[cma-l] (CLG) Petition power kicks off new year of community action

[CMA-L]

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(CLG) Petition power kicks off new year of community action

Communities Secretary Hazel Blears today launched radical proposals to
make people's voices heard on the key issues they care most about,
such as tackling anti-social behaviour, helping older people or
improving local parks.

Communities Secretary Hazel Blears today launched radical proposals to
make people's voices heard on the key issues they care most about,
such as tackling anti-social behaviour, helping older people or
improving local parks.

Under these proposals, councils would be required to respond to
petitions submitted by local people, which could be on any issue for
which the local council has responsibility, from abandoned vehicles to
youth services.

Currently there is no requirement for councils to respond to
petitions, no matter how many people sign up.  But under these
proposals, councils would be legally required to respond to any
petition gaining significant local support.

Under the proposed new measures if the council ignores the petition or
the response is unsatisfactory, they could ask their local councillor
to trigger a 'select committee' style hearing within the local
authority to ensure that an issue affecting the people living or
working in his or her ward is raised and debated, under the new
"councillor call for action", which Parliament recently passed.

Adding the duty on local councils to respond to petitions to the call
for action will give people an additional, direct route to ensuring
that their concerns and ideas are considered properly by those who
have the power to do something about them.

Petitions already have legal teeth in Germany, the United States,
Canada, Sweden, Italy and New Zealand and a recent survey found only
two countries in Europe were found to sign petitions more than
Britons.  If approved, the plans could come into force from as early
as next year, or later if legislation is required.

Communities Secretary Hazel Blears said:

"We have a rich history of writing and signing petitions: 60 per cent
of us do so each year, but do we have a rich enough history of
answering and responding to them? These new powers would mean the
concerns of local people can no longer be filed away and ignored, and
ensure we have a more responsive culture.

"Governments are elected to serve the people, and that applies locally
as well as nationally. New petition powers would put more influence,
power and control in the hands of communities, leading to greater
action to tackle their concerns and improving the health of our local
democracy.

"Giving local people a greater say is not a threat to local
government's legitimacy - good councils actually do this already.
Listening to the concerns and priorities of the people who use local
services can only strengthen our local democracy."

Notes to Editors:

1. Submissions to the consultation on petition powers are invited
before 20 March, 2008. Details can be found at:
http://213.225.135.21:8080/publications/localgovernment/petitionscalls

2. The petition powers duty follows the recently signed concordat
which makes clear that "both local and central government have the
responsibility to 'devolve power and engage and empower communities
and individual citizens - in debate and decision making and in shaping
and delivering services."

Media Enquiries: 020 7944 3042; out of hours 020 7944 5945.
Email: press.office at communities.gsi.gov.uk
News Releases: http://www.communities.gov.uk/newsroom

ISSUED ON BEHALF OF CLG BY GNN YORKSHIRE & HUMBER.

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