Why create a petition?

Petitions are one way of drawing issues of local concern to the attention of the council and other public bodies who work closely with us.  Individuals can usually raise comments and complaints about services through their ward councillor or through the council's comment system, but petitions can be particularly useful in promoting or objecting to proposals or decisions, by providing evidence of the depth feeling about the issue and the level of local support for, or opposition to, what is being proposed.

Right to sign a petition

The right of an individual in Warrington to sign a petition is included in Article 3 of the council's constitution.  You may sign a petition requesting the council to consider, reconsider or take action on any matter or issue where the council has duties or responsibilities or which affect the borough.

To sign a petition you must live, work or study in Warrington.  There is no lower age limit on who can sign a petition, but children who sign should do so free from coercion and should have a reasonable understanding of the issue.

Petitions scheme

The council at its meeting on 17 May 2010 adopted a formal petitions scheme, which sets out how we will deal with petitions.

How do I create a petition?

There are two main ways to raise a petition:

• draft a traditional paper based petition
• create a petition online using the council's e-petition facility 

What should the petition include?

For paper based petitions the format is really up to you but as a minimum, the petition must include:

• a clear and concise statement covering the subject of the petition - it should state what action the petitioners wish the council to take  
• the name, address and signature of any person supporting the petition.

To complete an e-petition follow the simple instructions online.  The system will generate a petition in the required format, prompting users for similar information to the above.  You will be asked additionally to provide the starting and closing date for the petition.  Please note that the content of your petition will be checked for suitability before it is made available online on the council's website for others to sign.  This checking process may take a few days to complete and we will contact you if we are unable to accept your petition. 

Types of petition

There are three main kinds of petition:

• standard petition (requesting action, consideration or reconsideration of a matter)
• petition requiring debate by full council (as above, but requires a minimum of 1,500 signatures)
• petition requiring an officer to be called to account by overview and scrutiny (the officer must be specified and the petition requires a minimum of 750 signatures).  

In the latter case, your petition may ask for a senior officer of the council to give evidence about a matter within his/her area of responsibility at an overview and scrutiny committee meeting.  You will need to select the responsible person from the council’s senior management team.  You will also need to specify that this is the purpose of your petition and clearly set out the grounds for your request.  A minimum of 750 signatures will be required to trigger this process. 

Is there anything which cannot be included in a petition?

Petitions must not relate to:

• planning decisions
• licensing decisions
• matters for which another right of review or appeal exists
• certain statutory petitions 
• vexatious, abusive or inappropriate matters.

In the case of the first three bullet points, a systematic failure to deliver those services could still be the subject of a petition.

How do I submit a completed petition?

You will need to include with your petition your name, address, signature and telephone number or email contact details.

Paper based petitions can be submitted as follows:

• By post to the Head of Democratic and Member Services, Warrington Borough Council, Town Hall, Sankey Street, Warrington, WA1 1UH
• By fax to (01925) 442014.
• Or by email (if scanned into an electronic format) to: democraticandmemberservices@warrington.gov.uk
• In person: at Contact Warrington, the Town Hall or New Town House receptions (during normal office hours).
• In person to: the Mayor at full council, or the leader at a meeting of the executive board (by prior arrangement only, please contact democratic services for more information).

E-petitions will be not be served on the council automatically after the on-line closing dated has passed.  The petition organiser should decide on an appropriate date to submit the e-petition and then carry out this process online.

What will happen next? 

When a completed petition has been received the organiser of the petition will receive an acknowledgement within 10 working days.  The acknowledgement will usually let you know what we plan to do with the petition and when you will hear further from us.  If we intend to do what your petition requests, the acknowledgement may simply confirm that fact and that the matter is now closed.  Details of the acknowledgement and a summary of the petition will normally be published on our website.

The council's response

Our response to the petition will depend on how many people have signed it, but may include any of the following:

• taking the action requested in the petition
• referring the petition for debate at full council
• holding an inquiry
• undertaking research
• holding a public meeting
• holding a consultation
• holding a meeting with the petitioners
• referring the petition to an overview and scrutiny committee
• calling a referendum
• writing to the petitioner setting out our views about the request in the petition.

The council's formal response to the petition will be published on our website.  This may be contained within the acknowledgement sent to the petitioner, or a separate notice.

Review

If the petition organiser is not satisfied with our response, he/she can request that the relevant overview and scrutiny committee reviews the adequacy of the steps taken or proposed in that response.  The petition organiser will need to provide reasons why the response is not thought to be adequate.  Details of how to request a review will be included in the original response.

If the committee so chooses, it may use any of its powers to deal with the matter.  The petition organiser will be informed of the committee's decisions within five working days and the outcome of the review will be published on our website.

Public engagement

The council and it partners are committed to engaging local residents, community groups and businesses in shaping the way that we plan for and provide local services.