Telford Council website petition ‘too political’
Tuesday 29th March 2011, 3:12PM BST.
The first e-petition to be lodged on Telford & Wrekin Council’s website has been barred for being “too political”, it was revealed today.
The authority said allowing the petition – relating to council investment in Brookside – would breach laws on how councils can act in the run-up to elections.
The council also today accepted the site, launched in January, has suffered teething problems which may have stopped other petitions being lodged.
But campaigner John Houghton is angry his call for the council to “honour promises” to challenge anti-social behaviour and potential vigilantism in Brookside has been blocked.
Mr Houghton, 46, from Leegomery, said glitches had stopped him submitting his petition earlier.
Telford & Wrekin Council said laws stopped it publishing material which may be seen as promoting a political party in the run-up to the May 5 vote.
Communications manager Nigel Newman said: “We are aware there was a technical issue with the e-petition software. This was first raised with us on the March 24 and we resolved the issue the next day.
“We have had a number of inquiries about this facility and received one request for an e-petition. This was not accepted as a live e-petition because of rules governing the pre-election period we are now in.”
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everything the council does is political these days!!!!!!!
politically incorrect on the public behalf…
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