Current planning law states that if a developer will make less than 20% profit on a new development, they can ignore a council's regulations about building affordable and social housing. Leaked documents from several developers have shown that the maths they use to work out their profit margins are purposefully misleading, allowing them to claim they will make less than 20% profit on a development by undervaluing the prices of the houses they will sell and over-costing the labour. To combat this Islington, Greenwich, Lambeth and Bristol councils have introduced a policy that forces developers "viability assessments" to be made public. By bringing these dodgy maths into the public domain, Councils, campaigning groups and individuals will be able to hold developers to account and force them to use more honest maths.

The UK's National Wildlife Crime Unit is badly underfunded. A recent FOI request revealed an actual annual income of only £515, 203 - allowing them to employ 10.6 "full time equivalent" staff (which in fact equates to 11 staff members). This is across the whole of the UK! No wonder wildlife crime in the UK is rampant. Hen Harriers are regularly shot over grouse moors and nobody is prosecuted, to cite just one example. If the NWCU are going to do an effective job of preventing (and prosecuting) wildlife crime in the UK they need to be far better funded

These traps are used to trap rodents (mice, rats shrews etc) by pretending to be a food source, but actually are a very sticky surface. The rodent becomes stuck to the surface of the trap and looks forward to a long slow death from starvation. Recently birds of prey such as owls have tried to feed on the trapped rodents and have become stuck themselves and die the same prolonged death from starvation. We are seeking a ban on the sale and use of these inhumane, Indiscriminate traps, to reduce animal suffering.

Current planning law states that if a developer will make less than 20% profit on a new development, they can ignore a council's regulations about building affordable and social housing. Leaked documents from several developers have shown that the maths they use to work out their profit margins are purposefully misleading, allowing them to claim they will make less than 20% profit on a development by undervaluing the prices of the houses they will sell and over-costing the labour. To combat this Islington, Greenwich, Lambeth and Bristol councils have introduced a policy that forces developers "viability assessments" to be made public. By bringing these dodgy maths into the public domain, Councils, campaigning groups and individuals will be able to hold developers to account and force them to use more honest maths. Manchester City Council has scandalously allowed Circle Square, on Oxford Road's former BBC site, to create 677 apartments but require no affordable housing. Similarly, First Street South, near the Mancunian Way, will comprise 624 new flats, but requires no affordable housing. Either of these locations could have housed the new MMU campus in Hulme, but instead the Council GAVE land to MMU - land which was previously covered in trees, grass and wildflowers. It's time that Manchester City Council stood up to these developers instead of cosying up to them - close the "viability" get-out clause! I'm not the only one who is angry with the Council over this issue: http://ilovemanchester.com/2017/03/23/we-need-more-than-luxury-and-skyscrapers-campaigners-to-tell-new-council-chief.aspx

Current planning law states that if a developer will make less than 20% profit on a new development, they can ignore a council's regulations about building affordable and social housing. Leaked documents from several developers have shown that the maths they use to work out their profit margins are purposefully misleading, allowing them to claim they will make less than 20% profit on a development by undervaluing the prices of the houses they will sell and over-costing the labour. To combat this Islington, Greenwich, Lambeth and Bristol councils have introduced a policy that forces developers "viability assessments" to be made public. By bringing these dodgy maths into the public domain, Councils, campaigning groups and individuals will be able to hold developers to account and force them to use more honest maths.

Current planning law states that if a developer will make less than 20% profit on a new development, they can ignore a council's regulations about building affordable and social housing. Leaked documents from several developers have shown that the maths they use to work out their profit margins are purposefully misleading, allowing them to claim they will make less than 20% profit on a development by undervaluing the prices of the houses they will sell and over-costing the labour. To combat this Islington, Greenwich, Lambeth and Bristol councils have introduced a policy that forces developers "viability assessments" to be made public. By bringing these dodgy maths into the public domain, Councils, campaigning groups and individuals will be able to hold developers to account and force them to use more honest maths.

A healthy happy life and great place to live is important to us all and deep down we all want our children, families and aged citizens to live in these great places. Arts, culture, music, dance, theatre, community events, entertainment, and access locally, is the only way we can achieve this and many towns and places have already done so. But for decades Taunton has had no venue of a size that attracts big names, its town centre like many have seen decline, the night time economy is minimal, the cultural offer is small, and a high percentage of the population leave Taunton Deane to experience culture elsewhere.  We care about this, we care about Taunton, its quality of life and its future, and we know that this can be changed with an asset that use to be the civic pride of Taunton and that is the Mecca Bingo Hall in Corporation Street (also know as Gaumont Palace).  It’s important we reclaim this building and make Taunton a great place for things to do and live in, that reignites the town centre and night life, that brings people from afar who spend money with local businesses, but more importantly brings great entertainment to Taunton and provides a hub for civic activity and a place for people to meet friends and community.  We intend to make it community focused and will ensure the community can use it to create their own arts and culture. With theatre, comedy, live music, cinema, dance hall, workshops, meeting rooms, conference facilities and rehearsal space it will be a thriving hub for people of all ages and economic standing. Reclaimed by the people for the people. It's your chance to make the biggest difference to Taunton in decades.  Support us today and sign up to our campaign. Find out more about our campaign at https://project-gaumont.co.uk/

With effect from 1st April 2017 18- 21 year olds will no longer be entitled to Housing Benefit. We know that many young people rely on housing benefit to keep a roof over their heads. These young people do not choose to become homeless. They are often forced out of home because of domestic violence or family breakdown

We have too many cars coming into Standish already and we have precious little green space left. The last thing we need is to turn part of our historic recreation ground into a car park. It will mean hundreds of more cars passing one of our primary schools each day. This will cause pollution and shorten the lives of our children. It will destroy a quiet area of Standish and ruin the lives of those living nearby.

More than 50,000 people have had specially adapted vehicles taken away from them since changes to disability benefits in 2013. Vehicles are being taken away from people with disabilities without any warning whatsoever The Motability scheme entitles disabled people to lease specially adapted new vehicles and powered wheelchairs. As a Motability vehicle user my self I am terrified that this will be taken away from me , then i would not be driven to my many medical appointments. In fact I would be devastated as I have a life limiting condition, am a wheelchair user and blind. if this was to happen, my life would change dramatically I would have no quality of life and I would be isolated from everything including my own family. Peter Bone MP for Wellingborough Northamptonshire has spoken about this and is a campaigner. DWP need to review this urgently as it affects so many people's lives. The assessment needs to be looked at from a person to person illness to illness point of view rather than trying to just do a one size fits all.We do not all fit into the same box. Every disabled person with a vehicle deserves to keep their vehicle to enable them to live there lives as normal as possible and have as much independence as possible. Motability need to stop taking these adapted vehicles away as they are required by each and every disabled individual who needs a wheelchair accessible vehicle. https://youtu.be/wjEb3R7ey3E You may also be interested in the petition below which is also related to disabled people: https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/allow-wheelchair-accessible-vehicles-into-rubbish-and-recycling-centres

STOP PRESS! Today, Thursday 4 May 2017 Maurice Luzolo was detained at Dallas Court, Salford. Maurice Luzolo is here in the UK because he was tortured in the Democratic Republic of Congo on account of his activism against President Kabila. He has been in the UK since 2010. His initial asylum claim was rejected, and his appeal failed because the judge claimed his story was inconsistent, ignoring a medical report evidencing Maurice’s torture. The court did not consider the psychological consequences of torture, especially the difficulties victims face in recalling the strict chronological sequence of events. An activist against Kabila throughout his time in the UK, Maurice continues to fight for his right to remain here and he is now gathering evidence to overturn the judge’s wrongful ruling in 2011. For more information, follow the link to Maurice's campaign page below.

my sister turned 21 just days before our mum passed away, now on top of having to come to terms with our loss we have been told my sister and her 2 young children will have to leave their home as it was a council property in my mums name. This just doesn't make sense, she is entitled to a 2 bed council property, that's what shes living in, Corby council want to move her into another 2 bed property and give her house to someone else for absolutely no reason we can find. Not only will this cause stress to my sister and her family it will also involve alot of extra work for the council. How can this be a justifiable way of spending tax payers money?