226 and counting – four years on and National Assembly’s petitions system proving a resounding success
4 August 2011
The National Assembly for Wales’s Petitions Committee has looked at more than 200 petitions since the petitions system was introduced in 2007.
This success story comes on the day that the UK Government publishes the first petitions from its e-petitions system, and proves that voters can directly influence decision-making.
For example, a petition was received from Sustrans Wales in October 2007 calling for safer cycle routes in Wales.
Members of the Petitions Committee looked at the petition and handed it onto the then Enterprise and Learning Committee which, in turn, backed plans for a new law.
In June, of this year, the Welsh Government announced that it would bring forward such a law in its legislative programme for the new Fourth Assembly.
“Our petitions system at the National Assembly for Wales is an example of how voters can have direct influence on policy-making,” said Petitions Committee Chair, William Powell AM.
“It can serve as an example to other administrations and governments, in other parts of the UK, of how they can make this kind of direct consultation work.
“We will continue to look at all petitions that are related to devolved issues and I would urge everyone in Wales to continue to use what has proved to be a successful petitions system. The petitions process really is democracy in action”.
View the National Assembly’s petitions explainer video visit here or look at the e-petitions website.