---

Localism Bill

My Lords, I cannot quite understand where we are, which is why I got up before. Earlier this week I moved Amendments 125 and 126, which provided that a councillor could not call for a referendum unless he had a petition signed by 5 per cent of the electorate. I have before me the Hansard report where the Minister, the noble Lord, Lord Taylor, said: "““I believe that the safeguard we have in place—that, following a request from a member, a referendum may not be held unless the full council has resolved that it be held””.—[Official Report, 28/6/11; col. 1746.]" Surely that is the check. I admit that it is far better than the one we proposed, which was getting 5 per cent of the vote.