Why is this important? Not unlike other areas of government, democracy has not been aparant in the local area for some time, however, the recent acts of the council with the public purse from the £8.3 million wasted on Voreda House, £3.8 million on credit cards, Pushing up again the council tax by 4.99% and then approving alloownace increases for councillors incoluding substantial increases for Cabinet Members. This petition is here to demonstrate to the council how we the people they are supposed to represent feel about them and their actions. It is not political but we do desire the current councillors to stand down and allow us to elect people that will democratically represent us.

Drax Power Station, in North Yorkshire, received £6 BILLION in free money from our expensive energy bills. Drax receives this money from the government because they consider the wood pellets they burn to be ‘renewable’ and ‘emission-free’. When in fact, they just don’t count the carbon dioxide coming out. The energy plant run by Drax is actually the BIGGEST single emitter of carbon dioxide in all of the UK. Even worse, the source of the wood being burnt was found to be from protected forests, further harming our fight against the climate crisis. Although Drax denied this, latest investigations have shown it’s still going on. Right now, the government is consulting on plans to extend this harmful deal until 2027 and with the media headlines pointing these controversies out - you can bet Drax is worried. A huge petition and public attention demanding that Drax immediately stops taking wood from protected forests could force them to act quickly to avoid bad PR. We know nothing makes a company change their bad behaviour faster than bad publicity. So will you add your name and tell Drax to stop logging protected forests?

GB News are currently facing 13 investigations relating to allegations of fairness and impartiality by media regulator Ofcom. But these investigations don’t seem to be making them change their ways. It’s time to clamp down hard on GB News and revoke their licence to broadcast. This is isn't about censorship, it's about making sure our news stays impartial. We don't have to agree with everything GB News does or says, but we should expect all news outlets to follow the rules. Ofcom needs to hold all channels to a high standard and punish those that break the rules.

Plastic pollution is one of the biggest environmental issues we face. Yet in hundreds of thousands of cafés, bars and restaurants across the country, we’re still being served food and drink in single-use packaging – even when we’re eating in!    It’s wasteful, unnecessary and can easily be avoided by replacing single-use packaging with reusable cups, crockery and cutlery which get washed instead of thrown away after just one use.    With only 12% of Britain's plastic known to be recycled, it’s time to take single-use off the menu – for good.    This isn’t pie in the sky thinking or even a new idea. It’s how we always used to have our food served to us. And it's already law in neighbouring countries like France. If you walk into any food outlet in France, even fast-food restaurants like McDonalds, your food will now be served in ‘reusable packaging’ - usually just a plate and cutlery. Since France introduced this in January 2023, it has been estimated that they are saving 180,000 tonnes of packaging every year! That’s nearly 1,000 blue whales or over 25,000 African elephants in weight!    The last government has already committed to removing all avoidable plastics by 2042. Yet despite this, they failed to even conduct a feasibility study for this ban here. With a new government in place, this is our opportunity to put the pressure on and demand they tackle single-use plastic waste as a priority. The good news is that this ban is one of the easiest and most obvious steps the government can take to tackle the plastic crisis. Will you help put pressure on to make it happen?    Sign to tell our new government to ban single-use packaging in restaurants, cafés, and bars.

The reservoir could only replace a fraction of the water they lose through leaks and, studies show, it would be unlikely to provide water in droughts. Why does Thames Water want to do this? A mega reservoir would be an asset on their balance sheet, rather than the ongoing cost of fixing leaks. By ignoring and not costing major issues such as flooding and safety, Thames Water has grossly under-estimated the cost of the reservoir in their aim to promote it over more sustainable options such as fixing leaks, water transfer and desalination. These solutions would also be more reliable in droughts and much quicker to implement. This would prevent unnecessary continued damage to our chalk streams and hose pipe bans for at least 7 years before the reservoir can possibly be delivered. Those that have looked in detail at the proposals - including local MPs and Councils of all political persuasions - all conclude that it is a deeply flawed project that is being driven by commercial ambition rather than what is best for a safe and secure future water supply. Aug 2025 update: As predicted, the estimated cost has escalated from £2.2billion to  between £5.5 to £7.5 billion. This far exceeds the tipping point at which they previously acknowledged the Severn-Thames Transfer (STT) would offer better value yet there has been no revaluation of what is best value for customers. Spring 2026 update: Thames Water is preparing to apply for planning permission for the White Horse Reservoir, likely in November 2026. It does not yet have this permission.  GARD is continuing to oppose the Reservoir and will present evidence to the Planning Inspectorate to demonstrate why Thames Water’s plan will cause harm to people and the environment. GARD continues to request a new and detailed assessment of the best-value project between the proposed Reservoir and the alternative, the Severn Thames Transfer.    What you can do: 1. Register with the Planning Inspectorate (here) to receive updates on the DCO. If you want to provide comments on the DCO application itself, you will need to register as an Interested Party as well. 2. Write to Emma Reynolds, the Secretary of State, with your concerns/ objections: [email protected], House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA 3. Join GARD – details here Group Against Reservoir Development | GARD.  4. Volunteer – we need extra hands to help us with our summer campaign. 5. Donate to GARD to pay a lawyer and a flood expert for the DCO. 6. Share this petition  - we are still collecting signatures, so please spread the word to your family, friends, neighbours, colleagues, and acquaintances.    People matter – together we have a voice.

Some common issues raised regarding working conditions and employment laws in the UK include: Precarious Work: The rise of gig economy jobs, temporary contracts, and zero-hour contracts can contribute to job insecurity and unpredictable income, making it challenging for workers to plan for the future. Low Wages: Concerns about low wages and insufficient income to cover basic living costs have been raised in various sectors. The cost of living, particularly in certain regions, can outpace wage growth. Limited Employment Rights: The two-year qualifying period for certain employment rights, as well as the short notice periods during probation, can leave workers with limited job security and legal protection, especially in the early stages of employment. Mental Health Impact: As you mentioned earlier, the imbalance of power between employers and employees, coupled with challenging working conditions, may contribute to mental health issues among workers, including stress, anxiety, and depression. Lack of Union Representation: Some argue that the decline in union membership and influence has weakened the collective bargaining power of workers, potentially limiting their ability to negotiate better working conditions.

In July 2012 a group of young Palestinian teenagers and their teachers from Shatila Refugee Camp in Beirut, Lebanon, visited North Tyneside. During their time in the area, working in collaboration with two local artists Faye Oliver and Anthony Downie and supported by North Tyneside council, they created a large friendship mural (https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/shatila-children-finally-start-tour-1368800.amp). This friendship mural was put on display on a platform wall at Tynemouth Metro station - where it remained for over a decade without issue or incident. The friendship mural was a significant part of the local culture and heritage and it was seen as an example of the role art and culture play in bringing different cultures and communities together and part of a long-term project between the Shatila refugee camp and North Tyneside , which promoted various cultural exchanges. Refugees in their day-to-day lives endure conditions and hardships that many of us cannot imagine. Hence, this creative outlet was not just a piece of art, but also an emblem of solidarity, representing the plight and resilience of Palestinian refugees across the world. According to UNRWA, as of 2023 there are over 5.9 million registered Palestine refugees globally (source: https://www.unrwa.org/palestine-refugees). One of the main purposes of art is to provide an outlet and create a space for as many voices as possible. Encouraging children who endure horrific conditions and hardships as refugees to engage in creative works has a marked positive impact on their development and wellbeing. The mural was taken down by North Tyneside Council in October 2023, citing an undisclosed threat made to deface the art piece. Since then, there is no stated plan for returning it to public view, which seems counter to what it hopes to achieve. The mural is not overtly political, but by its very existence raises awareness about the Palestinian & refuges plight – not the culture of power, but the power of culture as the Palestinian academic Edward Said put it. As such, the act of removal is a direct attack on Palestinian & refugees arts and culture and fundamental principles of freedom in the arts. This has removed Palestinians from the view of the public in North Tyneside, an area proud of its cultural exchanges with people from many parts of the world. We urge North Tyneside council and all other authorities responsible for the removal of the friendship mural, at the earliest possible time, to reinstate this important piece of artwork at Tynemouth Metro Station or at the very least seek an alternative secure public place to put it back on display in the community.

This cruel decision, that was implemented with no warning, will leave families in limbo with no other option of being reunited with their family in the UK. With Russia’s war on Ukraine about to reach its two year mark, Ukranians need a continued safe passage to join family members who have already taken sanctuary here in the UK. Family reunification is a human right. Families who were in the middle of gathering the necessary information to apply are now left in limbo with no other options to be reunited. But if hundreds and thousands of us show that we won’t stand for families being torn apart, we can force the Home Office to reverse the decision.

Contaminated blood products led to thousands of people being diagnosed with HIV/Aids and hepatitis after receiving contaminated blood products. Clarke has stated that he was not responsible for blood products during the early days of the infected blood scandal despite being a health minister at the time. About 3,000 people in the UK have died because negligence, while the number of people who had been infected with contaminated blood products ranges from 5,000 to 30,000. The exact number remains unknown.

Current UK regulations with regard to toxic waste disposal and the danger to human life, to our environment, and to the planet as a whole, from both historic landfill sites and currently approved landfill sites operating the ‘dry tomb’ principle, are dangerously inadequate. Especially so, in the face of climate breakdown, with rising sea levels, increased rainfall, and widespread flooding. In 2014, 7-year-old Zane Gbangbola died and his father was paralysed with a diagnosis of hydrogen cyanide (HCN) poisoning, during catastrophic flooding in the first UK floods acknowledged to be caused by climate change. Flood water passing through a historic landfill site carried HCN into Zane’s home, detected there at high levels by the Fire and Rescue Services on the night of the tragedy.  ‘Zane’s Law’ seeks to address the crisis of contaminated land in the UK, reinstating legislative provisions removed by successive governments from the 1990 Environment Protection Act, and recognising the Human Right to a Healthy Environment, endorsed by the UN General Assembly, in July 2022. ‘Zane’s Law’ proposes that the following measures be vigorously pursued, with no ambiguity in government guidance, to prioritise the protection and safety of people and planet, and the human right to a healthy environment, above all other considerations. 1. Every Local Authority must keep a full, regularly updated Register of Land that may be contaminated within their boundary. 2. The Environment Agency must keep a full, public 'National Register of Contaminated Land' to be regularly updated by information from Local Authorities. 3. All above mentioned Registers of Land must be accessible and available for inspection by the General Public. 4. Relevant Local Authorities must fully inspect any land registered that may be contaminated and must fully remediate or enforce remediation of any land which poses harm to public safety, or which pollutes controlled waters*. 5. Relevant Local Authorities must be responsible for inspecting previously closed landfill sites and fully remediating them, or enforcing their remediation when they pose a risk of significant harm to people or controlled waters. 6. The Government must take full responsibility for providing the necessary funds for Local Authorities to meet these new requirements, following the ‘polluter pays’ principle: to recover costs as appropriate where those responsible for the pollution can be identified. * Controlled waters are groundwater or surface water intended for human consumption.

I want people to join my campaign as we all have health issues as we grow older. We all have family or friends who could not work to the age they want to up the retirement age . It needs to stop now.

The hospice is a local charity that provides specialist palliative care for more than 350 babies, children, and their families each year. It's the only facility of it's kind in Northern Ireland. Extremely sick children and their families depend on the Hospice. This funding must be restored immediately. Dáithí uses the hospice four times a year and we would be lost without it. The Northern Ireland Children's Hospice is such a magical place and the hospice and the people who work there make the impossible possible.