• Save Our Fairfield Halls
    The Fairfield Halls is the biggest arts and entertainment complex in South London, staging over 500 events and shows per year as well as being a home to many local community groups and projects. With a rich history, a strong classical music programme, world-class comedy events, fantastic family shows and a rapidly developing contemporary music offering, this is a Croydon asset that needs and deserves nurturing and protection through the proposed redevelopment. The current Croydon Council proposal places huge risk on the Fairfield Halls NOT re-opening and carries significant financial cost to re-open and win back audiences, top quality shows and events. In summary: • Croydon will lose it’s ONLY viable music and arts venue for an unspecified period – not only is that a loss of live events coming to the Borough, but a lost opportunity for school children to engage and perform at the venue and will impact a large number of other community projects that utilise the venue. • The Council is entering into a risk/reward property development model to fund the project. If the risks materialise works may never be completed (leaving a “closed” sign permanently on the door of this great venue) and/or Council Tax and Business Rates payers will be left to foot the bill to the tune of £18m. However, the Council refuses to make these plans publically available. • The Council proposes shutting the Fairfield Halls when there is currently no detailed plan of the newly refurbished venue on the table, neither is there an operating model for it’s re-opening. • The timetable for delivering the Westfield shopping centre in Croydon has slipped now to 2020, despite Council claims that “this is the season for delivery”. We believe similar delays are likely with the Council’s proposal for Fairfield Halls’ redevelopment, resulting in closure period far in excess of the two years currently stipulated, increasing the risk of the venue never reopening. • There is no budget in place to re-launch the Fairfield after completion of the works. The Council wants the “new Fairfield Halls to rival the Southbank Centre”. An ambition we applaud (and assume this is a rivalry chosen as holding the Southbank Centre as a leading example of venue management), however to do so we firmly believe that: - Development should be phased (a bit like they are doing at the Southbank!). Operational ownership should remain independent to deliver the best for Croydon (a bit like at the Southbank). - The operational body should sit at the centre of the development project from inception to completion (kind of how the Southbank are managing things). - That an independent Fairfield Halls can thrive and deliver more to the community and local economy with proper planning and nurturing now rather than accept the Council rationale of “give it a polish and sell it to the highest bidder to operate”. Conclusion: There are far too many gaps in information, incomplete plans, omitted costs and lack of consultation for the Council proposal to hold any credence beyond being a concept paper. However, even with these risks, oversights and omissions they have approved this plan. Rather than meekly accept this flawed piece of Council planning and put at risk the future of this fantastic venue, we ask you to sign this petition to show your support for a more reasoned, phased redevelopment of the Fairfield Halls that WILL: • Ensure the longevity of the venue • Provide Croydon with a much needed cultural identity over the next two years • Continue to stage great events – from established favourites to the new and brave! •Build on the work already undertaken to improve “Brand Croydon” by attracting headline music acts to the Borough •Maintain audience engagement and a home for community initiatives •Ensure that on completion of the redevelopment, the Fairfield will be a vibrant and ALREADY OPERATIONAL world-class venue. Please show your support for the Fairfield Halls and it's current operating body Fairfield (Croydon) Limited, your desire for a more structure to the Council plan and love for the current and future prospects of the arts in Croydon by signing this petition. THANK YOU!
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    Created by Andy Hylton Picture
  • I the undersigned want the local Post Office at Luddenden to remain open
    Whilst it’s great to live in such a beautiful part of the region, rural areas get a rough deal when it comes to services. I want to see the Post Office in Luddenden maintained to ensure those who depend on these services can continue to live in our area.
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    Created by Owen Gilroy
  • Boycott Sports Direct shops
    The Guardian article of 10th December reveals that more than 80% of staff are on zero-hours contracts. They are harangued by a public address system for not working fast enough. All warehouse workers are kept onsite at the end of a shift for a compulsory search down to their underwear by Sports Direct security staff. This adds another 1 hour 15 minutes to the working week for which they are not paid. They can be sacked if they have a period of reported sickness, have excessive/long toilet breaks, use a mobile phone (so schools cannot get in touch with parents if a child is sick and staff are terrified of asking for time off if children are sick). Workers are docked 15 minutes of pay for clocking in as little as one minute late - even if they arrived on the site on time but if they work late to finish a job they are not paid. Staff are banned from wearing 802 clothing brands at work. Mike Ashley is Britain's 22nd richest man yet he is enforcing Victorian work practices in the 21st century. We must tell him that his customers are disgusted and refuse to shop at Sports Direct any more.
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    Created by Diana B
  • Save Field End Flyers Community Cycle Club
    I am a concerned parent. My 8 year old son Matthew attends Field End Flyers Community Cycle Club. This a fantastic cycling club that is based in facilities at Field End Junior School, Field End Road, Eastcote. The Club has access to a cycle track next to Field End School. This was built next to the school in land held by Hillingdon Council for the school. TFL helped to fund the building of the cycle track which is used by lots of children to cycle in safety away from the roads. Field End Flyers meets there every Saturday. There are coaches who are trained by British Cycling and volunteer their time to teach all children to cycle. Once they can cycle safely they join in the club activities. There are games and skills teaching sessions, all conducted in a purpose built environment. As a cycle club Field End Flyers attracts children from all backgrounds. We have children with disabilities and those with learning difficulties. The fact that the track is a safe and gated secure environment means that all children can enjoy using their own or borrowed bikes and trikes to join in. This club really is open to all and a fantastic part of our community. The club has a waiting list of over 60 children to join up and be taught to ride with the patient coaches using club owned balance bikes without pedals to build confidence and get a “feel” for cycling. My son joined over 3 years ago and is a very competent cyclist. He shows a good level of safety and control and this is all due to the fantastic coaching from Field End Flyers Community Cycle Club. The school has achieved the Beacon Award for Cycling, Healthy Schools Hillingdon Award and TFL Sustainable Travel Accredited and recognised Higher Standards Level. I feel that this is due to the success of the Cycle track which is also used by an after school club attached to the school for pupils only. 30 children attend 3 evenings a week. In fact the after school club is used to full capacity with the supervision from the British Cycling accredited Coaches who volunteer there. On Thursday 3rd December Field End Flyers received a letter from the Head Teacher of the Junior School, Ms M Halpin to say that the Cycle Club should cease. We have since been told we need to empty the site of our bicycles (for Children’s use at the Community and after school clubs) and associated cycling equipment. It will be disposed of if not moved by the deadline. We have been told that both clubs must close. We have been told that the track will be used to store building materials and there are plans to develop the area by the school BUT I have checked the Hillingdon Council website and there are no planning applications for the area. As you can imagine the Club which has over 90 members is worried that we will lose our home and a safe place for our children to cycle. Hillingdon encourages cycling as a sustainable mode of transport. Recently there has been widespread media attention on those cyclists who have been killed or injured on London’s roads. Our cycle club is preparing the safe adult cyclists of the future. It is also helping to get children outside and involved in a healthy pursuit, helping to extol the virtues of exercise. With child obesity and sedentary hobbies in favour among children it is wonderful that the children who attend the club are enjoying exercise, team building, safety training and friendships that will help them so much in their futures. I ask that you contact Ms Halpin to intercede on behalf of our Community Cycle Club as its loss would be a real blow to sport, cycling and the children themselves.
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    Created by Tara Chalk
  • Save our local bus services in Oxfordshire
    ALL SUBSIDISED bus routes in the county are set to lose their funding from Oxfordshire County Council under proposals approved in November 2015 by the Council. The subsidies are paid to bus companies and community groups so they can run 118 bus routes, mainly in rural areas, that would otherwise not be commercially viable. The bus network is vital to the health of local communities and especially important to vulnerable members of the community who use the network to access support and care and avoid social isolation. These cuts are totally unacceptable and a false economy as they will have hidden costs in terms of additional social care and health spending to support those who currently use the bus service to access support and life opportunities. The cuts also make a mockery of the County Council’s integrated transport plan and environmental targets. We are calling on the Leader of the County Council Council and the Prime Minister, who is MP for Winey and who has in correspondence questioned whether the cuts to front line council services are necessary in Oxfordshire, to resolve their disagreement about council funding and withdraw these cuts proposals before the new County Council budget is agreed in February. Deadline for completion January 12th (to be presented to the Council’s Transport Advisory Panel on the 14th January).
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    Created by David Radford
  • Ask David Cameron if he believes he upholds the 7 Principles of Public Office.
    By the Government's own definition (31st May 1995, Committee on Standards in Public Life) the 7 Principles of Public Office are "the basis of the ethical standards expected of public office holders". By this we take to mean that all politicians in Her Majesty's Government are expected to abide by the ethical standards set out in this document; and are therefore accountable both to the public and to the members of parliament if they can be seen to have failed in doing so. In the light of large bodies of evidence which can be presented to highlight the fact that the Prime Minister has failed to uphold the 7 Principles of Public Office, I would like the the Leader of the Opposition to personally raise the issue with him, in parliament, in order to hear his response.
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    Created by Anthony Saggers
  • E. U. Relief funding for Cumbrian Flooding
    It is essential that people's lives recover speedily,lessons learnt and infrastructure updated.
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    Created by Jonathan Miller
  • SAVE OUR NHS BURSARY
    The government have announced they are removing the NHS bursaries for student nurses, midwives, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, podiatrists, radiographers, dietetics, ODP's. This means we will be left with THOUSANDS of pounds worth of debt, which could take years to pay back from a salary which has been repeatedly frozen and capped. Healthcare degrees are like no other, we work 50% of the time on placement and 50% in university. Our hours are long and demanding both academically and professionally. To have our bursaries removed is insulting and upsetting. Furthermore, these loans will act as a deterent for people going to university who do not want to be saddled with extortinate debt. Healthcare courses appeal to a wide range of students from all back grounds and these high costs are very daunting. Already people are saying they are fearful of these costs meaning people are losing their dreams. This is NOT fair.
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    Created by Nursing and Midwifery Society Picture
  • Lucy Allan please step down as MP for telford and Wrekin after lying about death threats.
    She represents the good people in the Telford and Wrekin area and has knowingly lied about such a serious matter. Namely that she was sent a death threat. This is unacceptable and MPs should not be allowed to be so liberal with the truth. MPs are accountable for their actions and this is morally wrong and a misuse of her position in government.
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    Created by Gareth Roderick
  • Change The Law: No More Naming of Revenge Porn Victims
    Being a victim of revenge porn is a devastating experience. It is not fair that victims who take the brave step of pressing charges against their abuser currently risk being named in the media, particularly in coverage of the court case. We want the Government to change the law to ensure victims get the protection they deserve.
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    Created by Police and Crime Commissioner for North Yorkshire Picture
  • Make bad driving a thing of the past!!
    It will serve to make our roads safer and will make work easier for the Police. It will potentially help to drive down insurance premium costs.
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    Created by Aled Brewerton
  • No More Pylons on Anglesey
    Anglesey is already blighted with a corridor of Pylons across the Island. The National Grid are proposing to erect another line of Pylons across the Island to deal with the new supply of electric from Wylfa Newydd. It appears that they have already decided upon this option as it is the cheapest and most straight forward solution, they appear to dismiss out of hand the alternative of underground cables despite the objection of local residents to yet more Pylons affecting the visual impact and the concern of possible links to Cancer in the local population, including young children. Anglesey relies a great deal on Tourism, more Pylons blighting the Island can only have a detrimental affect. Please show your support for the use of Underground Cables only!
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    Created by Norma Ede