Any Bristol resident can submit a petition. There are no age restrictions (children can also submit and sign petitions).
However, for petitions relating to planning applications, petitioners may include non-Bristol residents who have an interest in the application, for example, the applicant, the applicant's agent, the owner of the property etc.
In Bristol, it is now possible to start and support a petition online. This means that the petition can be made available to a potentially much wider audience, giving you the opportunity to gather more names in support. The e-petitioning system also allows the principal petitioner the opportunity to provide background information, including links to other web sites or photographs, and provides the opportunity for online debate, giving decision makers the chance to see the strength of feeling about the issue.
You can run an online petition at the same time as a paper petition, combining the two before submitting them to the council. Some people prefer this option as they find it easier to have one they can hand around to friends and family.
Two versions of the same e-petitions will not be publicised by the council at the same time.
In general, a petition should include a brief title and a short statement covering the subject matter of the petition. The petition should clearly state what action the petitioner wishes the council to take. The petition will be returned to the petitioner for further clarification should this be unclear.
In order to be considered, petitions must also clearly display the following:
Paper petitions should also include a signature.
For e-petitions, although the name and address of any person supporting the petition is required for checking purposes, only the name and area will be displayed.
The information contained in a petition must be submitted in good faith and be decent, honest and respectful.
Petitions will be rejected if they are defamatory, frivolous or offensive.
E-petitions that do not follow these guidelines will be considered inadmissible. In such cases, petitioners will be informed in writing of the reasons why a petition cannot be accepted.
During politically sensitive periods, such as just before an election, politically controversial material may need to be restricted.
If you would like to start an e-petition, we can give you some advice about how to promote it and the e-petitioner site is promoted from some other council web sites. However, just with paper petitions, the responsibility for publicising it will lie with you.
If you are promoting your e-petition by email, through newsgroups or discussion boards it is suggested that you only post information about your e-petition to others who are likely to have an interest in the e-petition. It is inappropriate to send messages indiscriminately to multiple mailing lists, individuals or news groups.
The principal petitioner should decide when he or she has collected sufficient names and submit it to the council for consideration.
For e-petitions, the principal petitioner should set a closing date. Once that closing date has been reached, the list of signatures and comments will be printed off and sent to the principal petitioner who should then arrange for it to be submitted as appropriate.
Principal petitioners may wish to set their petition's time limit to coincide with a particular council meeting (eg. full Council or one of the Development Control (Planning) committees). See the Council Meeting Pages. For e-petitions, a week should be allowed between the closing date and the council meeting to give us time to prepare the report.
Petitions can be presented by the principal petitioner or by a councillor on his or her behalf at a meeting of full council. Petitions can also be submitted at meetings (during public forum) or sent to the appropriate department at the council.
If a petitioner wishes to submit the petition at a meeting, he or she must inform the committee by 12 noon the working day before the meeting. See the Council Meeting Pages for contact details.
If a petition relates to a planning application, the petition shall be considered at the meeting of the Development Control Committee, at which the planning application itself is considered (Constitution, Part 4, CMR 9.1a(i)).
There is no maximum number of names on a petition. On average Bristol City Council would expect the minimum to be 10, however this depends on the issue at hand.
Petitions should generally be relevant to some matter in relation to which the council has powers or duties. See the constitution.
Once the petition has been submitted to the council, it will be referred to an appropriate council officer, committee or Councillor for consideration. Feedback will be publicised on the e-petitioner web site once the details are available.
Petitions submitted to the council inform debate and can have positive outcomes that lead to change. For example, they can:
Please note that during election periods, politically controversial issues will be restricted.
Terms & Conditions - Copyright 2007
Managed by Bristol City Council - E-Petitioner system provided by Public-i
