Petitions

Yes. Petitions will not be accepted if they:

• concern matters the council is not directly responsible for or has no influence over
• relate to licensing decisions or planning decisions, including development plan documents  – refer to section 11, Part 6D of the council’s Constitution (google doc)
• are statutory petitions, such as a request for a referendum
• are about specific issues the council is carrying out formal consultations on – refer to section 12, Part 6D of the council’s Constitution (google doc)
• concern matters where there is already a right of appeal or a separate complaints process – these will be dealt with using these existing rights
• be the same as a petition already received in the past 12 months – in such cases, the petitioner will be referred to the response to the original petition
• are considered to be vexatious, abusive or otherwise inappropriate
• include potentially libellous, false or defamatory statements
• request the council to do something that is unlawful or which makes criminal accusations
• relate to something which is the subject of any contemplated, actual or concluded legal proceedings in which the council is involved either as a claimant, defendant or interested party – this also includes any matters which are the subject of mediation
• would require the disclosure of confidential or exempt information or commercially sensitive information in order for the council to properly consider the petition
• contain advertising or marketing statements
• relate to the day to day operation of any local authority controlled school
• relate to safeguarding matters
• name individuals or provide information where they may be easily identified, other than officers where the petition is seeking to hold them to account

Additionally, petitions will not be accepted if they:

• concern matters that are the responsibility of Parliament, a central government body or another organisation
• propose actions that do not have a direct impact on:
  • the boroughs economy
  • communities within the borough
  • council services, for example provision for refugees and housing

Within 10 working days you will receive communication explaining what we plan to do with the petition.

It depends what the petition asks for and how many people have signed it. It may include one or more of the following:

• taking the action requested
• writing to the petition setting out the council’s views on the requested action
• considering the petition at a meeting of the council or one of its committees
• holding a meeting with the Petition Leader
• commissioning research

You need 750 or more valid signatures in order to trigger a debate. 

We aim to consider the petition at the next ordinary meeting of full council or cabinet. This may not always be possible because of the amount of business to be considered. 

Petition debates do not take place at our budget setting meeting or our Annual Meeting. 

If you have less than 750 signatures then the petition is reported to the senior officer for the relevant service area. Or, it goes to the next meeting of the relevant committee or sub-committee with the power to make the decision sought.

When a petition is referred to a senior officer, they’re asked to respond to the Petition Leader within 6 weeks, setting out their views on the petition and what, if any, action they propose to take. If they need more time to respond, they must inform the Petition Leader.

When a petition is referred to a committee or sub-committee, it is reported to the next ordinary meeting of that body.

At the meeting the Petition Leader is given up to 5 minutes to present the petition.

Following that presentation, elected members can debate the petition for up to 15 minutes. 

The elected mayor, relevant cabinet councillor or committee chairman has an opportunity to respond to the petition for up to 5 minutes.

A vote is then taken on the action proposed under the petition.  Where the subject matter of the petition relates to something that only the council’s cabinet can determine, full council may decide either to make a recommendation to cabinet or refer the petition to cabinet without any recommendation. 

Petitions received in response to planning matters (applications and in response to planning policy consultations) and licensing applications are referred to the relevant department and taken into consideration as part of those decision-making processes.

A petition submitted in response to a formal consultation undertaken by the council is referred to the Group Director for the service area undertaking the consultation and included as a consultation response.

This approach is also taken for petitions which relate to any issue about the council’s budget during the annual budget setting process. The petition is also made available for inspection at the budget meeting of the council.

You are not obliged to provide your contact details, but we are unable to process your petition without them.  

The name of the Petition Leader will be published on the agenda papers. 

The names and addresses of petition supporters provided are only used by the council to check whether or not the petition complies with the requirements of the Petition Scheme.

If you are unhappy with the handling of your data you have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office.

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