ePetition details

Adopt Community & Citizens’ Assemblies as Part of Exeter City Council’s Democratic Process (People's Polling Petition)

We the undersigned petition the council to ...commit to commissioning independently facilitated citizens’ and/or community assemblies within the next year, on major strategic issues affecting the city (such as housing, transport (buses, cycles lanes) or cost-of-living, climate impacts), and to formally incorporate assemblies into its public participation arrangements including publishing a clear council response to each assembly’s recommendations.

People in Exeter consistently feel unheard on major issues affecting our lives – housing, climate, public space, pollution, water, cost of living, development decisions. Exeter City Council says it encourages community participation, but the current system only gives residents very limited influence.
Community & citizens’ assemblies are a proven democratic tool that give ordinary people real power to shape decisions. They have been used across the UK and internationally, including right here in Devon through the Devon Climate Assembly, which the council has already engaged with.

This ePetition ran from 26/01/2026 to 22/05/2026 and has now finished.

24 people signed this ePetition.

Council response

The petition signatures have been verified and this petition has received 21 signatures, and as such will be heard by the Strategic Scrutiny Committee.

This meeting will be held on Thursday 19th November 2026, at 17:30 in the Rennes Room, Civic centre.