50-name threshold on council petitions

MORE than 50 signatures will be needed to trigger responses to petitions from local people if Oldham Council approves a new scheme next week.

New government rules on petitions come into force on June 15, followed by a facility for e-petitions on the council’s web pages in December.

To be considered, petitions should be about a council function or an improvement to the economic, social or environmental well being of the borough.

The rules allow any petitions ruled to be vexatious, abusive or inappropriate to be struck out, Oldham Council will hear on Wednesday.

Members are being asked to set three trigger thresholds for different types of petition:

::Ordinary, with over 50 signatures.

::Petitions needing council debate with 3,000 signatures.

::Petitions holding council employees to account, with 1,500 signatures.

But the new rules do not affect petitions such as calling for an elected mayor, or on licensing or planning issues.

The new rules allow petitions to be signed by people who live, work or study in the area.

However, Borough Solicitor Paul Entwistle’s report will warn councillors: “Had signatures been limited to registered electors, it would have been very easy for the authority to verify signatures.

“As the act is drafted, and given that a number of people may share a common email address, verification is now all but impossible.”

A petition with 50 or under signatures will be reported to the local District Partnership, and petition organisers not satisfied with the council’s response have the right to appeal to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.