Communities Secretary Hazel Blears today outlined plans to give every citizen in England three new rights to have a greater say to trigger action on local issues they care about. These could range from directing more money from councils to tackle anti-social behaviour and graffiti, to taking over the running of local assets like community or leisure centres, or forcing a public debate on local issues they are concerned about. The UK is one of the biggest petition signing countries in Europe and the World and Ministers are to harness this as a key way of giving local people more say. Hazel Blears set out early details of a new Community Empowerment, Housing and Economic regeneration Bill expected later this year that would harness ‘petition power’ and enable local people to trigger action and influence decisions on local services and issues they care about in three new key ways.

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15 May 2008
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