Latest news with #petition
CBC
36 minutes ago
- General
- CBC
Hants County residents voice concerns over 'undesirable' uranium mining proposal
Uranium mining in Hants County is such a hot-button issue there wasn't room for everyone who showed up at a meeting over the weekend. More than 100 people attended the meeting in Vaughan, N.S., on Saturday to learn more about the Nova Scotia government's plans for uranium exploration in the province and, for many, voice their opposition to any potential mining. "We believe there's no safe way to operate a uranium mine this close in proximity to an established community," said Chad Pothier, who was born and raised in the area and helped organize the meeting. The community is right next to one of three areas the province wants to open for uranium exploration after it lifted a ban on the practice earlier this year. Those areas include a 64-hectare site in East Dalhousie in Annapolis County, 80-hectare site in Louisville in Pictou County, and a 2,300-hectare site in Lower Vaughan in Hants County. Residents in Hants County have said they haven't received any notification from the government about possible exploration on or near their land. Pothier said he scrambled to organize Saturday's meeting after only recently learning the province was considering a return to uranium exploration. "It was gut-wrenching," he said. "I didn't even know where Millet Brook was [but] it's directly across from my property." History of mining opposition Many of the people in attendance signed a petition against uranium exploration in Hants County and provided their contact information to be kept current with the latest information. "I think it doesn't matter where in Nova Scotia we live, it's important to speak up against this undesirable, incredible proposal," said Elizabeth Skelhorn, who lives in Windsor. Skelhorn said she has family roots in the Martock and Windsor Falls areas and she's always been opposed to uranium mining over concerns about safety. The area has a history of residents advocating against uranium mining, which played a part in a moratorium being imposed by the province in 1981. That ultimately evolved into the outright ban. "I'm not certain that residents feel as though they've received answers from … 1980, and here we are in 2025 and they have the same questions and same concerns," said Kayla Leary-Pinch, councillor for West Hants Regional Municipality. Leary-Pinch, who represents the district where the uranium deposits have been identified, said she went to the meeting to listen to constituents. NDP House leader Lisa Lachance was in attendance, but organizers said PC MLA Melissa Sheehy-Richard, who represents the area, didn't come because she had received threats related to the province's plans for uranium exploration. Sheehy-Richard's office did not respond to a request for comment before publication. Lachance said the province is trying to push uranium exploration without anyone noticing and many Nova Scotians are upset about it, but urged everyone to remain respectful.
BBC News
19 hours ago
- General
- BBC News
Plans to turn Gateshead's Colgate Primary School into SEN school
Plans to turn a closed primary school into a school for children with special educational needs (SEN) are taking a step Primary School in Felling, Gateshead, was transferred to the Cedars Trust to provide 180 places from academy organisation has applied to the council to expand the car park and widen its documents show the school is expecting a high number of children to arrive in vehicles, either with their parents and carers or by home-to-school transport provided by the local authority. The existing car access entrance from High Heworth Lane would be widened to allow for two-way traffic, the documents said, while pedestrian access would remain from Colegate comes after the Labour-led council decided to close the school in September last Primary had been dubbed the council's "most vulnerable school" in official documents, with a projected financial deficit of over £500,000 by 2025-26, according to the Local Democracy Reporting than 2,000 people signed a petition backing calls to keep it open. Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Students' fears over 'endangered' arts faculty
Nearly 2,000 people have signed a petition launched by students in response to a review proposing cuts to courses and redundancies at the University of Plymouth. Focussing on proposals for the Arts, Humanities and Business department, it warns the cuts could "endanger the future of creative education at Plymouth". Proposals, which are under consultation until July, are also understood to place the university's cinema and art gallery "under review" in what one student described as "disproportionate targeting" of the arts. The University of Plymouth said avoiding compulsory redundancies, whilst protecting the quality of student experience, was its "number one priority". It comes after the university said about 200 jobs may be affected by budget cuts. The Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Business, which includes the School of Art, Design and Architecture, has been asked to make £4.6m in savings, according to a document seen by the BBC. The student petition appeals for the university to "halt" the proposed redundancies and course closures and engage in "transparent consultation" with students and staff. It requests the "financial rationale" be published in a bid to find "fairer alternative solutions that do not disproportionately target the arts". The unnamed student behind the petition said: "These cuts endanger the future of creative education at Plymouth and represent a clear departure from the university's stated values of inclusivity, innovation, and interdisciplinary collaboration." They said staff redundancies could result in students being "left without suitable academic supervision", while international students may seek education elsewhere. Students have also been creating posters protesting at the proposed cuts and displaying them around the university. The University and College Union (UCU) has written an open letter to three of the region's MPs outlining the impact of the cuts. The letter says: "The Schools of Art, Design and Architecture may see the loss of undergraduate programmes in Fine Art, Acting, Drama, Musical Theatre and Music, as well as postgraduate programmes across the School. The Arts & Culture programme, including the public-facing gallery and cinema, which recently hosted events for British Arts Show 9 is also proposed for closure." The BBC has asked MPs Luke Pollard, Rebecca Smith and Fred Thomas - to whom the letter was addressed - for comment. The university, which employs more than 2,500 staff and serves more than 19,000 students across its two main campuses said it had to "make savings and difficult decisions" along with the majority of UK universities. The BBC has asked the university detailed questions about the proposals and their impact, but it declined to answer them. But, in a statement, it said it was doing everything possible to "look after our staff and avoid compulsory redundancies, whilst protecting the quality of our student experience, which is our number one priority". It added: "We are reviewing a number of the university's operations during a process of consultation with colleagues that is scheduled for completion in July. "It would be inappropriate to comment further regarding specific departments until that process has concluded, but we have been in touch with our current students to reassure them and ensure they are aware of support available to them. "Any changes to our provision will be aimed at making the University of Plymouth more resilient and better able to meet the demands of students, now and into the future." More news stories for Devon Listen to the latest news for Devon Follow BBC Devon on X, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to spotlight@ University faces £22m budget shortfall University announces potential loss of 200 jobs Arts firms 'in middle of perfect storm'
BBC News
2 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Darlington residents call for rules to stop smaller HMOs
A petition is calling on a council to stop the "uncontrolled transformation" of a of Greenbank Road in Darlington want measures to be put in place to stop landlords turning properties into houses of multiple occupation (HMOs)."Darlington Borough Council has lost control of the HMO situation in our neighbourhood," a letter to residents authority said it was looking into measures it could implement to address the concerns. There are about 400 HMOs in Darlington, according to the are used by residents, often students or young professionals, who rent their bedrooms and share living facilities. 'Unknown scale' Current rules mean that planning permission for an HMO is only needed when it will house more than five people. Specific measures – called an Article Four direction – can be implemented to require the landlord to seek permission for smaller Greenbank Road residents' petition said the council had "no way" of knowing how many houses had already been turned into HMOs and called for the Article Four direction to be made in their area."[The council] cannot make reasonable planning decisions by assessing the impact of new, large HMOs on our local streets if they don't know the scale of the local problem," it said.A spokesman at Darlington Borough Council said HMOs provided "a valuable contribution to housing provision for people who could not access the housing market through home ownership or added: "We also recognise that a concentration of unregulated HMOs can cause issues for neighbouring residents."The authority said while its own policies provided guidance for considering applications for larger HMOs, it did not cover those with fewer than five occupants."We have been working hard to look into measures, such as an Article Four direction, that can be introduced at the earliest opportunity to help control those smaller HMOs." Follow BBC Tees on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
BBC News
2 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Petition launched over 'endangered' Arts faculty
Nearly 2,000 people have signed a petition launched by students in response to a review proposing cuts to courses and redundancies at the University of on proposals for the Arts, Humanities and Business department, it warns the cuts could "endanger the future of creative education at Plymouth". Proposals, which are under consultation until July, are also understood to place the university's cinema and art gallery "under review" in what one student described as "disproportionate targeting" of the arts. The University of Plymouth said avoiding compulsory redundancies, whilst protecting the quality of student experience, was its "number one priority". It comes after the university said about 200 jobs may be affected by budget Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Business, which includes the School of Art, Design and Architecture, has been asked to make £4.6m in savings, according to a document seen by the student petition appeals for the university to "halt" the proposed redundancies and course closures and engage in "transparent consultation" with students and staff. It requests the "financial rationale" be published in a bid to find "fairer alternative solutions that do not disproportionately target the arts". The unnamed student behind the petition said: "These cuts endanger the future of creative education at Plymouth and represent a clear departure from the university's stated values of inclusivity, innovation, and interdisciplinary collaboration."They said staff redundancies could result in students being "left without suitable academic supervision", while international students may seek education have also been creating posters protesting at the proposed cuts and displaying them around the university. The University and College Union (UCU) has written an open letter to three of the region's MPs outlining the impact of the letter says: "The Schools of Art, Design and Architecture may see the loss of undergraduate programmes in Fine Art, Acting, Drama, Musical Theatre and Music, as well as postgraduate programmes across the School. The Arts & Culture programme, including the public-facing gallery and cinema, which recently hosted events for British Arts Show 9 is also proposed for closure."The BBC has asked MPs Luke Pollard, Rebecca Smith and Fred Thomas - to whom the letter was addressed - for comment. The university, which employs more than 2,500 staff and serves more than 19,000 students across its two main campuses said it had to "make savings and difficult decisions" along with the majority of UK BBC has asked the university detailed questions about the proposals and their impact, but it declined to answer in a statement, it said it was doing everything possible to "look after our staff and avoid compulsory redundancies, whilst protecting the quality of our student experience, which is our number one priority".It added: "We are reviewing a number of the university's operations during a process of consultation with colleagues that is scheduled for completion in July."It would be inappropriate to comment further regarding specific departments until that process has concluded, but we have been in touch with our current students to reassure them and ensure they are aware of support available to them."Any changes to our provision will be aimed at making the University of Plymouth more resilient and better able to meet the demands of students, now and into the future."
