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Humans Before Houses - Build the link road firstWe the undersigned hereby call on all at Teignbridge District Council - district councillors; Simon Thornley, Ian Perry, and the other planning officers; Nicola Bulbeck, the chief executive officer; and Cllr Jeremy Christophers, the council leader - to put the safety of human lives in Dawlish first, before any further houses are built in the DA2 development. The three separate developers involved in Teignbridge District Council’s DA2 draft framework agreement, planning to build over 1000 new houses on adjoining land plots, are permitted to build and sell 50 houses each on their 3 separate developments, before Teignbridge considers it necessary to start to build the link road, from the Gatehouse Farm housing development, over the Shutterton Brook, through the Secmaton Farm housing development, and to the roundabout at Sainsburys to join the A379. Until then, Teignbridge District Council think it is acceptable to have all the construction traffic over residential roads such as Elm Grove Drive and Sandy Lane. With this logic, the people of Dawlish would be required to wait for 150 houses to be built, sold, and inhabited, before the new road is started. 150 houses will not appear overnight, so the people of Dawlish, especially: - residents on Elm Grove Road, Elm Grove Drive, and Sandy Lane; children attending the Gatehouse primary school, Dawlish Community College, Red Rock Youth Centre, and Dawlish United Youth Football and Mini Soccer FC; and people attending the leisure centre and playing fields - would have to endure many months of colossal amounts of heavily laden construction trucks, contractors’ vans, noise, extra traffic, and pot holes. These residential roads are not designed and built to endure months and years of heavy vehicles. Indeed they are already crumbling with numerous pot holes. We call on Teignbridge District Council to show the people of Dawlish the respect that is shown to Newton Abbot and Teignmouth, and to find the funds to build a service road for construction vehicles to use before any further building in the DA2 area developments. These funds will be repaid by the developers as they build the houses. If Teignbridge District Council can find in its reserves £13 million for a new shopping centre in Newton Abbot, and £2.5 million towards the Pavilions in Teignmouth, then the cost can surely be found to build a ‘base core’ service link road to be built before the construction of 150 new houses begins. Devon County Council has already agreed to funding the main bridge costs. The people of Dawlish should not have to wait for a fatality to happen on our streets before Teignbridge District Council realises that human lives are worth a whole lot more than 150 houses.736 of 800 SignaturesCreated by Cllr Alison Foden
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Stop Freezing Overseas State PensionsThe continued exclusion of overseas pensioners from up-rating adjustments to their State Pensions means that the real terms incomes of those affected falls year-on-year. Over time this leads to hardship, poverty, loss of independence and loneliness. Some individuals have been forced to return to the UK, away from loved ones, just to get by. This policy also creates a barrier to pensioner emigration from the UK, as the prospect of a frozen pension means that many feel they simply couldn't afford to do so. Given the countries involved are largely in the Commonwealth, those in British Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities are disproportionately impacted. There is no dispute about the entitlement to receive a State Pension overseas. All British pensioners who have made the required NI contributions during their working life are eligible. The issue at stake is whether that pension is universally uprated or not. At the moment, the government's policy is inconsistent and unfair, with half British pensioners abroad getting up-rated and the other half excluded. This creates crazy anomalies i.e. uprating in the USA, frozen pensions in Canada. It is time for reform to give all pensioners the full state pension they deserve, wherever they live, and to end this injustice once and for all. A positive, and easily affordable, step forward would be for the Government to include all pensioners in the 2.7% State Pension up-rating to be granted this year, by withdrawing the Social Security Benefits Up-rating Regulations 2016 currently before parliament. CASE STUDIES: Anne Puckridge Former college lecturer Anne Puckridge, now 91, lived and worked in the UK all her working life, paying mandatory NI contributions throughout this time. In 2002, aged 77 she finally retired and decided to move to Canada to be with her daughter and grandchildren who had moved to Calgary in the 1990s. Fourteen years on, Anne, who served as an intelligence officer in the Women’s Royal Navy in the Second World War, is struggling to live on the frozen £75.50 a week rate, she was entitled to when she moved abroad. Anne now feels that she will be forced to move back to Britain, because her pension will no longer cover day to day expenses and she is increasingly reliant on her daughter to get by. Anne says: “It’s the small things, and the injustice, that is really getting to me. I value my independence, but I can’t go on living on the breadline and I don’t want to inflict this on my family. As well as ever-increasingly poverty, I feel a sense of stress and shame, which is affecting my health.” Abhik Bonnerjee Abhik Bonnerjee, now 73, moved from India to Glasgow in 1960. He worked in the UK for 38 years, in shipbuilding, steel manufacture and the food industry. He owned an Indian restaurant for 6 years. Abhik returned to India in 1997 and reached the State Pension retirement age in 2008 when it was paid at £87.30 a week. Having made all the required NI contributions, if Abhik still in the UK today he would get £115.95, 28% more. The decline in his real terms income has left Abhik concerned about losing his home. He now feels he may have to move back to the UK. Abhik says: “The current situation makes me very, very angry. The government are scaremongering… [The Minister] says it will cost a lot of money but it is only a tiny percentage [of the pensions budget]. The government should be doing more, especially for Commonwealth countries and MPs can’t explain why they are not.” Rita Young Rita Young, 78, lives in Peterborough in the UK. She retired in 2002, aged 67, having enjoyed a long career in market research and as a community volunteer. Rita’s son moved to work in Australia some time ago and now has a family there. Since being widowed Rita has wanted to join her son and grandchildren in Australia, but has felt unable to do so due to the prospect of a frozen pension. As she gets older Rita finds daily life increasingly difficult, especially as she doesn’t have a family around who she can call on. She is deeply saddened that she is not able to be with her family during the later stages of her life, and feels that it is a complete injustice that had her son moved to a different country (e.g. France or the USA) she would be able join him with a full UK pension. Rita has spoken at the National Pensioners Convention about the issue and is very active in her community. Rita says: “I worked and contributed to my State Pension all my life. It doesn't seem fair that the government can just stop uprating it because I want to be with my family.” Geoff Amatt Geoff Amatt from Abergele in Wales reached 100 last year. Geoff contributed to the UK economy all his life and fought for his country during the Second World War. Geoff’s daughter Jean emigrated to Calgary, Canada more than 40 years ago, yet Geoff was unable to follow in the knowledge that his State Pension would be frozen at the rate of leaving the country. £29 per week at the time. As a result Geoff has been separated from his two grandchildren and two great grandchildren throughout his retirement. He has lived alone, largely dependent on the state for care, since his wife died seven years ago. Jean says: “Frozen pensions are unbelievably unfair. Canadians get their pension uprated in they live in the UK yet we don’t offer the same for those moving in the other direction. The government is keeping families apart and I worry about my father left all alone in Britain while we’re thousands of miles away.”3,213 of 4,000 SignaturesCreated by Tim Snowball
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SAVE THE CINEWORLD HAMMERSMITHThe Cineworld Hammersmith building was originally opened in 1934 as the Regal Cinema, and has since been operated by many chains, including ABC, Canon, Virgin, UGC, and Cineworld. This is the only cinema left in Hammersmith, and the most historic cinema operating in the area, with the devastating closure of the Art Deco Odeon Kensington. For some reason, this beautiful building is not listed, and so time and time again Developers are demolishing picture houses like this one in order to build luxury flats. This is the last thing West London needs. West London needs a cinema, and this is the perfect building to house it. At meetings and petitions residents have expressed no desire for this building to be demolished, yet Granger PLC and Helical Bar PLC, who, according to their website, 'create shareholder value through a wide variety of high margin activities with property investment at our core', seem to not care about the resident's requests, which makes this petition so necessary. I, alongside many other Hammersmith and Fulham residents, have many happy memories at this cinema over the years. It would be devastating for us to let it go without a fight. Please save the Cineworld Hammersmith552 of 600 SignaturesCreated by Preston Nyman
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Abandon plans to force Academy status on all local schools in EnglandThese proposals will undermine local democracy and parental rights and choice and will turn local education into an uncontrolled 'free market' of dog-eat-dog competition for school places and will inevitably lead to the rise of more selective schools and the end of comprehensive education for all. As teachers in Academy schools are not required to have Qualified Teacher Status, these proposals will also lead to a further erosion of a qualified graduate teaching profession and a lowering of educational standards and diminution of life chances for our children. This nationalisation of our local schools and the centralisation of powers in the hands of the Secretary of State for Education also undermines generations of social investment in our local schools and, these grounds alone, these plans should also be abandoned.208 of 300 SignaturesCreated by John Firth
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Chingford Keep our 15 minutes free parkingPeople need more than 5 minutes to shop and even buy a parking ticket. Our businesses benefit from 15 minutes free parking as it encourages people to use local shops and businesses. Neighbouring boroughs like Redbridge give their residents 30 minutes free parking. The council is proposing to increase the price of parking and to even more for paper vouchers than phone-to-pay.33 of 100 SignaturesCreated by Helen Chilvers
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Save Milton Road Public Library in Cambridge from demolitionMilton Road Public Library is an iconic building in the history of mathematics, celebrated for its connection with Professor Sir Andrew Wiles' proof of Fermat's last theorem. This dignified and much-loved building has served the public as a library since the 1930s, and continues to do so. It was a book that Andrew Wiles found in the library when he was ten years old that inspired his remarkable achievement - Eric Temple Bell’s, 'The Last Problem'. Wiles had been on his way home from school when he stopped to look at the library’s puzzle section. He read that a proof of Fermat’s theorem had eluded mathematicians for 300 years. Thirty years later, Wiles announced his solution. Milton Road Library had done what libraries should do - inform and inspire – with magnificent effect. Worldwide, few buildings are as closely associated with so notable a mathematical event. Yet Cambridgeshire County Council proposes to demolish it – to build a 3-storey block of 10 flats, with a small library/‘community hub’. This would be a huge loss to the heritage of mathematics and to the architectural and civic heritage of Cambridge. Read more here: http://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/download/downloads/id/4248/milton_road_library_site_redevelopment_surveydoc.doc629 of 800 SignaturesCreated by Martin Aitken
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Support the SKELF Bike Skills Park in Edinburgh's SouthsideWe want to create an open access bike skills park in the heart of Edinburgh, making mountain biking accessible from within the city. Our site is an area of neglected woodland wedged between the Southside area of Edinburgh and the Western boundary of Holyrood Park (immediately adjacent to the Crags Community Sports Centre). We want to build: - An 800m Blue Graded MTB Trail looping through the woods (for beginners, younger kids, and cycle proficiency) - Red Graded Skills Development Features (located along the Blue Trail) - An awesome Pump Track that will be great for developing skills and improving technique But we are doing way more than just creating a cool new bike play space: We are also cleaning up a potentially lovely but badly neglected woodland and turning it back into a green space that everyone, young and old, will actually use, spend time in & enjoy. Specifically we are: - Cleaning up all the rubbish, dog mess etc - Getting rid of all the needles so the woods are safe again for kids & dogs to play in again - Planting 200 new native species & fruit trees - Installing 30 bird & bat boxes - Installing new benches & rubbish bins - Improving footpaths for dog walkers & runners After four years of hard work we have: - Planning permission - A 25 year lease for the site - 80% of the funding - Loads of support from local people, organisations and businesses! Once up and running, the woods will also be a great community resource for local Eco schools & forest school projects, for young people to achieve their JASS & John Muir Awards, and for led walks by park rangers plus interpretive guided tours. So why is this so important? Learning to ride a bike gives young people great confidence, and an ability to access and explore the outdoors independently, which often goes on to benefit them throughout their adult lives. Young people often can't do this in safety on the street because they are too congested and dangerous to learn on. The danger of future generations slipping into sedentary lifestyles is also well documented. Sign the petition & help us make the SKELF Bike Park happen! For more info or to get in touch: Website: http://theskelf.org.uk/ Twitter: @skelfbikepark Facebook: SkelfEdinburgh Email: [email protected]2,159 of 3,000 SignaturesCreated by conrad molleson
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Birthday present from the QueenWe all benefit from libraries. Libraries are free and available for us all. They are a force for good, a tool for learning and a refuge for the dispossessed. Libraries provide a quiet space for studying. They offer free access to the Internet. By trying to eliminate the deficit George Osborne is forcing local authorities to close libraries. How wonderful if our monarch could save them!31 of 100 SignaturesCreated by Catherine Aldridge
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Save Irlam postal delivery officeLarge population rely on proximity of Irlam sorting office.2,807 of 3,000 SignaturesCreated by Craig Skelton
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Save 'The Bridge', in Harrow from closure by the CouncilThe Bridge is a purpose built place for the Mentally ill people. It's an activity centre and a drop in centre with a cafe. The building is all on ground floor. There are gardens at the back and side for people to relax. The activities include Arts and Craft, Music Learning, Guitar Learning group - 'Dont Fret', Tabla (Indian drums) learning, Library, Choir meeting -- 'More than Just a Choir', WhyFI - for Paranoia, Pilates, Yoga, 30 Clients with Personal Independence Budgets attend for therapy. People with depression, Bipolar, Schizophrenia etc. etc. attend with great benefits to their daily life. The Northwick Park Hospital's Mental Heath Unit refers clients for further support from the services available at The Bridge. I had asked my family, two years ago, to take me to the Switzerland clinic to 'have me put down'. Then I heard of 'The Bridge' and attended the Choir -- ''More Than Just A Choir'' every Tuesday evening. This has turned my life around. The people receiving a great deal of therapeutic benefits will have to revert back to the overloaded GP services and the NHS -- waiting list. The attempt to close The Bridge will end up costing the community far greater!380 of 400 SignaturesCreated by Naresh Lathia
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Save Babington HospitalBabington Hospital in Belper could be closed and services moved if plans are given the green light. Babington Hospital was completed in 1840 and has provided cherished care for thousands of Derbyshire people ever since, from newly born babies to older people who need care and support. This includes numerous clinics and rehabilitation services for patients, before they return home, in a caring and safe environment. The CQC inspection of May 2014 said Babington is Safe, Caring, Effective, Well-led and Responsive to patients needs. Belper and the surrounding areas NEED Babington Hospital to remain as it is; an NHS service for local people. If these services could be replicated or improved upon, in an equally accessible local place, consideration to such a plan may be possible.5,861 of 6,000 SignaturesCreated by Mary Dwyer
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Keep Our Family Toilet Facilities in Eastbourne Arndale CentreAs part of the multimillion pound redevelopment project of the Eastboure Arndale Shopping Centre the decision has been made to remove the only family toilet facility in the centre. This means that any parent/guardian/carer out shopping alone with a baby or small child/children are unable to use a toilet that will accommodate a buggy or pushchair. As a new mum, on discovery of this development I have made enquiries with the Arndale whose response has been that the current family toilet will be replaced with a further specialist disabled toilet facility and will require a special RADAR key to access. There are no current plans to replace this lost facility but they are "currently exploring ways in which we can extend our current toilet provision in the future. With the development we are unable to comment on detailed plans but there will be toilets provided by the cinema and restaurants in the extension. We plan to make one of the cubicles in the ladies toilets more accessible to larger pushchairs and are exploring these options at the moment." There are a few issues with this statement: parents shouldn't have to use the facilities of a shop/restaurant etc when they are in the centre (which charges to park), there is no mention of plans to make a family sized cubicle in the men's toilet (do men not shop with their children without a female?), can single parents not shop in the Arndale until 2018 when the development works are due to complete?599 of 600 SignaturesCreated by Louise Tiernan
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