Social and childcare workers have worked tirelessly during the Covid Outbreak. Care homes have been a significant source of infection, with many social care staff not going home. Some live in caravans and some risk their families contracting the virus. The majority of Social Care staff are on National Minimum Wage. The WELSH government made the statement, they should stick to it. Many professionals would have been unable to go to work without childcare staff and for this reason, the payment should extend to them too.

We are asking WSCC council pension funds to commit to divest all their funds from fossil fuel companies. Divestment is the opposite of investment – it means getting rid of stocks, bonds or investment funds that are unethical. More than 50 pension funds globally have now made divestment commitments, moving millions out of the fossil fuel industry. However, despite years of campaigning by local people and motions passed by both Adur & Worthing Borough Councils urging them to divest (https://worthingandadurchamber.co.uk/news-blog/8638924) WSCC pensions will not budge. The West Sussex Local Government Pension Fund, currently responsible for the pension benefits of thousands of us, continues to invest millions in fossil fuel companies. In December 2015 the UK signed up to the Paris Agreement. One of the main aims was to limit global warming to under 2 degrees C. The overriding cause of climate change is CO2 gas emitted from burning fossil fuels (coal, oil and gas). Only 20% of present reserves of fossil fuels can be burnt if we are to keep to the target set in Paris. However, companies such as Exxon, Shell, BP continue to extract existing reserves and pour millions into new projects. The scientific consensus tells us that if we continue on our current course the earth will heat to a level which is beyond that required to sustain life. Heatwaves and wildfires, in the UK and globally, plus the accelerating loss of biodiversity, demonstrate that climate change is already here and is causing the deaths and displacement of millions of people worldwide. David Attenborough said, “What humans do over the next 50 years will determine the fate of all life on the planet.” Please sign the petition to urge WSCC Pensions to divest from Fossil Fuels. [The fossil fuel portfolio could be easily reinvested in green alternatives and get better returns]. (https://www.divest.org.uk/councils/) More: In the UK there are over 30 divestment campaigns targeting local councils and the pension funds they manage. Find more out about the campaign here. https://gofossilfree.org/uk/local-government-guide/ New Government proposals, published on June 18th 2018, are designed to give managers of Britain’s workplace pension schemes new powers to dump shares in oil, gas and coal companies in favour of long-term investment in green and “social impact” opportunities. Pension fund trustees now should have more confidence to divest from fossil fuels and put their cash in green alternatives. As a member of the West Sussex Pension Scheme I urge you to sign our petition to request WSCC to rapidly divest from this industry and invest in technologies and solutions that make a positive contribution to the future of life on earth. Local government Pension Funds are failing to protect themselves from the financial risk of climate. These are the findings of a report in November 2018 (https://cdn.friendsoftheearth.uk/sites/default/files/downloads/Risky-Business-LG-Pension-Funds-Climate-Crisis.pdf) https://gofossilfree.org/divestment/what-is-fossil-fuel-divestment/ https://www.theguardian.com/public-leaders-network/2017/nov/13/southwark-council -pension-fund-divesting-12bn-from-fossil-fuels https://www.unison.org.uk/content/uploads/2018/01/Divest-from-carbon-campaign.pdf Campaign supported by WorthingCAN, XR Worthing, XR Chichester, XR Shoreham, XR Horsham and XR Arun Valley.

Current medical data from a significant NHS England study shows that diabetics, especially Type 1 diabetes which is not directly related to obesity, are at significantly increased risk of dying from Covid 19 (more than 3 times higher than a non-diabetic for Type 1, and more than 2 times higher for Type 2). The risk is such that the leading diabetes charity Diabetes UK is calling for the government to ensure employers either continue to furlough diabetics or allow them to work from home even with the easing of lockdown restrictions. This plea has been ignored, and so thousands of diabetics will be forced back to work and to a massively increased risk of death. It is a blatant disregard for their own official medical data and for human life. My husband is a Type 1 diabetic and has been for over thirty years, very rarely missing a days work and contributing hugely to his workplace - I do not want to see him sent to his death because the government refuse to acknowledge the facts and put appropriate shielding advice in place.

In the last 2 months, since 'Corona virus Lockdown' began, it has become apparent that broadband provision in the Ballyroney area is extremely poor. Ballyroney is a rural area. Broadband speed is low (often less than 2 Mb/s). Home working is difficult, local businesses have difficulty operating, children have difficulty accessing online learning and people have difficulty accessing online services such as shopping, banking and streaming services.

Theatre & Television sets are busy crowded places. The audience requires large numbers to huddle together. Theatres cannot be profitable while we are social distancing for so many reasons and unlike other industries, we cannot work from home. Furlough schemes only take us to October 2020, but the industry is unlikely to reopen until 2021. Bectu says “ The industry is facing a potentially catastrophic impact from COVID 19 and government, employers and workers must come together to develop a strategy for our cultural sectors’ survival.” The entertainment industry has never suffered such a crippling blow. The impact is unprecedented and we must protect this great British institution.

The East entrance of Drumpellier Country Park has been closed to cars and unauthorised vehicles for the past few weeks due to the pandemic. As a result, the road and surrounding areas have been much safer and much more enjoyable for children, families, cyclists, joggers, dog walkers and of course the habitual wildlife in the park. The Country Park is an area of natural beauty, which had been spoiled by cars accessing the park via this road. More litter is brought and dropped by car users, exhausts pollute the environment, cars park in passing places, cars park on the road beside the football pitches to collect children from St. Ambrose/Buchanan High and drivers going too fast also pose significant risks to the abovementioned groups. Once lockdown restrictions are gradually eased and people are once again allowed to drive to local nature spots, I passionately believe that visitors to the loch and wider Country Park can and should use the visitor centre car park, which has ample space and is specifically designed to accommodate visitors with cars. There is no valid reason for vehicles other than waste disposal, authorised council vehicles and a park resident's authorised vehicle to access the park via the road entrance at the East. Instead the road at the East entrance to the Country Park should be preserved as a safe environment in which people can be encouraged to continue walking, cycling, running and scooting and in which children and wildlife will be safe.

Animals are not commodities to be used to 'make an extra bit on the side' Although Facebook have renewed guidelines about selling animals, it is still rife on many popular selling sites and community websites. Selling animals in this way encourages impulse and casual purchases. Checks are not necessarily made on potential owners meaning animals can be subjected to inappropriate ownership or unsuitable conditions for their needs. The temptation of an 'easy sell' encourages 'hobby breeding' while rescue centres are full to bursting with animals needing homes. Social media and selling sites provide disreputable breeders with a means to reach the wider public who may not be informed or aware of the risk involved. There is no justifiable reason to sell an animal on a selling site. Rescue centres exist for the very purpose of helping people re-home unwanted pets or surprise litters. Professional breeders can sell through official websites. Please sign this petition to try and stop animals being sold in this casual and dangerous way. Thank you

The government is handing out billions of pounds in bailouts to big companies who are struggling due to the coronavirus crisis. This is really important to support the economy and keep people in their jobs. But some companies have dodged their obligations in the good times by not paying their fair share of tax. And now many of these same companies are asking for a handout when things get tough. This isn’t fair on the rest of us who do contribute. Paying taxes is essential to help fund public services like the NHS, schools and our care system. The Fair Tax Mark has set out three clear conditions for bailouts. Any big company getting a bailout should lift the lid on their tax affairs, disclose who ultimately profits from their activities, and promise not use tax havens and tax avoidance schemes. Politicians in Scotland and Wales are taking action. The UK government has announced it's putting legally-binding tax conditions on just one bailout so far - for Cesla Steel. Join us in calling for Rishi Sunak to make sure that all big companies getting bailouts pay their fair share.

Today the government confirmed that is pressing ahead with its plans to impose the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) which must be paid by non-EU workers on long-term visas; this includes all non-EU doctors, nurses and health workers who are working in the NHS and care services. Someone who wishes to come to work in the UK has to pay this fee before they can progress their visa application - if it is not paid their application will be automatically rejected. The IHS must be paid once a visa application has been submitted online ; a simple redirect in the booking system takes you to the payment page. It is calculated with reference to the number of years someone wishes to remain in the UK, and in January 2019 rose to £400 per year (pro-rata) per applicant - it will shortly rise yet again to have £600. There are no discounts for dependants, including children, all of whom must pay the full IHS. This government is seeking to financially damage the workers who it stands and applaudes each week. These are workers who are giving their all to the people of this country - they should be paid properly for this and not penalised for using the institution that they wish to serve. This country is reliant on overseas health workers and yet this government is trying to deter them from coming to work here.

School can be tough for some children at the best of times – particularly those who are living in poverty, have experienced trauma, spent time in the care system or have additional learning needs. For some of these children, lockdown will have been a welcome respite from the challenges of school. For many, home learning has been an uphill battle without the support they would have in school. For most, the pandemic has stirred up strong emotions that are hard to live with, for them and their families. Schools will have their hands full just managing the logistics of a safe school return. We are calling on governments to give schools the funds, guidance and resources they are going to need to support the children who will struggle the most when they go back to formal education. All children deserve an equal chance to settle and thrive once schools re-start.

Both the climate emergency and Covid 19 have shown the importance of local community food growing both in driving down carbon emissions, more so than tree planting, and in providing food autonomy for the residents of Hackney. We know it is possible to grow good cheap food for residents in cities when supported by the local, regional or national authorities, as various growing schemes have shown, but we are in an emergency and need to dramatically scale this up. Unlike Detroit, famed for it's urban farms, Hackney has little spare or free land. So we need the council to support this both by providing land and in terms of financial support. This petition has been produced by Clapton / Homerton Urban Growers Organisation

As lockdown is eased we must ensure the safety of pedestrians and cyclists is the top priority in Winchester’s recovery from COVID-19. Numerous studies have demonstrated that increased pedestrianisation leads to higher footfall meaning that local businesses could also benefit from these measures.* Winchester has some of the narrowest pavements in Hampshire, therefore reallocation of roads for pedestrians and cyclists is the only way to maintain 2 metre physical distancing. In the longer term, these arrangements will also prevent the return of dangerous levels of pollution in our city, reduce CO2 emissions, and encourage high levels of walking and cycling. Please refer to Cycling UK for FAQs: https://tinyurl.com/ycqwsky9 *TfL: https://tinyurl.com/ya8wvy59 ------------- Have you signed our Safer Streets petition but want to do even more? Use our fast, secure form to message your county councillor asking for change too: https://tinyurl.com/y92anpsv