Agenda item

Resolved: It is recommended that members consider the Council’s current petition scheme and highlight any changes they feel should be considered.

The Head of Legal and Democratic Services provided an overview of the report, as contained within the agenda pack.

Members observed that elected members received a number of online petitions from the public; however, none of these have been local authority E-Petitions. It was noted that any E-Petition receiving over five hundred signatures would prompt a debate. Members requested additional information regarding this process.

The Head of Legal and Democratic Services confirmed that any petition meeting the threshold would be considered by full council for a public debate. A timed discussion would be held at council to allow for consideration of the item. Cabinet Members or Scrutiny committees may advance matters within their respective forums, if deemed appropriate. In some cases, the debate could result in Cabinet directing officers to provide additional detail. The E-petition process ensures transparency regarding the issue under consideration and offers an opportunity for deliberation and agreed actions to address the points raised within the petition.

Members noted that a recent online petition had gathered over 4.5k signatures, through a third party platform. If the local authority E Petition scheme had been used, this would have generated a debate.

Members referred to the three petitions mentioned in the report and noted that none had met the threshold for a response. Members enquired what action was taken in those circumstances, are the public advised of alternative ways their views can be communicated.

The Head of Legal and Democratic Services confirmed that the three petitions mentioned in the report triggered a response from the Head of Service. The Head of Service considered the request and explained why that particular course of action had been taken. Copies of responses are published on the Council Website which is publicly accessible.

Members enquired whether the ability of the public to ask

questions in meetings is publicised.

The Head of Legal and Democratic Services advised members that public participation at meetings was promoted as much as possible. There was a need to maximise the potential for utilising different forums for engagement. A potential focus for the Democratic Services Committee could be to further promote these different elements in order to encourage public participation in democratic processes. Further information on public speaking will be provided under agenda item six.

Members referred to paragraph 23 of the report and asked for clarification on the financial aspects.

The Head of Legal and Democratic Services advised members that the financial implications of accommodating petitions are expected to be minimal. However, there may be occasional costs for translation services or accessibility adaptations. The council is aware of these potential costs and will monitor them as needed to ensure inclusivity in meetings.

Resolved: It is recommended that members consider the Council’s current petition scheme and highlight any changes they feel should be considered.