Petition scheme

What different types of petitions are there?

Ealing Council’s petition scheme includes five different types of petition.  How we deal with a petition depends on which type of petition you submit:

  • Simple petitions
    These are petitions which do not come within any of the following specific types mentioned below and are presented, by the petition organiser, directly to the relevant councillor at a meeting of full council.
  • Consultation petitions
    These are petitions submitted in response to an invitation from the council for representations on a particular proposal or application, for example on planning or licensing applications or proposals for parking restrictions or speed limits. Consultation petitions which are received by the response date in the consultation will be reported to the person or committee which will be taking the decision on the application or proposal.
  • Statutory petitions
    Legislation sometimes requires the council to consider petitions, for example, a petition for a directly-elected Mayor. Where you submit a petition under such legislation it will be dealt with in accordance with the relevant statutory requirements.
  • Petitions for debate
    If you want your petition to be reported to and debated at a meeting of the full council, it must contain at least 1,500 signatories (750 for purely local matters, affecting no more than one ward).   More information on this type of petition is set out on page 6 below.
  • Petitions to hold a cabinet portfolio holder to account
    If your petition contains more than 500 signatures it will be considered at a meeting of Overview and Scrutiny Committee. The relevant cabinet portfolio holder, will be required to answer questions from the committee members.

The council’s response to a petition will depend on what type of petition it is and how many people have signed it, but may include the following: 

  • taking the action requested in the petition (either under officer delegated powers or otherwise as appropriate in all the circumstance)
  • considering the petition at a full council meeting in accordance with the Council and Cabinet Procedure Rules
  • treating the petition as a complaint under the council’s complaints procedure
  • holding an inquiry into the matter
  • undertaking research into the matter
  • holding a public meeting
  • holding a consultation
  • holding a meeting with petitioners
  • referring the matter to the council’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee*
  • calling a referendum
  • responding to the petition organiser setting put the council’s view on the request set out in the petition
  • some other appropriate response

*Overview and Scrutiny Committee is a committee of councillors who are responsible for scrutinising the work of the council.

All petition organisers will receive in due course a letter in response to their petition.  That letter will let the petition organisers know what action the council will be taking in response to their petition.