I understand from the Institute of Advanced Motorists that there is a government backed 'Older Drivers Task Force' consultation in progress, that should be reporting in the summer (2016). We hope something positive will come from this. The population is ageing, there are going to be more and more people driving into old age. We need a way of controlling those who may have got beyond safe driving, and becoming a danger to themselves and others on the roads around them. It is very difficult for family members to tell a relative that they should stop driving, our medics seem loath to broach the subject. Something needs to be done, and regular testing/assessment could be a way to solve the problem.

Design and Technology is a subject that is particularly struggling to find teachers. There are only two universities in England that run an undergraduate course for trainee D&T teachers but now NTU want to bring that down to one. If that happens then the amount of people applying for teacher training will reduce. The university seem to think that those who apply at NTU will just transfer their application to the remaining university course. This is simply not the case. There are 4 people on the course currently who are there because of the location and reputation and would not have been in a position to just go somewhere else. The course is also an award winning course with 2 of the lecturers achieving teacher trainer of the year in 2014 & 2015 as well as another lecturer being nominated for a commendation this year. Design and Technology is still a requirement on the national curriculum at Key Stage 3 but not further on. Without the training for teachers the runs the risk of the subject being taught inefficiently and then possibly disappearing altogether in the future. If the subject isn't being carried on beyond Key Stage 3 it runs the risk of having a knock-on effect on product design, engineering, furniture design and fashion (just to mention only a few). I'm a mature student who put their personal life on hold and quit a good full time job in order to go and train. I didn't have another way of getting in to teaching as I had already attempted university study a different way. Being settled where I am having a university close was a wonderful thing. There are people in similar positions as me and by closing the course they're taking that opportunity away. Please help us save the course and in turn save the future of Design and Technology.

South Gloucestershire Council currently uses glyphosate chemical herbicides on our streets and parks despite there being viable safe alternatives and despite the fact that the World Health Organisation (WHO) has identified glyphosate as likely to cause cancer in humans. The WHO finding sits alongside a wealth of existing evidence that raises alarming questions marks over the long term safety of exposure to glyphosate both on its own and in combination with other chemicals found in formulas such as Roundup. The use of glyphosates has already been banned or restricted in 8 countries. It is not acceptable that our children, ourselves and the animals we share this county with are being routinely exposed to these chemicals whether we like it or not. The Council needs to exercise the precautionary principle and follow the example of cities such as Chicago, Paris and Rotterdam by banning this spraying in public places. This is a matter of great importance and urgency for those of us who care about each other's health and the health of our children, our dogs and cats and all the flora and fauna of this county, and of course including our beloved bees. There are viable safe alternatives to glyphosates. The Netherlands have outright banned glyphosates in public spaces and are using a hot water treatment instead. A hot water and foam method is also available in the UK and South Gloucestershire Council is already aware that this can be a more effective alternative than hot water on its own. Glyphosates are the cheapest option but we must send the message loud and clear that value is not just about price and that the health and safety issues around glyphosate render its 'cheap and easy' status irrelevant. Other effective methods may cost more in cash terms but represent far better value to local residents. Using a formula such as glyphosate or Roundup in our public spaces is simply unacceptable no matter how cheap and quick it makes the task of urban weed management. Other European cities have already banned them and now Glastonbury have paved the way here in the UK and have now banned glyphosates and are implementing the foam/hot water method instead. At their next meeting, Bristol City council will vote on whether to do the same following a petition that was handed in on 19th January. People-power stopped these pesticides elsewhere - can 38 Degrees members in South Glos stop them here too? If you think chemical pesticides, that have serious health concerns, no longer have a place on the streets of South Glos then please sign the petition and also email your local councillor and request that they stop spraying outside of your property and all areas! You can find your councillor details here: https://council.southglos.gov.uk/mgMemberIndex.aspx Further information can be found in the following links: The Guardian: Glyphosate is a 'probably carcinogenic' pesticide. Why do cities still use it? http://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/apr/21/glyphosate-probably-carcinogenic-pesticide-why-cities-use-it The Independent: Glyphosate: Scientists urge caution over experts' claims pesticide is 'probably' carcinogenic: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/glyphosate-scientists-urge-caution-over-experts-claims-pesticide-is-probably-carcinogenic-10397787.html A safer non-toxic option is now used: http://www.centralsomersetgazette.co.uk/Glastonbury-takes-look-town-s-weed-problem/story-27651682-detail/story.html Bristol Council Website: A motion to ban the use of glyphosates will be voted on at the full council meeting after a petition was handed in on 19th January: https://www2.bristol.gov.uk/committeeMeetingFinder The Bristol Cable https://thebristolcable.org/2015/10/bristol-monsanto-and-chemicals/

Politics in the UK, EU and across the world has never been more important, nor has the need to satirise it. Currently MSM fails to question our politicians in a way that resonates. Maybe our news and current affairs programmes have always been that way, but TV programming hasn't. Spitting Image was the attack dog of the MSM in the 80's. It didn't matter who you were, if you were a public figure, it would tackle you, it would bring you to the ground, it would openly challenge you and it would mock you. But always in a humorous way. Yes it was offensive, but more importantly it was truthful, accurate and downright side splittingly funny. We need this now more than ever.

Last year more than 3000 children spent 24 hour to 48 hours in a police cell due to the inadequate amount of secure accommodation currently provided by local authorities in London in particular . Some have been arrested for very minor offences indeed. The psychological impact on a child of such lengthy detention can be very damaging. It is not acceptable in a civilized society to imprison children for such lengthy periods , it goes against the agreed guidelines which recommend children be released from Police custody and be transferred to secure accommodation within 4 hours after arrest , if there is no responsible adult to collect them .

The reason for the dangers of the residents and local people is because there is no footpath. Also many dogs, cats and even horse have been injured or killed down this small road. Many people come of the motorway at 50 mph.

The poor, needy and vulnerable need help, not to be ripped off by companies charging extortionate Apr Rates, the maximum allowed should be a maximum of 50% not over 100% or more like some loan companies are charging people, the government need to do something about these modern day loan sharks ripping people off with obscene aprs of well over 100%

There are serious issues with traffic & parking along Westwood Road. An increase in traffic on this residential road due to this development will exacerbate these problems and endanger pedestrians and cyclists - particularly pupils of St Ivo School. Drainage systems are already at full capacity and flooding is an issue. The proposed plans would increase the risk of flooding and raw sewage discharge onto public footpaths and into private gardens. 50 houses crammed onto the site is not in-keeping with the character of the existing area. There have been no alternative options explored for the use of the land, eg. the expansion of St Ivo School.

Foraging has been a part of life since humans can remember. The right to forage is not something that should be taken away. Picking wild berries has been a past time of many families when out for a stroll. Taking this right away is ridiculous!

Too many autistic children are not being taught properly, my son is one. He is constantly frustrated since moving to a new school in Southend, and he thinks he is no longer clever. This is a serious problem and affects his confidence, which then affects his ability to learn. When he can't understand and no one explains things to him properly he is then unable to take anything else in for the rest of the day. All he is focused on is trying to understand what he can't understand and this leads to him getting into trouble for not doing his work.

Despite attempts to persuade him privately, Iain McNicol, General Secretary of the Labour Party, is refusing to budge on the cost of Youth Conference. Labour are already charging elected delegates £40 for their conference pass (seven times the national minimum wage for most young members), this is without provision for accommodation or travel, meaning in reality the cost of Youth Conference will come to £200 or more for most delegates. This is the first Youth Conference in two years and the first youth elections conference in three years. Delegates have been elected by the entire youth membership regionally to represent them at #YL16, the lack of funding to get delegates there is pricing young members out of democracy and only the Party can resolve this issue. Unless this issue is resolved, Young Labour's democracy runs the risk of looking like that of pre-universal suffrage Britain, in which only those with wealth will have the right (or ability) to vote; the Chartists, whose struggle led to the creation of the Labour Party, would not be impressed.

Residents are feeling vulnerable due to the lack of light given out by these new LED lights