This cut contradicts the Scottish Government Manifesto commitments concerning instrumental music tuition, which have cross-party support in the Scottish Parliament. The Policy Commitment The SNP Manifesto 2021, 'Scotland's Future' set out the SNP policy commitments for the current Parliamentary session. In relation to music and arts education, it undertook to: abolish fees for music and arts education, including instrumental music tuition in schools; mainstream music as a core subject in Scotland's education system; and ensure Scotland's school-based instrumental music teachers receive GTCS registration and accreditation. The Scottish Government commitment to abolish instrumental music tuition fees is part of a wider policy objective to remove cost barriers to education. The SNP Manifesto clearly articulates this policy, stating: 'No pupil should struggle to learn because of poverty. We know that some families are sacrificing essentials like heating, food and rent payments so that their children can participate fully at school – this is unacceptable. The barriers to education must be removed.' It then provides specific comments on 'Curriculum Charges', making the following commitment: 'To ensure equal access to the whole curriculum, we will remove core curriculum charges for all pupils. This will enable children to take the subjects they want without families having to struggle to meet costs of resources and materials for practical lessons.' The Gulf between Policy and Practice Despite these laudable policy ambitions, which seek to ensure equitable access to instrumental music tuition for all children and young people, the reality is different in practice. Midlothian Council proposes to withdraw its funding of the Instrumental Music Service - to the tune of £440,000 - and rely solely on the funding provided by the Scottish Government. On 4th October 2022, the Scottish Government issued a letter to the Directors of Finance and Heads of Instrumental Music Tuition, providing advice concerning the allocation of funding in respect of instrumental music tuition in schools. The letter refers to the Manifesto commitments and provides 'further advice and confirmation of what the commitment on abolishing fees means in practice for local authorities and schools, and how the funding can be managed to meet this commitment'. It refers to the increase in funding provided to local authorities and goes on to provide that 'Scottish Ministers expect that the uplift in funding should be spent on an enhancement of instrumental music tuition services, including activity in this academic year which could support further enhancement in later years.' (emphasis added). The advice then goes on to provide examples of how the funding can be used. All examples given refer to additionality both in terms of staff and resources. It is clear from this letter that this additional funding alone is not designed to fund the provision of instrumental music tuition fully but rather to supplement the existing funding which Local Authorities have previously allocated to Instrumental Music Services. This has not been recognised in the approach being adopted in the draft budget proposals by Midlothian Council. The Impact on Children, Young People, Instrumental Music Services and the Community As there will be no younger pupils feeding through to Secondary and ultimately to the senior phase, it will be nigh on impossible to get pupils, who have only started to learn an instrument at Secondary School, to SQA standard or, indeed, any suitable standard in the given time which enables them to take a meaningful part in School, Authority or Community musical activities. Due to fewer or no younger pupils with any experience of learning an instrument coming through to Senior level and only a few of those studying for a National qualification e.g. Nat 5, Higher, Advanced Higher likely, but not guaranteed, to receive any tuition through the Instrumental Music Service, Music as a subject in Midlothian is likely to be reduced in size or downgraded. The aim for equity of opportunity and experience enshrined in the Government manifesto will be lost to Midlothian pupils. The same issues of equity of access which were highlighted when Local Authorities charged for lessons will arise again. Only those pupils who can afford to pay for private instrumental music tuition will be in a position to take qualifications in Music or play in bands and ensembles. Children and young people from socio-economically deprived areas will not have this opportunity or the opportunity for rich engagement with Music to enhance achievement or health and wellbeing. This is contrary to the policy intent of the Manifesto commitments.

The public highway is a shared resource that should not be appropriated by a small number of companies for their own commercial benefit and with no regard to the adverse impact on other users. . Blind and partially sighted people are particularly vulnerable to badly parked Lime bikes. People with prams also are disadvantaged and forced to walk in the path of vehicles. Wheel chair and mobility scooters users are entitled to use the streets too without having to negotiate these obstacles. A tweak to the app will allow users of the Lime App who want to behave responsibly to report the location of badly parked bikes. This will save Westminster City Council and others the time and costs incurred by having to collect and store the bikes. Its common sense to use the Lime App to allow your customers to help reduce this problem caused by some of your users. Also please make the penalty charge for poorly parked bikes to £10 to encourage users to do the right thing. The money collected could be donated to a charity that helps the blind or partially sighted. Councillor Patrick Lilley West End Ward -City of Westminster

We need your help to stop this because: -It's bad for the environment. These plans have failed multiple environmental reports. There will be light, noise and microplastic pollution. Damaging local bat and bird habitats. increasing flooding and reducing air quality PERMENANTLY. We should be rewilding these spaces, not urbanising them further -Parks aren't about profit, they're for everyone. The people of the local area have had no investment for over 30 years. The huge redevelopment of the park will take the only asset that's free to all and turn it into a commodity to buy. New facilities are supposedly 'multi-use' but surely playing on the grass is more inclusive of yoga, kite flying, dog walking, cricket, rounders, picnics ect. AND ITS FREE! - The park doesn't meet the local need, its designed for and advertised to league level sports clubs all over Barnet. The park currently hosts a football club once a week, stretching local provision of parking and causing road blocks. The light, noise pollution, plastic water bottles and antisocial behaviour will effect residents on a daily basis; their traquil park will become a living nightmare.

Millions of families are struggling to keep their homes warm this winter. Yet today, Centrica, British Gas’ parent company, announced that its profits TRIPLED in the last year. If that wasn’t bad enough, CEO Chris O’Shea is now set to take home a £1.6 million bonus. It’s a bonus for break-ins. An undercover investigation recently revealed that British Gas agents were routinely forcing their way into the homes of vulnerable people to fit prepayment meters, leaving many without heating and electricity. And with millions more families struggling to keep up with their extortionate energy bills, it’s sickening he’s even considering taking this £1.6 million bonus. He must reject the bonus and donate it to a support fund to help struggling families with their energy bills.

Decisions over how to manage health and any long-term sickness should be between a patient and their GP. It's horrifying to think the Government could pressure GPs into sending people who are sick back into work. They say it's to help boost the economy, but targeting sick people instead of corporations like BP and Shell that have made billions in profit, is cruel and short-sighted. The Government must not include these terrible plans in its Spring budget.

Join this campaign and show your support for better customer service and accountability. We need the return of phone numbers and the ability to talk to a human and not an infuriating chat bot with links to endless circles of unhelpful articles to help ourselves. To have a monitored system where "I'm sorry" is not good enough but has reasonable consequences.

We are a small charity that listens to young people on issues that affect their progress and prosperity. We are hearing how local secondary schools are operating policies that disproportionally exclude young people in particular young people from African and Carribbean backgrounds. Our young people have seen how these policies have conspired against them and do not want to see any more cases where young people are being stripped searched by Police in schools. We also want to bring more fairness to secondary schools by ensuring policies are not disproportionately affecting their well being. We are currently undertaking a survey of young people in our borough Hackney and beyond to evaluate this impact and we wish to share the views expressed by over 200 children and young people from 16 - 25 years. We want you to ensure: 1. All schools behavioural policies are consulted on by its young people. 2. Police in schools are reviewed monthly to make their involvement accountable to young people and parents. 3. Allow schools to become part of the community and encourage schools to be transparent about exclusions and how this is now being managed. 4. Head masters are held accountable for their staff actions 5. Ensuring more localised accountability for academy secondary schools. We hope to see changes in the way secondary schools administrates it's behaviour codes and ensures there is local more accountability for decisions and greater involvement of young people and parents. We also want to stop anymore incidences of Child Q.

15% of bus services could be scrapped due to a funding shortfall when the Government’s recovery grant introduced to keep buses running after the pandemic comes to an end. Buses are the most popular mode of transport in England. People rely on buses to get to work, school, hospital appointments and more. But with bus routes and services set to be scrapped, it could leave millions of people feeling isolated and unable to travel in and around their local area and beyond. Together we need to demand the Government takes action to protect these vital bus routes and make sure England can stay connected.

Please join this campaign and stop TfL disregarding the needs of passengers here and elsewhere on the basis of no evidence. Cyclists get injured at junctions, not bus stops and there are bus stop designs that are safe for cyclists given the right training.

The proposed 72% allotment rent hike in Barry and Rhoose will mean many poorer allotment holders, who have often tended their plot for many years, will be forced to surrender their allotment due to the increased cost. We believe that this level of rent rise is not proportionate with other council charge increases such as car parking, council house rents or council tax and will hurt those on the lowest incomes most. Allotments have never been meant to be rented at an economic rent, they were and are a social and environmental benefit. Increasing rents in line with inflation would be reasonable but making allotment holders plug council finances is simply wrong. The Well-being of Future Generations (Wales)Act 2015 sets out a clear obligation for public bodies to enable positive change that leads to a more resilient, sustainable, secure and healthy Wales. The Guidence for local Authorities, Town & Community Councils issued by the Welsh Government clearly states on page 8 under Costs and charges: "The rent charged for an allotment plot 'shall be let at such rent as a tenant may reasonably be expected to pay for the land' (Allotments Act 1950 section 10). While the temptation may be to increase rents to cover the cost of providing allotments, this may exclude the very people who need them most. Rents should be in line with the national average of approximately £45 a year for a full plot(correct as at April 2020) and its at the authority's discretion if they have concessionary rates." The Vale of Glamorgan Council has declared both Climate and Nature emergencies. Allotments contribute to both climate by growing local food in a sustainable way and nature by providing green spaces where wildlife can find food, shelter and breeding sites. Many allotments have ponds and honey bees both of which are vital for healthy ecosystems. Although allotments will always be mainly used for growing food, they have other social and environmental benefits. They are great places for healthy exercise, providing good opportunities for socialising, and puts us in touch with nature. Please do not make our allotments only affordable to the wealthy!

Research shows us that students in the UK are regularly witnessing and experiencing racism within their schools. This is also evident from recent headlines and news stories which range from hair discrimination, higher rates of exclusion for students from the global majority, issues of adultification as seen in the case of Child Q and most recently the disturbing video of a black child being viciously assaulted outside their school. One of the major ways we can ensure the safety of our students is to equip school leaders and staff with a basic understanding of the issues that face employees and students from the global majority in education. We already know that schools leaders and teachers are overwhelmingly white so this is an area in which they need time to study, reflect and understand how not being racialised as white will give you a very different experience and perspective of the education system in this country. Did you know: -More than 60,000 racist incidents were recorded in UK schools over a five-year period. -95% of young Black people report that they have heard and witnessed the use of racist language at school. -Almost 90% of teachers are not trained to prevent racism in schools -70% of young Black people have felt the need to change their hair to be “more professional” at work or school. -92.5% of headteachers are White British with 86% having an all white leadership team. -Ethnic minority candidates are less likely to be accepted onto teacher training than their white counterparts

As residents of Blackley Village we are subjected to high volumes of traffic in a neighbourhood which provides more car infrastructure than walking infrastructure. Pavements along Old Market Street, Oakworth Street, French Barn Lane, Plant Hill Road, Bank House, Hill Lane, Chapel Lane, Tweedle Hill Road are often narrow. At the same time roads are narrow and bendy. These roads are used by high volumes of vulnerable pedestrians, including school children of Pike Fold Primary School, the Co-op Academy, Crab Lane Primary School and Prospect House Specialist Support Primary School. Additionally, there is a high proportion of elderly road users, who access the shops on Old Market Street and Hill Lane as well as the GP practice on Old Market Street. Given the limited shared space for both motorized traffic and foot traffic, we ask that you reduce the risk of collisions and injury by reducing the speed limit to 20miles per hour throughout the entire residential area. Currently there are some 20miles zones outside some schools, such as parts of Old Market Street/Chapel Lane for Pike Fold Primary School and parts of Plant Hill Road outside the Co-op Academy. At the same time, Bank House outside Prospect House only has a recommended speed limit of 20miles per hour. Given the size of the neighbourhood and the high frequency of change in speed limits throughout the area, we ask you to consider introducing a blanket 20miles zone for the entire neighbourhood. The residential roads and their footpaths in Blackley Village are narrow and bendy. We also have hundreds of school children and their families using them every day. There are already 20miles per hour zones directly outside of the schools - which means 1) drivers have to change their speed several times and 2) most part of the children's way to school is not protected from fast cars. Additionally, we frequently have races occuring in the area. Petitioning for a 20miles per hour zone will pave the way for more physical traffic calming measures to stop these races.