Completed petition Change Standing Orders and admissibility criteria for petitions.
Currently petitions that concern the operational decisions of local authorities are automatically rejected by the Petitions Committee in accordance with Standing Orders. Across Wales, Local Authorities are disregarding Welsh Assembly declarations, such as Climate Emergency and Nature Emergency and making decisions which are in direct contravention of such declarations. Many farms are being lost whilst Councils seek to maximise their revenues by allowing additional building on greenbelt land.
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In February 2016, the Petitions Committee, undertook a public consultation exercise and review of Public Petitions Arrangements. Under Item 17 , it was confirmed that 57% of the public favoured allowing petitions about local authority operational decisions and responses from petitioners were equally divided. Under 21, it was stated "Despite the responses to the online survey, there does not appear to be a consensus for change in this area and good reasons not to interfere in local democratic decision making". This is denying the Public the right to avail themselves of the correct avenue to correctly challenge local authority decisions which go against the aims and commitments made by the Welsh Government. The Planning Policy for Wales states "The Welsh Ministers have reserve powers to make their own Revocation/Modification or Discontinuance Orders but only after consultation with the planning authority." How can the public request this when petitions are automatically denied.
This petition was considered by the Petitions Committee
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