The 21st June is National Clean Air Day, when children and adults across the West Midlands are pledging to walk, cycle and raise awareness of the effects of air pollution. As you know, all member authorities of the WMCA have areas which exceed legal limits of nitrogen dioxide. Evidence shows that such exposure reduces lung growth, contributes to long term ill health and can cause premature death. We hope that National Clean Air Day will reduce pollution on the day, but more importantly it is an opportunity to focus on the future. The single largest source of nitrogen dioxide in many areas is diesel cars, and in this region more than most this is due to a car dependency faced by many households. For too many people public transport, walking and cycling do not feel safe or practical. Road congestion damages our health, economy and communities, and the current dependence on cars is unsustainable with a growing population. Meanwhile, cars contribute to many of the other health challenges we face. Among these, the West Midlands has some of the highest childhood obesity rates in the country, and the lowest rates of physical activity - both would improve if children felt safe to walk and cycle. Sedentary lifestyles are closely linked to car use and contribute to major illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease and depression. The combined authority includes areas which already have some of the poorest health outcomes in the country. If the West Midlands is to grow inclusively the opportunity for health must be available to all residents, with clean air, safe roads, and well-connected transport.

With the rise in demand for healthcare, and tight funding, the NHS is facing an existential challenge already. It should not need to face the rapacious greed of US-owned pharmaceutical companies.

Due to the new sugar tax, the government is set to make £250 million a year. The very most female sanitary products could make from VAT is £130 million a year, and that's if every woman in the UK needed them, which clearly isn't possible, but it shows the maximum amount they could possibly make. It's clear sugar tax will make up this difference and making money wasn't even its primary reason for it being implemented. It's obvious female sanitary products are not a luxury item, and women all over the globe need them. Being charged VAT on them is simply ludicrous. There is simply no excuse now for VAT being on female sanitary products anymore even at a reduced rate. Periods aren't a choice, and female sanitary products are necessary to deal with it. Women shouldn't be charged on a product they NEED - not WANT, NEED. It doesn't make sense, its obvious it doesn't make sense and now it doesn't make sense financially either.

It is important so I don't die of cancer .

Just like physical health, we all have mental health. Sometimes we feel well and able to cope with everything. Other times we may feel low or stressed out, or struggle to get through the day. Mental health problems can affect anyone; it doesn’t matter what age or religion you are, whether you’re male or female, or your ethnicity. It doesn’t mean you’re weak, just that you need some support. Every week, 250,000 people will visit their doctor because they’re worried about their mental health. But nine out of ten people who experience mental health problems say they also have to live with prejudice and misunderstanding. It doesn’t have to be this way. Just like we need to look after our bodies to try to keep them healthy, we need to look after our minds too. From teaching others how to improve their resilience to creating outdoor spaces to improve mental health, young people could improve the mental wellbeing and resilience of families, Scouts and wider society

Having had an increase in traffic due to house building elsewhere in the Bolsover District and the increase in Pedestrian accicdents it’s imperative that Pedestrian access throughout the village is increased so that our children can walk to both Junior and secondary schools

Leivers Court Care Home provides vital care and support to local elderly people when they need it the most. Leivers Court Care Home helps to prevent local elderly people having to stay in hospital longer than they need to. Leivers Court Care Home helps to free up beds in our local hospitals. The Conservatives at Nottinghamshire County Council will not be replacing Leivers Court Care Home – Once it is gone, it is gone.

Most people visiting hospitals are either ill and therefore vulnerable or visiting a loved one. They are being punished by the car parking companies. These companies are often third parties not under the hospitals control and taking advantage of poorly people. The rise of hospital car parking charges is an an unaffordable level for many now. A 35 minute hospital visit to High Wycombe costs £3.50. For people on lower incomes or people visiting relatives with long term illnesses this is simply unfair and non sustainable. cool Greedy companies are taking advantage of people.

This issue was brought up at my local Patient Practice Group of which I am Chairman. There were quite a number of instances reported by the committee who support this action unanimously. The following are two of my own experiences. 1. In December, 2017 I took my sister-in-law to Sunderland Hospital. She was unable to walk and there was no ambulance available. I parked at the accident & emergency and with my wife I got her out of the car and into a wheelchair. My wife pushed her into the hospital whilst I reversed my cat into a disabled parking bay. several days later I received a £70 fine Parking notice 2. In February 2018 i took my wife for a scan to North tees Hospital. After I dropped her off I parked my car and went to the parking meter. Unlike Sunderland their was a fee chargeable for disabled drivers. The first 20 minutes parking was free but after that there was a charge which if not paid was subject to a £90 fine. It is impossible to be able to assess that my wife would be able to receive her treatment within 20 minutes. I decided to pay for the parking. The cost was £3 for the first hour as well as for the next 11 hours. As it happened my wife did not have to wait and she had her scan and returned to the car. We were parked for exactly 26 minutes. I had paid the 12 hour fee for 6 minutes. I also was inconvenienced as I had no change and the meter did not take notes or give change. I had to go back into the hospital for change for the parking meter.

Currently there are 2 planning applications, one is full planning application for the redevelopment of the new downsized stadium whilst the other application is pre planning proposal that involves the selling off off and using the surrounding surplus land to build student accommodation, hotels and 360+ flats. Only a minority being 'affordable housing'. The development will involve the loss of 150+ mature healthy trees including very rare healthy Wheatley Elms, which the Council has spent millions over the years caring for, and green spaces. All of this will have a detrimental effect on local residents and the wider Edinburgh community for numerous reasons e.g. health, community cohesion, environment. The consultation in 2016 was inadequate and the recent planning application notification list was distributed to approximately 450 homes. While this may be legal, it is inadequate and undermines the Scottish Government policies which push for more community engagement. Local residents and the wider Edinburgh communities deserve to be made aware that they are losing an international sports centre due to sustained and constant lack of Council’s investment and for the sake of private developers’ profit. The proposed redevelopment will not meet the needs of all the current service users.

Helping people to manage their health problems'' .

Fibromyalgia and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis sufferers have very little chance of finding any medication to help their condition. There isn't one specific drug designed for treatment of symptoms. Drugs that are prescribed have many damaging side effects and patients show little to no improvement taking them. Many pain killers do not work. Since 2016, the consumption of products containing CBD has doubled and in the last year the number of consumers increased 100%, from an estimated 125,000 consumers in 2016 to 250,000 in 2017. In the UK, it is estimated that the cannabis market could be worth £10bn. Although the legal situation for CBD and CBD containing products has eased, the same can not be said for THC, whose only legal medical source is Sativex, a medication produced by the British company, GW Pharmaceutics who are currently the only company in the country to have permits for the cultivation of cannabis and the production of derivative products.