A petition allows members of the public to let us know their concerns. By making petitions available online, a greater number of people can contribute to petitions and to the council's democratic process.

A petition can:

  • provide direct access to elected councillors and other key policy makers
  • raise the awareness of a particular campaign
  • put issues on the Council's agenda which might not otherwise be considered by the Council
  • let the Council know the strength of feeling in the community about particular issues

A paper petition is a written document signed by ten or more persons from five or more identifiable households. (Name, address and signature are required.)

For further information on our petitions process, see our Petition Scheme (in the Downloads section)

E-Petitions

You can now sign a current petition or start a new petition online using our e-petition service for people to 'sign'.

Before you create or sign your first e-petition, you must register your details.

You can also review or sign live e-petitions and view inactive e-petitions which give details of what the petition is about and who has signed it.

Printing a e-petition for signing

To make a printed petition to sign, log-in and then:

  1. Select 'My Activities' on the right hand side of the screen.
  2. Select the petition which you would like to print. Only petitions displaying 'collecting signatures' can be selected.
  3. In 'Edit Petition' scroll to the bottom of the screen and select the option 'Paper Copies'.
  4. In the 'Number of rows for signatures' box, enter the number of rows to appear on the paper petition for signature. Click on 'Submit'.
  5. In 'Paper Copies' select 'Download'. A copy of the paper petition on the screen.
  6. Select the 'Print' option in the browser.
Requesting a printed copy of an e-petition to sign

To request a printed copy of an e-petition to sign, contact:

Returning signed e-petitions

Printed copies of signed e-petition must be returned to us within 5 days.

Signed printed copies to e-petitions received after 5 days will not be considered.

Your printed signed copy of the e-petition must be sent to:

Democratic Services
Governance
Delivery Directorate
Wolverhampton City Council
Civic Centre
St Peter's Square
Wolverhampton
WV1 1SH

We will then add your name to the e-petition.

What can petitions raise?

Petitions should:

  • raise issues where there is a public interest and which fall within the competence of the Council
  • be submitted in good faith, be decent, honest and respectful

Petitions submitted which relate to a matter on which a decision has already been made by the Council will still be considered by the Democratic Services.

What can't petitions raise?

Petitions should not raise:

  • details of personal or commercial issues
  • specific or individual employee relations, disciplinary or grievance matters
  • information which is protected by a court order
  • commercially sensitive or confidential material
  • individual appeal cases

If your petition is about a particular licensing or planning application, then it will be dealt with and reported to meetings that deal with the application.

How do I submit a paper petition?

Petitions should be submitted using the Official Petition Form in the Downloads section

What are the guidelines for submitting a petition?

Petitions should include:

  • contact details of the lead petitioner (including name, address, e-mail address and phone number) 
  • clear and concise text of what action you want the council to take
  • additional relevant information and the reasons why you consider the action requested to be necessary, in no more than three sides of A4. This information will be made shared with the  Councillors and the relevant service area  prior to its consideration of your petition
  • previous action taken to resolve the issues raised, including details of councillors you have approached

Petitions should not include:

  • offensive, intemperate, inflammatory, sarcastic or provocative language or language that might reasonably offend readers
  • false or defamatory statements
  • information which is protected by an interdict or court order
  • commercially sensitive or confidential material
  • in relation to criminal accusations, the names of individuals, or information that might easily identify them

Petitions which do not follow these guidelines will not be considered and you will be informed in writing of the reasons why.

Can I send a petition to my councillor?

All petitions should be sent to Democratic Services.

Where a petition is received by a councillor it should be sent to Democratic Services for processing.

Full Council debates

Petitions with 5,000+ signatures will be reviewed and responded to at the next meeting of the Council.

Consideration by scrutiny

Petitions with 2,500-4,999 signatures will be considered by the relevant scrutiny panel with recommendations made for action by employees or review by the Executive as appropriate.

What happens next?

An acknowledgement will be sent to the lead petitioner with details of what the Council plan to do with the petition and when they can expect to hear from us again. 

How are councillors kept informed?

A summary of responses will be reported to the Scrutiny Board, the relevant Cabinet Member(s), Shadow Leader's office and, where appropriate, the relevant Ward Members.

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