Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill [HL]

We are now well into the petition schemes. Clause 11 states: "““A principal local authority must make a scheme for the handling of valid petitions made to the authority””." Clause 11(4) says that the principal local authority must publish the scheme, "““on its website, and … in such other manner as the authority considers appropriate for bringing the scheme to the attention of persons who live, work or study in its area””." This is the debate that we had two sittings ago in relation to the duty to promote understanding of democracy; whether it should simply be to persons who live, work or study in its area. In the context of the scheme and the system that would operate under this, the amendment is not particularly important, because if the authority brings the scheme to the attention of persons who live, work or study in its area, inevitably it will come to the attention to anyone else who is interested. Nevertheless, there is a principle that this should apply to more people than those who ““live, work or study”” in an area. My Amendment 84 would add, "““or use or are affected by any of its services and facilities””." An example of this is the petition from market traders in the market hall in Nelson. Some of them do not live in Pendle, and it is arguable that they work there. However, they are self-employed. Whether some of them work is a different matter. That is an example of being prescriptive. In a previous debate, the Minister said that she did not want a petition to a local authority from people passing through an airport to have to be dealt with. I would argue that it depends who owns the airport. I am not quite sure whether Heathrow is in Hounslow or Hillingdon.