Kent County Council are planning to cut the opening hours at 99 libraries. Libraries are a vital source of learning and education. They are a vital public good we cannot do without. People of all ages can enjoy borrowing and reading books, DVDs and CDs, using the internet, reading newspapers and speaking and spending time with others. The plans could mean large numbers of libraries opening for less time. Library chiefs have already drawn up suggested opening hours and some could see big reductions. For more information on the libraries facing cut in opening hours across Kent, see this article: All the Kent libraries facing a cut in their opening hours in cost-cutting move: https://www.kentlive.news/news/kent-news/kent-libraries-facing-cut-opening-2260765#r3z-addoor

This is a thriving and successful community pub that has served the area since the 1850s. We urge the London Borough of Lewisham planning department to refuse the application to demolish this handsome, landmark, historic pub which is well-used and much-loved by the community.

Tony has Downs syndrome and is partially sighted with no sense of direction. Our mother Margaret passed away recently. He has lived in the house all his life, and he has the support of the local community to keep him safe. Our Mother was his carer; I am now going to fill the large hole left by her passing and take care of him. I have offered to give up my tenancy in the same borough to move in and provide care for my brother. Due to the house having three bedrooms (Not large) one of which is used as his dependency room. We are being told that we can not stay at the property as it would be under-occupied by one room. The upheaval and loss would be detrimental to his health and well being.

It seems that while businesses need to licence to place chairs and tables on public footpaths, advertising boards are not regulated at all. They pose a serious problem for blind and partially sighted people in particular but also inconvenience other pedestrians. I have become aware of this more as I am starting to lose my eyesight through macular degeneration. It's important that town centres remain safe for all people.

Air pollution is a public health crisis, with illegal and harmful levels of air pollution across the UK. We need national and local government to act to clean up our air and make our towns and cities a healthier place to live for everyone but especially for babies and children. Air pollution affects us all, from when we are in the womb through to old age. It is linked to premature births and can stunt lung growth in children. Air pollution can trigger heart attacks and strokes, worsens asthma attacks and causes lung cancer. Babies, children and older people are more vulnerable to the impacts of air pollution. We need the Council, with the support of national government, to take urgent action to clean up our air to protect the health of children and babies.

Essex County Council have announced plans to close 25 libraries and to turn a further 19 over to be run by local communities to save money. My local library, in West Mersea, employs 2 people for 21 hours a week. Not only will they lose their jobs if these closures go ahead, but so will all the staff at the threatened 44 libraries. My library is thriving. It is always busy with people of all ages reading newspapers and periodicals, borrowing books, DVDs and CDs, accessing the internet, researching their family ancestry and speaking to others. Libraries are fantastic assets to the community and need to be saved. No libraries in Essex should be closed or downgraded to being run by volunteers The elderly population of Essex need these libraries. Many do not have computers and some of them may not speak to anyone else in their day. We need local libraries in local communities which can be accessed on foot or bike, by all sections of society. Please think again before implementing these closures.

This year, 320,000 people were recorded as homeless in Britain, analysis from housing charity Shelter suggests. It is a rise of 13,000, or 4%, on last year's figures and equivalent to 36 new people becoming homeless every day. London has the highest rate of homelessness, but it is growing fastest in the Midlands, Yorkshire and the Humber, and north-west England, the analysis says. As the weather grows colder we need an emergency plan to provide shelter for as many people as possible through the winter. Utilising spaces such as empty offices. This is a national emergency as many lives are at immediate risk.

Cole Thomson is only 6 years old and has uncontrolled focal epilepsy of which he has now become drug resistant. He has tried 16 different types of medication and had his first brain surgery when he was only 2 years old. To date nothing has been able to stop his seizures. Unfortunately there has been a steady decline in his health since May this year. Coles speech, vision, movement and memory are all continuing to deplete and he has also developed Todd Paralysis, which is extremely distressing for his 9 year old brother Dylan when he takes an attack as well as his parents, grandparents, other family members and especially 6 year old Cole himself. Currently the next step in Scotland is invasive testing, which for Cole would potentially be in the first quarter of 2019. He has a 1 in 100 chance of not surviving the operation, to see if he is a suitable candidate for further exploratory brain surgery. We are looking for your help to enable a step in between which could negate the need for surgery by allowing him legal access to cannabis based medicine. After speaking to Coles mum we became increasingly concerned at the amount of unlicensed, untested products being offered to her on the black market to apparently “help Cole”. Coles parents are unwilling to take the risk with any of these products. This does not take away from the fact that they’ve been offered unlicensed products by numerous different sellers and shows that currently there is a market feeding off of the fears of vulnerable families, who are desperately looking for answers to improve their children’s quality of life or indeed save it. We are looking to support the family by putting a campaign forward to you The Scottish Government to enable Cole to gain legal access to prescription cannabis based medicine. This would be the step before invasive surgery which would give him the opportunity to try a more natural drug which has a very high success rate for children like Cole all over the world. Please support our campaign to Save Cole Thomson by allowing him to get prescription cannabis based medicine.

Without it I can’t continue my business

The lack of provision of social care in the UK is leading to immense distress for all people affected by dementia. According to the Office of National Statistics, people with dementia are dying prematurely as a result of austerity. Carers are not supported and are overwhelmed by the burden of unpaid care. 'Local authorities... which perform vital roles in providing a real social safety net have been gutted by a series of government policies... The Government has remained determinedly in a state of denial' (From the report by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights in the UK)

The library is one of the few indoor public spaces in Faversham that everyone has access to. Kent County Council have just completed a major refurbishment of the library, if council tax payers are to get the benefit from this expenditure they need a library which at a minimum retains its opening hours. A 16 hour reduction in weekly opening could mean the library being closed for one extra day a week and opening hours reducing on other days. This will be a considerable inconvenience to local residents and could lead to a reduction in users and further cuts. Please help us maintain library hours and once you have signed the petition visit kent.gov.uk/lrastrategy to respond to the formal consultation

Soldiers of the Hong Kong Military Service Corps and the Hong Kong Royal Naval Service did not receive a UK passport prior to the handover of Hong Kong to China from the UK in 1997. Hong Kong soldiers stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Britain throughout two world wars, as well as alongside Britain in France, Burma, Korea, Malaya, Singapore, Hong Kong, China and the UN for King, Queen and country. The Government should recognise that the decision not to have asked each serviceman to freely transfer their nationality from British-Hong Kong to Hong Kong-Chinese was unjust and an error that should now be rectified.