Sowerby Bridge News

Petitions Could Make Local Concerns Heard

Calderdale Councillors have welcomed Government consultation on how local authorities manage petitions from local people. At their meeting yesterday Members of the Use of Resources Scrutiny Panel will discuss the Government’s proposals, and consider how changes could give local people a greater voice.

The consultation, published by the Department for Communities and Local Government (CLG) sees signing petitions as a popular way for people to express their concerns. The Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009 contains a duty on all local authorities to respond to petitions. Every Council will have to have a scheme in place, so people know how to submit a petition, and what action will then be taken. The CLG say:

“Everyone, no matter where they live, will be easily able to find information about how to petition their local authority and they will know what to expect from their local authority in response.”

The Council will need to decide how many people need to sign a petition to ‘trigger’ a debate at a full Council meeting. It could also be decided that the Council’s Scrutiny Panels consider petitions at their meetings, and explore what action is planned in response.

The Use of Resources Scrutiny Panel will discuss the CLG’s proposals, and then make recommendations to the Council’s Cabinet.

Chair of the Panel, Cllr Jennifer Pearson says:

“If people feel strongly about an issue, and put a petition to the Council, they must have confidence they will be listened to.”

While petitions have traditionally had the greatest impact where high numbers of people have signed them, this may be doing a disservice to some residents. Councillor Pearson explains:

“There may be an issue that is a priority for all the residents in a particular street, village or neighbourhood. It might not be relevant to thousands of people across the Borough, but for those few, it may be having a serious impact on the quality of their life. They should be able to have a petition taken seriously through an open and transparent process – it is about strength of feeling, not thousands of signatures.”

To find out more about the CLG’s consultation on petitions, go to: www.communities.gov.uk