Palm oil production has destroyed vast areas of forest in countries including Indonesia, which is home to orangutans, the Rainforest foundation UK says palm oil companies are now planning to expand into the rainforests of the Congo basin in Africa, home to lowland gorillas and other threatened primates. Palm oil companies are also partly responsible for the recent devastating forest fires in Sumatra, which caused pollution episodes in Malaysia and Singapore.

The government may raise tax on solar in April 2017... unless enough people appeal. This would be a huge increase in the running costs of a rooftop solar installation that would affect both existing and new projects according to Solar Trade Association (STA). “In some cases, it would actually send installations into negative returns: you would be spending more on the system in tax and maintenance than you would be getting back from the sale of the power and the Feed-in Tariff support”, Paul Barwell, CEO of the STA commented. “We therefore need Ministers to step in as soon as possible”. Raising tax to such a crippling extent just over a year after the UK gov made a commitment to tackling climate change would drastically diminish our leadership in renewable energy generation at a time when the global mean temperature continues to rise. It would do this by discouraging 1000's of solar projects. It would be a hugely backward step by the UK in the midst of a collective global energy transition.

This race could undoubtedly bring the thousands of people far and wide to Hexham and Northumberland, benefiting businesses and creating profit to the area. The event can really put Hexham on the map!.

It undermines the local council who have the local knowledge to make an informed decision

Until a few years ago people who could no longer clean their own home would be able to turn to their local Council and ask for one of the Council's team of home helps to be sent in. Without much discussion Councils have abandoned this policy leaving bewildered people who wonder where their help has gone.

It is important to protect our wild birds and birds of prey. Buzzards were hunted to near extinction in the 19th century but have recovered to become of the most common birds in Northumberland. The reasons such as buzzards: will sometimes take young pheasantsand, or; the protection of gamekeepers livelihoods, are not good enough reasons for killing these beautiful native birds. Additionally, pheasants are a non-native bird which is reared for commercial shooting.

The use of glyphosates has already been banned or restricted in 8 countries. It is not acceptable that ourselves, our children and the animals we share our community with are being routinely exposed to these chemicals whether we like it or not. This is a matter of great importance for those of us who care about each other's health and the health of our children, our cats, our dogs and all the flora and fauna of this city, of course including our beloved bees. If you don't live in this area, click here to sign or start the campaign for your city: https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/start-a-pesticide-campaign

The use of glyphosates has already been banned or restricted in 8 countries. It is not acceptable that ourselves, our children and the animals we share our community with are being routinely exposed to these chemicals whether we like it or not. This is a matter of great importance for those of us who care about each other's health and the health of our children, our cats, our dogs and all the flora and fauna of this city, of course including our beloved bees. If you don't live in this area, click here to sign or start the campaign for your city: https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/start-a-pesticide-campaign

Devon healthcare is being placed under special measures, to cut a predicted financial shortfall of £440m by 2020. Government identifies the position as an overspend. Special measures for reducing this overspend, drawn up in guidelines titled the Success Regime, are set to re-configure services at many Devon hospitals. North Devon District Hospital, in Barnstaple, is the largest in North Devon, currently with elective and acute services. The Success Regime does not rule out that Acute services of A&E, Maternity, Stroke, and Paediatrics could disappear. Senior figures in the local healthcare system have said it is extremely unlikely that these services would be withdrawn but at the same time we have been told that "there are no red lines" meaning that anything could happen. NHSEngland is trying to push changes through as fast as possible. If these services are lost, local people would have to travel to Exeter or Plymouth for treatment. For very many these hospitals are over an hour or more away; very serious complications and deaths could and would occur. Even if acute services are maintained, despite plans to increase care at home, other services will doubtless also be affected meaning unacceptable wait and travel times for routine surgery such as hip and knee replacement Cross-party Campaigners against such closures read the situation as underfunding rather than overspending and are protesting the loss of services vitally important to the region. Because of its rural nature Devon is suffering more than most, but cuts like these are taking place across the country. We want Government to re-think their health care strategy which at present is far from clear and transparent, with NHS England taking funding from budgets for public health, education and training, capital spend and national bodies such as NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence). Spending in these areas is being cut by more than £3 billion over the next five years with very little information on how this decrease in spending will be managed. Rather than cutting vital services and thereby opening the door for privatized health care, the government should be having free and frank discussion about increasing funding for healthcare to include such measures as an hypothecated healthcare tax, more efficient tax collection, compulsory insurance contributions and taxes on harmful products like tobacco and sugar. A Protest DEMONSTRATION, drawing a RED LINE around our hospital services, will be held 23 August. Meet at Pilton Park 10.00am or outside Barnstaple Hospital 10.30-12.30pm. Please come along. Wear red, bring red ribbon. For more information www.sohs.co.uk

The use of glyphosates has already been banned or restricted in 8 countries. It is not acceptable that ourselves, our children and the animals we share our community with are being routinely exposed to these chemicals whether we like it or not. This is a matter of great importance for those of us who care about each other's health and the health of our children, our cats, our dogs and all the flora and fauna of this city, of course including our beloved bees. If you don't live in this area, click here to start a campaign for your city: https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/start-a-pesticide-campaign

The use of glyphosates has already been banned or restricted in 8 countries. It is not acceptable that ourselves, our children and the animals we share our community with are being routinely exposed to these chemicals whether we like it or not. This is a matter of great importance for those of us who care about each other's health and the health of our children, our cats, our dogs and all the flora and fauna of this city, of course including our beloved bees. If you don't live in this area, click here to start a campaign for your city: https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/start-a-pesticide-campaign

The use of glyphosates has already been banned or restricted in 8 countries. It is not acceptable that ourselves, our children and the animals we share our community with are being routinely exposed to these chemicals whether we like it or not. This is a matter of great importance for those of us who care about each other's health and the health of our children, our cats, our dogs and all the flora and fauna of this city, of course including our beloved bees. If you don't live in this area, click here to start a campaign for your city: https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/start-a-pesticide-campaign