To view or download this policy as a PDF click Community and General Policies Documents

Purpose

1. To ensure that the views of the community are effectively communicated to councillors and staff and considered by them in the process of making decisions.
2. To ensure that Council officials (including councillors and staff) are guided by the CDSC Code of Conduct while conducting Council business.
3. To set out a consistent process that will ensure that each petition is treated in a timely manner and effectively comes to the notice of councillors and relevant staff.

Scope

This policy applies to any resident or ratepayer in the Council region.

Definition and Terms

Petition: A petition is a document signed by a group of people. Petitions are normally used to make a special request of Council in relation to a particular issue. Anyone can send a petition to Council.

Organiser: a natural person who is responsible for the creation of the petition. If the organiser is not known then the first person named on the petition is to be advised.

Legislation and Reference

Privacy Act 1988 (Commonwealth)
Information Act 2002 (NT)
Local Government Act 2019 (NT)

Policy Statement

Acceptable Petitions

In order to be accepted a petition must:

1. Council will accept petitions from persons who have an interest in the Central Desert Regional Council area as residents, landowners, business people or in some other capacity.
2. Be legibly written or typed or printed.
3. Relate to a matter inside the Council’s powers and functions,
4. State clearly who is the organiser of the petition, together with their signature and their contact details.
5. State clearly the request and outcome wanted on each page of the petition.
6. Contain the name, address and signature of each person making the request and the date each person signed – a person must not sign on behalf of anyone else,
7. Be specific about the time, date, place of the alleged issue complained about and the context or background related to the issue and
8. Not contain offensive, indecent or abusive language or substance and/or remarks that could be deemed defamatory toward a person or entity.

Rejection of Petition

A petition may be rejected by the Chief Executive Officer if:

1. It does not comply with the above rules
2. It is considered frivolous, vexation or lacking in substance.

Rejected petitions will be referred back to the organiser of the petition with the reasons why it was rejected.

Sending the petition to council

The petition should be addressed to either the Council President or the Chief Executive Officer and sent to:

Central Desert Regional Council, PO Box 2257, Alice Springs NT 0871 OR Lodged in person at any Council Office.

Processing petitions

When petitions are received they will be handled as follows:

1. The petition will be immediately forwarded to the Chief Executive Officer
2. The petition will be reviewed to determine whether it complies with Council’s Policy
3. Complying petitions will be placed on the Agenda for the next Ordinary Council Meeting
4. A report will be prepared addressing the matter raised by the petitioners and included on the Agenda. If there is insufficient time to prepare a report the matter will still be brought to Council’s attention at the next Ordinary Meeting with the recommendation that consideration be deferred pending completion of a Report.
5. A petition can be placed on the Agenda of a Special Council Meeting if approved by the Council President
6. A letter will be sent to the organiser of the petition acknowledging receipt – it is the responsibility of the organiser of the petition, and not Council to contact all other signatories on the petition
7. Petitioners may request a deputation to address Council by writing to the CEO. Such request will be considered by the Council President, who will determine the request and the conditions applicable to it in accordance with the  Council's meeting procedures.

Outcome of Petition

Council will decide what action, if any, it will take on the petition. Generally, Council refers the petition to the relevant officer for appropriate action. Council’s decision can be accessed in the minutes of the meeting, which are available on Council’s website.

The relevant officer will consider the petition, take any action considered necessary and advise the organiser accordingly.

Review History