Green Belt land fulfils important functions. Its fundamental aim is to prevent urban sprawl by keeping land permanently open - and Spelthorne’s Green Belt boundaries have remained largely unchanged since WW2. Nonetheless, as part of its proposed Draft Local Plan, Spelthorne Borough Council is putting forward 15 Green Belt sites across the whole of Spelthorne for building/housing and commercial purposes (see list below). This would mean a loss of 24.8 ha of Green Belt (which is equivalent to over 46 football fields) with a risk of further erosion of our Green Belt in the future. It will result in smaller remaining Green Belt sites which will be weakened as a result and – in turn – become vulnerable to development. Even though, by law, Green Belt boundaries should only be altered where “exceptional circumstances” are fully evidenced and justified and where strictly necessary, the Council still decided to release Green Belt sites which are strongly preferred by developers and Green Belt owners as these greatly maximise profit margins. Once stripped off Green Belt status, the value of land can raise 2500 fold (250,000%) and more. The release of the Green Belt will lead to significant changes to the character of the areas where they are located and will have a significant impact on local residents as these plots of land have a biodiversity value, a visual benefit, carbon capture value and mitigate flood risks and high temperatures during heat waves – which is now more important than ever during a time of Climate Emergency when more (not fewer) green spaces and rewooded areas are required to counteract carbon emissions. The 15 Green Belt sites at risk are: 1. AS1/011 Land at former Bulldog Nurseries, London Road, Ashford (0.3 ha) 2. AS2/006 Land East of Desford Way, Ashford (3.33 ha) 3. AT1/002 Land east of Ashford Sports Club, Woodthorpe Road, Ashford (1.15 ha) 4. AT1/012 Ashford Community Centre, Woodthorpe Road, Ashford (0.47 ha) 5. HS1/002 Land at Croysdale Avenue/ Hazelwood Drive, Sunbury (1.68 ha) 6. HS1/009 Bugle Nurseries, 171 Upper Halliford Road, Shepperton (2.28 ha) 7. HS1/012 Land East of Upper Halliford Road, Nursery Road, Sunbury (1.61 ha) 8. HS1/012b Land East of Upper Halliford Road (site B) (2.34 ha) 9. HS2/004 Land South of Nursery Road, Sunbury (0.66 ha) 10. LS1/024 Land at Staines Road West and Cedar Way, Sunbury (1.63 ha) 11. RL1/011 Land at Staines & Laleham Sports Club, Worple Road, Staines (1.59 ha) 12. SN1/005 Land at Northumberland Close, Stanwell (1.75 ha) 13. SN1/006 Land to west of Long Lane and south of Blackburn Trading Estate, Stanwell (4.83 ha) 14. ST1/043 Land East of 355 London Road, Staines (0.27 ha) 15. ST4/025 Land at Coppermill Road, Coppermill Road, Wraysbury (0.92 ha) For more information, see: https://www.spelthorne.gov.uk/article/17619/Emerging-Local-Plan-2022-2037 To get involved or for further information, contact [email protected].

The Robert Hadfield Wing has been closed for almost a year due to not meeting fire safety regulations for the past 12 years, with construction to correct this only starting in August. We are paying £122 million to private industries for a building that cost only £25.9 million to build, due to the PFI contract it is under. How can we pay so much to a private company for our public services? Especially considering the fact that it wasn't even built safely! The closure of this building doesn't only affect us financially, the 168 beds the ward contains has put an even greater strain on the already crippled NHS services around South Yorkshire.

North Berwick Outdoor pool was used and loved by people from all over East Lothian and visitors to the area for nearly 100 years. The pool closed in 1995 after a hard fought local campaign to keep it open. Kids learned to swim in the pool, it hosted galas, it was used by clubs, it was a place for the community to gather and socialise, in a way that doesn't happen at an indoor pool. Speak to anyone who used this pool and they will tell you what an amazing community resource it was. It was used and loved for nearly 100 years, it's been closed for 24, lets change that. We at BBOP would love to see East Lothian Council reopen the outdoor pool, with enough community support we hope they will do so. Failing that we hope to gain enough community support to become or work with a community organisation to purchase the council land and work to reopen the pool. We recognise the harbour area where the pool was located is currently used by others, we would love to work with the community as a whole to find alternatives and solutions so that everyone can enjoy the space. We are a tiny community group of like minded people and we are looking for more volunteers to do a lot or a little. We need, general enthusiasts (most important:-), the social media gurus, architects, those with experience of community projects, lawyers, experience in renewable/sustainable heating systems, business aficionados and I am sure a whole load of skills we haven't even thought of yet. Please get in touch via our Facebook Page if you would like to get involved.

Hanway Medical Practice is in danger of closure. The Hanway Medical Practice has been in the heart of Buckland's community for over 50 years and serves a patient list of 14,000 people, mainly relying on its current location for a wide variety of treatments and support. We want the practice owners and the Portsmouth CCG to show they have listened to and considered every proposal to keep the doors of a much-loved, much-needed medical practice OPEN! Please help us, sign this petition and let’s show our support for keeping the Hanway Medical Practice open.

Thousands of people are effected by the landfill on a daily basis. The effects range from minor to major, starting with mild issues of congestion, working up to health issues, and everything in between. Local residents are concerned for the health of their children, stopping them from playing in their own gardens and even local parks. In addition, home owners are suffering with the market value of their properties due to the eyesore and awful smells. The smell from the Quarry has been so bad in the past, a local school was evacuated due to reports of 'gas' like smell in the surrounding area. What has to happen before the appropriate action is taken, if all of the above is not good enough? We need your help, and we need it now.

Precious forests teeming with life are cleared so palm oil can be produced. This is used in a range of products, including chocolate. This has a devastating effect on the environment and it can harm endangered species, such as orangutans. Palm oil production damages some of the world’s most precious forests, destroying the habitat of already endangered species like the Orangutan, pygmy elephant and Sumatran rhino.

This is extremely important as the fox is one of very few of our native species not currently protected under this act and the animal welfare act. Below is an article highlighting the importance again.. 'RED FOX The long-term index for Red Fox has reached a new low, with the trend showing a decline of 42% between 1996 and 2017 across the UK as a whole. Both the 10- and five-year trends show declines, of 28% and 25% respectively. For countries and regions reaching the reporting threshold, Red Fox shows declines across the board' As taken from The Breeding Birds Survey 2018 https://www.bto.org/sites/default/files/bbs-report-2018.pdf

Knighthoods should be an honour given to people who do outstanding work in their field or for the greater good. What Sir Richard Branson did to the NHS by suing them and taking £2,000,000 from needed patient care, and ordinary peoples operations. Clearly shows that he cares nothing about what damage to other peoples lives his actions inflict and therefore does not deserve the accolade that his Knighthood confirms.

Clothing giant Next currently opens it's stores on Boxing Day to launch it's winter sale. This means that staff who have been working long and busy hours in the build up to Christmas have very little time to spend with family and friends. The Next sale begins at 6am on Boxing Day which means staff shifts can start from as early as 5am! Budget retailer, Home Bargains have just announced that all their stores will remain closed on Boxing Day and all staff will be paid. If Home Bargains can do it, why can't Next. Allowing hard working members of staff to spend time with loved ones over Christmas is so much more important than making profits.

We now have in excess of 80 club members with nowhere to socialise on our prior club days. Breaking friendships and social skills...please sign our petition and help keep us open

Stevenage Borough Council (SBC) intend is to sanction building of housing in an area north of St Nicholas Church up to the Stevenage boundary. An outline planning application has been lodged with SBC for 800 homes. This land is dear to the hearts of hundreds of people both locally and much further afield as the land which the 20th century author E M Forster described as the loveliest in England. It is adjacent to his childhood home and is entirely Green belt. Building of these homes will mean a huge loss of amenity for ALL of Stevenage. North Hertfodshire have also proposed building on the adjacent area to the north. Apart from the heritage aspect many residents use this land for walking, running, exercising their dogs and horse riding.It is virtually the only remaining green lung in the north of Stevenage.

So many families and individuals depend on Citizens Advice to inform them of their rights - everything from benefits to employment. Many people are treated unfairly because of their circumstances and are taken advantage of by various organisations and individuals. If Citizens Advice were to go, these vulnerable people and families would have no-one to fight for them and remain trapped in their circumstances. I have been a volunteer with Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) for eight/nine years now and have seen people's lives dramatically improve as a direct result of CAB's involvement in their various problems. If the Brynmawr branch were to close, the cost in terms of human misery would be astronomical indeed! Some of the people I have seen have literally been in bits and CAB has been the only organisation able to offer them support. Take that away and you take the last straw away from the drowning man and he goes under. That is my concern, I urge you please sign and share this petition! Good news! Thanks to you and many other efforts we have had a stay of execution. We are now open until October. However, please continue to share our petition otherwise our community could lose this vital service. Thank you all for signing but keep sharing and telling others. Our people need their Citizens Advice so let's keep up the pressure!