Kent Support and Assistance as it was called (KSAS), a Government Scheme funded £2.8 million pound in its first year and millions since, has just recently had removal the information of its phone service with the web page edited slightly to remove the multi million scheme's name too. You can only find information on the scheme by typing 'help in a crisis' or something similar into the KCC search bar with it's new name 'Home essentials in a Crisis'. The page has its header name changed and their number removed but is other wise the same. This seems to also be the case with other essential council services whereby you have to report/claim for help online not taking into consideration the vulnerable and those without internet access or the know how to use this method, the only choice given. This is something us a non funded organisation fill the faps with as they refer clients to us when turning people down for help was not informed of, nor any other sign posting agency we lisise with. We are already seeing the rise in cases coming to us before this at our Thanet 7 day Food Bank, non funded and run by community, something we have had to take the demand for with errors to this KCC service since it began in Spring 2013 following the abolishment of the DWP's social fund's Crisis Loans and Community Care Grants. As an organisation, we have previously fought to get waiting times down in their first year which was proven to be productive after being asked to meet with the scheme's commissioner when we swapped figures on how many people Kent County Council were helping in Thanet compared to our non funded 7 day food bank. The figures were shocking Our concerns were acted on after myself and vice chairman Robin were asked to meet the commisioner of the scheme and his colleague who travelled to meet us from Maidstone after we voiced our growing concerns through several channels Waiting times were at least 14 days often longer for a decision on helping with emergency food, gas and electric, by which time their situations had largely started to sort themselves but claimants were still receiving food and fuel from KSAS after we had supported them through their hardships within 24 hours which even the clients acknowledged to be a waste of the council money. The commissioner, Hugh Martyn listened to what we provide non funded and he called me the 'Gap Filler', he asked what we see as the need here in Thanet and was quick to act with waiting time reduced to a matter of days rather than weeks within weeks. This was funded £2.8 million pound in the spring of 2013 with further millions in funding year on year following from Central Government to provide a service to the people in need from Maidstone to the whole of Kent. Right now, the people of Kent are being let down hugely yet again. We will be gathering more figures and FOI's into exactly how many services have had their phone contact service removed. **If you would like to get involved or would like to share your story, please send us an email to [email protected] or [email protected] Kerry Keating and Robin Vaughan Lyons

Children need to be protected. We have seen tragic cases of terrible child abuse such as Victoria Climbe and Baby P.

It is another, very sorry state of affairs, that yet another NHS surgery, is being forced to close down, due to rising rents, NHS cutbacks and-frankly-a total disregard for the welfare of thousands of patients and their RIGHTS to expect and receive consultation(s), treatment(s) and professional care, from our GP's. So, Our practice is being forced to close, in March 2017, so that all of its patients shall have no other option but go 'elsewhere' to register with another surgery. As you are all, likely aware, a Doctor/Patient relationship is dependent on trust and familiarity. Doubtless, this relationship shall be compromised-particularly to the many of older and/or those with more serious ongoing conditions. Furthermore, the dread of such serious change might actually have a detrimental effect on some patients' already fragile health. At the very least, chaos bodes. Please ask yourselves this question: with yet another closure, where can the patients go? Surgeries are already at bursting point and the Government seems bent on privatisation, which means that ANYBODY who depends on their local surgery is at risk of substandard health care and therefore, deteriorating conditions, BECAUSE THEY ARE CLOSING THE ONE PLACE WHICH PATIENTS SHOULD BE ABLE TO RELY ON. Two years ago, I had extremely serious health problems. Had it not been for the NHS, I would have died. My Doctor, at surgery, was immeasurably important in galvanising the correct treatment and/or medication, so vital in turning the illnesses around. Not once but three times. In short, were it not for my GP's locale and readiness to accept the critical treatments needed, I would have died. So, how many more like examples of the necessity of local surgeries are there? If it is something you cannot associate with yourself, then-BET YOUR LIFE-you know somebody that it has happened to. Therefore, I am urging you all, for the well being of yourself, your families, friends and those who desperately NEED your wonderful surgery, please sign this petition to stop the closure at Union Row. Furthermore, I urge you to focus on not only your health but that of the NHS itself. PLEASE DON'T LET THIS PASS YOU BY. ONE DAY, WE SHALL ALL NEED THE NHS.

The cuts to funding will hinder people with learning disabilities, who want to live independently, as well as homeless projects, potentially creating a Postcode lottery. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/dwp-disability-cuts-supported-housing-mencap-womens-refuges-homeless-hostels-a7309466.html#gallery Ministers say it is needed for efficiently, but picking on vulnerable members of society, will only increase problems further down the line. Steps to tackle corporate tax dodging would be a better way of making these savings. As someone who is disabled myself, I feel very strongly, that people like us should be able to live independently, and contribute to society, and not be made to feel we are being cast out. Growing up, I was made to feel a second class citizen by peoples attitudes, and have felt we have made a lot of progress through coverage of the Paralympics, being a great example.

Its important to the community to have its own hospital. It had one for many years,there are more people living in Morecambe now. Having to travel to Lancaster for treatment is very difficult. Lancaster is struggling to cope with numbers and if Queen V Hospital could treat people it would be much better.

Parks belong to us all - they are a freely available resource. They facilitate exercise, social interaction, play, opportunities for peace and tranquillity. In today's increasingly urban- centric England, they are increasingly valuable.

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.

Over 300 people currently attend one of the day centres facing closure. Most of the users are frail and many suffer from dementia. Being able to meet up with friends means people are less isolated and are able to stay living in the community for much longer. If these services go people may not be able to live independently for a long as they would like to and may be forced into more costly residential care.

Lancashire council are currently weighing up plans to close 37 libraries. The plans have been called "unnecessary" and "shameful". But there's still a chance to save our libraries. The council have said that “They are proposals not done deals. I think we’ve proved we listen to people.” So a big petition right now could be enough to save them from the cuts. Libraries are more than just a building with books in, they are the heart of our community and much needed as social network!

On 23rd June 2016, the Office for National Statistics released distressing data, which shows an increase in death rates of 9% (that's 52,400 people) in England and Wales between June 2014 and June 2015 when compared with data from the previous year. This rise is unprecedented. Never before have we failed our sick and elderly populations to such a degree. The British Medical Journal (BMJ) published the data in an article on 6th July, stating that austerity and economic inequality played a "major role" in this increase. There are now millions fewer social care visits to the elderly per year since Osborne assumed office in 2010 and Jeremy Hunt in 2012. These care packages were seen as playing a vital role in the early identification and treatment of the deterioration in a person’s health and well-being. Public Health England stated that they are observing rapidly increasing mortality rates in the over 75s. These rates are particularly high in “spearhead areas”, which are some of the poorest parts of the country. The BMJ have stated that members of the public with long term health needs such as dementia and other disabilities are suffering the most. Often these are the people among us without a voice. Be their voice and sign this petition to hold Jeremy Hunt and George Osborne accountable for causing the premature deaths of these 52,400 people by inflicting vile austerity measures upon public health services against the wishes of the majority of the British public who value our national health service. We are also calling for a public review of the health budget cuts and privatisation deals that have been and are being negotiated and agreed upon on our behalf. The NHS belongs to us, the responsibility to save it is ours.

I'm sure many people reading this have been in a situation where they have needed a loo and there is nothing nearby. Also the health and hygiene implications of public having to go in the street. Let's get the government to listen and take action.

These musicians are the future of our orchestras, pop band ensembles, film/tv soundtrack session musicians, pit players for ballet, opera and musical theatre shows and your childrens' future teachers and mentors. The great majority of classical musicians flourished from training orchestras such as these! Closing the orchestra down is ignorant and shameful. -- "EU has just cut every Euro of funding to the young musicians of the Orchestra (backdated to last October), without so much as an advance whisper? The consequences of this decision are incalculable: the destruction of one of the world’s greatest training orchestras, generations of young musicians denied unique opportunities, and the loss of 40 years of patient tradition, and one of the EU’s greatest arts organisations. This funding decision is simply the consequence of a change in the EU’s cultural funding policy. Two years ago it was decided by the EU that there was to be no more cultural funding for any single organisation. Instead, €1.45bn of cultural support over seven years (a 7% increase on the previous programme) was only allowed to be used on projects with a highly complicated partnership structure. The new Creative Europe programme has wonderful objectives. But it is project funding to encourage national organisations to get together to become more European, not core funding for what is the original pan-European organisation. This “one size fits all”-approach to cultural funding doesn’t work for an EU orchestra with members from 28 countries, and that we were being forced into the wrong funding box. “The European Union Youth Orchestra remains one of our most distinguished ambassadors … a potent symbol of our European Union.” (Jean-Claude Juncker, EU Commission President). “I was moved not simply by the beauty of the music they produced, but also by what they stand for: the EUYO perfectly embodies the power of being united in diversity,” (Juncker’s colleague Martin Schulz, European Parliament President). And here is Tibor Navracsics, EU Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport. “The EUYO is remarkable - both for the outstanding quality of its performances and for its exemplary function … it inspires us”. And finally, the EU’s number one foreign policy politician Federica Mogherini: “This is Europe at its best … In hard times like the ones we are living, the EUYO sends a powerful message to all the young people of our continent: your time is now.” " >source: http://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/may/13/marshall-marcus-the-european-union-youth-orchestra-cannot-be-strangled See them perform: European Union Youth Orchestra - EUYO - Flashmob - Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam - 23.08.2014 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOs72u5FjCE EUYO Tchaikovsky, Symphony No. 6, 'Pathétique', Movt I https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lft2isVp0kk SHOSTAKOVICH 4th Symphony mov-1 (part 1/3) Vladimir Ashkenazi (BBC Proms 2006) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YVGZy2nsWA ---- Email: [email protected] Or send a letter or postcard to: Tibor Navracsics, Commissioner, Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, European Commission, Rue de la Loi / Wetstraat 200, 1049 1049 Brussels, Belgium