We are fully supportive of the initiatives that are in place to help homeless people and would welcome these being publicised in a positive way so that the public are aware as to what they can do to help the homeless. However these posters do little more than attack the individual liberty of city residents and demonise one of the most vulnerable groups in our city. Streetlink is an important organisation but its advertised in small print at the bottom of the page. The current campaign is based on negativity and not the right way to go about things.

Our libraries are a valuable public resource which enrich the lives of the Harrow population. They are too important to risk in the hands of private profiteers. Croydon, another London borough which gave its libraries contract to Carillion, has already taken this step to protect libraries and to protect the jobs of our library staff.

I implore you to end Brexit. Understanding how beneficial joining the European Union has been to both our nation and the European bloc, leaving the EU has become a game of Russian Roulette and I fear we’re nearly out of empty chambers in the gun. A winner of the Nobel peace prize, the EU has given us many benefits; Peace, the single market, foreign aid, improved air and water quality, democracy & human rights. All of which are in jeopardy as we approach the cliff edge. So where are we now? A referendum was called, and I put it to you that now is not the time to leap into the unknown with simply dreams to fuel us. After years of failed austerity policies, the UK’s most vulnerable have already been brought to their knees: the homeless are freezing to death sleeping on the streets, many of which suffer from mental illness: too many face a huge struggle to survive on Universal credits (some of which are now dying) should they receive any benefit after being interrogated by Atos; thousands have died after being declared fit for work and suicide appears all too often to be the only option. Specifically denounced by the UN, the government ignore it and seek to remove more human rights: we now have the abomination of Foodbanks which is a path any first world nation should never have to venture upon, yet they are now the norm and used by working families; Education budgets are being cut and our children’s development is therefore stifled. Children are developing rickets, a disease that was believed to have been eradicated years ago. The future of following generations in insecure. Wages have been stagnant for years, zero hours contracts increase as worker’s rights are diminished, yet the cost of living rises. Police numbers have been reduced while extremism has risen. Many of these scenarios are Reminiscent of the 1930’s, a pattern we need to avoid repeating. The cycle of cause and effect continues to go unchallenged. The national debt has risen from £850 billion in 2010 to £1.5 trillion today. Where we used to lead the way forward we are now leaderless. Strong and stable we are not and yet now we choose to leave our biggest trading partner at a cost of £40 billion which we as a country can ill afford. This ship needs to be strong if it is to not sink. A foolish, idea where we look ridiculous to the rest of the world, without a plan for departure and without impact studies on every industry. Most people cannot appreciate that trade deals take several years to complete. Brexit is dangerously right wing! The British press has been overtaken with neo fascist propaganda and fake news. Nowhere can a citizen buy a paper that presents a well-balanced argument allowing the public to make an informed decision. We must share this planet and survival depends upon collaboration, not death and division.

I personally have just got over breast cancer in 2017 and like so many of us, 1 in 8 now in the UK population, I am hoping and working hard with treatment to try to ensure it doesn't come back - but then part of that future is not in my hands. I have seen men and women, young and old experience cancer - some have survived others not. But at some point, unfortunately this disease will effect us all at some point. Please join me in petitioning government to protect cancer treatment and its diagnosis - our lives matter as much as anyone elses'! Help us to save our lives - and that includes your's ....

The Act makes it illegal to sleep rough and/or beg. Whilst I do not wish anybody to have to sleep rough or beg, the people who are forced to do so should not be persecuted in any fashion, let alone from a legal stance. The Act was written at a time when wealth defined whether you were a criminal or not, thus segregating the poor from the rich, as a wealthy person would never find themselves in that position. The Vagrancy Act is out of date common law and needs to be vanquished so that Councillors cannot try and force Police to enforce such legislation when they are on a power trip, such as in the case of https://news.sky.com/story/outrage-as-council-leader-asks-police-to-clear-homeless-before-royal-wedding-11194599

Other countries had advanced industrialists, inventors and scientists but did not have the labour to match Britain's economy. In addition, the Irish in Britain played a pivotal role in politics in order to ensure social justice and improving our level of equality! The Irish, also, had a prominent role in the British Trade Union movement and it is the very reason to educate society on the role of Migrant Workers and Refugees within Britain, today! It is, also, important to ensure that the British public has a greater understanding of Irish culture and our own neighbouring country, Ireland. Through education, we can achieve a far greater peaceful relationship at grassroots level for both the isles of Britain and Ireland.

The proposed changes will mean Basildon Hospital will become the only local 'specialist centre' for some stroke, heart and respiratory care. This means that many patients in Southend or Chelmsford will be transferred to Basildon for treatment. Public transport links are very poor between Chelmsford and Basildon (and even worse from further north in the county), and many people will find it very difficult, or impossible, to visit relatives and friends there. But such support networks are vital to patients in recovery. Additionally, Basildon Hospital has not been able to cope in recent years, and has often been on black alert. How will it cope with the extra demand? The STP has opened a public consultation into these proposed changes. Please sign the petition to let them know we think the planned changes compromise patient safety and recovery. There needs to be stroke, heart and respiratory care across the county - not just in Basildon. These proposals are part of Sustainability & Transformation Plans. These are the means by which the government is delivering huge cuts to our local health services. If you want to read more about the changes to our area you can here: file:///Users/jess/Downloads/NHS-Mid-and-South-Essex_Your-Care-in-the-Best-Place_Summary-Document.pdf https://midessexccg.nhs.uk/about-us/mid-and-south-essex-stp-joint-committee/committee-papers/november-2017-1/2703-full-part-i-papers-29-11-17/file

Residents in Newtongrange and Mayfield were promised that community facilities would be retained. We call upon Midlothian Council to honour this commitment.

Peel Ports are vandalising the facilities at Inchgreen Dry Dock purchased in 2002 from Clydeport. They blew up the cranes in July 2017 claiming it was too costly to service and maintain. No investment has been made in the facility since 2002 and rumour was they wanted to infill the dock and sell the land for housing. They have now confirmed to Inverclyde Council that they are not selling the dock or infilling. The Dry Dock is the second largest in the UK and a major asset for Inverclyde and the west coast. Who are Peel Ports? The Peel Group is constructed like a Russian Doll, a company within a company within a company and so on that produces hundreds of companies. The holding companies are registered in Tax havens, the Isle of Man and the Cayman Islands, owned and controlled by John Whittaker tax exile and his sons through Billown Trust. They own 75% of the parent companies Tokenhouse Ltd, Tokenhouse Investments (Guernsey) Ltd and Peel Port Holdings, the other 25% is owned by a Saudi Arabian conglomerate the Olayan Group. The Peel Group own A&P Group (APG) based at Cammell Lairds in Birkenhead Merseyside and have 4 Dry Docks, they also have dry docks in Falmouth, Tyneside and Teesside, and now control Inchgreen according to their web page. APG have a joint venture with BAE Systems (BAES) and tendering for the Type 31e Frigates (each £250m +) have the same build time as the Type 26 Frigates being built by BAES in Govan and Scotstoun. The Frigates and a £200m BAES investment promised and supported by the Tory Government during the 2014 Independence Referendum did not materialise. Former Tory Defence Secretary of State, Lord Michael Fallon also reduced the build number of Type 26 from 13 to 8, another broken promise and BAES have only been contracted to build 3. Sir John Parker’s 2016 Report ‘The National Shipbuilding Strategy“ has also been used to break promises to Glasgow hence the joint venture, BAES providing Engineering, Design and Systems and APG doing the build in Birkenhead. However this report also suggested that a Regional Industrial Strategy could be developed to build the Type 31e and Clydeside has the capacity. Which begs the question- Did BAES not consider a joint venture with Ferguson’s Marine using Inchgreen and develop a Regional Strategy to build these Frigates? We think not, the joint venture would not like Ferguson’s Marine gaining expertise in MOD work, and APG would prefer their Merseyside investment to benefit. Peel Group have invested over £250m in Cammell Lairds and have grand plans to invest £50 Billion over 50 years in the Atlantic/Ocean Gate Project which covers both sides of River Mersey and the Manchester Ship Canal, the docks, container facilities, shipyards and riverside developments etc. Their future investment and the millions of public money they receive from the EU, Merseyside & Manchester Local Authorities, Enterprise & Regional Boards and Government is all for the Atlantic/Ocean Gate Project and none for Inchgreen. Merseyside and Manchester newspapers with community groups have asked whether the tax payer is getting value for the vast amounts of public money Peel receive and continue to receive. Their control of the Merseyside waters and coast has been a major concern for some community groups and one ExUrbe produced a critical 2013 report on Peel’s operation - “PEEL AND THE LIVERPOOL CITY REGION”. Peel has no intention of investing in Inchgreen Dry Dock and attracting work or they would not have destroyed the cranes. The Peel Group’s investment strategy is totally focused on Merseyside. However they could be in for another Public Purse payday when the Greenock Ocean Terminal Project under the City Deal gets final business case approval. Estimated costs are £14.793m, £7.193 from the Tax Payer, identified private sector investment £6.1m from Peel and £1.5m from the Dunard Art Fund, to date no contract has been signed or approved. We petition the Scottish Government and Inverclyde Council to bring Inchgreen Dry Dock into Public/Community Ownership for the future prosperity of Inverclyde and its citizens. We now have support from the local political parties Lib Dem’s, SNP, Greens, Labour and most Independent Councillors, local MP & MSPs also Unite and Unison Trade Unions. Our local newspaper the Greenock Telegraph have raised the profile of the Campaign with the Inverclyde public by their many articles on the issue. Copies of the Campaign petition can be obtained by contacting the below or sign online at:- https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/campaign-to-save-inchgreen-dry-dock-1 email: [email protected] Tel 07719 646944 Its important for the future Industrial development of Inverclyde, attract good paid skilled jobs, secure a major asset for the West Coast of Scotland and preserve its shipbuilding heritage.

It is estimated that at least 8 million tonnes of plastic leak into the ocean every year – which is equivalent to dumping the contents of one rubbish truck into the ocean every minute. This plastic then causes harm to our wildlife, pollutes our water, washes up on our shores and even ends up in our food chain.

Onshore wind energy is our most abundant and cost effective form of renewable energy, and until it was banned by the previous government it was our most successful. It remains highly popular with opinions polls (including the government’s own) showing almost three quarters of the public support it - this support has been consistent for the last 20 years. With energy bills in Britain generally regarded as being too high and our government proposing a cap to address the issue - it makes no sense to pay considerably more than we need to for new forms of green energy. Fighting climate change with green energy is essential, we should not make it more expensive than it needs to be. A recent report from the ECIU (Energy and Climate Change Intelligence Unit) estimates that we will pay over £1 billion more on our energy bills - over just the next four years - if we continue to exclude onshore wind energy. Onshore wind is an economic and environmental opportunity for Britain.

Fife's Education Service is proposing to cut all instrumental tuition in schools except for those pupils taking SQA Music. This will decimate music for Fife's children and young people. Learning any instrument will become an exclusive activity, reserved for those who can find a private teacher. Only these pupils will have the option of taking SQA Music at high school. Pursuing further study in music, at school or college, will be closed off to children whose parents cannot afford years of private tuition. Starved of upcoming players, school and youth orchestras and bands will struggle to survive and become increasingly elitest.