Stoke-on-Trent has the dubious distinction of being called the Monkey Dust capital of the U.K. A blite on the reputation and economy of Stoke-on-Trent. We the undersigned, are disgusted and ashamed that Stoke-on-Trent City Council and Staffordshire Police, rather than tackling the supply and use of drugs and other street crimes, are focusing on the homeless and fining them £100. This proposal is not only sadistic but increases the pressure on the police, courts, probation services as well as council resources, during a time of peak demand and will do nothing to reduce genuine homelesses. We demand that as the Councillor responsible for Communities, you take immediate action to stop the persecution of the most vulnerable people in our city and drop plans to fine the genuinely homeless. This is the second year in a row that Stoke-on-Trent City Council has attempted to victimise the homeless and profit from their misfortune In a move so disgusting that Scrooge himself would be ashamed by it. Homelessness will not end by hiding the problem nor profiting from their misery but by acting with compassion, decency and vision. To be clear, we have no objection to the prosecution of criminals, who feign homelessness to take advantage of the public or aggressively beg for money, however, we seek an acceptance and protection for the genuine homeless.

This issue is vital to the betterment of youths services in Peterborough. Currently, the people that are in charge of youth services have not been classed as youth in years and are in no place to have a say in the issues of the youth no matter how good they are at their job. However, if a youth council did exist, or there was a youth presence in the council (11-16 year olds) there would be better input for the decision makers. This could lead to less crime and violence as the youth would be occupied elsewhere and may lead to better results for the youth of Peterborough in academic and social terms.

On 26 September 2018, four protesters received lengthy custodial sentences for their part in blocking fracking trucks from entering Preston New Road site. The civil space for local communities to protest against the shale oil and gas industry in the UK is becoming more and more restricted and this represents a growing threat to fundamental rights to freedom of expression and assembly. This is exemplified by: - The granting of sweeping civil injunctions to private companies, giving them special legal treatment in the face of widespread public protests. - Central government proposals to bypass local councils by making exploratory drilling a ‘permitted development’ - removing the need for planning permission and for local communities to raise their objections through their local representative body.

Every parent of a child within Suffolk, that has to rely on funded school transport to High school from September 2019 will have to pay between £600-£800 pounds per child per year for continued transport to their current recognised catchment school. SCC will only fund travel to what it now considers to be a pupils nearest school, but nearest schools admissions policies for year 2019/20 prioritises places for students from its feeder and catchment Primary schools, not students from Primary schools outside of catchment. The financial implications for Suffolk families will be immense. Siblings may have to attend different High schools, as an older child already receiving funded transport will continue to do so but parents may not be able afford to fund a sibling or siblings. There is no guarantee that a child from a non feeder or out of catchment school will be accepted, so parents could be forced to pay for their child to attend a school, occur debt and hardship to do so, have to consider home schooling. SCC sent out an online transport survey this year to parents within Suffolk. According to a report by Councillor (County) Robert Lindsay 3600 responses were received, 85% strongly opposed these proposed changes and 5% opposed, but SCC still passed the changes. School Transport should be free and funded for all pupils.

It is adding to the high levels of air pollution already experienced in Derby. It is not in line with Government clean air targets for Derby. The smell and noise is having a detrimental effect on local residents. Forthcoming Incineration taxes will make it a costly burden. The 25 year contract commits Derby and surrounding Derbyshire areas to polluted air for the next 25 years.

By not commenting on it and not fixing the situation on Celebrity Big Brother as it happened Channel 5 have made it clear they do not think this behaviour is unacceptable. They allowed it to continue for entertainment value and profited from this. This sends a message to the general public that what occurred in the house was alright and you can also behave that way.

A lease agreement for our 4 acre woodland (named Ladybird woods by our toddler children) is vital for Ignite Unlocking Potential as a social enterprise to support schools, community & families with educational services including Wales's only Nature Kindergarten, Ladybirds Parent & Toddler group, Adventure camps and activity days for children with physical disabilities & additional learning needs. During the 4 years as a business tenant paying against a draft agreement of 21 years, we have transformed 4 acres of unused land into a centre for excellence in Nature based Pedagogy. To date, this learning & play space has enabled us to make a real difference to the lives of over 8000 children and provides leading edge education and training services to education & health professionals across Wales and the UK. Please read some of our reviews from parents & teachers that we have recently supported. Your signature will provide our children with the hope that we can continue to enrich their lives and provide a place that nurtures and unlocks their potential. "My little one went to the summer camp up the country park he has ADHD and struggles sometimes with friends and groups, to say he had an amazing time is a understatement he loved it the staff where amazing with him , come bk a very different child and much more confident, he can't wait to go again thank u all !!!!" Leanne Evans (Parent). "You don't know what a massive part your team has played this summer for my kids x so thank you all x" Caly Cross (Parent). "Had a wonderful time volunteering with the Ladybirds Parent and Toddler group today- very wet and soggy but a beautiful atmosphere, Thank you" Catrin Doyle (Volunteer). "This week I started my Forest School Leader training with you guys and I've loved every second. So many amazing ideas, people and open-ended resources! Just what I needed to get my mind back on track, can't wait for the next sessions!" Jordan Baxter (Teacher). “The community has nothing but wonderful things to say about the organisation and we’ve been waiting years to be able to attend!” “Ignite embody all of the goals and principals of the Well-being for future generations ACT. The adults love it.The Children love it.The community Need it.They promote health and wellbeing - both physical and mental, through a connection with the outdoors.They need the space!” Eve Harris (Parent).

Do you want to save Tarporley's precious, affordable retirement flats, Oathills Lea? Where will our elderly population go, if this complex is closed or sold off by Weaver Vale Housing Trust? Oathills Lea is currently under review and its residents are worried sick, as you can imagine. Built in 1970, Oathills Lea has 23 retirement flats for residents aged 50 and over. It is the perfect location, especially for the less mobile residents and those who no longer drive. The bus stop is just 100 yards; the Co-op 250 yards; post office 250 yards; village centre 100 yards; doctors 0.5 mile(s). All of this helping our older villagers maintain their independence. Oathills Lea is the only accommodation of it's sort in the village. Not only is it made up of individual flats, but there is a communal area where the residents congregate in the afternoons to socialise with each other. Many of it's former and current residents have always lived in Tarporley and others have sold their homes and moved here to be closer to their families. None of us want to be evicted from our homes and it is putting the more vulnerable villagers under immense pressure and stress. What will Oathills Lea be replaced with ? Weaver Vale Housing Trust, recently you were promoting the flats as a "Home for Life". Why have you gone back on your word ? Why aren't you filling the empty flats, when given the ageing and increasing population of Tarporley and the surrounding villages there is probably a demand for them ? If anything more retirement flats are likely to be needed over the years. PLEASE sign our petition and share it with your friends and family

Approximately 700,000 people in the UK provide UNPAID care for a loved one with Dementia, saving the Government £11.6 BILLION each year. ... Without these unpaid carers, the UK care system would collapse, leaving millions in crisis. Yet when these carers find THEMSELVES in crisis, they are routinely told that somebody will respond to them in 5 - 10 days or that respite care is unavailable due to a lack of funding. Alzheimer's Society reported these facts as far back as 2014 and yet the situation continues to deteriorate. ... And with the number of people living with Dementia expected to exceed 1 million by 2021, things are set to deteriorate further still. (https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/about-us/policy-and-influencing/dementia-uk-report) We are therefore echoing the Alzheimer's Society's plea for "appropriately resourced national Dementia strategies", and in particular the BADLY needed measures laid out in their statement on carer support. (https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/about-us/policy-and-influencing/what-we-think/carer-support) Because, as things stand today, the vast majority of unpaid Dementia Carers feel ignored, unsupported and alone - day in and day out. We need change! And we need it NOW! --------------------------------------------------------------------- Please also see our website at https://www.startcaring.co.uk for details of our 'Who Cares?' Postcard Campaign. Start Caring! - Because change happens faster when we all work together.

The swimming pool is part of Drumchapel history and community children, parents and grand parents go there regularly. It is unacceptable and therefore closure will not be accepted. Swimming is a life skill; we must ensure that our children are given a chance to learn to swim. What is important is that it is not only a sport but can save someone from drowning which is the most common of accidental deaths in children. Swimming is also important for the elderly or infirm to be able exercise without straining joints. Swimming is important for rehabilitation and physiotherapy. Glasgow life have also started charging nursery school children and OAPs which could have been avoided. Drumchapel is one of the most deprived areas in Europe; the swimming pool is the only publicly funded facility which the entire family can enjoy together.

Special Guardianship holders are often forced to give up their jobs or reduce hours to care for their children due to the children's behavioural difficulties caused by the trauma of their early lives. Currently special guardianship allowance is set by guidelines instead of legislation. This means many families live in poverty as local authorities often pay nothing. Government legislation would ensure special guardianship families are financially supported equally instead of the unfair system we have now, in which many families are given little or nothing. Of those families that are lucky enough to receive something, this is often stopped after a period of two years leaving them in financial difficulties. Special guardianship allowance should be paid until the child reaches adulthood. The cost of keeping a child in care may be as much as £70,000 annually, so surely it is better to support special guardians with a realistic financial package to ensure special guardianship does not break down due to financial stress, thus saving millions in the long run.

In your response to the Taylor Review of Modern Working Practices, ‘Good Work’, you rightly stated that it is important that everyone “has the ability to … earn a living to support them and their family”. We therefore hope that you will agree with us that it is outrageous that staff within your Department who keep it safe every day, clean the office, deliver the post and serve food are on poverty wages. For example, it is neither safe nor acceptable that to feed their families, security staff must work a minimum of 60 hours a week. This is at the same time as being on the front line of keeping a Whitehall Department safe. You will know that the Prime Minister has promised the “greatest extension of rights and protections for employees by any Conservative government in history”. We hope that you agree with the PM that this should extend to those working for the government and in government buildings, including your own. As you will be aware, many Departments already pay a proper liveable wage, including HM Treasury, the Department for Work and Pensions, Department for International Trade and Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. In fact, this is something your staff (from the former Department of Energy and Climate Change) fought for, won, and are rightly proud of. In addition, the Houses of Parliament, where you have a Parliamentary office, is also a Living Wage Foundation employer and so those staff that clean one of your offices are paid a liveable wage, while those that help run your Department are not. I am sure you agree this cannot be right or just. Back in 2016 the Trade Unions sought to engage positively with your Permanent Secretary, Alex Chisholm. Despite initial early indications of a positive approach, including confirmation that increases in pay were both affordable and within the Department’s gift, the Unions have at best been met with intransigence and indifference since then. We hope that given your commitment in the Industrial Strategy to be personally responsible for “improving the quality of work”, you will agree with us that when it comes to people’s livelihoods and ability to look after their families this attitude is not acceptable. We, the undersigned, are now calling on you to intervene and commit to paying at least the London Living Wage to all your support staff, and to holding proper discussions with the Trade Unions on their terms and conditions.