Agenda item

To receive details of petitions received by the Council, in line with the Council’s published arrangements and any responses or proposed responses to those petitions, in accordance with the revised arrangement for petitions agreed by Council on 9 October 2014 (report to follow).

Consideration was given to a report which provided details of the new arrangements, agreed by Council in October 2014, for dealing with petitions received by the Authority. Full details of the new arrangements and process for responding to petitions, together with a range of potential options available to the Committee when considering petitions were set out at Annex B of the report.

To ensure some scrutiny of action was taken in relation to petitions received either by Members or Officers, the Audit and Governance Committee had agreed that details of and actions relating to petitions should now be considered by the Corporate and Scrutiny Management Committee. Council had also agreed to amend the Committee’s terms of reference to enable it to consider petitions, in accordance with the new arrangements, as set out at Annex A of the report.

Consideration was also given to the schedule of petitions received to which the new arrangements applied which included details of any actions taken to date, at Annex C. Members noted that a database was being set up into which all staff across the Council could enter details of any petitions received to ensure accurate coverage of their receipt.

Members confirmed that this arrangement for dealing with petitions had been put forward as an interim measure, pending the possible establishment of a Petitions Committee, which would be considered following the Annual Council meeting in May. They raised concern at the 10 signatory level applied to petitions pointing out that in some cases additional signatories would not possible.

The Assistant Director for Transport, Highways and Fleet reported on the robust system in place in City and Environmental Services for dealing with petitions received in the department. Members questioned the possibility of a similar process for receipt of petitions being adopted across the Council.

Following further discussion it was

Resolved:   (i)     That the Committee note the change in the Committee’s terms of reference to enable it to consider petitions received by the Council;

  (ii)      That the arrangements set out for handling petitions received by the Council, set out at Annex B, be agreed subject to the following amendment under the Process section, paragraph 4:

The Cabinet Member/s will have the option to consider the petition, prior to a CSMC meeting.

(iii)       That to ensure consistency across all departments Officers examine a common approach for dealing with petitions received by the Council.

(vi)       That Officers be requested to examine the wording of both the new and the e-petitions scheme to ensure consistency between the two.

(v)         That the new CSMC arrangements for handling petitions be brought back to the Committee for review in six months.

(vi)        That the schedule of petitions, at Annex C, and the actions taken to date, be received and noted.

(vii)        That the petition and comments received in relation to the review of the decision in relation to the transfer of services from Castlegate to West Offices be referred to the Cabinet (Calling-In) meeting on 25 November 2014 for consideration.

Reason:     To ensure the Committee carries out its ne requirements in relation to petitions.