Lib Dems say "Give Surrey Residents a Voice at Council"

The Liberal Democrats on Surrey County Council are calling for the threshold number of signatures on a petition to be reduced from 10,000 to 3,000 to allow a petition to be debated at full Council meetings.

Cllr Hazel Watson, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Opposition on Surrey County Council, said:" The Conservative administration at County Hall is setting the threshold for the number of signatures on a petition to allow it to be debated at full Council far too high at 10,000. It should be drastically reduced to 3,000 signatures to give residents a realistic chance of presenting a petition for debate at full Council."

Cllr Watson continued: "There has only ever been one petition debated at full Council which was the petition opposing on-street parking charges. If the threshold had been 3,000 signatures it would have allowed two more petitions to be debate at full Council. This would have given Surrey residents more opportunity to have their say and to influence decisions. At the moment Surrey residents have no right to speak at full Council except for presenting a petition, but a 10,000 signature hurdle makes it virtually impossible for Surrey residents to achieve."

Cllr Watson concluded: "The Conservative administration seems to want Surrey residents to stay well away from full Council but I believe that this is wrong. Surrey residents should be given a realistic opportunity to present a petition and for it to be debated by full Council."