Over the last 30-odd years, 101 has helped so many children, in an area where playgroups (as opposed to private nurseries) are rare. The fees are affordable and the atmosphere calm and caring. 101 helps children learn valuable social skills, making for a smooth transition to school. If 101 cannot continue, there are very few alternatives in the Crouch End area for parents who want a playgroup and not full-time child care.

This important building is rotting, its building use restrictions are being flouted, and many local people are keen to see a cinema open in Deal once more. The building was purposefully sold at a low price with the proviso it would be made into a cinema - not flats or a restaurant as per the current plans (not yet officially submitted).

The MoD Guard Service is responsible for the protection of military establishments and its personnel. We need to ensure our military bases are safe and secure, not given to the lowest bidder. Defence Business Services which delivers corporate HR, payrole, finance and vetting services across the MoD and is responsible for processes most of the vetting applications not just for the MoD. After deciding not to extend the current Defence Business Services (DBS) management contract with Serco and Accenture, because extending it did not offer value for money, The MoD now wants to bring in a contractor making them responsible for the running of DBS taking it out of the Civil Service and government control. Don't let anymore of your taxes be wasted! I worked in Vetting services for 15 years and saw first hand the impact private companies have, they only care about profit not service. DON'T LET THIS HAPPEN AGAIN. Staff are not sat drinking tea or have gold plated pensions but trying to provide service and guarding our military bases help them to continue to do this. Please say No!, add your name. Thank you Jan

At the present time all personal independence payment assessments are done with a representative from Atos and Capita and the claimant. The claimant can take someone to be an advocate for them but many people report that the assessor has lied on the form that they send to the DWP. E.g the claimant made adequate eye contact or did not appear anxious, when it was clearly evident that that was not the case. People can record the assessments but only if they have a device that can record two tapes at the same time so both parties can have a recording. These devices are difficult to get hold of and the claimant is not allowed to use any smartphones, Video recorders, go pro camera or a digital recorder. This is unfair. There should be an accurate video recording of each assessment.

I learnt yesterday coming from London to Bristol that it is now 'mandatory' to make bike reservations in advance for all travel on GWR trains, a policy I was told (by a guard) came into effect on 16th May, and is largely because of new high speed trains. Are GWR reducing storage on their trains? Probably, and down to 2 or 3 on some 'high speed' trains, instead of increasing to meet demand. This will obviously discourage bike use with great implications, particularly on rural routes, and turning up to catch a train anywhere will be really difficult. What about workers cycling several miles to and from stations to get to work? Isn't it government policy to encourage less car use, supporting more sustainable, less damaging, and healthier modes of transport? Particularly on main routes like Bristol to London, a journey that is already a silly £56 at its cheapest (around 40% more expensive than a similar journey in Europe) for a 'flexible' OFF-PEAK return. Those who need to be flexible will no longer be able to be 'flexible' - and not everyone can afford a Brompton, or the additional charges of London public transport on top. UK rail travel seems to be increasingly inaccessible for most people. I took a trip to Sheffield to cycle in the Peak District recently, and on a Bristol to Sheffield train (£93.80 for an OFF-PEAK advance) there were only 3 bike slots. It cost a friend who was driving £40 in fuel, he carried 3 people, 3 bikes and spent a good amount of time in traffic jams.... https://www.gwr.com/your-journey/journey-information/on-board/cycles https://www.gwr.com/making-a-complaint

It is important because it gives students confidence about what is going to happen after school. These lessons will help students in emergency situations. Also it will improve their communication skills and boost their confidence.

The building was designed in the early 1960s by local architect James Roberts and is considered by experts to be among the best of mid-Twentieth Century urban design in Birmingham: "Its curvature, rhythm of vertical fins, together with its characteristic projecting concrete uplighters, make it still the most impressive piece of modern streetscape in the city, even 54 years after its completion.” Architect and urban planner, Joe Holyoak Roberts is responsible for Birmingham's most famous building, the iconic Rotunda, which has been both listed and sensitively redeveloped in recent years. But at present there are no such intentions for Smallbrook Queensway, despite it being of similar cultural value to the city. Instead the owner, Commercial Estates Group, wants to replace the concrete panels with cladding and glass, add two extra floors on top and replace the section over Hurst Street with a 22-storey office block. The proposed redevelopment would result in the loss of yet another fine example of Birmingham’s postwar heritage, which, we are warned, would be: “...especially crass at a time when the singular merits of 1960s architecture are at last being widely acknowledged.” Author and film-maker, Jonathan Meades Furthermore, the site does not fall within the Council’s tall building zone, meaning a high-rise block should, in theory, be discouraged. We therefore call upon the City Council to reject CEG's current proposals and urge the developer to draw up an alternative plan that respects and enhances the original features of the building. Here's a link to the article by Joe Holyoak, which features a CGI image of the new proposal: http://goo.gl/d1QNzZ Thank you for your support! Please follow BRUTIFUL’s campaign to save the best of Birmingham’s threatened C20 heritage on Facebook and Twitter: https://www.facebook.com/Brutiful-Birmingham-139223999758814/?fref=ts https://twitter.com/brutifulbrum Photo credit: 'photo by D.J. Norton'. More great archive pictures at: http://www.photobydjnorton.com/NewBham/NewBham5.html

West Sussex County Council can help address climate change by divesting £100m of its pension funds out of fossil fuels (1). Fracking, shale gas, arctic sea oil exploration – all of these, plus the systematic drilling for coal, oil and gas on land and in the sea, are financed in part through pension funds. Dangerous climate change is the risk if we don’t all act. Divesting these funds now is morally and ethically correct. What’s more ethical and sustainable investment funds outperformed non-ethical investment funds in 2012/13 (2). Climate change is leading to extremes in our weather. Globally, the State of the Climate report shows a “toppling of several symbolic milestones” in temperature, sea levels and carbon dioxide (3). For Sussex, we are to expect increases in extreme heat – a real danger for young and old members of our community - and flooding. Professor Virginia Murray from Public Health England said, "Data has shown real risk of increased deaths when temperature goes above 26C"(4). Already in our local area, flooding events are increasing and the risk of damage to people and property growing (5). “Divestment represents a tangible action that individuals and organisations can take to combat climate change. I’m scared for my children’s future and take every opportunity I can to pressure action on climate change for them and all of us” - M, Worthing 1 Freedom of Information request dated 02/03/16 2 BlueGreenTomorrow.com: http://blueandgreentomorrow.com/2013/08/15/financial-returns- from-ethical-investment-funds- better-than- mainstream-in- last-12- months/ 3 https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/aug/02/environment-climate-change-records-broken-international-report 4 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/weather/10187140/Heatwave-deaths-760-lives-claimed-by-hot-weather-as-high-temperatures-continue.html 5 Climate UK: http://climateuk.net/resource/climate-change- risks-south- east-england

The bus services in the Borders are vital life lines to may people young and old the removal of the town services in Hawick and Peebles will mean that many older residents in these towns will miss out on links with other parts of the town and the wider borders if these services are removed. The removal of the College bus service from Hawick to Galashiels will mean that young people from Hawick may miss out on training courses at Borders College which would help improve there education and life. The other services that are being cut will mean that those places loose there vital link and their elderly resident loose out too.

The UK has been long used to the system of Garages carrying out MoT testing who then profit from the work gained by fixing faults which only they have decided (subject to VOSA criteria). There is a clear case of a conflict of interest which would never be allowed within other professions. Independent test centres would avoid the "hostage" situation frequently faced by motorists and ensure that garages carried out only the work specified by the independent controller.

Every aspect of fire prevention is really important, but the fire retardant chemicals used in domestic furniture have become an even greater threat to the public, than the risk of fire. These chemicals have a dual danger, firstly in the everyday home environment, and also as highly toxic emissions when the chemical is burnt, which endangers the public and firemen alike. These chemicals are not measured in parts per thousand – they are measured in kilos in each piece of furniture! To prevent fires spreading there are other highly effective natural alternatives, smoke alarms and other efficient fire prevention methods which do not need any of these chemicals. In America and Europe the public, led by the Fire Brigade, have lobbied hard and have banned the use of fire retardant chemicals in domestic furniture. A huge body of international scientific evidence now links everyday exposure to fire retardant chemicals used in sofas, mattresses and other household items to thyroid problems, lower birth weight, reduced IQ, hyperactivity, poorer coordination, reduced fertility, birth defects, hormonal changes and cancer. Evidence proves the chemicals systematically migrate from furniture into the home environment through household dust. It particularly affects children and research has also shown the harmful impact on animal life and the environment. The UK is one of the few countries still using these chemicals in furniture. When individual fire retardants have been banned in the past, the furniture containing these chemicals has just been left in people's homes and the owners have not been informed. The government is keeping the public in the dark. So, how do we get rid of the furniture in our homes which is full of the chemical fire retardants? Under the Stockholm Agreement, the government plans to burn fire retardant furniture in incinerators which they are building up and down the country. Before this happens we need to be very sure the government is strictly controlling the emissions as the effluent is even more toxic. We have been using these fire retardant chemicals in our furniture for almost 30 years. The UK government needs to act to make legislative changes. Whilst the Department of Business has been working on amendments to the Fire Regulations for many years, nothing has been achieved. They need to talk to manufacturers about natural alternatives, inform the public and take action to protect us now.

Hinckley Hospital is a small and much used healthcare facility in the heart of the town of Hinckley. It provides day care surgery and other day procedures to the local community who cannot travel out of town. It provides extensive Consultant outpatient care and all professions allied to medicine. Hinckley Hospital was built in 1899 to commemorate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee. It's a fine example of late Victorian architecture and solidly built. Since its inception it has been extended, always using local builders to continue to be the hub of Hinckley health care for its residents. Given its significance& history it is very surprising that Hinckley Hospital is not a listed building. Hinckley residents will inevitably be denied care if they are forced to travel for health care.