Reply to THIS thread
Start a NEW Talkback Thread
Talkback Home

Petitions - Sumi Beken (19th Mar 2007 - 13:29:07) Hi I've just spent a therapeutic ten minutes in my lunch hour on the 10 downing street petition site. I've of course registered my support for the petition about st. richards (petition)!!! as well as a few other ones which caught my interest. Makes me feel that i've got a chance to say my piece on thingsthe goverment should/shouldn't do - albeit in a small way. Do you think i'm wasting my time...? Sumi http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/

Re: Petitions - Raman (19th Mar 2007 - 21:22:31) Sumi Writing petitions are like voting in elections. The moment you have done it there is a great sense of satisfaction that you have called the shots as a democratic citizen. But you will realise that these are never taken seriously by the PM. You will receive a dumb response from No.10. However I do keep writing petitions as it gives me some self satisfaction that I have tried to wakeup the administration.

Re: Petitions - road tax - Sumi Beken (20th Mar 2007 - 10:46:05) Hi I know what you mean, Raman. The thing is, I'm all for opportunites for the public to express their opinions and thoughts about the things that are happening in their lives. Local and national government need to be better at engaging community opinion and support. This e-petition site isn't the answer to everything but gives some indication when people have strong feelings on the matter. If thousands sign up to the st richards appeal, it's going to be harder for the government to ignore us! I signed up to the road tax petition when it was at around the 300,00 signatures mark and also sent it to my friends. I signed it because i felt we were, as usual, going down the "charge first, work it out later" route and also because of the suggestion that they would be able to track both location and speed of one's journeys. When it got over the 1.8 million mark and made the headlines, it made the government stop and think about the public reaction, and created an opportunity for discussion. I wasn't very pleased to see how the govt spin machines were out to paint the signatories as nasty motor car lobbyists and the like but it showed me that they were pedalling on the back foot (as it were...)

Re: Petitions - liz (29th Mar 2007 - 10:45:12) Closer to home, you may wish to sign the petition to stop the closure of the Royal Surrey. Don't know if it'll do any good but worth keeping this petition near the top of the list.

Re: Petitions - LippyChick (29th Mar 2007 - 21:15:44) Criminal! The wonderful Hascombe childrens ward at the Royal Surrey was opened 2 years ago. Obviously a lot of money was invested, and it pays off too. The ward is fantastic, making hospital stays for youngsters as near bearable as they can be. The staff were amongst the finest I have come across in the NHS from the Play Advisor, the nursing staff and doctors, the consultant and even the volunteers. Why oh why is it that a hospital can open a ward like this at such expense, providing such a fabulous facility and yet within 24 months it is under threat of closure. This would never be allowed to happen in business. We as taxpayers paid for that facility. Lips x

Re: Petitions - Sumi Beken (2nd Apr 2007 - 14:05:55) petitions.pm.gov.uk/Save-RSCH We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to Save the Royal Surrey County Hospital in Guildford from cuts or closure. More details Submitted by Owen Bethell of Save the Royal Surrey Hospital – Deadline to sign up by: 02 May 2007 – Signatures: 21,352 Hi Yes, i've signed up already and am glad to say so have over 21K! Only a month left - make sure you send the address to your friends and family! Sumi

Re: Petitions - LippyChick (4th Apr 2007 - 07:59:58) Hi Here's another one for you. Whilst most childrens clothing is exempt from VAT, when children at school reach the larger sizes they are expected to pay VAT on their uniform, even though it is very clear that the clothes are required for people aged 16 and under. This obviously adds significantly to the cost of school uniform. If only VAT could be dropped at least on badged school uniform items at least then the system would be more fair. petition - VAT school uniform Many thanks Lips x

Re: Petitions - candyfloss (4th Apr 2007 - 20:18:49) Lips I quite agree, both my boys were in size 6 shoes at 12 years, and by 15 were buying mens size shirts. Unfortunately, it is so hard to introduce a system that is fair for children. You could take in birth certificates, but where is the proof that it is for the intended child? There is so much publicity about size 0 models - not child age, these people can buy all their clothes in 'Kids' sections, and have child size feet!!. Obviously on school clothes it should be automatically accepted that they are at least under 18. BUT small men could still fit the largest BOYS range - so could can many women!!. Its a difficult one! Its a bit like VAT now being charged on Condoms!!

Re: Petitions - LippyChick (4th Apr 2007 - 21:05:35) Hi Candyfloss The aim of the petition is to get VAT eradicated on badged school items. Whilst I accept that small adults can fit into trousers, skirts etc that can be schoolwear, very few adults would want to wear a school badged blazer or PE shirt. For an average senior school student, they will be in VATable clothes at age 12-14. Not having to pay VAT on badged school items could save between £10 and £15 on a standard fit by my reckoning. The government has recently made a lot of noise about bringing down the price of school uniform. Surely this would be an easy and logical place to start? Lips x

Re: Petitions - candyfloss (4th Apr 2007 - 21:14:03) Lips sorry but the answer is take the badge off!! All my boys blazers were sold with a badge that thad to be sewn on!! Don't want an arguement but it is still not fool proof!! Candyfloss

Re: Petitions - LippyChick (5th Apr 2007 - 09:04:01) Hi Candyfloss No system is foolproof, hence the reason that smaller adults can and do buy childrens clothes for themselves. As to badged items, that system may work for blazers, but for polo shirts for PE, for tracksuits, for sweatshirts etc then sewn on badges really aren't a practical option. I believe that the reason that the petition is restricted to badged items is to minimise the possibility of adults buying these clothes, and restrict them only to children of school age. Believe it or not, there is not a great deal of money to be saved in buying an unbadged blazer and buying a badge to sew onto it. Almost all schools now require certain items of the uniform to be badged, particularly at senior school level. The badging itself is fairly inexpensive and from the schools perspective offers an identity and uniformity. The point of the petition is that as childrens clothes are exempt from VAT, surely an item that is destined for a child should be in that category. Makes sense to me. I see people week after week who baulk at the cost of school uniform even though it probably works out cheaper than sending your child in their own choice of clothes to school. The Government has recently introduced directives to make sure that uniform is as affordable as possible to as many as possible. Yet, at the same time because of this anomoly parents are being charged an extra 17.5% that they really shouldn't have to pay. Lips x

Re: Petitions - candyfloss (5th Apr 2007 - 10:46:46) Lips I think you have misunderstood. I am all for childrens clothing to be cheaper - so taking VAT off is a step in the right direction - but the problem i was raising is more about the logistics of the situation. Perhaps if school uniform was only sold via the schools these could then be exempt from VAT. It would help shops that supply official uniform for schools - then perhaps there wouldn't be so much competition in September from supermarket chains!! candyfloss

Reply to THIS thread
Talkback Home