11 January 2008
Plans to compel local authorities to respond to any petition signed by 250 residents could be 'hijacked' by extremist groups such as the British National Party, the Local Government Association has warned.
Communities Secretary Hazel Blears launched the proposals on December 27. These would require councils to respond to residents' petitions on any issue for which the local authority is responsible, such as rubbish collection, abandoned cars or youth services.
If the authority fails to respond or the response is unsatisfactory, residents could then ask their local councillor to launch a scrutiny committee hearing, under new powers for a 'councillor call for action' included in the 2007 Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act.
'We have a rich history of writing and signing petitions: 60% of us do so each year, but do we have a rich enough history of answering and responding to them? These new powers would mean the concerns of local people can no longer be filed away and ignored, and ensure we have a more responsive culture,' Blears said.
But an LGA spokesman said: 'The main concern we have is that this could be hijacked by minority groups.' For example, the BNP could launch a petition calling for migrants to be moved to the back of council house waiting lists, he suggested.
'Even though this couldn't happen, councillors could be required to sit down and meet and go through the motions – with all the resourcing and time implications of that.'
PFjan2008
