The law provides for the possibility of citizens to apply to various bodies with different claims, requests, wishes. In many cases, the opinions of several people on a particular issue coincide. In such situations, it is advisable to compose a collective letter.
It is worth saying that it can be sent not only to the authority. In practice, cases of composing collective letters to school principals, institutes, representatives of public organizations, and heads of enterprises are common. Let us further consider how to draw up such a document correctly.
General information
Collective letter expresses the general opinion of a group of people. Moreover, its number can be very different, from a few people to hundreds of citizens.
People write collective letters in the hope that the opinions that they all express will be taken into account. This is quite logical. Often the opinion of one person does not have such value and power as the appeal of a group of people.
Collective letter sample
The document consists of 2 parts - text and application with signatures.
The content is presented in a free, business form. On the form of the signature sheet must be present requirements (without motivation), as well as a table. It consists of the following columns:
- FULL NAME.
- Address.
- Telephone.
- Painting.
The text of the signature form should be kept as short as possible. In this case, you can place more signatures on it. However, this recommendation is relevant for cases when there are a lot of people signing up. In the collective letter of the parents to the teacher or director of the signature, the text of the requirements with motivation can be placed on one sheet.
Important information
If you encounter any problem, as a rule, you have to contact different authorities. For example, the activities of an enterprise cause damage to the environment. Citizens gather and write a collective letter to the head of the organization.
Usually in such situations, their requests are not satisfied. Then people write a new collective letter in defense of their rights in the name of the head of the local government body involved in monitoring the implementation of environmental standards. In order not to re-collect signatures, it is advisable, firstly, to provide for them separate sheets, and secondly, to make copies of them. The originals of the applications will be stored by the most active of the group of signers.
Text Features
Before you write a collective letter, you need to think through the wording.
The requirement text should be short. Along with this, you need to select clear wording. There should be no double interpretation of words. In addition, phrases should be chosen as common as possible. In this case, you can collect more signatures and solve a wide range of issues.
Consider an example. In one of the settlements, people collected signatures against the construction of a shopping center. The procedure took place during a public hearing on the issue of issuing a document on the basis of which a building permit is issued. This document is the urban development plan of the site. As a result of the hearings, it was decided that residents spoke out against the construction, but not against the design of the GPZU. Accordingly, the issuance of this document automatically implies construction.
The importance of choosing common phrases
Suppose you plan to build a shopping center on one of the city streets. It is impractical to collect signatures specifically against such construction. The fact is that the building company can erect in this case any other non-residential building (office, for example). In addition, a specific address should not be indicated in the collective letter. It is better to formulate the requirement as follows:
"We, who live in the (name) district, are categorically against the construction of any capital construction project on the territory located within the streets (indicate the names), the issuance of any documentation permitting construction on this territory."
In this case, signatures can be used as many times as you like when contacting various structures.
Specificity of filling in the application forms
First of all, on each sheet you must provide the text of the requirements. It is impossible to put a signature on the form in which it is absent. This is especially true in situations where the collection of signatures is carried out by unauthorized persons. On the reverse side of the sheet also should not be signed. It can be applied to any requirements later.
It is important to keep the original subscription sheets. When sending a collective letter directly to a government authority or other organization, only copies must be attached.
Transmission Nuances
The letter should be made in 2 copies. A copy of signatures is attached to one. Any initiative person can take documents to the right instance. Meanwhile, in some instances they require the personal presence of the applicants in the transfer of claims. If we talk about Moscow, then such bodies are the Prosecutor General’s Office and the President’s Reception Office.
On both copies, the secretary of the body or institution must affix a stamp or other mark with the date of adoption. A letter with copies of the signatures remains in the organization. The second copy with the mark is taken by the activist.
Important point
After drawing up the letter and completing the collection of signatures on the cover page, i.e. on the application itself, the number of sheets (including the first) is put. A stamp on acceptance of documents is also affixed to the first sheet. Indication of the number of sheets on it is guaranteed to prevent their loss.
In some cases, officials insist on providing original signatures. In such situations, they can be demonstrated, but in no case give away. In practice, there are times when officials literally pulled out documents from the hands of citizens.
Another recommendation: several people should go to the appropriate authority or company. At the same time, if possible, you need to video of what is happening.
Determination of the addressee of the letter
The legislation provides for the possibility of power structures to redirect appeals if they arrived at the wrong address. In addition, the rules set a period for consideration of applications from citizens. According to general rules, it is 30 days. If the letter is sent to a body whose competence does not include resolving the issues raised, then the review period will double, that is, 60 days.
In addition, the law allows for the extension of the deadline if there are grounds. However, applicants must be notified in writing of such a decision. The notice shall indicate the reasons for the extension of the review period.
In order to avoid delaying the process, it is necessary to immediately correctly determine the authorized structure.
To do this, go to the website of the municipal administration and see the names of structural units. You may have to make several calls to various structures that will clarify which body is dealing with what issue.
Links to regulations
They must be present in the letter. As mentioned above, the document must clearly indicate the nature of the violation of rights. Properly this can be done only guided by law.
The selection of suitable regulations is quite complicated, since there are quite a lot of them. It is likely that you may need the help of a lawyer. If there is no money to pay for his services, you will have to spend energy on an independent study of the legislation.
For example, the driver lit in a minibus. In this case, the Law establishing restrictions on tobacco smoking will come to the rescue. This is Federal Law No. 15.
Statement of requirements
It is important to clearly build phrases. It is advisable to formulate requirements on points. As a rule, the requirements are stated in the following form:
"In connection with the foregoing, guided by the Federal Laws (names or numbers), I ask:
- Check on the issues set forth in this appeal, identify the perpetrators and bring them to justice.
- Ensure compliance with the requirements of the Federal Law (name, number).
- Send a response to the appeal (address). "
In the letter you can indicate the form in which the response should be received. In some cases, it is best to place it on the site of the local administration. Applicants may also indicate the specific address of any of the signatories.
Additionally
Sometimes collective letters do not help in solving problems. In such situations, citizens can defend their rights in court. The law allows several people to file a lawsuit.
It is necessary to take into account that actions / inaction, decisions of power structures are appealed in an administrative order. That is, when drawing up a claim, it is necessary to be guided by the CAS of the Russian Federation.