Our petition scheme helps residents to understand how any petition they submit to us will be dealt with.
We welcome petitions and recognise they are one way in which people can let us know their concerns and ask us to take action. Typically, a petition is signed by many people, indicating that a large group of people supports the request detailed in the petition.
We identify a petition as a document that
- requests us to take action on a matter over which we have control
- has ten or more signatories
- is polite and non-inflammatory in its wording
Submit a new petition
Browse current and completed petitions
How we will deal with your petition
Once we have received a petition (or it has reached its deadline date online), we will usually deal with it in one of the following ways:
- If the petition is about a minor traffic or parking matter (such as a request for controlled parking), it is referred to the relevant ward councillors and our traffic team so that the councillors can identify directly with council officers if they wish the request to be investigated for possible implementation.
- If the petition is on a borough-wide matter it is usually referred to full Council (although there may be occasions where it is referred elsewhere, such as to the Cabinet).
- If the petition relates to an open consultation or planning application, it is referred to the officers organising the consultation or planning application, to be considered as a response to that. Petitioners are reminded that if a petition on a consultation or planning application is received after the deadline for responses to the consultation or planning application, it may be that the petition cannot be considered. You are asked to ensure that the date the council receives the finished petition is several days before the deadline date for submissions on the consultation or planning application.
- All other petitions are referred to the relevant Cabinet Member to decide where they should go for decision – this is usually the relevant area forum but may sometimes be to another council body. A petition may also sometimes it is referred directly to officers if the Cabinet Member deems this the best way forward for dealing with the issue forming the petition request.
Paper petitions
There is no formal template for paper petitions but organisers need to make sure that the petition legend (the formal request for action and explanation of what the petition is about) is at the top of each sheet used.
All petitions must include contact details of the lead petitioner.
We strongly advise petition organisers to retain their own copy of any petition they submit.
You can send paper petitions to:
The Mayor
London Borough of Hounslow
Hounslow House
7 Bath Road
Hounslow
Middlesex
TW3 3EB
