Currently they get away with not doing so and it can take more than 4 weeks to get monies owed from them. I know this as this is my experience. Banks can transfer monies instantly and credit payments quickly so why not utility companies. Here is my experience: When I switched from Scottish Power to Ovo (gas & electricity) I discovered that Scottish Power owed me over £600. I requested they pay this back but was told it would only happen once my final bill was done. I switched on 29th January and gave meter readings on that day to both Scottish Power and Ovo. However, its now March and they are still charging me on my bill (reducing my credit balance) even though they have closed my account (it says so online)! I spoke both with Scottish Power and Ovo and was told that even though I had submitted readings for gas & electricity to both companies, it could take 2 weeks for the network (presumably Transco etc) to confirm the readings. Only then could Scottish Power do my final bill and only then could OVO know for sure what starting readings to use. Scottish Power said once my final bill was confirmed they would then refund my credit balance but it could still take up to 4 weeks! This is a scandal. I made an official complaint to Scottish Power but they said it could 10 working days for someone to get back to me! yet another unacceptable delay. I tried speaking to the regulator but their automated telephone service cuts you off if you say you haven't given the utility company 8 weeks to resolve the situation! Why can't utility companies be made to speed the whole process up like banks have? An example is that when I pay salaries at work via BACS I get a text from my bank (the receiving account) within 10 seconds that the money is in my account! yes, I said 10 seconds, not 10 hours, days or weeks! Its time the companies were brought to account and made to reform. In my opinion the big companies should be split up as well. Scottish Power admits it receives around 75,000 complaints every quarter! Its on their website at https://www.scottishpower.co.uk/support-centre/service-and-standards/complaints/complaintsperformance Please support this campaign

Because Tony Benn spent his entire working life trying to help people and make the world a better place. He was a constant source of criticism to those he saw as doing wrong, no matter what their political stripe and he retained his honesty and integrity in a working environment where these values are rare. He was an outstanding example of how good people can be and do and can be admired from across the political spectrum. It is entirely appropriate that his life be commemorated.

Tony Benn was an (Inter)national treasure and should be celebrated as an important Socialist icon.

The magnificent Brighton Hippodrome needs your help to save it from being wrecked. It is a unique theatre building, listed Grade II* by English Heritage because of its historical and architectural significance. It was converted into a variety theatre in 1901/02 by Frank Matcham, the leading theatre architect of the time. It is one of only three theatres of its type in the country. It is of national importance. After closing as a variety theatre in 1965, it was a bingo hall until 2007. The stunning interior, however, is still in remarkable condition, with very little deterioration. Nonetheless, the Hippodrome is top of the Theatres Trust list of Theatre Buildings at Risk. Suddenly, in mid 2013, a proposal to convert the building into an eight-screen cinema emerged. The plans involve demolishing the stage, the fly-tower, all the back-stage facilities, the stalls and the orchestra pit. Without these it ceases to be a theatre. Please sign the petition to help to keep it intact. English Heritage has a statutory responsibility to protect listed buildings. It says any changes should be reversible. The proposed changes will make this impossible. No one so far has tried to produce a scheme for restoration for its real purpose: live performance. It would be a national scandal if the opportunity to save the Hippodrome were squandered because of misinformation and short-term gain. Please sign this petition to allow the Our Brighton Hippodrome campaign to produce that missing theatre proposal, for presentation to the Council, to English Heritage and the developers. We have the knowledge, we have the experience and we have the contacts. All we need is time. Read about the campaign, see the full details of our objection and see pictures of the Hippodrome Website: www.ourhippodrome.org.uk Facebook: www.facebook.com/ourbrightonhippodromepage Twitter: https://twitter.com/ourhippodrome The developer’s plan for conversion (not restoration!) to a multi-screen cinema: www.brightonhippodrome.co.uk/

Tony Benn was a true hero of British politics, he truly deserves a state funeral for his services to our country.

Because it would force every person in public office in the country to REALLY listen to the constituents and REALLY strive to serve. I vote, and always have done since turning 18, because I believe that it is our civic duty and that if one doesn't vote one can't complain. However, more and more one sees politicians full of fine words and no action, who do not listen and who follow their own agendas, and who punish the poor and benefit themselves and the nation's rich. Spoiling a ballot paper is not an option as it is not registered as a protest, and a protest vote for a 'loony' party such as ukip is clearly not sensible, so "None of the above" would send a clear message that we are not happy with the status quo and force change. Thank you.

We love science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM). We think its worth celebrating the exciting possibilities it offers with the young people of the UK. We know how vital STEM is to understand our world and make it better. There is so much inspiring and important STEM work done in the UK, and more to do. That's why it makes us sad that companies which profit from weapons which kill people across the world, should be allowed a role at the Big Bang Fair. One of this year's sponsors, Doosan, is on financial blacklists because of cluster bomb manufacture, and yet you allow them space at your event. As well as the products they manufacture, BAE systems have been the subject of several corruption investigations. Are these really the sorts of groups we want involved in the education of children? Science and engineering should be about improving life, not taking it away - please ask the Big Bang Fair to drop the arms trade.

God Save the Queen is an excellent anthem when a team representing Great Britain is being supported. However, when England is playing against other countries, especially Scotland, Wales and Ireland in the 6 Nations, it should have its own anthem as do each of the other three. I would suggest "Land of Hope and Glory".

Tooting High Street is an 'A' road, and as such is an important route for people moving both within, and passing through the area. The width of the road, not including the pavement, varies from 10m to 12m in width (from Tooting Broadway to the junction with Blackshaw Road). Using this road, on foot, or by bicycle is not straightforward. We believe space exists for high quality separated cycle routes to be placed on the road ensuring that people of whatever age or ability can choose to cycle locally. 'Armadillos' and planters which have been used on Royal College Street in Camden have been super-imposed onto the visual to give a simple idea of what could be. Parking/delivery bays can be provided from adjacent roads. The space currently used between buses and delivery bays could be re-purposed. This narrowing of the carriageway should result in lower speeds by motorists, and make it easier for pedestrians and the less able to cross the road. With 50% of car trips in London being less than or equal to two miles, many of those journeys could be cycled if the streets were designed in a more inviting manner. Local businesses suffer from the dominance of motor traffic that the current street design facilitates. A more inviting and attractive public realm would boost footfall, and in turn increase trade for local businesses. We need to show significant local support for this so that TfL listen to us and can ensure the next update / resurfacing includes installing proper cycle tracks. This post from the Cycling Embassy of Great Britain illustrates how using existing legislation, officers can install high quality cycle tracks: http://www.cycling-embassy.org.uk/blog/2013/07/26/a-view-from-the-drawing-board-cycle-track-priority-across-side-roads Supported by Wandsworth Cycling Campaign, Wandsworth Living Streets and Tooting Lib Dems

Because the notion of accessible OPEN SPACE in Wales used for sports, recreation and pastimes for over 20 years, should be protected and enhanced in the Public interest for the citizens in Wales.The guidance and Law should reflect the importance of TOWN and VILLAGE GREENS to the many communities in Wales.

Environmental Group The Friends of Barry Beaches have launched a petition calling on the Welsh Government to ban the use of polystyrene fast food and drinks containers throughout Wales. They say they are “sick and tired” with removing thousands of polystyrene fast food and hot drinks containers from local Welsh beaches especially when there are bio-degradable alternatives(cardboard or cornstarch) readily available on the market. The Chairman of FoBB and also the Cabinet Member for the Environment and Visible Services on the Vale of Glamorgan Council, Councillor Rob Curtis, said: “We now need the support of the people of Britain to finally put an end to this fast food polystyrene madness. Our beach cleaning volunteers are sick and tired of removing thousands of items of polystyrene from our beaches each year. These products are made from petroleum, a non-sustainable and heavily polluting resource. It is costing local Councils millions to clean up this mess week in week out, but it is also costing our environment a lot more. Marine animals easily mistake polystyrene for fish eggs, these in turn are eaten by larger marine animals and the polystyrene is passed on. Polystyrene takes hundreds… if not thousands of years to biodegrade, in the meantime it just gets smaller and smaller thus making it easier for our wildlife to ingest! But it does not have to be this way… nearly all our larger fast food chains have switched to biodegradable alternatives. Yet go to any small takeaway on the high street or at a major event and they will nearly always supply you with a polystyrene food container and hot drink cup. None of it will be recycled because it is so difficult to recycle polystyrene. Just last month the City Council of New York unanimously decided to vote for a ban on polystyrene food containers (if they are unable to find an economical recycling solution). It is now time for the Welsh Government to take a lead and vote to protect our communities, our countryside and our beaches from this horrendous blight."

The rushed sale of the Co-operative Group Farms to the highest bidder would almost certainly mean that the land would be bought by venture capital or pension funds, who would have no interest in managing the land using co-operative principles and sustainable techniques. However, as the biggest UK land sale for decades - over 50,000 acres of land - this is also a unique opportunity to make a major contribution to sustainable UK food production and help young new farmers to access land. Like minded groups interested in buying the land (such as co-operatives and Community Farmland Trusts) will require time to put the necessary finances in place, to arrange a sale, and to find suitable tenants. The Co-operative Group board should allow time for initiatives to be planned and organised so that the co-operative management of the Co-op's farmland can continue. The founding values of the Co-operative are at stake here, and the Group will lose all credibility if it simply sells its farms to the highest bidder. Tell the Co-op board to remember its roots: "Don’t sell the soil from under our feet - fertilise the future instead!"