The Government's culture Secretary Hazel Blears has called for local authorities to be more responsive to the concerns of local people.

The proposals would require a council by law to respond to a petition submitted with 250 or more signatures about any issue for which the authority has responsibility.

Some of the petitions which could be raised include campaigns against fly-tipping, graffiti, drug dealing, the need for more community wardens, improvements to local parks, access for the disabled or a lack of street lighting.

Leader of Kettering Council Jim Hakewill said: "While I recognise there is a place for residents to petition, I would really hope good councillors would have networks in the community that allow them to see such issues before there was a need to petition.

"Having said that, it's a method of people putting forward concerns and, as in the past, should be part of local democracy."

Pat Fawcett, leader of Corby Council, said her authority was good at responding to petitions anyway.

"The council always responds to petitions.I think the proposals are necessary because if we are a bit "holier than thou" and ignore a petition we couldn't."

But Paul Bell, deputy leader of Wellingborough Council, was more sceptical about the proposals.

He said: "If 250 residents in Wellingborough present a petition to the Government, will they get a satisfactory response?

"In the past, people who have presented a petition to us have generally been sent a response from the relevant authority anyway."

Nelson Pengelly, chair of the Beanfield Tenants' and Residents' Association in Corby, said: "Anything that involves the community more in decision making is a good thing.

"We've had petitions in the past. One was for a zebra crossing outside St Brendan's School. It was successful. Not long after it was submitted we got one."

Under the plans, if a council ignores a petition or gives what is deemed to be an unsatisfactory answer, the local community can then raise the matter with their ward councillor, forcing a "select committee-style" hearing within the local authority.