Lambeth Council currently runs on a 'Cabinet' system where only 11 of the 63 councillors oversee most major decisions in the borough. Added to this, the whip system means non-Cabinet councillors are often forced to vote on party lines. If your opinion differs from Cabinet policy - too bad, your ward councillor can face expulsion if they vote to represent their constituents. This means many of the councillors you elect to represent you on the council have little to no real say.

There's a better way to run the council. If the Council switches from the Cabinet system to a modern Committee system, all 63 councillors will have the power to make and influence decisions in the borough. In a Committee system, councillors work in small committees informed by community priorities. It's a more transparent and democratic system that encourages participation and cross-party collaboration.

This is a petition where your signature counts towards real change. By signing, you make a meaningful, positive difference to the way the council works.

Make Lambeth council work for all voters not just the 11 cabinet members or the council leader and a few colleagues in the cabinet who support the council leader.

You can force Lambeth Council to change the way it makes decisions, so that all 63 elected councillors can do the job voters believe they elected them to do.

If you feel change is needed to how Lambeth council makes decisions, please add your name.

You must be a registered voter for Lambeth council elections to sign this petition. You must give your first name and surname as on the electoral register (no initials/nicknames & if you have changed your name on getting married, please give both surnames!)

https://www.local.gov.uk/lga-independent/resources/committee-system-right-your-council

The committee system is a governance model in local government where decisions are made collectively by cross-party committees of elected councillors rather than being concentrated on a single individual, such as a council leader or small group of councillors who form a cabinet.

The system relies on various specialized committees—such as policy, regulatory, and area committees—whose memberships reflect the political balance of the entire council.

Core Features

• Collective Decision-Making: Power is shared among groups of councillors rather than delegated to a single leader or executive cabinet. 
• Political Balance: Seats on each committee are allocated proportionally based on how many councillors each political party has on the whole council.
• Inclusivity: Because multiple parties are represented on every decision-making committee, minority parties and independent councillors usually have a stronger, more direct voice.
• Types of Committees: Councils typically divide their responsibilities into Policy Committees (managing services and strategy), Regulatory Committees (such as planning and licensing), and Area Committees (focusing on specific local neighborhoods).

Advantages

• Broader Consensus: Decisions require debate and agreement across multiple political groups, which can lead to policies that better reflect the wider community.
• Greater Transparency: Because policy is debated and agreed upon in committee meetings, backbench councillors are heavily involved in the formulation of decisions, reducing the perception of "behind closed doors" governance.