Since 2010/11, decisions made by Kingston council administrations have caused cuts of almost 25% (roughly £700,000 ) to the local library services. Kingston Council plans to cut a further £111,000 from library budgets in the next two years. This raises the possibility of further staff cuts, to the point that libraries may begin to close.

Children are spending thousands of pounds and being put at risk of developing gambling problems because of the widespread use of “loot boxes” in video games. Players can spend real money to get “loot boxes” containing mystery items which might help them win, while playing their favourite games. It’s a game of chance, and it’s gambling in all but name. Children have run up huge debts of thousands of pounds making in-game loot box purchases and studies have found links between loot boxes and problem gambling. But right now they’re not covered by gambling laws. Gaming companies make huge profits from loot boxes and simply aren’t doing enough to protect children. It’s time for Ministers to step in and regulate loot boxes as part of our gambling laws - and ban them entirely for those under 18.

Please note comments at WBC planning need to be in by 18th Sep latest.. view plans and or comment at. http://planning.warrington.gov.uk/swiftlg/apas/run/wphappcriteria.display ... Planning and Building Control.. See or Comment.. Application number 2019/35678. or email WBC at: [email protected] So why save The Blackburne Arms ? Locally, the Pub is listed as an asset of significant local historic value (in particular the stonemasonry and original leaded window construction) The pub dates back to 1928, being named after Robert Ireland Blackburne, a local Great World War veteran and nobleman. The building forms part of an area of local historic significance forming part of the former Orford Estate which comprised of Orford Park, Orford Hall & Gardens, St. Margaret’s CE Church, St Margaret’s CE School, Orford House, Orford Farm and the surround farm estates that can be seen on maps from 1907 and then updated in 1937 to include the Pub. There is good access for disabled people at the pub. This provides an easily accessible and inclusive space to meet with other members of the local community and provides a safe and enjoyable environment to be in. This clearly furthers the person’s individual wellbeing. The Pub has been included in a tourist & local pub guide, which attracts more people to the pub from surrounding areas which helps boost the local economy. It also puts the pub on the map as a pub worthy of recognition from the Council. Local sport teams meet in this pub. There are good transport links available to/from the pub. This means that elderly members of the community can easily and safely get to/from the pub. There is free parking available which is accessed by the wider community. This allows people to get to/from the pub safely when transport systems may be down. Also the generous parking on offer is shared with the houses adjacent to the pub as per the agreement with the local council when land from the front of their houses was used to widen the now Orford Green. The spacious parking also means that families can access the pub easily. The pub hosts quiz nights which have most patrons laughing and enjoying the event, bring the community together. There are televisions screening sporting events enjoyed by regulars and very popular especially when featuring the local clubs from Liverpool and Manchester. There is a beer garden attached to the pub which is used extensively, enjoyed by the local community, especially families with the play equipment and bouncy castle available for use daily. The pub hosts advertising for local events and charity events raising approx. £5,000 a year for local and national charities. The pub also hosts very popular events surrounding calendar events throughout the year (Halloween, Christmas, etc.) In times of adversity, the patrons of pub are well known to provide specific help, support and financial assistance to any families who are in need or have lost a loved one. Live music events are often hosted at the pub, providing a platform for local artists and contributing to the culture of the community. The pub also holds local Craft Fairs where people can make, sell and buy goods from around the local area. Each June and July the pub hosts the annual Walking Day celebrations for Orford and Warrington alike. This dates back to before the Pub was built but the pub has now become such an iconic family location to congregate and celebrate the event. All family members are welcome with the children usually being smartly dressed in accordance to the church custom. There is also wildlife of specific interest which are located within the grounds. As well as the usual urban wildlife, there is also a profusion of newts which need to be researched to see if they are endangered and therefore protected. Also bats roost in the grounds too and can be seen at dusk flying across the field and car parks.

The Homebase building at Gillette Corner, an innovative and award-winning building, is one of several iconic structures in Sir Nicholas Grimshaw's portfolio. Along with the grade-II listed Gillette building opposite, it forms a landmark gateway to the Brentford Golden Mile.

The future of Leamington's landmark buildings is again under threat. Warwick District Council has already given control of these properties to a private developer and their very ownership is now potentially at risk. We want to take back control. Verbal promises are not adequate. We need a solid commitment that they will remain in public ownership, for our community and for future generations.

This chariot is an essential piece of Kali Amman Temple's annual celebrations. Kali Amman Temple is the only temple dedicated to Kali in the United Kingdom and a very important part of the Tamil community in the UK. The ability to hold traditional celebrations is deeply important for the Tamil community and this particular artifact means a great deal to everyone involved. Though the six-metre-tall chariot has been (quite visibly) housed in the same back garden for nearly a decade, this year the council served a planning enforcement notice to have it removed. Technically the chariot is slightly taller than the house whose garden it occupies, but it is not taller than the next-door neighbour's house. More importantly, neighbours have already written to say that they don't mind having this beautiful religious artifact where it is. Why is the council demanding changes now, when the chariot has been in the same location for nearly a decade? The chariot is made of wood from Sri Lanka and needs to remain in its current location so that a carpenter with the appropriate skills can maintain it. Properly maintained, it can last for generations! The chariot procession is designed to make temple functions available to everyone, including those who might be unable to leave their houses or who might not feel confident coming to temple. It is a festival specifically designed to include EVERYONE, and allows local residents to experience a bit of Sri Lankan culture and connect with their Hindu neighbours. Council paperwork seems to indicate that the chariot is being viewed as an industrial item, when in fact it is a religious one! As Waltham Forest celebrates its year as the first ever London Borough of Culture, many are wondering why such a deeply treasured cultural artifact, representing peace and hope to the community, suddenly cannot be accommodated? Don't rob the Tamil community of this precious religious artifact! (Read more from the Guardian here: https://www.guardian-series.co.uk/news/18015285.hindu-temple-chariot-needs-new-home-following-council-notice/)

Friends School was very kindly bequeathed by local man George Gibson 'for the education and benefit of the community' Saffron Walden has a desperate shortage of both sports facilities and other public open space, and so it is important that these are protected. Last year, in response to widespread public concerns, the Town Council made its position clear in writing in relation to the developer's proposal to build on the former Friends School. Development of new homes on the site of the former Friends School is against both national and local planning policy and therefore should be rejected. All of the playing fields and other open spaces, as well as the sports hall and swimming pool, are specifically protected unless replacement facilities are provided that are at least as good in terms of location, quality and quantity. This planning application (Ref: UTT/19/1744/OP ) does not comply with these requirements, so the Town Council’s position has not changed. It is disappointing that the public consultation for this planning application is during the summer holidays (when many people are away) and the deadline is coming up very soon. The Planning Committee meet on the 4th of September) Public comments can sent to Uttlesford District Council. via email [email protected], via Uttlesford District Council online planning portal, or else via letter (several can be delivered in one envelope) Comments need to give Ref: UTT/19/1744/OP and It's helpful to give reason/s for objecting.

This is important because it is ruining the biggest and the best sport in the world. It is ruining it because fans don’t even know when to celebrate. For example, Manchester City vs Tottenham. In the UCL, where tensions are the highest, no one realised that the player was offside which is the referees fault for not realising and the players fault for not calling it. I know it makes the game more fair but it also slows the game down tremendously which is unfair for people who buy the ticket just to go watch referees decide whether that was a penalty or not. Also, it takes away the atmosphere factor in the game as it slows the game down so much. For example, there were more penalties in the 2018 World Cup than any other World Cup, which resulted it in being more boring as it took too much time out of the game looking at VAR. Right now, football is trying to counter that by not listening to every VAR call which is very unfair. For example, Tottenham VS Manchester City, the referee didn’t review the city player being fouled in the box but reviewed the slight handball later on. If You want football to return the way it was sign this petition. If you have PASSION and If you have LOVE for the game then you would sign this petition to remove VAR or make it better. Thank you for reading through this

Reality TV shows are putting people at risk. Broadcasters are sacrificing the mental health and wellbeing of their participants and countless reality TV stars have spoken out saying that their participation in shows have left them feeling vulnerable, and battling mental health issues. It’s costing lives. This year the Jeremy Kyle Show was taken off air after the tragic death of show participant Steve Dymond. And in March Love Island star Mike Thalassitis was the second cast member of the show to die by sucicide following the death in June 2018 of Sophie Gradon, who appeared on Love Island the previous year. In response to the huge public outcry following these deaths, media regulator Ofcom has proposed new safeguards to protect reality TV stars. Under the new rules, British TV and radio stations will be explicitly required to protect the “welfare, wellbeing and dignity” of individuals who take part in their programmes. But broadcasters are pushing back against any regulations that might hurt their ratings - and we need to make sure that Ofcom stay true to their commitment and introduce new rules to protect the wellbeing of reality tv show participants.

The University of Manchester has one of the largest international student communities in the UK. The International Society, previously housed in the beautiful and spacious William Kay House on Oxford Road, where it hosted events and activities for the international community, has long been a major part of the student experience in Manchester for many international students. In 2016, the University reviewed its support for international students and concluded its preferred strategy is to fund only one organisation to support its many international students. Consequently, it decided that, from 31 July 2019 onwards, direct University funding of the International Society will stop and be diverted to the Student Union instead. As a result, the Society has had to vacate its previous premises and has relocated to the Student Union building, and the Society’s Small World Café, one of the main meeting points for Manchester’s international community, had to be closed. For the time being, it seems the Society will remain a separate charity entity operating from the Student Union premises. However, given the limited space allocated in the Union building and the future uncertainty, this petition calls on all individuals who have enjoyed and benefitted from the programmes of the International Society, to highlight the importance of the existence of an independent International Society for our university community and international community. This petition thus seeks to draw attention to the University management board, and calls for the guaranteed continuation of all the long-running events and activities that the International Society has been able to host throughout its years, which have been a major part of the student experience in Manchester for many international students, including myself. In my personal experience, as an international student, half-German and half-Japanese, born in the UK but raised in various countries, the International Society acted as a home-away-from-home, as it provided a warm and welcoming space for international and British students and staff, as well as members of the local community, to come together and connect with people from every corner of the world. Popping in to meet familiar or new faces, to have a coffee, to play piano, or to work on language skills– the International Society always provided a welcoming and inspiring cross-cultural atmosphere none of the single-country Student Union societies were able to offer. Besides the many language classes, trips, cultural workshops and families groups the Society has been hosting for years, exemplary of this was the "International 16" project which I was predominantly involved in during my past 3 years at our university. It included a series of events to encourage students, staff and all community members to come together in a welcoming place to meet new people and learn about different cultures through cuisine and activities, thereby enriching our cultural awareness and appreciation. Previously supported by all three universities in Manchester (UoM, MMU and the University of Salford), through these activities and events, the Society has thus been positively contributing to community cohesion, and has celebrated cultural diversity since 1966. Run by international staff and volunteers themselves, the Society does an outstanding job at understanding and meeting the needs and wishes of our university’s international community, and as an international student far away from home, it is beautiful to see an entire entity dedicated to the wellbeing of internationals as its top priority and purpose. To sum up, looking back on the International Society as one of the fondest university experiences for many, including myself, this petition strives to ensure that future students, as well as the wider (international) community of The University of Manchester, will be able to continue to enjoy the International Society too.

Having been reassured during July, when the leader of Essex County Council, David Finch, publicly announced that no libraries would close in the next 5 years, the truth came out at the Cabinet meeting. We now know that Essex County Council wants its libraries to be run by volunteers in community buildings. They have asked for groups to put in expressions of interest in running the libraries and have promised the miserly sum of £18,000 over 3 years to resource them. So dedicated library buildings will go, as will the store of books, computers, resources and trained staff. In will come well meaning volunteers working from a shared venue, where there will be no computers and books will need to be packed away at the end of the session. Librarians presently employed by the council, will either be redeployed or lose their jobs. Of the libraries threatened with closure, we know that some 80 groups have expressed an interest in running them. These are developers, parish councils, churches etc, but ALL will be run by volunteers in a non dedicated building. Very little funding will be available with just 250 books per community library, changed every 12 weeks and the hours of opening will be dictated by whenever the community building and volunteers are available. However good the volunteers are they cannot replicate the skill, expertise and professionalism of the present paid library staff. So we ask you to sign our petition to Save our Librarians and ensure that Essex County Council continues to provide the library service which it is legally obliged to. Essex needs fully staffed libraries. The people of Essex have and continue to pay for this service. They deserve a properly funded, properly resourced and properly staffed local library. You can find out more here: https://38d.gs/essex-libraries https://www.facebook.com/SaveOurLibrariesEssex/

There are currently no publicly funded facilities to aid health and wellbeing in Birstall. The public parks have limited uses that appeal to a minority of people. The swimming pool that was around fifty years old was closed down years ago. Compared to other areas of Charnwood, Birstall has very little to offer residents to improve their health and fitness, despite it being well documented that physical health improves mental wellbeing and can increase life expectancy. The areas of Syston and Thurmaston have easy access to South Charnwood Leisure Centre. In Rothley, Mountsorrel and Quorn they have Soar Valley Leisure Centre whilst the residents of Loughborough and surrounding villages (including Quorn) have access to Loughborough Leisure Centre. See below to see the facilities enjoyed by residents elsewhere in Charnwood! https://www.charnwood.gov.uk/pages/leisure The picture above is the pool at Syston. There is nothing of this calibre for Birstall residents, despite Birstall housing nearly as many people as Syston, and being in the top ten highest contributing villages in Council Tax revenue out of 34 areas, see: https://www.charnwood.gov.uk/files/documents/council_tax_bands_for_2019_20/Council%20tax%20bands%20for%202019-20.pdf Birstall has seen substantial growth with increased housing, which has increased traffic flow. The introduction of the Park and Ride and the A46 have also added to the volume of traffic. Subsequently Birstall has suffered the loss of green land and a gradual deterioration in the facilities available to local people. Birstall folk have received nothing by way of compensation for the expansion their village has suffered. Birstall residents call for a new Leisure Centre to be built with facilities comparative to those elsewhere in the borough. A suitable and central location should be found without the loss of further green field. The facilities and amenities available in Birstall fall far short of those available in other, similar sized areas of Charnwood. Thank you! Now please see two other important matters for Birstall and its residents. 1) Improvement to the area overall, please see petition: Let's make Birstall beautiful again! and 2) Reduce speed limit on A6/Loughborough Road to 30mph, see petition: Let's make Birstall Safer! Thank you, now please share with your family and friends. Because Birstall matters!