Petitions

Yes. In order for a petition to be accepted it must not:

• relate to a matter that the council is not directly responsible for, or has no influence over – for example, national taxation or events in other countries
• relate to a matter over which there is already an existing right of appeal or a separate complaints process
• be on a topic which has been the subject of another petition within the last year (starting from the date of receipt of the petition) – in such circumstances, the petitioner will be referred to the previous response
• be vexatious, abusive or otherwise inappropriate
• include potentially libellous, false or defamatory statements or which makes criminal accusations
• ask the council to do something which is unlawful
• relate to a matter which is the subject of actual or contemplated legal proceedings (including mediation) in which the council is involved as a party
• require the disclosure of confidential or exempt information or require the disclosure of commercially sensitive information in order to be considered
• include any advertising or marketing statements
• relate to the day to day operation of a local authority controlled school
• relate to a safeguarding matter

Separate rules exist for petitions relating to planning applications and other planning matters, licensing applications and matters which are the subject of formal consultation by the council.  

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 at full council. 

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

Petition debates do not take place at the council’s budget setting meeting or at the Annual Meeting. 

If you have less than 750 signatures then the petition is reported to the Group Director for the relevant service area or to the next relevant meeting of cabinet or the committee with the power to make the decision sought.

When a petition is referred to a Group Director, they are 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 the Group Director requires more time to respond then they advise the Petition Leader. 

When a petition is referred to the cabinet or a 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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