Residents of Dudley have multiple avenues to voice their concerns, including the ability to start online e-petitions on the council’s official website. Any petition that garners over 3,000 signatures qualifies for a full council debate, offering the community a powerful platform to raise pressing issues.
In 2025, Dudley Council hosted four e-petitions covering diverse topics. The most prominent, initiated by Reform UK politician Marco Longhi, focused on the borough’s approach to housing asylum seekers and illegal migrants. Launched in August and closing in October, this petition secured 3,086 signatures, just surpassing the threshold for council debate.
The petition expressed concern over the impact of increased numbers of asylum seekers and illegal immigrants on local residents. It called for the council to consider legal measures against hotels housing these individuals and recommended including fear of crime as a factor when assessing planning applications for houses of multiple occupation.
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The issue was debated during the council meeting on October 20, drawing a packed public gallery who applauded the defense of Mr. Longhi amid criticisms from some councillors.
The second most supported petition, active in July, gathered 824 signatures for “Save Clockfields Millennium Forest and SLINC (Site of Local Importance to Nature Conservation)”. This petition urged refusal of a planning application proposing three houses on a vital wildlife corridor site on Culverhouse Drive, Brierley Hill. The application had already faced 300 objections from the community.
Another petition, “Save Enville Street Car Park,” attracted 236 signatures and sought to remove the publicly-owned car park in Stourbridge from the council’s disposal list. Instead, supporters want the site upgraded with resurfacing to alleviate local parking problems and support surrounding businesses. A formal council response is awaited.
Lastly, a petition demanding increased road maintenance funding for Halesowen received only two signatures between April and July, falling far short of the response threshold.
These petitions highlight Dudley residents’ active engagement with local governance and the council’s commitment to providing a platform for community voices.