§ Mr. Don Foster (Bath)I wish to present a non-party political petition that has more than 12,000 signatures from people in my constituency and the support of the local chamber of commerce and many small businesses that are concerned about what they see as the deteriorating state of the city of Bath. It seeks to ensure that Bath, a world heritage site with a mayoralty dating back to 1230, but with an administrative headquarters now based outside the city in Keynsham, is restored to unitary authority status. For more than 1,000 years, Bath was in charge of its own affairs and the petitioners seek to return to that situation.
The petition states:
Wherefore your Petitioners pray that your Honourable House shall urge the Secretary of State … to consider the plight of the citizens living in the Parliamentary constituency of Bath and others devoted to the maintenance and continued well-being of the City of Bath, recognising its unique position as a World Heritage city site, to restore the city to its status as a unitary authority able to take control and govern in its own right as the City of Bath.
§ To lie upon the Table.