Site map

Search

• ICELE's Vision
• eTools
• eTools available through ICELE
• Partnering internationally
• Practitioner groups
• Industry news, research & analysis
• Using tools to target specific groups
• National, regional and local groups and initiatives
• Strategic Advisory Group
• Delivering local eDemocracy: a toolkit
• Funding Opportunities
• Opportunities to work with ICELE
• Case Studies

• Document Downloads
• Links

• People Finder
• eNewsletter Registration
• Elected Member Guide

• Feeds from the web
• Department for Communities and Local Government
• BBC Action Network
• Community Portal - Voice
• UK and Ireland E-Democracy Exchange
• Demgames
• MySociety
• Pledge Bank
• Fix My Street
• People and Participation
• Write to them
• They work for you
• MoJ democratic engagement branch

• Acknowledge
• Picture Poll
• Webcast Guide
• VOICE
• Bloginabox
• ICELE Guides
• ICELE Facebook Group
• ICELE Flickr

ePetitions

ICELE Special Supplement

» View pages in this section

This bulletin follows the recent announcement from Hazel Blears regarding the potential use of online petitioning in the democratic process.

ePetitions gained a lot of press coverage following the launch of Number 10 petitioning site earlier this year. Since then, Parliament has called for the formal recognition of ePetitions and South Yorkshire has been piloting ePetitions through the web and digital television.

At ICELE we believe that more Local Authorities should be enabling ePetitions, particularly reflecting on the experience of the established systems in Bristol and Kingston Upon Thames. At the most basic level, we believe that they are a good way to support traditional paper petitions.

Foremost we believe ePetitions within local government have the potential to unlock more open, responsive and considerate decision making. The 2006 DCLG White Paper supports our call, suggesting that Local authorities will be encouraged to put in place a structured approach for dealing with petitions.

While the appeal of ePetitions is proven, it's important to get the back-end policy making process aligned with them. Many people became disillusioned about the No.10 ePetition on road charging, for example, although clearly there can't be another debate about the issue without reciting the 1.8million strong signatures.

"Petitions have always been a lively aspect of local democracy. Unlike petitions to No 10, any petition to Kingston Council guarantees that an issue appears on a Council agenda. The petitioner is encouraged to present their case and often gets involved in framing the solution. And we pioneered online petitions, which widen the spread of people who use this mechanism - indeed, some of the most significant petitions have been led by young people."

- Councillor Mary Reid, RBK (ICELE Vice Chair)

We've launched a number of initiatives to rediscover ePetitiong and get Local Authorities back on track with the idea. This includes a free seminar on 31st October.

Continue to the following pages for more details.......