I feel that anyone who has a disabled or blind person in their family or amongst their friend will be able to identify with these problems and wouldn't want them to suffer.

QMUL UNISON Branch Committee has calculated that Queen Mary has been underpaying some of its lowest paid staff – including cleaners, porters, Catering, Security and Library staff – by up to £500 a year. These underpayments have profound equalities implications. Their impact has disproportionately been felt by BAPoC staff and women. In December 2019, the university’s own Equal Pay Audit raised concerns about pay discrimination, finding that the pay structure was “inconsistently applied and overly complex.” While this report raises questions about how long the university has known about the discrepancy, a recognition of the error from the University and a strong commitment to redress it is non-negotiable. We noticed this discrepancy while we were trying to calculate how much Queen Mary staff receive as a London Allowance. As you will know, the London Allowance is supposed to be a flat amount awarded to all staff on top of the national pay settlement to reflect the high cost of living in the capital. However, while other universities (such as King’s and UCL) pay the same allowance to all of their staff and publish a clear breakdown of how much they award, Queen Mary is currently far less transparent. QMUL "consolidated" its allowance into basic pay in 2005. When we initially contacted HR to ask how much it was, they were unable to tell us. As the allowance is consolidated into basic pay and therefore subject to the same pay increases, the underpayment effectively means that the lowest paid staff have also seen a cut in their London Allowance. Catering and Security staff who should now be receiving a larger cost of living adjustment than their higher paid colleagues, are instead receiving a smaller one. Even for those of us who haven't been affected by this underpayment, QMUL’s London Allowance is woefully inadequate. At £3,330 it is significantly lower than the amount received by staff at SOAS, Westminster, UCL and Kings. This has a knock-on effect for the university’s ability to attract staff and remain competitive. According to the latest research by the Trust for London, London weighting allowances would need to be increased to at least £6,549 to cover a basic standard of living. That research was conducted in 2021, before the staggering inflation we've seen this year. We therefore ask the university to commit to a significant increase in the London Allowance, to give staff some protection from the spiralling cost of living. QMUL, give us our pay!

A number of those declaring their candidacy for the leadership of the Conservative Party are doing so on a platform of tax cuts. None so far have declared the impact on public services and what services they propose to cut. It is essential that they are transparent so the public understand the consequences should they be elected.

Take Park Home owners for instance. They are mostly over the age of 50 and are retired; many with health problems and have moved to a Park Home site for some peace and quiet. Many have to buy their energy, particularly electricity, from the site owner. Site owners have commercial accounts and often have many sites and will not be part of the EBSS (Energy Bill Support Scheme ) Many residents in rented accommodation are in a similar position if they do not pay for their energy directly to a supplier but are charged by their landlord based on meter readings. Leasehold properties who are run by a management company or directly via the Freeholder often have a similar system of paying for energy through their service charge and do not own a meter. This section of the population is large and does contain a large number of people who desperately need this help and will at the moment get nothing at all.

This issue is close to my heart as I live on the A41 near to the crossing and have seen the difficulties with this crossing for all the residents who live either side. The pavements are busy with cyclists using half and sometimes going at speed, which decreases the space required to keep at a safe distance away from the kerb at the crossing. Sometimes the rain collects beside the crossing and cars are driving through the puddles at speed, causing pedestrians to get soaked! It is hazardous and needs to be reviewed and improved as soon as possible before there is an accident. There is also an issue of the crossing not having an audible beeping sound when safe to cross, it takes a long time to cross safely and is wholly inadequate when compared to all other crossings on main roads and busy dual carriageways.

It is important because resigned Prime Ministers should not benefit from the trappings of high office after they have resigned.

Boris Johnson should be removed from power to stop him making more unlawful decisions. "The proposal for the prime minister to remain in office - for up to three months - having lost the support of his cabinet, his government and his parliamentary party is unwise, and may be unsustainable. In such a circumstance, the prime minister maintains the patronage and, of even greater concern, the power to make decisions which power of will affect the lives of those within all four nations of the United Kingdom and further afield. Some will argue that his new cabinet will restrain him. I merely note that his previous cabinet did not - or could not - do so. For the overall wellbeing of the country, Mr Johnson should not remain in Downing Street - when he is unable to command the confidence of the House of Commons - for any longer than necessary to effect the smooth transition of government." Sir John Major - Former Conservative Prime Minister

Kent County Council is threatening to remove the 502 bus service (Kings Hill/Wrotham school). This is a fully-utilised and vital service. The majority of children would not be able to get to school without this bus. There are no practical or affordable alternatives. Please save this service. Without this bus service children will not be able to get to Wrotham school.

We are having a swift emergency in Sheffield. Illegal work (Wildlife and Countryside Act), has brought SSN surveyors out to defend active swift nests from building developments in S6, S10, S13 and S17. These are not isolated incidents. The Common Swift isn't common any more. In the last 25 years, UK swift plummeted by over 60%. Swifts are Red Listed Birds of Conservation Concern and classified as "Endangered". Traditional building materials and methods left gaps for laying eggs and raising chicks, high up within the eaves. Modern plastic soffits and well-sealed, draught-proof buildings lack nooks and crannies. Up to now, few town planners, architects, builders, roofers and other professionals have cared about swifts (and other valuable wildlife e.g. bats). We have to change this before it is too late. Swifts fly from Africa to the same mate and nesting site, staying in Sheffield from May to August. If they return to find their nest site has been blocked off, destroyed or encased in scaffolding/netting, it spells disaster. Being non-perching birds, they will keep trying to swoop into their former nesting hole. They will persist for up to two weeks, sometimes ending in injury and death. We recently rushed to an emergency swift survey in Handsworth. Swifts zipped silently in and out of their eaves’ nests feeding their young, the residents unaware of them, likewise the soon-arriving roofers. Thanks to our intervention their chicks are safe and will have a chance. We got very positive reactions from residents and lots of interest in their amazing migratory life cycle. The 'feel-good' factor is probably helped by the fact that swifts are delightful neighbours, eating insects and flying around with amazing grace and energy. Swifts are clean, un-messy birds making secret, minimal nests that disappear over winter. Cheaply and easily, modern buildings and renovated old buildings can provide suitable cavities, without compromising the building’s interior. We ask Sheffield City Council to promote Swift Conservation’s recommended good practice: 1. Leave existing nest places undisturbed 2. If re-roofing, after the fitting of new soffits and gutters, make new nest access holes to match the old ones exactly. See “Creating Swift Nest Places in Old & New Soffits”, https://www.swift-conservation.org 3. New build - internal nest spaces “Swift bricks” are the best. A wide variety of commercially produced hollow bricks or blocks have a small entrance to allow swifts to build a nest inside. Integrated nesting bricks have advantages over external boxes, e.g. “Integrated nesting bricks are preferred to external boxes for reasons of longevity, reduced maintenance, better temperature regulation, and aesthetic integration with the building design.” (Westminster Environmental Supplementary Planning Document (ESPD)) @£15-30/unit, i.e. around 0.0001% of the cost of an average home. The number would depend on the size of the project, following the example of progressive councils. Government planning guidance highlights the wildlife benefits from 'Swift Bricks' (NPPG Natural Environment 2019 paragraph 023). 3. If you cannot do “3” above, fit external nest boxes Many councils such as Brighton and Hove, London, City of Westminster and Cambridgeshire are committed to swift conservation through planning. But, neither the current Sheffield Habitat Action Plans nor Local Plan currently cover building-based species. This is an opportunity to strengthen the council policy in this area. We must protect and aid the recovery of Sheffield’s swift population through forthcoming Local Nature Recovery Strategies. Biodiversity Net Gain will soon be mandatory in England for developments above a certain size to achieve planning permission, but again the methodology overlooks building-based species. Live, work or study in Sheffield? Will you join us in being a voice for these birds? Please sign this petition. Share: https://you.38degrees.org.uk/p/swiftbricks4swiftchicks Thank you.

The single most important thing is that policy makers are informed of the science of how our planet is rapidly changing. As COVID has shown with daily briefings flanked by scientists, we were able to save thousands of lives. We need the same approach 'guided by the science' now to prevent runaway climate breakdown and an unlivable future for our children.

If Boris Johnson is appointed to the House of Lords, despite a catalogue of improper behaviour, it will bring that institution into disrepute.

We understand the requirement for an amended and updated parking policy and support the improvements in administration and the concessions made to assist the lowest paid. The scheme has been presented as final and non-negotiable, but there are clearly still a number of important issues to be considered, many of which are causing considerable anxiety to staff, in particular those whose pay grades are close to the 28K threshold. We ask that management urgently address these issues (certainly before the proposed December review of the scheme) and continue to work with the recognised trades unions to make changes where necessary.