Before you start collecting signatures make sure your petition meets requirements including:

• The petition is initiated by a resident or citizen of Australia.
• It must not be in pencil and must be in a legible and permanent written form.
• It must show the full terms (the facts or reasons for the petition and the specific action requested) at the top of the first page of the petition.
• The petition terms (both the reasons and request) need to be less than 250 words.
• The terms must be repeated, exactly as they appear on the first page, at the top of every following page.
• The terms must relate to matters within Council’s powers and functions, or relate to issues which affect the communities of the Northern Beaches, as long as Council is in a position to exercise a degree of influence.
• The full name, address and either an email address or phone number of the principal petitioner are on the front page of the petition. These will not be published but enable us to contact you to explain how Council will respond to the petition. If the petition does not identify a principal petitioner, Council will use the first signatory of the petition as the principal petitioner.
• The address of the petitioner may be where the signatory to the petition lives, works or studies.  Council has the discretion to verify the name and address and signature of any person supporting the petition.
• Each signature on the petition must be made by the person signing in his or her own handwriting. In circumstances of incapacity, a petitioner who is unable to sign may ask another person to sign on his or her behalf.
• Every signature must be written on a page bearing the request part of the terms of the petition. Signatures must not be copied, pasted, or transferred onto the petition. No electronic signatures or copies of handwritten originals are accepted. They must not be written on a blank page or the blank reverse side of a sheet containing the terms of the petition. Each person who signs the petition must include their name and address.
• A person cannot sign or join the same paper petition or e-petition more than once.
• Your petition cannot include any attachments (such as letters or other documents), universal resource locators (URLs) or web links.
• If your petition is in a language other than English it is accompanied by a certified translation. The person certifying the translation must place his or her name and address on the translation.
• Terms used must be legal and promote legal acts.
• Language must be respectful, temperate and not defamatory, indecent or abusive.
• If the petition is being made by a corporation, it must be made under its common seal. Otherwise it will be received as a petition from individuals and requires a principal petitioner.
• A petition cannot apply for any grant of public money nor for compounding debts nor for the remission of duties payable by any person.
• A petition will not be considered where it is received within 12 months of another petition being considered by Council on the same matter.
• A petition relating to a planning decision already determined by Council staff, a Council committee, or a resolution of Council will not be considered.
• Any petitions considered by Council to be defamatory, indecent, vexatious, offensive, abusive or inappropriate will not be considered.