What is a petition?
The London Borough of Hounslow has a petition scheme which helps residents to understand how any petition they submit to the Council will be dealt with. Hounslow Council welcomes and recognises that petitions are one way in which people can let the Authority know their concerns and ask it to take action.
Typically, a petition is signed by many people, indicating that a large group of people supports the request detailed in the petition. Hounslow identifies a petition as a document requesting that the Local Authority takes an action on a matter over which is has control, and which has ten or more signatories. It will need to be polite and non-inflammatory in its wording.
How will we deal with your petition?
Once a petition has been received (or reached its deadline date online), the Council will usually deal with it in one of the following ways:
- If the petition is about a minor traffic or parking matter (such as a request for controlled parking), it is referred to the relevant ward councillors and the Council’s Traffic Team so that the councillors can identify directly with council officers if they wish the request to be investigated for possible implementation.
- If the petition is on a borough wide matter it is usually referred to full Council (although there may be occasions where it is referred elsewhere, such as to the Cabinet).
- If the petition relates to an open consultation or planning application, it is referred to the officers organising the consultation or planning application, to be considered as a response to that. Petitioners are reminded that if a petition on a consultation or planning application is received after the deadline for responses to the consultation or planning application, it may be that the petition cannot be considered. You are asked to ensure that the date the council receives the finished petition is several days before the deadline date for submissions on the consultation or planning application.
- All other petitions are referred to the relevant Cabinet Member to decide where they should go for decision – this is usually the relevant area forum but may sometimes be to another council body. A petition may also sometimes it is referred directly to officers if the Cabinet Member deems this the best way forward for dealing with the issue forming the petition request.
What is needed for a paper petition?
All petitions must include contact details of the lead petitioner.
There is no formal template for paper petitions but organisers are asked to make sure that the petition legend (the formal request for action and explanation of what the petition is about) is at the top of each sheet used.
Paper petitions should be sent to:
The Mayor
London Borough of Hounslow
Hounslow House
7 Bath Road
Hounslow
Middlesex
TW3 3EB
Petition organisers are strongly advised to retain their own copy of any petition submitted to the Council for consideration.
