Xplore are proposing two alternative routes to the 32/33 bus which would cut out Forfar Road. Their consultation highlights that the route could also stay as it is. You can see the proposed two route changes at this link http://nxbus.co.uk/files/NXDundee/misc/FintryRouteReview-PublicConsultationDocument.pdf This re-routing would severely restrict people's ability for travel: • make it harder for people with disabilities and older people with mobility problems to catch a bus and get out of the house, potentially leading to loneliness and social isolation • safety concerns of having to work through a scheme to get to/and from the bus • get to and from work • visit friends and relatives • access education and training • access to hospitals, doctors, dentists and other medical services • access to leisure activities including town and countryside locations Fewer buses on the road will mean more traffic congestion and delays which affects all of us.

Local council's need fairer funding to deliver services to residents - without further funding services may be at risk.

The cuts to access to justice for those facing criminal prosecutions must be reversed before the disaster that has occurred in civil legal aid cases representation is repeated. It is essential to halt the erosion of access to legal representation in the UK when citizens are facing funded prosecution (especially by the State). The erosion of legal aid strikes at the heart of our democracy, destabilising the level playing field that Justice requires and increasingly divides the nation between those wealthy enough to buy legal services and the rest who increasingly are forced to act in person. This false economy causes delay and unplanned expense. It increases social division The present cuts are imposed despite steadily a steady reduction in legal aid expenditure (From £1,289 in 2010 -11 to £863. In 2016-17. [£’000s]. At a time when the Government is attempting to present a positive image internationally for our legal services the damage to our reputation is in fact immense: From the Bach Commission evidence ‘Appendix 5: An analysis of evidence received by the Commission’ the following stark conclusions are reached: 1) Cuts to the fees paid under the Litigators Graduated Fee Scheme (“LGFS”) make much of criminal legal aid work uneconomical; (2) The rate of remuneration for advocates in many hearings often falls below the minimum wage. (3) The application of the merits test and means tests to legal aid in the magistrates’ court and Crown Court prevents deserving clients receiving representation and causes delay. (4) The number of offices handling legal aid criminal work has gone down by 20%. Legal advice deserts are being created and increasingly those denied Justice will beat a path to MP’s surgeries in desperation. We call upon the Government to reverse the cuts and engage in discussions for meaningful reform of the criminal Justice system and its funding.

The Boundary Commission published terrible proposals that would change the parliamentary boundaries in Dudley and chop our town in half! The proposals put St Thomas's ward - which includes part of Dudley town centre and areas like Kate's Hill, Buffery Park, Oakham, Sledmere and Blowers Green - into a new Sandwell constituency stretching almost ten miles to Edgbaston in Birmingham - Imagine that! I think these plans would rip the heart out of Dudley. They would: - Split Dudley's historic town centre in half - Put just one Dudley ward in with SEVEN Sandwell wards - Force local people to travel across Sandwell to meet their MP - Put the town centre church of St Thomas's in a different constituency from the ward that carries its name! I'm working with the ward Councillors to fight this plan and we're encouraging residents, businesses, charities and community groups to write to the Boundary Commission and urge them to think again.

Many people in the Old Trafford area rely on the Aldi store for their weekly groceries. The relocation has left local people, including those with mobility issues, facing a long walk to the new store. Pedestrian access is only available into White City via the Chester Road side, making this even worse. In addition, there are no bus services available from the main part of the Clifford or Longford wards to Chester Road. As any local person will tell you, the roads around this area are already heavily congested - even worse when Manchester United are playing at home, or there is a cricket match/concert at Old Trafford cricket ground, and we are concerned that without the proper public transport and pedestrian links, this will only be exacerbated. We call on Trafford Council to look at the public transport links and pedestrian access to this site. This relocation will have significant effects on the quality of life of Old Trafford residents, and we would like to see Trafford Council address this.

The Bank of England's policy making committees make decisions which have a huge impact on everyone in Britain, yet their members come from a narrow range of backgrounds. Over the last decade, the Bank’s policies have disproportionately benefited the wealthiest in society, while doing very little for the rest of us. [1] Unless its most powerful committees are representative of society as a whole, they won’t fully understand how every community is affected by their decisions. 75% of those on the Monetary Policy Committee, which is in charge of setting interest rates and policy such as quantitative easing, were working in the City or for large companies before taking up their post. There are no members with recent experience working on behalf of the interests of the rest of society, such as in trade unions or civil society organisations. And out of the 23 members on the Bank’s most important committees, only two are female, and BAME communities are underrepresented. Appointments to the Bank’s most senior positions are made by the Chancellor. We support Chair of the Treasury Select Committee, Nicky Morgan MP's recent call for Philip Hammond to seek out and appoint a more diverse range of candidates. ----- [1] Researchers at civil society organisations like Positive Money have shown that quantitative easing and low interest rates - the Bank of England’s main policy responses to the crash - have benefited the richest households by almost 200 times as much as the poorest. See our website for more details.

In a shocking 290m privatisation deal, Serco and G4S – the same two companies who were stripped of contracts for tagging prisoners because a Serious Fraud Office investigation revealed they were charging for tagging people who didn’t exist – are going to be trusted with the handcuffs by the government. Essentially, the proposals would see G4S staff given the powers of Civilian Enforcement Officers. That is, authorised officers/employees of Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service becoming vested with the power to seize and sell goods to recover money owed under fines and community penalty notices, and to execute warrants of arrest, committal, detention and distraint. The sticking point here is that although much of the recovery and enforcement arms of the Court service has long been outsourced to ‘Authorised’ Enforcement Officers (employees of various other private companies), the line has until now been drawn at outsourcing the power of arrest. No more.

Planned changes will leave Gainsborough ambulance station with only one ambulance. East midlands ambulance service wants to move Gainsborough's ambulances to bigger towns like Lincoln and Newmark. A town of 20,000 people can’t have just one ambulance. Waiting times for ambulances are already high and there have been numerous stories about accidents and problems arising from the shortage of ambulances. We believe this will leave the residents of Gainsborough and West Lindsey with an inadequate service that will put lives at risk.

There are currently 7 primary schools Under the NYCC care in danger of closing. We have already lost 3. In an ideal world Ings would remain open, and the heart of the community however as this now seems futile I feel that there needs to be a full investigation into why we have got into this situation, and how we are going to prevent it happening again. I would also like it to be investigated why we are closing these schools yet allowing private developers to put in planning for two new schools in the area- both of which will be owned by an academy or free school, meaning they will no longer be under any of NYCC remit- a massive safeguarding issue

It is wrong for a political party to question the decisions of licensing officers. This is akin to rejection of the law to suit political ends rather than protection of the public or workers. This is important also because it shows an unashamed attempt to garner support from a voting section of the public. Moreover it does not represent the Local authorities inhabitants alone and cannot be proven. A political party should not be lobbying to obfuscate the work of those carrying out licensing.

In 2011, residents voted against a merge of the councils in a referendum. If the conservatives want to now merge, they must seek a mandate to do so. To go ahead without properly consulting would be a betrayal to local residents. Whether you think it's a terrible idea or a good one, residents must have a say.

We the undersigned wish to express our profound disquiet at the roll-out of digital Universal Credit (UC). The Government’s plans will continue to replace all means-tested social security benefits and tax credits for those of working age, across Greater Manchester and beyond. We believe that we should not stand for such wilful ignorance of the impacts of the new system. We urge individuals, groups, organisations, MPs, councillors, landlords and housing associations to stand in solidarity against the Universal Credit roll-out. Signed and shared by: Greater Manchester Law Centre, GM Poverty Action, Big Issue North, Salford Mayor Paul Dennett, Salford Council Welfare Rights and Debt Advice Team, Salford Star, People's Plan GM, Coffee 4 Craig, St Mungo's Unite, Kill the Housing Bill, Cllr Gary Bridges, Cllr Bev Craig, Cllr Basat Sheik, Cllr Richard Leese, Council Labour Group, Manchester Shield, Withington Lib Dems. As this catastrophe unfolds the shortcomings and blind spots of UC have increasingly become clear. The following are the six issues, faced by individuals and families, which concern us most: 1. People are experiencing waits of six to twelve weeks (sometimes longer) for their first payment of Universal Credit. Consequently, people are spiraling into debt and rent arrears which they may find it impossible to recover from. 2. Universal Credit claims can only be processed online through a system called verify which cannot be completed without requisite ID or computer access. Some of the most vulnerable people, such as those who are disabled, precariously housed, homeless or non-UK citizens, find it extremely difficult to claim. This both lengthens the waiting period for first payments and makes it difficult for individuals to maintain their claims, putting them at risk of sanctions. 3. Sanctions are being applied erratically and arbitrarily in relation to UC. There is mounting evidence highlighting unfair use of sanctions, for example individuals have received them for being at work and missing their work focused interview. Full service roll-out will also bring housing benefit into the realm of sanctions, directly increasing the risk of evictions and homelessness. 4. Under UC many will see a reduction in their financial entitlement and will be living off substantially less money. In some cases individuals will be around £100-£300 less well off per month than on previous legacy benefits like Employment and Support Allowance and Severe Disability Premium . Disabled people and those with debilitating heath conditions will be pushed further into poverty as a result. 5. Young People aged 18-25 will be disproportionately affected by UC, . For example, those aged between 18-21 will not be entitled to housing benefit under UC unless in an exempt category. The exemptions will not cover thousands of at risk young people, resulting in mounting debt and homelessness. 6. Evidence suggests that UC is pushing more children and families into poverty. Unjust elements of UC like the two child limit do not support working or non-working families. Direct links to welfare reform, specifically UC are causing professionals to highlight the risk of more children going into care and families becoming homeless. We call on the Government to halt the roll-out while all of the problems are reviewed, to avoid creating unnecessary suffering. Universal Credit, if rolled out in its current form, is a Universal Catastrophe that will place an unsustainable burden on the finances of local authorities, charitable organisations and support services who will ultimately be left to pick up the pieces.