Petitions

Petitions

Petitions are a great way for groups and communities to give their views and the way we deal with them is set out in our Constitution (Part 2, appendix 2). If you live, work or study in North Northamptonshire, you can submit a petition to us:

• 5 to 749 signatures - a senior officer will provide a response
• 750 to 1,499 signatures - a senior officer will give evidence at a public council meeting
• 1,500 plus signatures - debate at a Full Council meeting

Petition types

You can create a petition on our website, use another online service or do it on paper.

To be accepted, we'll need the full contact details of the person organising the petition including their qualifying address in North Northamptonshire (where they live, work or study).

People in the area can sign your petition. Sometimes, if a matter has a significant impact beyond our boundaries, we have the discretion to take the views of people outside North Northamptonshire into account.

You can email us [email protected] if you would like advice about petitions.

Completed petitions

Paper petitions need to be sent to: North Northamptonshire Council, Democratic Services, Corby Cube, George Street, Corby, NN17 1QG.

We will send an acknowledgement within 10 working days of receipt, whether online or paper. We'll confirm what we will do with the petition, next steps and when you can expect to hear from us again.

If you feel that we haven't dealt with your petition properly, email us at [email protected].

Other ways to send your views

There are a variety of ways you can give your views if you don't want to make a petition:

• through your local councillor
• through your town or parish council
• local community association, tenants or residents groups

You can also make comments, compliments and complaints relating to the council.

Inappropriate petitions, elections and other exceptions

Inappropriate

We can refuse to accept any e-petition that is frivolous, vexatious, discriminatory or otherwise inappropriate. But we will, where possible, suggest an amended form of words that is considered acceptable.

Elections

Immediately before and during an election, we may need to deal with a petition differently. In these instances, we will explain why and discuss a revised timescale.

Other exceptions

We can't accept petitions that relate to:

• complaints - submissions in relation to an individual user relating to matters which would usually be dealt with through the corporate complaints process
• staff employment - issues raised by our employees that relate to their employment
• issues where other procedures apply - such as planning and licensing applications, parking and other appeals, or statutory petitions (for example requesting a referendum on having an elected mayor)

Last updated 01 June 2023