Wirral Borough Council engaged Kingdom to issue fixed penalty notices (FPNs) for environmental crimes such as littering, non-clearing of dog mess, etc within Wirral’s boundaries. Kingdom is a private limited company and as such, is profit driven. There is evidence that the Enforcement Officers (EOs) acting on behalf of Kingdom are financially incentivised to issue as many FPNs as possible. This financial motivation has seen the most vulnerable people in society, who are least likely to resist such accusations, deliberately targeted with FPNs of £80.00 for minor infringements, without being given the opportunity for errors to be rectified. It has been noted that the EOs focus on areas with the heaviest footfall, i.e. shopping centres, which whilst having a litter problem, may not have the worst in the borough. We are concerned that in focusing on these areas the Company is not filling its contractual obligations borough wide. This again suggests they are looking to maximise profits by issuing as many tickets as possible. Figures from 16.12.15 – 15.12. 16 show that of 11711 FPNs issued 91%(10719) were for dropping cigarette butts. We agree this is anti-social behaviour to the detriment of the environment, but we do not believe, given the litter problem in the borough, that the percentage of fines issued for such an offence is proportionate to the general litter problem. We also note that 25% of FPNS were appealed against. The EOs persist in ignoring both the law and their own and WBC guidelines when issuing FPNs for accidental littering – a major issue we have is that once the FPN is issued the offending item (be it a cigarette butt, dog dirt, etc) is not removed. This means the litter is then left for street cleaners to remove, at the expense of WBC. We have concerns about whether RIPA 2000 is being used inappropriately to allow the “Enforcement Officers” to work covertly. We do not believe the offences they are fining people for warrant the use of covert tactics. It has been reported to us time and time again that badges and recording devices are not revealed until the last minute. We are concerned as to whether the EOs have the appropriate licences and security clearance for filming members of the pubic for evidence. EOs have been shown to manipulate facts and withhold pertinent information to convince people they have committed an offence, leaving them in fear of further action (evidence available upon request). We are concerned that the initial appeals process is handled inhouse by Kingdom and feel they have a financial motive to not review the appeals without prejudice. We understand that whilst Kingdom receive a large share of the FPN fee any court costs are paid by WBC, again maximising the Company’s profit whilst exposing WBC to costs. I have never received a FPN although I know people who have. It seems these days everyone within Wirral knows someone who has. One such case is quoted below: “It happened last year, but I’m still upset about it, it was all a big con. I’m a female pensioner and I was alone with my two dogs. I was picking up after my male dog when a young man approached me and told me my female dog had pooped, and I hadn’t picked it up. I told him she had already had a poop in my garden, so I asked him to show me where it was. He took me to where a large man was standing over a round dried up poop that must have been there for hours. I pointed that out to them and the large man said he had seen her do it. I had a doggy bag so used that to pick it up and asked them to feel that it was cold (therefore not freshly done) and they refused. It was only when they then asked for my name and address that they showed me a badge, which he pulled out of the neck of his top where it had been concealed. I was taken to court twice as I refused to pay the FPN as I knew I was innocent of their accusations. I was told there was video evidence against me which I asked to see, and I was told I had to apply to see it, which I then did. When I saw the video, it showed them asking me for my details and showed a used doggy bag in my hand. The screen then went blank for a few seconds and when it came on again it showed a piece of grass with a hand covering what was alleged to be the poop. We thought the video had been edited – a woman I spoke to at Kingdom said it was impossible but at our insistence she showed it to a colleague who said it WAS possible the video had been edited. About 10 days before I was due back in court for the third time I received a letter, saying the case had been dropped. The whole ordeal was so stressful that my GP put me on anti-depressants, but there was no way I would plead guilty to something that was false.” Issues with Kingdom’s methods are not unique to Wirral, seeming to be a problem wherever they operate. There is evidence that Kingdom’s EOs frequent supermarket car parks which are cleaned by the supermarkets at no cost to Wirral Borough Council, to issue FPNs. We have had confirmation from Asda that they wrote to Wirral Borough Council, November 2017, withdrawing permission for Kingdom to operate on their premises and it has been reported that they are banning Kingdom from operating on their premises in Liverpool and North Wales too: https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/asda-bans-kingdom-litter-squad-14536164 Sainsburys have also advised us that they have withdrawn permission for Kingdom to operate at their Upton superstore and are reviewing the other Wirral stores. The litter problem appears no better throughout the borough than when the contract commenced in 2015. We urge Wirral Borough Council to find a better solution to the littering problem, that doesn’t leave people in fear of visiting certain areas. One such scheme could be in house, uniformed officers who are not being paid incentives per the number of fines they issue. We are happy to meet with the appropriate WBC employees to discuss how this could be funded.

These people have been taken away from their home by the British government, home that has been handed to the U.S. military. As well as a forced exile they now have to pay for their right to remain in the country and pay high immigration fees and/or pay for a visa for their relatives to come over, we want to hold the British Government accountable to its past actions, make these people you forced out of their home British citizens for free, as a compensation for the pain and suffering you caused them.

Single use plastic bottles are becoming a major menace to the environment. 7.7 billion plastic water bottles are sold in the UK each year, and although every local authority in the UK now provides household recycling collections, the recycling rate for plastic bottles has plateaued at just under 60 per cent. The advantage of public drinking fountains and refills, says environmental campaigner Ben Reynolds, deputy chief executive of the charity Sustain is that they reduce the “insanity” of bottled water, much imported from France and some from as far afield as Fiji. Drinking water fountains in Loughborough Town Centre would mean that residents and visitors could refill bottles for free, drastically cutting down on the number o single use plastic bottles being used. A well-designed fountain could also become a feature for the town, like 'The Sock Man'. For more info on water fountains: https://www.sustainweb.org/ http://www.thelondonmagazine.co.uk/people-places/london-life/hit-the-bottle.html https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/03/24/drinking-water-fountains-should-become-iconic-red-british-telephone/

If this proposal goes ahead it will mean reducing the number of class's from 5 to 4. Consequently each class size will increase significantly, meaning larger composite classes eg primary 1/2/3. This alteration is for 1 year only as the primary intake is larger for 2019. We believe this disruption will have a negative impact on our children's education and social development.

To make the UK a better and healthier place to live,and independent of other countries for our energy .

In bid for cheaper shipping and customer convenience there has been a broad shift in the past decade from selling pet food in easily recyclable cans to pouches. But, these pouches are almost never recyclable because they are made from a thin layer of aluminium sandwiched between layers of plastic. More than ten billion plastic-aluminium pouches, containing things like pet food and baby food are sold each year in the UK. Shockingly, less than one in 20,000 of these is recycled. The rest end up in landfill sites or they are incinerated. If Mars and Nestlé went took the simple step of going back to selling their pet foods in recyclable tins and aluminium trays this would prevent millions of tonnes of plastic being ploughed into our earth.

On Thursday 28th June 2018, Herefordshire Council’s Cabinet will meet to discuss the possibility of starting a tendering process to privatise these vital services, based on the “Soft Market Test” report, published in January 2018 and the recommendations of the Scrutiny Committee, which met on 9th April. At a time when there is much evidence to suggest that other local authorities are having to take these services back in-house due to the failure of private companies to run them effectively, we need to control and safeguard the future cultural service provision for our community, particularly for our children, young people, and isolated, vulnerable groups, such as elderly and disabled people. UNISON believes that the public deserve the best possible service when it comes to Museums, Libraries and Archives and our policy is always to keep services in-house. The Council say they need to do this to save money. However, the total budget spend for all 3 services last year represents a spend of less than £8 per head of population. Official figures for the library service already show a below average spend in comparison to similar authorities so it’s difficult to see a reason for taking these services out of local council ownership, when the figures show that it is already a very cost-effective service. UNISON is committed to working with Herefordshire Council to find a solution to its budgetary pressures without undermining our loved arts and library provision. Ealing, along with Croydon, Harrow and Hounslow recently had to take back their library services due to the collapse of Carillion. Staff at privatised library services in Bromley, run by Greenwich Leisure Ltd, have been on strike. UNISON believes Museum, Library and Archives staff deserve to be recognised for the trained, professional job they do, and the threat of future closures, reductions in hours and the loss of friendly, knowledgeable staff is unacceptable, These things are at risk if they are transferred over to a private company or charitable trust. Finally, UNISON has part funded work with We Own It. They are running a pledge for councillors and council candidates in elections to commit to ending all privatisation in local council services. The detail can be found here: https://weownit.org.uk/local-pledge Thank you, Herefordshire Local Government UNISON

St Clears is a small village in West Wales with a population of under 3000 residents. We already have 2 fish and chip shops, a subway, a kebab shop, pizza bar, 2 indian takeaways, 1 chinese takeaway, Starbucks coffee and a chicken rotisserie bar. The proposed development of a drive through McDonalds and Costa coffee is not needed. Travellers driving through can call at the McDonalds in Carmarthen 10 miles away or make use of the host of other local businesses in St Clears, or the Roadhouse restaurant a few miles further on. As a community we have concerns regarding the impact of the proposed development on both the health and wellbeing of the community. We believe that the development is at odds with Welsh Government sustainable development charter and wellbeing of future generations act which aims to promote long term health and wellbeing of people and communities in Wales and reduce obesity and other chronic illnesses. The area considered for development is already very heavily burdened with traffic coming from both the A40 and A477. The addition of traffic slowing down to enter the facility would impact dramatically on the flow of traffic, causing potential risk for the pedestrians using the area as well massive environmental impact in terms of air and noise pollution, destruction of nature habitats and littering. We want the council to turn down planning application for this proposed development. Please sign this petition and support our village.

The artefacts will go to Lincoln if we do not take action. This building is a community asset and the future of the building and contents will be secure under Stamford Town Council guardianship. The artefacts are of historical importance and should be displayed in our Town for all the enjoy.

Phase 2 of the Stoke Park Estate restoration project aims to turn this area into grazing land for cattle in September 2018. Those who sign this petition want the character of the wood and the meadows between to be kept, and insist that only the most sensitive of work be conducted. There is very little woodland in the UK - even less that the public can access. Yet there are plans to clear woodland between Lockleaze and the M32 at Stoke Park Estate. In an effort to restore a 19th century landscape, Bristol City Council want to cut down Stoke Park Woods, leaving a “few scattered young and mature trees.” This will destroy important habitat and deprive people who live in the city access to a beautiful, natural woodland. It will remove visual screening to the M32, and will result in increased noise. The work so far has been negligent and destructive. Despite being an SNCI (Site Natural and Conservation Interest), suitable ecological surveys have not been carried out. The work has not complied with guidance set out by Natural England. So far large areas of valuable habitat have been obliterated. Wildlife has been displaced or killed. They want to do it again to a much loved woodland. The damage done so far cannot be undone - but there is still a chance to save Stoke Park Woods. If you think that people who live in the city should be able to enjoy the wildlife and beauty of a natural woodland, please ask your friends and family to sign.

The Children's ward at Boston's Pilgrim Hospital is under threat of temporary closure because of staff shortages. As the largest county in England, with it's population spread over a large area of mostly agricultural land it is imperative we keep this vital children's ward open. Grantham Hospital is also scheduled to close, so where are all the children going to go? This could put lives of children at risk! Telling parents they simply have to drive further is not acceptable. Not all parents can drive, or have access to transport over long distances. What happens when the other hospital children's wards are all full? Surely this will just increase the pressure on other hospitals which are already at breaking point. Will children be refused treatment if no beds are available? As the population is expanding why are essential services shrinking? What impact will this also have on the maternity ward, and children born requiring treatment or special care.

If like me you are fed up angry and frustrated by the developing and serious litter problem we have in this country, then this is a campaign for you We are the fifth largest economy and yet we are filthy! Of course I’m concerned about plastics damaging our environment, but litter is not just about plastic, there are a number of different kinds of litter, which are of concern to me. Wind litter which we see increasingly on our motorways and roads. The motorways and roads act like wind tunnels Picking up and blowing it into central reservations and hedge bottom. Agricultural litter seen in our country side, plastic bales covering, fertiliser and feed bags. Roadworks litter and this one is a lot bigger than you might think, road signage, cones, barrier tape, sand bags, it’s all over the country and it’s costing tax payers millions of pounds in replacements, all because the contractors can’t be bothered to take it away when the work is finished. And finally the anti social behaviour of mindless morons who have no respect for the country they live in, or their surroundings and appear to delight in spoiling things for everyone.This one also includes doggy poo bags hanging in trees or thrown in hedge bottoms.( I have collected up to 57 poo bags on my 1hour walks around local reservoirs) Litter is bad for our mental wellbeing, it’s bad for our wildlife, and it’s bad for our environment. We know none of the above forms of litter are going to be removed by themselves and the people creating it are not going to come and pick it up, it’s down to our councils to collect and dispose of it, but as we all know public services have been targeted over the last 8yrs with one cut back after another and with local authorities struggling to meet the provision of front line services to children and adults, they simply do not have the funds to deal with this growing problem. So let’s put the problem where it belongs, with the government, this is what we pay taxes for, so we should demand a dedicated budget to deal with the serious problem of Litter. Help me to force the government to GET BRITAIN CLEAN AGAIN