The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) currently compensate 'blameless victims of crimes'. However, they also state 'We may refuse or reduce a payment if you have a criminal record, even though you may have been blameless in the incident which resulted in your injury'. As somebody who works in the legal profession representing victims of abuse, I have witnessed victims of abuse (whose abuser has been convicted) refused compensation on the basis that they have unspent criminal convictions. Some victims were drugged, laced with alcohol and forced to commit crimes by their abusers - they too have been refused compensation because they have 'unspent convictions'. These people were CHILDREN who were abused and put in that situation and CICA are punishing them for their abuse. Common symptoms of those who were or are being abused are anger, use of drugs and alcohol, committing crimes and lashing out because they want to be heard and helped. Their experiences will be with them for the rest of their lives and they will never be able to regain their childhood or live a normal live. These issues were submitted to the government last Autumn but to date they have failed to acknowledge the correspondence sent to them. Is this being swept under the carpet too? These victims need help to rebuild their lives, not to feel they are being punished by CICA: A government run organisation!

Easton is planned for a massive housing development over the next 10-15 years, unless the local residents fight against it. Surrounding areas such as Costessey, Queens Hills, Bawburgh, Marlingford and Colton will all be affected if this proposal goes ahead. The area cannot cope with such a large development: Roads We all know that Longwater and Dereham Road are horrendously busy, at rush hour especially. We've all sat in queues after doing our shopping, on our daily commute or just to get into the city. Queens Hills has just one access road and residents there have to suffer long tailbacks already. Add another 900 houses, each with an average of 1.5 cars per household all commuting and shopping - that's a minimum of another 1350 cars on our local roads from this development alone. Include the local sites already agreed for construction and this equals thousands more cars. Many of our roads are in poor condition with no funding to improve them; they will not cope. Medical services How long is the current wait for a routine GP appointment? Roundwell and Mattishall surgeries struggle to keep up with demand for the existing residents. 900 new homes will add 2-3000 new patients onto their books. How long can residents wait to see a doctor or a dentist? School St Peter's C of E Primary School already has two temporary classrooms and split lunch breaks. The expected increase in children in relation to the school will be three times the number of pupils. Parking/drop off provision has been poorly planned and the traffic survey to assess this need was completed in half term. The Council's answer given to traffic issues outside the school - parents and children will be encouraged to walk! Flooding Anglian Water have reported Easton, an area of high ground, will change from a low risk to a medium risk of flooding if the development goes ahead. All surrounding low lying areas will therefore be at significant risk of increased flooding. Marlingford, Colton, Bawburgh could all be affected. Wildlife Easton is surrounded by fields containing the habitats of different species of deer, bat and newt. Some of these are endangered, most notably the Great Crested Newt which is officially protected. Adequate surveys and provisions to protect these creatures have not been completed. Showground events Some of the areas proposed for development are currently used for parking during events. Where will these vehicles go? Will the public be able to access the events if there is insufficient parking? Easton is already a traffic jam during the bigger shows. The promise of new facilities? The proposals outline plans for some amenities, however, these are not scheduled for completion until 75% of the houses are built and occupied, if at all. There is no profit for developers for building amenities and there is no contract clause to force them to provide them. A village shop - who will take this space with Longwater so nearby? The new village hall is barely bigger than the existing and has half the number of parking spaces - this will not be suitable for a population increase of 150%. Our fair share In addition to Queens Hills' ongoing development, there is currently large construction also occurring in Costessey including the Hampdens and a further 495 at Lodge Farm. South Norfolk District Council and Norwich are already meeting the required 5 years worth of future housing obligations, with over 6.7 years worth already approved for full planning, giving a total of around 20,000 new homes. Hasn't this area had its fair share of development? How much more can it deal with? Everybody who lives in Easton and the surrounding areas will be affected by this development if it remains unchallenged. Objection! Having considered the development proposals, I am signing this epetition to object to the planning application of 2014/2611 in Easton, Norfolk. Please email the decision-makers here on [email protected]; [email protected].

Boris Johnson and TfL imposed a 15 year age limit on London taxi cabs to reduce emissions in the capital. TfL are a public body and their decisions must be evidence based, rational, proportionate and fair. The taxi age limit was introduced without proper testing to prove that the age limit would be of benefit. MPs and assembly members asked for the testing to be done but it was never carried out. The Defra report from 2013 proves that newer vehicles do not produce less harmful emissions than older ones. It concludes that all emissions strategies in London have failed. See section 4.3 page 44 for details on London Taxis. http://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/reports/cat05/1307161149_130715_DefraRemoteSensingReport_Final.pdf London's taxi drivers would love to replace their current vehicles with ones that are fully electric or zero emissions capable, but these vehicles are not currently available. Taxi drivers must scrap their 15 year old vehicles, even though they meet current standards, and purchase new £40,000 diesel vehicles. These diesel taxis will not meet the standards of the Ultra Low Emissions Zone that Boris is planning to introduce in 2020 . Please sign this petition to get the age limit on London's Black cabs removed. If a London Taxi is fit for purpose and passes current emission standards it should be allowed to stay on the road.

It has become an epidemic. As a trade union rep for the past 24 yrs and the last 20 in local authority I have dealt with many cases of bullying, from Heads in schools or Managers in social services to local government officers.

We consider these measures necessary to alleviate the suffering imposed on some of the poorest members of our society by some of the richest.

Most of those who have the option will always be tempted to avoid paying their fair contribution to support the old, the sick, the disabled and those trapped in poverty. This way those who enjoy the benefits of better housing have to pay more than those who don't.

The decision to withdraw sailing from the Paralympics comes at a time when the opportunities for disabled sailing are expanding. The reason given for the withdrawal is that not enough nations provide sailing for disabled people. Any sport takes time to develop, especially something that was considered impossible until very recently. But as the awareness of disabled sailing has increased so have the numbers participating and so have the number of nations taking it up. Clearly the International Paralympic Committee has decided it will not wait for the necessary increase, and in doing so, will deprive disabled people in less developed countries of the opportunity to take up a sport where they can use their minds to race as well as any able bodied person. It is a disgraceful decision and although the IPC says it is Final, nothing is ever final. If enough people get behind the campaign the IPC will either have to face the opprobrium of many or change their decision: The words of Shel Silverstein’s Poem “The Musn’ts” comes to mind. Listen to the mustn’ts child, Listen to the Don’ts. Listen to the Shouldn’t’s, The Impossibles, the Won’ts. Listen to the don’t have’s, Then listen close to me. Anything is possible Everything can be. If enough people get behind the campaign the Committee will either have to face the opprobrium of many or change their decision.

Disabled Blue Badge holders rely on their cars to visit the doctor, go shopping or take part in leisure activities. They can't use public transport. Charging them to park is punishing them for being disabled. Blue Badge holders may choose to go elsewhere, impacting on the city's economy or park on double yellow lines causing congestion. How is this Creating Decent Neighbourhoods? Charging disabled residents and visitors to the city to park is detrimental to both the disabled person and Newcastle. Disabled staff with Blue Badges have to drive to work. It is not a choice. They can't use public transport. They can't walk to work. A free parking space for disabled employees with Blue Badges is not a luxury it is a reasonable adjustment. It is unlawful to ask a disabled person to pay for a reasonable adjustment. Disabled employees should not be made to pay for a reasonable adjustment. Charging disabled employees will raise £4,500 a year. This will make no difference to the Council but some disabled employees will no longer be able to afford to work. How will this make Newcastle A Working City? This action targets those Hardest Hit by Welfare Reform and government cuts and discriminates against the most isolated and excluded in society. Parking charges for the lowest paid staff will go up by 580% but those on the highest salaries will have no increase. People in low paid jobs are more likely to be from BME communities, carers, disabled or women. How does this Tackle Inequalities. Council staff earning less than £15,000 will be subsidizing parking for those earning over £100.000. How are these changes fair? How are they justifiable? Does this make Newcastle City Council Fit for Purpose? Newcastle is often voted the friendliest city in the UK. The Geordie welcome is world famous. Do the people of Newcastle really want their city to be known as a place that doesn't welcome disabled people? Does Newcastle City Council really want to be seen as widening the pay gap between their highest and lowest paid employees? Or does Newcastle want to be seen as a vibrant, forward thinking, Socially Just city that supports the most vulnerable, disadvantaged and excluded in society?

Without warning, the 2014 Immigration Act imposed upon long-term, legal UK migrants the requirement of a No Time Limit Document, to present as legal proof of their Indefinite Leave to Remain, when seeking employment, (in some cases, housing) or access to benefits, for which some have been paying for decades. The postal application for an NTL Document costs £104.00 and takes and unacceptable SIX MONTHS to process. (There is a Premium One-Day Service which costs a casual £504.00 for the privilege of jumping the queue.) Without the NTL Document, long-term, legal, migrants (In my case - as a Canadian national, I have lived in the UK 34 years, payed taxes and NIC, and I am on the electoral-roll.) are held in a limbo where we can not take up new employment, nor access benefits such as job-seekers' allowance (despite funding NIC for decades) In a bid to see that we law-abiding, non-threatening people can be allowed to carry-on taking part and contributing to UK society, (as we were doing, unmolested, before May 14, 2014), I have contacted all parties at Westminster regarding this issue, and I have even spoken with the Deputy Prime-Minister about this. After months of having this life-affecting issue treated with indifference, or trivialised, it is apparent to me that to put right this collateral damage, caused by the 2014 Immigration Act, the government would have to 'spend money', a notion anathema to it's ethos. (particularly where 'people on the pavement' are concerned.) Additionally, this is an IMMIGRATION issue which is the Coalition Government's Achilles-heel. Those of us thrust into poverty or financial-hardship by this sloppy-legislation are battling with an ideologically-obdurate government, committed to BURYING this embarrassing issue. Through this legislation, Theresa May's headline-grabbing "hostile environment" is penalising innocent people! There are thousands of us affected by this (Some ILR holders won't be aware of this issue until they apply for their next job) I invite anyone, adversely affected by the 2014 Immigration Act, to join me in plying pressure on this government, and the government elected in May, to do the decent thing, and treat legal, law-abiding immigrants fairly.

The road outside Holy Trinity Primary School is both busy and dangerous. A blind bend and careless and speeding drivers only add to the problem. The council has acknowledged this by historically providing two crossing patrols on this stretch of road to ensure we can get our children safely to school. However currently there is none. Our children are too important to wait for an injury or worse before the council take notice. Please sign this petition to urge Wakefield Council to employ a permanent crossing patrol outside Holy Trinity Primary School. Thank You

This is a much loved beautiful part of Rural Kent. Developments should be kept to outskirts of towns or cities not small country villages. Total of over 1600 houses currently proposed in the Sittingbourne area!! Orchards are an ever diminishing, fundamentally important part of our countryside - this area is loved and enjoyed by all the local families as free access is given for walking across the Orchards. Doctors, Schools Hospitals cannot take this increase in volume the road network pollution and other impacts to the local environment cannot sustain this development. PLEASE TAKE 5 MINUTES TO OBJECT TO THIS DEVELOPMENT Individually object to the planning application in writing or email below quoting:- Pond Farm Newington 15/500671/OUT Mid Kent Planning Support, Maidstone House, King Street, Maidstone ME15 6JQ Email: [email protected] Some objection reasons:- • Is not in Swale Borough Council's local plan for housing-wrong location • Would increase the village size by 30% • Loss of grade 1 farm land & risk to rare species of wildlife • Would increase pollution on Newington high st to over acceptable EU levels • Totally destructive to local wildlife and nature • Not a sustainable site no transport infrastructure plans

Because solely the 85% of the UK's voters in England are denied the same degree of self-determination enjoyed by voters in Scotland. Consequently, there is no England voice. Nor do the people of England have their own separate Bill drafting facilities, nor Executive, nor Budget to administer devolved matters including NHS, Education, Social Care, Housing, Transport, Sport and local government as counterparts to those in Scotland. Equality and fairness dictate that England should be accorded a referendum. Wales was given a second referendum in 1997 despite having previously rejected a Welsh Assembly [80% voted 'No' on a turnout of 60%.], but England has never had her own referendum. Consequently, the British Parliamentary system is seriously flawed, indefensible, unrepresentative of England's interests and, ultimately, unsustainable.