Hesther

The latest figures I found were from 2005, when an average of 5 children a year drowned in garden ponds in the UK. Recent reports say this has increased as the number of households with water features have increased. The trouble with 'supervising' children in the garden, is that you can never supervise them 100% and it only takes a second for them to disappear in a pond.

There's no need for blasphemy. Respect? Are you for real? By the way, you forgot to mention the Osbornes' use of tax havens. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3152536/Chancellor-George-Osborne-s-family-firm-6million-property-deal-developer-based-tax-haven.html

They do, and each time they lose a bit of themselves.

I totally empathise with that but when I saw the lady on SKYnews this morning, who I believe is going to be standing in front of the government today, regarding the meningitis vaccine, I thought well at least if they persist in trotting out the line that this vaccine, although it could save the lives of children, is not 'cost-effective', they will have to look her in the eye and as inevitably children will die because of this decision, and they full well know this, they will still have to look her in the eye.

Bogus story. :hihi: You must try harder. Oh, I know, it's all 'within the law', just like IDS's £50 breakfast taxpayers pay for.

It isn't an acceptable response as it does not address the points made in the petition. What it has achieved though, is highlighted the ill feeling, and forced the government to acknowledge this, even though they don't really respond to the points made, they have been forced to acknowledge the issue raised. Let's keep them coming, is what I say! Regarding Jeremy Hunt's supposed 'crusade' about the increase in deaths at weekends, if he was genuinely concerned about such 'spikes', he would be looking at the increase in deaths when all the top consultants take their children to the Seychelles in the summer, leaving their juniors in charge.

Only have a garden pond if you will not be having any children in your garden ever. If you are going to have children in the garden at some point, then you need to put some sort of heavy duty, lockable metal grid over it, to take a child's weight at least, or a heavy duty wooden trellis laid flat over it, that will take at least a child's weight, and is replaced when it becomes weak. ---------- Post added 14-03-2016 at 22:18 ---------- I have to agree with this. Check out all the reviews for the solar pumps, as you will be surprised what power you need if you want to keep the water clean and electric pumps can really push up your bills.

You are spot on. The current system is an anachronism and far from being truly democratic. The people have very little power indeed. However, that is why the powers they do have (like being able to force a debate if a petition gets X amount of signatures), they need to use to the max! The media are totally irresponsible and do not play a fair part in our so-called 'democracy'. Tens of thousands of people can take to the streets to protest and they will not get coverage, and the main headline on the BBC breakfast 'news' is about what happened on 'Strictly'. It's an insult to be honest.

If families in Woodseats, Abbey Lane and Meersbrook are going to be affected by this, they need to be part of the consultation now, before decisions are made, not in a year or so. I also know many Meersbrook parents. The ones that have a negative view of Newfield are the ones that don't seem to have children currently there. The Meersbrook parents that do have children there, have quite a lot of praise for the school, and the results that their children get there are extremely impressive.

I'm sorry because I don't like doing this, but Eric, that is an outright lie. Banjodeano has put the link which proves his point.... http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/george-osborne-receives-dividend-payment-from-family-business-that-pays-no-corporation-tax-a6873151.html

You couldn't make it up.

And let's not forget it was Thatcher who de-regulated the banks. Or did London escape de-regulation? Oh no, that was the London public transport system!

Taken from the Guardian article in Alchesearch's post above. So, why are the NHS not funding Blake's treatment?

Have Meersbrook, Woodseats and Abbey Lane residents who this is likely to effect been written to and invited to take part in the consultation process? If not, the consultation needs to start again.

The consultation document mentions Meersbrook, Woodseats, and Abbey Lane by name. I presume the residents of Meersbrook, Woodseats, and Abbey Lane who this is likely to effect will only rightly have already received letters informing them of this from the council, so that they may obviously be included in the "consultation process"? If not, then it needs to start all over again.

A fellow forummer has alerted me to this article: http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/letter-defends-sheffield-council-and-slams-lack-of-perspective-of-tree-campaigners-1-7739862#ixzz41wa22ZLK It is very interesting to read that: "The letter said the council was felling trees because professional tradespeople had deemed them to be in danger of falling down, damaging pavement and potentially hampering the mobility of the elderly and disabled." This in bold is of particular interest to me, as I wrote to Amey and the council and gave this exact reason, amongst several other equally valid reasons why a tree near me should be felled and they said that that this was not something they could take in to account! It seems the council/Amey make it up as they go along! As for telling the people of Dore and Totley that they are only concerned with house prices and should be caring more for the people dying from pollution in Tinsley! Maybe the COUNCIL should start caring about our air pollution and stop importing rubbish from everywhere else to be burnt at Bernard Road incinerator, pushing God knows what in to the air, and bringing washed up whales from Skegness to rot in our landfills and heaven knows what else they are bringing in from other towns and cities. And forcing all traffic on to main roads where it just sits for hours, not moving, with engines running, causing tons of pollution for the inhabitants of Sheffield, instead of letting the traffic move freely on lesser used roads, OUR COUNCIL have made Sheffield the dustbin of England. To accuse other people of not caring about pollution is absolutely disgusting! ---------- Post added 12-03-2016 at 17:31 ---------- It seems our councillors have short memories. Sheffielders care passionately about their environment - including those who want certain trees felled, and those who don't. Remember the Graves Park fiasco that cost Labour control of the council? If I remember correctly, a certain Terry Fox lost his seat over that one! The fact is whether people want to fell particular trees or keep them - Amey and SCC have put a lot of people's backs up with how they have gone about the tree work.

Really? I'm not sure that I could.

Did I miss that? Do you have links to the personal statements with the trees fiasco?

That's what I was thinking. If it was a credit card payment, get on to your bank and get them to take it back.

Be happy that you are insured and just have to pay the £75. If you pay it with a happy heart, the £75 will come back to you tenfold in other ways.

Yes, my religion makes me a better person. Not better than you, or him, or her; but better than me without religion.

Osborne's austerity measures are idealogy - the government are preparing more tax cuts for the rich, whilst the poorer are effectively paying more tax, with continuous swingeing cuts to tax credits. The cabinet have been brought up in a 'bubble', cuts to public services mean absolutely nothing to them and their families. Some Sheffield criminals are already making the most of these cuts, by committing crimes at peak times when they know the police are stretched to the max. The government need to get tougher on people carrying knives as soon there will be absolutely no chance of getting knife crimes under control. Judges need to be told to stop excusing those who carry knives.

That's interesting. When I asked if my child could have a test to test for immunity for Mumps, Measles and Rubella from immunology, as my child had single vaccines paid for privately, because my child had certain health conditions, and we were told that a booster was probably never going to be necessary, I was told point blank by immunology that they would not test for this, even if I paid, as they were insisting that my child had the booster vaccine. Mmmm, very interesting indeed.

Thank you.

Really? I always thought it was down to profits.