Issue - meetings

To consider the attached report of the Democratic and Corporate Services Manager.

The Democratic and Corporate Services Manager presented the Revised Petition Scheme.

Members were advised that it had been over a decade since the scheme had previously been reviewed and that the current scheme was based on statutory guidance that had since been repealed.

Members debated the two proposed amendments from the Governance Committee to the recommendations set out in the report.

It was moved by Councillor S S Chandler, duly seconded by Councillor N S Kenton and

RESOLVED:          That the Council approve the new Petition Scheme as set out in Appendix 1 of the report and incorporate it into the Constitution of the Council (Issue 25), subject to the inclusion of recommendation (b) of the Governance Committee that an additional paragraph be added after paragraph 2.13 that reads “Any petition with 1600 or more signatures will automatically be referred to full Council after consideration by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.”

To consider the attached report of the Democratic and Corporate Services Manager.

The Strategic Director (Corporate and Regulatory Services) presented the report on the Revised Petition Scheme to the committee.

The current scheme, which dated from 2010 was based on now repealed statutory guidance. The proposed petition scheme sought to address lessons learned from the operation of the previous scheme and build upon best practice elsewhere. The key changes were:

·        Introduction of minimum number of signatures

·        Co-defining existing practice of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee as the gate keeper of petitions

·        The removal of the requirement that petitions with 1600 or more automatically go to full Council

·        Introduction of a minimum number of signatures (20), any fewer referred to Heads of Service to respond

·        The new scheme clarified what would constitute an acceptable petition.

Members considered the report and raised the following points in their discussion:

·        Whether a minimum age to sign a petition was necessary. Members considered a range of potential ages that could be suitable, which included ranges 10 – 16 years of age

·        Whether the automatic referral of petitions of 1600 signatures or more should be retained. The counter argument to keeping it was that the Overview and Scrutiny Committee would be the appropriate body to debate a petition thoroughly and would then be best placed to decide whether the matter should be referred to full Council.

The following recommendation was made to the full Council:

RESOLVED:      That the Governance Committee recommends to full Council that it approves the Revised Petition Scheme with the following suggested amendments

(a)     That, the minimum age requirement for signatories be 10 years old on the basis that this is the age of criminal responsibility.

(b)      That an additional paragraph be added after paragraph 2.13 that reads

          “Any petition with 1600 or more signatures will automatically be referred to full Council after consideration by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee”.