Petitions

Norfolk County Council welcomes petitions.

We believe petitions inform debate and can have positive outcomes that lead to change. For example, they can demonstrate strong public approval or disapproval to something that the council is doing.

Anyone who lives, works or studies in Norfolk can submit a petition.

There are no age restrictions so children can also submit and sign petitions.

We operate an online petitions system, but we also accept paper petitions and petitions that have been created using other online petitions systems or websites.

Your petition should begin with a statement that sums up the action that you wish Norfolk County Council to take, or to cease taking. Ideally, this should begin: 'We, the undersigned, petition Norfolk County Council to...'. After the statement, you can include any further details regarding the background to the petition that you wish.

Our petitions system is intended to provide a voice for residents of the county of Norfolk. As a Petition Organiser, you should live, work or study in Norfolk. Similarly, signatories to your petition should fulfill these criteria in order for their signatures to be considered as valid.

All petitions submitted to Norfolk County Council are subject to petitions terms and conditions.

If you require assistance with this process, please email Democratic Services at councillorsupport@norfolk.gov.uk.

How to submit a paper petition

Paper petitions should be presented in person to a representative of the Council.

Your petition must include your contact details as the Petition Organiser. The details of any person signing the petition should include their name, postal address and email address so that their signature can be validated.

We do accept petitions sent by email, but this is not a secure way to transmit personal data, such as the names and addresses of those who have signed your petition. If you intend to do this, you should inform the signatories before they sign your petition.

If you wish to arrange to submit a paper petition, please email Democratic Services at councillorsupport@norfolk.gov.uk.

Let us know as soon as possible if you want to take a photo to use in support of a campaign. We need sufficient notice to arrange for an appropriate council representative to be present.

Please note: County Council representatives will not accept petitions on behalf of other organisations located at County Hall. Petition organisers should contact the relevant organisation to make suitable arrangements.

How to submit an online petition using the Council's online petitions system

First, you will need to register with the petitions system on the website. You will be asked to include basic contact details in your registration. You can then log in with your user name and password using the 'Petitions Login' button which is available on the 'Your Council' page. Once you have logged in, select the 'ePetitions' button in the same banner. This will take you to the petitions system where you can submit your petition.

Please be aware that your petition will not immediately appear on the website after submission. You will receive an acknowledgement of your petition within three working days, while a decision is made as to whether the petition can be accepted or not, or whether further information is required from you. You will be informed of this decision within 10 working days.  If the petition is accepted, it will then appear on the website and be available to be signed.

How to submit an online petition created using other petition software

We are happy to accept petitions created using other online websites or petition systems.

Once your petition has closed, you should download and print the signatures and submit them to us in the same way as a paper petition. The name, postal address and email address of each signatory should be included so that we can establish if the signature is valid or not.

If you wish to arrange to submit a petition in this way, please email Democratic Services at councillorsupport@norfolk.gov.uk.

What happens once a petition is submitted

We will acknowledge that we have received your petition within three working days of receiving it.

Within 10 working days of receipt, we will write to you to explain how we will deal with your petition. We may, for example, send it to a council officer or Councillor for consideration.

If the petition has received more than 5,000 signatures, it will be debated by the Full Council if that is the petition organiser's wish.

If the petition has received fewer than 5,000 signatures and the petition organiser would like to present it at a Committee meeting, or would like someone else to:

• Advise Democratic Services at least 10 working days before the meeting
  • Contact Democratic Services by phone on 01603 222378 or by emailing councillorsupport@norfolk.gov.uk
• We will pass the request to the relevant Chair for consideration

If you're unhappy with our response to your petition

If you are not happy with the outcome of your petition, or the way we have dealt with your petition, you can request that the appropriate committee who will review the steps that have been taken in response to your petition.

You may also wish to contact your local County Councillor.

If you are still not happy with the decision, you may:

• Make a complaint using our formal complaints system
• Refer the matter to the Local Government Ombudsman