Keeping a useful and needed facility in the town for everyone

We’re all tightening our purse strings because of the cost of living crisis. Except, it seems, our Prime Minister - who's flying about the place on private jets and helicopters. It's a slap in the face to people who are stuck dealing with failing public transport due to his government’s inaction, while “No 10 are unable to say when Mr Sunak last went on a train.” And now even his ministers are getting in on the action! Foreign Minister James Cleverly used a luxury jet for his tour of the Caribbean and Latin America to the tune of £348,000. Enough is enough. The Prime Minister's latest private helicopter trip - which was paid for by the taxpayer and would have only taken 1 hour and 15 minutes by train - is being called out by the press and the public because people are sick and tired of the hypocrisy. And James Cleverly is being criticised for using a luxury jet when cheaper options were available. It’s time for Rishi Sunak and his team to get their heads out of the clouds and face reality. A big petition will show just how strong the outrage is and could get him to drop these expensive, unnecessary flights that contribute to the climate crisis.

I believe the lack of regular check-ups will lead to problems other than tooth decay. I had my mouth cancer spotted by my dentist leading to a hospital referral. This meant I had a biopsy within 3 weeks and this was followed by scans and urgent surgery - all within 6 weeks of my dental appointment. In effect, the dentist was at the beginning of a process that saved my life. Without the availability of NHS dentistry many others may not be so lucky, and with mouth cancer on the increase this will lead to more complex problems to be dealt with by the NHS surgeons.

There is enough problems in this country with people being unable to navigate the cost of living crisis. A disgraced PM and MP should not be handed an award, especially when he does not show any respect for the Monarch he is supposed to serve. Boris Johnson is a proven liar. He has shown that he has no respect for anyone, not his wives, children, colleagues and especially not the UK public. What impression does it give to the UK population if a person of such low character is given an award for being such a disgrace? Is it not even more of a disgrace if that person has publicly demonstrated they lack respect for the Monarchy itself? How can they be considered for ennoblement when they lack enough respec for the King, they consider bowing to him as beneath their dignity. His wife curtsied to the King and Queen yet Boris Johnson barely nodded to the Queen and ignored the King entirely. What message would it provide to the UK public for such an act to be ignored in the face of anti monarchy sentiment. It would paint a picture that His Majesty's Government itself considers insults to the Monarch to be acceptable. Is that the message the Government wishes to present? Is the Government putting out the message that they accept the role of the Monarchy no longer has a place in the UK, so much so that they support insults from Government ministers to the King. Not in words but in lack of deeds. I believe that if the government were to have the footage of the coronation analysed, they would find that Boris Johnson did not voice the oath of allegiance either. Such is my faith in his lack of respect.

The current Housing crisis combined with the cost of living crisis, commodification, and privatisation, is making the vulnerable increasingly exposed, squeezing the middlemen for all they have and helping the rich get richer. Housing is a need not a commodity. RTB needs to be scrapped to ensure every resident in England has a high-quality, secure home. We need your help to protect the most vulnerable by ending England's housing crisis. The idea is that housing is a necessity, not a luxury and every resident should be able to access housing at a cost that does not impact on their quality of life. This requires the removal of the Right To Buy policy, following suit with Scotland and Wales. In England, less than 1.6 million council homes are left with upwards of 82 council areas in England having no local authority-owned social housing. Even if councils could build back council homes 1 for 1, the size, standards, and location would not be the same as the original home. Many homes sold under RTB end up in the private rented sector; est 40% in 2016. Therefore, RTB results in the loss of homes, loss of council revenue streams, higher private rents, and a higher benefit bill. Scrapping the RTB policy would allow local councils to build back their social housing stock, ensuring the most vulnerable resident have a quality roof over their head, private sector rents will decrease allowing first-time buyers to access accommodation and funding could be raised through the councils' restored revenue stream to better regulate the rented sector. We, therefore, call on the government to scrap the RTB bill!

Midwifery students in Kent have been working incredibly hard for up to 3 years - many are weeks away from qualifying and many won't be able to finish the course, meaning they won't be able to practise. They have sacrificed other careers, time with family, have taken on debt and worked long hours for free at our local hospitals, some of them through the pandemic. Our local midwives have put hard work into mentoring them. Without a new pool of newly qualified midwives locally, out hospitals who already have low staffing levels will struggle to recruit to the levels they need, meaning that local families needing maternity care will suffer unless something can be done.

If the government does not redress the balance the journey to systematic collapse of government infrastructure will continue unabated. Education, Health, Social Care, The Police, The Legal System, The Councils (roads, bankruptcy) will continue on a downward spiral. The government promised austerity would fix this in 2008. It did! For the wealthiest individuals, keeping labour cheap and interest rates low for businesses. Though people will reference COVID as being the reason for our current circumstances, the issues are all due to long-term underfunding. The funding doesn't seem to be increasing any time soon. It is a race to the bottom, with rich people having less economic shackles whilst the poorest people are having to make choices about food and heat, having their cars damaged by poorly maintained roads, police that aren't fully trained because they are rushed through training, nurses who are overwhelmed by work and difficult home circumstances because of poor pay and teachers who are focused on being social workers because of a lack of support for families.

5 reasons why you should write to your MP to prioritise LGBTQ+ youth homelessness: 1. LGBTQ+ young people are being kicked out for being who they are. 77% of the young people akt supports face homelessness when they came out or were outed by family members ( akt 2015) 2. Rejection means young people do not have anyone to turn to for support. Only 13 per cent of LGBTQ+ young people felt supported by parents or stepparents while homeless (akt 2021) 3. Often housing services are not equipped to respond to their needs. 44% of local authorities and housing associations have not received training on LGBTQ+ homelessness ( akt 2022) 4. The abuse and discrimination lgbtq+ young people face doesn't end at home. Over half (59 per cent) of LGBTQ+ young people have faced some form of discrimination or harassment while accessing services ( akt 2021) 5. The cost of living and private rented sector crisis, is pushing more lgbtq+ young people into homelessness. Charities like akt are struggling with increased demands to our services and compared to before the crisis, we can support less people for the same amount.

We believe that access to free public libraries and archives services can change lives for the better. They are needed in Dudley Borough more than ever. Library services foster literacy and a lifelong love of books, particularly among children and young people. They enable access to vital information for marginalised groups and permit students of all ages a quiet working environment. They're also community hubs, support to parents, and offer culture, music, and reading to all. Archives, along with libraries, are also vital to the preservation of our local heritage and identity. Closing or cutting libraries or archives services in Dudley will jeopardise the educational development and cultural life of the Borough for decades to come. Your support of this petition will be visible in the public domain.

The military industrial complex – the relationship between a country’s military and the defence industry – is not often the first thing that comes to mind when we think about UK universities. But as climate change and global conflict escalate, it has never been more important that our education systems are used to advance peace. But UK universities continue to invest in and partner with the companies who profit from and contribute to this instability. The dED database has uncovered £2BN+ in these links - and we’ve barely scratched the surface yet!  This demonstrates the massive scope of university relationships with arms entities, rooted in an industry which will not help us tackle modern-day security threats. The arms industry cannot help to resolve the security threats arising from climate change, poverty, and global instability. Veterans for Peace have said this plainly: “War cannot solve the problems we face in the 21st century”. We cannot fight climate change with fighter jets, and cannot solve health crises with combat drones. As Einstein once said, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results”. The military sector and arms industry make their profits from resource exploitation, conflict and the building-up of weapons reserves: the exact things generating instability.  To create a more peaceful world, our universities should support and develop security innovations to help us face modern-day security challenges – rather than investing in ones that negatively contribute to the threats we face.  Universities hold undeniable power to shape society. By signing this petition you will help to make sure that this power is used in favour of peace and not war.  ______________________________________________ P.S. We really need your help to continue our important work. We don't have many regular donors yet and this crucially needs to change if you want us to continue fighting to take back the power (and use it for peace). Even £5 a month makes a huge difference. Donate now if you can and be a part of building this legacy: https://ded1.co/donate ______________________________________________ If you're associated with a UK university: Add a direct message to the Chancellor of your University in the comment box available, using your university email address if possible. Organisational endorsements: Bury & Salford Peace Group Centre for Peacebuilding Organisations For Our Great-Great-Grandchildren ForcesWatch Glasgow University Arms Divestment Coalition International Peace Bureau London Campaign Against Arms Trade Manchester & Warrington AM Quaker Peace Group Musicians for Peace and Disarmament Rethinking Security Rochdale and Littleborough Peace Group Scientists for Global Responsibility Shadow World Investigations Stockport for Peace Stop Fuelling War The Vivienne Foundation University of Bristol Students Union WILPF UK Sign on behalf of an organisation here: https://forms.gle/NLscs5TDJNi1KrjNA

We are swimming in shit, and lies are being spread about "improving water quality" when there has been greed-linked increased dumping of sewage consistently over the last 20 years (with occasionally falls and rises because of "dry" and "wet" years.

On Saturday 13th August 1831 the twenty three year old Richard Lewis was led to the scaffold in Cardiff and hanged by the neck until dead for allegedly injuring a soldier in the Merthyr rising riots. His trial was mired in controversy. The trial reports indicate that there was no reliable evidence proving Richard Lewis had caused any wounding and witnesses contradicted themselves. Nonetheless, he was found guilty due to the political climate of protest and revolt. We believe he was made a scapegoat so others did not follow in his example! In 1874, a man named Ianto Parker confessed on his death bed, in the USA to the Reverend Evan Evans that he stabbed the soldier and then fled to America fearing capture by the authorities. Another man named James Abbot, who testified against Penderyn at the trial, also admitted to lying under oath. We call on King Charles to right this cruel injustice! "O Arglwydd, dyma gamwedd." (O Lord, this is injustice.) Were the final words of Dic Penderyn, before being executed for a crime he didn't commit, the stabbing and wounding a soldier in the skirmishes between the starving workers of Merthyr Tudful and armed soldiers sent in to quell the Merthyr Rising of 1831. 191 yrs on, the original injustice is perpetuated by the lack of a pardon...time to put that right!