Implement mandatory collection and publication of child sexual offender data
- 78 Signatures
The Casey Audit recommended a National Inquiry into predominantly Pakistani grooming gangs, where victim profiles were that of majority Caucasian girls. The Casey Audit emphasised that poor data collection inhibited accurate profiling of group based child sex offenders, recommending improved data collection.
The Audit described profiles of the act of grooming employed by gangs and an association of asylum seekers with child sexual exploitation gangs.
Senior Scottish institutional figures have recognised that grooming gangs have existed in Scotland for the last decade.
Action has been promised but nothing has occurred.
Data collection by Police Scotland and other bodies is woefully inadequate. Communication and knowledge are key safeguarding requirements in terms of preventing child sexual abuse.
In over 50% of cases related to sexual crimes, nationality and ethnicity are not recorded. Police Scotland also stated that public disclosure of current statistics revealing the profile of sexual crime data would be too expensive to retrieve.
Publication of this data is particularly important in light of recent asylum policies.
Review legislation in order to strengthen the Scottish Outdoor Access Code
- 1,101 Signatures
Scotland's tourism is an environmental catastrophe. Visitor numbers soar, infrastructure crumbles and ecosystems collapse under unsustainable pressure. The evidence is undeniable. Wildfires destroying ancient habitats. Raw sewage and waste poisoning our waterways. Protected species disturbed, rare flora trampled. Emergency services blocked by illegally parked vehicles. Heritage sites desecrated. Communities overwhelmed. The current system failing spectacularly. Every delay sees irreversible damage to Scotland's irreplaceable natural heritage.
The current Scottish Outdoor Access Code is powerless and routinely ignored by irresponsible tourists and vehicle rental companies claiming access rights. Other nations balance access with protection through enforceable regulations. We need mandatory environmental impact assessments, designated camping zones, fines for violations, and dedicated enforcement teams. This isn't about restricting access, it's about ensuring there's something left to access, through legislative reform, backed by real enforcement. The time for guidance has passed. We need laws that command respect.
In recent years the population of seagulls in our area has grown substantially in number. Gulls are now causing damage to property, cars, and especially attacks on residents.
If this was a dog or a physical attack by a person, action would soon be taken by the police and authorities. Seagulls should not have protected species status.
Hold an inquiry into grooming gangs in Scotland
- 2,365 Signatures
An inquiry is needed to make clear there are organised gangs of people in this country targeting children and young vulnerable adults for the purpose of criminal and sexual exploitation. This is leading children into lives of prostitution, drugs and crime, who would otherwise not choose that path in life.
These gangs are organised and exist for this sole purpose.
The longer it’s put off, the more children across our country are falling victims to these gangs. Everyday there are young people in this country having their childhoods destroyed as well as their entire lives at the hands of these organised gangs of groomers and traffickers.
This problem needs to be acknowledged and addressed in order for our drugs problem to be tackled with sincerity!
During COVID it became evident that vulnerable adults were at risk of being abused. My mother Letty was one of those adults. In trying to improve things for her, I found myself at odds with her Power of Attorney.
I approached organisations including the Office of the Public Guardian and the Mental Welfare Commission. They advised me that the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000 was not fit for purpose - the gaps within it did not adequately allow for thorough oversight of the Power of Attorney role. This remains the case.
In my quest for those most vulnerable adults to be protected I continue to call for a “Letty’s Law”, in remembrance of my late mother, and for the Act to be amended in line with recommendations of the Scott Review, to prevent abuse of Powers of Attorney.
Reinstate 6-monthly dental check-ups for state pensioners
- Final Signatures: 31
At my age, my teeth need more attention than ever.
It was 14 months between my last 2 check-ups as my dentist went sick when I was due to attend.
In between these check-ups, both my wife and I needed dental treatment.
I feel I am being pushed towards going private.
The First-tier Tribunal Scotland, Housing and Property Chamber adjudicates on a range of private housing matters, including eviction order and rent arrears applications lodged by landlord applicants or their representatives. The Tribunal considers eviction requests in relation to both Scottish Government private residential tenancy agreements and historical short assured / assured tenancy agreements.
At present, there are no prescribed time periods regarding how long it will take for an eviction order application, lodged by a landlord applicant, to be listed for an initial case management discussion/hearing. The frustratingly protracted and timeless nature of the process is contrary to Article 6 of the ECHR (i.e. right to a public hearing within a reasonable time) and causes applicants extreme levels of anxiety, financial hardship and ill health. The majority of landlord applicants only own one rental property and these adverse impacts require them to repossess their sole rental properties.
Support and fund mobility services
- Final Signatures: 13
Mobility services are vital for access to shops, services and community life. Without secure financial support, they face closure—putting equality, mobility and inclusion at risk.
Shopmobility Aberdeen has provided essential services since 1992, supporting disabled people, older adults, and those with temporary mobility challenges. They offer mobility scooters, wheelchairs, a wheelchair-accessible car, and volunteer companions to help people live independently and access their communities. The charity also provides long-term equipment loans for those recovering from injury or surgery. Currently, Aberdeen City Council provides vital support, but this funding alone is insufficient to guarantee the service’s future. Shopmobility Aberdeen is the only organisation offering long-term equipment loans in the North East and the only scheme north of Glasgow to hire out their wheelchair-accessible car.
The charity receives the majority of its funding from Aberdeen City Council.
Strengthen veto powers when assessing Business Improvement District proposals
- 379 Signatures
For a BID ballot to be successful, the aggregate of rateable values (RVs) in respect of which votes in favour of the BID proposal have been cast must be higher than the aggregate of RVs in respect of which votes against have been cast. This means a BID company needs yes votes from high RV properties.
If a BID is established, it is developed, managed and paid for by businesses through a compulsory BID levy. There is therefore an obvious incentive for a BID Company to simply offer a reduced levy to high RV properties in exchange for their vote in the ballot. The practice of levy persuasion will allow a levy structure to pass at ballot (especially with low turnouts) which is proportionately high for the lowest RV businesses.
Consequences of a disproportionate levy structure can include forcing small businesses to close. In view of disproportion occurring, current legislation allows local authorities to veto a ballot based on a disproportionate levy structure. However, it does not provide local authorities with specific examples or tolerances for them to properly carry out the guidance.
I was accused based on screenshots that were never checked for metadata or linked to my device, despite police having my phone and PIN. It was never confirmed who sent them or when they were created. These images could easily have been faked. The impact on my life was severe – I became suicidal and appeared in a documentary on male mental health in Scotland. In today’s digital world, anyone can create fake messages. This is not just about my case — it’s about fixing a loophole that can hurt anyone. We need proper rules on digital evidence, so courts aren’t misled and innocent people are protected.
The action asked for by my petition would not interfere with judicial discretion, but rather provide clearer legislative guidance to protect against the misuse of fabricated or contextless digital submissions, particularly in summary cases.
The motivation behind this proposal is not only my own experience, but related to wider concerns about how easily digital material can be manipulated and misused in the justice system, especially as such material becomes increasingly common in both prosecution and defence submissions.