Many Barnet Parks are currently locked at night. This is undertaken to reduce anti-social behaviour and vandalism. Locked parks are often surrounded by residential properties which back onto them. Locking parks increases safety to residents and their property. Previous experience of not locking parks at nights suggests that there will be an increase in anti-social behaviour and vandalism which will increase rather than save the Council and police service money in the long run. No cost benefit analysis has been undertaken by the Council to demonstrate that real savings will be made. The Council proposed this measure to keep parks unlocked overnight in a report in November 2018. There has been no public consultation on the matter and it is purely seen by the Council as a short term money saving measure. A final decision will be taken on 14th March at the next Environment Committee. We call upon the Council to reject this measure and keep Barnet Parks locked and safe overnight. March Decision Update Barnet Council's Environment Committee met last night (14th March) and decided by 6 votes to 4 to unlock all parks in Phase 1 (see below) with effect from 1st April; to consult on ceasing to lock the parks in Phase 2 and once the impact of reviewing the position on phase 1 and phase 2 had been assessed to consult about unlocking the parks in phase 3. The savings being sought are £75000. The Council will only achieve the £75,000 saving once all 26 parks are left unlocked. A strong case was put that these proposals were counterproductive and in the long run will cost the council more from the costs of dealing with anti social behaviour, fly tipping, vandalism etc. A long debate took place about the car park at Oak Hill Park with a lot of specific opposition to this proposal being expressed. The decision is still to unlock the car park but residents there will continue to oppose this. There is still along way to go before the Council achieves its objective and I think we should continue to fight them all the way and park by park. With this in mind I aim to organise a meeting of all those intersted in forming a borough wide grouping of interested individuals, Friends of Parks groups, residents associations etc to debate the best way to combat these proposals and to think about how we can work together to protect and enhance our green open spaces in the Borough. if you are intersted in being involved, or just want to receive information about the activities we develop please email: [email protected] I also intend to leave the petition on line to increase the number of signatures as much as possible so that we can use it as a basis for taking the issue back to the Council on a regular basis. So please do share it on social media, ask friends and family to sign it. Thank you. Roger Chapman Chair, Friends of Cherry Tree Wood , East Finchley. 26 parks across the Borough are currently locked. The report places them in 3 phases. Phase 1 West Hendon pavilion, Lyttleton Playing Fields Toilets, Tudor Sports ground, Dame Alice Sports Ground, Friary Park Toilets Oak Hill Park. Phase 2 Fairway Playground, Mill Hill; Stonegrove Park; Rushgrove Park; Greenhill Gardens; Highland Gardens; Brunswick Playground. Phase 3 Edgwarebury Park; Stonyfields Park; Deanbrook Play Ground; Malcolm Park; Kara Way Play Area; Childs Hill Park; Basing Hill Park; Princess Park; Old Court House Rec; Ravenscroft Gardens; Barfield Avenue Play area; Swan Lane Open Space; Cherry Tree Woods; Victoria Park

Helium is running out on this planet. There is approximately six years' supply of helium left on Earth. After that it has gone, and there will be no more. Helium is vital to hospitals as it is needed by MRI Scanners, and without it they do not work. It is also vital to divers to dilute oxygen, so that they don't get the "bends". When helium is used in balloons, or as a narcotic, it escapes to the outer edges of the Earth's atmosphere and then escapes from the planet's gravity. This means there is a small and fast-diminishing supply of helium. Would you rather have a squeaky voice for a minute or two, or the ability to have a life-saving MRI Scan? Or fly a child's balloon rather than fix a leak under an oil rig, or to rescue 12 young Thai footballers? Helium balloons need to be banned worldwide immediately. Several countries have already banned its use apart from medical and diving use. The U.K. needs to do the same. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/helium-supply-world-shortage-run-out-recycle-mri-scanners-deep-sea-diving-balloons-a8741081.html

Local residents from Liden, Eldene and closeby ward neighbours use the post office for personnel and business post and the elderly for pensions. It is inside Tesco so more shoppers. It is a community hub and a place of business. There are many other public services there. Parents collect their children from Liden Primary school and meet near there.

Lancashire County Council (LCC) are proposing to scrap the Lancashire Wellbeing Service. This service helps thousands of people with mental health, emotional wellbeing and long term health conditions. In its own report, LCC said that scrapping Lancashire Wellbeing Service is likely to result in increased pressure on already overstretched NHS, social care, emergency and voluntary sector services and the likelihood that there will be a lower life expectancy particularly, for people living in areas of disadvantage across the county. The government has just said that in 2019 it aims to target prevention of ill-health, community health care and improving mental health, all of which are have been key focuses for LWS. And an independent review concluded that LWS has provided excellent social return on the investment by the local authority, The council are having a budget meeting on the 14th of February, and there are rumours that the Lancashire Wellbeing Service will be discussed. We need to show them that the service is worth the money and vital to our community. Please sign the petition to say that you strongly oppose the proposal to scrap the Lancashire Wellbeing Service. Let's make public health a priority in Lancashire by saving Lancashire Wellbeing Service!

CoGen wants to build an incinerator in Cardiff which would burn 150,000 tonnes of waste a year. Such a plant undermines recycling and composting, worsens climate change, emits toxic gases harmful to health. It would import waste from outside Wales contrary to the Proximity Principle of minimising transport-miles. This type of plant is known for not working properly, breaking down and many have been closed. They also produce potentially lethal explosive gases endangering the surrounding location. This plant is not going to be near any potential heat users the efficiency of the plant is poor with some 60-70% of the heat it would generate being wasted. This flies in the face of Welsh Government policy for combined heat and power. As is also the case with the Splott incinerator. The so called guardians of our environment the NRW (Natural Resources Wales) have absolutely no expertise in these incinerators and therefore impossible to police. Indeed they are utterly failing in policing the existing Splott one. The waste they want to burn can easily be recycled without polluting anything. Burning mixed waste is highly dangerous in that it releases lethal toxins to all life forms, such as PM2.5, PM10, C02 carbon dioxide, which further adds to the already poor environment of south wales, therefore flying in the face of the global environmental accords such as Paris and Poland. In operation this incinerator fumes are extremely dangerous due to the fact that the filter system has to be turned off for up to 4 hours during startup that's when the very high harmful pollutants are emitted. NRW does not even require measurements of it! These fumes do not disperse harmlessly, similar to the Splott one but circulate around the immediate urban area of Cardiff and have been known to be carried by wind over 100 miles. The toxins get released when burnt and rise into the air, and what goes up must come down, these poisons land in the earth and in the air you breath and the water that is around. The very life of everything on the planet is contaminated by it. Under an easterly wind, the emission plumes get trapped in the Cardiff environment exactly as the current Splott incinerator does today. NRW to please its political masters in the assembly assume a measurement of strong winds from the west and are measured in Rhoose airport not in Splott or St.Mellons or the Cardiff Bay. CoGen’s plant would emit huge quantities of NOx and NO2 (toxic gas) which are uncontrolled by NRW yet are proven to be the most dangerous to health.  NRW and the Health authorities have ignored the Senedd report on incineration that stressed dangers from nano-particles such as PM2.5 which are so small as to penetrate through the lungs into body organs, including even the brain and an unborn child. Past studies of urban areas around an incinerator of twenty miles have shown significant increases in child stillbirths and malformation, asthma, brain disease such as dementia, and heart disease. These big business such as Co-gen and Viridor are very happy to put their profits before your health. CoGen is being pushed forward by Dr Liam Fox MP in England through the Department of Trade and Industry with no interest in what you want or worse still what's important for the environment. This is not about efficient methods of recycling waste it is all about speculative profit making by big business on the backs of the tax payers. Cardiff’s Viridor incinerator came because of Welsh government encouragement and subsidy, though contrary to policy for local, efficient CHP plants. Cardiff officers encouraged the plant too – a big mistake.  No way should we have another mega-incinerator!  There is no calorific value in burning metal, glass, food or cardboard. They really only want the plastic which is a complex oil based product which release deadly poisons. Cardiff is now the Incinerator happy hunting ground and unless you act and stop it more will come.

Mineworkers Pension Scheme Trustees:- should ballot the Members of the Scheme to terminate the arrangement with the Guarantor ( Government ) where the benefit to the Members cannot be shown in continuing with the arrangement, and with £12 Billion to be distributed to it's aging Member prior to the closure of the Scheme. The scheme should solely operate for the benefit of its members who contributed to the fund and worked in some of the most dangerous conditions to the detriment of their health and note that successive governments have taken significant dividends in excess of £5 billion from the fund which would have otherwise improved the pensions and quality of life for former mineworkers. It is important that the Members and relatives of the Scheme should benefit from the money the Mineworkers' put into the Scheme to improve their quality of life as they grow older. The Scheme has assets of £12 Billion 1 with a return from investments on average approx. 11% 1 per year giving £1.32 Billion income and the cost to meet the Pension Benefits of approx. on average £0.751 Billion. Showing that the Scheme with always produce a Surplus from which the Government will take 50% for being the Schemes Guarantor without the need for a Guarantee. 1. MPS Report & Accounts Links to help show the injustice :- https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-tyne-44746537 https://www.ftadviser.com/pensions/2018/07/12/mp-blasts-government-for-stealing-miner-s-pensions/ Link to MPS Pension Campaign:- https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/mineworker-pension-fight?fbclid=IwAR2XWRpKWkPW_De9Zo1rkIE3Op9iNVXoLYdxZf5fS18bKsJIbJ5QlgSrWe8

Barclays is the only bank in Welwyn. It also has the only ATM in the village centre. Elderly and less able people who cannot use the internet depend upon the bank for their daily banking needs. Some of these elderly people have spoken to me of their distress at the prospect of losing the bank, as well as the two friendly staff who give a patient and helpful service. Barclays Bank is an international company making £multi-billion profits annually, and one of its central stated aims is “Building Thriving Local Communities”. The bank here in Old Welwyn attracts both personal and business customers from surrounding villages and is a big part of what keeps Welwyn thriving. We fear for the future of our village if we lose our bank. Small businesses and the charity shop that is the hub of village life will be badly affected by the difficulty in handling their takings. They will also have the inconvenience and potential danger of having to drive to another town where parking is difficult to deposit their cash. We ask Barclays to use some of its profits to keep our branch open and our village alive, and continue to provide an essential and excellent service for our villagers. At the very least we ask that the branch is allowed to remain open until at least 2025 to give our village a chance to prepare for the loss of this essential service.

The cost of living in the south-east is spiralling out of control. Rental prices have far out stripped incomes. The situation is causing a real and substantial crisis in the recruitment and retention of public sector workers. Workers are finding the purchasing power of their wages has decreased with the average public sector wage being worth 16% less than it was worth in 2008. Staffing levels in the NHS and local government have crashed to record lows with 15-20% of positions vacant in Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire, remaining workers face worsening job and income positions from rising rents and stagnating wages.

It is extremely disappointing news that Barclays have decided to close their branch in High Street, Ferndale, especially given the recent Council planned investment in the Ferndale and our continued commitment to support our Town Centres. This will reduce the services available to local residents and businesses and may have a significant impact on the vibrancy of the town.

It is extremely disappointing news that Barclays have decided to close their branch in Dunraven St, Tonypandy, especially given the recent Council investment in the Tonypandy and our continued commitment to support our Town Centre’s. This will reduce the services available to local residents and businesses and may have a significant impact on the vibrancy of the town.

We believe the Sheffield and wider public have a right to know the truth behind the actions of our council, their PFI contractor Amey & South Yorkshire Police in dealing with lawful, peaceful protest.

Staff at Queen Margaret University are in dispute with the university over proposed cuts (40 FTE posts). This makes up nearly 10% of QMU posts and, if carried out risks serious damage to the university, its staff, students and the wider community. This is in order to save £1.65m over the next two years, which is primarily needed to meet commitments to the bank. UCU argue that such devastating cuts will impact on the university’s ability to continue to run high quality courses and train tomorrow’s public sector staff, including the NHS. The university also has a creditable record on widening access; 36.6% of students are the first in their family to study at university and 37.6% are mature students; 12.4% of our students come from 20% of the most deprived backgrounds in Scotland, whilst 28.9% of our students come from the lowest 40%. Uniquely, 79% of our students are female, thus making our university a vital asset in the alleviation of gender inequality in wider society. The staff at QMU are committed to maintaining and improving our record on providing education for those who otherwise may not have the opportunity. The proposed cuts risks all of this. The University Court (the governing body) has said that there is no alternative. We believe this to be false. There are a large number of courses and modules that have been suspended with little justification. There are also many ideas amongst the staff for growth. There is a large contrast between what could be carried out at QMU and what is being carried out. Lack of communication, bureaucracy, and a senior management/top heavy structure are stifling potential growth. The unions have been conducting an alternative portfolio review, and an alterative manifesto for the university. Growth can only be achieved through the work of the staff, which is why we call on university management, in conjunction with QMU trade unions and the students union, to seriously explore alternative proposals. We call on MPs, MSPs, councillors, trade unions and the wider public to support staff at QMU. Please sign the petition to show your support.