This is absolutely sick and a disgusting trend that has to be stopped as kids are desperate to upload their video to get the most views and likes. The effects on the victims must be horrendous with 100's of comments, views and likes.

Inverclyde commuters have faced annual increases for travelling on the Gourock/Wemyss Bay to Glasgow lines. A yearly season ticket now costs £1796 from Gourock to Glasgow. Despite this high cost and record numbers of passengers on these routes, we have seen modern class 380 trains with comfortable seating, heating, toilets and free WiFi removed to cover "driver training" on other routes and had these carriages replaced with the unreliable, 40-year old class 314 trains with none of the amenities of the newer trains. The Scottish government has now said that these old trains could be running from Inverclyde until 2019. We believe that this is unacceptable and that Inverclyde commuters deserve far better. It is not sufficient for Inverclyde's MSP to ask for the carriages to simply be cleaned, we believe they should be replaced. We call on the Scottish transport minister to use his position to return the newer class 380 trains to Inverclyde immediately.

It makes sense to build at Temple Quarter ( Arena Island) because: 1.It is located next door to Bristol Temple Meads train station, the major transport hub in the region, set to grow its numbers over the coming years and in line for major development from GWR and Network Rail. 2.Local train stations and lines go directly to Temple Meads and visitors from outside the city can already easily travel from their towns, mitigating pollution and congestion. 3.Bus routes from all over the city already go to the area and the new metro bus lines will also enable quicker access to the site. 4.It is in a central position allowing many locals to either walk, cycle, or take public transport to the venue. Historically South Bristol is underserved by access to facilities, work and opportunities mainly located in North Bristol. The Arena Island would enable fairer access. 5.Other successful arenas are built in the centre of cities, don't have lots of car parking and work perfectly well. 6. We believe Buckingham group are ready to start work for a fixed price of £110 million, within the budget set by BCC. 7. The arena would further accelerate the economic development of the Temple Quarter Enterprise Zone, much needed. 8. The arena would be owned by Bristol City Council and profits can be put back in to fund local services. 9. Money has already been spent there - in 2007 £13 million had already been spent to purchase and clear the site. The total cost of the arena, £91 million, will be funded by the council which will provide £38 million and the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership funding the remaining £53 million. 10. Identity - an arena building in the centre would become an iconic emblem adding to the city's reputation, feeding the city-scape and helping to bring more international recognition to our great city, a site next to South Glos would not have that same setting or impact. It doesn't make sense to build at Brabazon Hangar in Filton because: 1. An arena at the Brabazon Hangar is car-centric, and given the current lack of travel alternatives, would go against the attempts of the city, local institutions, citizens, businesses and communities to create a more environmentally friendly city and would increase air pollution which is already at illegal levels. 2. It would create further gridlock for roads around Filton and the M4/5 unless significant transport developments are put in place, which would take many years to achieve. 3. Roads across the city will be gridlocked with thousands of people attempting to cross the city from the south, centre, west and east. 3. The likely economic benefits will be passed on to South Glos and surrounding areas in north Bristol, already bestowed with higher than average economic opportunities. 4.The Brabazon is already privately owned by YTL, a Malaysian group. How much of the profits will go back to Bristol's economy? 5. The location doesn't encourage overnight stay, 'the night time economy' or tourism as much as in the centre would. It doesn't have the enormous range of accommodation, eateries and other attractions on it's doorstep that the temple quarter site already has.

UK cinemas are responsible for hundreds of thousands of plastic straws being thrown away every week. They make a huge amount of profit on selling fizzy drinks and last year there were 170 million tickets sold to cinemas in the UK. If all those drinks were served with paper straws it'd make a massive difference to the plastic ending up in our seas.* 'The marine Conservation society estimates the UK uses up to 8.5 billion plastic straws every year which are among the top 10 items found in beach clean ups'. Plastic straws should be considered a serious problem to marine species survival: I've done recent beach clear-ups myself and can testify they are a common, harmful type of sea pollution. Plastic straws can travel long distances throughout the world's oceans, getting ingested by marine animals- taking up vital space in their stomachs that takes up increasing space for digesting food to eventually starve and kill them. Straws get tangled in seaweed beds in coastal waters where they will continue to accumulate like an off-shore rubbish dump if the supply isn't stopped for good. The EU is considering banning them this year, and asking Environment Minister, Michael Gove to align with EU member states in this- but Gove has been cautious and not clearly affirmed this- yet. A large lobby and petition to ban plastic straw sale and manufacture in the UK could decide the matter this year, to see a change in UK law to make them obsolete. * We recommend that cinemas keep a small number of plastic straws behind the counter for customers with medical conditions or disabilities who require one.

Our public parks and open spaces are much loved and used with an estimated 2.6 billion visitors each year but they are also suffering from severe cuts to parks services made by local authorities as they seek to balance their books. To make this worse the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) now want to abandon their hugely successful Parks for People programme that invested millions of peoples lottery money into improving parks and local facilities. Heritage Lottery Fund are currently consulting on this change in funding so help us to convince them to rethink and keep this precious funding so our parks can be protected and continue to be enjoyed by everyone. We'll be handing in the petition to the consultation before it closes on March 22nd. The link to the Heritage Lottery Fund consultation is: https://g4-emea.yougov.com/vFqMLPG37gDzPL

The pollution and noise from a rotating stock of 12 busses would dramatically reduce the quality of life of people that live and work around Old Haymarket, an oasis in the centre of Liverpool. The car park currently averages over £100,000 a year in takings and we as a city blighted by Government cuts cannot afford that. Two mature trees would be removed. LCC claims that more new trees will be planted but they have a proven track record of not fulfilling similar promises. Old Haymarket/Manchester St used to be derelict and dangerous - it is now a thriving community because residents and businesses moved there. This oasis in the city will be destroyed. Eight businesses, including a hotel, and hundreds of residents will now be expected to share a loading space for two vehicles. People will lose their jobs and property prices will be affected. The car park is part of the curtilage of a Grade II listed building, the fantastic Queensway Tunnel entrance. Not appropriate for vehicles weighing up to 80,000 kilograms (176,370 lb) to be driving around and polluting and certainly not in keeping with the surroundings of the structure or that of the UNESCO World Heritage Site it sits in.

I grew up on Edgeside, many residents of the valley will know about its difficult history. In 2002 Rossendale Borough Council was ranked as one of the worst in the country for local authority homes after previous administrations had left the properties to decay. Recently, there have been concerns raised about regeneration schemes, empty homes, homelessness, and planning decisions made in the area. However, these have been ongoing issues for the area for decades and have been challenging for parties of all colours. Previous empty homes initiatives haven't worked, including recent attempts and earlier ones, such as the Pathfinder initiative. Several changes of Council haven't lead to these issues being fully addressed either, but I believe that a change of how the council structures their work would make a real difference. A scrutiny committee is a missing constant and there are many issues around housing which need to be looked into in depth. Over the past year, 5 out of 10 of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee meetings have considered housing issues. This takes away from the chance to discuss non-housing matters, without giving housing the focus that it warrants. I believe these challenges deserve a scrutiny committee of their own which brings together a range of services. The Government have cut funding to councils over the past few years. This leaves many councils under-funded and over-stretched. Ours is no different. While initiatives in Edgeside have seen the area transformed, this has only been possible by working in partnership with the local community (including community groups like the White Horse Project). Yet, several challenges continue in other areas of the valley and policy. A scrutiny committee, which is open to the public, would allow the council to work more closely with its residents. Together we could glean some insight into what might be the most effective changes, focus our efforts on bringing them into fruition, and solve some of the issues facing our friends and neighbors.

Detention is an inhumane and unfair system that tears families and communities apart. Right now, people can be held indefinitely with no release date and can wait for months or even years for a decision. It destroys people's lives - people are forced to put their lives on hold, and the uncertainty of when they might get out makes it incredibly tough to get through each day. This is part of the government's attempts to create a "hostile environment" for undocumented people, refugees and immigrants in the UK. So people in Yarl's Wood are on hunger (and labour) strike to push for their demands.

The Health Secretary's plans to replace the NHS with Affordable Care Organisations are unwanted by taxpayers, Doctors, Nurses & Patients. We believe The NHS should be free at the point of access and all Health & Social Care provision should be based on need, not ability to pay.

The Lansdowne Monument has stood tall and proud on the skyline overlooking Cherhill since 1845 and is a Grade II* listed monument. Now designated a monument at risk. For the last EIGHT years it has been hidden under scaffolding. The monument is in the ‘care’ of the National Trust, who agreed to conduct a condition survey in February 2018. Although the National Trust agreed to the survey they have stated that they do not have the funds to restore the monument without Fund Matching. (Estimated cost of repair is £1.2 to £1.5 million). Yet within the past eight years no fund matching has commenced. The National Trust do not support independent fund raising. We have tried to engage with the National Trust for the past two years, and have offered to assist in raising funds, but they have ignored us. Unless we start making a fuss, our monument will not be restored. It is not a priority to the National Trust as it is not an income generator. But we must make it a priority for us to ensure that the monument is restored to its former glory! It is an iconic feature of our landscape and part of our heritage. The monument celebrates it's 175th birthday in 2020 and we want our monument restored by this date.

Southern Water seek to gain Michael Gove’s approval to increase river abstraction to levels NEVER SEEN BEFORE. Climate change is exacerbating the situation. We desperately need alternative & timely options to supply public water. The internationally rare English chalk stream riverine habitats & their wildlife are now under severe threat from over abstraction, especially in times of drought. This could prove catastrophic for species such as the genetically unique chalk stream salmon, sea trout, or Hampshire’s last population of the rare native crayfish, let alone the rivers themselves & the livelihoods that depend upon them. We must stop Southern Water using a Public Inquiry to gain Michael Gove’s approval to increase river abstraction to potentially catastrophic and reprievable levels. They intend to sidestep the correct procedure and ride roughshod over our public bodies, which are there to safeguard our environment. Challenging Natural England’s advice & the EA's sustainable licensing to increase abstraction to ruinous levels on our precious chalk streams, in order to meet their corporate goals – profit. We desperately need alternative, sustainable and timely options to supply public water. Action NOW is essential to ensure our rivers are properly protected in the future. The World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the Hampshire Wildlife Trust, Natural England, Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) Hampshire, Salmon & Trout Conservation, Wild Trout Trust, Test and Itchen Association, Angling Trust and Fish Legal, and the Wessex Chalk streams and Rivers Trust, all oppose Southern Water’s position. HOW? Beginning 13th March, Southern Water through public inquiry are asking Michael Gove (Secretary of State) to approve their increased abstraction plans directly. If upheld, this will by-pass the normal procedures for obtaining an abstraction licence, and will not involve full public consultation including direct and fair engagement with river owners and users - an absolutely CRUCIAL involvement as there is so much at stake in these very complex decisions. SW are using ‘strong arm’ tactics in the Inquiry to make the EA use their legal powers to force river owners and users to co-operate. Some of these proposed actions are highly emotive and again deny the public the fair right to comment. WHAT OTHER DAMAGE COULD THIS CAUSE? Increasing populations and housing in Hampshire are greater than our natural water resources can now sustain. Demand has already exceeded the capacity our rivers and aquifers can supply. So at a time of water scarcity, on already over abstracted rivers, the threat is that SWS customers will be literally sucking the life out of the rivers Candover, Itchen and Test. This will deplete the river flows to levels that will devastate the natural aquatic environment. People will be watering their gardens as the flow of these rivers falls to dangerously unprecedented levels. Is this what people would want if they knew about it? THE SOLUTION - As we speak, Southern Water are preparing to publish a 'draft Water resources management plan' (and Drought Plan) for public consultation. They claim their plans will have a bold vision, with ambitious and innovative ways to secure the necessary alternative sources of supply to enable the Environment Agency’s licence changes to be made. These alternatives will be costly and include trading with Portsmouth Water, Havant Thicket Reservoir and a desalination plant in the Solent. That is what it will take to protect our Chalk streams from over abstraction. HOWEVER, SOUTHERN WATER WILL ONLY IMPLEMENT THESE AMBITIOUS NEW PLANS IF IT LOSES THE INQUIRY! If it wins then it may well in likelihood implement a shadow version... This Inquiry is Southern Water’s last-ditch attempt to cling onto its 40-year-old business model of over exploiting our chalk streams – one that generates a healthy profit margin at huge expense to the environment. TO CONCLUDE - No more stalling by this corporate Leviathan, which is investing large amounts of bill payers’ money on scientific models not fit for purpose to prove their 'case'. Instead they should be working together with and not against NGO’s, stakeholders, their clients and you the people to find alternative water supplies that will safeguard our rivers for generations to come. Please help support the EA's and NE's efforts to protect our rivers by signing our petition to ensure that Southern Water Services take note of their customers’ concerns for the sustainability and protection of these British gems. Many Thanks, Jim & Howard. "The proposed increase in water abstraction from the Test, Itchen & Candover will have a serious, if not disastrous, effect on the delicate balance of this unique ecosystem. We obviously need to meet the water needs of our ever-expanding population but there are less harmful ways to do this. The true chalk streams are only found in Britain (apart from a small presence in Normandy); we are custodians of these precious jewels & we owe it to our children and grandchildren not to undermine them" PAUL WHITEHOUSE - Comedian & fisherman. SW's turnover last year was approx £800 million, with a profit of more than £250 million. Their divis to corporate shareholders were somewhere over £100 million. Thankfully their operations and behaviour are now being scrutinised. See BBC news: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-43139857 Documents for the public enquiry - http://www.hwa.uk.com/projects/itchen-candover-and-testwood-water-abstraction-inquiry/ Photo by Charles Rangeley Wilson

its the heart and soul of the community of reddish. we should encourage people to swim for its health benefits,