ITs. important because the BBC is now having to make up the shortfall in income from the over 75s instead of the government, so more cuts in the BBC services to meet this cost. Many pensioners are strong supporters of the independent and wide ranging services provided by the BBC and many could easily afford the monthly DD of about £12.

High speed broadband internet and mobile networks connect people, they spur economic development, improve education, health care, and environmental sustainability. Without this kind of infrastructure, many rural and under-served communities and their residents remain at a disadvantage, unable to access the benefits or opportunities available to already “connected” communities. Broadband and mobile reception in some areas of Suffolk is as good as non-existent. Even checking emails for some people is an almost impossible task. This stifles business growth, disadvantages our educational institutions and disconnects our communities. By 2017 we are promised that both poor downloads speeds and the phenomenal inequality of those who are connected and those who are not, will be things of the past, and that 95% of the country will have access to superfast broadband. Please don't let vast swathes of Suffolk be within that remaining 5% not-spot.

Writers who are not white men have contributed hugely to our understanding and appreciation of poetry, and it is unforgivable and unrepresentative to exclude them from a national celebration of poetry. Women and people of colour have been consistently ignored, sidelined and poorly treated in academic and arts circles, often not being taken as seriously as white men doing the same things as us to a similar or even lower standard. As TV licence fee payers, we have a right to be fairly represented and to see ourselves - and a true reflection of the arts world - in the programming we pay for.

Jeremy Corbyn's political enemies are seeking to undermine his position as Labour Leader and have chosen nuclear weapons as their attack platform. We must not allow them to get away with it. Some helpful advice from a supporter - a great way to get this petition circulating widely is to share on comments on relevant online newspaper articles! For those of you that have the time .... Facebook 'misbehaviour'. A number of supporters have reported that Facebook is not sharing this petition. I have tried to do it myself and failed with a very unusual message. The petition has also 'dropped off' The Ecologist's timeline. I have now re-posted on Facebook with a perma-URL of https://www.facebook.com/TheEcologist/posts/10152959345741618 . You should be able to share from there. Either that or just copy the petition URL in the browser bar to your timeline.

The wealthiest Englishman in this country, the Duke of Westminster, whose property company, the Grosvenor Estate, made half a billion pounds gross profit in their last financial year, want to redevelop six small independent galleries on the Pimlico Road, London, two of which have been trading from the same galleries for 50 years between them. The proposed redevelopment will oust many from their homes, demolishing their small 19th century galleries, retaining the facades, to create three vast showrooms by incorporating a 175 year old timber yard, the last remaining timber yard from the early Victorian period still in use today for its intended purpose. -- Please see attached articles: www.thepimlicoroad.com/newsons-yard NEW ARTICLE: http://www.antiquestradegazette.com/news/2016/jan/27/pimlico-dealers-protest-against-redevelopment/ https://londonhistorians.wordpress.com/2015/07/23/sigh-more-luxury-flats-pimlico-this-time/ http://homesandproperty.co.uk/property-news/news/duke-westminster-gives-pimlico-small-shopkeepers-boot-make-way-large-stores-and-luxury-flats http://www.thepimlicoroad.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Pimlico-Development-A-Traders-Point-of-view_edited-2.jpeg World Of Interiors article on the Timber Yard by Phillip Davies 'Logging the Past' October 2015 RELATED CONTENT: http://spitalfieldslife.com/2016/02/02/the-creeping-plague-of-ghastly-facadism/

Hounslow Council has invited a small number of residents from Church Street, North Street, Park Road and the roads accessed by those streets to have their say on the planned closure of Church Street to vehicles. This is your opportunity to provide your view. The Twickenham Road is heavily congested with 18,000 vehicles and cyclists using it every day and is already full to capacity according to Hounslow Council’s own traffic report. The proposal to close Church Street will push up to 2,015 more vehicles onto the Twickenham Road and South Street during rush hour times, gridlocking the road and reducing pedestrian and cyclist visibility. It will also increase pollution in the area. There is already significant local concern about traffic management on the Twickenham Road, including the use of roundabouts, the no-right turn from Spur Road onto the London Road, the Twickenham Road junction with Park Road and the junction at the bottom of Worton Road. Church Street is only one of the many roads affected by these issues. Five schools (Smallberry Green, Isleworth Town, Gumley House, St Mary’s and the Blue School) and West Middlesex Hospital are located on this stretch of road. The roads immediately adjoining the Twickenham Road (St John’s, Linkfield, Amhurst, the Teesdales, Worple, Algar, Byfield) are already subject to considerable rat running. With delays on the Twickeham Road and South Street expected to increase by 142% upon closure, even more frustrated drivers are likely to make their way onto our residential streets. Whilst the emergency services make their way through most things, the gridlock will likely affect response times. Hounslow Council has said that the proposal to close Church Street on 7 December is a “temporary trial” of 18 Months to see if road users change their “travelling habits”. But how can the parents and children of the five schools on these roads together with hospital staff and patients “change their traveling habits”? Local residents will still need to get about and people will still want to visit and use the amenities of Syon Park. Hounslow Council has said that it will not stop the “trial” once they have started it but confirm that the closure will cause significant disruption. Our argument is that Hounslow Council has to look at the area as a whole and take all of the above factors into consideration. Please show your support and sign this petition to make sure that your voice is heard.

The East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust (EKHUNHSFT) is responsible for five hospitals across East Kent. In a recent meeting with the interim CEO of the trust, Chris Bown, 38 Degrees members learned that A&E and maternity services were at risk of closure. He stated that “current provision is unsustainable in East Kent”. He warned that there will be proposals released early next year that will be "radical and substantial". He added that the proposals will be "politically controversial" and that he fully expected public protest. A&E and maternity services were highlighted as particularly vulnerable. Chris Bown’s previous six month appointment at Stafford Hospital resulted in the loss of the hospital’s A&E and consultant led maternity services. He has been given a twelve month contract at EKHUNHSFT to carry out similar cuts. It would be totally unacceptable to close or cut any of Kent’s A&E departments in Ashford, or Thanet They serve a large and growing population and the closure of one, let alone two, would result in greatly increased journey times leading to unnecessary deaths. Likewise, retaining the existing consultant led maternity services at all sites is essential for the safety of mothers and new born babies. Closure of any of the existing services will place unmanageable strain on the rest of East Kent’s health provision. The safety of East Kent residents cannot be allowed to be compromised in this way.

On 14th September the Vice Chancellor and Student Services Director at the Open University announced plans to close seven English regional centres in Oxford, Cambridge, Bristol, Birmingham, Leeds, Gateshead and London. They claim this is with the aim of putting students first and giving them a better support services experience. 500 highly qualified, experienced and dedicated staff members stand to lose their jobs or face having to compete to retain their posts at another location with all the disruption this causes. Worst of all is that their academic and student support expertise would be lost. The Open University has already closed one regional centre and transferred student services from a regional to a faculty based model. This already means that students who once could have all their support needs met in one team might now have to contact as many as four separate teams for this. Increasing reliance on online resources also leaves students floundering when they could previously speak to a student support expert as a first resort. The plans to close offices and jettison staff teams with as much as 190 years of academic and student support experience among them, for new, inexperienced staff working in call centre conditions are only likely to further reduce the quality of service students can expect

In the 18 years I have lived in Norfolk there have been a substantial number of accidents that have resulted in death and serious injury on the A148 due to poor visibility and failure to give way. There have been two serious accidents at this junction in the last week and I have also been personally affected by this issue when my parents were involved in a crash in the same location a few years ago. On the 14th of May 2006 a pedestrian died after an accident and on the 1st of March 2010 a woman died and two others were seriously injured in a collision with a JCB tractor. This is just two of many more fatal crashes on the crossroad and just two of the many people who have been killed. The crossroad is far too dangerous and I do not want to see more people lose their lives and loved ones. A roundabout would calm traffic and certainly reduce accidents.

Hundreds of children and young people with autism/learning disabilities and mental health problems across the uk are being shipped miles away from their families because there are no provisions in their own locality. As Norman Lamb said " we wouldn't ship a child hundreds of miles away for a broken leg, why are we doing to children with mental health problems." This has disastrous consequences for not only the child, but their loved ones. Often families find it financially difficult to travel, emotionally draining having to listen to their loved one heartbroken in an unfamiliar environment 100s of miles from home, their condition often deteriorates leaving their recovery period much longer and more painful, children are often drugged and restrained as a means of treatments (control) This barbaric treatment has to stop, children should be in their own locality and received the necessary treatment they need surrounded by their family. If no such provision is available then bespoke placements should be built around the home locality of that child and specialist experts in their condition be available. Children and young people have a voice and should be heard, they should be listened to and every effort made to adhere to their wishes and feelings and not ignored and dismissed as the NHS says EVERY CHILD MATTERS!!!!

The offer of affordable fresh fruit and vegetables should be available at all hospital sites, surely it's preferable to have a healthy option than having fast food or snacks and chocolates. The fruit and vegetables are sold by local people who are in danger of losing their jobs, but this is also about supporting our local economy.

There are so many unfortunate families out there who struggle to finance healthy, nutritious meals for their children let alone finance any food at all. A daily free school dinner could be the difference between a child surviving and starving to death. Just think how much pressure this will take off the parent who is struggling, worrying, preying for a bit of help, All children deserve a healthy, nutritious diet not just the smaller generation or children who come from more fortunate back grounds. We have homeless shelters and open kitchens for adults and such like so why shouldn't we be giving back to the children too? Children are vulnerable and should not be taken for granted they deserve the option!