"Procedure for Consideration of Public Petitions"

This report invites Members to agree  a procedure to be adopted to allow for consideration of public petitions and to provide guidance of the principles to be included in the petitions procedure.


Background- Commitment Four of the Council’s Programme to Work Together to Empower 
our Communities is that ‘the Council will allow public petitions to be considered 
by the Council and relevant strategic committees.’ 


Petitions will not be (APTSec bold) accepted in respect of any of the following matters:-

a. Planning, licensing and other matters with their own procedures for 

objections and appeals e.g. Education Transport Appeals. 

b. Matters that are sub-judice or have the potential to involve the Council in 

litigation. 

c. Matters that may be referred to the Council’s complaints procedure or the 
Scottish Public Services Ombudsman. 

d. Matters concerning individual elected Members or Council employees. 

e. Matters concerning employees’ terms and conditions or employment. 

f. Housing Allocations, in respect of a specific individual or individual(s).

g. A decision made by the Council or any of its Committees or Boards made 
within the previous six months. 

h. Matters that have been considered following submission of a similar petition 
in the previous twelve months. 

i. Matters designed to gain or reduce support for one or more political parties. 

j. Matters that could damage a person’s reputation or discriminate against 
them. 



[ Agenda item 19 - Community Safety, Public Engagement and Equalities CommitteeCouncil Chamber, Council Headquarters, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness on Wednesday, 5 December 2012 at 10.30am.]