrastructure projects radically altering the area. The impact of this centrally-imposed, swingeing cut on the local council budget will destroy all hope of mitigating against such changes. Front-line services will be under threat, with the impact being felt by all residents; with the most vulnerable being hit hardest. Read more here: http://www.nottinghampost.com/Borough-faces-biggest-spending-cut-country/story-25737818-detail/story.html

Evictions are at a record high. Council house building is being destroyed and sold off with waiting lists growing. Housing has become insecure, often unsafe and unaffordable Companies are exploiting workers in homeless organisations and Housing Associations, organisations which are often seeing surpluses, yet cuts to pay and important services are being cut. Companies who have blacklisted workers in trade unions are being contracted for public contracts, we say NO. All of this and sadly, too much more, are reasons for our manifesto demands at this key time: 1. Stop the cuts - Austerity for the 99% ! 2. Build and repair over 300,000 Council houses per year, incorporating improved accessibility and environmental standards. 3. Stop the transfer of council stock to housing associations. Stop the social cleansing 4. End the right to buy - We lost over 44,000 homes in 2013-2014 5. Bring in Rent Controls and establish a national register of private landlords to protect tenants 6. End unfair benefit caps and other benefit cuts such as the Bedroom tax and cuts in council tax benefit. Restore and increase the Independent living fund. 7. Protect Supported Housing - Stop the cuts and ring fence services which are vital for some of the most in need of specialist support 8. Decent Pay and conditions for workers in housing and social care 9. Bring in an £10ph National Minimum wage 10. End the Blacklist - restrict commissioning of social housing and maintenance services to providers who have signed up to the Joint Industry Board National Agreement for Engineering Construction. Act to remove approved providers found guilty of blacklisting. 11. Nationalise the Banks - Taking over the banks on a permanent basis would enable investment to be planned in line with democratically decided priorities including housing that working people can afford. We must put a stop to the disaster of austerity and build secure homes for the 99% The full manifesto can be found here - http://www.housingworkers.org.uk/readnews.html?con_id=172 Please cut and paste the full manifesto or add the link and ask your MP's and councillors to pledge their support. https://www.writetothem.com/ And if your looking to find out candidates for local or general elections please use - https://yournextmp.com

The community of Falmouth, Cornwall, is facing a very real health issue and NEEDS YOUR HELP! As of March 20th 2015 GLYPHOSATE, the active ingredient in RoundUp weedkiller, was re-classified as “probably causes CANCER” by the WHO (the World Health Organisation). Most of the community are unaware this weed killer is used in ALL parks and play parks in Falmouth; including Kimberley Park, The Bowling Green Play Park, The Princess Pavillion and The Dracaena Centre. GLYPHOSATE stays active in soil for up to 6 months. This is scientifically proven; Neutralization upon contact is a marketing myth. Children and dogs may still come into direct contact with the chemical (and may ingest it) when playing in areas, which were sprayed weeks or even months previous. Babies may crawl and dogs may sniff where GLYPHOSATE is used The areas are UNMARKED and NOT cordoned off; there are no warning signs! This chemical is also scientifically linked to Autism and Parkinsons; though the more common effects include Asthma, Eczema and Allergies. Please see links below for further details if required. It's imperative to the health and future of the community of Falmouth, Cornwall, that WE help ban this unnecessary chemical, from one public park at a time. This isn’t political; it’s just practical. If you're happy to have dandelions instead of probably CANCER, please sign this petition and share it with your friends. Thank you. http://www.iarc.fr/en/media-centre/iarcnews/pdf/MonographVolume112.pdf http://www.epa.gov/safewater/pdfs/factsheets/soc/tech/glyphosa.pdf http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/science-news/11487118/Weedkiller-alert-over-cancer-link.html http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/mar/21/roundup-cancer-who-glyphosate- http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/roundup-weed-killer-can-probably-cause-cancer-warns-who-10124812.html http://www.i-sis.org.uk/Why_Glyphosate_Should_be_Banned.php http://people.csail.mit.edu/seneff/glyphosate/Seneff_AutismOne_2014.pdf http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2315057/Is-worlds-popular-weed-killer-causing-Parkinsons-New-study-shows-Roundup-herbicide-linked-cancer-infertility.html http://www.foe.co.uk/sites/default/files/downloads/impacts_glyphosate.pdf

The 505 bus service is under threat on the grounds of running at a loss and being underused. Public transport is a public service - financial viability shouldn't be a consideration. Epping Forests' bus services are already few on the ground but are vital for the many residents who don't drive, the elderly, disabled people, students and the low waged/unwaged. We need more services, not fewer. The 505 service is currently operated by Arriva and Network Harlow. Arriva made £373 million profit in 2013. If they are unwilling to continue providing the service Essex County Council needs to find an alternative company to run the route, with subsidies if necessary, or set up a not-for-profit operator to take it over. The Epping Forest Guardian covered the situation here: http://www.eppingforestguardian.co.uk/news/waltham_forest/11858552.Decision_to_scrap__life_line__bus_service_criticised/

The Sri Lankan police has a long history of human rights abuses and vicious attacks. Amnesty International’s latest annual report into Sri Lanka alleged that unlawful detentions and torture by security forces were carried out routinely. Since 2007, the Scottish Police College has trained thousands of Sri Lankan officers - including some senior commanders. But training has failed to protect human rights in Sri Lanka. Siobhan Reardon, Amnesty International's programme director in Scotland, said: “Human rights campaigners and family members of people subjected to enforced disappearance were threatened and arrested, and fatal attacks on religious minorities went unpunished.” Also a UN report commissioned by secretary general Ban Ki-Moon found that as many as 40,000 Tamil civilians may have been killed in the last months of the civil war in May 2009, mostly through indiscriminate shelling by Sri Lankan security forces. The police training reform project is funded by the Foreign Office (FCO), was supposed to embed "international standards in police training." But a recent FCO report found instances of torture, deaths in police custody, police abductions and instances of suspects shot and killed as they attempted to flee. The current contract will end on 31 March 2015, but it could be renewed. Police Scotland should not enable human rights abuses in Sri Lanka. Please listen to the Scottish public, Tamil community and human rights campaigners. Please sign this petition and stop Police Scotland enabling human rights abuses in Sri Lanka. Tamil Solidarity and a number of diaspora campaigners support this petition.

The sick and disabled people applying for PIP fill in a very long application form, which often repeats itself and so the individual(s) applying must repeat the answers. Even with getting professional help filling in these forms, does not guarantee, a fair and balanced end result. Many applicants are requested to have a one to one assessment and the results of these assessments seem to be down graded against the applicant

There are currently 115,000 people living with the condition in the UK. Crohn's disease can affect people of all ages, including children. However, most cases first develop between the ages of 16 and 30. The number of teenagers with Crohn’s disease has jumped more than 300 per cent in the last 10 years because of junk food and the overuse of antibiotics. According to figures from the Health and Social Care Information Centre, some 4,937 16 to 29-year-olds were admitted for treatment in England between 2003 and 2004, but last year the figure rose to 19,405. People with Crohn's disease can experience periods of severe symptoms followed by periods of remission that can last for weeks or years. The symptoms of Crohn's disease depend on where the disease occurs in the bowel and its severity. In general symptoms can include: Chronic diarrhoea, often bloody and containing mucus or pus Weight loss Fever, abdominal pain and tenderness Feeling of a mass or fullness in the abdomen Rectal bleeding This research is based on the same approach as the cure found for smallpox. Edward Jenner introduced a new term to the language when he ‘vaccinated’ (Latin vacca, cow) a boy in 1796 with matter taken from a cowpox lesion on a milkmaid’s hand. Jenner’s technique, in which he introduced a weaker viral type into the human body, was much less risky than the hitherto inoculations of Variola major. A set of similar circumstances has again led the medical profession to discover an immune system in cows and the research and trials in America and Israel are based on this finding.

Both my sons went to Castle Nursery School a few years ago and I can't tell you how amazing this nursery is, they gave my boys the very best start to their school lives and Ofsted rate them as 'outstanding' too. Our children deserve the best as they only get one chance. Every parent should have the choice to send their children to and outstanding provider if they wish. But not only this Castle Nursery is also in the Arboretum Ward which is the most disadvantaged area in Derby and currently does not have enough childcare places for the children living in the ward. Derby City Council should be making residents aware that they can access this oustanding nursery not taking it away just because families don't know about the nursery or don't know they are entitled to 15hrs free childcare. Please help me make Derby City Council accountable for their decisions and make it known that we are not going to let them take away yet another invaluable provision just because they have mismanaged their budget. Thank you

When the Blue Badge Holder is admitted into hospital, his/her carers responsibilities are reduced, however, in order to visit, the disabled person in hospital, the carer must pay full parking charges, which can be £12 a day. The carer may only use the Blue Badge if the disabled person (Blue Badge Holder) is being dropped off or picked up. As Carers Allowance is only £61.35 a week, after some 5 days of visiting the carer is "out of pocket", whereas some hospital car parks are free for Blue Badge Holders.The financial burden, upon the carer, when the disabled person is discharged from hospital, can be quite harsh, especially if the carer has had to pay for parking.