The Government’s plans for Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) would strip power from local communities, weaken democracy, and almost certainly push up council tax for Dartford residents. Dartford is a well-run, financially stable council. Under these proposals it could be forced into a huge new authority or even split in two alongside areas with serious financial and service challenges. That would means higher bills for us, with worse value for money. These plans would also take planning decisions out of local hands, giving us less control over where homes are built and how our neighbourhoods develop. It is the exact opposite of devolving power. We recognise there are real issues at Kent County Council (KCC) and some nearby councils. But instead of a damaging, top-down restructuring, these problems can be addressed through local service hubs, shared services, and cooperative partnerships. Solutions that improve services without destroying local identity or accountability. Meanwhile, the reorganisation does nothing to tackle the true national crises: adult social care and SEND transport. We call on the Government to: - Stop the current reorganisation and protect Dartford from harmful mergers or division. - Keep planning decisions truly local and accountable to residents. - Support collaborative hubs and shared services, not forced restructuring. - Focus on the real issues, not expensive distractions. - Work with communities, not override them! Sign and share now to protect Dartford’s voice, our services, and our local control over decision-making. Written by Laura Edie, Green Party councillor for Newtown, Dartford 

Dear Mr Tice, Your recent remarks calling the use of ear defenders in classrooms “insane,” along with your claim of a “crisis of overdiagnosis,” reveal a serious misunderstanding of the challenges faced by children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and their families. Sensory tools like ear defenders are not indulgences, they are essential, low-cost supports that help children manage overwhelming environments and access their education with dignity. Your suggestion of widespread overdiagnosis is equally inaccurate. In reality, receiving a diagnosis is extremely difficult. In terms of ADHD alone, around 549,000 people are currently waiting for an NHS ADHD assessment, with waits of more than four years for children in some areas and up to eight years for adults. Families face huge delays, repeated assessments, and constant battles to have their child’s needs recognised. The crisis is not in diagnosis, it is in support. Comments like yours deepen stigma, spread misinformation, and make life harder for neurodivergent children who already struggle to be understood. Sensory sensitivities are real and can be debilitating. Without tools like ear defenders, many children simply cannot cope in busy, noisy classrooms. Educators see every day how crucial these supports are, and how harmful public ridicule can be. Parents across the country have made clear the damage caused by your words. Parents of children with SEND often express the extreme difficulty of getting EHCPs, finding SEND school places, or even accessing basic support - often forcing children to travel long distances because local provision doesn’t exist, which in turn means families rely on transport for their children to access education. Tribunal outcomes overwhelmingly back families, showing it is children who are being failed, not the system being exploited. Neurodivergent children need understanding, not judgement. Their families need support, not suspicion. Leadership should be grounded in compassion and accuracy. We therefore call on you to: • Issue a public apology for your cruel and unenlightened comments. • Spend meaningful time with SEND children, families, and educators to understand their reality. • Work with all parties to improve funding and support for the SEND community so every child can access the education and care they need. Please sign and share this open letter to show your support! Written by Laura Edie, Green Party councillor for Newtown, Dartford.

Preserving the play scheme is an investment in our children's future. We need to prioritise funding that fosters community strength and youth development. It is not just an expenditure but a vital service that enriches our society. Please sign this petition to call on our local authorities to save our beloved play scheme, ensuring it can thrive for generations to come. Together, we can make a difference and secure a vibrant future for our children and our community.

Household energy bills will rise to help fund a £28bn investment in the UK's energy network. Energy regulator Ofgem has approved the funding in a five-year plan to improve electricity and gas grids. The money will go towards maintaining gas networks and strengthening the electricity transmission network. The work is estimated to add £108 to energy bills by 2031. THE COST OF THIS WORK SHOULD BE FUNDED FROM GENERAL TAXATION Households just cannot afford further increases in energy cost. Poorer families and pensioners are having to choose between food and heating.

British politics has a foreign interference problem. An undercover investigation by Democracy for Sale and Led By Donkeys has revealed how shockingly easy it is for secretive Chinese interests to penetrate the heart of British politics. As part of a sting by our journalists, a fake Chinese AI company was able to pay a lobbyist to arrange face-to-face meetings with ten Labour MPs as well as access to government ministers. Unbelievably, the former MP who set up this “cash-for-access operation” may not have broken any lobbying rules - because the existing safeguards are so weak. Experts are calling for "radical reform" in the wake of our investigation. The UK government must tighten up the rules right now to prevent more damaging scandals. This petition is organised in partnership with Democracy for Sale, a best-selling newsletter on money, power and politics written by Peter Geoghegan and award-winning investigative journalists.

Two essential civic functions are threatened with abolition by the Reform administration of Kent County Council. These are:  Public libraries: every civilised society needs a modern public library for the education and pleasure of all ages Waste disposal centres ('Tips') are being closed in some areas, risking fly-tipping, rats and the failure of recycling to which our country is committed. Many people are cynical about this County Council, but they have the ability to wreak enormous harm on  our civil society, built up over generations, by 'savings' to avoid proper taxation of the better-off in our County. They will suffer, but it is the least well-off who will suffer the most.  If you want your children to read and learn, if you want to do local research, if you want to master IT, if you just want to read the newspapers and magazines , or run small group meetings - come to our Kent Library Service. If you rely on a regular 'trip to the tip' for items the District  Council will not collect, you will appreciate of very efficient Waste Disposal Centres.

The UK once had a fast, dependable, reliable postage system, provided at a sensible price for the user, not the shambles it has become. We need to restore that level of service. The UK post office started in 1660 and became the envy of the world. Recently, the price of stamps has shot up and the delivery service seems to be dependent on which way the wind is blowing on a particular day of the week.  Even finding out if you are on a Monday, Wednesday, Friday delivery or a Tuesday, Thursday delivery appears to be a state secret. It's just an almighty mess and a system that can no longer be relied on. I myself received a letter detailing a hospital operation, 10 days after I was admitted for it! I can only imagine how devastating the new delivery timetable is for businesses who rely on it.  So can we do anything about it? YES! STOP USING FIRST CLASS POST. If everyone either used 2nd class or special delivery for really urgent mail, the post office would just have to deliver it all as it was posted and hopefully 6 days a week.  Sign up, spread the word, we don't need this outdated 2 tier price system which just doesn't work any more! MAKE 2ND CLASS THE ONLY CLASS!

Too many men are missing out on simple screening that could save lives and I know that if a NHS screening programme has been in place I probably wouldn't have lost my Dad to Prostate Cancer 28 years ago to this very day.  Screening techniques and treatments  have changed a lot over those 28 years so we need to move with the times now ! This change is supported by a cross-party coalition of 125 MPs also urging you  to introduce targeted screening and as Rishi Sunak has said "This is a missed opportunity to make a generational difference to male health, and to take a massive step towards tackling the most common cancer among British men". Please don't hide behind yet another committee of experts. 

 The proposed car wash is right next to a primary school with SEND children, putting them at risk from increased traffic, chemical pollution, and water hazards. Rejecting this application protects children’s safety, health, and wellbeing, and ensures the school environment remains safe for learning and play. 

Blackheath Station Car Park is vitally important to the Blackheath Village community and must be protected.  It provides: - essential parking for access to Blackheath shops, cafés, restaurants, and pubs, supporting the local economy and plays a valuable role in maintaining a vibrant community. - parking for tradespeople working in Blackheath. - a safe drop-off and collection point for children attending John Ball Primary School as well as for parking associated with the school. - parking for access to Blackheath Station, enabling travel into central London and Kent for work, shopping, cultural, and leisure activities.  This is particularly important for residents with impaired mobility. -  space to host a busy Sunday farmers’ market, that is highly valued by residents. Local traders benefit greatly from the extra custom they receive on Sundays.

Gravesham Borough Council is taking disability-related benefits and premiums into account when calculating council tax, even though this money exists specifically to cover the extra costs of living with a disability. Disabled residents — including those who cannot work — are being forced to pay more council tax than they can afford. This policy is particularly harmful during the transition from older benefits (Income Support or Family Tax Credit) to Universal Credit, when many disabled residents only notice the change once they are already financially disadvantaged. Some have seen their council tax jump from £29 to £156 per month without warning. It affects both visible and hidden disabilities, including wheelchair users, mobility impairments, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, chronic pain, blindness, deafness, autism, ADHD, mental health conditions, chronic illnesses, rare diseases, and other overlooked conditions. This treatment is discriminatory, uncaring, and unnecessary. Other councils protect disability-related income, proving that Gravesham’s policy is a conscious choice to target the most vulnerable residents. We demand that Gravesham Borough Council: 1. Stop counting disability-related benefits as income in council tax calculations, including during Universal Credit transitions. 2. Reassess all current council tax liabilities for disabled residents affected by this policy. 3. Ensure future schemes comply with the Equality Act 2010, treating disabled residents fairly and respectfully. Disabled residents are not disposable. We will not accept being punished for circumstances beyond our control. Sign this petition and share it to demand justice and accountability. --- Call-to-Action / Social Share Line: “Gravesham Council is punishing disabled residents, visible and hidden, by taking our disability money for council tax. Sign and share to demand they stop!”

From our research and surveys, we have noticed that many girls feel unsafe walking alone, especially in the dark, and also many have been catcalled. we want awareness to be raised on the impacts of catcalling and what we can do to tackle this universal problem.