We will follow the below rules from the Council’s Constitution when you submit a petition to the Council:

9.1 Petitions may be presented to the Chairman of the Council by members (or a resident living within the district) at meetings of the Council.

9.2 Every petition shall be couched in proper language and be relevant to some question over which the Council has authority or which affects the district.

9.3 A member presenting a petition shall read out the wording thereof or a summary not to exceed 3 minutes except with the consent of the Chairman of the Council, without comment and shall then move that it be referred for consideration to the Cabinet, a committee or a panel of the Council. The motion, if seconded, shall be put without discussion.

9.4 For the purpose of this Procedure Rule, a petition shall contain not less than 25 signatures.

9.5 A resident wishing to present a petition shall give notice in writing thereof with the wording of the petition to the Chief Executive not later than 4.00 p.m. on the last working day preceding the day of the meeting. A maximum of 2 residents shall present the petition and one of them shall read out the wording thereof or a summary not to exceed 3 minutes, except with the consent of the Chairman of the Council, without comment and request the Council to receive the same. The Chairman of the Council, of his/her own volition, or any member may move that the petition be referred to the Cabinet, a committee or a panel and the motion, if seconded, shall be put without discussion.

9.6 There shall be no debate upon the presentation and reference elsewhere of a petition.

9.7 The Cabinet, a committee or a panel may permit one of the presenters of the petition or the member who has moved the motion to address it on the subject of the petition not to exceed 3 minutes except with the consent of the Chairman, and will submit a report to the Council upon the action taken on the petition not later than the next but one ordinary meeting of the Council after that at which the petition is presented.

Any Member of the council or resident of the district can at any time present the council with a petition as a way of highlighting an issue to us.

Within the scope of our rules a petition has to be:

1. Presented by a Member, or a resident of the district; and
2. Have at least 25 signatures.

On receipt of any petition the legal team will verify that both of the above points are valid.

There is no requirement for addresses, or even that the persons who sign are residents of the district. However there must be at least 25 signatures to accompany a clearly themed statement for the subject of the email.

It must be noted that:

1. Petitions are indicative only and have to be evaluated as such by members who will be presented in the first instance with all petitions at a full council meeting.
2. Members will keep an open mind about the limitations of petitions and consider them on that basis. Members need not totally accept or reject a petition but can chose to take it as an indication of feeling which is wider than an individual comment but need not be determinative.
3. Our procedures are regularly updated and therefore this policy regarding petitions may be adapted in the future.
4. All petitions received will be presented to full council meetings who will recommend the appropriate action to respond.

More details can be found in the council constitution.

If you would like to submit a petition you can do so in person at any of our council premises, by email to info@fenland.gov.uk or by post to: Fenland District Council, Fenland Hall, County Road, March, Cambridgeshire, PE15 8NQ.