Residents keep asking whether the current car-park schemes are now dead. At present there has been no formal Cabinet decision bringing them to an end. An independent investigation will look at how we got here. But Cabinet does not need to wait for that investigation to decide whether the current proposals should continue. The same request is being submitted to HDC through its official petition process. That process can take 90 days, so this independent petition gives residents an opportunity to make their views known now. If HDC accepts and opens the official petition, we will publish the link and encourage supporters to sign that petition too. Of course, Cabinet can answer the question at any time. If it formally stops the current schemes, this petition will have achieved its purpose.

SUPPORTING STATEMENT TO SAFFRON WALDEN TOWN COUNCIL Recognising Saffron Walden’s Friendship with Bethlehem This statement accompanies the petition from residents asking Saffron Walden Town Council to publicly recognise its existing friendship with Bethlehem on 29 November 2026, the United Nations International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. The Particular Connection with Bethlehem This is not simply a request for the Council to recognise an international event. Saffron Walden has its own direct civic relationship with a Palestinian community. On 10 April 2017, Saffron Walden Town Council approved a formal friendship agreement with the Municipality of Bethlehem, following an initiative associated with the then Mayor, Cllr Sarfraz Anjum, and Deputy Mayor, Cllr Richard Freeman. In announcing the agreement, Cllr Anjum described it as:  “a fantastic opportunity to develop friendship between the communities”  “a special town which is inter-linked to Jesus’s unwavering message that we should love and respect one another.”  “This message is as important today as ever.” Nearly ten years later, we believe those words remain an appropriate expression of the relationship between our two communities. The Purpose of the Friendship The friendship was conceived as an opportunity to encourage friendship, inter-faith understanding and cultural connections between the people of Saffron Walden and Bethlehem. Contemporary discussion surrounding the establishment of the relationship emphasised bringing communities of different faiths and cultures together, alongside the potential for stronger links between Saffron Walden’s churches and Bethlehem’s Christian community and holy sites. The friendship was therefore about more than a formal agreement between two municipal authorities. At its heart was an aspiration to develop people-to-people relationships, mutual understanding and goodwill. Those principles remain relevant today. Why 29 November? The United Nations International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People has been observed annually since 1978. Bethlehem is a Palestinian city. We therefore believe 29 November provides a natural and internationally recognised occasion on which Saffron Walden can give visible expression to the friendship it established with Bethlehem. The request does not require the Town Council to determine or adopt a position on the wider political and military questions surrounding Israel and Palestine. It asks the Council to recognise an existing civic friendship between communities on an appropriate international day. Within that context, flying the Palestinian flag is intended as one element of a wider gesture of friendship, celebration and respect, alongside information about the relationship and a small community celebration of Bethlehem’s culture and heritage. Looking Ahead to Ten Years of Friendship 2027 will mark ten years since Saffron Walden Town Council established its formal friendship with the Municipality of Bethlehem. We believe this provides a valuable opportunity to revisit the original aspirations behind the friendship and consider how the relationship can be renewed and strengthened for the future. We would welcome the Council re-establishing direct contact with Bethlehem Municipality and exploring ways in which the tenth anniversary could be appropriately recognised during 2027. This might include civic, cultural, educational and inter-faith links between the two communities, together with exploring the possibility of inviting the Mayor of Bethlehem, or another representative nominated by Bethlehem Municipality, to visit Saffron Walden as part of the tenth-anniversary programme. Consistent with the Council’s Civic Role Saffron Walden already uses its flagpoles to mark significant civic and international occasions and to demonstrate friendship and solidarity with communities, including Commonwealth Day and Pride and through the flying of the Ukrainian flag. There is also precedent elsewhere in local government for marking 29 November by flying the Palestinian flag, including Sheffield City Council and, following a resolution in November 2025, Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council. The proposed recognition of Bethlehem therefore sits within an established civic tradition of using significant occasions to express friendship and solidarity. Local Support Since November 2023, members of the Saffron Walden Peaceful Assembly have gathered peacefully outside the Town Hall at 12 noon each Saturday. The petition demonstrates wider local support for a constructive civic gesture that connects this concern with a relationship the Town Council itself established in 2017. The Request We respectfully ask the Council to: 1. Mark the United Nations International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People over the weekend of 28–29 November 2026 through a positive civic celebration of Saffron Walden’s friendship with Bethlehem, including flying the Palestinian flag from the Town Hall, displaying information about the friendship, and supporting a small community celebration of Bethlehem’s culture and heritage; 2. Consider incorporating recognition of 29 November into its civic calendar in future years; 3. Recognise the approaching tenth anniversary of the 2017 Saffron Walden–Bethlehem Friendship Agreement and consider how that friendship can be renewed and strengthened during 2027; and 4. Re-establish contact with the Municipality of Bethlehem and explore opportunities for civic and community engagement, including the possibility of inviting the Mayor of Bethlehem, or a nominated representative, to Saffron Walden during the tenth-anniversary year. The Saffron Walden Peaceful Assembly is happy to provide a suitable Palestinian flag at no cost to the Council. We believe these are peaceful, proportionate and constructive requests. They give practical expression to Saffron Walden’s friendship with Bethlehem and provide an opportunity, as its tenth anniversary approaches, to renew the values and aspirations upon which that friendship was established. As the Mayor said when the agreement was announced in 2017:  “We should love and respect one another. This message is as important today as ever.” Link TO News Article  https://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/news/local-news/town-near-cambridge-now-best-12886069

Why Sunny Bank matters to our community Sunny Bank is more than simply a piece of undeveloped land. For generations, people from Prestolee, Stoneclough and Ringley have walked through and enjoyed this area, using the route from Bridge Street towards the River Irwell. Bolton Council's own planning documentation has previously referred to an informal path running through the site from Bridge Street to the riverbank. Many local residents can provide first-hand evidence of using this land for decades. I am 42 and have used the route throughout my life. Other residents of a similar age remember using it as children to reach the rear of their family homes on Bridge Street and continue to use it today. Residents also remember the rebuilding of the nearby bridge in 1994, when a temporary bridge was provided and local people continued to use the route through this area. Its use did not simply begin recently – it forms part of people's memories of growing up and living in this community. The site also has environmental importance. It sits close to the River Irwell and contains trees protected by a Tree Preservation Order. Its location at the entrance to Prestolee means that what happens to this land has an impact on the character of the surrounding area. We have tried to find a voluntary solution Before asking Bolton Council to become involved, I approached the current landowner directly to see whether the community might be able to purchase the land. My approach was respectful and made clear that I understood the owner was under no obligation to sell. During a subsequent telephone conversation, the owner confirmed that the land is not currently for sale. When discussing what it might take for him to consider selling, a figure of approximately £250,000 was indicated. I explained that this was far beyond what the community could realistically consider and that, based on the interest shown, I believed approximately £60,000 might potentially be capable of being raised collectively. This was not a formal offer. Any community purchase would need to be subject to an independent valuation, confirmed funding, legal checks and appropriate due diligence. For context, Land Registry records confirm that the land was purchased for £23,000 in 2023. That does not mean the land is still worth £23,000, nor do we suggest that the owner should be forced to sell it for that amount. However, the difference between what the community might realistically be able to raise and the figure discussed demonstrates why achieving a voluntary community purchase is currently extremely difficult. The discussions ended respectfully. We have tried the voluntary route and would still welcome an agreed solution if one became possible. Why we are asking Bolton Council to help Recent activity on the land has caused increasing concern amongst local residents about what its future might be. We don't want to wait until this valued green space and the long-established access through it have disappeared before asking what could have been done to protect them. We are not asking Bolton Council to prejudge any planning application, nor are we demanding that the Council immediately compulsorily purchase private land. We are asking the Council to sit down with the community, properly consider the environmental, recreational and social value of Sunny Bank and investigate the options available to secure its future. That could mean helping the community achieve a negotiated purchase, assisting with funding or community ownership, protecting established access, or another appropriate arrangement. If agreement with the landowner genuinely cannot be achieved, we believe it is reasonable for Bolton Council to investigate whether compulsory purchase or another statutory mechanism could be justified in the public interest. Once it's gone, we can't easily get it back This land has been part of Prestolee for generations. It has a long-used route towards the River Irwell, protected trees, environmental value and, most importantly, a history of use by the people who live here. We're trying to find a positive solution while there is still an opportunity to do so. Please sign this petition and help us ask Bolton Council to work with the community to protect Sunny Bank, Prestolee, and preserve it for future generations.

Winston Trew was framed by a racist and corrupt police officer in 1972. It took nearly 50 years to clear his name. Thirteen people framed by the same officer spent a combined 623 years wrongfully convicted because his police work was never independently investigated — even after he was sent to prison. Yet even today, there is no automatic process to review cases linked to police officers who are imprisoned.   That's why we’re calling on the Justice Secretary to introduce Trew’s Law: automatic, independent reviews of cases connected to imprisoned police officers.   Why it matters Research by the University of York and APPEAL found that at least 20 police officers are imprisoned each year for offences including theft, burglary, fraud, misconduct in a public office and sexual offences. Examples include: • Stealing evidence worth £4.4million during a criminal investigation. • Stealing 4kg of cocaine from a police evidence store, conspiring to sell it, and unlawfully searching police computer systems for local drug dealers. • Serious sexual offences against children and women. In many cases, these offences were facilitated by the officers’ position of trust.   Officers like these let down the public and their fellow officers. It’s hard to believe that their past work isn’t automatically investigated.  There are likely many more victims just like Winston and their families who have suffered at the hands of corrupt and dishonest officers.  Given that most prosecutions rely on the honesty and integrity of police officers, we must have the most robust safeguards against those officers who abuse their position. The imprisonment of a police officer should trigger an automatic, independent review of their work to root out corruption, dishonesty and deception and to identify potential miscarriages of justice and protect public confidence in the justice system.   Currently this isn’t the case - and Trew’s Law would fix that.    Endorsed by: APPEAL (Centre for Criminal Appeals), Cllr Jonathan Bartley, Winston Trew. Supported by the research of the York Law School and the Centre for Applied Human Rights (University of York).   Justice shouldn’t depend on luck, or on victims fighting for decades. We call on the Justice Secretary to enact Trew’s Law.

Currently the last bus from Ipswich to Shotley Gate, with stops at Wherstead, Freston, Woolverstone, Chelmondiston, Shotley and Shotley Gate, is at 1805 returning to Ipswich at 18.45. Due to an increase in new houses on the stunning Shotley peninsula, creating a large number of extra potential passengers of all ages, this extra service is needed to provide access to the main county town, and short journeys to villages in between during the evening. This would help improve the night time economy in particular for our village halls, rural pubs and all manner of community events in Ipswich. Improve connectivity with train services to from Ipswich train station, and its routes to various locations in Suffolk, Essex and London.. Cut down on the use of cars and the associated benefits that brings in terms of cleaner air, carbon emissions and helping people controlling fuel costs.

I know first-hand how quickly gambling can spiral out of control.  Unlike a casino or bookmakers, where staff are trained to spot distress, where you can self-exclude, and where you cannot gamble while drunk — pub machines have none of those protections.  Anyone, in any state, can feed money into a highly addictive machine with no intervention, no limit, and no way out.  These machines sit in the corner of pubs specifically to catch people at their most vulnerable. That is not a loophole — it is a policy choice, and it is costing people their money, their mental health, and in some cases their lives. It has to change.

We expect that the prospective changes to the Glasgow Subway will be done with full transparency as well organised input and conversation with glasgows disabled community.  The things we propose as baseline changes to create an accessible subway in each station are as follows: • Step free access from entrance to platform.  •Level access from train to platform.  •New training for employees to help facilitate the existence of disabled people using SPT's service.  •Seating within each platform to accommodate various forms of disability.  •Fully accessible fire evacuation plans for each station.  •Mantained constant operation and access for each of the stations help points.  •Free travelcards for disabled passengers. (Similar to TFLs freedom pass.) •Legislation to enforce that access issues are not ignored by spt.  This list is not all encompassing of the changes we expect to be made to the glasgow subway, it is our hope that both glasgow city Council and spt, converse with both access2transport, and the wider disabled community within glasgow to create a better public service for all.  Access2Transport is disabled lead, by me, Rae. I am a full time wheelchair user who dares to use the Glasgow Subway. There are only 2 out of 15 subway stations with lift access, there isn’t a FULLY accessible station in the circle. To use the subway (at any station other than St Enoch and Govan) I bumshuffle the staircases and wobble on escalators. It is a public transport system, why is it that I, a valid member of the public, should leave my dignity at the door to travel like anyone else?  When access fails, it cuts disabled people off from community. Buses refuse, taxis are too expensive what else are we supposed to do? Disabled people deserve to get around with dignity and ease.  I started access2transport after travelling to London and seeing the underground, coming back to Glasgow and being greeted with our subway system hurt. I knew change had to happen, and I now knew what it could look like.  Please sign this petition, join the mailing list so we can continue this long fight

In 2017, Lancashire County Council and Preston City Council approved a masterplan for 5,322 new homes in North West Preston, on the promise of a new secondary school alongside them. Nine years on, the homes are here. The school is not. There is still no secondary school anywhere in Cottam, Lea, Ingol or Bartle. Children travel across the city or out of Preston altogether, some families paying up to £950 a year in bus fares. Last October the council delayed the school again, to 2031 at the earliest, citing insufficient demand. But the council’s own documents say otherwise. In August 2026, responding to a Freedom of Information request, it confirmed in writing that the surplus of places it reports to government is based on “total physical capacity”, and that “when we look at PAN, which reflects the actual number of places offered, there is a shortfall in every year.” Its own forecasts show Year 7 exceeding the number of places available in every year to 2031. In September 2025, the council’s own school planning team told a Planning Inspector that Preston needs 9.5 forms of entry and that “the scale of demand cannot be addressed by expansion of existing schools.” One month later, Cabinet chose expansion instead of building. The council holds no document reconciling that shortfall with the surplus it reported to government, and no assessment of the funding risk from the delay. Both answers came only after the council admitted breaching the Freedom of Information Act. The land is already set aside, 14.5 acres at Maxy Lane Farm, Higher Bartle, between Sandy Lane and Tabley Lane, and £3.8 million has been secured from developers. Lancashire County Council will itself be abolished in April 2028. Its own report says a new school takes at least three years to build. Unless this is progressed now, the site, the money and the unfinished work pass to a new authority under no obligation to deliver any of it. We are not asking for anything new. We are asking for what was promised when the homes were approved. Every figure here comes from the councils’ own published documents.

 A bombshell undercover investigation shared by Channel 4 News exposed senior Reform UK Party figures allegedly breaking the law!  Two senior Reform UK Party officials have been suspended, pending an internal investigation. And you can bet, they’re hoping this will be enough to shut this story down. Political parties from different sides are all calling for a police investigation. Our democracy depends on all political parties playing by the rules - especially rules designed to prevent foreign money and secret funding from influencing our elections.  If enough of us speak up today, by signing the petition, we can make sure no one - however rich or powerful they may be - is allowed to take us or our democracy for a ride.  

In the heart of Midlothian, like many residents, I've faced a troubling issue with our waste collection schedule. Our household grey waste bins, often overflowing by the third week, are not only an inconvenience but a growing health concern. We've experienced the unsettling problem of rats making their way into our garden, drawn by the accumulation of waste that builds up due to infrequent bin pickups. This isn't just an isolated incident, but a common frustration shared by many in our community. Currently, our council has scheduled the collection of grey waste bins every third week, while recycling bins such as those for paper, cardboard, and other recyclable materials are collected on the same schedule. However, the capacity usage of these recycling bins is significantly lower compared to the household waste bins, often reaching only three-quarters full by collection time. This disparity suggests an imbalance in waste management practices that urgently needs to be addressed. Overflowing bins lead not only to unpleasant sights and smells but also pose direct health risks. Rodents and pests are drawn to the unmanaged waste, creating unsanitary conditions that threaten the safety and well-being of our communities. As neighbours and residents invested in the health of our environment and community living standards, we believe it is vital that our local government listens to our voices and acts promptly. Our proposal is straightforward: adjust the waste collection schedule to have grey bins emptied every fortnight instead of every third week. This change will alleviate the overflow issue, reduce the attraction for vermin, and ensure that our streets and gardens remain clean, safe, and sanitary. By making this adjustment, Midlothian can improve its waste management system, demonstrating a commitment to the health and safety of its residents. It will also reflect positively on the community's quality of life, fostering a healthier environment for families and future generations. We understand that changes in council services need careful consideration, but the current system's inadequacies demand urgent attention. We urge Midlothian Council to prioritize our community's needs and protect us from the escalating waste problem. Support this initiative if you believe in a cleaner and safer Midlothian. Please sign this petition to urge Midlothian Council to adopt a more effective waste management schedule.

For generations of skiers and snowboarders, Ski Sunday was more than just a TV programme. It was the spark that inspired people to try snowsports for the first time, join local clubs, take family ski holidays and follow British athletes on the world stage. In the UK, approximately 1.28 million people participate in snowsports, yet there is very little regular free-to-air television coverage dedicated to these sports. Without programmes like Ski Sunday, future generations are less likely to discover the excitement, skill and passion that skiing and snowboarding can offer. At Snowsport England, we see every year how people progress from watching elite athletes to getting involved themselves, whether that's joining a club, taking part in competitions, learning new skills or becoming members of Snowsport England. Visibility matters. Inspiration matters. As Chemmy Alcott, four-time Winter Olympian and former Ski Sunday presenter, says "the biggest worry is the next generation not seeing the mountains on TV, not hearing the stories, not believing that they can be part of our amazing community". Bringing back Ski Sunday would help inspire new participants, celebrate British talent, and reconnect audiences with one of the BBC's most loved and iconic sports programmes. We want today's young people to have the same opportunity to fall in love with snowsports that so many of us had when we watched it growing up.

Across the UK, supermarkets and manufacturers flood our shelves with unhealthy products, push promotions on unhealthy food, and make healthier options harder to find and more expensive. Meanwhile, food-related ill health is rising and the NHS is paying the price. This is a direct result of commercial decisions. Food companies shape what we see, what’s promoted and what’s affordable. They have the power to make food healthier, but they won’t act unless they are required to. In the meantime, food-related ill health is rising, children’s health is worsening, and the NHS is under strain.  Voluntary action from industry has failed. This is a collective public call to demand that Government to hold big food accountable for providing us with healthy, affordable food.