How to get a local referendum!

Via Jonathan Miller, in the comments to previous post (but worth highlighting):
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This article appeared in the January 2002 issue of Sovereignty. The info originally appeared in SchNEWS, Issue 182, 4-9-98, schnews.org.uk
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Not many people know that the following extraordinarily democratic provision exists in England and Wales. It can be usefully exploited by activists on any number of issues. We need more of this kind of direct democracy.Under the 1972 Local Government Act, civic Parish Councils in England (Community Councils in Wales) can vote to request their local District Council to hold a referendum on any issue of concern to the local parish.Once the Parish Council has voted in favour, the District Council has to carry out the referendum.
1 - Choose the issue.
2 - Decide the wording of the question.
3 - With at least five other local parish residents, approach the Parish Council and request a Parish Council meeting.
4 - Advertise the meeting.
5 - At least 10 people must be present at the meeting, where a formal motion must be put forward to support a referendum (the wording of the referendum must be part of the resolution) and a vote taken.
6 - The motion can only be carried if a third of those present, or at least 10 (whichever is the least) vote in favour.
7 - Take the resolution to the District Council and submit a request for a referendum, invoking your right under Schedule 12, Part III, para.18(4) and (5) at page 2275 of the Local Government Act (1972). In Wales it is Schedule 12, Part V, para.34(4) and (5) at page 2279. The District Council must respond within a week and the referendum has to be held within 14-25 days of the request being submitted.
8 - Publicise the referendum and campaign for your cause.Getting the Council to do anything about the issue is, of course, the next step after winning the referendum, but your case will be strengthened with a democratic mandate.
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Update via Jorgen: only some rural and smaller urban areas have Parish Councils. They are none in Greater London.

Purbeck leads the way!

From The Daily Telegraph, 6 September, via Christina Speight:

"Residents in a hamlet on the Purbeck peninsular in Dorset have taken on the political establishment and won the right to have their say on a European Union referendum. In two weeks the parish of East Stoke, in the Frome river valley near Wareham will hold the country’s first vote to demand a referendum on the new EU treaty.
The poll will ask East Stoke’s 396 voters “Do you want a referendum on the proposed new EU treaty?”
Campaigner John Barnes used a little-known provision of the 1972 Local Government Act to insist, against opposition from Tory councillors, that East Stoke’s voters have a voice on the EU.
Up to 17 other parishes in the South West are expected to follow East Stoke’s example."

Does anybody know how this works?

Cute

As a ginge, I must say I love this little girl

"EU to end British meat export ban"

Good news for our farmers and maybe only another three years 'til France lifts the ban as well!

"I want a referendum"

Sign up here if you can be bothered.

It's not just another anti-EU group, or just another petition for that matter, it is MPs from all parties (some pro- and some anti- EU) who want a referendum.

Do not forget that prior to French and Dutch 'no' votes in mid-2005, our MPs voted by a 215 majority that there should be a referendum on the Constitution!

Dave loses it completely

He appears to have gone stark staring mad with more plans for a 'National Citizen's Service'.

Isn't this a bit like his Big Idea of early 2006 for a Youth Community Action Programme?

Which Charlie Kennedy said was something that the Lib Dems' Youth Taskforce were considering as well.

And the Goblin King was going to make compulsory for immigrants anyway.

So they are all at it, aren't they? Planning news ways to waste our time and money.

Let's try again, shall we?

As Albert Einstein famously said, insanity is doing something the same way repeatedly expecting different results.

Now, I accept that economics and so on is not an exact science, but we have sixty years of evidence to support the conclusion that sending money to The Third World* and meddling in their affairs does not work.

So, how vain is the Goblin King to suggest that we can run their health systems for them, at our own expense?

*Most of which ends up in Swiss bank accounts, or in the bank accounts of 'preferred suppliers' domiciled in the donor country, of course. It's like watering a desert, it will evaporate and rain back into the ocean.

We're all Europeans now!

Via my UKIP chums comes another fine example of the EU slowly but steadily chipping away at our national identities.

Two wrongs make a right

Judge's logic -If the cops can keep samples from people they've arrested but not charged, they should be able to take samples from everybody.

No, Sedley* you stupid f***. Two wrongs do NOT make a right.

Copper's logic - We maybe shouldn't be keeping the samples taken from those not charged.

Well said, Tony Lake!

*On my law degree seven years ago, a wise lecturer warned us about 'activist' judges like Sedley. Actually, a lot of our judges are totally corrupt, but that's a different story.

One big happy family?

The Purple Scorpion has stumbled across this delightful tale of a whole family of scroungers who breed like rabbits.

Between them, they get £34,000 a year in benefits, plus three council houses.

Under a sensible Citizen's Income-type welfare scheme they'd get (2006-07 rates - see page 7)
5 x £34, plus 1 x £45 plus 1 x £57 per week = £272 x 52 weeks = £14,144 a year between them.

Seems fair to me.

And, if council housing were allocated on a strict waiting list basis, rather than priority being given to existing social tenants and young women who have kids, they'd probably still all be in the same council house (this idea pinched off Roger Thornhill)